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Daniel C, Allan E, Saiz H, Godoy O. Fast-slow traits predict competition network structure and its response to resources and enemies. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14425. [PMID: 38577899 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Plants interact in complex networks but how network structure depends on resources, natural enemies and species resource-use strategy remains poorly understood. Here, we quantified competition networks among 18 plants varying in fast-slow strategy, by testing how increased nutrient availability and reduced foliar pathogens affected intra- and inter-specific interactions. Our results show that nitrogen and pathogens altered several aspects of network structure, often in unexpected ways due to fast and slow growing species responding differently. Nitrogen addition increased competition asymmetry in slow growing networks, as expected, but decreased it in fast growing networks. Pathogen reduction made networks more even and less skewed because pathogens targeted weaker competitors. Surprisingly, pathogens and nitrogen dampened each other's effect. Our results show that plant growth strategy is key to understand how competition respond to resources and enemies, a prediction from classic theories which has rarely been tested by linking functional traits to competition networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Daniel
- Institute for Plant Sciences (IPS), Bern University, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eric Allan
- Institute for Plant Sciences (IPS), Bern University, Bern, Switzerland
- Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hugo Saiz
- Institute for Plant Sciences (IPS), Bern University, Bern, Switzerland
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y Medio Natural, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Huesca, Spain
| | - Oscar Godoy
- Departamento de Biología, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, EBD-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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2
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Siebert J, Sünnemann M, Hautier Y, Risch AC, Bakker JD, Biederman L, Blumenthal DM, Borer ET, Bugalho MN, Broadbent AAD, Caldeira MC, Cleland E, Davies KF, Eskelinen A, Hagenah N, Knops JMH, MacDougall AS, McCulley RL, Moore JL, Power SA, Price JN, Seabloom EW, Standish R, Stevens CJ, Zimmermann S, Eisenhauer N. Drivers of soil microbial and detritivore activity across global grasslands. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1220. [PMID: 38040868 PMCID: PMC10692199 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05607-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Covering approximately 40% of land surfaces, grasslands provide critical ecosystem services that rely on soil organisms. However, the global determinants of soil biodiversity and functioning remain underexplored. In this study, we investigate the drivers of soil microbial and detritivore activity in grasslands across a wide range of climatic conditions on five continents. We apply standardized treatments of nutrient addition and herbivore reduction, allowing us to disentangle the regional and local drivers of soil organism activity. We use structural equation modeling to assess the direct and indirect effects of local and regional drivers on soil biological activities. Microbial and detritivore activities are positively correlated across global grasslands. These correlations are shaped more by global climatic factors than by local treatments, with annual precipitation and soil water content explaining the majority of the variation. Nutrient addition tends to reduce microbial activity by enhancing plant growth, while herbivore reduction typically increases microbial and detritivore activity through increased soil moisture. Our findings emphasize soil moisture as a key driver of soil biological activity, highlighting the potential impacts of climate change, altered grazing pressure, and eutrophication on nutrient cycling and decomposition within grassland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Siebert
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marie Sünnemann
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Yann Hautier
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anita C Risch
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Community Ecology, Zuercherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan D Bakker
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lori Biederman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50010, USA
| | - Dana M Blumenthal
- USDA-ARS Rangeland Resources & Systems Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Borer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Miguel N Bugalho
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves", School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Arthur A D Broadbent
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Maria C Caldeira
- Forest Research Centre, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Elsa Cleland
- Ecology, Behavior and Evolution Section, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. #0116, La Jolla, California, 92093-0116, USA
| | - Kendi F Davies
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Anu Eskelinen
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Ecology and Genetics Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, FI-90014 University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Physiological Diversity, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicole Hagenah
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Johannes M H Knops
- Health & Environmental Sciences Department, Xi'an Jiatong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Andrew S MacDougall
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Rebecca L McCulley
- Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
| | - Joslin L Moore
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Sally A Power
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Jodi N Price
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia
| | - Eric W Seabloom
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Rachel Standish
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Carly J Stevens
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Stephan Zimmermann
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry, Zuercherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Knozowski P, Nowakowski JJ, Stawicka AM, Górski A, Dulisz B. Effect of nature protection and management of grassland on biodiversity - Case from big flooded river valley (NE Poland). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165280. [PMID: 37419354 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Agriculturally used meadows are habitats whose biodiversity depends on anthropogenic disturbances such as fertilization or mowing. Intensified agricultural practices (too frequent mowing, use of mineral fertilizers and insecticides) lead to declines in the abundance and species diversity of the biota inhabiting them. The intensification of agricultural production in north-eastern Poland relates primarily to the increase in cattle numbers and the intensification of grassland management, but many areas were included in Natura 2000 network. Our study was aimed at indicating the impact of diverse use of meadows on the species richness and diversity of invertebrates, amphibians, and birds in the grasslands of Narew river valley, Special Bird Protection Area, where the intensification of grassland use was noted in the last decades, and part of the meadows was included in the agri-environmental program. The agri-environmental program is a very good tool for the protection of grassland biotic diversity. The highest taxonomic richness and diversity of the studied animal groups were found in meadows included in these programs with extensive use, while the lowest was in the over- and intensively used meadows fertilized with mineral fertilizers and liquid manure. Only the meadows in the agri-environment program were inhabited by the fire-bellied toad and the tree frog - amphibians from Annex IV of the Habitats Directive. The number of breeding bird species globally threatened (IUCN Red List), listed in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive, and with negative population trend in Europe (SPEC1-3) was highest in meadows included in EU conservation programs. The main factors reducing biotic diversity in the grassland of flooded river valley were the high number of grassland mowing per season, intensive fertilization, especially with liquid manure, the great distance of meadows to the river, low soil humidity, and low share of shrubs and trees in the meadows border zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Knozowski
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Jacek J Nowakowski
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Anna Maria Stawicka
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Andrzej Górski
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Beata Dulisz
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
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Guo Y, Zhang D, Qi W. Bacterial diversity of herbal rhizospheric soils in Ordos desert steppes under different degradation gradients. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16289. [PMID: 37927778 PMCID: PMC10625353 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study explored the effects of different degradation gradients on bacterial diversity in the rhizospheric soils of herb plants. Methods The alpha diversity, species composition and correlations of bacterial communities in the rhizospheric soils of herb plants were studied using metagenomics 16SrDNA gene high-throughput sequencing. Results The diversity of bacterial communities in the rhizospheric soils of herb plants differed during the degradation of desert steppes. An analysis of bacterial community alpha diversity indices showed the bacterial diversity and species evenness of rhizospheric soils were best in moderately degraded desert steppes. Among all samples, a total of 43 phyla, 133 classes, 261 orders, 421 families, 802 genera and 1,129 species were detected. At the phylum level, the predominant bacterial phyla were: Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes and Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, the predominant bacterial genera were: RB41, Sphingomonas, WD2101_soil_group_unclassified, Pseudomonas and Actinomyces. The relative abundance of unknown genera was very large, which deserves further research. At the phylum and genus levels, the species abundance levels under slight and moderate degradation were significantly higher than those under extreme degradation. Correlation network diagrams showed there were many nodes in both slightly deteriorated and moderately deteriorated soils, and the node proportions were large and mostly positively correlated. These results indicate the bacterial communities in rhizospheric soils under slight or moderate deterioration are relatively stable. The rhizospheric soil microbes of desert steppes can form a stable network structure, allowing them to adequately respond to environmental conditions. Conclusions The bacterial communities in the rhizospheric soils of herb plants differ between different degradation gradients. The species number, abundance and diversity of bacterial communities in rhizospheric soils are not directly correlated with degree of degradation. The abundance, species diversity and species abundance of bacterial communities in the rhizospheric soils of moderately degraded desert steppes are the highest and most stable. The soil bacterial diversity is lowest in severely degraded desert steppes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuefeng Guo
- College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, Asia, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, Asia, China
| | - Wei Qi
- Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Water Conservancy Development Center, Hohot, Inner Mongolia, Asia, China
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5
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Gauthier K, Pankovic D, Nikolic M, Hobert M, Germeier CU, Ordon F, Perovic D, Niehl A. Nutrients and soil structure influence furovirus infection of wheat. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1200674. [PMID: 37600210 PMCID: PMC10436314 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1200674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV) and Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus (SBCMV), genus Furovirus, family Virgaviridae, cause significant crop losses in cereals. The viruses are transmitted by the soil-borne plasmodiophorid Polymyxa graminis. Inside P. graminis resting spores, the viruses persist in the soil for long time, which makes the disease difficult to combat. To open up novel possibilities for virus control, we explored the influence of physical and chemical soil properties on infection of wheat with SBWMV and SBCMV. Moreover, we investigated, whether infection rates are influenced by the nutritional state of the plants. Infection rates of susceptible wheat lines were correlated to soil structure parameters and nutrient contents in soil and plants. Our results show that SBWMV and SBCMV infection rates decrease the more water-impermeable the soil is and that virus transmission depends on pH. Moreover, we found that contents of several nutrients in the soil (e.g. phosphorous, magnesium, zinc) and in planta (e.g. nitrogen, carbon, boron, sulfur, calcium) affect SBWMV and SBCMV infection rates. The knowledge generated may help paving the way towards development of a microenvironment-adapted agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Gauthier
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Brunswick, Germany
| | - Dejana Pankovic
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Miroslav Nikolic
- Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mirko Hobert
- State Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture Saxony-Anhalt, Centre for Agricultural Investigations, Bernburg, Germany
| | - Christoph U. Germeier
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Breeding Research on Agricultural Crops, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Frank Ordon
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Dragan Perovic
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Annette Niehl
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Brunswick, Germany
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Plant Community Diversity at Two Reclaimed Mine Tailing Storage Facilities in Québec, Canada. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10111191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mining activities generate residues during the ore concentration process. These wastes are placed into large tailing storage facilities, and upon mine closure, these tailings must be reclaimed. This study aimed to determine how different reclamation methods, involving combinations of planted boreal woody species and organic amendments application (paper mill sludge biosolids, chicken manure, and topsoil) affected plant community diversity at two tailing storage facilities in Québec, Canada. We recorded the composition of the plant communities using the percent cover of plant species within 1 m × 1 m quadrats. At the Niobec mine site, paper mill sludge mixed with topsoil enhanced total plant cover was compared with the use of topsoil only; the former amendment, however, reduced evenness (J′) and diversity (1−D) due to the increased growth of grasses and invasive forbs. At the Mont-Wright site, plots having received paper mill sludge mixed with a “Norco” treatment (a mixture of chicken manure, hay, and grass seeds) produced the highest total plant cover. The Norco treatment mixed with topsoil and the single application of topsoil and biosolids produced the highest evenness (J′) and diversity (1−D). Overall, organic amendment applications promoted vegetation cover on tailings and contributed to the colonization of diverse plant communities.
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7
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Esper Neto M, Lara LM, Maciel de Oliveira S, dos Santos RF, Braccini AL, Inoue TT, Batista MA. Nutrient Removal by Grain in Modern Soybean Varieties. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:615019. [PMID: 34234792 PMCID: PMC8256798 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.615019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Knowing the nutrient removal by soybean grain harvest in different varieties, locations, and over time is essential to correctly adjust agronomic recommendations, update farmers' practices, and increase nutrient use efficiency. A field-based research trial was carried out to assess macronutrients [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S)] removed in grain by modern soybean varieties from southern Brazil introduced between 2007 and 2016. We examined changes between our set of modern varieties and a dataset of historical values encompassing a wide range of varieties introduced before 2007. Moreover, we undertook a synthesis analysis using scientific literature published after 2007 to investigate nutrient removal by grain among modern Brazilian soybeans and a dataset that included field trials from Argentina, United States, and India. There were no yield gains across the years for modern soybean varieties introduced among 2007 and 2016 in Brazil, although the grain N and Mg concentrations decreased. Modern Brazilian soybeans increased nutrient removal compared with that by soybeans historically planted in Brazil, with 11.1, 26.9, 45.0, and 31.6% more N, P, K, and Mg removed, respectively. Our results indicated that soybean growing in Brazil removed 4.3% less N relative to the values reported in the literature dataset, whereas K removal was 21.4% greater. A significant difference was also recorded for high-yield soybean varieties, and Brazilian varieties removed 11.8% less N and 8.6% more K than varieties in the literature dataset. No differences were found among locations for P removal, averaging 4.9 kg Mg-1 grain. In conclusion, this study indicates that the amounts of nutrients removed by modern soybean varieties were greater relative to the historical values recorded in Brazil, excluding Ca and S. Nonetheless, in the middle to long term (10 years), a significant impact of plant breeding on grain nutrient concentration was recorded only for N and Mg. The difference in nutrient removal patterns between Brazil and other countries indicates an integrated effect of management, genotype, and environment on nutrient removal. These findings provide guidance for optimal nutrient management and specific information for plant breeding programs to understand nutrient variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Esper Neto
- Departamento de Agronomia, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
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8
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Massi KG, Eugênio CUO, Franco AC, Hoffmann WA. The effects of tree cover and soil nutrient addition on native herbaceous richness in a neotropical savanna. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Klécia Gili Massi
- Departamento de Ecologia Universidade de Brasília Brasilia Brazil
- Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) São José dos Campos Brazil
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Shen H, Dong S, DiTommaso A, Li S, Xiao J, Yang M, Zhang J, Gao X, Xu Y, Zhi Y, Liu S, Dong Q, Wang W, Liu P, Xu J. Eco-physiological processes are more sensitive to simulated N deposition in leguminous forbs than non-leguminous forbs in an alpine meadow of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140612. [PMID: 32711302 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Increased nitrogen (N) deposition can affect ecosystem processes and thus influence plant eco-physiological processes in grasslands. However, how N deposition affects eco-physiological processes of leguminous and non-leguminous forbs in alpine grasslands is understudied. A long-term field experiment using a range of simulated N deposition rates (0, 8, 24, 40, 56, and 72 kg N ha-1 year-1) was established to examine the effects of N deposition on various eco-physiological parameters in leguminous and non-leguminous forbs in an alpine meadow of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We found that the responses of leguminous and non-leguminous forbs to simulated N deposition varied. Net photosynthetic rate of leguminous and non-leguminous forbs exhibited different response patterns, but chronic increases in simulated N deposition rates may lead to negative effects in both functional groups. Neither functional group responded differently in aboveground biomass under the highest N addition level (72 kg N ha-1 year-1) compared to the control. Differences in aboveground biomass of leguminous forbs were observed at intermediate N levels. Short-term simulated N deposition significantly promoted N uptake of both functional groups. In leguminous forbs, simulated N deposition affected net photosynthetic rates (PN) and aboveground biomass (AGB) mainly via stomatal conductance (gs), water use efficiency (WUE), and plant N uptake. In non-leguminous forbs, simulated N deposition affected PN and AGB mainly through WUE and plant N uptake. Our findings suggest that leguminous and non-leguminous forbs have differential response mechanisms to N deposition, and compared with non-leguminous forbs, leguminous forbs are more sensitive to continuing increased N deposition. The obvious decline trend in photosynthetic capacity in leguminous forbs is likely to exacerbate the already divergent ecological processes between leguminous and non-leguminous forbs. More importantly, these changes are likely to alter the future composition, function, and stability of alpine meadow ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Shen
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Shikui Dong
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; College of Grassland Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States.
| | - Antonio DiTommaso
- Soil and Crop Sciences, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States
| | - Shuai Li
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jiannan Xiao
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Mingyue Yang
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiaoxia Gao
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yudan Xu
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yangliu Zhi
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shiliang Liu
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Quanming Dong
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Qinghai University, Xining 810003, China
| | - Wenying Wang
- School of Life and Geographic Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Pan Liu
- School of Life and Geographic Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Jiyu Xu
- School of Life and Geographic Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
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Goodwillie C, McCoy MW, Peralta AL. Long‐term nutrient enrichment, mowing, and ditch drainage interact in the dynamics of a wetland plant community. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carol Goodwillie
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina27858USA
| | - Michael W. McCoy
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina27858USA
| | - Ariane L. Peralta
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina27858USA
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11
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Chong KY, Ng WQ, Yee ATK, Yong DL. The community structure of bird assemblages on urban strangler figs. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kwek Yan Chong
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Wen Qing Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Alex T. K. Yee
- Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology National Parks Board Singapore Singapore
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12
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Cappelli SL, Pichon NA, Kempel A, Allan E. Sick plants in grassland communities: a growth-defense trade-off is the main driver of fungal pathogen abundance. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1349-1359. [PMID: 32455502 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Aboveground fungal pathogens can substantially reduce biomass production in grasslands. However, we lack a mechanistic understanding of the drivers of fungal pathogen infection and impact. Using a grassland global change and biodiversity experiment we show that the trade-off between plant growth and defense is the main determinant of infection incidence. In contrast, nitrogen addition only indirectly increased incidence via shifting plant communities towards faster growing species. Plant diversity did not decrease incidence, likely because spillover of generalist pathogens or dominance of susceptible plants counteracted negative diversity effects. A fungicide treatment increased plant biomass production and high levels of infection incidence were associated with reduced biomass. However, pathogen impact was context dependent and infection incidence reduced biomass more strongly in diverse communities. Our results show that a growth-defense trade-off is the key driver of pathogen incidence, but pathogen impact is determined by several mechanisms and may depend on pathogen community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seraina L Cappelli
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, Bern, 3013, Switzerland
| | - Noémie A Pichon
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, Bern, 3013, Switzerland
| | - Anne Kempel
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, Bern, 3013, Switzerland
| | - Eric Allan
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, Bern, 3013, Switzerland
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13
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Nogueira C, Nunes A, Bugalho MN, Branquinho C, McCulley RL, Caldeira MC. Nutrient Addition and Drought Interact to Change the Structure and Decrease the Functional Diversity of a Mediterranean Grassland. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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14
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Klich D. Influence of primitive Biłgoraj horses on the glossy buckthorn ( Frangula alnus )-dominated understory in a mixed coniferous forest. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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15
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Luo X, Mazer SJ, Guo H, Zhang N, Weiner J, Hu S. Nitrogen:phosphorous supply ratio and allometry in five alpine plant species. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8881-8892. [PMID: 28035276 PMCID: PMC5192882 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In terrestrial ecosystems, atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has greatly increased N availability relative to other elements, particularly phosphorus (P). Alterations in the availability of N relative to P can affect plant growth rate and functional traits, as well as resource allocation to above- versus belowground biomass (MA and MB). Biomass allocation among individual plants is broadly size-dependent, and this can often be described as an allometric relationship between MA and MB, as represented by the equation MA=αMBβ, or log MA = logα + βlog MB. Here, we investigated whether the scaling exponent or regression slope may be affected by the N:P supply ratio. We hypothesized that the regression slope between MA and MB should be steeper under a high N:P supply ratio due to P limitation, and shallower under a low N:P supply ratio due to N limitation. To test these hypotheses, we experimentally altered the levels of N, P, and the N:P supply ratio (from 1.7:1 to 135:1) provided to five alpine species representing two functional groups (grasses and composite forbs) under greenhouse conditions; we then measured the effects of these treatments on plant morphology and tissue content (SLA, leaf area, and leaf and root N/P concentrations) and on the scaling relationship between MA and MB. Unbalanced N:P supply ratios generally negatively affected plant biomass, leaf area, and tissue nutrient concentration in both grasses and composite forbs. High N:P ratios increased tissue N:P ratios in both functional groups, but more in the two composite forbs than in the grasses. The positive regression slopes between log MA and log MB exhibited by plants raised under a N:P supply ratio of 135:1 were significantly steeper than those observed under the N:P ratio of 1.7:1 and 15:1. SYNTHESIS Plant biomass allocation is highly plastic in response to variation in the N:P supply ratio. Studies of resource allocation of individual plants should focus on the effects of nutrient ratios as well as the availability of individual elements. The two forb species were more sensitive than grasses to unbalanced N:P supplies. To evaluate the adaptive significance of this plasticity, the effects of unbalanced N:P supply ratio on individual lifetime fitness must be measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Luo
- College of Resources and Environmental SciencesNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
| | - Susan J. Mazer
- Department of EcologyEvolution & Marine Biology, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCAUSA
| | - Hui Guo
- College of Resources and Environmental SciencesNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
| | - Nan Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental SciencesNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
| | - Jacob Weiner
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenFrederiksbergDenmark
| | - Shuijin Hu
- College of Resources and Environmental SciencesNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
- Department of Plant PathologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Sletvold
- Plant Ecology and Evolution Department of Ecology and Genetics Evolutionary Biology Centre Uppsala University Norbyvägen 18 D SE‐752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Matthew Tye
- Plant Ecology and Evolution Department of Ecology and Genetics Evolutionary Biology Centre Uppsala University Norbyvägen 18 D SE‐752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Jon Ågren
- Plant Ecology and Evolution Department of Ecology and Genetics Evolutionary Biology Centre Uppsala University Norbyvägen 18 D SE‐752 36 Uppsala Sweden
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17
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Drivers of Variation in Aboveground Net Primary Productivity and Plant Community Composition Differ Across a Broad Precipitation Gradient. Ecosystems 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-015-9949-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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18
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Humbert JY, Dwyer JM, Andrey A, Arlettaz R. Impacts of nitrogen addition on plant biodiversity in mountain grasslands depend on dose, application duration and climate: a systematic review. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2016; 22:110-120. [PMID: 26010833 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Revised: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Although the influence of nitrogen (N) addition on grassland plant communities has been widely studied, it is still unclear whether observed patterns and underlying mechanisms are constant across biomes. In this systematic review, we use meta-analysis and metaregression to investigate the influence of N addition (here referring mostly to fertilization) upon the biodiversity of temperate mountain grasslands (including montane, subalpine and alpine zones). Forty-two studies met our criteria of inclusion, resulting in 134 measures of effect size. The main general responses of mountain grasslands to N addition were increases in phytomass and reductions in plant species richness, as observed in lowland grasslands. More specifically, the analysis reveals that negative effects on species richness were exacerbated by dose (ha(-1) year(-1) ) and duration of N application (years) in an additive manner. Thus, sustained application of low to moderate levels of N over time had effects similar to short-term application of high N doses. The climatic context also played an important role: the overall effects of N addition on plant species richness and diversity (Shannon index) were less pronounced in mountain grasslands experiencing cool rather than warm summers. Furthermore, the relative negative effect of N addition on species richness was more pronounced in managed communities and was strongly negatively related to N-induced increases in phytomass, that is the greater the phytomass response to N addition, the greater the decline in richness. Altogether, this review not only establishes that plant biodiversity of mountain grasslands is negatively affected by N addition, but also demonstrates that several local management and abiotic factors interact with N addition to drive plant community changes. This synthesis yields essential information for a more sustainable management of mountain grasslands, emphasizing the importance of preserving and restoring grasslands with both low agricultural N application and limited exposure to N atmospheric deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Yves Humbert
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - John M Dwyer
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia
- CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Qld, 4102, Australia
| | - Aline Andrey
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Raphaël Arlettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Valais Field Station, Rue du Rhône 11, 1950, Sion, Switzerland
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas, CONICET, CC 507, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
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Camarota F, Powell S, Vasconcelos HL, Priest G, Marquis RJ. Extrafloral nectaries have a limited effect on the structure of arboreal ant communities in a Neotropical savanna. Ecology 2015; 96:231-40. [PMID: 26236908 DOI: 10.1890/14-0264.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
How environmental contexts shape the strength of species interactions, and their influence on community structure, remains a key focus for the field of community ecology. In particular, the extent to which local competitive interactions impact community structure, and whether this differs across contexts, persists as a general issue that is unresolved across a broad range of animal systems. Studies of arboreal ants have shown that competitive interactions over carbon-rich exudates from extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and homopteran aggregations can have positive and negative effects on the local abundances of individual species. Nevertheless, it is still unclear the extent to which these local effects scale to community-level effects. Here we address the role of food from extrafloral nectaries on the structure of arboreal ant communities in a savanna of central Brazil. We did this with a combination of a diversity survey across tree species with and without EFNs, a repeated survey at times of peak EFN activity, and testing of our survey findings with two experimental manipulations of nectar availability that also provided supplementary nesting cavities. Species richness, but not composition, differed significantly between trees with and without EFNs. However, trees with EFNs had, on average, only 9% more species than those without EFNs. Furthermore, ant species richness did not differ significantly between periods of high and low EFN activity. Although nectar supplementation significantly affected nest occupation rates, this difference was seen solely in. the experiment with a massive supply of nectar and there was no effect on total ant richness or identity of the focal assemblages. Our findings suggest that the effects of extrafloral nectar on the abundances of arboreal ants at local scales do not scale to a strong structuring force at the community level. We suggest that this is most likely due to a lack of specificity of community members for EFN tree species, and the diffuse temporal and spatial nature of the availability of active EFNs. These properties mean that observable short-lived activity and competition over particular EFNs does not ultimately drive lasting changes in the associated assemblage of species, and therefore, the community as a whole.
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20
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Dickson TL, Mittelbach GG, Reynolds HL, Gross KL. Height and clonality traits determine plant community responses to fertilization. Ecology 2014. [DOI: 10.1890/13-1875.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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21
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Treberg MA, Turkington R. Species-specific responses to community density in an unproductive perennial plant community. PLoS One 2014; 9:e102430. [PMID: 25050710 PMCID: PMC4106790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Most studies of density dependent regulation in plants consider a single target species, but regulation may also occur at the level of the entire community. Knowing whether a community is at carrying capacity is essential for understanding its behaviour because low density plant communities may behave quite differently than their high density counterparts. Also, because the intensity of density dependence may differ considerably between species and physical environments, generalizations about its effects on community structure requires comparisons under a range of conditions. We tested if: (1) density dependent regulation occurs at the level of an entire plant community as well as within individual species; (2) the intensity (effect of increasing community density on mean plant mass) and importance (the effect of increasing density, relative to other factors, on mean plant mass) of competition increases, decreases or remains unchanged with increasing fertilization; (3) there are species-specific responses to changes in community density and productivity. In 63 1 m2 plots, we manipulated the abundance of the nine most common species by transplanting or removing them to create a series of Initial Community Densities above and below the average natural field density, such that the relative proportion of species was consistent for all densities. Plots were randomly assigned to one of three fertilizer levels. At the community level, negative density dependence of mean plant size was observed for each of the 4 years of the study and both the intensity and importance of competition increased each year. At the species level, most species' mean plant mass were negatively density dependent. Fertilizer had a significant effect only in the final year when it had a negative effect on mean plant mass. Our data demonstrate a yield-density response at the entire community-level using perennial plant species in a multi-year experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Treberg
- Department of Botany, and Biodiversity Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Roy Turkington
- Department of Botany, and Biodiversity Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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22
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Andrey A, Humbert JY, Pernollet C, Arlettaz R. Experimental evidence for the immediate impact of fertilization and irrigation upon the plant and invertebrate communities of mountain grasslands. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:2610-23. [PMID: 25360290 PMCID: PMC4203302 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Revised: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The response of montane and subalpine hay meadow plant and arthropod communities to the application of liquid manure and aerial irrigation - two novel, rapidly spreading management practices - remains poorly understood, which hampers the formulation of best practice management recommendations for both hay production and biodiversity preservation. In these nutrient-poor mountain grasslands, a moderate management regime could enhance overall conditions for biodiversity. This study experimentally assessed, at the site scale, among low-input montane and subalpine meadows, the short-term effects (1 year) of a moderate intensification (slurry fertilization: 26.7-53.3 kg N·ha(-1)·year(-1); irrigation with sprinklers: 20 mm·week(-1); singly or combined together) on plant species richness, vegetation structure, hay production, and arthropod abundance and biomass in the inner European Alps (Valais, SW Switzerland). Results show that (1) montane and subalpine hay meadow ecological communities respond very rapidly to an intensification of management practices; (2) on a short-term basis, a moderate intensification of very low-input hay meadows has positive effects on plant species richness, vegetation structure, hay production, and arthropod abundance and biomass; (3) vegetation structure is likely to be the key factor limiting arthropod abundance and biomass. Our ongoing experiments will in the longer term identify which level of management intensity achieves an optimal balance between biodiversity and hay production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Andrey
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Yves Humbert
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Claire Pernollet
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, CNERA Avifaune MigratriceLa Tour du Valat, Le Sambuc, 13200, Arles, France
| | - Raphaël Arlettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Ornithological InstituteValais Field Station, Rue du Rhône 11, 1950, Sion, Switzerland
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23
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Werling BP, Dickson TL, Isaacs R, Gaines H, Gratton C, Gross KL, Liere H, Malmstrom CM, Meehan TD, Ruan L, Robertson BA, Robertson GP, Schmidt TM, Schrotenboer AC, Teal TK, Wilson JK, Landis DA. Perennial grasslands enhance biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services in bioenergy landscapes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:1652-7. [PMID: 24474791 PMCID: PMC3910622 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1309492111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Agriculture is being challenged to provide food, and increasingly fuel, for an expanding global population. Producing bioenergy crops on marginal lands--farmland suboptimal for food crops--could help meet energy goals while minimizing competition with food production. However, the ecological costs and benefits of growing bioenergy feedstocks--primarily annual grain crops--on marginal lands have been questioned. Here we show that perennial bioenergy crops provide an alternative to annual grains that increases biodiversity of multiple taxa and sustain a variety of ecosystem functions, promoting the creation of multifunctional agricultural landscapes. We found that switchgrass and prairie plantings harbored significantly greater plant, methanotrophic bacteria, arthropod, and bird diversity than maize. Although biomass production was greater in maize, all other ecosystem services, including methane consumption, pest suppression, pollination, and conservation of grassland birds, were higher in perennial grasslands. Moreover, we found that the linkage between biodiversity and ecosystem services is dependent not only on the choice of bioenergy crop but also on its location relative to other habitats, with local landscape context as important as crop choice in determining provision of some services. Our study suggests that bioenergy policy that supports coordinated land use can diversify agricultural landscapes and sustain multiple critical ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben P. Werling
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Timothy L. Dickson
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE 68182
| | - Rufus Isaacs
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Hannah Gaines
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Claudio Gratton
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Katherine L. Gross
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI 49060
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Heidi Liere
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Carolyn M. Malmstrom
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Timothy D. Meehan
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Leilei Ruan
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI 49060
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Bruce A. Robertson
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Division of Science, Mathematics and Computing, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504
| | - G. Philip Robertson
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI 49060
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Thomas M. Schmidt
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Abbie C. Schrotenboer
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Biology, Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, IL 60463; and
| | - Tracy K. Teal
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Department of Microbiology and Microbial Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Julianna K. Wilson
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
| | - Douglas A. Landis
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, US Department of Energy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
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Funk JL. The physiology of invasive plants in low-resource environments. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 1:cot026. [PMID: 27293610 PMCID: PMC4806624 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cot026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2013] [Revised: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
While invasive plant species primarily occur in disturbed, high-resource environments, many species have invaded ecosystems characterized by low nutrient, water, and light availability. Species adapted to low-resource systems often display traits associated with resource conservation, such as slow growth, high tissue longevity, and resource-use efficiency. This contrasts with our general understanding of invasive species physiology derived primarily from studies in high-resource environments. These studies suggest that invasive species succeed through high resource acquisition. This review examines physiological and morphological traits of native and invasive species in low-resource environments. Existing data support the idea that species invading low-resource environments possess traits associated with resource acquisition, resource conservation or both. Disturbance and climate change are affecting resource availability in many ecosystems, and understanding physiological differences between native and invasive species may suggest ways to restore invaded ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Funk
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
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25
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Borer ET, Seabloom EW, Mitchell CE, Cronin JP. Multiple nutrients and herbivores interact to govern diversity, productivity, composition, and infection in a successional grassland. OIKOS 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00680.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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26
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Dickson TL, Gross KL. Plant community responses to long-term fertilization: changes in functional group abundance drive changes in species richness. Oecologia 2013; 173:1513-20. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2722-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/22/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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27
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Ebeling A, Allan E, Heimann J, Köhler G, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Vogel A, Weigelt A, Weisser WW. The impact of plant diversity and fertilization on fitness of a generalist grasshopper. Basic Appl Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2013.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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28
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Chanteloup P, Bonis A. Functional diversity in root and above-ground traits in a fertile grassland shows a detrimental effect on productivity. Basic Appl Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2013.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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29
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Low-Décarie E, Jewell MD, Fussmann GF, Bell G. Long-term culture at elevated atmospheric CO2 fails to evoke specific adaptation in seven freshwater phytoplankton species. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20122598. [PMID: 23303540 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The concentration of CO(2) in the atmosphere is expected to double by the end of the century. Experiments have shown that this will have important effects on the physiology and ecology of photosynthetic organisms, but it is still unclear if elevated CO(2) will elicit an evolutionary response in primary producers that causes changes in physiological and ecological attributes. In this study, we cultured lines of seven species of freshwater phytoplankton from three major groups at current (approx. 380 ppm CO(2)) and predicted future conditions (1000 ppm CO(2)) for over 750 generations. We grew the phytoplankton under three culture regimes: nutrient-replete liquid medium, nutrient-poor liquid medium and solid agar medium. We then performed reciprocal transplant assays to test for specific adaptation to elevated CO(2) in these lines. We found no evidence for evolutionary change. We conclude that the physiology of carbon utilization may be conserved in natural freshwater phytoplankton communities experiencing rising atmospheric CO(2) levels, without substantial evolutionary change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Low-Décarie
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Avenue Docteur Penfield, Montréal, Québec, Canada , H3A 1B1.
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30
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Rees M. Competition on productivity gradients - what do we expect? Ecol Lett 2012; 16:291-8. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2012] [Revised: 10/21/2012] [Accepted: 10/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Rees
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield; Sheffield S10 2; Tennessee; UK
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31
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Variations in soil culturable bacteria communities and biochemical characteristics in the Dongkemadi glacier forefield along a chronosequence. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2012; 57:485-94. [PMID: 22614182 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-012-0159-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2011] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The variations in the soil culturable bacterial communities and biochemical parameters of early successional soils from a receding glacier in the Tanggula Mountain were investigated. We examined low organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents and enzymatic activity, correlated with fewer bacterial groups and numbers in the glacier forefield soils. The soil pH values decreased, but the soil water content, organic C and total N significantly increased, along the chronosequence. The soil C/N ratio decreased in the early development soils and increased in the late development soils and it did not correlate with the soil age since deglaciation. The activities of soil urease, sucrase, protease, polyphenol oxidase, catalase, and dehydrogenase increased along the chronosequence. The numbers of culturable bacteria in the soils increased as cultured at 25°C while decreased at 4°C from younger soils to older soils. Total numbers of culturable bacteria in the soils cultured at 25°C were significantly positively correlated to the soil total N, organic C, and soil water content, as well as the activities of soil urease, sucrase, dehydrogenase, catalase, and polyphenol oxidase. We have obtained 224 isolates from the glacier forefield soils. The isolates were clustered into 28 groups by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA). Among them, 27 groups and 25 groups were obtained from the soils at 25°C and at 4°C incubation temperatures, respectively. These groups are affiliated with 18 genera that belong to six taxa, viz, Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Alphaproteobacteria, and Betaproteobacteria. The dominant taxa were Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in all the samples. The abundance and the diversity of the genera isolated at 25°C incubation temperature were greater than that at 4°C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L Dickson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
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Gao YZ, Chen Q, Lin S, Giese M, Brueck H. Resource manipulation effects on net primary production, biomass allocation and rain-use efficiency of two semiarid grassland sites in Inner Mongolia, China. Oecologia 2010; 165:855-64. [PMID: 21191799 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1890-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2009] [Accepted: 12/10/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Productivity of semiarid grasslands is affected by soil water and nutrient availability, with water controlling net primary production under dry conditions and soil nutrients constraining biomass production under wet conditions. In order to investigate limitations on plants by the response of root-shoot biomass allocation to water and nitrogen (N) availability, a field experiment, on restoration plots with rainfed, unfertilized control plots, fertilized plots receiving N (25 kg urea-N ha(-1)) and water (irrigation simulating a wet season), was conducted at two sites with different grazing histories: moderate (MG) and heavy (HG) grazing. Irrigation and N addition had no effect on belowground biomass. Irrigation increased aboveground (ANPP) and belowground net primary production (BNPP) and rain-use efficiency based on ANPP (RUE(ANPP)), whereas N addition on rainfed plots had no effect on any of the measured parameters. N fertilizer application on irrigated plots increased ANPP and RUE(ANPP) and reduced the root fraction (RF: root dry matter/total dry matter), resulting in smaller N effects on total net primary production (NPP) and rain-use efficiency based on NPP. This suggests that BNPP should be included in evaluating ecosystem responses to resource availability from the whole-plant perspective. N effects on all measured parameters were similar on both sites. However, site HG responded to irrigation with higher ANPP and a lower RF when compared to site MG, indicating that species composition had a pronounced effect on carbon allocation pattern due to below- and aboveground niche complementarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhi Gao
- Department of Plant Nutrition, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
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Abstract
By attacking plants, herbivorous mammals, insects, and belowground pathogens are known to play an important role in maintaining biodiversity in grasslands. Foliar fungal pathogens are ubiquitous in grassland ecosystems, but little is known about their role as drivers of community composition and diversity. Here we excluded foliar fungal pathogens from perennial grassland by using fungicide to determine the effect of natural levels of disease on an otherwise undisturbed plant community. Importantly, we excluded foliar fungal pathogens along with rabbits, insects, and mollusks in a full factorial design, which allowed a comparison of pathogen effects along with those of better studied plant enemies. This revealed that fungal pathogens substantially reduced aboveground plant biomass and promoted plant diversity and that this especially benefited legumes. The scale of pathogen effects on productivity and biodiversity was similar to that of rabbits and insects, but different plant species responded to the exclusion of the three plant enemies. These results suggest that theories of plant coexistence and management of biodiversity in grasslands should consider foliar fungal pathogens as potentially important drivers of community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Allan
- Imperial College, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, United Kingdom.
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Schumacher J, Roscher C. Differential effects of functional traits on aboveground biomass in semi-natural grasslands. OIKOS 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.17711.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Segarra J, Acevedo M, Raventós J, Garcia-Núñez C, Silva J. Coupling soil water and shoot dynamics in three grass species: A spatial stochastic model on water competition in Neotropical savanna. Ecol Modell 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2009.06.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Kazakou E, Dimitrakopoulos PG, Baker AJM, Reeves RD, Troumbis AY. Hypotheses, mechanisms and trade-offs of tolerance and adaptation to serpentine soils: from species to ecosystem level. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2008; 83:495-508. [PMID: 18823392 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2008.00051.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the relative importance of the abiotic environment and species interactions in determining the distribution and abundance of organisms has been a challenge in ecological research. Serpentine substrata are stressful environments for plant growth due to multiple limitations, collectively called the "serpentine syndrome". In the present review, our aim is not only to describe recent work in serpentine ecology, but also to highlight specific mechanisms of species tolerance and adaptation to serpentine soils and their effects on community structure and ecosystem functioning. We present hypotheses of the development of serpentine endemism and a description of functional traits of serpentine plants together with a synthesis of species interactions in serpentine soils and their effects on community structure and ecosystem productivity. In addition, we propose hypotheses about the effects of the 'serpentine syndrome' on ecosystem processes including productivity and decomposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Kazakou
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, University Hill, 81100 Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece.
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Ratnam J, Sankaran M, Hanan NP, Grant RC, Zambatis N. Nutrient resorption patterns of plant functional groups in a tropical savanna: variation and functional significance. Oecologia 2008; 157:141-51. [PMID: 18488252 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-008-1047-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2006] [Accepted: 04/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Green and senesced leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations of different plant functional groups in savanna communities of Kruger National Park, South Africa were analyzed to determine if nutrient resorption was regulated by plant nutritional status and foliar N:P ratios. The N and P concentrations in green leaves and the N concentrations in senesced leaves differed significantly between the dominant plant functional groups in these savannas: fine-leaved trees, broad-leaved trees and grasses. However, all three functional groups reduced P to comparable and very low levels in senesced leaves, suggesting that P was tightly conserved in this tropical semi-arid savanna ecosystem. Across all functional groups, there was evidence for nutritional control of resorption in this system, with both N and P resorption efficiencies decreasing as green leaf nutrient concentrations increased. However, specific patterns of resorption and the functional relationships between nutrient concentrations in green and senesced leaves varied by nutrient and plant functional group. Functional relationships between N concentrations in green and senesced leaves were indistinguishable between the dominant groups, suggesting that variation in N resorption efficiency was largely the result of inter-life form differences in green leaf N concentrations. In contrast, observed differences in P resorption efficiencies between life forms appear to be the result of both differences in green leaf P concentrations as well as inherent differences between life forms in the fraction of green leaf P resorbed from senescing leaves. Our results indicate that foliar N:P ratios are poor predictors of resorption efficiency in this ecosystem, in contrast to N and P resorption proficiencies, which are more responsive to foliar N:P ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayashree Ratnam
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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Elser JJ, Bracken MES, Cleland EE, Gruner DS, Harpole WS, Hillebrand H, Ngai JT, Seabloom EW, Shurin JB, Smith JE. Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecol Lett 2007; 10:1135-42. [PMID: 17922835 DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01113.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1506] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James J Elser
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
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Billeter R, Liira J, Bailey D, Bugter R, Arens P, Augenstein I, Aviron S, Baudry J, Bukacek R, Burel F, Cerny M, De Blust G, De Cock R, Diekötter T, Dietz H, Dirksen J, Dormann C, Durka W, Frenzel M, Hamersky R, Hendrickx F, Herzog F, Klotz S, Koolstra B, Lausch A, Le Coeur D, Maelfait JP, Opdam P, Roubalova M, Schermann A, Schermann N, Schmidt T, Schweiger O, Smulders M, Speelmans M, Simova P, Verboom J, Van Wingerden W, Zobel M, Edwards P. Indicators for biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: a pan-European study. J Appl Ecol 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2007.01393.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 464] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Maestre FT, Reynolds JF. Amount or pattern? Grassland responses to the heterogeneity and availability of two key resources. Ecology 2007; 88:501-11. [PMID: 17479767 DOI: 10.1890/06-0421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Patterns of resource availability and heterogeneity shape the composition, productivity, and dynamics of plant assemblages in a wide variety of terrestrial ecosystems. Despite this, the responses of plant assemblages to simultaneous changes in the availability and heterogeneity of more than a single resource are virtually unknown. To fill this gap, microcosms consisting of assemblages formed by Lolium perenne, Plantago lanceolata, Anthoxantum odoratum, Holcus lanatus, and Trifolium repens were grown in a factorial experiment with the following treatments: nutrient availability (NA), water availability (WA), spatial nutrient heterogeneity (NH), and temporal water heterogeneity (WH). Assemblages exhibited precise root foraging patterns in response to nutrient heterogeneity, which were modified by NA and WA. A series of two- and three-way interactions involving the four factors evaluated determined biomass production, the belowground: aboveground biomass ratio, the patterns of root biomass allocation with depth, and the relative contribution to aboveground biomass of Lolium and Anthoxanthum. In all cases, these interactions explained significant amounts of the variation found in the data. Our study demonstrates that considering the interactions between resource availability and heterogeneity allows for a refinement of predictions that can detectably reduce the error associated with extrapolating from single factor analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando T Maestre
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Phytotron Building, Box 90340, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
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Harpole WS, Tilman D. Grassland species loss resulting from reduced niche dimension. Nature 2007; 446:791-3. [PMID: 17384633 DOI: 10.1038/nature05684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 404] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2007] [Accepted: 02/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Intact ecosystems contain large numbers of competing but coexisting species. Although numerous alternative theories have provided potential explanations for this high biodiversity, there have been few field experiments testing between these theories. In particular, theory predicts that higher diversity of coexisting competitors could result from greater niche dimensionality, for example larger numbers of limiting resources or factors. Alternatively, diversity could be independent of niche dimensionality because large numbers of species can coexist when limited by just one or two factors if species have appropriate trade-offs. Here we show that plant coexistence and diversity result from the 'niche dimensionality' of a habitat. Plant species numbers decreased with increasing numbers of added limiting soil resources (soil moisture, nitrogen, phosphorus and base cations), which is consistent with theoretical predictions that an increased supply of multiple limiting resources can reduce niche dimension. An observational field study gave similar results. The niche dimension hypothesis also explained diversity changes in the classic Park Grass Experiment at Rothamsted. Our results provide an alternative mechanistic explanation for the effects of nutrient eutrophication on the diversity of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Stanley Harpole
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
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Abella SR, Covington WW. FOREST-FLOOR TREATMENTS IN ARIZONA PONDEROSA PINE RESTORATION ECOSYSTEMS: NO SHORT-TERM EFFECTS ON PLANT COMMUNITIES. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2007. [DOI: 10.3398/1527-0904(2007)67[120:ftiapp]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Ellis JC, Fariña JM, Witman JD. Nutrient transfer from sea to land: the case of gulls and cormorants in the Gulf of Maine. J Anim Ecol 2006; 75:565-74. [PMID: 16638009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01077.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
1. The structure of communities is influenced by the transport of resources across ecosystem boundaries. Seabirds are capable of introducing large amounts of marine-derived nutrients to land, thereby modifying resource availability to terrestrial species. 2. In this study we investigated the hypothesis that variation in nesting densities of great black-backed gulls Larus marinus and double-crested cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus would modify the effect of these species on soil nutrients and plant species composition on offshore islands in the Gulf of Maine, USA. 3. Our results showed a significant positive correlation between nest density and concentrations of ammonia and nitrate in soils, but no significant relationship between nest density and phosphate. Ammonia and phosphate concentrations were good predictors of plant species composition; there were more annual forbs than perennial grasses in the abandoned cormorant colony compared with the gull colonies. Extremely high concentrations of ammonia in the highest density colony (active cormorant) may have been the main factor inhibiting plant germination at this site. All of the plant species in gull and cormorant colonies showed enriched delta(15)N signatures, indicating substantial input of marine-derived nitrogen from seabirds. 4. Our study demonstrated that gulls and cormorants are effective vectors for the transport of marine nutrients to terrestrial ecosystems. However, transported nutrients occurred in particularly high concentrations in areas with nesting cormorants. Nesting densities and species-specific variation in resource transport should be considered when predicting the effects of seabirds and other biogenic vectors of allochthonous resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie C Ellis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
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Pennings SC, Clark CM, Cleland EE, Collins SL, Gough L, Gross KL, Milchunas DG, Suding KN. Do individual plant species show predictable responses to nitrogen addition across multiple experiments? OIKOS 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.0030-1299.2005.13792.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Piper JK, Billings DN, Leite VJ. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer on the composition of two prairie plant communities. COMMUNITY ECOL 2005. [DOI: 10.1556/comec.6.2005.1.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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KLANDERUD KARI. Climate change effects on species interactions in an alpine plant community. JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2005; 93:127-137. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2004.00944.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
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50
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Farina JM, Salazar S, Wallem KP, Witman JD, Ellis JC. Nutrient exchanges between marine and terrestrial ecosystems: the case of the Galapagos sea lion Zalophus wollebaecki. J Anim Ecol 2003. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2656.2003.00760.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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