"Social Distancing: How Tropical Trees Preserve Biodiversity"

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered that adult trees in a Panamanian forest are three times as distant from other adults of the same species as expected, indicating a form of social distancing. Using computational models and data collected over 30 years, the study found that each tree species is negatively affected by its own kind, likely due to species-specific enemies such as pathogens and herbivores. This repulsion allows for the establishment of other species, promoting biodiversity and preventing dominance. The findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of carbon storage and the maintenance of biodiversity in tropical forests.