201
|
Aspinwall MJ, Lowry DB, Taylor SH, Juenger TE, Hawkes CV, Johnson MVV, Kiniry JR, Fay PA. Genotypic variation in traits linked to climate and aboveground productivity in a widespread C₄ grass: evidence for a functional trait syndrome. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 199:966-980. [PMID: 23701159 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/19/2013] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Examining intraspecific variation in growth and function in relation to climate may provide insight into physiological evolution and adaptation, and is important for predicting species responses to climate change. Under common garden conditions, we grew nine genotypes of the C₄ species Panicum virgatum originating from different temperature and precipitation environments. We hypothesized that genotype productivity, morphology and physiological traits would be correlated with climate of origin, and a suite of adaptive traits would show high broad-sense heritability (H(2)). Genotype productivity and flowering time increased and decreased, respectively, with home-climate temperature, and home-climate temperature was correlated with genotypic differences in a syndrome of morphological and physiological traits. Genotype leaf and tiller size, leaf lamina thickness, leaf mass per area (LMA) and C : N ratios increased with home-climate temperature, whereas leaf nitrogen per unit mass (Nm ) and chlorophyll (Chl) decreased with home-climate temperature. Trait variation was largely explained by genotypic differences (H(2) = 0.33-0.85). Our results provide new insight into the role of climate in driving functional trait coordination, local adaptation and genetic divergence within species. These results emphasize the importance of considering intraspecific variation in future climate change scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Aspinwall
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - David B Lowry
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Samuel H Taylor
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Biology Department, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, 04011, USA
| | - Thomas E Juenger
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Christine V Hawkes
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | | | - James R Kiniry
- USDA-ARS Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, TX, 76502, USA
| | - Philip A Fay
- USDA-ARS Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, TX, 76502, USA
| |
Collapse
|
202
|
Kichenin E, Wardle DA, Peltzer DA, Morse CW, Freschet GT. Contrasting effects of plant inter- and intraspecific variation on community-level trait measures along an environmental gradient. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Kichenin
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Umeå; 901 83; Sweden
| | - David A. Wardle
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Umeå; 901 83; Sweden
| | | | | | - Grégoire T. Freschet
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Umeå; 901 83; Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
203
|
Richardson SJ, Allen RB, Buxton RP, Easdale TA, Hurst JM, Morse CW, Smissen RD, Peltzer DA. Intraspecific relationships among wood density, leaf structural traits and environment in four co-occurring species of Nothofagus in New Zealand. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58878. [PMID: 23527041 PMCID: PMC3601108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant functional traits capture important variation in plant strategy and function. Recent literature has revealed that within-species variation in traits is greater than previously supposed. However, we still have a poor understanding of how intraspecific variation is coordinated among different traits, and how it is driven by environment. We quantified intraspecific variation in wood density and five leaf traits underpinning the leaf economics spectrum (leaf dry matter content, leaf mass per unit area, size, thickness and density) within and among four widespread Nothofagus tree species in southern New Zealand. We tested whether intraspecific relationships between wood density and leaf traits followed widely reported interspecific relationships, and whether variation in these traits was coordinated through shared responses to environmental factors. Sample sites varied widely in environmental variables, including soil fertility (25–900 mg kg–1 total P), precipitation (668–4875 mm yr–1), temperature (5.2–12.4 °C mean annual temperature) and latitude (41–46 °S). Leaf traits were strongly correlated with one another within species, but not with wood density. There was some evidence for a positive relationship between wood density and leaf tissue density and dry matter content, but no evidence that leaf mass or leaf size were correlated with wood density; this highlights that leaf mass per unit area cannot be used as a surrogate for component leaf traits such as tissue density. Trait variation was predicted by environmental factors, but not consistently among different traits; e.g., only leaf thickness and leaf density responded to the same environmental cues as wood density. We conclude that although intraspecific variation in wood density and leaf traits is strongly driven by environmental factors, these responses are not strongly coordinated among functional traits even across co-occurring, closely-related plant species.
Collapse
|
204
|
Boucher FC, Thuiller W, Arnoldi C, Albert CH, Lavergne S. Unravelling the architecture of functional variability in wild populations of Polygonum viviparum L. Funct Ecol 2013; 27:382-391. [PMID: 24790285 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Functional variability (FV) of populations can be decomposed into three main features: the individual variability of multiple traits, the strength of correlations between those traits and the main direction of these correlations, the latter two being known as 'phenotypic integration'. Evolutionary biology has long recognized that FV in natural populations is key to determining potential evolutionary responses, but this topic has been little studied in functional ecology.Here we focus on the arctico-alpine perennial plant species Polygonum viviparum L.. We used a comprehensive sampling of seven functional traits in 29 wild populations covering the whole environmental niche of the species. The niche of the species was captured by a temperature gradient, which separated alpine stressful habitats from species-rich, competitive sub-alpine ones. We seeked to assess the relative roles of abiotic stress and biotic interactions in shaping different aspects of functional variation within and among populations, that is, the multi-trait variability, the strength of correlations between traits, and the main directions of functional trade-offs.Populations with the highest extent of functional variability were found in the warm end of the gradient whereas populations exhibiting the strongest degree of phenotypic integration were located in sites with intermediate temperatures. This could reveal both the importance of environmental filtering and population demography in structuring FV. Interestingly, we found that the main axes of multivariate functional variation were radically different within and across population.Although the proximate causes of FV structure remain uncertain, our study presents a robust methodology for the quantitative study of functional variability in connection with species' niches. It also opens up new perspectives for the conceptual merging of intraspecific functional patterns with community ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florian C Boucher
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5533 CNRS-Université de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Wilfried Thuiller
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5533 CNRS-Université de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Cindy Arnoldi
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5533 CNRS-Université de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Cécile H Albert
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5533 CNRS-Université de Grenoble, Grenoble, France ; Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Sébastien Lavergne
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5533 CNRS-Université de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| |
Collapse
|
205
|
Vergeer P, Kunin WE. Adaptation at range margins: common garden trials and the performance of Arabidopsis lyrata across its northwestern European range. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 197:989-1001. [PMID: 23278159 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2012] [Accepted: 10/20/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Widely distributed species, such as the perennial plant Arabidopsis lyrata, face a range of environmental conditions across space, creating selective pressures for local evolutionary adaptation. The species' fragmented distribution may reduce gene flow, which could either reduce or increase adaptive potential. The substantial variation in phenotypic traits observed across this species' northwestern European range may reflect a combination of plastic responses to environmental conditions, evolutionary adaptation and nonadaptive genetic differentiation. We conducted multi-site common garden experiments to study differences in plant performance in core and marginal areas. Plants from eight source populations representing the species' full geographic and altitudinal range in northwestern Europe were planted out in Iceland, Sweden, Scotland and Wales. We found evidence of both strong plastic responses and apparently adaptive differentiation in performance. Most evidence for local adaptation was found at range margins, with the strongest effects on reproductive output. Both biotic and abiotic factors affected performance, especially at range margins. Performance of most plants was best in the Scottish and Swedish common garden sites, in the core of the species' distribution. Despite adaptations at range margins, the performance of the species declines at distributional limits, with extreme southern populations looking particularly vulnerable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philippine Vergeer
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - William E Kunin
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| |
Collapse
|
206
|
De Kort H, Vandepitte K, Honnay O. A meta-analysis of the effects of plant traits and geographical scale on the magnitude of adaptive differentiation as measured by the difference between QST and FST. Evol Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-012-9624-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|
207
|
Dias ATC, Krab EJ, Mariën J, Zimmer M, Cornelissen JHC, Ellers J, Wardle DA, Berg MP. Traits underpinning desiccation resistance explain distribution patterns of terrestrial isopods. Oecologia 2012; 172:667-77. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2541-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Accepted: 11/19/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
208
|
McKown AD, Guy RD, Azam MS, Drewes EC, Quamme LK. Seasonality and phenology alter functional leaf traits. Oecologia 2012; 172:653-65. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2531-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 11/07/2012] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
|
209
|
Wright JP, Sutton-Grier A. Does the leaf economic spectrum hold within local species pools across varying environmental conditions? Funct Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justin P. Wright
- Department of Biology; Duke University; Durham North Carolina USA
| | - Ariana Sutton-Grier
- Nicholas School of the Enivronment; Duke University; Durham North Carolina USA
| |
Collapse
|
210
|
Laughlin DC, Joshi C, van Bodegom PM, Bastow ZA, Fulé PZ. A predictive model of community assembly that incorporates intraspecific trait variation. Ecol Lett 2012; 15:1291-1299. [PMID: 22906233 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01852.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Revised: 06/16/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Community assembly involves two antagonistic processes that select functional traits in opposite directions. Environmental filtering tends to increase the functional similarity of species within communities leading to trait convergence, whereas competition tends to limit the functional similarity of species within communities leading to trait divergence. Here, we introduce a new hierarchical Bayesian model that incorporates intraspecific trait variation into a predictive framework to unify classic coexistence theory and evolutionary biology with recent trait-based approaches. Model predictions exhibited a significant positive correlation (r = 0.66) with observed relative abundances along a 10 °C gradient in mean annual temperature. The model predicted the correct dominant species in half of the plots, and accurately reproduced species' temperature optimums. The framework is generalizable to any ecosystem as it can accommodate any species pool, any set of functional traits and multiple environmental gradients, and it eliminates some of the criticisms associated with recent trait-based community assembly models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Laughlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Chaitanya Joshi
- Department of Statistics, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Peter M van Bodegom
- Department of Systems Ecology, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Zachary A Bastow
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 15018, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
| | - Peter Z Fulé
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 15018, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011
| |
Collapse
|
211
|
Burns JH, Strauss SY. Effects of competition on phylogenetic signal and phenotypic plasticity in plant functional traits. Ecology 2012. [DOI: 10.1890/11-0401.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
212
|
Boucher FC, Thuiller W, Roquet C, Douzet R, Aubert S, Alvarez N, Lavergne S. Reconstructing the origins of high-alpine niches and cushion life form in the genus Androsace S.L. (Primulaceae). Evolution 2012; 66:1255-68. [PMID: 22486702 PMCID: PMC3999638 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01483.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Relatively, few species have been able to colonize extremely cold alpine environments. We investigate the role played by the cushion life form in the evolution of climatic niches in the plant genus Androsace s.l., which spreads across the mountain ranges of the Northern Hemisphere. Using robust methods that account for phylogenetic uncertainty, intraspecific variability of climatic requirements and different life-history evolution scenarios, we show that climatic niches of Androsace s.l. exhibit low phylogenetic signal and that they evolved relatively recently and punctually. Models of niche evolution fitted onto phylogenies show that the cushion life form has been a key innovation providing the opportunity to occupy extremely cold environments, thus contributing to rapid climatic niche diversification in the genus Androsace s.l. We then propose a plausible scenario for the adaptation of plants to alpine habitats.
Collapse
|
213
|
|
214
|
Violle C, Enquist BJ, McGill BJ, Jiang L, Albert CH, Hulshof C, Jung V, Messier J. The return of the variance: intraspecific variability in community ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2012; 27:244-52. [PMID: 22244797 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2011.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 755] [Impact Index Per Article: 62.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2010] [Revised: 11/25/2011] [Accepted: 11/28/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite being recognized as a promoter of diversity and a condition for local coexistence decades ago, the importance of intraspecific variance has been neglected over time in community ecology. Recently, there has been a new emphasis on intraspecific variability. Indeed, recent developments in trait-based community ecology have underlined the need to integrate variation at both the intraspecific as well as interspecific level. We introduce new T-statistics ('T' for trait), based on the comparison of intraspecific and interspecific variances of functional traits across organizational levels, to operationally incorporate intraspecific variability into community ecology theory. We show that a focus on the distribution of traits at local and regional scales combined with original analytical tools can provide unique insights into the primary forces structuring communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cyrille Violle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
215
|
Ding Y, Zang R, Letcher SG, Liu S, He F. Disturbance regime changes the trait distribution, phylogenetic structure and community assembly of tropical rain forests. OIKOS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2011.19992.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
216
|
Souza L, Weston DJ, Sanders NJ, Karve A, Crutsinger GM, Classen AT. Intraspecific variation in response to warming across levels of organization: a test withSolidago altissima. Ecosphere 2011. [DOI: 10.1890/es11-00283.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
217
|
Casper BB, Goldman R, Lkhagva A, Helliker BR, Plante AF, Spence LA, Liancourt P, Boldgiv B, Petraitis PS. Legumes mitigate ecological consequences of a topographic gradient in a northern Mongolian steppe. Oecologia 2011; 169:85-94. [PMID: 22108852 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2183-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2011] [Accepted: 10/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brenda B Casper
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6018, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
218
|
Pearson DE, Ortega YK, Sears SJ. Darwin’s naturalization hypothesis up-close: Intermountain grassland invaders differ morphologically and phenologically from native community dominants. Biol Invasions 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-011-0126-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
219
|
Moreira B, Tavsanoglu Ç, Pausas JG. Local versus regional intraspecific variability in regeneration traits. Oecologia 2011; 168:671-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2127-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2011] [Accepted: 09/01/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|
220
|
KATTGE J, DÍAZ S, LAVOREL S, PRENTICE IC, LEADLEY P, BÖNISCH G, GARNIER E, WESTOBY M, REICH PB, WRIGHT IJ, CORNELISSEN JHC, VIOLLE C, HARRISON SP, Van BODEGOM PM, REICHSTEIN M, ENQUIST BJ, SOUDZILOVSKAIA NA, ACKERLY DD, ANAND M, ATKIN O, BAHN M, BAKER TR, BALDOCCHI D, BEKKER R, BLANCO CC, BLONDER B, BOND WJ, BRADSTOCK R, BUNKER DE, CASANOVES F, CAVENDER-BARES J, CHAMBERS JQ, CHAPIN III FS, CHAVE J, COOMES D, CORNWELL WK, CRAINE JM, DOBRIN BH, DUARTE L, DURKA W, ELSER J, ESSER G, ESTIARTE M, FAGAN WF, FANG J, FERNÁNDEZ-MÉNDEZ F, FIDELIS A, FINEGAN B, FLORES O, FORD H, FRANK D, FRESCHET GT, FYLLAS NM, GALLAGHER RV, GREEN WA, GUTIERREZ AG, HICKLER T, HIGGINS SI, HODGSON JG, JALILI A, JANSEN S, JOLY CA, KERKHOFF AJ, KIRKUP D, KITAJIMA K, KLEYER M, KLOTZ S, KNOPS JMH, KRAMER K, KÜHN I, KUROKAWA H, LAUGHLIN D, LEE TD, LEISHMAN M, LENS F, LENZ T, LEWIS SL, LLOYD J, LLUSIÀ J, LOUAULT F, MA S, MAHECHA MD, MANNING P, MASSAD T, MEDLYN BE, MESSIER J, MOLES AT, MÜLLER SC, NADROWSKI K, NAEEM S, NIINEMETS Ü, NÖLLERT S, NÜSKE A, OGAYA R, OLEKSYN J, ONIPCHENKO VG, ONODA Y, ORDOÑEZ J, OVERBECK G, OZINGA WA, PATIÑO S, PAULA S, PAUSAS JG, PEÑUELAS J, PHILLIPS OL, PILLAR V, POORTER H, POORTER L, POSCHLOD P, PRINZING A, PROULX R, RAMMIG A, REINSCH S, REU B, SACK L, SALGADO-NEGRET B, SARDANS J, SHIODERA S, SHIPLEY B, SIEFERT A, SOSINSKI E, SOUSSANA JF, SWAINE E, SWENSON N, THOMPSON K, THORNTON P, WALDRAM M, WEIHER E, WHITE M, WHITE S, WRIGHT SJ, YGUEL B, ZAEHLE S, ZANNE AE, WIRTH C. TRY - a global database of plant traits. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2011; 17:2905-2935. [PMCID: PMC3627314 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02451.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 985] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
|
221
|
Cadotte MW, Carscadden K, Mirotchnick N. Beyond species: functional diversity and the maintenance of ecological processes and services. J Appl Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.02048.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1235] [Impact Index Per Article: 95.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
222
|
Long W, Zang R, Schamp BS, Ding Y. Within- and among-species variation in specific leaf area drive community assembly in a tropical cloud forest. Oecologia 2011; 167:1103-13. [PMID: 21695546 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2050-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/03/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
223
|
Abstract
The contribution of deterministic and stochastic processes to species coexistence is widely debated. With the introduction of powerful statistical techniques, we can now better characterise different sources of uncertainty when quantifying niche differentiation. The theoretical literature on the effect of stochasticity on coexistence, however, is often ignored by field ecologists because of its technical nature and difficulties in its application. In this review, we examine how different sources of variability in population dynamics contribute to coexistence. Unfortunately, few general rules emerge among the different models that have been studied to date. Nonetheless, we believe that a greater understanding is possible, based on the integration of coexistence and population extinction risk theories. There are two conditions for coexistence in the presence of environmental and demographic variability: (1) the average per capita growth rates of all coexisting species must be positive when at low densities, and (2) these growth rates must be strong enough to overcome negative random events potentially pushing densities to extinction. We propose that critical tests for species coexistence must account for niche differentiation arising from this variability and should be based explicitly on notions of stability and ecological drift.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Gravel
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographique, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Québec, Canada G5L 3A1.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
224
|
Paine CET, Baraloto C, Chave J, Hérault B. Functional traits of individual trees reveal ecological constraints on community assembly in tropical rain forests. OIKOS 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.19110.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
225
|
Grassein F, Till-Bottraud I, Lavorel S. Plant resource-use strategies: the importance of phenotypic plasticity in response to a productivity gradient for two subalpine species. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2010; 106:637-45. [PMID: 20682576 PMCID: PMC2944977 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcq154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2010] [Revised: 05/10/2010] [Accepted: 06/21/2010] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Functional traits are indicators of plant interactions with their environment and the resource-use strategies of species can be defined through some key functional traits. The importance of genetic variability and phenotypic plasticity in trait variations in response to a common environmental change was investigated in two subalpine species. METHODS Two species with contrasted resource-use strategies, Dactylis glomerata and Festuca paniculata, were grown along a productivity gradient in a greenhouse experiment. Functional traits of different genotypes were measured to estimate the relative roles of phenotypic plasticity and genetic variability, and to compare their levels of phenotypic plasticity. KEY RESULTS Trait variability in the field for the two species is more likely to be the result of phenotypic plasticity rather than of genetic differentiation between populations. The exploitative species D. glomerata expressed an overall higher level of phenotypic plasticity compared with the conservative species F. paniculata. In addition to different amplitudes of phenotypic plasticity, the two species differed in their pattern of response for three functional traits relevant to resource use (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content and leaf nitrogen content). CONCLUSIONS Functional trait variability was mainly the result of phenotypic plasticity, with the exploitative species showing greater variability. In addition to average trait values, two species with different resource-use strategies differed in their plastic responses to productivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Grassein
- Laboratoire d'écologie alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Joseph Fourier, BP53, 38041 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
| | | | | |
Collapse
|