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Zeidler M, Banaš M. Bilberry Expansion in the Changing Subalpine Belt. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:2633. [PMID: 39339606 PMCID: PMC11434830 DOI: 10.3390/plants13182633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2024] [Revised: 09/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) expansion in subalpine and alpine ecosystems is increasing due to climate change and reduced land management. This review examines bilberry traits, environmental responses, and ecosystem impacts. As a stress-tolerant chamaephyte, bilberry thrives in acidic, nutrient-poor soils across various habitats. It propagates effectively through rhizomes and demonstrates a phalanx growth form. Bilberry's growth and distribution are influenced by elevation, soil structure, pH, water availability, and nitrogen content. Mycorrhizal associations play a crucial role in nutrient uptake. The species modifies the microclimate, facilitates litter accumulation, and influences soil microbial communities, affecting nutrient turnover and biodiversity. Bilberry shows moderate tolerance to herbivory and frost, with the ability to recover through rapid emergence of new ramets. However, severe or repeated disturbances can significantly impact its abundance and reproductive success. Climate warming and atmospheric nitrogen deposition have accelerated bilberry growth in treeline ecotones. The management of bilberry expansion requires a nuanced approach, considering its resilience, historical land-use changes, and environmental factors. The goal should be to limit, not eliminate, bilberry, as it is a natural part of subalpine communities. Long-term comparative monitoring and experimental manipulation are necessary for effective management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Zeidler
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Banaš
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Schrijvers-Gonlag M, Skarpe C, Julkunen-Tiitto R, Poléo ABS. Phenolic concentrations and carbon/nitrogen ratio in annual shoots of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) after simulated herbivory. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298229. [PMID: 38437193 PMCID: PMC10911626 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Herbivory can be reduced by the production of defense compounds (secondary metabolites), but generally defenses are costly, and growth is prioritized over defense. While defense compounds may deter herbivory, nutrients may promote it. In a field study in boreal forest in Norway, we investigated how simulated herbivory affected concentrations of phenolics (generally a defense) and the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio in annual shoots of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), a deciduous clonal dwarf shrub whose vegetative and generative parts provide forage for many boreal forest animals. We measured concentrations of total tannins, individual phenolics, nitrogen and carbon following several types and intensities of herbivory. We identified 22 phenolics: 15 flavonoids, 1 hydroquinone and 6 phenolic acids. After high levels of herbivory, the total tannin concentration and the concentration of these 22 phenolics together (called total phenolic concentration) were significantly lower in bilberry annual shoots than in the control (natural herbivory at low to intermediate levels). Low-intensive herbivory, including severe defoliation, gave no significantly different total tannin or total phenolic concentration compared with the control. Many individual phenolics followed this pattern, while phenolic acids (deterring insect herbivory) showed little response to the treatments: their concentrations were maintained after both low-intensive and severe herbivory. Contrary to our predictions, we found no significant difference in C/N ratio between treatments. Neither the Carbon:Nutrient Balance hypothesis nor the Optimal Defense hypotheses, theories predicting plant resource allocation to secondary compounds, can be used to predict changes in phenolic concentrations (including total tannin concentration) in bilberry annual shoots after herbivory: in this situation, carbon is primarily used for other functions (e.g., maintenance, growth, reproduction) than defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Schrijvers-Gonlag
- Campus Evenstad, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Christina Skarpe
- Campus Evenstad, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Antonio B. S. Poléo
- Campus Evenstad, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
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Zhang X, Feng Q, Cao J, Biswas A, Su H, Liu W, Qin Y, Zhu M. Response of leaf stoichiometry of Potentilla anserina to elevation in China's Qilian Mountains. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:941357. [PMID: 36226296 PMCID: PMC9549292 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.941357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Plants adapt to changes in elevation by regulating their leaf ecological stoichiometry. Potentilla anserina L. that grows rapidly under poor or even bare soil conditions has become an important ground cover plant for ecological restoration. However, its leaf ecological stoichiometry has been given little attention, resulting in an insufficient understanding of its environmental adaptability and growth strategies. The objective of this study was to compare the leaf stoichiometry of P. anserina at different elevations (2,400, 2,600, 2,800, 3,000, 3,200, 3,500, and 3,800 m) in the middle eastern part of Qilian Mountains. With an increase in elevation, leaf carbon concentration [(C)leaf] significantly decreased, with the maximum value of 446.04 g·kg-1 (2,400 m) and the minimum value of 396.78 g·kg-1 (3,500 m). Leaf nitrogen concentration [(N)leaf] also increased with an increase in elevation, and its maximum and minimum values were 37.57 g·kg-1 (3,500 m) and 23.71 g·kg-1 (2,800 m), respectively. Leaf phosphorus concentration [(P)leaf] was the highest (2.79 g·kg-1) at 2,400 m and the lowest (0.91 g·kg-1) at 2,800 m. The [C]leaf/[N]leaf decreased with an increase in elevation, while [N]leaf/[P]leaf showed an opposite trend. The mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, soil pH, organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus at different elevations mainly affected [C]leaf, [N]leaf, and [P]leaf. The growth of P. anserina in the study area was mainly limited by P, and this limitation was stronger with increased elevation. Progressively reducing P loss at high elevation is of great significance to the survival of P. anserina in this specific region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Feng
- Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qi Feng
| | - Jianjun Cao
- College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Asim Biswas
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Haohai Su
- College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Qilian Mountains Eco-Environment Research Center in Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Qin
- Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- Qilian Mountains Eco-Environment Research Center in Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Meng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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Scogings PF, De Fortier A. Severe simulated herbivory constrains
Sclerocarya birrea
saplings regardless of resource availability. AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter F. Scogings
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Private Bag X01 Scottsville3209South Africa
| | - An De Fortier
- Department of Zoology University of Zululand Kwadlangezwa South Africa
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Schrijvers-Gonlag M, Skarpe C, Andreassen HP. Influence of light availability and soil productivity on insect herbivory on bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) leaves following mammalian herbivory. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230509. [PMID: 32218604 PMCID: PMC7100976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Vegetative parts of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) are important forage for many boreal forest mammal, bird and insect species. Plant palatability to insects is affected by concentration of nutrients and defense compounds in plants. We expected that palatability of bilberry leaves to insect herbivores is influenced by light availability and soil productivity (both affecting nitrogen concentration and constitutive carbon-based defense compound concentration) and herbivory by mammals (affecting nitrogen concentration and induced carbon-based defense compound concentration). We studied bilberry leaf herbivory under different light availability, soil productivity and mammalian herbivory pressure in small sampling units (1m x 1m) in boreal forest in Norway. We used generalized linear mixed models and generalized additive mixed models to model insect herbivory on bilberry leaves as a function of shade, soil productivity and mammalian herbivory. Observed insect herbivory on bilberry leaves increased with increasing shade levels. Predicted insect herbivory increased with increasing previous mammalian herbivory at high shade levels and this response was magnified at higher soil productivity levels. At low to intermediate shade levels, this response was only present under high soil productivity levels. Our results indicate that light availability is more important for variation in bilberry leaf palatability than soil nutrient conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Schrijvers-Gonlag
- Campus Evenstad, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Christina Skarpe
- Campus Evenstad, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Harry Peter Andreassen
- Campus Evenstad, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
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Stark S, Väisänen M, Ylänne H, Julkunen-Tiitto R, Martz F. Decreased phenolic defence in dwarf birch (Betula nana) after warming in subarctic tundra. Polar Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1758-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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