LAUSR

The outcome of plant interactions depends on the physiological, morphological, and reproductive traits harbored by the interacting species. The outcomes of plant interactions depend on: (a) trait dissimilarity mechanisms, whereby species with similar traits compete more intensely due to niche overlap, and (b) trait hierarchy mechanisms, whereby species with higher relative fitness outcompete species with less efficient traits under specific environmental conditions. We hypothesized that the functional distance between interacting species affects the outcome of plant interactions simultaneously through both mechanisms.