@article{fdi:010057366,
  title = {{P}lant-plant interactions in tropical alpine environments},
  author = {{A}nthelme, {F}abien and {D}angles, {O}livier},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{P}lant-plant interactions are increasingly recognized as a key driver of community organization and ecosystem processes in alpine environments. {H}owever, patterns and mechanisms of plant-plant interactions remain largely uncharacterized in tropical alpine ecosystems ({TAE}) which represent as much as 10% of the total surface area of alpine ecosystems worldwide. {I}n this paper, we review (1) the ecological and environmental features that are specific to {TAE} in comparison with other alpine ecosystems, (2) the existing literature on plant-plant interactions in {TAE}, and (3) whether patterns and mechanisms of plant-plant interactions established in extratropical alpine zones can be extended to {TAE}. {TAE} are located predominantly in {S}outh {A}merica, {E}ast {A}frica, and {S}outh-{E}ast {A}sia where they show a unique combination of environmental characteristics, such as absence of persisting snow cover, high frequency. of diurnal freeze-thaw cycles and needle-ice activity, and a decrease in precipitation with increasing altitude. {T}hese environmental characteristics result in the presence of giant growth forms with a great architectural diversity. {T}hese biotic and abiotic characteristics influence the outcome of plant-plant interactions by imposing other types of environmental constraints than those found in extratropical alpine environments, and by potentially generating distinctive patterns of niche differentiation/complementarity between species and populations. {T}o generalize the conceptual framework of plant-plant interactions in alpine environments, we advocate that {TAE} should be investigated more thoroughly by applying designs, methods and hypotheses that are used currently in temperate areas and by conducting studies along large latitudinal gradients that include tropical regions.},
  keywords = {{C}ommunity organization ; {C}ompetition ; {F}acilitation ; {N}iche differentiation ; {N}urse effect ; {S}tress-gradient hypothesis},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}erspectives in {P}lant {E}cology {E}volution and {S}ystematics},
  volume = {14},
  numero = {5},
  pages = {363--372},
  ISSN = {1433-8319},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.ppees.2012.05.002},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010057366},
}