1
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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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2
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Díaz-Sierra R, Rietkerk M, Verwijmeren M, Baudena M. Facilitation and competition deconstructed: a mechanistic modelling approach to the stress gradient hypothesis applied to drylands. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2205. [PMID: 38272965 PMCID: PMC10810957 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52447-z] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Facilitative interactions among species are key in plant communities. While experimental tests support the Stress Gradient Hypothesis (SGH) as an association between facilitation and stress, whether the shape of net effects along stress gradients can be predicted is controversial, with no available mathematical modelling approaches. We proposed a novel test, using a modification of the R* model to study how negative and positive partial effects of plant interactions in drylands combine along two common stress gradients. We modelled different interactions: competition for water and light, amelioration of soil infiltration and/or grazing protection, obtaining that intensity and importance of facilitation did not generally increase along stress gradients, being dependent on the interaction type. While along the water stress gradient net interactions became more positive, reaching a maximum and then waning again, various outcomes were observed along the grazing gradient. Shape variety was mainly driven by the various shapes of the partial positive effects. Under resource stress, additive interaction effects can be expected, whereas when including grazing, the effects were non-additive. In the context of the SGH, deconstructing the effect of positive and negative interaction in a pairwise mechanistic models of drylands does not show a unique shape along stress gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Díaz-Sierra
- Mathematical and Fluid Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Section Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Centre for Complex Systems Studies, 4th Floor Minnaert Building, Leuvenlaan 4, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Max Rietkerk
- Section Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mart Verwijmeren
- Section Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Mara Baudena
- Section Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Centre for Complex Systems Studies, 4th Floor Minnaert Building, Leuvenlaan 4, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR-ISAC), National Research Council of Italy, Corso Fiume 4, 10133, Torino, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, 90133, Palermo, Italy
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3
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Drought-exposure history increases complementarity between plant species in response to a subsequent drought. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3217. [PMID: 35680926 PMCID: PMC9184649 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30954-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing threats from extreme climatic events and biodiversity loss have raised concerns about their interactive consequences for ecosystem functioning. Evidence suggests biodiversity can buffer ecosystem functioning during such climatic events. However, whether exposure to extreme climatic events will strengthen the biodiversity-dependent buffering effects for future generations remains elusive. We assess such transgenerational effects by exposing experimental grassland communities to eight recurrent summer droughts versus ambient conditions in the field. Seed offspring of 12 species are then subjected to a subsequent drought event in the glasshouse, grown individually, in monocultures or in 2-species mixtures. Comparing productivity between mixtures and monocultures, drought-selected plants show greater between-species complementarity than ambient-selected plants when recovering from the subsequent drought, causing stronger biodiversity effects on productivity and better recovery of drought-selected mixtures after the drought. These findings suggest exposure to recurrent climatic events can improve ecosystem responses to future events through transgenerational reinforcement of species complementarity. Using experimental communities of grassland species, this study shows that drought-exposure history can accelerate recovery from subsequent drought through increased niche complementarity between species. This transgenerational effect may enhance the sustainability of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in a future with more frequent droughts.
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4
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Yang X, Gómez-Aparicio L, Lortie CJ, Verdú M, Cavieres LA, Huang Z, Gao R, Liu R, Zhao Y, Cornelissen JHC. Net plant interactions are highly variable and weakly dependent on climate at the global scale. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1580-1593. [PMID: 35460586 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Although plant-plant interactions (i.e. competition and facilitation) have long been recognised as key drivers of plant community composition and dynamics, their global patterns and relationships with climate have remained unclear. Here, we assembled a global database of 10,502 pairs of empirical data from the literature to address the patterns of and climatic effects on the net outcome of plant interactions in natural communities. We found that plant interactions varied among plant performance indicators, interaction types and biomes, yet competition occurred more frequently than facilitation in plant communities worldwide. Unexpectedly, plant interactions showed weak latitudinal pattern and were weakly related to climate. Our study provides a global comprehensive overview of plant interactions, highlighting competition as a fundamental mechanism structuring plant communities worldwide. We suggest that further investigations should focus more on local factors (e.g. microclimate, soil and disturbance) than on macroclimate to identify key environmental determinants of interactions in plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Miguel Verdú
- Department of Plant Ecology, Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación, CSIC-UVEG-GV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Lohengrin A Cavieres
- Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.,Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad - IEB, Santiago, Chile
| | - Zhenying Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiru Gao
- The School of Life Sciences, Shanxi Normal University, Shanxi, Linfen, China
| | - Rong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yonglan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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5
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Zhu D, Hui D, Huang Z, Qiao X, Tong S, Wang M, Yang Q, Yu S. Comparative impact of light and neighbor effect on the growth of introduced species
Sonneratia apetala
and native mangrove species in China: implications for restoration. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13522] [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)
- Dehuang Zhu
- Department of Ecology School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 510275 China
- Shenzhen Research Institute Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 518054 China
- College of Ecology and Resources Engineering Wuyi University Nanping Fujian 354300 China
| | - Dafeng Hui
- Department of Biological Sciences Tennessee State University Nashville TN 37209 U.S.A
| | - Zijian Huang
- Department of Ecology School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 510275 China
- Shenzhen Research Institute Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 518054 China
| | - Xueting Qiao
- Department of Ecology School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 510275 China
- Shenzhen Research Institute Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 518054 China
| | - Sen Tong
- Department of Ecology School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 510275 China
- Shenzhen Research Institute Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 518054 China
| | - Mengqi Wang
- Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve Shenzhen Guangdong 518040 China
| | - Qiong Yang
- Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve Shenzhen Guangdong 518040 China
| | - Shixiao Yu
- Department of Ecology School of Life Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 510275 China
- Shenzhen Research Institute Sun Yat‐sen University Guangzhou Guangdong 518054 China
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6
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Trogisch S, Liu X, Rutten G, Xue K, Bauhus J, Brose U, Bu W, Cesarz S, Chesters D, Connolly J, Cui X, Eisenhauer N, Guo L, Haider S, Härdtle W, Kunz M, Liu L, Ma Z, Neumann S, Sang W, Schuldt A, Tang Z, van Dam NM, von Oheimb G, Wang MQ, Wang S, Weinhold A, Wirth C, Wubet T, Xu X, Yang B, Zhang N, Zhu CD, Ma K, Wang Y, Bruelheide H. The significance of tree-tree interactions for forest ecosystem functioning. Basic Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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7
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Chen J, Engbersen N, Stefan L, Schmid B, Sun H, Schöb C. Diversity increases yield but reduces harvest index in crop mixtures. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:893-898. [PMID: 34168319 PMCID: PMC7611346 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00948-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Resource allocation to reproduction is a critical trait for plant fitness1,2. This trait, called harvest index in the agricultural context3-5, determines how plant biomass is converted to seed yield and consequently financial revenue from numerous major staple crops. While plant diversity has been demonstrated to increase plant biomass6-8, plant diversity effects on seed yield of crops are ambiguous9 and dependent on the production syndrome10. This discrepancy might be explained through changes in the proportion of resources invested in reproduction in response to changes in plant diversity, namely through changes in species interactions and microenvironmental conditions11-14. Here, we show that increasing crop plant diversity from monocultures over two- to four-species mixtures increased annual primary productivity, resulting in overall higher plant biomass and, to a lesser extent, higher seed yield in mixtures compared with monocultures. The difference between the two responses to diversity was due to a reduced harvest index of the eight tested crop species in mixtures, possibly because their common cultivars have been bred for maximum performance in monoculture. While crop diversification provides a sustainable measure of agricultural intensification15, the use of currently available cultivars may compromise larger gains in seed yield. We therefore advocate regional breeding programmes for crop varieties to be used in mixtures that should exploit complementarity16 among crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianguo Chen
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Nadine Engbersen
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Stefan
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bernhard Schmid
- Department of Geography, Remote Sensing Laboratories, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Christian Schöb
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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8
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Sauter F, Albrecht H, Kollmann J, Lang M. Competition components along productivity gradients – revisiting a classic dispute in ecology. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Sauter
- Technische Univ. München – Restoration Ecology, Dept of Ecology and Ecosystem Management München Germany
- Dept of Ecology and Ecosystem Management Freising Germany
| | - Harald Albrecht
- Technische Univ. München – Restoration Ecology, Dept of Ecology and Ecosystem Management München Germany
| | - Johannes Kollmann
- Technische Univ. München – Restoration Ecology, Dept of Ecology and Ecosystem Management München Germany
- Norwegian Inst. of Bioeconomy Research – Urban Greening and Vegetation Ecology Ås Norway
| | - Marion Lang
- Technische Univ. München – Restoration Ecology, Dept of Ecology and Ecosystem Management München Germany
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9
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Verwijmeren M, Baudena M, Wassen M, Díaz‐Sierra R, Smit C, Rietkerk M. Intra‐seasonal rainfall variability and herbivory affect the interaction outcome of two dryland plant species. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Verwijmeren
- Environmental Sciences Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development Utrecht University Princetonlaan 8aP.O. Box 80115 Utrecht CB3584The Netherlands
- School of Life Sciences Avans University of Applied Science Breda AJ4818The Netherlands
| | - M. Baudena
- Environmental Sciences Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development Utrecht University Princetonlaan 8aP.O. Box 80115 Utrecht CB3584The Netherlands
| | - M. Wassen
- Environmental Sciences Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development Utrecht University Princetonlaan 8aP.O. Box 80115 Utrecht CB3584The Netherlands
| | - R. Díaz‐Sierra
- Environmental Sciences Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development Utrecht University Princetonlaan 8aP.O. Box 80115 Utrecht CB3584The Netherlands
- Mathematical and Fluid Physics Department Faculty of Sciences Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED Madrid28040Spain
| | - C. Smit
- Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen P.O. Box 11103 Groningen CC9700The Netherlands
| | - M. Rietkerk
- Environmental Sciences Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development Utrecht University Princetonlaan 8aP.O. Box 80115 Utrecht CB3584The Netherlands
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10
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Génin A, Dutoit T, Danet A, le Priol A, Kéfi S. Grazing and the vanishing complexity of plant association networks in grasslands. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry Dutoit
- Avignon Univ., Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, IRD, IMBE Avignon France
| | - Alain Danet
- ISEM, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, EPHE Montpellier France
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Univ. Paris France
| | - Alice le Priol
- ISEM, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, EPHE Montpellier France
| | - Sonia Kéfi
- ISEM, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, EPHE Montpellier France
- Santa Fe Inst. Santa Fe NM USA
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11
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Six-year removal of co-dominant grasses alleviated competitive pressure on subdominant grasses but dominant shrub removal had neutral effects in a subalpine ecosystem. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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12
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Bai Y, She W, Zhang Y, Qiao Y, Fu J, Qin S. N enrichment, increased precipitation, and the effect of shrubs collectively shape the plant community in a desert ecosystem in northern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 716:135379. [PMID: 31839302 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the responses of biological communities to global climate change is pivotal to accurately forecasting future dynamics and developing effective strategies for the adaptive ecological management of desert ecosystems. Although direct demographic responses of plant species to climatic factors have been widely acknowledged, they are also regulated by interspecific interactions (i.e., the effects of shrubs on herbaceous plants). The magnitude and direction of regulation of such interspecific interactions remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, a full factorial field experiment simulating three levels of N enrichment (ambient, 10 kg N ha-1 yr-1, and 60 kg N ha-1 yr-1) and three levels of precipitation (ambient, 20% increase, and 40% increase) were conducted in the Mu Us Desert, northern China. N enrichment and increased precipitation significantly increased herbaceous productivity by improving the soil water content and nutrient availability (e.g., soil DIN:SAP) when shrubs were not present. Taller species responded to N enrichment, whereas those with a greater specific leaf area responded to increased precipitation. When shrubs were present, they acted as a 'buffer islands' that moderated the responses of herbaceous species to N enrichment and increased precipitation by weakening the effect of the improved soil water status. The magnitude of the effect of shrubs on herbaceous biomass and richness was comparable to that of N enrichment and increased precipitation. Our results highlight the importance and complexity of both large-scale environmental changes and small-scale interspecific interactions in structuring plant communities in desert ecosystems. Moreover, abiotic environmental factors and biotic interactions should be integrated in efforts to predict the responses of plant communities to future global change in desert ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Bai
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Weiwei She
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
| | - Yangui Qiao
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jie Fu
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Shugao Qin
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Engineering Research Centre of Forestry Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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13
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Guignabert A, Augusto L, Gonzalez M, Chipeaux C, Delerue F. Complex biotic interactions mediated by shrubs: Revisiting the stress‐gradient hypothesis and consequences for tree seedling survival. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurent Augusto
- UMR 1391 ISPA Bordeaux Sciences AgroINRAE Villenave d'Ornon France
| | - Maya Gonzalez
- UMR 1391 ISPA Bordeaux Sciences AgroINRAE Villenave d'Ornon France
| | | | - Florian Delerue
- EA 4592 G&E Bordeaux INP Pessac France
- EA 4592 G&E Univ. Bordeaux Montaigne Pessac France
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14
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McGale E, Valim H, Mittal D, Morales Jimenez J, Halitschke R, Schuman MC, Baldwin IT. Determining the scale at which variation in a single gene changes population yields. eLife 2020; 9:e53517. [PMID: 32057293 PMCID: PMC7136025 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant trait diversity is known to influence population yield, but the scale at which this happens remains unknown: divergent individuals might change yields of immediate neighbors (neighbor scale) or of plants across a population (population scale). We use Nicotiana attenuata plants silenced in mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (irMPK4) - with low water-use efficiency (WUE) - to study the scale at which water-use traits alter intraspecific population yields. In the field and glasshouse, we observed overyielding in populations with low percentages of irMPK4 plants, unrelated to water-use phenotypes. Paired-plant experiments excluded the occurrence of overyielding effects at the neighbor scale. Experimentally altering field arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal associations by silencing the Sym-pathway gene NaCCaMK did not affect reproductive overyielding, implicating an effect independent of belowground AMF interactions. Additionally, micro-grafting experiments revealed dependence on shoot-expressed MPK4 for N. attenuata to vary its yield per neighbor presence. We find that variation in a single gene, MPK4, is responsible for population overyielding through a mechanism, independent of irMPK4's WUE phenotype, at the aboveground, population scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica McGale
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Henrique Valim
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Deepika Mittal
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | | | - Rayko Halitschke
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Meredith C Schuman
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
| | - Ian T Baldwin
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck for Chemical EcologyJenaGermany
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15
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Delory BM, Weidlich EWA, Kunz M, Neitzel J, Temperton VM. The exotic species Senecio inaequidens pays the price for arriving late in temperate European grassland communities. Oecologia 2019; 191:657-671. [PMID: 31578613 PMCID: PMC6825039 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04521-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The exotic South African ragwort (Senecio inaequidens DC.) rapidly spread across Central Europe after its introduction, but we still do not know to what extent its timing of arrival in a plant community (i.e. before or after natives) and the composition of the native community being invaded affect (1) its capacity to invade a European grassland, (2) the performance of the native species, and (3) the direction and strength of priority effects. In a greenhouse experiment, we manipulated the timing of arrival of the exotic species (Senecio) and the composition of the native community to test the influence of these factors on the productivity and N content of exotic and native species. We also investigated if the plant species origin (native or exotic) and the native community composition affected the benefit of arriving early and the cost of arriving late in the community. The establishment success of Senecio strongly depended on its timing of arrival in a grassland community. Senecio benefited more from arriving early than did the natives. The presence of legumes in the community did not favour invasion by Senecio. When natives arrived later than Senecio, however, priority effects were weaker when legumes were part of the native community. Our results showed that inhibitory priority effects created by natives can lower the risk of invasion by Senecio. An early arrival of this species at a site with low native species abundance is a scenario that could favour invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Delory
- Ecosystem Functioning and Services, Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Emanuela W. A. Weidlich
- Ecosystem Functioning and Services, Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
- Present Address: Botanical Department, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Miriam Kunz
- Ecosystem Functioning and Services, Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Joshua Neitzel
- Ecosystem Functioning and Services, Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Vicky M. Temperton
- Ecosystem Functioning and Services, Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
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16
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Delory BM, Weidlich EWA, von Gillhaussen P, Temperton VM. When history matters: The overlooked role of priority effects in grassland overyielding. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Delory
- Ecosystem Functioning and Services Institute of Ecology Leuphana University Lüneburg Germany
| | - Emanuela W. A. Weidlich
- Plant Sciences Institute for Bio and Geosciences, IBG‐2 Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich Germany
| | - Philipp von Gillhaussen
- Plant Sciences Institute for Bio and Geosciences, IBG‐2 Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich Germany
| | - Vicky M. Temperton
- Ecosystem Functioning and Services Institute of Ecology Leuphana University Lüneburg Germany
- Plant Sciences Institute for Bio and Geosciences, IBG‐2 Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich Germany
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17
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Schofield EJ, Rowntree JK, Paterson E, Brewer MJ, Price EAC, Brearley FQ, Brooker RW. Cultivar Differences and Impact of Plant-Plant Competition on Temporal Patterns of Nitrogen and Biomass Accumulation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:215. [PMID: 30858863 PMCID: PMC6397874 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Current niche models cannot explain multi-species plant coexistence in complex ecosystems. One overlooked explanatory factor is within-growing season temporal dynamism of resource capture by plants. However, the timing and rate of resource capture are themselves likely to be mediated by plant-plant competition. This study used Barley (Hordeum sp.) as a model species to examine the impacts of intra-specific competition, specifically inter- and intra-cultivar competition on the temporal dynamics of resource capture. Nitrogen and biomass accumulation of an early and late cultivar grown in isolation, inter- or intra- cultivar competition were investigated using sequential harvests. We did not find changes in the temporal dynamics of biomass accumulation in response to competition. However, peak nitrogen accumulation rate was significantly delayed for the late cultivar by 14.5 days and advanced in the early cultivar by 0.5 days when in intra-cultivar competition; there were no significant changes when in inter-cultivar competition. This may suggest a form of kin recognition as the target plants appeared to identify their neighbors and only responded temporally to intra-cultivar competition. The Relative Intensity Index found competition occurred in both the intra- and inter- cultivar mixtures, but a positive Land Equivalence Ratio value indicated complementarity in the inter-cultivar mixtures compared to intra-cultivar mixtures. The reason for this is unclear but may be due to the timing of the final harvest and may not be representative of the relationship between the competing plants. This study demonstrates neighbor-identity-specific changes in temporal dynamism in nutrient uptake. This contributes to our fundamental understanding of plant nutrient dynamics and plant-plant competition whilst having relevance to sustainable agriculture. Improved understanding of within-growing season temporal dynamism would also improve our understanding of coexistence in complex plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Jane Schofield
- The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer K. Rowntree
- School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Paterson
- The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J. Brewer
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth A. C. Price
- School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Francis Q. Brearley
- School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
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18
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Taylor MA, Cooper MD, Schmitt J. Phenological and fitness responses to climate warming depend upon genotype and competitive neighbourhood in
Arabidopsis thaliana. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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19
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Douda J, Doudová J, Hulík J, Havrdová A, Boublík K. Reduced competition enhances community temporal stability under conditions of increasing environmental stress. Ecology 2018; 99:2207-2216. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Douda
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Kamýcká 129, Praha 6-Suchdol 165 00 Czech Republic
| | - Jana Doudová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Kamýcká 129, Praha 6-Suchdol 165 00 Czech Republic
| | - Josef Hulík
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Kamýcká 129, Praha 6-Suchdol 165 00 Czech Republic
| | - Alena Havrdová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Kamýcká 129, Praha 6-Suchdol 165 00 Czech Republic
| | - Karel Boublík
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Kamýcká 129, Praha 6-Suchdol 165 00 Czech Republic
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20
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Schöb C, Brooker RW, Zuppinger-Dingley D. Evolution of facilitation requires diverse communities. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:1381-1385. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0623-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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21
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Wagner TC, Richter J, Joubert DF, Fischer C. A dominance shift in arid savanna: An herbaceous legume outcompetes local C 4 grasses. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:6779-6787. [PMID: 30038774 PMCID: PMC6053561 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The characteristic vegetation structure of arid savannas with a dominant layer of perennial grass is maintained by the putative competitive superiority of the C4 grasses. When this competitive balance is disturbed by weakening the grasses or favoring the recruitment of other species, trees, shrubs, single grass, or forb species can increase and initiate sudden dominance shifts. Such shifts involving woody species, often termed "shrub encroachment", or the mass spreading of so-called increaser species have been extensively researched, but studies on similar processes without obvious preceding disturbance are rare. In Namibia, the native herbaceous legume Crotalaria podocarpa has recently encroached parts of the escarpment region, seriously affecting the productivity of local fodder grasses. Here, we studied the interaction between seedlings of the legume and the dominant local fodder grass (Stipagrostis ciliata). We used a pot experiment to test seedling survival and to investigate the growth of Crotalaria in competition with Stipagrostis. Additional field observations were conducted to quantify the interactive effect. We found germination and growth of the legume seedlings to be facilitated by inactive (dead or dormant) grass tussocks and unhindered by active ones. Seedling survival was three times higher in inactive tussocks and Crotalaria grew taller. In the field, high densities of the legume had a clear negative effect on productivity of the grass. The C4 grass was unable to limit the recruitment and spread of the legume, and Crotalaria did outcompete the putative more competitive grass. Hence, the legume is able to spread and establish itself in large numbers and initiate a dominance shift in savannas, similar to shrub encroachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C. Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Ecosystem ManagementRestoration EcologyTechnische Universität MünchenFreisingGermany
| | - Johanna Richter
- Department of Ecology and Ecosystem ManagementRestoration EcologyTechnische Universität MünchenFreisingGermany
| | - David F. Joubert
- Natural Resources and Spatial SciencesNamibia University of Science and TechnologyWindhoekNamibia
| | - Christina Fischer
- Department of Ecology and Ecosystem ManagementRestoration EcologyTechnische Universität MünchenFreisingGermany
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22
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Competition along productivity gradients: news from heathlands. Oecologia 2018; 187:219-231. [PMID: 29574579 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4120-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The importance of competition in low productive habitats is still debated. Studies which simultaneously evaluate preemption of resources and consequences for population dynamics are needed for a comprehensive view of competitive outcomes. We cultivated two emblematic species of European heathlands (Calluna vulgaris and Molinia caerulea) in a nursery for 2 years at two fertility levels, reproducing the productivity gradient found in phosphorus (P)-depleted heathlands in southwest France. The second year, we planted Ulex europaeus seedlings, a ubiquitous heathland species, under the cover of the two species to evaluate its ability to regenerate. Half of the seedlings were placed in tubes for exclusion of competitor roots. We measured the development of the competitors aboveground and belowground and their interception of resources (light, water, inorganic P). Ulex seedlings' growth and survival were also measured. Our results on resources interception were consistent with species distribution in heathlands. Molinia, which dominates rich heathlands, was the strongest competitor for light and water in the rich soil. Calluna, which dominates poor heathlands, increased its root allocation in the poor soil, decreasing water and inorganic P availability. However, the impact of total competition and root competition on Ulex seedlings decreased in the poor soil. Other mechanisms, especially decrease of water stress under neighbouring plant cover, appeared to have more influence on the seedlings' response. We found no formal contradiction between Tilman and Grime's theories. Root competition has a primary role in acquisition of soil resources in poor habitats. However, the importance of competition decreases with decreasing fertility.
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23
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Lang M, Hanslin HM, Kollmann J, Wagner T. Suppression of an invasive legume by a native grass — High impact of priority effects. Basic Appl Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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