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Yang J, Wang X, Carmona CP, Wang X, Shen G. Inverse relationship between species competitiveness and intraspecific trait variability may enable species coexistence in experimental seedling communities. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2895. [PMID: 38570481 PMCID: PMC10991546 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47295-4] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Theory suggests that intraspecific trait variability may promote species coexistence when competitively inferior species have higher intraspecific trait variability than their superior competitors. Here, we provide empirical evidence for this phenomenon in tree seedlings. We evaluated intraspecific variability and plastic response of ten traits in 6750 seedlings of ten species in a three-year greenhouse experiment. While we observed no relationship between intraspecific trait variability and species competitiveness in competition-free homogeneous environments, an inverse relationship emerged under interspecific competition and in spatially heterogeneous environments. We showed that this relationship is driven by the plastic response of the competitively inferior species: Compared to their competitively superior counterparts, they exhibited a greater increase in trait variability, particularly in fine-root traits, in response to competition, environmental heterogeneity and their combination. Our findings contribute to understanding how interspecific competition and intraspecific trait variability together structure plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xiya Wang
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Carlos P Carmona
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Xihua Wang
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, 1515 North Zhongshan Rd. (No.2), Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Guochun Shen
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, 1515 North Zhongshan Rd. (No.2), Shanghai, 200092, China.
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Mahal HF, Barber-Cross T, Brown C, Spaner D, Cahill JF. Changes in the Amount and Distribution of Soil Nutrients and Neighbours Have Differential Impacts on Root and Shoot Architecture in Wheat ( Triticum aestivum). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2527. [PMID: 37447087 DOI: 10.3390/plants12132527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants exhibit differential behaviours through changes in biomass development and distribution in response to environmental cues, which may impact crops uniquely. We conducted a mesocosm experiment in pots to determine the root and shoot behavioural responses of wheat, T. aestivum. Plants were grown in homogeneous or heterogeneous and heavily or lightly fertilized soil, and alone or with a neighbour of the same or different genetic identity (cultivars: CDC Titanium, Carberry, Glenn, Go Early, and Lillian). Contrary to predictions, wheat did not alter relative reproductive effort in the presence of neighbours, more nutrients, or homogenous soil. Above and below ground, the plants' tendency to use potentially shared space exhibited high levels of plasticity. Above ground, they generally avoided shared, central aerial space when grown with neighbours. Unexpectedly, nutrient amount and distribution also impacted shoots; plants that grew in fertile or homogenous environments increased shared space use. Below ground, plants grown with related neighbours indicated no difference in neighbour avoidance. Those in homogenous soil produced relatively even roots, and plants in heterogeneous treatments produced more roots in nutrient patches. Additionally, less fertile soil resulted in pot-level decreases in root foraging precision. Our findings illustrate that explicit coordination between above- and belowground biomass in wheat may not exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habba F Mahal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Tianna Barber-Cross
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Charlotte Brown
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Dean Spaner
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada
| | - James F Cahill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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Zhang L, Cappelli SL, Huang M, Liu X, Xiao Y, Cardou F, Rong Y, Zhou S. Intraspecific trait variability mediates the effect of nitrogen addition and warming on aboveground productivity. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, Shanghai Inst. of Eco-Chongming (SIEC), and School of Life Sciences, Fudan Univ. Shanghai PR China
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Inst., Nanjing Forestry Univ. Nanjing PR China
| | - Seraina Lisa Cappelli
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zürich Zürich
| | - Mengjiao Huang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, Shanghai Inst. of Eco-Chongming (SIEC), and School of Life Sciences, Fudan Univ. Shanghai PR China
| | - Xiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro‐ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou Univ. Lanzhou PR China
| | - Yao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro‐ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou Univ. Lanzhou PR China
| | - Françoise Cardou
- Biological Sciences Dept, Univ. of Toronto Scarborough Toronto ON Canada
| | - Yizhong Rong
- School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural Univ. Hefei PR China
| | - Shurong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Germplasm Innovation of Tropical Special Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, College of Forestry, Hainan Univ. Haikou PR China
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Smith EA, Holden EM, Brown C, Cahill Jr JF. Disturbance has lasting effects on functional traits and diversity of grassland plant communities. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13179. [PMID: 35356466 PMCID: PMC8958970 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Localized disturbances within grasslands alter biological properties and may shift species composition. For example, rare species in established communities may become dominant in successional communities if they exhibit traits well-suited to disturbance conditions. Although the idea that plant species exhibit different trait 'strategies' is well established, it is unclear how ecological selection for specific traits may change as a function of disturbance. Further, there is little data available testing whether disturbances select for single trait-characters within communities (homogenization), or allow multiple trait-types to persist (diversification). We investigated how (a) traits and (b) functional diversity of post-disturbance gap communities compared to those in adjacent undisturbed grasslands, and (c) if altered functional diversity resulted in the homogenization or diversification of functional traits. Methods Here we emulate the impacts of an extreme disturbance in a native grassland site. We measured plant community composition of twelve paired 50 × 50 cm plots (24 total) in Alberta, Canada. Each pair consisted of one undisturbed plot and one which had all plants terminated 2 years prior. We used species abundances and a local trait database to calculate community weighted means for maximum height, specific leaf area, specific root length, leaf nitrogen percent, and root nitrogen percent. To test the impacts of disturbance on community functional traits, we calculated functional diversity measures and compared them between disturbed and undisturbed communities. Results Within 2 years, species richness and evenness in disturbed communities had recovered and was equivalent to undisturbed communities. However, disturbed and undisturbed communities had distinct community compositions, resulting in lower functional divergence in disturbed plots. Further, disturbance was linked to increases in community-weighted mean trait values for resource-acquisitive traits, such as specific leaf area, and leaf and root nitrogen. Discussion Disturbance had lasting effects on the functional traits and diversity of communities, despite traditional biodiversity measures such as richness and evenness recovering within 2 years. The trait space of gap communities shifted compared to undisturbed communities such that gap communities were dominated by traits enhancing resource uptake and growth rates. Overall, these results show that short-term disturbance fundamentally changes the functional character of early-successional communities, even if they superficially appear recovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen A. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Emily M. Holden
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Charlotte Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada,Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States
| | - James F. Cahill Jr
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Brown C, Cahill JF. Competitive size‐asymmetry, not intensity, is linked to species loss and gain in a native grassland community. Ecology 2022; 103:e3675. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
- Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill University of Arizona Tucson AZ USA
| | - James F. Cahill
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
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Li G, Wang M, Ma C, Tao R, Hou F, Liu Y. Effects of Soil Heterogeneity and Species on Plant Interactions. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.756344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant interactions are central in driving the composition and structure of plant populations and communities. Soil heterogeneity and species identity can modulate such interactions, yet require more studies. Thus, a manipulative experiment was done where three soil heterogeneity levels were developed by mixing local soil and sand in three different ratios (i.e., soil:sand ratio = 2:8, 5:5, and 8:2), and three typical species (i.e., Festuca elata, Bromus inermis, and Elymus breviaristatus) were used in different combinations. Soil heterogeneity was assumed to affect plant interactions, which were in turn modified by species. Plant height was applied as an indicator for plant interactions. Relative competition intensity (RCI) was used to quantify plant interactions, where RCI was applied as a ratio of monoculture and mixture performance. Results showed that soil heterogeneity and soil heterogeneity × species significantly affected the RCI in mixtures compared with plant individuals growing alone (i.e., RCI1). However, species as a single factor did not affect RCI1. Moreover, species and soil heterogeneity × species significantly affected the RCI in mixtures compared with two individuals growing together (i.e., RCI2), and the difference between RCI1 and RCI2 (i.e., RCIdiff). Soil heterogeneity significantly affected RCI2 of F. elata. This study suggests that soil heterogeneity could buffer the stability of plant populations by modifying plant interactions, which would subsequently drive plant establishment. To explore the underlying mechanisms of such patterns, further studies considering more species and plant traits are needed.
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Civitello DJ, Hartman RB. Size-asymmetric competition among snails disrupts production of human-infectious Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. Ecology 2021; 102:e03383. [PMID: 33950517 PMCID: PMC8249335 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Parasites can harm hosts and influence populations, communities, and ecosystems. However, parasites are reciprocally affected by population- and community-level dynamics. Understanding feedbacks between infection dynamics and larger-scale epidemiological and ecological processes could improve predictions and reveal novel control methods. We evaluated how exploitative resource competition among hosts, a fundamental aspect of population biology, influences within-host infection dynamics of the widespread human parasite Schistosoma mansoni in its intermediate host, Biomphalaria glabrata. We added size-dependent consumption of shared resources to a parameterized bioenergetics model to predict a priori the growth, parasite production, and survival of an infected focal host coexisting with an uninfected conspecific competitor in an experiment that varied competitor size. The model quantitatively anticipated that competitors disrupt growth and parasite production and that these effects increase with competitor size. Fitting the model to these data improved its match to host survivorship. Thus, resource competition alters infection dynamics, there are strong size asymmetries in these effects, and size-asymmetric resource competition effects on infection dynamics can be accurately predicted by bioenergetics theory. More broadly, this framework can assess parasite transmission and control in other contexts, such as in resource competitive host communities, or in response to eutrophication, food supplementation, or culling.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Civitello
- Department of Biology, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Rachel B. Hartman
- Department of Biology, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322
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