Implications for management
In this landscape, decline in larger-seeded species in fragments compared to contiguous forest was attributed to dispersal limitation (Osuri and Sankaran, 2016b). Results here show that larger-seeded species primarily declined at lower elevations in fragments, likely driven by warmer conditions. At warmer, low elevation fragments however, larger seeded species had taller stature than at cooler, high elevation sites, suggesting the need to restore low elevation fragments with the shorter-statured larger-seeded species, i.e., mid-canopy shade-tolerant species. More seasonal sites (negative CWD) supported phenotypes of taller stature and larger seeds in both contiguous forest and fragments. Since larger-seeded species stored more carbon due to their taller stature here (Osuri and Sankaran, 2016b), to increase above-ground biomass, restore taller, larger-seeded species at fragments located in more seasonal climate. Although this study showed which phenotypes are lost from fragments situated in different climatic conditions, planning for restoration will require identifying the main impediments faced by different phenotypes to persist in fragments (e.g., dispersal or unsuitable environments).