Three-dimensional wood anatomy and functional coordination in ecuadorian seasonal forest species: A STATIS DUAL approach

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Abstract

This study investigates the wood anatomical diversity and functional trait coordination of eight co-occurring timber species in a North Ecuadorian seasonal tropical rainforest, an ecosystem heavily influenced by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). We integrated traditional qualitative and quantitative descriptions under International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA) standards with the advanced multi-table Structuring de Tableaux à Trois Indices de la Statistique (STATIS DUAL) framework to resolve three-dimensional structural relationships without external environmental datasets. Qualitative characterization revealed a gradient of cambial responses, capturing highly distinct growth ring boundaries in Platymiscium pinnatum and Cedrela odorata, and unexpected intermediate boundaries in Brosimum utile and Dialyanthera gracilipes. Quantitatively, the Inter-structure analysis of STATIS DUAL confirmed a robust, biophysically constrained core blueprint (74.3 % shared variance), where the Hilbert-Smith vectorial correlation coefficient ( RV ) exposed the highest structural synchronization ( RV = 0.92) among Zanthoxylum riedelianum, B. utile, and D. gracilipes, while Castilla elastica decoupled from the common matrix. The Consensus (compromise) configuration isolated a clear orthogonal segregation between primary wood systems, proving that vertical transport pathways operate independently from horizontal storage matrices and mechanical elongation. Furthermore, the Intra-structure analysis successfully mapped species-specific architectural trajectories across cutting planes, isolating an exceptionally plastic cellular arrangement and unique structural variation in P. pinnatum. By resolving these multi-plane anatomical baselines and species-specific trajectories, this research successfully models how community-level blueprints and individualistic structural strategies co-occur to secure ecological resilience and architectural adaptation against seasonal environmental stress within highly vulnerable tropical ecosystems.

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