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Sulavik J, Auestad I, Boudreau S, Halvorsen R, Rydgren K. Population re-establishment and spatial dynamics of crowberry ( Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum), a foundation species in restored alpine ecosystems. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70242. [PMID: 39279794 PMCID: PMC11392828 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Many ecosystems are defined and shaped by one or a few common, foundation species. Even though such species hold a key role in the restoration of these ecosystems, the demographic processes involved in their re-establishment have rarely been studied. Foundation species' population dynamics, re-establishment history, and the abiotic and biotic factors that affect individual establishment at restored sites can be studied by addressing population spatial patterns and age structure. Such an approach to studying population dynamics is particularly relevant for long-lived species with low mortality, such as shrubs in alpine areas. We studied a population of the foundation species Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum at an alpine spoil heap site and found evidence of population re-establishment starting within a decade after construction. High Empetrum densities close to the spoil heap edges indicated that short distances to seed sources in the surroundings had a strong positive effect on establishment of individuals. Empetrum individuals were significantly clustered, which indicated intraspecific facilitation. As revealed by spatial analyses of recruits and older, established individuals, clustering developed gradually over time, which indicated a shift from no interaction to increased facilitation. We conclude that intraspecific facilitation promotes Empetrum reestablishment at the studied alpine spoil heap. Synthesis: We show that population spatial patterns and age structure can be successfully used to unveil the re-establishment history of a foundation species in a restoration context. Efficient seed dispersal and intraspecific facilitation seem to be important factors behind Empetrum's successful re-establishment at alpine spoil heaps. Identification of abiotic and biotic factors determining foundation species' establishment success at restored sites can support planning and improve success of restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Sulavik
- Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Technology, Environmental and Social Sciences Western Norway University of Applied Sciences Sogndal Norway
- Geo-Ecological Research Group, Section for Research and Collections, Natural History Museum University of Oslo Oslo Norway
- Division for Energy, Environmental and Transport Statistics, Department for Business and Environmental Statistics Statistics Norway Kongsvinger Norway
| | - Inger Auestad
- Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Technology, Environmental and Social Sciences Western Norway University of Applied Sciences Sogndal Norway
| | - Stéphane Boudreau
- Département de Biologie et Centre d'Etudes Nordiques Université Laval Québec City Quebec Canada
| | - Rune Halvorsen
- Geo-Ecological Research Group, Section for Research and Collections, Natural History Museum University of Oslo Oslo Norway
| | - Knut Rydgren
- Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Technology, Environmental and Social Sciences Western Norway University of Applied Sciences Sogndal Norway
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Cooksley H, Dreyling L, Esler KJ, Griebenow S, Neumann G, Valentine A, Schleuning M, Schurr FM. Functional traits shape plant-plant interactions and recruitment in a hotspot of woody plant diversity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:1100-1114. [PMID: 38083904 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19453] [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: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Understanding and predicting recruitment in species-rich plant communities requires identifying functional determinants of both density-independent performance and interactions. In a common-garden field experiment with 25 species of the woody plant genus Protea, we varied the initial spatial and taxonomic arrangement of seedlings and followed their survival and growth during recruitment. Neighbourhood models quantified how six key functional traits affect density-independent performance, interaction effects and responses. Trait-based neighbourhood models accurately predicted individual survival and growth from the initial spatial and functional composition of species-rich experimental communities. Functional variation among species caused substantial variation in density-independent survival and growth that was not correlated with interaction effects and responses. Interactions were spatially restricted but had important, predominantly competitive, effects on recruitment. Traits increasing the acquisition of limiting resources (water for survival and soil P for growth) mediated trade-offs between interaction effects and responses. Moreover, resprouting species had higher survival but reduced growth, likely reinforcing the survival-growth trade-off in adult plants. Resource acquisition of juvenile plants shapes Protea community dynamics with acquisitive species with strong competitive effects suffering more from competition. Together with functional determinants of density-independent performance, this makes recruitment remarkably predictable, which is critical for efficient restoration and near-term ecological forecasts of species-rich communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huw Cooksley
- Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
| | - Lukas Dreyling
- Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Karen J Esler
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
| | - Stian Griebenow
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
| | - Günter Neumann
- Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Alex Valentine
- Department of Horticulture, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
| | - Matthias Schleuning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, 60325, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Frank M Schurr
- Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
- KomBioTa - Center for Biodiversity and Integrative Taxonomy, University of Hohenheim & State Museum of Natural History, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
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3
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Effects of post oak (Quercus stellata) and smooth brome (Bromus inermis) competition on water uptake and root partitioning of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280100. [PMID: 36724141 PMCID: PMC9891534 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana is encroaching into new habitats, which will affect native ecosystems as this species competes with other plants for available resources, including water. We designed a greenhouse experiment to investigate changes in soil moisture content and rooting depths of two-year-old J. virginiana saplings growing with or without competition. We had four competition treatments: 1) none, 2) with a native tree (Quercus stellata), 3) with an invasive grass (Bromus inermis), and 4) with both Q. stellata and B. inermis. We measured soil moisture content over two years as well as root length, total biomass, relative water content, midday water potential, and mortality at the end of the experiment. When J. virginiana and B. inermis grew together, water depletion occurred at both 30-40 cm and 10-20 cm. Combined with root length results, we can infer that J. virginiana most likely took up water from the deeper layers whereas B. inermis used water from the top layers. We found a similar pattern of water depletion and uptake when J. virginiana grew with Q. stellata, indicating that J. virginiana took up water from the deeper layers and Q. stellata used water mostly from the top soil layers. When the three species grew together, we found root overlap between J. virginiana and Q. stellata. Despite the root overlap, our relative water content and water potential indicate that J. virginiana was not water stressed in any of the plant combinations. Regardless, J. virginiana saplings had less total biomass in treatments with B. inermis and we recorded a significantly higher mortality when J. virginiana grew with both competitors. Root overlap and partitioning can affect how J. virginiana perform and adapt to new competitors and can allow their co-existence with grasses and other woody species, which can facilitate J. virginiana encroachment into grasslands and woodlands. Our data also show that competition with both Q. stellata and B. inermis could limit establishment, regardless of water availability.
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Raath‐Krüger MJ, Schöb C, McGeoch MA, Burger DA, Strydom T, le Roux PC. Long‐term spatially‐replicated data show no physical cost to a benefactor species in a facilitative plant–plant interaction. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan J. Raath‐Krüger
- Dept of Zoology, Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, Univ. of Johannesburg Auckland Park South Africa
| | - Christian Schöb
- Inst. of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich Zürich Switzerland
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles Madrid Spain
| | - Melodie A. McGeoch
- Dept of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe Univ. Bundoora Victoria Australia
| | - Divan A. Burger
- Dept of Statistics, Univ. of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
- Cytel Inc. Waltham MA USA
| | - Tanya Strydom
- Dept of Plant and Soil Sciences, Univ. of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - Peter C. le Roux
- Dept of Plant and Soil Sciences, Univ. of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
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Lee JR, Waterman MJ, Shaw JD, Bergstrom DM, Lynch HJ, Wall DH, Robinson SA. Islands in the ice: Potential impacts of habitat transformation on Antarctic biodiversity. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5865-5880. [PMID: 35795907 PMCID: PMC9542894 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic biodiversity faces an unknown future with a changing climate. Most terrestrial biota is restricted to limited patches of ice-free land in a sea of ice, where they are adapted to the continent's extreme cold and wind and exploit microhabitats of suitable conditions. As temperatures rise, ice-free areas are predicted to expand, more rapidly in some areas than others. There is high uncertainty as to how species' distributions, physiology, abundance, and survivorship will be affected as their habitats transform. Here we use current knowledge to propose hypotheses that ice-free area expansion (i) will increase habitat availability, though the quality of habitat will vary; (ii) will increase structural connectivity, although not necessarily increase opportunities for species establishment; (iii) combined with milder climates will increase likelihood of non-native species establishment, but may also lengthen activity windows for all species; and (iv) will benefit some species and not others, possibly resulting in increased homogeneity of biodiversity. We anticipate considerable spatial, temporal, and taxonomic variation in species responses, and a heightened need for interdisciplinary research to understand the factors associated with ecosystem resilience under future scenarios. Such research will help identify at-risk species or vulnerable localities and is crucial for informing environmental management and policymaking into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine R. Lee
- British Antarctic SurveyNERCCambridgeUK
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biology and Environmental ScienceQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLDAustralia
| | - Melinda J. Waterman
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Justine D. Shaw
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biology and Environmental ScienceQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLDAustralia
| | - Dana M. Bergstrom
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of AgricultureWater and the EnvironmentKingstonTASAustralia
- Global Challenges ProgramUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Heather J. Lynch
- Department of Ecology and EvolutionStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Diana H. Wall
- Department of Biology and School of Global Environmental SustainabilityColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Sharon A. Robinson
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
- Global Challenges ProgramUniversity of WollongongWollongongNew South WalesAustralia
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Tomiolo S, Damgaard CF, Gay L, Ronfort J, Ehlers BK. A plant growth model to test for changes in plant–plant interaction over a growing season: the case of kin competition. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Tomiolo
- Inst. of Ecology and Evolution, Tübingen Univ. Tübingen Germany
- Dept of Ecoscience, Aarhus Univ. Aarhus Denmark
| | | | - Laurène Gay
- CIRAD, INRAE, Inst. Agro, UMR AGAP Inst., Univ. Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Joëlle Ronfort
- CIRAD, INRAE, Inst. Agro, UMR AGAP Inst., Univ. Montpellier Montpellier France
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Morcillo L, Bautista S. Interacting water, nutrients, and shrub age control steppe grass‐on‐shrub competition: Implications for restoration. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4093] [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)
- Luna Morcillo
- Mediterranean Center for Environmental Studies (CEAM Foundation), Joint Research Unit University of Alicante‐CEAM University of Alicante Alicante Spain
| | - Susana Bautista
- Department of Ecology and IMEM University of Alicante Alicante Spain
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8
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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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9
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He Y, Liu H, Yang Q, Cao Y, Yin H, Zhou Z, Yu Q, Wang X. Neighborhood Effects on Tree Mortality Depend on Life Stage of Neighbors. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:838046. [PMID: 35273630 PMCID: PMC8902350 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.838046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Neighborhood effects are a crucial ecological processes that allow species to coexist in a forest. Conspecific and heterospecific neighbors, as major group classifications, affect tree mortality through various mechanisms associated with neighbor life stages. However, the influence of neighbor life stages on neighborhood effects and by what mechanisms remains a knowledge gap. Here we censused the mortality of 82,202 trees belonging to 30 species in a 20-ha subtropical forest and classified their neighbors into the following life stages: earlier, same and later. Next, we implemented generalized linear mixed models to estimate the effect of neighbors at different life stages on tree mortality. Our results showed that conspecific later stage neighbors had a positive effect on tree mortality overall, while conspecific earlier stage neighbors had a negative effect on tree mortality. Furthermore, these opposing effects appear to offset each other so that the overall effect of conspecific neighbors on tree mortality is weakened. In contrast, heterospecific neighbors had a decreasing effect on tree mortality overall. These effects are consistent with those of later stage heterospecific neighbors. Our findings demonstrate that neighbors strongly impact tree mortality, and their specific effects are closely related to neighbor life stages. Further, any single effect from one neighbor life stage may disturb or dominate the total effects of the neighbors. Therefore, the neighbors must be divided into different life stages to best explain the neighborhood effect on forest dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heming Liu
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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10
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Invasion of the North American sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) – A new pest in Eurasian sand areas? Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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11
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Cenzer M. Adult facilitation becomes competition as juvenile soapberry bugs age. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:13335-13347. [PMID: 34646473 PMCID: PMC8495836 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific interactions can change from facilitative to competitive depending on the organism's ontogeny. In plant-feeding insects, host plant defenses can be strengthened or weakened by insect feeding and can therefore be important for determining whether two insects feeding on the same plant help or harm each other's fitness. Here, I conducted two experiments looking at the direct effect of a physical seed defense and the role of intraspecific facilitation in reducing the effects of that defense for juveniles of the red-shouldered soapberry bug. I demonstrate that juveniles are severely inhibited by the tough seed coat of their host plant, leading to high mortality early in development. Adults, in contrast, can create holes through which younger individuals could potentially feed. I manipulated whether or not seeds were fed on by adults on two host plant species: a well-defended native host and a poorly defended introduced host. Survival in the first week of development was dramatically improved by prior adult feeding, and this facilitation was stronger on the well-defended host plant. However, the benefits of prior adult feeding ceased after the first week of development and shifted to having a negative effect on survival, development time, and body size. These results indicate that ontogeny is a key factor determining the effects of plant defenses and the strength and direction of intraspecific interactions across multiple host plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith Cenzer
- Department of Ecology and EvolutionThe University of ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
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12
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Gouws CA, Haussmann NS, le Roux PC. Seed trapping or a nurse effect? Disentangling the drivers of fine-scale plant species association patterns in a windy environment. Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02898-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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13
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Raath-Krüger MJ, Schöb C, McGeoch MA, le Roux PC. Interspecific facilitation mediates the outcome of intraspecific interactions across an elevational gradient. Ecology 2020; 102:e03200. [PMID: 32970842 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Where interspecific facilitation favors the establishment of high densities of a beneficiary species, strong intraspecific competition may subsequently impede beneficiary performance. Consequently, the negative influence of intraspecific competition between beneficiary individuals could potentially outweigh the positive influence of interspecific facilitation when, for example, higher densities of a beneficiary are negated by the negative effect of crowding on beneficiary reproduction. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine the impact of an interspecific interaction on the outcome of intraspecific interactions within the context of plant-plant facilitation. We used the cushion-forming Azorella selago and a commonly co-occurring dominant perennial grass species, Agrostis magellanica, on sub-Antarctic Marion Island as a model system. We assessed the impact of an interspecific interaction (between A. selago and A. magellanica) on the outcome of intraspecific interactions (between A. magellanica individuals), by testing if the impact of A. magellanica density on A. magellanica performance is mediated by its interaction with A. selago. We observed evidence for competition among A. magellanica conspecifics, with a decreasing proportion of A. magellanica individuals being reproductive under higher conspecific density. This negative intraspecific effect was greater on A. selago than on the adjacent substrate, suggesting that the facilitative effect of A. selago changes the intensity of intraspecific interactions between A. magellanica individuals. However, experimentally reducing A. magellanica density did not affect the species' performance. We also observed that the effect of A. selago on A. magellanica was positive, and despite the negative effect of intraspecific density on the proportion of reproductive A. magellanica individuals, the net reproductive effort of A. magellanica (i.e., the density of reproductive individuals) was significantly greater on A. selago than on the adjacent substrate. These results highlight that, in abiotically severe environments, the positive effects of interspecific facilitation by a benefactor species may outweigh the negative effects of intraspecific competition among beneficiaries. More broadly, these results suggest that both positive inter- and intraspecific biotic interactions may be key to consider when examining spatial and temporal variation in species' performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan J Raath-Krüger
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.,Department of Zoology, Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa
| | - Christian Schöb
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Melodie A McGeoch
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Natural Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Peter C le Roux
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
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Zhang R, Tielbörger K. Density-dependence tips the change of plant-plant interactions under environmental stress. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2532. [PMID: 32439842 PMCID: PMC7242385 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16286-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Facilitation studies typically compare plants under differential stress levels with and without neighbors, while the density of neighbors has rarely been addressed. However, recent empirical studies indicate that facilitation may be density-dependent too and peak at intermediate neighbor densities. Here, we propose a conceptual model to incorporate density-dependence into theory about changes of plant-plant interactions under stress. To test our predictions, we combine an individual-based model incorporating both facilitative response and effect, with an experiment using salt stress and Arabidopsis thaliana. Theoretical and experimental results are strikingly consistent: (1) the intensity of facilitation peaks at intermediate density, and this peak shifts to higher densities with increasing stress; (2) this shift further modifies the balance between facilitation and competition such that the stress-gradient hypothesis applies only at high densities. Our model suggests that density-dependence must be considered for predicting plant-plant interactions under environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruichang Zhang
- Plant Ecology Group, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Katja Tielbörger
- Plant Ecology Group, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany
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15
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Zhao RM, Zhang H, An LZ. Spatial patterns and interspecific relationships of two dominant cushion plants at three elevations on the Kunlun Mountain, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:17339-17349. [PMID: 32157543 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08324-z] [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: 12/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important ecological processes is the formation of interspecific relationships in relation to spatial patterns among alpine cushion plants in extreme environmental habitats. However, such relationships remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the spatial patterns of alpine cushion plants along an altitudinal gradient of environmental severity and the interspecific relationship between two cushion species (Thylacospermum caespitosum and Androsace tangulashanensis) on the eastern Kunlun Mountain of China. Our results showed that the two species were highly aggregated within a distance of 2.5-5 m at the mid (S2) altitude, whereas they were randomly distributed at the low (S1) and high (S3) altitudes. A positive spatial interaction between the two species was observed over shorter distances at the mid (S2) altitude, and the spatial patterns were related to the size of individuals of the two species. Moreover, the impact of A. tangulashanensis on T. caespitosum (RIIT. caespitosum) was negative in all the study plots, and a positive impact of T. caespitosum on A. tangulashanensis (RIIA. tangulashanensis) was only observed at the mid (S2) altitude. Together, these results demonstrated that the spatial patterns of these two cushions varied with environmental severity, since the outcome of the interactions were different, to some extent, at the three altitudes. Plant size is the main factor affecting the spatial correlation and interspecific relationship between two cushions. Therefore, its potential influence should be considered when discussing interspecific relationships among cushions and their community construction at small scales in alpine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Ming Zhao
- College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, No. 1 Yingmen Village, Anning District, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China.
| | - Hua Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Tianshui South Road 222, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Li-Zhe An
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Tianshui South Road 222, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China.
- Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Tsinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Urza AK, Weisberg PJ, Chambers JC, Sullivan BW. Shrub facilitation of tree establishment varies with ontogenetic stage across environmental gradients. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 223:1795-1808. [PMID: 31125432 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Plant-plant interactions are important drivers of ecosystem structure and function, yet predicting interaction outcomes across environmental gradients remains challenging. Understanding how interactions are affected by ontogenetic shifts in plant characteristics can provide insight into the drivers of interactions and improve our ability to anticipate ecosystem responses to environmental change. We developed a conceptual framework of nurse shrub facilitation of tree establishment. We used a combination of field experiments and environmental measurements to test the framework with a shrub (Artemisia tridentata) and a tree (Pinus monophylla), two foundation species in a semiarid environment. Shrub microsites allowed trees to overcome an early population bottleneck and successfully establish in areas without tree cover. Shrubs facilitated trees at multiple ontogenetic stages, but the net outcome of the interaction shifted from strongly positive to neutral after the transition of P. monophylla from juvenile to adult foliage. Microhabitat conditions varied across a broad elevational gradient, but interaction outcomes were not strongly related to elevation. Favorable microsites provided by A. tridentata cover are crucial for P. monophylla recovery after stand-replacing disturbance. Models of vegetation response to rapid global environmental change should incorporate the critically important role of nurse shrub interactions for ameliorating population bottlenecks in tree establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra K Urza
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 920 Valley Rd, Reno, NV, 89512, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Peter J Weisberg
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89557, USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Jeanne C Chambers
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 920 Valley Rd, Reno, NV, 89512, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Benjamin W Sullivan
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89557, USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89557, USA
- Global Water Center, University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
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17
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Cameron H, Coulson T, Marshall DJ. Size and density mediate transitions between competition and facilitation. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1879-1888. [PMID: 31468661 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Species simultaneously compete with and facilitate one another. Size can mediate transitions along this competition-facilitation continuum, but the consequences for demography are unclear. We orthogonally manipulated the size of a focal species, and the size and density of a heterospecific neighbour, in the field using a model marine system. We then parameterised a size-structured population model with our experimental data. We found that heterospecific size and density interactively altered the population dynamics of the focal species. Size determined whether heterospecifics facilitated (when small) or competed with (when large) the focal species, while density strengthened these interactions. Such size-mediated interactions also altered the pace of the focal's life history. We provide the first demonstration that size and density mediate competition and facilitation from a population dynamical perspective. We suspect such effects are ubiquitous, but currently underappreciated. We reiterate classic cautions against inferences about competitive hierarchies made in the absence of size-specific data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Cameron
- Centre for Geometric Biology, School of Biological Sciences Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Tim Coulson
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Dustin J Marshall
- Centre for Geometric Biology, School of Biological Sciences Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
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18
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Raath‐Krüger MJ, McGeoch MA, Schöb C, Greve M, Roux PC. Positive plant–plant interactions expand the upper distributional limits of some vascular plant species. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan J. Raath‐Krüger
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences University of Pretoria Private Bag X20 Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Melodie A. McGeoch
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Christian Schöb
- Department of Environmental Systems Science Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich Zürich 8092 Switzerland
| | - Michelle Greve
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences University of Pretoria Private Bag X20 Pretoria 0002 South Africa
| | - Peter C. Roux
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences University of Pretoria Private Bag X20 Pretoria 0002 South Africa
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19
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Kelemen A, Tölgyesi C, Valkó O, Deák B, Miglécz T, Fekete R, Török P, Balogh N, Tóthmérész B. Density-Dependent Plant-Plant Interactions Triggered by Grazing. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:876. [PMID: 31333709 PMCID: PMC6624794 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Plant species performance in rangelands highly depends on the effect of grazing and also on the occurrence of unpalatable benefactor species that can act as biotic refuges protecting neighboring plants from herbivores. The balance between facilitation and competition may changes with the benefactor density. Despite the high number of studies on the role of biotic refuges, the density dependent effects of unpalatable herbaceous plants on the performance of other species, and on the habitat heterogeneity of rangelands are still unclear. Therefore, we performed a study to test the following hypotheses: (i) Performances of understory species follow a humped-back relationship along the density gradient of the unpalatable benefactor species. (ii) Small-scale heterogeneity of the vegetation decreases with increasing benefactor density. We studied meadow steppes with medium intensity cattle grazing in Hungary. We surveyed understory species' performance (number of flowering shoots and cover scores) along the density gradient of a common, native unpalatable species (Althaea officinalis). Our findings supported both hypotheses. We found unimodal relationship between the benefactor cover and both the flowering success and richness of understory species. Moreover, small-scale heterogeneity declined with increasing benefactor cover. In this study we detected a humped-back pattern of facilitation along the density gradient of an herbaceous benefactor in pastures. Indeed, this pattern was predictable based on such conceptual models like "consumer pressure-abiotic stress model," "humped-back model," "intermediate disturbance hypothesis," and "disturbance heterogeneity model"; but until now the validity of these relationships has not been demonstrated for herbaceous species. By the demonstration of this effect between herbaceous species we can better forecast the responses of grasslands to changes in management.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Kelemen
- MTA’s Post Doctoral Research Program, MTA TKI, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Csaba Tölgyesi
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Valkó
- MTA-DE Lendület Seed Ecology Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Balázs Deák
- MTA-DE Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tamás Miglécz
- Department of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Réka Fekete
- Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Péter Török
- MTA-DE Lendület Functional and Restoration Ecology Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nóra Balogh
- Juhász Nagy Pál Doctorate School, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Béla Tóthmérész
- Department of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- MTA-DE Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
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20
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Villellas J, García MB, Morris WF. Geographic location, local environment, and individual size mediate the effects of climate warming and neighbors on a benefactor plant. Oecologia 2018; 189:243-253. [PMID: 30467597 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4304-2] [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: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Predictions of plant responses to global warming frequently ignore biotic interactions and intraspecific variation across geographical ranges. Benefactor species play an important role in plant communities by protecting other taxa from harsh environments, but the combined effects of warming and beneficiary species on their performance have been largely unexamined. We analyzed the joint effects of elevated temperature and neighbor removal on the benefactor plant Silene acaulis, in factorial experiments near its low- and high-latitude range limits in Europe. We recorded growth, probability of reproduction and fruit set during 3 years. The effects of enhanced temperature were positive near the northern limit and negative in the south for some performance measures. This pattern was stronger in the presence of neighbors, possibly due to differential thermal tolerances between S. acaulis and beneficiary species in each location. Neighbors generally had a negative or null impact on S. acaulis, in agreement with previous reviews of overall effects of plant-plant interactions on benefactors. However, small S. acaulis individuals in the north showed higher growth when surrounded by neighbors. Finally, the local habitat within each location influenced some effects of experimental treatments. Overall, we show that plant responses to rising temperatures may strongly depend on their position within the geographic range, and on species interactions. Our results also highlight the need to consider features of the interacting taxa, such as whether they are benefactor species, as well as local-scale environmental variation, to predict the joint effects of global warming and biotic interactions on species and communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Villellas
- Biology Department, Duke University, 125 Science Dr, Durham, NC, 27708, USA. .,Departamento Biogeografía y Cambio Global, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN-CSIC, E-28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - María B García
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE-CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, Apdo. 13034, 50080, Saragossa, Spain
| | - William F Morris
- Biology Department, Duke University, 125 Science Dr, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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21
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Hoffmann AA, Rymer PD, Byrne M, Ruthrof KX, Whinam J, McGeoch M, Bergstrom DM, Guerin GR, Sparrow B, Joseph L, Hill SJ, Andrew NR, Camac J, Bell N, Riegler M, Gardner JL, Williams SE. Impacts of recent climate change on terrestrial flora and fauna: Some emerging Australian examples. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ary A. Hoffmann
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group School of BioSciences Bio21 Institute The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Paul D. Rymer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment University of Western Sydney Penrith New South Wales
| | - Margaret Byrne
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions Science Division Bentley Delivery Centre Bentley Western Australia Australia
| | - Katinka X. Ruthrof
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch Western Australia Australia
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Kings Park Science Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Jennie Whinam
- Geography and Spatial Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Melodie McGeoch
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | | | - Greg R. Guerin
- TERN School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Ben Sparrow
- TERN School of Biological Sciences and Environment Institute University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Leo Joseph
- Australian National Wildlife Collection National Research Collections Australia CSIRO Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Sarah J. Hill
- Insect Ecology Lab Centre of Excellence for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
| | - Nigel R. Andrew
- Insect Ecology Lab Centre of Excellence for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
| | - James Camac
- Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Nicholas Bell
- Pest and Environmental Adaptation Research Group School of BioSciences Bio21 Institute The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment University of Western Sydney Penrith New South Wales
| | - Janet L. Gardner
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Stephen E. Williams
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science College of Science & Engineering James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
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22
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Liu JF, Deng YP, Wang XF, Ni YY, Wang Q, Xiao WF, Lei JP, Jiang ZP, Li MH. The Concentration of Non-structural Carbohydrates, N, and P in Quercus variabilis Does Not Decline Toward Its Northernmost Distribution Range Along a 1500 km Transect in China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1444. [PMID: 30386352 PMCID: PMC6199963 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that determine plant distribution range is crucial for predicting climate-driven range shifts. Compared to altitudinal gradients, less attention has been paid to the mechanisms that determine latitudinal range limit. To test whether intrinsic resource limitation contributes to latitudinal range limits of woody species, we investigated the latitudinal variation in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC; i.e., total soluble sugar plus starch) and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in mature and juvenile Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis Blume) along a 1500 km north-south transect in China. During the growing season and dormant season, leaves, branches, and fine roots were collected from both mature and juvenile oaks in seven sites along the transect. Tissue concentration of NSCs, N, and P did not decrease with increasing latitude irrespective of sampling season and ontogenetic stage. Furthermore, higher levels of NSCs and N in tissues of juveniles relative to mature trees were found during the dormant season. Partial correlation analysis also revealed that during the dormant season, soluble sugar, NSC, the ratio of soluble sugar to starch, and tissue nitrogen concentration were correlated positively with latitude but negatively with precipitation and mean temperature of dormant season. Our results suggest that carbon or nutrient availability may not be the driving factors of the latitudinal range limit of the studied species. Further studies should be carried out at the community or ecosystem level with multiple species to additionally test the roles of factors such as regeneration, competition, and disturbance in determining a species' northern distribution limit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Yun-Peng Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Fei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Yan Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Research Institute of Forest, Ecology and Environment Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Fa Xiao
- Research Institute of Forest, Ecology and Environment Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Jing-Pin Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Ze-Ping Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Research Institute of Forest, Ecology and Environment Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Mai-He Li
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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23
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Leihy RI, Duffy GA, Chown SL. Species richness and turnover among indigenous and introduced plants and insects of the Southern Ocean Islands. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel I. Leihy
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Grant A. Duffy
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Steven L. Chown
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Victoria 3800 Australia
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24
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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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25
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Alexander JM, Chalmandrier L, Lenoir J, Burgess TI, Essl F, Haider S, Kueffer C, McDougall K, Milbau A, Nuñez MA, Pauchard A, Rabitsch W, Rew LJ, Sanders NJ, Pellissier L. Lags in the response of mountain plant communities to climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:563-579. [PMID: 29112781 PMCID: PMC5813787 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Rapid climatic changes and increasing human influence at high elevations around the world will have profound impacts on mountain biodiversity. However, forecasts from statistical models (e.g. species distribution models) rarely consider that plant community changes could substantially lag behind climatic changes, hindering our ability to make temporally realistic projections for the coming century. Indeed, the magnitudes of lags, and the relative importance of the different factors giving rise to them, remain poorly understood. We review evidence for three types of lag: "dispersal lags" affecting plant species' spread along elevational gradients, "establishment lags" following their arrival in recipient communities, and "extinction lags" of resident species. Variation in lags is explained by variation among species in physiological and demographic responses, by effects of altered biotic interactions, and by aspects of the physical environment. Of these, altered biotic interactions could contribute substantially to establishment and extinction lags, yet impacts of biotic interactions on range dynamics are poorly understood. We develop a mechanistic community model to illustrate how species turnover in future communities might lag behind simple expectations based on species' range shifts with unlimited dispersal. The model shows a combined contribution of altered biotic interactions and dispersal lags to plant community turnover along an elevational gradient following climate warming. Our review and simulation support the view that accounting for disequilibrium range dynamics will be essential for realistic forecasts of patterns of biodiversity under climate change, with implications for the conservation of mountain species and the ecosystem functions they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake M. Alexander
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Chalmandrier
- Landscape Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Lenoir
- UR « Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés » (EDYSAN, FRE 3498 CNRS-UPJV), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 1 Rue des Louvels, 80000 Amiens, France
| | - Treena I. Burgess
- Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, 6150, Australia
| | - Franz Essl
- Division of Conservation, Landscape and Vegetation Ecology, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylvia Haider
- Institute of Biology / Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Kueffer
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Keith McDougall
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, PO Box 821, Wodonga, Victoria, 3689, Australia
| | - Ann Milbau
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Martin A. Nuñez
- Grupo de Ecología de Invasiones, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, INIBIOMA, CONICET, Av. Pionero, 2335 C.P. 8400, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Aníbal Pauchard
- Laboratorio de Invasiones Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
| | - Wolfgang Rabitsch
- Environment Agency Austria, Department Biodiversity & Nature Conservation, Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa J. Rew
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Nathan J. Sanders
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark 2100
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Landscape Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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26
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Competition between native Antarctic vascular plants and invasive Poa annua changes with temperature and soil nitrogen availability. Biol Invasions 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1650-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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27
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Abstract
A single plant can interact both positively and negatively with its neighbors through the processes of facilitation and competition, respectively. Much of the variation in the balance of facilitation and competition that individuals experience can be explained by the degree of physical stress and the sizes or ages of plants during the interaction. Germination phenology partly controls both of these factors, but its role in defining the facilitation-competition balance has not been explicitly considered. I performed an experiment in a population of the winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) to test whether germinating during physically stressful periods leads to facilitation while germinating during periods that promote growth and reproduction leads to competition. I manipulated germination and neighbor presence across two years in order to quantify the effects of the local plant community on survival, fecundity, and total fitness as a function of germination phenology. Neighbors increased survival when germination occurred under conditions that were unsuitable for survival, but they reduced fecundity in germinants that were otherwise the most fecund. Later germination was associated with facilitation in the first year but competition in the second year. These episodes of facilitation and competition opposed each other, leading to no net effect of neighbors when averaged over all cohorts. These results indicate that variation in germination timing can explain some of the variation in the facilitation-competition balance in plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay D Leverett
- Program in Ecology and Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 27705, USA
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28
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Schwinning S, Meckel H, Reichmann LG, Polley HW, Fay PA. Accelerated development in Johnsongrass seedlings (Sorghum halepense) suppresses the growth of native grasses through size-asymmetric competition. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176042. [PMID: 28467488 PMCID: PMC5415093 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive plant species often dominate native species in competition, augmenting other potential advantages such as release from natural enemies. Resource pre-emption may be a particularly important mechanism for establishing dominance over competitors of the same functional type. We hypothesized that competitive success of an exotic grass against native grasses is mediated by establishing an early size advantage. We tested this prediction among four perennial C4 warm-season grasses: the exotic weed Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparius) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). We predicted that a) the competitive effect of Johnsongrass on target species would be proportional to their initial biomass difference, b) competitive effect and response would be negatively correlated and c) soil fertility would have little effect on competitive relationships. In a greenhouse, plants of the four species were grown from seed either alone or with one Johnsongrass neighbor at two fertilizer levels and periodically harvested. The first two hypotheses were supported: The seedling biomass of single plants at first harvest (50 days after seeding) ranked the same way as the competitive effect of Johnsongrass on target species: Johnsongrass < big bluestem < little bluestem/switchgrass, while Johnsongrass responded more strongly to competition from Johnsongrass than from native species. At final harvest, native plants growing with Johnsongrass attained between 2–5% of their single-plant non-root biomass, while Johnsongrass growing with native species attained 89% of single-plant non-root biomass. Fertilization enhanced Johnsongrass’ competitive effects on native species, but added little to the already severe competitive suppression. Accelerated early growth of Johnsongrass seedlings relative to native seedlings appeared to enable subsequent resource pre-emption. Size-asymmetric competition and resource-pre-emption may be a critical mechanism by which exotic invasive species displace functionally similar native species and alter the functional dynamics of native communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Schwinning
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Heather Meckel
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Lara G. Reichmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
- USDA-ARS Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, Texas, United States of America
| | - H. Wayne Polley
- USDA-ARS Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, Texas, United States of America
| | - Philip A. Fay
- USDA-ARS Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, Texas, United States of America
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Yang Y, Chen JG, Schöb C, Sun H. Size-Mediated Interaction between a Cushion Species and Other Non-cushion Species at High Elevations of the Hengduan Mountains, SW China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:465. [PMID: 28424726 PMCID: PMC5380752 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Arenaria polytrichoides (Caryophyllaceae) is a common cushion plant occurring at high elevations in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains, SW China. It frequently has other non-cushion species growing within its canopy, forming a contrast with the surrounding areas because it creates patches of higher diversity and greater biomass. In this study, we examined the relationship between the cushions and associated non-cushion species along a gradient of cushion size. A total of 200 A. polytrichoides individuals were selected to fit four size classes. Field measurements were carried out to assess canopy structure, functional traits relevant to growth and reproduction, and soil quality below cushions along the size gradient. Furthermore, the size effect of cushions on the richness and abundance of species and biomass production was also examined. All the morphological variables examined exhibited a positive correlation with cushion size, as did the nutrients under cushions. Large and compact cushions were associated with higher soil nutrient contents compared with small and loose cushions. As a result of these biogenic environmental changes, there was a stronger facilitation effect performed by large cushions. Data pertaining to functional traits revealed that large cushions benefit from the enhanced resources within their compact structure and exhibit greater fitness and a higher reproductive output than small cushions. Our data indicated that interactions occur between cushion species and other plants depending on the size of the cushions, probably because of the greater heterogeneity of conditions beneath larger cushions. These findings provide a clear demonstration of the generally overlooked importance of the traits of nurse plants, such as size and age, in terms of their facilitative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunming, China
| | - Jian-Guo Chen
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunming, China
| | - Christian Schöb
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of ZürichZürich, Switzerland
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunming, China
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Anthelme F, Meneses RI, Valero NNH, Pozo P, Dangles O. Fine nurse variations explain discrepancies in the stress-interaction relationship in alpine regions. OIKOS 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Anthelme
- Valero, AMAP, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRA, Univ. Montpellier; Montpellier France
| | - Rosa I. Meneses
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Cota Cota; La Paz Bolivia
| | | | - Paola Pozo
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Cota Cota; La Paz Bolivia
- Inst. de Ecología, Univ. Mayor San Andrés, Cota Cota; La Paz Bolivia
| | - Olivier Dangles
- IRD, UMR Evolution Génome Comportement et Ecologie, Univ. Paris-Sud CNRS-Paris-Saclay; Gif-sur-Yvette France
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Univ. Católica del Ecuador; Quito Ecuador
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Plein M, Bode M, Moir ML, Vesk PA. Translocation strategies for multiple species depend on interspecific interaction type. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:1186-1197. [PMID: 27509757 DOI: 10.1890/15-0409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Conservation translocations, anthropogenic movements of species to prevent their extinction, have increased substantially over the last few decades. Although multiple species are frequently moved to the same location, current translocation guidelines consider species in isolation. This practice ignores important interspecific interactions and thereby risks translocation failure. We model three different two-species systems to illustrate the inherent complexity of multispecies translocations and to assess the influence of different interaction types (consumer-resource, mutualism, and competition) on translocation strategies. We focus on how these different interaction types influence the optimal founder population sizes for successful translocations and the order in which the species are moved (simultaneous or sequential). Further, we assess the effect of interaction strength in simultaneous translocations and the time delay between translocations when moving two species sequentially. Our results show that translocation decisions need to reflect the type of interaction. While all translocations of interacting species require a minimum founder population size, which is demarked by an extinction boundary, consumer-resource translocations also have a maximum founder population limit. Above the minimum founder size, increasing the number of translocated individuals leads to a substantial increase in the extinction boundary of competitors and consumers, but not of mutualists. Competitive and consumer-resource systems benefit from sequential translocations, but the order of translocations does not change the outcomes for mutualistic interaction partners noticeably. Interspecific interactions are important processes that shape population dynamics and should therefore be incorporated into the quantitative planning of multispecies translocations. Our findings apply whenever interacting species are moved, for example, in reintroductions, conservation introductions, biological control, or ecosystem restoration.
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Macek P, Prieto I, Macková J, Pistón N, Pugnaire FI. Functional Plant Types Drive Plant Interactions in a Mediterranean Mountain Range. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:662. [PMID: 27242863 PMCID: PMC4876123 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Shrubs have positive (facilitation) and negative (competition) effects on understory plants, the net interaction effect being modulated by abiotic conditions. Overall shrubs influence to great extent the structure of plant communities where they have significant presence. Interactions in a plant community are quite diverse but little is known about their variability and effects at community level. Here we checked the effects of co-occurring shrub species from different functional types on a focal understory species, determining mechanisms driving interaction outcome, and tested whether effects measured on the focal species were a proxy for effects measured at the community level. Growth, physiological, and reproductive traits of Euphorbia nicaeensis, our focal species, were recorded on individuals growing in association with four dominant shrub species and in adjacent open areas. We also recorded community composition and environmental conditions in each microhabitat. Shrubs provided environmental conditions for plant growth, which contrasted with open areas, including moister soil, greater N content, higher air temperatures, and lower radiation. Shrub-associated individuals showed lower reproductive effort and greater allocation to growth, while most physiological traits remained unaffected. Euphorbia individuals were bigger and had more leaf N under N-fixing than under non-fixing species. Soil moisture was also higher under N-fixing shrubs; therefore soil conditions in the understory may counter reduced light conditions. There was a significant effect of species identity and functional types in the outcome of plant interactions with consistent effects at individual and community levels. The contrasting allocation strategies to reproduction and growth in Euphorbia plants, either associated or not with shrubs, showed high phenotypic plasticity and evidence its ability to cope with contrasting environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Macek
- Faculty of Science, University of South BohemiaČeské Budějovice, Czech Republic
- LINCGlobal, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasAlmería, Spain
| | - Iván Prieto
- LINCGlobal, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasAlmería, Spain
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive UMR 5175, Université de Montpellier – Université Paul Valéry – EPHEMontpellier, France
| | - Jana Macková
- LINCGlobal, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasAlmería, Spain
- Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre CASČeské Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Nuria Pistón
- LINCGlobal, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasAlmería, Spain
- Universidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Francisco I. Pugnaire
- LINCGlobal, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasAlmería, Spain
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Wang CH, Li B. Salinity and disturbance mediate direct and indirect plant-plant interactions in an assembled marsh community. Oecologia 2016; 182:139-52. [PMID: 27164913 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3650-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Direct and indirect plant-plant interactions play important roles in structuring plant communities, but the relative importance of physical stress and biological disturbance in mediating competitive outcomes remains debated. We conducted two common garden experiments to examine the influence of salinity and disturbance (sediment accretion and clipping) on competitive interactions among three native sedges (Scirpus mariqueter, Scirpus triqueter, and Carex scabrifolia) in the Yangtze estuary. In both experiments, the relative competitive abilities of these plants shifted among different treatments. Competition importance rather than intensity significantly decreased with increasing stress. At the community level, competition importance showed reduced variation along the stress gradient in the disturbance experiment. Notably, the performance of these sedges in three-species mixtures could not be predicted by their competitive relationships in two-species mixtures, which was an indication of indirect interactions. Salinity, disturbance and indirect interactions all affected the competitive dynamics of these sedges, which could explain their different performances and natural distributions in the Yangtze estuary. Our findings of the complex effects of physical factors and multi-species interactions, as well as the different patterns of competition importance along stress gradients at the species level and the community level can improve our understanding of plant community organization in salt marshes and other ecosystems with sharp environmental gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Huan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urbanization and Ecological Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Bo Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Navarro‐Cano JA, Goberna M, Valiente‐Banuet A, Verdú M. Same nurse but different time: temporal divergence in the facilitation of plant lineages with contrasted functional syndromes. Funct Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jose A. Navarro‐Cano
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC‐UVEG‐GV) Carretera Moncada – Náquera Km 4.5 Moncada Valencia 46113 Spain
| | - Marta Goberna
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC‐UVEG‐GV) Carretera Moncada – Náquera Km 4.5 Moncada Valencia 46113 Spain
| | - Alfonso Valiente‐Banuet
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad Instituto de Ecología Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México A.P., 70–275 C.P. 04510 Mexico DFMexico
| | - Miguel Verdú
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC‐UVEG‐GV) Carretera Moncada – Náquera Km 4.5 Moncada Valencia 46113 Spain
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35
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Smith AL, Blanchard W, Blair DP, McBurney L, Banks SC, Driscoll DA, Lindenmayer DB. The dynamic regeneration niche of a forest following a rare disturbance event. DIVERS DISTRIB 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Annabel L. Smith
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - David P. Blair
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Lachlan McBurney
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Sam C. Banks
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
| | - Don A. Driscoll
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Geelong 221 Burwood Highway Burwood Vic. 3125 Australia
| | - David B. Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Frank Fenner Building 141 Linnaeus Way Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions and the Long‐term Ecological Research Network, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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36
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Phiri EE, McGeoch MA, Chown SL. The abundance structure of Azorella selago Hook. f. on sub-Antarctic Marion Island: testing the peak and tail hypothesis. Polar Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1749-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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37
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Bergstrom DM, Bricher PK, Raymond B, Terauds A, Doley D, McGeoch MA, Whinam J, Glen M, Yuan Z, Kiefer K, Shaw JD, Bramely-Alves J, Rudman T, Mohammed C, Lucieer A, Visoiu M, Jansen van Vuuren B, Ball MC. Rapid collapse of a sub-Antarctic alpine ecosystem: the role of climate and pathogens. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dana M. Bergstrom
- Department of the Environment; Australian Antarctic Division; 203 Channel Highway Kingston Tas. 7050 Australia
| | - Phillippa K. Bricher
- School of Land and Food; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tas. 7001 Australia
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tas. 7001 Australia
| | - Ben Raymond
- Department of the Environment; Australian Antarctic Division; 203 Channel Highway Kingston Tas. 7050 Australia
| | - Aleks Terauds
- Department of the Environment; Australian Antarctic Division; 203 Channel Highway Kingston Tas. 7050 Australia
| | - David Doley
- Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Melodie A. McGeoch
- School of Biological Sciences; Monash University; Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Jennie Whinam
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment; Hobart Tas. 7000 Australia
| | - Morag Glen
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tas. 7001 Australia
| | - Ziqing Yuan
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment; Hobart Tas. 7000 Australia
| | - Kate Kiefer
- Department of the Environment; Australian Antarctic Division; 203 Channel Highway Kingston Tas. 7050 Australia
| | - Justine D. Shaw
- Department of the Environment; Australian Antarctic Division; 203 Channel Highway Kingston Tas. 7050 Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Jessica Bramely-Alves
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Wollongong; Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Tim Rudman
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment; Hobart Tas. 7000 Australia
| | - Caroline Mohammed
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tas. 7001 Australia
| | - Arko Lucieer
- School of Land and Food; University of Tasmania; Hobart Tas. 7001 Australia
| | - Micah Visoiu
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment; Hobart Tas. 7000 Australia
| | | | - Marilyn C. Ball
- Science Division; Research School of Biology; The Australian National University; Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
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Both facilitation and limiting similarity shape the species coexistence in dry alkali grasslands. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2014.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Soliveres S, Smit C, Maestre FT. Moving forward on facilitation research: response to changing environments and effects on the diversity, functioning and evolution of plant communities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 90:297-313. [PMID: 24774563 PMCID: PMC4407973 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2013] [Revised: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Once seen as anomalous, facilitative interactions among plants and their importance for community structure and functioning are now widely recognized. The growing body of modelling, descriptive and experimental studies on facilitation covers a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic systems throughout the globe. However, the lack of a general body of theory linking facilitation among different types of organisms and biomes and their responses to environmental changes prevents further advances in our knowledge regarding the evolutionary and ecological implications of facilitation in plant communities. Moreover, insights gathered from alternative lines of inquiry may substantially improve our understanding of facilitation, but these have been largely neglected thus far. Despite over 15 years of research and debate on this topic, there is no consensus on the degree to which plant-plant interactions change predictably along environmental gradients (i.e. the stress-gradient hypothesis), and this hinders our ability to predict how plant-plant interactions may affect the response of plant communities to ongoing global environmental change. The existing controversies regarding the response of plant-plant interactions across environmental gradients can be reconciled when clearly considering and determining the species-specificity of the response, the functional or individual stress type, and the scale of interest (pairwise interactions or community-level response). Here, we introduce a theoretical framework to do this, supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. We also discuss current gaps in our knowledge regarding how plant-plant interactions change along environmental gradients. These include the existence of thresholds in the amount of species-specific stress that a benefactor can alleviate, the linearity or non-linearity of the response of pairwise interactions across distance from the ecological optimum of the beneficiary, and the need to explore further how frequent interactions among multiple species are and how they change across different environments. We review the latest advances in these topics and provide new approaches to fill current gaps in our knowledge. We also apply our theoretical framework to advance our knowledge on the evolutionary aspects of plant facilitation, and the relative importance of facilitation, in comparison with other ecological processes, for maintaining ecosystem structure, functioning and dynamics. We build links between these topics and related fields, such as ecological restoration, woody encroachment, invasion ecology, ecological modelling and biodiversity-ecosystem-functioning relationships. By identifying commonalities and insights from alternative lines of research, we further advance our understanding of facilitation and provide testable hypotheses regarding the role of (positive) biotic interactions in the maintenance of biodiversity and the response of ecological communities to ongoing environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Soliveres
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Christian Smit
- Community and Conservation Ecology group, Centre for Evolutionary and Ecological Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, Nijenborg 7, 9700 CC Groningen, the Netherland
| | - Fernando T. Maestre
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
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Schöb C, Callaway RM, Anthelme F, Brooker RW, Cavieres LA, Kikvidze Z, Lortie CJ, Michalet R, Pugnaire FI, Xiao S, Cranston BH, García MC, Hupp NR, Llambí LD, Lingua E, Reid AM, Zhao L, Butterfield BJ. The context dependence of beneficiary feedback effects on benefactors in plant facilitation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2014; 204:386-96. [PMID: 24985245 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Facilitative effects of some species on others are a major driver of biodiversity. These positive effects of a benefactor on its beneficiary can result in negative feedback effects of the beneficiary on the benefactor and reduced fitness of the benefactor. However, in contrast to the wealth of studies on facilitative effects in different environments, we know little about whether the feedback effects show predictable patterns of context dependence. We reanalyzed a global data set on alpine cushion plants, previously used to assess their positive effects on biodiversity and the nature of the beneficiary feedback effects, to specifically assess the context dependence of how small- and large-scale drivers alter the feedback effects of cushion-associated (beneficiary) species on their cushion benefactors using structural equation modelling. The effect of beneficiaries on cushions became negative when beneficiary diversity increased and facilitation was more intense. Local-scale biotic and climatic conditions mediated these community-scale processes, having indirect effects on the feedback effect. High-productivity sites demonstrated weaker negative feedback effects of beneficiaries on the benefactor. Our results indicate a limited impact of the beneficiary feedback effects on benefactor cushions, but strong context dependence. This context dependence may help to explain the ecological and evolutionary persistence of this widespread facilitative system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schöb
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
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Souza FM, Gandolfi S, Rodrigues RR. Deciduousness Influences the Understory Community in a Semideciduous Tropical Forest. Biotropica 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Flaviana M. Souza
- Department of Forest Ecology; Forestry Institute; Rua do Horto, 931 São Paulo CEP 02377-000 SP Brazil
| | - Sergius Gandolfi
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of São Paulo - ESALQ; Caixa postal 9 Piracicaba CEP 13418-900 SP Brazil
| | - Ricardo R. Rodrigues
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of São Paulo - ESALQ; Caixa postal 9 Piracicaba CEP 13418-900 SP Brazil
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Anthelme F, Cavieres LA, Dangles O. Facilitation among plants in alpine environments in the face of climate change. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:387. [PMID: 25161660 PMCID: PMC4130109 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
While there is a large consensus that plant-plant interactions are a crucial component of the response of plant communities to the effects of climate change, available data remain scarce, particularly in alpine systems. This represents an important obstacle to making consistent predictions about the future of plant communities. Here, we review current knowledge on the effects of climate change on facilitation among alpine plant communities and propose directions for future research. In established alpine communities, while warming seemingly generates a net facilitation release, earlier snowmelt may increase facilitation. Some nurse plants are able to buffer microenvironmental changes in the long term and may ensure the persistence of other alpine plants through local migration events. For communities migrating to higher elevations, facilitation should play an important role in their reorganization because of the harsher environmental conditions. In particular, the absence of efficient nurse plants might slow down upward migration, possibly generating chains of extinction. Facilitation-climate change relationships are expected to shift along latitudinal gradients because (1) the magnitude of warming is predicted to vary along these gradients, and (2) alpine environments are significantly different at low vs. high latitudes. Data on these expected patterns are preliminary and thus need to be tested with further studies on facilitation among plants in alpine environments that have thus far not been considered. From a methodological standpoint, future studies will benefit from the spatial representation of the microclimatic environment of plants to predict their response to climate change. Moreover, the acquisition of long-term data on the dynamics of plant-plant interactions, either through permanent plots or chronosequences of glacial recession, may represent powerful approaches to clarify the relationship between plant interactions and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Anthelme
- Institut de Recherche Pour le Développement, UMR AMAPMontpellier, France
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Mayor San AndrésLa Paz, Bolivia
| | - Lohengrin A. Cavieres
- Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de ConcepciónConcepción, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y BiodiversidadSantiago, Chile
| | - Olivier Dangles
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UR 072, Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes et Spéciation, UPR 9034, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueGif-sur-Yvette, France
- Université Paris-Sud 11Orsay, France
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Armas C, Schöb C, Gutiérrez JR. Modulating effects of ontogeny on the outcome of plant-plant interactions along stress gradients. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2013; 200:7-9. [PMID: 24032565 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Armas
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 554, La Serena, Chile
| | - Christian Schöb
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Julio R Gutiérrez
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 554, La Serena, Chile
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