Core mechanism
Intraspecific trait variation creates a portfolio effect: when drought strikes, individuals with favorable trait combinations survive, maintaining species presence and forest-level carbon storage.
What the simulation shows
- Each tree is an individual with heritable traits drawn from a species-specific distribution.
- Variation slider widens or narrows that distribution.
- Drought applies a stress wave; trees below survival thresholds die.
- Survival metrics update in real time.
Key insight from the paper
Forests with higher intraspecific variation retain more carbon under drought because trait diversity buffers against environmental extremes. The variation buffer effect quantifies this insurance value.