Scaling Plant Functional Strategies from Species to Communities in Regenerating Amazonian Forests: Insights for Restoration in Deforested Landscapes

Understanding how plant functional strategies scale from species to communities is critical for guiding restoration in tropical disturbed areas by unsustainable livestock grazing, yet the patterns and drivers of functional composition along successional trajectories remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated functional spectra based on eight traits related to leaf, stem, and seed morphology in 226 tree species and 33 forest communities across a chronosequence of natural regeneration following cattle ranching abandonment in de-forested landscapes from Colombian Amazon. We identified three species-level functional spectra—namely, the Size–Seed Investment Spectrum, the Woodiness–Toughness Gradient, and the Leaf Economic Spectrum—and two community-level spectra: the Colonization–Longevity Trade-Off Spectrum and the Persistence–Acquisition Spectrum. These spectra aligned with the life-history strategies of short-lived pioneers, long-lived pioneers, and old-growth species, and reflected their relationships with key environmental drivers. Community-level functional composition reflected species-level patterns, but was also shaped by soil properties, microclimate, and tree species richness. Forest age and precipitation promoted conservative strategies, while declining soil fertility suggested a decoupling between above- and belowground recovery. Functional richness and divergence were highest in mid-successional forests dominated by long-lived pioneers. Our findings highlight the role of environmental and successional filters in shaping functional composition, and emphasize the value of functionally diverse communities—including persistent, long-lived species— to support monitoring and restoration efforts in regenerating Amazonian forests.