The importance of competition and facilitation for global tree diversity

Nature, Published online: 08 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10349-2 Across 17 forest plots (2.7 million trees, 5,400 species), competition dominated overall, but facilitation was relatively stronger near the equator and declined towards higher latitudes, partly linked to temperature, legumes, mycorrhizal associations and canopy nursing effect.