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Luo Y, Du L, Zhang J, Ren H, Shen Y, Zhang J, Li N, Tian R, Wang S, Liu H, Xu Z. Nitrogen addition alleviates the adverse effects of drought on plant productivity in a temperate steppe. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2969. [PMID: 38562107 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Drought and nitrogen enrichment could profoundly affect the productivity of semiarid ecosystems. However, how ecosystem productivity will respond to different drought scenarios, especially with a concurrent increase in nitrogen availability, is still poorly understood. Using data from a 4-year field experiment conducted in a semiarid temperate steppe, we explored the responses of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) to different drought scenarios and nitrogen addition, and the underlying mechanisms linking soil properties, plant species richness, functional diversity (community-weighted means of plant traits, functional dispersion) and phylogenetic diversity (net relatedness index) to ANPP. Our results showed that completely excluding precipitation in June (1-month intense drought) and reducing half the precipitation amount from June to August (season-long chronic drought) both significantly reduced ANPP, with the latter having a more negative impact on ANPP. However, reducing half of the precipitation frequency from June to August (precipitation redistribution) had no significant effect on ANPP. Nitrogen addition increased ANPP irrespective of drought scenarios. ANPP was primarily determined by soil moisture and nitrogen availability by regulating the community-weighted means of plant height, rather than other aspects of plant diversity. Our findings suggest that precipitation amount is more important than precipitation redistribution in influencing the productivity of temperate steppe, and nitrogen supply could alleviate the adverse impacts of drought on grassland productivity. Our study advances the mechanistic understanding of how the temperate grassland responds to drought stress, and implies that management strategies to protect tall species in the community would be beneficial for maintaining the productivity and carbon sequestration of grassland ecosystems under climate drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghong Luo
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Lan Du
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jiatao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Haiyan Ren
- College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yan Shen
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jinbao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Na Li
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Ru Tian
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Shan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Heyong Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Zhuwen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Autonomous Region Collaborative Innovation Center for Integrated Management of Water Resources and Water Environment in the Inner Mongolia Reaches of the Yellow River, Hohhot, China
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2
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Mensah S, Noulèkoun F, Dimobe K, Seifert T, Glèlè Kakaï R. Climate and soil effects on tree species diversity and aboveground carbon patterns in semi-arid tree savannas. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11509. [PMID: 37460693 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38225-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Climatic and edaphic effects are increasingly being discussed in the context of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning. Here we use data from West African semi-arid tree savannas and contrasting climatic conditions (lower vs. higher mean annual precipitation-MAP and mean annual temperature-MAT) to (1) determine how climate modulates the effects of species richness on aboveground carbon (AGC); (2) explore how species richness and AGC relate with soil variables in these contrasting climatic conditions; and (3) assess how climate and soil influence directly, and/or indirectly AGC through species richness and stand structural attributes such as tree density and size variation. We find that greater species richness is generally associated with higher AGC, but more strongly in areas with higher MAP, which also have greater stem density. There is a climate-related influence of soils on AGC, which decreases from lower to higher MAP conditions. Variance partitioning analyses and structural equation modelling show that, across all sites, MAP, relative to soils, has smaller effect on AGC, mediated by stand structural attributes whereas soil texture and fertility explain 14% of variations in AGC and influence AGC directly and indirectly via species richness and stand structural attributes. Our results highlight coordinated effects of climate and soils on AGC, which operated primarily via the mediation role of species diversity and stand structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvanus Mensah
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d'Estimations Forestières, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d'Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin.
- Chair of Forest Growth, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
| | - Florent Noulèkoun
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anamro, Seongbukgu, Seoul, 02841, Korea
| | - Kangbéni Dimobe
- Institut des Sciences de l'Environnement et du Développement Rural, Université de Dédougou, BP 176, Dédougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Thomas Seifert
- Chair of Forest Growth, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Forest and Wood Science, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Romain Glèlè Kakaï
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d'Estimations Forestières, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d'Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
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3
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Da R, Fan C, Zhang C, Zhao X, von Gadow K. Are absorptive root traits good predictors of ecosystem functioning? A test in a natural temperate forest. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 239:75-86. [PMID: 36978285 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Trait-based approaches provide a useful framework to predict ecosystem functions under intensifying global change. However, our current understanding of trait-functioning relationships mainly relies on aboveground traits. Belowground traits (e.g. absorptive root traits) are rarely studied although these traits are related to important plant functions. We analyzed four pairs of analogous leaf and absorptive root traits of woody plants in a temperate forest and examined how these traits are coordinated at the community-level, and to what extent the trait covariation depends on local-scale environmental conditions. We then quantified the contributions of leaf and absorptive root traits and the environmental conditions in determining two important forest ecosystem functions, aboveground carbon storage, and woody biomass productivity. The results showed that both morphological trait pairs and chemical trait pairs exhibited positive correlations at the community level. Absorptive root traits show a strong response to environmental conditions compared to leaf traits. We also found that absorptive root traits were better predictors of the two forest ecosystem functions than leaf traits and environmental conditions. Our study confirms the important role of belowground traits in modulating ecosystem functions and deepens our understanding of belowground responses to changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rihan Da
- Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Chunyu Fan
- Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Chunyu Zhang
- Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiuhai Zhao
- Research Center of Forest Management Engineering of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Klaus von Gadow
- Faculty of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Büsgenweg 5, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Forest and Wood Science, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
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4
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Chen X, Taylor AR, Reich PB, Hisano M, Chen HYH, Chang SX. Tree diversity increases decadal forest soil carbon and nitrogen accrual. Nature 2023:10.1038/s41586-023-05941-9. [PMID: 37100916 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05941-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Increasing soil carbon and nitrogen storage can help mitigate climate change and sustain soil fertility1,2. A large number of biodiversity-manipulation experiments collectively suggest that high plant diversity increases soil carbon and nitrogen stocks3,4. It remains debated, however, whether such conclusions hold in natural ecosystems5-12. Here we analyse Canada's National Forest Inventory (NFI) database with the help of structural equation modelling (SEM) to explore the relationship between tree diversity and soil carbon and nitrogen accumulation in natural forests. We find that greater tree diversity is associated with higher soil carbon and nitrogen accumulation, validating inferences from biodiversity-manipulation experiments. Specifically, on a decadal scale, increasing species evenness from its minimum to maximum value increases soil carbon and nitrogen in the organic horizon by 30% and 42%, whereas increasing functional diversity enhances soil carbon and nitrogen in the mineral horizon by 32% and 50%, respectively. Our results highlight that conserving and promoting functionally diverse forests could promote soil carbon and nitrogen storage, enhancing both carbon sink capacity and soil nitrogen fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinli Chen
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Institute for Global Change Biology, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Anthony R Taylor
- Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Peter B Reich
- Institute for Global Change Biology, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Masumi Hisano
- Department of Ecosystem Studies, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Han Y H Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Scott X Chang
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China.
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5
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Searle EB, Chen HYH, Paquette A. Higher tree diversity is linked to higher tree mortality. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2013171119. [PMID: 35500110 PMCID: PMC9171344 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013171119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Examining the relationship between tree diversity and ecosystem functioning has been a recent focus of forest ecology. Particular emphasis has been given to the impact of tree diversity on productivity and to its potential to mitigate negative global change effects; however, little attention has been paid to tree mortality. This is critical because both tree mortality and productivity underpin forest ecosystem dynamics and therefore forest carbon sequestration. Neglecting tree mortality leaves a large part of the picture undocumented. Here we show that increasingly diverse forest stands have increasingly high mortality probabilities. We found that the most species-rich stands in temperate biomes had mortality probabilities more than sevenfold higher than monospecific stands (∼0.6% year−1 in monospecific stands to 4.0% year−1 in the most species-rich stands) while in boreal stands increases were less pronounced but still significant (∼1.1% year−1 in monospecific stands to 1.8% year−1 in the most species-rich stands). Tree species richness was the third-most-important predictor of mortality in our models in temperate forests and the fifth-most-important predictor in boreal forests. Our results highlight that while the promotion of tree diversity undoubtedly has many positive effects on ecosystem functioning and the services that trees provide to humanity, it remains important to consider all aspects of forest dynamics in order to properly predict the implications of maintaining and promoting tree diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric B. Searle
- Département des sciences biologiques, Centre for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, Canada H3C 3P8
| | - Han Y. H. Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada P7B 5E1
| | - Alain Paquette
- Département des sciences biologiques, Centre for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, Canada H3C 3P8
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6
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Mazzorato ACM, Esch EH, MacDougall AS. Prospects for soil carbon storage on recently retired marginal farmland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150738. [PMID: 34606864 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is strongly affected by farm cropping, which covers >10% of the earth's surface. Land retirement of marginal fields, now a global initiative, can increase SOC storage but reported accumulation rates are variable. Here, we quantify SOC in crop fields and retired marginal land in an intensely farmed 10,000 km 2 region of central North America, testing nutrients, soil texture and management as drivers of SOC storage. Overwhelmingly, SOC was associated with farm management with among-farm differences varying >fourfold (17.4-81 t ha -1) in the top 15 cm. Total farm SOC averaged 502.2 t farm -1 but again ranged widely (216-1611 t farm -1). Farm-specific SOC was often, but not always, higher on farms with N-rich silt-clay soils, and lower on sandy soils with higher P relating to former tobacco production. In contrast, within-farm SOC between crop fields and retired land did not significantly differ with time. Low SOC on retired lands was associated with persistently high soil N and P and elevated microbial respiration. Retired soils did possess substantially larger pools of lignin-rich root biomass to depths of 60 cm, which may signify eventual SOC accumulation possibly as nutrient legacies diminish. Our work shows that management legacy, interacting with soil texture and nutrients, predicts SOC more than short-term retirement. Indeed, crop fields averaged 67% of farm SOC because they represented up to 94% of total farm area - SOC retention on cropland remains a management priority, above and beyond gains with retirement. Interestingly, the largest per-volume SOC levels were in remnant forest that contained 25% of farm SOC despite only averaging 11% of farm area. Maintaining SOC stocks in farm landscapes may be more quickly attained by protecting remnant forest, with retired lands needing time to re-build SOC stocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa C M Mazzorato
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph N1G2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ellen H Esch
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph N1G2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew S MacDougall
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph N1G2W1, Ontario, Canada.
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7
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Semchenko M, Xue P, Leigh T. Functional diversity and identity of plant genotypes regulate rhizodeposition and soil microbial activity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:776-787. [PMID: 34235741 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the linkages between plant diversity and soil carbon and nutrient cycling is primarily derived from studies at the species level, while the importance and mechanisms of diversity effects at the genotype level are poorly understood. Here we examine how genotypic diversity and identity, and associated variation in functional traits, within a common grass species, Anthoxanthum odoratum, modified rhizodeposition, soil microbial activity and litter decomposition. Root litter quality was not significantly affected by plant genotypic diversity, but decomposition was enhanced in soils with the legacy of higher genotypic diversity. Plant genotypic diversity and identity modified rhizodeposition and associated microbial activity via two independent pathways. Plant genotypic diversity enhanced soil functioning via positive effects on variation in specific leaf area and total rhizodeposition. Genotype identity affected both rhizodeposit quantity and quality, and these effects were mediated by differences in mean specific leaf area, shoot mass and plant height. Rhizodeposition was more strongly predicted by aboveground than belowground traits, suggesting strong linkages between photosynthesis and root exudation. Our study demonstrates that functional diversity and identity of plant genotypes modulates belowground carbon supply and quality, representing an important but overlooked pathway by which biodiversity affects ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Semchenko
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, Tartu, 51005, Estonia
| | - Piao Xue
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Tomas Leigh
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
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8
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Positive Effects of Legumes on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Disappear at High Legume Proportions Across Natural Grasslands in the Pyrenees. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00695-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSoil is the largest terrestrial carbon pool, making it crucial for climate change mitigation. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is suggested to depend on biodiversity components, but much evidence comes from diversity-function experiments. To disentangle the relationships of plant guild diversity with SOC storage (kg m−2) at broad spatial scales, we applied diversity-interaction models to a regional grassland database (n = 96) including wide environmental conditions and management regimes. The questions were: (1) Are the effects of plant guilds on SOC stocks in natural grasslands consistent with those found in experimental systems? (2) Are plant guild effects on SOC stocks independent of each other or do they show interactive—synergistic or antagonistic—effects? (3) Do environmental variables, including abiotic and management, modify guild effects on SOC stocks? Among our most novel results we found, legume effects on grassland SOC vary depending on legume proportion consistently across broad spatial scales. SOC increased with legume proportion up to 7–17%, then decreased. Additionally, these effects were strengthened when grasses and forbs were codominant. Grazing intensity modulated grass proportion effects on SOC, being maximum at relatively high intensities. Interpreting our results in terms of existing contrasted ecological theories, we confirmed at broad spatial scales and under wide-ranging environmental conditions the positive effects of plant guild diversity on SOC, and we showed how legumes exert a keystone effect on SOC in natural grasslands, probably related to their ability to fix inorganic N. Niche complementarity effects were illustrated when codominance of forbs and grasses at optimum legume proportions boosted SOC storage, whereas grass dominance increased SOC stocks at medium–high grazing intensities. These findings can facilitate the preparation of regional and local strategies to ameliorate the soil capacity to absorb carbon.
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9
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Madrigal-González J, Calatayud J, Ballesteros-Cánovas JA, Escudero A, Cayuela L, Rueda M, Ruiz-Benito P, Herrero A, Aponte C, Sagardia R, Plumptre AJ, Dupire S, Espinosa CI, Tutubalina O, Myint M, Pataro L, López-Sáez J, Macía MJ, Abegg M, Zavala MA, Quesada-Román A, Vega-Araya M, Golubeva E, Timokhina Y, Stoffel M. Climate reverses directionality in the richness-abundance relationship across the World's main forest biomes. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5635. [PMID: 33159062 PMCID: PMC7648646 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19460-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
More tree species can increase the carbon storage capacity of forests (here referred to as the more species hypothesis) through increased tree productivity and tree abundance resulting from complementarity, but they can also be the consequence of increased tree abundance through increased available energy (more individuals hypothesis). To test these two contrasting hypotheses, we analyse the most plausible pathways in the richness-abundance relationship and its stability along global climatic gradients. We show that positive effect of species richness on tree abundance only prevails in eight of the twenty-three forest regions considered in this study. In the other forest regions, any benefit from having more species is just as likely (9 regions) or even less likely (6 regions) than the effects of having more individuals. We demonstrate that diversity effects prevail in the most productive environments, and abundance effects become dominant towards the most limiting conditions. These findings can contribute to refining cost-effective mitigation strategies based on fostering carbon storage through increased tree diversity. Specifically, in less productive environments, mitigation measures should promote abundance of locally adapted and stress tolerant tree species instead of increasing species richness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Madrigal-González
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 66 Boulevard Carl Vogt, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Joaquín Calatayud
- Integrated Science Lab, Department of Physics, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.,Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química inorgánica. ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, C.P. 28933, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan A Ballesteros-Cánovas
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 66 Boulevard Carl Vogt, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, 13 rue des Maraîchers, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Adrián Escudero
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química inorgánica. ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, C.P. 28933, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Cayuela
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química inorgánica. ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, C.P. 28933, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Rueda
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, C/Profesor García González s/n, 41012, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Paloma Ruiz-Benito
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química inorgánica. ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, C.P. 28933, Madrid, Spain.,Forest Ecology and Restoration, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, km 33.4, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Asier Herrero
- Forest Ecology and Restoration, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, km 33.4, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Cristina Aponte
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, VIC, 3121, Australia.,National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea", 128 Blvd. Eroilor, Voluntari, 077190, Ilfov, Romania
| | - Rodrigo Sagardia
- Instituto Forestal de Chile, Sucre 2397, Ñuñoa, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | | | - Sylvain Dupire
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Inrae, LESSEM, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Carlos I Espinosa
- EcoSs_Lab, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, 110107, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Olga Tutubalina
- Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Moe Myint
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 66 Boulevard Carl Vogt, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Luciano Pataro
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, calle Darwin 2, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jerome López-Sáez
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 66 Boulevard Carl Vogt, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Manuel J Macía
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, calle Darwin 2, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Darwin 2, ES-28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Meinrad Abegg
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Miguel A Zavala
- Forest Ecology and Restoration, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, km 33.4, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.,Instituto Franklin, Universidad de Alcalá, Calle Trinidad 1, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adolfo Quesada-Román
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 66 Boulevard Carl Vogt, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland.,Escuela de Geografía, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad de la Investigación, Montes de Oca 2060, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Mauricio Vega-Araya
- Instituto de Investigación y Servicios Forestales (INISEFOR), Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, 86-3000, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Elena Golubeva
- Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuliya Timokhina
- Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Markus Stoffel
- Climate Change Impacts and Risks in the Anthropocene (C-CIA), Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), University of Geneva, 66 Boulevard Carl Vogt, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, 13 rue des Maraîchers, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, 66 Boulevard Carl Vogt, CH-1205, Geneva, Switzerland
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10
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van Paassen JG, Britton AJ, Mitchell RJ, Street LE, Johnson D, Coupar A, Woodin SJ. Legacy effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on vegetation and carbon stocks of upland heaths. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 228:226-237. [PMID: 32432343 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Soil carbon (C) pools and plant community composition are regulated by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. Atmospheric N deposition impacts ecosystem C storage, but the direction of response varies between systems. Phosphorus limitation may constrain C storage response to N, hence P application to increase plant productivity and thus C sequestration has been suggested. We revisited a 23-yr-old field experiment where N and P had been applied to upland heath, a widespread habitat supporting large soil C stocks. At 10 yr after the last nutrient application we quantified long-term changes in vegetation composition and in soil and vegetation C and P stocks. Nitrogen addition, particularly when combined with P, strongly influenced vegetation composition, favouring grasses over Calluna vulgaris, and led to a reduction in vegetation C stocks. However, soil C stocks did not respond to nutrient treatments. We found 40% of the added P had accumulated in the soil. This study showed persistent effects of N and N + P on vegetation composition, whereas effects of P alone were small and showed recovery. We found no indication that P application could mitigate the effects of N on vegetation or increase C sequestration in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- José G van Paassen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Andrea J Britton
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Ruth J Mitchell
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Lorna E Street
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
| | - David Johnson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Andrew Coupar
- Scottish Natural Heritage, The Links, Golspie, KW10 6UB, UK
| | - Sarah J Woodin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
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11
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Araujo PI, Piñeiro-Guerra JM, Yahdjian L, Acreche MM, Alvarez C, Alvarez CR, Costantini A, Chalco Vera J, De Tellería J, Della Chiesa T, Lewczuk NA, Petrasek M, Piccinetti C, Picone L, Portela SI, Posse G, Seijo M, Videla C, Piñeiro G. Drivers of N2O Emissions from Natural Forests and Grasslands Differ in Space and Time. Ecosystems 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-020-00522-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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12
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Mensah S, Salako VK, Seifert T. Structural complexity and large‐sized trees explain shifting species richness and carbon relationship across vegetation types. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvanus Mensah
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d’Estimations Forestières Université d’Abomey Calavi Cotonou Benin
| | - Valère K. Salako
- Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d’Estimations Forestières Université d’Abomey Calavi Cotonou Benin
- Service d’Évolution Biologique et Écologie Université Libre de Bruxelles Brussels Belgium
| | - Thomas Seifert
- Chair of Forest Growth Albert‐Ludwigs‐Universität Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau Germany
- Department of Forest and Wood Science Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
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13
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Wood LK, Hays S, Zinnert JC. Decreased temperature variance associated with biotic composition enhances coastal shrub encroachment. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8210. [PMID: 32427910 PMCID: PMC7237465 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65161-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Regime shift from grasslands to shrub-dominated landscapes occur worldwide driven by altered land-use and climate change, affecting landscape function, biodiversity, and productivity. Warming winter temperatures are a main driver of expansion of the native, evergreen shrub, Morella cerifera, in coastal landscapes. Shrub establishment in these habitats alters microclimate, but little is known about seasonal differences and microclimate variance. We assessed influence of shrubs on microclimate variance, community composition, and community physiological functioning across three vegetation zones: grass, transitional, and shrub in a coastal grassland. Using a novel application of a time-series analysis, we interpret microclimatic variance modification and elucidate mechanisms of shrub encroachment at the Virginia Coast Reserve, Long-Term Ecological Research site. As shrub thickets form, diversity is reduced with little grass/forb cover, while transpiration and annual productivity increase. Shrub thickets significantly reduced temperature variance with a positive influence of one day on the next in maximum air, minimum air, and maximum ground temperature. We also show that microclimatic temperature moderation reduces summer extreme temperatures in transition areas, even before coalescence into full thickets. Encroachment of Morella cerifera on the Virginia barrier islands is driven by reduced local exposure to cold temperatures and enhanced by abiotic microclimatic modification and biotic physiological functioning. This shift in plant community composition from grassland to shrub thicket alters the role of barrier islands in productivity and can have impacts on the natural resilience of the islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K Wood
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1000 West Cary St, Richmond, VA, 23225, USA.,Integrative Life Sciences Doctoral Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1000 West Cary St, Richmond, VA, 23225, USA
| | - Spencer Hays
- Department of Statistics, Indiana University, 919 E. 10th St, Bloomington, IN, 47408, USA
| | - Julie C Zinnert
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1000 West Cary St, Richmond, VA, 23225, USA.
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14
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Yi S, Wu P, Peng X, Bai F, Gao Y, Zhang W, Du N, Guo W. Functional identity enhances aboveground productivity of a coastal saline meadow mediated by Tamarix chinensis in Laizhou Bay, China. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5826. [PMID: 32242029 PMCID: PMC7118169 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62046-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in recent decades has confirmed that biodiversity influences ecosystem productivity; however, the potential mechanisms regulating this process remain subject to controversy, due to variation across ecosystems. Here, the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem productivity were evaluated using three variables of biodiversity (taxonomic diversity, functional identity, and functional diversity) and surrounding environmental conditions in a coastal saline meadow located on the south coast of Laizhou Bay, China. At this site, the shrub and field layers were primarily dominated by Tamarix chinensis and natural mesic grasses, respectively. Our results showed that functional identity, which is quantified as the community weighted mean of trait values, had greater explanatory ability than taxonomic and functional diversity. Thus, ecosystem productivity was determined disproportionately by the specific traits of dominant species. T. chinensis coverage was a biotic environmental factor that indirectly affected ecosystem productivity by increasing the community weighted mean of plant maximum height, which simultaneously declined with species richness. The present study advances our understanding of the mechanisms driving variation in the productivity of temperate coastal saline meadows, providing evidence supporting the "mass ratio" hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Yi
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Pan Wu
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiqiang Peng
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Fenghua Bai
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanan Gao
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenxin Zhang
- Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Du
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China. .,Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.
| | - Weihua Guo
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China. .,Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Chen X, Chen HYH, Chen C, Ma Z, Searle EB, Yu Z, Huang Z. Effects of plant diversity on soil carbon in diverse ecosystems: a global meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:167-183. [PMID: 31625247 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a valuable resource for mediating global climate change and securing food production. Despite an alarming rate of global plant diversity loss, uncertainties concerning the effects of plant diversity on SOC remain, because plant diversity not only stimulates litter inputs via increased productivity, thus enhancing SOC, but also stimulates microbial respiration, thus reducing SOC. By analysing 1001 paired observations of plant mixtures and corresponding monocultures from 121 publications, we show that both SOC content and stock are on average 5 and 8% higher in species mixtures than in monocultures. These positive mixture effects increase over time and are more pronounced in deeper soils. Microbial biomass carbon, an indicator of SOC release and formation, also increases, but the proportion of microbial biomass carbon in SOC is lower in mixtures. Moreover, these species-mixture effects are consistent across forest, grassland, and cropland systems and are independent of background climates. Our results indicate that converting 50% of global forests from mixtures to monocultures would release an average of 2.70 Pg C from soil annually over a period of 20 years: about 30% of global annual fossil-fuel emissions. Our study highlights the importance of plant diversity preservation for the maintenance of soil carbon sequestration in discussions of global climate change policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinli Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada
| | - Han Y H Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada.,Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangshan Rd, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada
| | - Zilong Ma
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada
| | - Eric B Searle
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada
| | - Zaipeng Yu
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangshan Rd, Fuzhou, 350007, China.,Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangshan Rd, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Zhiqun Huang
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangshan Rd, Fuzhou, 350007, China.,Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangshan Rd, Fuzhou, 350007, China
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16
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Cassidy C, Grange LJ, Garcia C, Bolam SG, Godbold JA. Species interactions and environmental context affect intraspecific behavioural trait variation and ecosystem function. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192143. [PMID: 31992167 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional trait-based approaches are increasingly adopted to understand and project ecological responses to environmental change; however, most assume trait expression is constant between conspecifics irrespective of context. Using two species of benthic invertebrate (brittlestars Amphiura filiformis and Amphiura chiajei), we demonstrate that trait expression at individual and community levels differs with biotic and abiotic context. We use PERMANOVA to test the effect of species identity, density and local environmental history on individual (righting and burrowing) and community (particle reworking and burrow ventilation) trait expression, as well as associated effects on ecosystem functioning (sediment nutrient release). Trait expression differs with context, with repercussions for the faunal mediation of ecosystem processes; we find increased rates of righting and burial behaviour and greater particle reworking with increasing density that are reflected in nutrient generation. However, the magnitude of effects differed within and between species, arising from site-specific environmental and morphological differences. Our results indicate that traits and processes influencing change in ecosystem functioning are products of both prevailing and historic conditions that cannot be constrained within typologies. Trait-based study must incorporate context-dependent variation, including intraspecific differences from individual to ecosystem scales, to avoid jeopardizing projections of ecosystem functioning and service delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Cassidy
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Laura J Grange
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Clement Garcia
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Stefan G Bolam
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Jasmin A Godbold
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
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17
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Luo Y, Cadotte MW, Burgess KS, Liu J, Tan S, Zou J, Xu K, Li D, Gao L. Greater than the sum of the parts: how the species composition in different forest strata influence ecosystem function. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1449-1461. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.13330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ya‐Huang Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201China
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species in Southwest China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201 China
| | - Marc W. Cadotte
- Biological Sciences University of Toronto‐Scarborough 1265 Military Trail Toronto ONM1C1A4 Canada
| | - Kevin S. Burgess
- Department of Biology, College of Letters & Sciences Columbus State University, University System of Georgia 4225 University Avenue Columbus GA31907 USA
| | - Jie Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201China
| | - Shao‐Lin Tan
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201China
- Kunming college of Life Sciences University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201 China
| | - Jia‐Yun Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201China
- Kunming college of Life Sciences University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201 China
| | - Kun Xu
- Lijiang Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Lijiang Yunnan674100 China
| | - De‐Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species in Southwest China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201 China
- Kunming college of Life Sciences University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201 China
| | - Lian‐Ming Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming Yunnan650201China
- Lijiang Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Lijiang Yunnan674100 China
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18
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Guo Y, Schöb C, Ma W, Mohammat A, Liu H, Yu S, Jiang Y, Schmid B, Tang Z. Increasing water availability and facilitation weaken biodiversity-biomass relationships in shrublands. Ecology 2019; 100:e02624. [PMID: 30644535 PMCID: PMC6850503 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Positive biodiversity–ecosystem‐functioning (BEF) relationships are commonly found in experimental and observational studies, but how they vary in different environmental contexts and under the influence of coexisting life forms is still controversial. Investigating these variations is important for making predictions regarding the dynamics of plant communities and carbon pools under global change. We conducted this study across 433 shrubland sites in northern China. We fitted structural equation models (SEMs) to analyze the variation in the species‐richness–biomass relationships of shrubs and herbs along a wetness gradient and general liner models (GLMs) to analyze how shrub or herb biomass affected the species‐richness–biomass relationship of the other life form. We found that the positive species‐richness–biomass relationships for both shrubs and herbs became weaker or even negative with higher water availability, likely indicating stronger interspecific competition within life forms under more benign conditions. After accounting for variation in environmental contexts using residual regression, we found that the benign effect of greater facilitation by a larger shrub biomass reduced the positive species‐richness–biomass relationships of herbs, causing them to become nonsignificant. Different levels of herb biomass, however, did not change the species‐richness–biomass relationship of shrubs, possibly because greater herb biomass did not alter the stress level for shrubs. We conclude that biodiversity in the studied plant communities is particularly important for plant biomass production under arid conditions and that it might be possible to use shrubs as nurse plants to facilitate understory herb establishment in ecological restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpei Guo
- Institute of EcologyCollege of Urban and Environmental Sciences and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface ProcessesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Christian Schöb
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems ScienceSwiss Federal Institute of TechnologyETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Wenhong Ma
- School of Life SciencesInner Mongolia UniversityHohhotChina
| | - Anwar Mohammat
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and GeographyChinese Academy of SciencesUrumqiChina
| | - Hongyan Liu
- Institute of EcologyCollege of Urban and Environmental Sciences and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface ProcessesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Shunli Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental ChangesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Youxu Jiang
- Institute of EcologyCollege of Urban and Environmental Sciences and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface ProcessesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and EnvironmentState Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forest EcologyEnvironment and ProtectionChinese Academy of ForestryBeijingChina
| | - Bernhard Schmid
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Department of GeographyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Zhiyao Tang
- Institute of EcologyCollege of Urban and Environmental Sciences and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface ProcessesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
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19
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van der Plas F. Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in naturally assembled communities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1220-1245. [PMID: 30724447 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 25 years ago, ecologists became increasingly interested in the question of whether ongoing biodiversity loss matters for the functioning of ecosystems. As such, a new ecological subfield on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (BEF) was born. This subfield was initially dominated by theoretical studies and by experiments in which biodiversity was manipulated, and responses of ecosystem functions such as biomass production, decomposition rates, carbon sequestration, trophic interactions and pollination were assessed. More recently, an increasing number of studies have investigated BEF relationships in non-manipulated ecosystems, but reviews synthesizing our knowledge on the importance of real-world biodiversity are still largely missing. I performed a systematic review in order to assess how biodiversity drives ecosystem functioning in both terrestrial and aquatic, naturally assembled communities, and on how important biodiversity is compared to other factors, including other aspects of community composition and abiotic conditions. The outcomes of 258 published studies, which reported 726 BEF relationships, revealed that in many cases, biodiversity promotes average biomass production and its temporal stability, and pollination success. For decomposition rates and ecosystem multifunctionality, positive effects of biodiversity outnumbered negative effects, but neutral relationships were even more common. Similarly, negative effects of prey biodiversity on pathogen and herbivore damage outnumbered positive effects, but were less common than neutral relationships. Finally, there was no evidence that biodiversity is related to soil carbon storage. Most BEF studies focused on the effects of taxonomic diversity, however, metrics of functional diversity were generally stronger predictors of ecosystem functioning. Furthermore, in most studies, abiotic factors and functional composition (e.g. the presence of a certain functional group) were stronger drivers of ecosystem functioning than biodiversity per se. While experiments suggest that positive biodiversity effects become stronger at larger spatial scales, in naturally assembled communities this idea is too poorly studied to draw general conclusions. In summary, a high biodiversity in naturally assembled communities positively drives various ecosystem functions. At the same time, the strength and direction of these effects vary highly among studies, and factors other than biodiversity can be even more important in driving ecosystem functioning. Thus, to promote those ecosystem functions that underpin human well-being, conservation should not only promote biodiversity per se, but also the abiotic conditions favouring species with suitable trait combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fons van der Plas
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21-23, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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