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Abang AF, Ramasamy S, Hanna R, Kekeunou S, Fotso Kuate A, Tenkouano A, Fiaboe KKM, Bilong Bilong CF. New okra genotypes for the management of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the diverse ecological landscapes of Central Africa. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2024:toae165. [PMID: 39074169 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toae165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Various aphid species, including Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are considered important pests of okra and other vegetables. Previous studies under 1 environment in Cameroon, Central Africa, had found multiple okra genotypes with resistance to A. gossypii. However, the stability and yield performance of the "resistant" genotypes across different environments were unknown. Ten previously identified aphid-resistant okra genotypes along with 1 commercial variety and a local landrace (specific to a given location) were compared during 2 seasons in replicated trials in 4 agro-ecological zones of Cameroon that also represent large areas of Central Africa. Aphid populations and okra yield parameters were evaluated. Breeding values were predicted using a linear mixed model for all data, and genotypes by location interactions were identified. The area under the infestation pressure curve (AUIPC) was calculated using aphid count data and subjected to resistance analysis. The Local-the most susceptible with the highest breeding value (+2.33)-and VI060794-one of the moderately resistant-genotypes had the highest yield per hectare. The only resistant genotype VI036213 had the lowest breeding value (-2.20). Genotype × location interactions were significant for yield, pod width, and plant height, while location variance was significant for all parameters evaluated. When considering that higher aphid densities could lead to greater pesticide use and, therefore higher production and environmental costs, the high-yielding VI060794-with moderate aphid resistance across multiple environments-presents an alternative or substitute for local landraces across multiple agro-ecologies of Cameroon and (by extension) Central Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Fomumbod Abang
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), Shanhua, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Animals Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Rachid Hanna
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sevillor Kekeunou
- Department of Animals Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Apollin Fotso Kuate
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Abdou Tenkouano
- International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Charles-Félix Bilong Bilong
- Department of Animals Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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Ma L, Zheng J, Pen J, Xiao X, Liu Y, Liu L, Han W, Li G, Zhang J. Monitoring and influencing factors of grassland livestock overload in Xinjiang from 1982 to 2020. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1340566. [PMID: 38601311 PMCID: PMC11004366 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1340566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
It is crucial to estimate the theoretical carrying capacity of grasslands in Xinjiang to attain a harmonious balance between grassland and livestock, thereby fostering sustainable development in the livestock industry. However, there has been a lack of quantitative assessments that consider long-term, multi-scale grass-livestock balance and its impacts in the region. This study utilized remote sensing and empirical models to assess the theoretical livestock carrying capacity of grasslands. The multi-scale spatiotemporal variations of the theoretical carrying capacity in Xinjiang from 1982 to 2020 were analyzed using the Sen and Mann-Kendall tests, as well as the Hurst index. The study also examined the county-level grass-livestock balance and inter-annual trends. Additionally, the study employed the geographic detector method to explore the influencing factors. The results showed that: (1) The overall theoretical livestock carrying capacity showed an upward trend from 1982 to 2020; The spatial distribution gradually decreased from north to south and from east to west. In seasonal scale from large to small is: growing season > summer > spring > autumn > winter; at the monthly scale, the strongest livestock carrying capacity is in July. The different grassland types from largest to smallest are: meadow > alpine subalpine meadow > plain steppe > desert steppe > alpine subalpine steppe. In the future, the theoretical livestock carrying capacity of grassland will decrease. (2) From 1988 to 2020, the average grass-livestock balance index in Xinjiang was 2.61%, showing an overall increase. At the county level, the number of overloaded counties showed an overall increasing trend, rising from 46 in 1988 to 58 in 2020. (3) Both single and interaction factors of geographic detectors showed that annual precipitation, altitude and soil organic matter were the main drivers of spatiotemporal dynamics of grassland load in Xinjiang. The results of this study can provide scientific guidance and decision-making basis for achieving coordinated and sustainable development of grassland resources and animal husbandry in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha Ma
- College of Geography and Remote Sensing Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jianghua Zheng
- College of Geography and Remote Sensing Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jian Pen
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Grassland Station, Urumqi, China
| | - Xianghua Xiao
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Grassland Station, Urumqi, China
| | - Yujia Liu
- College of Geography and Remote Sensing Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Liang Liu
- College of Geography and Remote Sensing Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Wanqiang Han
- College of Geography and Remote Sensing Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Gangyong Li
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Grassland Station, Urumqi, China
| | - Jianli Zhang
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Grassland Station, Urumqi, China
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Xu Y, Guo Y, Bai Y, Liu Y, Wang Y. Soil nutrient limitation and natural enemies promote the establishment of alien species in native communities. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10853. [PMID: 38259957 PMCID: PMC10803180 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The invasion of alien plant species threatens the composition and diversity of native communities. However, the invasiveness of alien plants and the resilience of native communities are dependent on the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors, such as natural enemies and nutrient availability. In our study, we simulated the invasion of nine invasive plant species into native plant communities using two levels of nutrient availability and suppression of natural enemies. We evaluated the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on the response of alien target species and the resistance of native communities to invasion. The results showed that the presence of enemies (enemy release) increased the biomass proportion of alien plants while decreasing that of native communities in the absence of nutrient addition. Furthermore, we also found that the negative effect of enemy suppression on the evenness of the native community and the root-to-shoot ratio of alien target species was greatest under nutrient addition. Therefore, nutrient-poor and natural enemies might promote the invasive success of alien species in native communities, whereas nutrient addition and enemy suppression can better enhance the resistance of native plant communities to invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu‐Han Xu
- College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yu‐Jian Guo
- College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yan‐Feng Bai
- Research Institute of ForestryChinese Academy of ForestryBeijingChina
| | - Yuan‐Yuan Liu
- College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Yong‐Jian Wang
- College of Horticulture and Forestry SciencesHuazhong Agricultural UniversityWuhanChina
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Peng F, Lai C, Li C, Ji C, Zhang P, Sun J, Chen X, You Q, Xue X. Plasticity in over-compensatory growth along an alpine meadow degradation gradient on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 325:116499. [PMID: 36257227 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Over-compensatory growth of plants after disturbance is generally preferred by grassland users and managers because of more forage. How the grassland productivity and the plant growth condition before disturbance affect the compensatory growth are important for grazing management and the understanding of grassland degradation, yet they are not well understood. A clipping experiment was conducted on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to understand the compensatory growth and conditions for the occurrence of over-compensatory at alpine meadows with different degradation status. Results showed the competition for light constrains the plant growth post-clipping at non-degraded and slightly degraded alpine meadows, while the reduction of soil nitrogen limits it at heavily degraded alpine meadow. The biomass accumulated post-clipping was positively correlated with the growing season biomass in unclipped plots and the biomass at clipping in clipped plots. When the aboveground biomass at clipping was less than 40.10 g m-2 and the growing season biomass was between 38 and 97 g m-2, the over-compensatory growth of alpine meadow could occur. Higher clipping rate is required for the alpine meadow with high productivity but the maximum clipping rate should be less than 0.71 to induce the over-compensatory growth. Equal-compensatory occurred at non-degraded and slightly degraded, while over-compensatory growth was observed at moderately degraded and a marginally significant over-compensatory growth at heavily degraded alpine meadow. The over-compensatory growth occurred at moderately degraded alpine meadow is mainly due to the performance of forbs. Our results suggest that grazing at moderately degraded alpine meadow may induce the over-compensatory growth at the community level, but the over-compensatory growth of forbs at moderately degraded alpine meadow may aggravate the alpine meadow degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Peng
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
| | - Chimin Lai
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Chengyang Li
- Department of Geography, Lingnan Normal University, China
| | - Chen Ji
- Beiluhe Observation and Research Station on Frozen Soil Engineering and Environment in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | | | - Jianbo Sun
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Xiaojie Chen
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Quangang You
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Xian Xue
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
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Zeng M, Hause B, van Dam NM, Uthe H, Hoffmann P, Krajinski F, Martínez-Medina A. The mycorrhizal symbiosis alters the plant defence strategy in a model legume plant. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:3412-3428. [PMID: 35982608 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis modulates plant-herbivore interactions. Still, how it shapes the overall plant defence strategy and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. We investigated how AM symbiosis simultaneously modulates plant resistance and tolerance to a shoot herbivore, and explored the underlying mechanisms. Bioassays with Medicago truncatula plants were used to study the effect of the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis on plant resistance and tolerance to Spodoptera exigua herbivory. By performing molecular and chemical analyses, we assessed the impact of AM symbiosis on herbivore-triggered phosphate (Pi)- and jasmonate (JA)-related responses. Upon herbivory, AM symbiosis led to an increased leaf Pi content by boosting the mycorrhizal Pi-uptake pathway. This enhanced both plant tolerance and herbivore performance. AM symbiosis counteracted the herbivore-triggered JA burst, reducing plant resistance. To disentangle the role of the mycorrhizal Pi-uptake pathway in the plant's response to herbivory, we used the mutant line ha1-2, impaired in the H+ -ATPase gene HA1, which is essential for Pi-uptake via the mycorrhizal pathway. We found that mycorrhiza-triggered enhancement of herbivore performance was compromised in ha1-2 plants. AM symbiosis thus affects the defence pattern of M. truncatula by altering resistance and tolerance simultaneously. We propose that the mycorrhizal Pi-uptake pathway is involved in the modulation of the plant defence strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zeng
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, General and Applied Botany, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bettina Hause
- Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Nicole M van Dam
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Moelcular Interaction Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Henriette Uthe
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Moelcular Interaction Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Petra Hoffmann
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Franziska Krajinski
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, General and Applied Botany, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ainhoa Martínez-Medina
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Moelcular Interaction Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Plant-Microorganism Interactions Unit, Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA-CSIC), Salamanca, Spain
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Lima AF, Bernal J, Venâncio MGS, de Souza BHS, Carvalho GA. Comparative Tolerance Levels of Maize Landraces and a Hybrid to Natural Infestation of Fall Armyworm. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13070651. [PMID: 35886827 PMCID: PMC9316814 DOI: 10.3390/insects13070651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Exploiting the tolerance of plants against herbivorous insects is a viable pest management alternative, especially where conventional controls are ineffective. For example, due to the inefficacy of currently adopted practices, new strategies and methods are needed for Spodoptera frugiperda management in maize. This study evaluated the tolerance levels of maize landraces and a conventional hybrid under natural infestation of S. frugiperda. We found promising sources of tolerance among the landraces, evident as tolerance indices that varied across the landraces and hybrid we evaluated. Abstract Insect pests such as Spodoptera frugiperda cause significant losses to maize (Zea mays mays). Control of S. frugiperda is difficult, but the use of insect resistant cultivars, including tolerant cultivars, is a promising alternative, and landraces are a potential source of insect resistance. This study investigated tolerance to S. frugiperda in five Brazilian landraces, Amarelão, Aztequinha, Branco Antigo, Palha Roxa, and São Pedro, in relation to one conventional (non-Bt) hybrid, BM207, under field conditions. We assessed tolerance as the ratio of insecticide-free to insecticide-protected plants for plant height, stem diameter, and leaf chlorophyll content at two plant stages. Tolerance ratios varied across the maize genotypes, but inconsistently across plant variables, and cluster analysis revealed three groups based on tolerance ratios. A first group contained genotypes similarly tolerant to S. frugiperda, BM207, Palha Roxa, São Pedro, and Aztequinha, while the second and third groups each contained single genotypes, Amarelão, and Branco Antigo, which were considered not tolerant. Overall, the landraces Palha Roxa, São Pedro, and Aztequinha compared favorably to BM207 in terms of tolerance, and therefore may be valuable for management of this pest, and as germplasm sources to improve tolerance in other cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreísa Fabri Lima
- Department of Entomology, Lavras Federal University (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil; (A.F.L.); (M.G.S.V.); (G.A.C.)
| | - Julio Bernal
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, USA
- Correspondence: (J.B.); (B.H.S.d.S.)
| | - Maria Gabriela Silva Venâncio
- Department of Entomology, Lavras Federal University (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil; (A.F.L.); (M.G.S.V.); (G.A.C.)
| | - Bruno Henrique Sardinha de Souza
- Department of Entomology, Lavras Federal University (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil; (A.F.L.); (M.G.S.V.); (G.A.C.)
- Correspondence: (J.B.); (B.H.S.d.S.)
| | - Geraldo Andrade Carvalho
- Department of Entomology, Lavras Federal University (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil; (A.F.L.); (M.G.S.V.); (G.A.C.)
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Tamisier L, Szadkowski M, Girardot G, Djian‐Caporalino C, Palloix A, Hirsch J, Moury B. Concurrent evolution of resistance and tolerance to potato virus Y in Capsicum annuum revealed by genome-wide association. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2022; 23:254-264. [PMID: 34729890 PMCID: PMC8743019 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
We performed a genome-wide association study of pepper (Capsicum annuum) tolerance to potato virus Y (PVY). For 254 pepper accessions, we estimated the tolerance to PVY as the coefficient of regression of the fresh weight (or height) of PVY-infected and mock-inoculated plants against within-plant virus load. Small (strongly negative) coefficients of regression indicate low tolerance because plant biomass or growth decreases sharply as virus load increases. The tolerance level varied largely, with some pepper accessions showing no symptoms or fairly mild mosaics, whereas about half (48%) of the accessions showed necrotic symptoms. We found two adjacent single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at one extremity of chromosome 9 that were significantly associated with tolerance to PVY. Similarly, in three biparental pepper progenies, we showed that the induction of necrosis on PVY systemic infection segregated as a monogenic trait determined by a locus on chromosome 9. Our results also demonstrate the existence of a negative correlation between resistance and tolerance among the cultivated pepper accessions at both the phenotypic and genetic levels. By comparing the distributions of the tolerance-associated SNP alleles and previously identified PVY resistance-associated SNP alleles, we showed that cultivated pepper accessions possess favourable alleles for both resistance and tolerance less frequently than expected under random associations, while the minority of wild pepper accessions frequently combined resistance and tolerance alleles. This divergent evolution of PVY resistance and tolerance could be related to pepper domestication or farmer's selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Tamisier
- Pathologie VégétaleINRAEMontfavetFrance
- GAFLINRAEMontfavetFrance
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Loy X, Brosi BJ. The effects of pollinator diversity on pollination function. Ecology 2022; 103:e3631. [PMID: 35050504 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Pollination is a key ecological function of most terrestrial ecosystems. Decades of research on single-trophic-level communities, particularly plant communities, have helped build the foundation of diversity-function theory. Yet as it stands, this theory appears to be less useful for inter-trophic-level functions such as pollination, as evidenced by empirical findings that are often inconsistent with theoretical expectations. In this review, we evaluate how canonical diversity-function theory has been applied to pollination function, focusing on empirical studies of the mechanisms that drive pollinator diversity-function relationships. We first identify key features of pollination function that have hampered reconciliation with current theory. We then examine terminology for mechanisms used to discuss the findings from pollinator diversity-function studies that are sometimes inconsistent with established ecological concepts. We propose a revised diversity-function framework and describe two non-canonical diversity-function mechanisms that are particularly applicable to pollination. The first, 'interactive functional complementarity', was identified previously but remains overlooked. The second, a new diversity-function mechanism, 'functional enhancement', occurs when pollinator diversity increases within-niche activity. Finally, we discuss experimental approaches necessary to detect diversity-function effects in pollination. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingwen Loy
- Conservation & Research Department, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, GA
| | - Berry J Brosi
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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Lemoine NP, Budny ML. Impacts of Herbivory on Photosynthesis of Four Common Wisconsin Plant Species. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-187.1.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan P. Lemoine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
| | - Michelle L. Budny
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
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Xu X, Zhang Y, Li S, Chen H, Liu M, Li B, Nie M. Native herbivores indirectly facilitate the growth of invasive Spartina in a eutrophic saltmarsh. Ecology 2021; 103:e3610. [PMID: 34923622 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Current theory (e.g., consumer-controlled theory) predicts that nutrient enrichment typically amplifies herbivory and thereby suppresses the growth and expansion of invasive plants. Herbivores can facilitate plant regrowth in the native community by stimulating complementary growth or ameliorating habitat conditions (e.g., by increasing soil oxygen and nutrient availability), but whether they have similar positive effects on invasive plants, especially under nutrient enrichment, remains unknown. Using a field nitrogen (N)-enrichment X crab exclusion experiment, we evaluated and compared the effects of both N enrichment and crab herbivory on the growth performance of a global invasive cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, and a co-occurring native plant, Phragmites australis. We found that crabs consistently suppressed P. australis by decreasing density and aboveground biomass regardless of N enrichment. In contrast, for S. alterniflora, the negative effects of crabs under ambient N were replaced by positive effects under N enrichment, with crabs stimulating complementary increases in density and aboveground biomass. The differing effects between the N treatments were driven by crab burrowing activity, which increased soil N availability, and the nutrient-use efficiency of S. alterniflora. Our findings reveal that native herbivores can have opposing effects on native and invasive plants, which broadens our understanding of how exotic plants can achieve dominance in a changing world. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Songshuo Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyang Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mu Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Nie
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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11
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Root Growth Was Enhanced in China Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) after Mechanical Disturbance by Ice Storm. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12121800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Accurate estimation of forest biomass and its growth potential could be important in assessing the mitigation potential of forest for climate change. However, severe mechanical disturbance such as stem breakage imposed significant changes to tree individuals in biomass structure, which could bring new inaccuracy to biomass estimation. In order to investigate the influence of severe mechanical disturbance on tree biomass accumulation and to construct accurate models for biomass and carbon storage estimation, this paper analyzed the relationship between tree size and biomass for China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) which suffered stem breakage from, and survived, an ice storm. The performance of independent variables diameter (D) and height (H) of China fir, were also compared in biomass estimation. The results showed that D as an independent variable was adequate in biomass estimation for China fir, and tree height was not necessary in this case. Root growth was faster in China fir which had suffered breakage in the main stem by the ice storm, than China fir which were undamaged for at least 7 years after the mechanical disturbance, which, in addition to biomass loss in stem, caused changes in the allocation pattern of the damaged trees. This suggests biomass models constructed before severe mechanical disturbance would be less suitable in application for a subsequent period, and accurate estimations of biomass and forest carbon storage would take more effort.
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12
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Nagy DU, Rauschert ESJ, Callaway RM, Henn T, Filep R, Pal RW. Intense mowing management suppresses invader, but shifts competitive resistance by a native to facilitation. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dávid U. Nagy
- Institute of Geobotany/Plant Ecology Martin‐Luther‐University Halle, Große Steinstraße 79/80 Halle (Saale) D‐06108 Germany
- Cochrane Hungary Medical Centre University of Pécs József Attila u. 7 Pécs 7623 Hungary
| | - Emily S. J. Rauschert
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences Cleveland State University 2121 Euclid Avenue Cleveland OH 44115‐2214 U.S.A
| | - Ragan M. Callaway
- Division of Biological Sciences and the Institute on Ecosystems University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 U.S.A
| | - Tamás Henn
- József Attila Library and Museum Collection City Government of Komló Városház Tér 1 Komló 7300 Hungary
| | - Rita Filep
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy University of Pécs Rókus u. 2 Pécs 7624 Hungary
| | - Robert W. Pal
- Department of Biological Sciences Montana Technological University 1300 Park Street, Butte 59701 U.S.A
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13
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Zhong Z, Li X, Sanders D, Liu Y, Wang L, Ortega YK, Pearson DE, Wang D. Soil engineering by ants facilitates plant compensation for large herbivore removal of aboveground biomass. Ecology 2021; 102:e03312. [PMID: 33586130 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The interplay between top-down and bottom-up processes determines ecosystem productivity. Yet, the factors that mediate the balance between these opposing forces remain poorly understood. Furthering this challenge, complex and often cryptic factors like ecosystem engineering and trait-mediated interactions may play major roles in mediating the outcomes of top-down and bottom-up interactions. In semiarid grasslands of northeastern China, we conducted a large-scale, three-year experiment to evaluate how soil engineering by ants and plasticity in plants independently and jointly influenced the top-down effects of grazing by a ubiquitous herbivore (cattle) on aboveground standing biomass of the dominant perennial grass, Leymus chinensis. Herbivory had strong top-down effects, reducing L. chinensis AB by 25% relative to baseline levels without cattle or ants. In contrast, soil engineering by ants facilitated weak bottom-up effects in the absence of herbivory. However, in the presence of herbivory, soil engineering effects were strong enough to fully offset herbivore removal of aboveground biomass. This outcome was mediated by L. chinensis's plasticity in reallocating growth from below- to aboveground biomass, a result linked to additive effects of engineers and herbivores increasing soil N availability and engineering effects improving soil structure. Soil engineering increased soil N by 12%, promoting aboveground biomass. Herbivores increased soil N by 13% via defecation, but this increase failed to offset their reductions in aboveground biomass in isolation. However, when combined, engineers and herbivores increased soil N by 26% and engineers improved soil bulk density, facilitating L. chinensis to shift resource allocations from below- to aboveground biomass sufficiently to fully offset herbivore suppression of aboveground biomass. Our results demonstrate that soil engineering and trait-mediated effects of plant plasticity can strongly mediate the outcome of top-down and bottom-up interactions. These cryptic but perhaps ubiquitous processes may help to explain the long-debated phenomenon of plant compensatory responses to large grazers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Zhong
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Xiaofei Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Soil Resources in the Commodity Grain Bases in Jilin Province, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Dirk Sanders
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Yiming Liu
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yvette K Ortega
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 800 E. Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, Montana, 59801, USA
| | - Dean E Pearson
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 800 E. Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, Montana, 59801, USA.,Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, Montana, 59812, USA
| | - Deli Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
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14
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Jessen MT, Kaarlejärvi E, Olofsson J, Eskelinen A. Mammalian herbivory shapes intraspecific trait responses to warmer climate and nutrient enrichment. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6742-6752. [PMID: 33020977 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Variation in intraspecific traits is one important mechanism that can allow plant species to respond to global changes. Understanding plant trait responses to environmental changes such as grazing patterns, nutrient enrichment and climate warming is, thus, essential for predicting the composition of future plant communities. We measured traits of eight common tundra species in a fully factorial field experiment with mammalian herbivore exclusion, fertilization, and passive warming, and assessed how trait responsiveness to the treatments was associated with abundance changes in those treatments. Herbivory exhibited the strongest impact on traits. Exclusion of herbivores increased vegetative plant height by 50% and specific leaf area (SLA) by 19%, and decreased foliar C:N by 11%; fertilization and warming also increased height and SLA but to a smaller extent. Herbivory also modulated intraspecific height, SLA and foliar C:N responses to fertilization and warming, and these interactions were species-specific. Furthermore, herbivory affected how trait change translated into relative abundance change: increased height under warming and fertilization was more positively related to abundance change inside fences than in grazed plots. Our findings highlight the key role of mammalian herbivory when assessing intraspecific trait change in tundra and its consequences for plant performance under global changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Theresa Jessen
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle, Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elina Kaarlejärvi
- Research Centre for Ecological Change, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johan Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Anu Eskelinen
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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15
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Gulick AG, Johnson RA, Pollock CG, Hillis-Starr Z, Bolten AB, Bjorndal KA. Recovery of a large herbivore changes regulation of seagrass productivity in a naturally grazed Caribbean ecosystem. Ecology 2020; 101:e03180. [PMID: 32882749 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
What happens in meadows after populations of natural grazers rebound following centuries of low abundance? Many seagrass ecosystems are now experiencing this phenomenon with the recovery of green turtles (Chelonia mydas), large-bodied marine herbivores that feed on seagrasses. These seagrass ecosystems provide a rare opportunity to study ecosystem-wide shifts that result from a recovery of herbivores. We evaluate changes in regulation of seagrass productivity in a naturally grazed tropical ecosystem by (1) comparing Thalassia testudinum productivity in grazed and ungrazed areas and (2) evaluating potential regulating mechanisms of T. testudinum productivity. We established 129 green turtle exclusion cages in grazed and ungrazed areas to quantify T. testudinum growth (linear, area, mass, productivity : biomass [P:B]). In each exclosure, we recorded temperature, irradiance, water depth, nitrogen : phosphorus ratio (N:P) of blade tissue, grazing intensity before cage placement, and T. testudinum structural and nutrient characteristics. Thalassia testudinum exhibited compensatory growth in grazed areas via stimulated blade linear growth, blade area growth, and P:B across seasonal high and low growth periods and in shallow (3-4 m) and deep (9-10 m) seagrass meadows. Irradiance, depth, and N:P ratios had significant roles in regulating mass growth and P:B of T. testudinum in ungrazed areas. Depth was a significant regulating factor of mass growth and P:B in grazed areas; rates were higher and more variable in shallow meadows than in deep meadows. Grazing intensity was also a significant regulating factor for P:B, stimulating tissue turnover with increasing grazing pressure. This study provides important insights into how recovery of a large marine herbivore can result in dramatic, sustainable changes in the regulation of seagrass productivity. We also highlight the need for a historical perspective and use of appropriate indicators, including P:B and grazing intensity, when evaluating seagrass response to green turtle grazing as meadows are returned to a natural grazed state. In an age of green turtle recovery and global seagrass decline due to anthropogenic threats, a thorough understanding of green turtle-seagrass interactions at the ecosystem level is critical to ensure the restoration of seagrass ecosystems and continued recovery of green turtle populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra G Gulick
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Robert A Johnson
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Clayton G Pollock
- Division of Resource Management and Research, Buck Island Reef National Monument, National Park Service, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00820, USA
| | - Zandy Hillis-Starr
- Division of Resource Management and Research, Buck Island Reef National Monument, National Park Service, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00820, USA
| | - Alan B Bolten
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Karen A Bjorndal
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
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16
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Ramula S. Annual mowing has the potential to reduce the invasion of herbaceous Lupinus polyphyllus. Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02316-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn order to manage invasive plant species efficiently, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of different strategies of population control, including the underlying mechanisms of action and the consequences for target populations. Here, I explored the effectiveness of biomass removal as a method of control for the invasive perennial herb Lupinus polyphyllus. More specifically, using seed material from 11 populations, I assessed among-population variation (if any) in plant compensatory growth as a response to annual biomass removal under standardised growing conditions over two consecutive years, and quantified the demographic effects of a single biomass-removal event. In all study populations, annual biomass removal reduced plant size, flowering probability, and shoot and root biomass. Biomass removal also reduced plant survival and the number of flowering shoots, but these effects were pronounced at certain time points only. A population-level demographic analysis revealed that a single biomass-removal event considerably decreased the long-term population growth rate (λ); this decline in λ was due to a reduction in plant fecundity followed by survival and growth. These findings suggest that annual mowing has the potential to curb invasions of L. polyphyllus because plants are not able to fully compensate for drastic biomass loss.
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17
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Filazzola A, Brown C, Dettlaff MA, Batbaatar A, Grenke J, Bao T, Peetoom Heida I, Cahill JF. The effects of livestock grazing on biodiversity are multi-trophic: a meta-analysis. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1298-1309. [PMID: 32369874 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic disturbance has generated a significant loss of biodiversity worldwide and grazing by domestic herbivores is a contributing disturbance. Although the effects of grazing on plants are commonly explored, here we address the potential multi-trophic effects on animal biodiversity (e.g. herbivores, pollinators and predators). We conducted a meta-analysis on 109 independent studies that tested the response of animals or plants to livestock grazing relative to livestock excluded. Across all animals, livestock exclusion increased abundance and diversity, but these effects were greatest for trophic levels directly dependent on plants, such as herbivores and pollinators. Detritivores were the only trophic level whose abundance decreased with livestock exclusion. We also found that the number of years since livestock was excluded influenced the community and that the effects of grazer exclusion on animal diversity were strongest in temperate climates. These findings synthesise the effects of livestock grazing beyond plants and demonstrate the indirect impacts of livestock grazing on multiple trophic levels in the animal community. We identified the potentially long-term impacts that livestock grazing can have on lower trophic levels and consequences for biological conservation. We also highlight the potentially inevitable cost to global biodiversity from livestock grazing that must be balanced against socio-economic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Filazzola
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Charlotte Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Margarete A Dettlaff
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Amgaa Batbaatar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Jessica Grenke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Tan Bao
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Isaac Peetoom Heida
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - James F Cahill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
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18
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Hale KRS, Valdovinos FS, Martinez ND. Mutualism increases diversity, stability, and function of multiplex networks that integrate pollinators into food webs. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2182. [PMID: 32358490 PMCID: PMC7195475 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15688-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecosystems are composed of complex networks of many species interacting in different ways. While ecologists have long studied food webs of feeding interactions, recent studies increasingly focus on mutualistic networks including plants that exchange food for reproductive services provided by animals such as pollinators. Here, we synthesize both types of consumer-resource interactions to better understand the controversial effects of mutualism on ecosystems at the species, guild, and whole-community levels. We find that consumer-resource mechanisms underlying plant-pollinator mutualisms can increase persistence, productivity, abundance, and temporal stability of both mutualists and non-mutualists in food webs. These effects strongly increase with floral reward productivity and are qualitatively robust to variation in the prevalence of mutualism and pollinators feeding upon resources in addition to rewards. This work advances the ability of mechanistic network theory to synthesize different types of interactions and illustrates how mutualism can enhance the diversity, stability, and function of complex ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla R S Hale
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 1105 North University Ave, Biological Sciences Building, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Fernanda S Valdovinos
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 1105 North University Ave, Biological Sciences Building, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Center for the Study of Complex Systems, University of Michigan, Weiser Hall Suite 700, 500 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Neo D Martinez
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, Room 302, 919 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN, 47408, USA
- Pacific Ecoinformatics and Computational Ecology Lab, Berkeley, CA, 94703, USA
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19
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Capozzelli JF, Miller JR, Debinski DM, Schacht WH. Restoring the fire–grazing interaction promotes tree–grass coexistence by controlling woody encroachment. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jane F. Capozzelli
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign 1102 South Goodwin Avenue Urbana Illinois61801USA
| | - James R. Miller
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign 1102 South Goodwin Avenue Urbana Illinois61801USA
| | - Diane M. Debinski
- Department of Ecology Montana State University 1156‐1174 South 11th Avenue Bozeman Montana59715USA
| | - Walter H. Schacht
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture University of Nebraska‐Lincoln 1825 North 38th Street Lincoln Nebraska68583USA
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20
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Ferreira PMA, Andrade BO, Podgaiski LR, Dias AC, Pillar VD, Overbeck GE, Mendonça MDS, Boldrini II. Long-term ecological research in southern Brazil grasslands: Effects of grazing exclusion and deferred grazing on plant and arthropod communities. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227706. [PMID: 31931512 PMCID: PMC6957338 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Grazing exclusion may lead to biodiversity loss and homogenization of naturally heterogeneous and species-rich grassland ecosystems, and these effects may cascade to higher trophic levels and ecosystem properties. Although grazing exclusion has been studied elsewhere, the consequences of alleviating the disturbance regime in grassland ecosystems remain unclear. In this paper, we present results of the first five years of an experiment in native grasslands of southern Brazil. Using a randomized block experimental design, we examined the effects of three grazing treatments on plant and arthropod communities: (i) deferred grazing (i.e., intermittent grazing), (ii) grazing exclusion and (iii) a control under traditional continuous grazing, which were applied to 70 x 70 m experimental plots, in six regionally distributed blocks. We evaluated plant community responses regarding taxonomic and functional diversity (life-forms) in separate spatial components: alpha (1 x 1 m subplots), beta, and gamma (70 x 70 m plots), as well as the cascading effects on arthropod high-taxa. By estimating effect sizes (treatments vs. control) by bootstrap resampling, both deferred grazing and grazing exclusion mostly increased vegetation height, plant biomass and standing dead biomass. The effect of grazing exclusion on plant taxonomic diversity was negative. Conversely, deferred grazing increased plant taxonomic diversity, but both treatments reduced plant functional diversity. Reduced grazing pressure in both treatments promoted the break of dominance by prostrate species, followed by fast homogenization of vegetation structure towards dominance of ligneous and erect species. These changes in the plant community led to increases in high-taxa richness and abundance of vegetation-dwelling arthropod groups under both treatments, but had no detectable effects on epigeic arthropods. Our results indicate that decision-making regarding the conservation of southern Brazil grasslands should include both intensive and alleviated levels of grazing management, but not complete grazing exclusion, to maximize conservation results when considering plant and arthropod communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro M. A. Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Bianca O. Andrade
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luciana R. Podgaiski
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Amanda C. Dias
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Valério D. Pillar
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Gerhard E. Overbeck
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Milton de S. Mendonça
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ilsi I. Boldrini
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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21
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Quijano-Medina T, Covelo F, Moreira X, Abdala-Roberts L. Compensation to simulated insect leaf herbivory in wild cotton (Gossypium hirsutum): responses to multiple levels of damage and associated traits. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2019; 21:805-812. [PMID: 31050863 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the mechanisms of compensation to insect herbivory remains a major challenge in plant biology and evolutionary ecology. Most previous studies have addressed plant compensatory responses to one or two levels of insect herbivory, and the underlying traits mediating such responses remain elusive in many cases. We evaluated responses associated with compensation to multiple intensities of leaf damage (0% control, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% of leaf area removed) by means of mechanical removal of foliar tissue and application of a caterpillar (Spodoptera exigua) oral secretions in 3-month-old wild cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum). Four weeks post-treatment, we measured plant growth and multiple traits associated with compensation, namely: changes in above- and belowground, biomass and the concentration of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and non-structural carbon reserves (starch and soluble sugars) in roots, stems and leaves. We found that wild cotton fully compensated in terms of growth and biomass allocation when leaf damage was low (10%), whereas moderate (25%) to high leaf damage in some cases led to under-compensation. Nonetheless, high levels of leaf removal (50% and 75%) in most cases did not cause further reductions in height and allocation to leaf and stem biomass relative to low and moderate damage. There were significant positive effects of leaf damage on P concentration in leaves and stems, but not roots, as well as a negative effect on soluble sugars in roots. These results indicate that wild cotton fully compensated for a low level of leaf damage but under-compensated under moderate to high leaf damage, but can nonetheless sustain growth despite increasing losses to herbivory. Such responses were possibly mediated by a re-allocation of carbohydrate reserves from roots to shoots.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Quijano-Medina
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Mexico
| | - F Covelo
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - X Moreira
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Spain
| | - L Abdala-Roberts
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Mexico
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Ramula S, Paige KN, Lennartsson T, Tuomi J. Overcompensation: a 30-year perspective. Ecology 2019; 100:e02667. [PMID: 30913306 PMCID: PMC6850278 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Biomass removal by herbivores usually incurs a fitness cost for the attacked plants, with the total cost per unit lost tissue depending on the value of the removed tissue (i.e., how costly it is to be replaced by regrowth). Optimal defense theory, first outlined in the 1960s and 1970s, predicted that these fitness costs result in an arms race between plants and herbivores, in which selection favors resistance strategies that either repel herbivores through morphological and chemical resistance traits in order to reduce their consumption, or result in enemy escape through rapid growth or by timing the growth or flowering to the periods when herbivores are absent. Such resistance against herbivores would most likely evolve when herbivores are abundant, cause extensive damage, and consume valuable plant tissues. The purpose of this Special Feature is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the phenomenon of overcompensation, specifically, where the finding has brought us and where it is leading us 30 yr later. We first provide a short overview of how the phenomenon of overcompensation has led to broader studies on plant tolerance to herbivory, summarize key findings, and then discuss some promising new directions in light of six featured research papers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satu Ramula
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, 20014, Finland
| | - Ken N Paige
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 505 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Tommy Lennartsson
- Swedish Biodiversity Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7016, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden
| | - Juha Tuomi
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, 20014, Finland
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