Fig. 2: Trait space of 2054 tree communities with traits at genus and species level.

PC1 has an Eigenvalue of 4.39 (explained variance 33.3%), and appears to be related to the ‘leaf economic spectrum’ (SLA, N, P, C:N) but also WD, SMC, and hermaphroditism contribute to this axis. Life-history forms SLP and LLP are also positively correlated with PC1. Environmental factors sum of bases and pH are strongly positively correlated to this axis. PC2 is linked to nodulation of Fabaceae and fleshy fruits and poorly correlated to the climatic factors used. Legend: Colours indicate the probability of trait combinations in the trait space defined by the PCA (red = high probability; yellow = low probability). Contour lines indicate 0.99, 0.50, and 0.25 quantiles of the probability distribution. N leaf nitrogen concentration, C:N ratio of leaf carbon to leaf nitrogen, SLA specific leaf area, SM seed mass, P leaf phosphorus concentration, AA aluminium accumulation, Nfix atmospheric N-fixation, WD wood density, C leaf carbon content, FF fleshy fruit, EM ectomycorrhiza, Her hermaphroditic, Nectar nectar producing. Life histories (dark green): OGS old-growth species, LLP long-lived pioneer, SLP short-lived pioneer⁶⁴; Environmental variables: Annual, Annual precipitation (Bioclim12)¹⁶⁶; CWD cumulative water deficit, CAPE Convective atmospheric potential energy⁶⁵, WTC Windthrow count⁶⁵; PZ podzol, white-sand forest, FL flooded (swamp forest; várzea; igapó); pH, soil acidity; SB, log(sum of bases)¹⁵⁴; G.prob, geoglyph probability⁵⁸; DSpp, domesticated species⁵⁷. Note that SLA, N and P are overlapping, as are DSpp, G.prob, pH and SB. For description of the traits and units, see Supplementary box 1.