# Plant Traits as Potential Drivers of Timber Value in the Dipterocarpaceae

## TL;DR

This study explores how plant traits like wood density affect timber value in Southeast Asian forests, finding that denser wood is more valuable, but conservation status doesn't impact market price.

## Contribution

The study reveals that wood density and phylogenetic relationships strongly influence timber market value, independent of species conservation status.

## Key findings

- Wood density is significantly associated with higher timber prices.
- Phylogenetic dependence strongly influences the relationship between plant traits and timber value.
- Conservation status of dipterocarp species does not correlate with timber market value.

## Abstract

Southeast Asian tropical forests are vital sources of high‐value timber and non‐timber forest products (NTFPs). This study investigates the relationship between plant traits, wood density, and timber market value within the Dipterocarpaceae family, a critical contributor to the global tropical timber trade and a key structural component of many forests in Southeast Asia. Using a phylogenetic approach, we explored the correlation of morphological and life‐history traits with timber price. Our results show that wood density is significantly associated with higher timber prices, and this relationship is strongly influenced by phylogenetic dependence. We found no evidence linking timber value to the conservation status of dipterocarp species, suggesting that economic exploitation does not necessarily correlate with species endangerment. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the evolutionary patterns driving economically valuable traits in timber species, which can guide sustainable forest management and conservation strategies in Southeast Asia.

This study examines how plant traits and wood density influence timber market value in Southeast Asia's Dipterocarpaceae family. Using a phylogenetic approach, it finds that higher wood density is linked to greater timber prices, while conservation status does not correlate with market value. The results highlight evolutionary influences on economically valuable traits, with implications for sustainable forest management.