Influences of initial conditions, time, and disturbance on plant phylogenetic community structure along a successional restoration gradient

The composition of restored communities changes over time but may be influenced by initial conditions, ongoing conditions, or disturbances. How these forces shape the phylogenetic structure of restored communities over time is largely unknown. We examined restored tallgrass prairie plant communities from 4-30 years old to determine how age, planting conditions, soil, and recent grazing affect taxonomic and phylogenetic community structure. Age and soil conditions (P and K content) influenced both taxonomic and phylogenetic community structure. First-year precipitation influenced taxonomic structure but not phylogenetic, indicating that drought as an environmental filter may not necessarily favor particular lineages.