Functional similarity of tree species growth responses to ecological gradients quantified using a multimetric curve distance

Ficko, Andrej (author), Trifković, Vasilije (author)

Quantifying similarity among species responses to ecological gradients is challenging, yet increasingly important for adaptive forest planning under changing environmental conditions. We introduced an analytical workflow for growth curve similarity to compare species growth responses along ecological gradients and identify functionally similar tree species. Growth curves were parameterized for 40 species and 9 ecological factors based on 365,885 trees in temperate mixed uneven-aged forests, and trajectory similarity was quantified using multiple distance measures that capture distinct aspects of curve similarity. These included similarity in overall response shape and order of change (Fréchet distance), differences at extreme points (Hausdorff distance), similarity under shifts along ecological gradients (dynamic time warping distance), and average pointwise differences across the full gradient. We developed a novel indicator of functional similarity, the multimetric curve distance (MCD), a fused distance metric that accounts for the relative importance of ecological factors in the response profile. The ordination analysis revealed two to three main clusters of functionally similar tree species. Non-native species formed a distinct group, clearly separated from native climax species and from pioneer, drought-tolerant, and thermophilous species. Species differences were driven primarily by variation in curve shape and trajectory rather than by extreme values alone. From a management perspective, and in terms of resource-use patterns, our results suggest that non-native species such as Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus strobus are not direct functional equivalents of the dominant genera such as Fagus, Abies, or Picea, and will likely require new yield tables and management guidelines. The proposed analytical workflow allows flexible weighting of ecological factors and different segments of the response curves to reflect management objectives, such as emphasizing age-related growth for economic assessments or climate sensitivity for adaptation planning.

• Language: English
• Keywords: functional similarity, distance measures, species clustering, growth modeling, ecological niche, ecological gradients
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 16 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 17, art. 100507
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-185262
• UDC: 630*18:630*17(497.4)
• ISSN on article: 2197-5620
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fecs.2026.100507
• COBISS.SI-ID: 286410499
• Publication date in RUL: 30.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Forest ecosystems
• Shortened title: Forest ecosyst.
• Publisher: Beijing Forestry University, publishing services by Elsevier B.V
• ISSN: 2197-5620
• COBISS.SI-ID: 524649753

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: funkcionalna podobnost, mere razdalje, grupiranje vrst, modeliranje rasti, ekološka niša, ekološki gradienti

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0059
• Name: Gozd, gozdarstvo in obnovljivi gozdni viri

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: V4-2014
• Name: Razvoj modelov za gospodarjenje z gozdovi v Sloveniji