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Zhou X, Dong L, Zhang Y, Li J, Ren Z, Niu K. Trait-dependent importance of intraspecific variation relative to species turnover in determining community functional composition following nutrient enrichment. Oecologia 2024; 205:107-119. [PMID: 38698244 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05555-6] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Community weighted mean trait, i.e., functional composition, has been extensively used for upscaling of individual traits to the community functional attributes and ecosystem functioning in recent years. Yet, the importance of intraspecific trait variation relative to species turnover in determining changes in CWM still remains unclear, especially under nutrient enrichment scenarios. In this study, we conducted a global data synthesis analysis and three nutrient addition experiments in two sites of alpine grassland to reveal the extent to which species turnover and ITV contribute to shift in CWM in response to nutrient enrichment. The results consistently show that the importance of ITV relative to species turnover in regulating CWM in response to nutrient enrichment strongly depends on trait attributes rather than on environmental factors (fertilization type, climatic factors, soil properties, and light transmittance). For whole plant traits (height) and leaf morphological traits, species turnover is generally more important than ITV in determining CWM following most treatments of nutrient addition. However, for leaf nutrient traits, ITV outweighed species turnover in determining shifts in CWM in response to almost all treatments of nutrient addition, regardless of types and gradients of the nutrient addition. Thus, our study not only provides robust evidence for trait-dependent importance of ITV in mediating community functional composition, but also highlights the need to consider the nature of functional traits in linking ITV to community assembly and ecosystem functioning under global nutrient enrichment scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Zhou
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Technology Innovation Center for Ecological Monitoring and Restoration of Desert-Oasis, MNR, Urumqi, 830046, China
| | - Liuwen Dong
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Technology Innovation Center for Ecological Monitoring and Restoration of Desert-Oasis, MNR, Urumqi, 830046, China
| | - Yongjun Zhang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Technology Innovation Center for Ecological Monitoring and Restoration of Desert-Oasis, MNR, Urumqi, 830046, China
| | - Jingdong Li
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830046, China
- Technology Innovation Center for Ecological Monitoring and Restoration of Desert-Oasis, MNR, Urumqi, 830046, China
| | - Zhengwei Ren
- College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Kechang Niu
- College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Yili Normal University, Yining, 835000, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Guo T, Wei Y, Wei B, Guo M, Zheng S, Zhang Y, Liu N. Defoliation, trampling and nutrient return differentially influence grassland productivity by modulating trait-dependent plant community composition: insights from a simulated grazing experiment. Oecologia 2024; 204:885-898. [PMID: 38643441 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05550-x] [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: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Ungulate grazing involves multiple components, including defoliation, dung and urine return, and trampling, which supply offsetting or synergistic effects on plant community composition and productivity (ANPP), but these effects have not been fully studied. Plant functional traits may reflect the response of plants to disturbance and their impact on ecosystem functions. Species turnover and intraspecific trait variation (ITV) are important drivers of community trait composition. We conducted a simulated grazing experiment in a steppe grassland in northern China to examine the effects of defoliation, dung and urine return, and trampling on community-weighted mean (CWM), functional diversity (FD) and ANPP, and to disentangle the roles of species turnover and ITV in driving these changes. We found that defoliation had a dominant effect on CWMs and FDs of all four traits through species turnover and ITV, respectively, resulting in a convergence of traits towards as more resource-acquisitive strategy. Dung-urine return resulted in more resource-acquisitive community traits mainly through ITV, whereas there were no significant effects on FDs except for leaf C/N. Trampling increased CWM of leaf dry matter content primarily driven by ITV, and had no significant effect on FDs. Furthermore, our simulated grazing positively affected ANPP, primarily due to nutrient additions from dung and urine, and ITV largely explained the variation in ANPP. These findings highlight the multifaceted effects of grazing components on community structure and ANPP, and the significance of ITV in shaping grassland plant communities and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtian Guo
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuqi Wei
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
- Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau China, Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Bin Wei
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Meiqi Guo
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Shuxia Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yingjun Zhang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Nan Liu
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Rational Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Wei B, Zhang D, Wang G, Liu Y, Li Q, Zheng Z, Yang G, Peng Y, Niu K, Yang Y. Experimental warming altered plant functional traits and their coordination in a permafrost ecosystem. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1802-1816. [PMID: 37434301 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge about changes in plant functional traits is valuable for the mechanistic understanding of warming effects on ecosystem functions. However, observations have tended to focus on aboveground plant traits, and there is little information about changes in belowground plant traits or the coordination of above- and belowground traits under climate warming, particularly in permafrost ecosystems. Based on a 7-yr field warming experiment, we measured 26 above- and belowground plant traits of four dominant species, and explored community functional composition and trait networks in response to experimental warming in a permafrost ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau. Experimental warming shifted community-level functional traits toward more acquisitive values, with earlier green-up, greater plant height, larger leaves, higher photosynthetic resource-use efficiency, thinner roots, and greater specific root length and root nutrient concentrations. However, warming had a negligible effect in terms of functional diversity. In addition, warming shifted hub traits which have the highest centrality in the network from specific root area to leaf area. These results demonstrate that above- and belowground traits exhibit consistent adaptive strategies, with more acquisitive traits in warmer environments. Such changes could provide an adaptive advantage for plants in response to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dianye Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Guanqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Qinlu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhihu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guibiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yunfeng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Kechang Niu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yuanhe Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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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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Wang J, Wang X, Ji Y, Gao J. Climate factors determine the utilization strategy of forest plant resources at large scales. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:990441. [PMID: 36035720 PMCID: PMC9399733 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.990441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Plant functional traits are a representation of plant resource utilization strategies. Plants with higher specific leaf area (SLA) and lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC) exhibit faster investment-return resource utilization strategies. However, the distribution patterns and driving factors of plant resource utilization strategies at the macroscale are rarely studied. We investigated the relative importance of climatic and soil factors in shaping plant resource utilization strategies at different life forms in forests using data collected from 926 plots across 163 forests in China. SLA and LDMC of plants at different life forms (i.e., trees, shrubs, and herbs) differ significantly. Resource utilization strategies show significant geographical differences, with vegetation in the western arid regions adopting a slower investment-return survival strategy and vegetation in warmer and wetter areas adopting a faster investment-return survival strategy. SLA decreases significantly with increased temperature and reduced rainfall, and vegetation growing in these conditions exhibits conservative resource utilization. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) is a key climatic factor that controls the resource utilization strategies of plants at the macroscale. Plants use resources more conservatively as soil pH increases. The influence of climate and soil factors is coupled to determine the resource utilization strategies of plants occupying different life forms at the macroscale, but the relative contribution of each varies across life forms. Our findings provide a theoretical framework for understanding the potential impact of increasing global temperatures on plant resource utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangfeng Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Xianxian Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Yuhui Ji
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Jie Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Ürümqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Jie Gao,
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