Environmental context alters the magnitude of conspecific negative density dependence in a temperate forest

Conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) is an important driver of stand-level tree diversity in temperate forests. CNDD can occur via two main processes. First, soil pathogens and herbivores form a halo high enemy surrounding established trees at local spatial scales. As result, seedlings saplings residing within this experience reduced growth survival. Second, intraspecific competition lead to depletion resources, reducing the performance conspecific saplings, encouraging mixing species. While respond nearby adults, they are simultaneously responding environmental conditions. Solar radiation, moisture, nutrients all influence recruitment patterns. Furthermore, these factors densities activities pathogens, as well seedling sapling carbon balance. we expect small-scale variation abiotic environment magnitude CNDD, although expectation has thus far received little attention. We combined stem data from mapped oak-hickory forest plot evaluate whether modulates direction or dependence. tested for interaction between heterospecific basal area sapling's neighborhood each five covariates: index canopy gaps, organic matter, cations, topographic curvature, slope/aspect. found that increasing areas more so than did area. observed significant interactions adult covariates differed depending on category adults (i.e., vs. heterospecific), effect was most with variations conclude not only interacts conditions growth, but importantly, interact conspecifics modulate growth. Thus, if result proves general, central mechanism underlying maintenance be modified by