Including time on the study of plant-plant interactions through dendroecology [Incluyendo el tiempo en el estudio de las interacciones planta-planta a través de la dendroecología]

Abstract

As a general rule, facilitation prevails over competition in stressful environments, but stress levels shift over time. Ideally, time should be included in plant-plant interactions studies by monitoring plants throughout their entire life-cycles, but this would require long study periods prior to reach any conclusive result. In this paper I present different ways to include time on the study of plant-plant interactions using dendrochronological techniques. By introducing different study cases I show how to include the information provided by plant age-related to ontogeny and age structure of the population- and ring width-related to secondary growth-in studies at the community, population and individual level. I highlight the potential for ecological studies to include the analysis of growth rings existing in shrubs and perennial herbs. To conclude, I introduce several variables registered in growth rings such as carbon stable isotope content or variables related to quantitative wood anatomy, which could be included as a complement in studies on plant-plant interactions. © 2016 Los Autores.