Plants produce a considerable number of structures of one kind, like leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds, which are not identical. This paper provides an overview of current knowledge on traits that vary subindividually, the magnitude of subindividual variation, and its spatial patterning. Examples are presented on the consequences of subindividual variation for plants and consumers. Emerging links between genetics, epigenetics, subindividual variation, and population ecology are also considered.

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During early succession plant communities show a decrease in the initial species richness and a change in the phylogenetic structure from random or clustered to overdispersion. We tested this general model in two regional distinct sites. In one region we found the expected trajectory of species richness while phylogenetic structure did not follow the expected trend. In the other region species richness did not follow the expected trajectory and phylogenetic structure remained clustered.