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Wolff B, Julier B, Louarn G. Impact of intraspecific genetic variation on interspecific competition: a theoretical case study of forage binary mixtures. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1356506. [PMID: 39416476 PMCID: PMC11482038 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1356506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/19/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Increasing intraspecific genetic variation (IV) has been identified as a potential factor to improve productivity and stabilise botanical composition in plant communities. In grasslands systems, this could offer a lever to manage uncertainties of production and variability in the harvested species balance. However, little is known about the conditions to favour IV impact and the mechanisms at play. Methods The dependency of IV impact on traits holding it and environmental stressors were analysed using a spatially-explicit individual-based model (IBM) of grassland communities. Sixty-three binary mixtures were defined to reflect a gradient of functional divergence between species regarding light and nitrogen (N) acquisition. The growth and dynamics of these communities were simulated for one year with three possible IV levels under two environments contrasting in terms of soil N fertility. Results and discussion The model predicted a positive impact of moderate and high IV levels on maintaining the species balance over time, but no marked effects on mixture productivity. This stabilising effect increased at higher IV levels and under low soil N fertility. It also tended to be more pronounced in communities with intermediate functional divergence offering a significant overlap between light and N acquisition parameter values of both species. The major traits involved in the plant response to neighbours differed depending on the most contested resource, as indicated by the within-population selection of individuals with favourable N-related parameters under low N and light-related parameters under high N environments. The hypothesis that IV favours a complementarity of resource use between species was not supported. Rather, a greater spatial heterogeneity in competitive interactions was demonstrated, leading to a higher probability of growth and survival for individuals within the subordinate species. These results highlight the potential usefulness of IV to design forage mixtures with improved stability and resilience.
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He M, Barry KE, Soons MB, Allan E, Cappelli SL, Craven D, Doležal J, Isbell F, Lanta V, Lepš J, Liang M, Mason N, Palmborg C, Pichon NA, da Silveira Pontes L, Reich PB, Roscher C, Hautier Y. Cumulative nitrogen enrichment alters the drivers of grassland overyielding. Commun Biol 2024; 7:309. [PMID: 38467761 PMCID: PMC10928195 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05999-9] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Effects of plant diversity on grassland productivity, or overyielding, are found to be robust to nutrient enrichment. However, the impact of cumulative nitrogen (N) addition (total N added over time) on overyielding and its drivers are underexplored. Synthesizing data from 15 multi-year grassland biodiversity experiments with N addition, we found that N addition decreases complementarity effects and increases selection effects proportionately, resulting in no overall change in overyielding regardless of N addition rate. However, we observed a convex relationship between overyielding and cumulative N addition, driven by a shift from complementarity to selection effects. This shift suggests diminishing positive interactions and an increasing contribution of a few dominant species with increasing N accumulation. Recognizing the importance of cumulative N addition is vital for understanding its impacts on grassland overyielding, contributing essential insights for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience in the face of increasing N deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao He
- Ecology and Biodiversity group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
| | - Kathryn E Barry
- Ecology and Biodiversity group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Merel B Soons
- Ecology and Biodiversity group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eric Allan
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
- Centre for Development and Environment CDE, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Seraina L Cappelli
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dylan Craven
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide, 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
- Data Observatory Foundation, ANID Technology Center No. DO210001, Eliodoro Yáñez 2990, 7510277, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jiří Doležal
- Department of Functional Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, 252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlaté stoce 1, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Forest Isbell
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Vojtěch Lanta
- Department of Functional Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, 252 43, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Lepš
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlaté stoce 1, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Maowei Liang
- Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, University of Minnesota, 2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE, East Bethel, MN, 55005, USA
| | - Norman Mason
- Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Cecilia Palmborg
- Department of Crop production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Noémie A Pichon
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Laíse da Silveira Pontes
- Rural Development Institute of Paraná - IAPAR-EMATER, Av. Euzébio de Queirós, s/n°, CP 129, CEP 84001-970, Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, St Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Institute for Global Change Biology, and School for the Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Christiane Roscher
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Physiological Diversity, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yann Hautier
- Ecology and Biodiversity group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Meilhac J, Deschamps L, Maire V, Flajoulot S, Litrico I. Both selection and plasticity drive niche differentiation in experimental grasslands. NATURE PLANTS 2020; 6:28-33. [PMID: 31873193 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-019-0569-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The way species avoid each other in a community by using resources differently across space and time is one of the main drivers of species coexistence in nature1,2. This mechanism, known as niche differentiation, has been widely examined theoretically but still lacks thorough experimental validation in plants. To shape niche differences over time, species within communities can reduce the overlap between their niches or find unexploited environmental space3. Selection and phenotypic plasticity have been advanced as two candidate processes driving niche differentiation4,5, but their respective role remains to be quantified6. Here, we tracked changes in plant height, as a candidate trait for light capture7, in 5-year multispecies sown grasslands. We found increasing among-species height differences over time. Phenotypic plasticity promotes this change, which explains the rapid setting of differentiation in our system. Through the inspection of changes in genetic structure, we also highlighted the contribution of selection. Altogether, we experimentally demonstrated the occurrence of species niche differentiation within artificial grassland communities over a short time scale through the joined action of both plasticity and selection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucas Deschamps
- Département des Sciences de l'Environnement, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Vincent Maire
- Département des Sciences de l'Environnement, UQTR, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
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Duchini PG, Guzatti GC, Echeverria JR, Américo LF, Sbrissia AF. Experimental evidence that the perennial grass persistence pathway is linked to plant growth strategy. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207360. [PMID: 30475824 PMCID: PMC6261051 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Grass species can be classified into different functional types based on their growth strategies, and contrasting persistence strategies are observed in different grass species. Excluding seedling recruitments, changes in populations of grasses are basically a trade-off between natality and mortality of tillers. We hypothesised that the persistence pathway of perennial grasses is linked to their growth strategy, regardless whether they are growing as monoculture or as a mixture. Species with contrasting growth strategies (Arrhenatherum elatius L., Dactylis glomerata L., and Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were cultivated as monocultures and as a mixture and their tiller natality and mortality were evaluated for two years after swards establishment. All pastures maintained their population size during the experimental period, although decreases in tiller densities occurred during the warmer season. Arrhenatherum elatius had the highest tiller mortality and natality whereas the F. arundinacea had the lowest ones. Arrhenatherum elatius had many tillers appearing in all seasons but their tillers were short-lived. Conversely, F. arundinacea and D. glomerata developed numerous tillers during autumn and winter and their tillers survived, on average, almost six and three times longer than those of A. elatius, respectively. There were no differences in tillering dynamics among populations grown in monocultures or in the mixture. Regardless of whether they were cultivated in monocultures or as a mixture, the persistence pathway of perennial grasses is linked with their growth strategies with exploitative species presenting a high tiller turnover throughout the year whereas the persistence of more conservative species is based on a high tiller survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Gonçalves Duchini
- Animal Production and Food Science Department of Santa Catarina State University (UDESC/CAV), Avenida Luiz de Camões, Lages, SC, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Cristina Guzatti
- Animal Production and Food Science Department of Santa Catarina State University (UDESC/CAV), Avenida Luiz de Camões, Lages, SC, Brazil
| | - Joilson Roda Echeverria
- Animal Production and Food Science Department of Santa Catarina State University (UDESC/CAV), Avenida Luiz de Camões, Lages, SC, Brazil
| | - Luana Fidelis Américo
- Animal Production and Food Science Department of Santa Catarina State University (UDESC/CAV), Avenida Luiz de Camões, Lages, SC, Brazil
| | - André Fischer Sbrissia
- Animal Production and Food Science Department of Santa Catarina State University (UDESC/CAV), Avenida Luiz de Camões, Lages, SC, Brazil
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Siebenkäs A, Schumacher J, Roscher C. Resource Availability Alters Biodiversity Effects in Experimental Grass-Forb Mixtures. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158110. [PMID: 27341495 PMCID: PMC4920387 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous experiments, mostly performed in particular environments, have shown positive diversity-productivity relationships. Although the complementary use of resources is discussed as an important mechanism explaining diversity effects, less is known about how resource availability controls the strength of diversity effects and how this response depends on the functional composition of plant communities. We studied aboveground biomass production in experimental monocultures, two- and four-species mixtures assembled from two independent pools of four perennial grassland species, each representing two functional groups (grasses, forbs) and two growth statures (small, tall), and exposed to different combinations of light and nutrient availability. On average, shade led to a decrease in aboveground biomass production of 24% while fertilization increased biomass production by 36%. Mixtures were on average more productive than expected from their monocultures (relative yield total, RYT>1) and showed positive net diversity effects (NE: +34% biomass increase; mixture minus mean monoculture biomass). Both trait-independent complementarity effects (TICE: +21%) and dominance effects (DE: +12%) positively contributed to net diversity effects, while trait-dependent complementarity effects were minor (TDCE: +1%). Shading did not alter diversity effects and overyielding. Fertilization decreased RYT and the proportion of biomass gain through TICE and TDCE, while DE increased. Diversity effects did not increase with species richness and were independent of functional group or growth stature composition. Trait-based analyses showed that the dominance of species with root and leaf traits related to resource conservation increased TICE. Traits indicating the tolerance of shade showed positive relationships with TDCE. Large DE were associated with the dominance of species with tall growth and low diversity in leaf nitrogen concentrations. Our field experiment shows that positive diversity effects are possible in grass-forb mixtures irrespective of differences in light availability, but that the chance for the complementary use of resources increases when nutrients are not available at excess.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alrun Siebenkäs
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Community Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Jens Schumacher
- Institute of Mathematics, Stochastics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Ernst-Abbe-Platz 2, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Christiane Roscher
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Physiological Diversity, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Maire V, Gross N, Hill D, Martin R, Wirth C, Wright IJ, Soussana JF. Disentangling coordination among functional traits using an individual-centred model: impact on plant performance at intra- and inter-specific levels. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77372. [PMID: 24130879 PMCID: PMC3793938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2012] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plant functional traits co-vary along strategy spectra, thereby defining trade-offs for resource acquisition and utilization amongst other processes. A main objective of plant ecology is to quantify the correlations among traits and ask why some of them are sufficiently closely coordinated to form a single axis of functional specialization. However, due to trait co-variations in nature, it is difficult to propose a mechanistic and causal explanation for the origin of trade-offs among traits observed at both intra- and inter-specific level. Methodology/Principal Findings Using the Gemini individual-centered model which coordinates physiological and morphological processes, we investigated with 12 grass species the consequences of deliberately decoupling variation of leaf traits (specific leaf area, leaf lifespan) and plant stature (height and tiller number) on plant growth and phenotypic variability. For all species under both high and low N supplies, simulated trait values maximizing plant growth in monocultures matched observed trait values. Moreover, at the intraspecific level, plastic trait responses to N addition predicted by the model were in close agreement with observed trait responses. In a 4D trait space, our modeling approach highlighted that the unique trait combination maximizing plant growth under a given environmental condition was determined by a coordination of leaf, root and whole plant processes that tended to co-limit the acquisition and use of carbon and of nitrogen. Conclusion/Significance Our study provides a mechanistic explanation for the origin of trade-offs between plant functional traits and further predicts plasticity in plant traits in response to environmental changes. In a multidimensional trait space, regions occupied by current plant species can therefore be viewed as adaptive corridors where trait combinations minimize allometric and physiological constraints from the organ to the whole plant levels. The regions outside this corridor are empty because of inferior plant performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Maire
- INRA Grassland Ecosystem Research (UR 874), Clermont-Ferrand, France
- * E-mail: (VM); (NG)
| | - Nicolas Gross
- INRA Grassland Ecosystem Research (UR 874), Clermont-Ferrand, France
- INRA, USC Agripop (CEBC-CNRS), F-79360, Villier-en-Bois, France
- CEBC-CNRS (UPR 1934), F-79360, Villier-en-Bois, France
- * E-mail: (VM); (NG)
| | - David Hill
- CNRS LIMOS (UMR 6158), Blaise Pascal University, Aubière, France
| | - Raphaël Martin
- INRA Grassland Ecosystem Research (UR 874), Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Christian Wirth
- Universität Leipzig, Institut für Biologie I, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ian J. Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia
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