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Bartholomew DC, Hayward R, Burslem DFRP, Bittencourt PRL, Chapman D, Bin Suis MAF, Nilus R, O'Brien MJ, Reynolds G, Rowland L, Banin LF, Dent D. Bornean tropical forests recovering from logging at risk of regeneration failure. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17209. [PMID: 38469989 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17209] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Active restoration through silvicultural treatments (enrichment planting, cutting climbers and liberation thinning) is considered an important intervention in logged forests. However, its ability to enhance regeneration is key for long-term recovery of logged forests, which remains poorly understood, particularly for the production and survival of seedlings in subsequent generations. To understand the long-term impacts of logging and restoration we tracked the diversity, survival and traits of seedlings that germinated immediately after a mast fruiting in North Borneo in unlogged and logged forests 30-35 years after logging. We monitored 5119 seedlings from germination for ~1.5 years across a mixed landscape of unlogged forests (ULs), naturally regenerating logged forests (NR) and actively restored logged forests via rehabilitative silvicultural treatments (AR), 15-27 years after restoration. We measured 14 leaf, root and biomass allocation traits on 399 seedlings from 15 species. Soon after fruiting, UL and AR forests had higher seedling densities than NR forest, but survival was the lowest in AR forests in the first 6 months. Community composition differed among forest types; AR and NR forests had lower species richness and lower evenness than UL forests by 5-6 months post-mast but did not differ between them. Differences in community composition altered community-weighted mean trait values across forest types, with higher root biomass allocation in NR relative to UL forest. Traits influenced mortality ~3 months post-mast, with more acquisitive traits and relative aboveground investment favoured in AR forests relative to UL forests. Our findings of reduced seedling survival and diversity suggest long time lags in post-logging recruitment, particularly for some taxa. Active restoration of logged forests recovers initial seedling production, but elevated mortality in AR forests lowers the efficacy of active restoration to enhance recruitment or diversity of seedling communities. This suggests current active restoration practices may fail to overcome barriers to regeneration in logged forests, which may drive long-term changes in future forest plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Bartholomew
- School of Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Richmond, UK
| | - Robin Hayward
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | | | - Daniel Chapman
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | | | - Reuben Nilus
- Forest Research Centre Sepilok, Sandakan, Malaysia
| | - Michael J O'Brien
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Almería, Spain
| | - Glen Reynolds
- SE Asia Rainforest Research Partnership, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Lucy Rowland
- School of Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Daisy Dent
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
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2
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Delavaux CS, Crowther TW, Bever JD, Weigelt P, Gora EM. Mutualisms weaken the latitudinal diversity gradient among oceanic islands. Nature 2024; 627:335-339. [PMID: 38418873 PMCID: PMC10937366 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07110-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) dominates global patterns of diversity1,2, but the factors that underlie the LDG remain elusive. Here we use a unique global dataset3 to show that vascular plants on oceanic islands exhibit a weakened LDG and explore potential mechanisms for this effect. Our results show that traditional physical drivers of island biogeography4-namely area and isolation-contribute to the difference between island and mainland diversity at a given latitude (that is, the island species deficit), as smaller and more distant islands experience reduced colonization. However, plant species with mutualists are underrepresented on islands, and we find that this plant mutualism filter explains more variation in the island species deficit than abiotic factors. In particular, plant species that require animal pollinators or microbial mutualists such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contribute disproportionately to the island species deficit near the Equator, with contributions decreasing with distance from the Equator. Plant mutualist filters on species richness are particularly strong at low absolute latitudes where mainland richness is highest, weakening the LDG of oceanic islands. These results provide empirical evidence that mutualisms, habitat heterogeneity and dispersal are key to the maintenance of high tropical plant diversity and mediate the biogeographic patterns of plant diversity on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille S Delavaux
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
| | - Thomas W Crowther
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - James D Bever
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Kansas Biological Survey, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Patrick Weigelt
- Department of Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Campus Institute Data Science, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Evan M Gora
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá City, Panamá
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA
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3
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Wang X, He Y, Sedio BE, Jin L, Ge X, Glomglieng S, Cao M, Yang J, Swenson NG, Yang J. Phytochemical diversity impacts herbivory in a tropical rainforest tree community. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1898-1910. [PMID: 37776563 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Metabolomics provides an unprecedented window into diverse plant secondary metabolites that represent a potentially critical niche dimension in tropical forests underlying species coexistence. Here, we used untargeted metabolomics to evaluate chemical composition of 358 tree species and its relationship with phylogeny and variation in light environment, soil nutrients, and insect herbivore leaf damage in a tropical rainforest plot. We report no phylogenetic signal in most compound classes, indicating rapid diversification in tree metabolomes. We found that locally co-occurring species were more chemically dissimilar than random and that local chemical dispersion and metabolite diversity were associated with lower herbivory, especially that of specialist insect herbivores. Our results highlight the role of secondary metabolites in mediating plant-herbivore interactions and their potential to facilitate niche differentiation in a manner that contributes to species coexistence. Furthermore, our findings suggest that specialist herbivore pressure is an important mechanism promoting phytochemical diversity in tropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuezhao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Ecology and Environment, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, China
| | - Yunyun He
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Brian E Sedio
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Texas, Austin, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancón, Republic of Panama
| | - Lu Jin
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuejun Ge
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Suphanee Glomglieng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Cao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jianhong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Nathan G Swenson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Jie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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4
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Walker TWN, Schrodt F, Allard PM, Defossez E, Jassey VEJ, Schuman MC, Alexander JM, Baines O, Baldy V, Bardgett RD, Capdevila P, Coley PD, van Dam NM, David B, Descombes P, Endara MJ, Fernandez C, Forrister D, Gargallo-Garriga A, Glauser G, Marr S, Neumann S, Pellissier L, Peters K, Rasmann S, Roessner U, Salguero-Gómez R, Sardans J, Weckwerth W, Wolfender JL, Peñuelas J. Leaf metabolic traits reveal hidden dimensions of plant form and function. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi4029. [PMID: 37647404 PMCID: PMC10468135 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi4029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The metabolome is the biochemical basis of plant form and function, but we know little about its macroecological variation across the plant kingdom. Here, we used the plant functional trait concept to interpret leaf metabolome variation among 457 tropical and 339 temperate plant species. Distilling metabolite chemistry into five metabolic functional traits reveals that plants vary on two major axes of leaf metabolic specialization-a leaf chemical defense spectrum and an expression of leaf longevity. Axes are similar for tropical and temperate species, with many trait combinations being viable. However, metabolic traits vary orthogonally to life-history strategies described by widely used functional traits. The metabolome thus expands the functional trait concept by providing additional axes of metabolic specialization for examining plant form and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom W. N. Walker
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Schrodt
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Pierre-Marie Allard
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Defossez
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Vincent E. J. Jassey
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Meredith C. Schuman
- Departments of Geography and Chemistry, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jake M. Alexander
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Baines
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Virginie Baldy
- Aix Marseille Université, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Richard D. Bardgett
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Pol Capdevila
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Phyllis D. Coley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Nicole M. van Dam
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental crops (IGZ), 14979 Großbeeren, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bruno David
- Green Mission Pierre Fabre, Institut de Recherche Pierre Fabre, 31562 Toulouse, France
| | - Patrice Descombes
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Ecosystems and Landscape Evolution, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Musée et Jardins botaniques cantonaux, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - María-José Endara
- Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de Las Américas, 170124 Quito, Ecuador
| | - Catherine Fernandez
- Aix Marseille Université, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France
| | - Dale Forrister
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Albert Gargallo-Garriga
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
- Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Gaëtan Glauser
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Sue Marr
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Bioinformatics and Scientific Data, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg, 06108 Halle, Germany
| | - Steffen Neumann
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Bioinformatics and Scientific Data, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Ecosystems and Landscape Evolution, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Kristian Peters
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Bioinformatics and Scientific Data, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg, 06108 Halle, Germany
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Ute Roessner
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 2601 Acton, Australia
| | | | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Wolfram Weckwerth
- Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, 1010 University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Metabolomics Center, 1010 University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jean-Luc Wolfender
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
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5
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Kalyuzhny M, Lake JK, Wright SJ, Ostling AM. Pervasive within-species spatial repulsion among adult tropical trees. Science 2023; 381:563-568. [PMID: 37535716 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg7021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
For species to coexist, performance must decline as the density of conspecific individuals increases. Although evidence for such conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) exists in forests, the within-species spatial repulsion it should produce has rarely been demonstrated in adults. In this study, we show that in comparison to a null model of stochastic birth, death, and limited dispersal, the adults of dozens of tropical forest tree species show strong spatial repulsion, some to surprising distances of approximately 100 meters. We used simulations to show that such strong repulsion can only occur if CNDD considerably exceeds heterospecific negative density dependence-an even stronger condition required for coexistence-and that large-scale repulsion can indeed result from small-scale CNDD. These results demonstrate substantial niche differences between species that may stabilize species diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kalyuzhny
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jeffrey K Lake
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - S Joseph Wright
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa 0843-03092, Republic of Panama
| | - Annette M Ostling
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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6
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Anderegg LDL. Why can't we predict traits from the environment? THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:1998-2004. [PMID: 36308517 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant functional traits are powerful ecological tools, but the relationships between plant traits and climate (or environmental variables more broadly) are often remarkably weak. This presents a paradox: Plant traits govern plant interactions with their environment, but the environment does not strongly predict the traits of plants living there. Unpacking this paradox requires differentiating the mechanisms of trait variation and potential confounds of trait-environment relationships at different evolutionary and ecological scales ranging from within species to among communities. It also necessitates a more integrated understanding of physiological and evolutionary equifinality among many traits and plant strategies, and challenges us to understand how supposedly 'functional' traits integrate into a whole-organism phenotype in ways that may be largely orthogonal to environmental tolerances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leander D L Anderegg
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93117, USA
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7
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Zobel M, Moora M, Pärtel M, Semchenko M, Tedersoo L, Öpik M, Davison J. The multiscale feedback theory of biodiversity. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:171-182. [PMID: 36182404 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants and their environments engage in feedback loops that not only affect individuals, but also scale up to the ecosystem level. Community-level negative feedback facilitates local diversity, while the ability of plants to engineer ecosystem-wide conditions for their own benefit enhances local dominance. Here, we suggest that local and regional processes influencing diversity are inherently correlated: community-level negative feedback predominates among large species pools formed under historically common conditions; ecosystem-level positive feedback is most apparent in historically restricted habitats. Given enough time and space, evolutionary processes should lead to transitions between systems dominated by positive and negative feedbacks: species-poor systems should become richer due to diversification of dominants and adaptation of subordinates; however, new monodominants may emerge due to migration or new adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Zobel
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Mari Moora
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Meelis Pärtel
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Marina Semchenko
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Leho Tedersoo
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Biology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maarja Öpik
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - John Davison
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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8
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Forrister DL, Endara MJ, Soule AJ, Younkin GC, Mills AG, Lokvam J, Dexter KG, Pennington RT, Kidner CA, Nicholls JA, Loiseau O, Kursar TA, Coley PD. Diversity and divergence: evolution of secondary metabolism in the tropical tree genus Inga. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:631-642. [PMID: 36263711 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plants are widely recognized as chemical factories, with each species producing dozens to hundreds of unique secondary metabolites. These compounds shape the interactions between plants and their natural enemies. We explore the evolutionary patterns and processes by which plants generate chemical diversity, from evolving novel compounds to unique chemical profiles. We characterized the chemical profile of one-third of the species of tropical rainforest trees in the genus Inga (c. 100, Fabaceae) using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and applied phylogenetic comparative methods to understand the mode of chemical evolution. We show: each Inga species contain structurally unrelated compounds and high levels of phytochemical diversity; closely related species have divergent chemical profiles, with individual compounds, compound classes, and chemical profiles showing little-to-no phylogenetic signal; at the evolutionary time scale, a species' chemical profile shows a signature of divergent adaptation. At the ecological time scale, sympatric species were the most divergent, implying it is also advantageous to maintain a unique chemical profile from community members; finally, we integrate these patterns with a model for how chemical diversity evolves. Taken together, these results show that phytochemical diversity and divergence are fundamental to the ecology and evolution of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale L Forrister
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Aline W. Skaggs Biology Building, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
| | - María-José Endara
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Aline W. Skaggs Biology Building, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud-BIOMAS - Universidad de las Américas, 170513, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Abrianna J Soule
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Aline W. Skaggs Biology Building, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
| | - Gordon C Younkin
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Anthony G Mills
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Aline W. Skaggs Biology Building, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
| | - John Lokvam
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Aline W. Skaggs Biology Building, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
| | - Kyle G Dexter
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, UK
| | - R Toby Pennington
- Department of Geography, University of Exeter, Laver Building, North Park Road, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Catherine A Kidner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK
- Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, UK
| | - James A Nicholls
- The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), Building 101, Clunies Ross Street, Black Mountain, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Oriane Loiseau
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL, UK
| | - Thomas A Kursar
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Aline W. Skaggs Biology Building, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
| | - Phyllis D Coley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Aline W. Skaggs Biology Building, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
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9
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da Silva DA, Pfeifer M, Vibrans AC. Conspecific density plays a pivotal role in shaping sapling community in highly fragmented subtropical forests. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Augusto da Silva
- Environmental Engineering Graduate Program Regional University of Blumenau Blumenau São Paulo Brazil
| | - Marion Pfeifer
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Modelling, Evidence and Policy Group Newcastle University Newcastle Upon Tyne UK
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10
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Wang F, Mi X, Chen L, Xu W, Durka W, Swenson NG, Johnson DJ, Worthy SJ, Xue J, Zhu Y, Schmid B, Liang Y, Ma K. Differential impacts of adult trees on offspring and non-offspring recruits in a subtropical forest. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1905-1913. [PMID: 36098896 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2148-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
An important mechanism promoting species coexistence is conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD), which inhibits conspecific neighbors by accumulating host-specific enemies near adult trees. Natural enemies may be genotype-specific and regulate offspring dynamics more strongly than non-offspring, which is often neglected due to the difficulty in ascertaining genetic relatedness. Here, we investigated whether offspring and non-offspring of a dominant species, Castanopsis eyrei, suffered from different strength of CNDD based on parentage assignment in a subtropical forest. We found decreased recruitment efficiency (proxy of survival probability) of offspring compared with non-offspring near adult trees during the seedling-sapling transition, suggesting genotype-dependent interactions drive tree demographic dynamics. Furthermore, the genetic similarity between individuals of same cohort decreased in late life history stages, indicating genetic-relatedness-dependent tree mortality throughout ontogeny. Our results demonstrate that within-species genetic relatedness significantly affects the strength of CNDD, implying genotype-specific natural enemies may contribute to population dynamics in natural forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiangcheng Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Wubing Xu
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Walter Durka
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Department Community Ecology, Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, Halle, 06120, Germany
| | - Nathan G Swenson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, 46556, USA
- University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center, Land O'Lakes, Wisconsin, 54540, USA
| | - Daniel J Johnson
- School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Samantha J Worthy
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742, USA
| | - Jianhua Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Bernhard Schmid
- Department of Geography, Remote Sensing Laboratories, University of Zürich, Zürich, CH-8006, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Yu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Keping Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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11
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Holík J, Janík D. Seed and seedling predation by vertebrates mediates the effects of adult trees in two temperate tree species. Oecologia 2022; 199:625-636. [PMID: 35661249 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05203-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Specialised natural enemies can locally suppress seeds and seedlings near conspecific adults more than far from them. Whilst this is thought to facilitate species coexistence, the relative contribution of multiple enemies to whether heterospecific seeds and seedlings rather than conspecifics perform better beneath a particular adult species remains less clear, especially in regions with spatially extensive monodominant stands. We designed a field exclusion experiment to separate the effects of fungi, insects and vertebrates on the seedling establishment and early survival of two temperate tree species, Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies, in the adult tree monocultures of these species. Our experiment demonstrates the key role of vertebrates in mediating the effects of adult trees on seeds and seedlings. Due to vertebrates and partly insects, Fagus sylvatica seedlings survived worse beneath conspecific than heterospecific adults and were also outperformed by Picea abies seedlings beneath their own adults. Picea abies seedling establishment was higher beneath conspecific than heterospecific adults, but Fagus sylvatica seedlings outperformed them beneath their own adults. The impact of enemies on Picea abies establishment beneath conspecific adults was less clear. Fungi did not influence seedling establishment and survival. Our findings highlight the need to compare enemy impacts on each seedling species beneath conspecific and heterospecific adults with their impacts on conspecific and heterospecific seedlings beneath a particular adult species. Such evaluations can shed more light on the role of enemies in tree communities by identifying the plant-enemy interactions that facilitate species coexistence and those that promote species monodominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Holík
- Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - David Janík
- Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic
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12
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Salazar D, Marquis RJ. Testing the role of local plant chemical diversity on plant-herbivore interactions and plant species coexistence. Ecology 2022; 103:e3765. [PMID: 35611398 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that herbivorous insects influence local composition and richness of Neotropical plant species, particularly in species-rich genera. Species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and chemical diversity all influence the ability of insect herbivores to find and utilize their hosts. The relative impact of these components of diversity on species coexistence and plant-herbivore interactions is not well understood. We constructed 60 local communities of up to 13 species of Piper (Piperaceae) in native, mature forest at a lowland wet forest location in Costa Rica. Species composition of each community was chosen such that species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and GCMS-based chemical diversity were varied independently among communities. We predicted that chemical diversity would most strongly affect the communities across time, with smaller effects of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Thirteen months after the experimental planting, we assessed survivorship of each cutting, measured total leaf area loss of the survivors, leaf area loss to generalist and specialist herbivorous insect species, and local extinction of species. Generalist and specialist herbivory decreased with increasing levels of species richness and phylogenetic diversity, respectively. Surprisingly, there was no independent effect of chemical diversity on any of the three measures of herbivore damage. Nevertheless, plots with a higher chemical and phylogenetic diversity showed decreased plant mortality and local species extinction. Overall, our results suggest that both chemical and phylogenetic similarity are important factors in the assembly and maintenance of tropical plant communities. The fact that chemical diversity influences plant mortality suggests that leaf herbivores, and possibly other plant natural enemies, could increase plant diversity via selective mortality of similar chemotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Salazar
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University
| | - Robert J Marquis
- Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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13
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Queenborough SA, Alvia P, Valencia R. Wind dispersal and 1‐year survival of
Vataireopsis iglesiasii
(Fabaceae) seedlings in a Neotropical lowland rain forest. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon A. Queenborough
- Yale School of the Environment Yale University New Haven CT USA
- Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Quito Ecuador
| | - Pablo Alvia
- Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Quito Ecuador
| | - Renato Valencia
- Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Quito Ecuador
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14
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McConkey KR, Aldy F, Ong L, Sutisna DJ, Campos‐Arceiz A. Lost mutualisms: Seed dispersal by Sumatran rhinos, the world’s most threatened megafauna. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kim R. McConkey
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Kajang Selangor Malaysia
| | - Firmann Aldy
- Konservasi Rimba Indonesia Kota Depok West Java Indonesia
| | - Lisa Ong
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Kajang Selangor Malaysia
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences & Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Mengla Yunnan China
| | | | - Ahimsa Campos‐Arceiz
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Kajang Selangor Malaysia
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences & Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Mengla Yunnan China
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15
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Garzon‐Lopez CX, Barcenas EM, Ordoñez A, Jansen PA, Bohlman SA, Olff H. Recruitment limitation in three large‐seeded plant species in a tropical moist forest. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carol X. Garzon‐Lopez
- Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
- Ecology and plant physiology group (Ecofiv) Universidad de los Andes Bogota Colombia
| | | | - Alejandro Ordoñez
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Department of Bioscience Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Patrick A. Jansen
- Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Ancon Panama
- Department of Environmental Sciences Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Stephanie A. Bohlman
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Ancon Panama
- School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - Han Olff
- Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
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16
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Song X, Corlett RT. Do natural enemies mediate conspecific negative distance‐ and density‐dependence of trees? A meta‐analysis of exclusion experiments. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
| | - Richard T. Corlett
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences Mengla China
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17
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Piperno DR, McMichael CH, Pitman NCA, Andino JEG, Ríos Paredes M, Heijink BM, Torres-Montenegro LA. A 5,000-year vegetation and fire history for tierra firme forests in the Medio Putumayo-Algodón watersheds, northeastern Peru. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2022213118. [PMID: 34580207 PMCID: PMC8501791 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022213118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper addresses an important debate in Amazonian studies; namely, the scale, intensity, and nature of human modification of the forests in prehistory. Phytolith and charcoal analysis of terrestrial soils underneath mature tierra firme (nonflooded, nonriverine) forests in the remote Medio Putumayo-Algodón watersheds, northeastern Peru, provide a vegetation and fire history spanning at least the past 5,000 y. A tree inventory carried out in the region enables calibration of ancient phytolith records with standing vegetation and estimates of palm species densities on the landscape through time. Phytolith records show no evidence for forest clearing or agriculture with major annual seed and root crops. Frequencies of important economic palms such as Oenocarpus, Euterpe, Bactris, and Astrocaryum spp., some of which contain hyperdominant species in the modern flora, do not increase through prehistoric time. This indicates pre-Columbian occupations, if documented in the region with future research, did not significantly increase the abundance of those species through management or cultivation. Phytoliths from other arboreal and woody species similarly reflect a stable forest structure and diversity throughout the records. Charcoal 14C dates evidence local forest burning between ca. 2,800 and 1,400 y ago. Our data support previous research indicating that considerable areas of some Amazonian tierra firme forests were not significantly impacted by human activities during the prehistoric era. Rather, it appears that over the last 5,000 y, indigenous populations in this region coexisted with, and helped maintain, large expanses of relatively unmodified forest, as they continue to do today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolores R Piperno
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560;
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Crystal H McMichael
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nigel C A Pitman
- Keller Science Action Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605-2496
| | - Juan Ernesto Guevara Andino
- Keller Science Action Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605-2496
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud-BIOMAS-Universidad de las Américas, Quito 170513, Ecuador
| | - Marcos Ríos Paredes
- Keller Science Action Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605-2496
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Britte M Heijink
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Luis A Torres-Montenegro
- Keller Science Action Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605-2496
- Herbarium Amazonense, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos 16002, Peru
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18
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Barry KE, Schnitzer SA. Are we missing the forest for the trees? Conspecific negative density dependence in a temperate deciduous forest. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245639. [PMID: 34264937 PMCID: PMC8282035 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the central goals of ecology is to determine the mechanisms that enable coexistence among species. Evidence is accruing that conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD), the process by which plant seedlings are unable to survive in the area surrounding adults of their same species, is a major contributor to tree species coexistence. However, for CNDD to maintain community-level diversity, three conditions must be met. First, CNDD must maintain diversity for the majority of the woody plant community (rather than merely specific groups). Second, the pattern of repelled recruitment must increase in with plant size. Third, CNDD should extend to the majority of plant life history strategies. These three conditions are rarely tested simultaneously. In this study, we simultaneously test all three conditions in a woody plant community in a North American temperate forest. We examined whether understory and canopy woody species across height categories and dispersal syndromes were overdispersed-a spatial pattern indicative of CNDD-using spatial point pattern analysis across life history stages and strategies. We found that there was a strong signal of overdispersal at the community level. Across the whole community, larger individuals were more overdispersed than smaller individuals. The overdispersion of large individuals, however, was driven by canopy trees. By contrast, understory woody species were not overdispersed as adults. This finding indicates that the focus on trees for the vast majority of CNDD studies may have biased the perception of the prevalence of CNDD as a dominant mechanism that maintains community-level diversity when, according to our data, CNDD may be restricted largely to trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E. Barry
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Biodiversity Working Group, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Stefan A. Schnitzer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States of America
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19
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Sedio BE, Spasojevic MJ, Myers JA, Wright SJ, Person MD, Chandrasekaran H, Dwenger JH, Prechi ML, López CA, Allen DN, Anderson-Teixeira KJ, Baltzer JL, Bourg NA, Castillo BT, Day NJ, Dewald-Wang E, Dick CW, James TY, Kueneman JG, LaManna J, Lutz JA, McGregor IR, McMahon SM, Parker GG, Parker JD, Vandermeer JH. Chemical Similarity of Co-occurring Trees Decreases With Precipitation and Temperature in North American Forests. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.679638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant diversity varies immensely over large-scale gradients in temperature, precipitation, and seasonality at global and regional scales. This relationship may be driven in part by climatic variation in the relative importance of abiotic and biotic interactions to the diversity and composition of plant communities. In particular, biotic interactions may become stronger and more host specific with increasing precipitation and temperature, resulting in greater plant species richness in wetter and warmer environments. This hypothesis predicts that the many defensive compounds found in plants’ metabolomes should increase in richness and decrease in interspecific similarity with precipitation, temperature, and plant diversity. To test this prediction, we compared patterns of chemical and morphological trait diversity of 140 woody plant species among seven temperate forests in North America representing 16.2°C variation in mean annual temperature (MAT), 2,115 mm variation in mean annual precipitation (MAP), and from 10 to 68 co-occurring species. We used untargeted metabolomics methods based on data generated with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to identify, classify, and compare 13,480 unique foliar metabolites and to quantify the metabolomic similarity of species in each community with respect to the whole metabolome and each of five broad classes of metabolites. In addition, we compiled morphological trait data from existing databases and field surveys for three commonly measured traits (specific leaf area [SLA], wood density, and seed mass) for comparison with foliar metabolomes. We found that chemical defense strategies and growth and allocation strategies reflected by these traits largely represented orthogonal axes of variation. In addition, functional dispersion of SLA increased with MAP, whereas functional richness of wood density and seed mass increased with MAT. In contrast, chemical similarity of co-occurring species decreased with both MAT and MAP, and metabolite richness increased with MAT. Variation in metabolite richness among communities was positively correlated with species richness, but variation in mean chemical similarity was not. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that plant metabolomes play a more important role in community assembly in wetter and warmer climates, even at temperate latitudes, and suggest that metabolomic traits can provide unique insight to studies of trait-based community assembly.
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20
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He Q, Pilosof S, Tiedje KE, Day KP, Pascual M. Frequency-Dependent Competition Between Strains Imparts Persistence to Perturbations in a Model of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Transmission. Front Ecol Evol 2021; 9. [PMID: 35433714 PMCID: PMC9012452 DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.633263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In high-transmission endemic regions, local populations of Plasmodium falciparum exhibit vast diversity of the var genes encoding its major surface antigen, with each parasite comprising multiple copies from this diverse gene pool. This strategy to evade the immune system through large combinatorial antigenic diversity is common to other hyperdiverse pathogens. It underlies a series of fundamental epidemiological characteristics, including large reservoirs of transmission from high prevalence of asymptomatics and long-lasting infections. Previous theory has shown that negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS) mediated by the acquisition of specific immunity by hosts structures the diversity of var gene repertoires, or strains, in a pattern of limiting similarity that is both non-random and non-neutral. A combination of stochastic agent-based models and network analyses has enabled the development and testing of theory in these complex adaptive systems, where assembly of local parasite diversity occurs under frequency-dependent selection and large pools of variation. We show here the application of these approaches to theory comparing the response of the malaria transmission system to intervention when strain diversity is assembled under (competition-based) selection vs. a form of neutrality, where immunity depends only on the number but not the genetic identity of previous infections. The transmission system is considerably more persistent under NFDS, exhibiting a lower extinction probability despite comparable prevalence during intervention. We explain this pattern on the basis of the structure of strain diversity, in particular the more pronounced fraction of highly dissimilar parasites. For simulations that survive intervention, prevalence under specific immunity is lower than under neutrality, because the recovery of diversity is considerably slower than that of prevalence and decreased var gene diversity reduces parasite transmission. A Principal Component Analysis of network features describing parasite similarity reveals that despite lower overall diversity, NFDS is quickly restored after intervention constraining strain structure and maintaining patterns of limiting similarity important to parasite persistence. Given the described enhanced persistence under perturbation, intervention efforts will likely require longer times than the usual practice to eliminate P. falciparum populations. We discuss implications of our findings and potential analogies for ecological communities with non-neutral assembly processes involving frequency-dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixin He
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Shai Pilosof
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Kathryn E. Tiedje
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Karen P. Day
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mercedes Pascual
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, United States
- Correspondence: Mercedes Pascual,
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21
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Wills C, Wang B, Fang S, Wang Y, Jin Y, Lutz J, Thompson J, Harms KE, Pulla S, Pasion B, Germain S, Liu H, Smokey J, Su SH, Butt N, Chu C, Chuyong G, Chang-Yang CH, Dattaraja HS, Davies S, Ediriweera S, Esufali S, Fletcher CD, Gunatilleke N, Gunatilleke S, Hsieh CF, He F, Hubbell S, Hao Z, Itoh A, Kenfack D, Li B, Li X, Ma K, Morecroft M, Mi X, Malhi Y, Ong P, Rodriguez LJ, Suresh HS, Sun IF, Sukumar R, Tan S, Thomas D, Uriarte M, Wang X, Wang X, Yao TL, Zimmermann J. Interactions between all pairs of neighboring trees in 16 forests worldwide reveal details of unique ecological processes in each forest, and provide windows into their evolutionary histories. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008853. [PMID: 33914731 PMCID: PMC8084225 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
When Darwin visited the Galapagos archipelago, he observed that, in spite of the islands' physical similarity, members of species that had dispersed to them recently were beginning to diverge from each other. He postulated that these divergences must have resulted primarily from interactions with sets of other species that had also diverged across these otherwise similar islands. By extrapolation, if Darwin is correct, such complex interactions must be driving species divergences across all ecosystems. However, many current general ecological theories that predict observed distributions of species in ecosystems do not take the details of between-species interactions into account. Here we quantify, in sixteen forest diversity plots (FDPs) worldwide, highly significant negative density-dependent (NDD) components of both conspecific and heterospecific between-tree interactions that affect the trees' distributions, growth, recruitment, and mortality. These interactions decline smoothly in significance with increasing physical distance between trees. They also tend to decline in significance with increasing phylogenetic distance between the trees, but each FDP exhibits its own unique pattern of exceptions to this overall decline. Unique patterns of between-species interactions in ecosystems, of the general type that Darwin postulated, are likely to have contributed to the exceptions. We test the power of our null-model method by using a deliberately modified data set, and show that the method easily identifies the modifications. We examine how some of the exceptions, at the Wind River (USA) FDP, reveal new details of a known allelopathic effect of one of the Wind River gymnosperm species. Finally, we explore how similar analyses can be used to investigate details of many types of interactions in these complex ecosystems, and can provide clues to the evolution of these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Wills
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Bin Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin
| | - Shuai Fang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang
| | - Yunquan Wang
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing
| | - Yi Jin
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou
| | - James Lutz
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| | - Jill Thompson
- Center for Ecology & Hydrology, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland
| | - Kyle E. Harms
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, United States of America
| | - Sandeep Pulla
- Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bengaluru, India
| | - Bonifacio Pasion
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan
| | - Sara Germain
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America
| | - Heming Liu
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai
| | - Joseph Smokey
- Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Sheng-Hsin Su
- Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei
| | - Nathalie Butt
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chengjin Chu
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou
| | - George Chuyong
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Buea, Cameroon
| | - Chia-Hao Chang-Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung
| | | | - Stuart Davies
- Center for Tropical Forest Science, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Sisira Ediriweera
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Uva Wellassa University, Badulla, Sri Lanka
| | - Shameema Esufali
- Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya Sri Lanka
| | | | - Nimal Gunatilleke
- Dept. of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya Sri Lanka
| | - Savi Gunatilleke
- Dept. of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya Sri Lanka
| | | | - Fangliang He
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou
| | - Stephen Hubbell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Zhanqing Hao
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang
| | - Akira Itoh
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Sumiyoshi Ku, Osaka, Japan
| | - David Kenfack
- Center for Tropical Forest Science–Forest Global Earth Observatory (CTFS-ForestGEO), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, NMNH—MRC, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Buhang Li
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou
| | - Xiankun Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin
| | - Keping Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing
| | | | - Xiangcheng Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Perry Ong
- Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Lillian Jennifer Rodriguez
- Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - H. S. Suresh
- Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - I Fang Sun
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien
| | - Raman Sukumar
- Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Sylvester Tan
- Forest Department Sarawak, Bangunan Wisma Sumber Alam, Jalan Stadium, Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Duncan Thomas
- Department of Biology, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington State, United States of America
| | - Maria Uriarte
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York city, New York, United States of America
| | - Xihua Wang
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai
| | - Xugao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang
| | - T. L. Yao
- Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jess Zimmermann
- Dept of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, San Juan, PR, United States of America
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22
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Gora EM, Esquivel-Muelbert A. Implications of size-dependent tree mortality for tropical forest carbon dynamics. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:384-391. [PMID: 33782580 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00879-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Tropical forests are mitigating the ongoing climate crisis by absorbing more atmospheric carbon than they emit. However, widespread increases in tree mortality rates are decreasing the ability of tropical forests to assimilate and store carbon. A relatively small number of large trees dominate the contributions of these forests to the global carbon budget, yet we know remarkably little about how these large trees die. Here, we propose a cohesive and empirically informed framework for understanding and investigating size-dependent drivers of tree mortality. This theory-based framework enables us to posit that abiotic drivers of tree mortality-particularly drought, wind and lightning-regulate tropical forest carbon cycling via their disproportionate effects on large trees. As global change is predicted to increase the pressure from abiotic drivers, the associated deaths of large trees could rapidly and lastingly reduce tropical forest biomass stocks. Focused investigations of large tree death are needed to understand how shifting drivers of mortality are restructuring carbon cycling in tropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan M Gora
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama.
| | - Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert
- School of Geography, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, Birmingham, UK.
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23
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Coelho da Silva D, Guimarães ZTM, Ferreira Dos Santos VAH, Grandis A, Palacios CE, Ferreira MJ. Herbivory and leaf traits of Amazonian tree species as affected by irradiance. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2021; 23:229-240. [PMID: 33012123 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Herbivory is one of the major biotic stress factors that affect the establishment of plants. However, the main factors that drive herbivory in seedlings of Amazonian tree species are still not well understood. Here we investigated whether contrasting levels of irradiance influence herbivory according to different herbivory indicators and which leaf traits are most related to interspecific variation in herbivory under contrasting irradiance conditions. We measured the leaf area lost as a result of insect herbivory in five tree species planted in a silvicultural system of secondary forest enrichment according to two indicators, herbivore damage (accumulated since plant germination) and herbivory rate (measured over time), and two irradiance conditions, understorey PPFD 2.6 mol·m-2 ·day-1 ) and gap PPFD 33.1 mol·m-2 ·day-1 . Furthermore, we related the interspecific variation in herbivory to a set of leaf traits: SLA, RWC, sclerophylly, phenolic compound content, tannins, condensed tannins and non-structural carbohydrates. Herbivore damage was significantly affected by light availability and species, with the highest percentage variation observed in the Meliaceae (Carapa guianensis and Swietenia macrophylla). For the herbivory rate, only the interspecific variation was significant, with Bertholletia excelsa having the lowest rates. Chemical characteristics (phenolic compounds and tannins) were most related to herbivory rates, as well as highly influenced by light conditions. Non-structural carbohydrates (starch and sucrose) were also related to the interspecific variation in herbivory. The phenolic compounds and starch, as affected by light quantity, are species dependent. Thus, the selective pressure on herbivores may be driven by species-dependent responses to light conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Coelho da Silva
- Department of Forest Sciences, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Z T M Guimarães
- Coordination of Environmental Dynamics, National Institute of Amazon Researches, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - V A H Ferreira Dos Santos
- Coordination of Environmental Dynamics, National Institute of Amazon Researches, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - A Grandis
- Department of Botany, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - C E Palacios
- Department of Botany, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M J Ferreira
- Department of Forest Sciences, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
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24
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LaManna JA, Mangan SA, Myers JA. Conspecific negative density dependence and why its study should not be abandoned. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A. LaManna
- Department of Biological Sciences Marquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin53201USA
- Departments of Botany & Zoology Milwaukee Public Museum Milwaukee Wisconsin USA
| | - Scott A. Mangan
- Department of Biological Sciences Arkansas State University Jonesboro Arkansas72467USA
| | - Jonathan A. Myers
- Department of Biology & Tyson Research Center Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis Missouri63110USA
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25
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Song X, Corlett RT. Enemies mediate distance- and density-dependent mortality of tree seeds and seedlings: a meta-analysis of fungicide, insecticide and exclosure studies. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202352. [PMID: 33468003 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conspecific negative distance- and density-dependence is often assumed to be one of the most important mechanisms controlling forest community assembly and species diversity globally. Plant pathogens, and insect and mammalian herbivores, are the most common natural enemy types that have been implicated in this phenomenon, but their general effects at different plant life stages are still unclear. Here, we conduct a meta-analysis of studies that involved robust manipulative experiments, using fungicides, insecticides and exclosures, to assess the contributions of different natural enemy types to distance- and density-dependent effects at seed and seedling stages. We found that distance- and density-dependent mortality caused by natural enemies was most likely at the seedling stage and was greater at higher mean annual temperatures. Conspecific negative distance- and density-dependence at the seedling stage is significantly weakened when fungicides were applied. By contrast, negative conspecific distance- and density-dependence is not a general pattern at the seed stage. High seed mass reduced distance- and density-dependent mortality at the seed stage. Seed studies excluding only large mammals found significant negative conspecific distance-dependent mortality, but exclusion of all mammals resulted in a non-significant effect of conspecifics. Our study suggests that plant pathogens are a major cause of distance- and density-dependent mortality at the seedling stage, while the impacts of herbivores on seedlings have been understudied. At the seed stage, large and small mammals, respectively, weaken and enhance negative conspecific distance-dependent mortality. Future research should identify specific agents of mortality, investigate the interactions among different enemy types and assess how global change may affect natural enemies and thus influence the strength of conspecific distance- and density-dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, People's Republic of China.,Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, People's Republic of China
| | - Richard T Corlett
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, People's Republic of China.,Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, People's Republic of China
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26
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Song X, Lim JY, Yang J, Luskin MS. When do Janzen-Connell effects matter? A phylogenetic meta-analysis of conspecific negative distance and density dependence experiments. Ecol Lett 2020; 24:608-620. [PMID: 33382527 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Janzen-Connell (J-C) hypothesis suggests that specialised natural enemies cause distance- or density-dependent mortality among host plants and is regarded as an important mechanism for species coexistence. However, there remains debate about whether this phenomenon is widespread and how variation is structured across taxa and life stages. We performed the largest meta-analysis of experimental studies conducted under natural settings to date. We found little evidence of distance-dependent or density-dependent mortality when grouping all types of manipulations. Our analysis also reveals very large variation in response among species, with 38.5% of species even showing positive responses to manipulations. However, we found a strong signal of distance-dependent mortality among seedlings but not seed experiments, which we attribute to (a) seedlings sharing susceptible tissues with adults (leaves, wood, roots), (b) seedling enemies having worse dispersal than seed enemies and (c) seedlings having fewer physical and chemical defences than seeds. Both density- and distance-dependent mortality showed large variation within genera and families, suggesting that J-C effects are not strongly phylogenetically conserved. There were no clear trends with latitude, rainfall or study duration. We conclude that J-C effects may not be as pervasive as widely thought. Understanding the variation in J-C effects provides opportunities for new discoveries that will refine our understanding of J-C effects and its role in species coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, 666303, China.,Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
| | - Jun Ying Lim
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Jie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, 666303, China.,Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
| | - Matthew Scott Luskin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld., 4072, Australia
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27
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Hülsmann L, Chisholm RA, Hartig F. Is Variation in Conspecific Negative Density Dependence Driving Tree Diversity Patterns at Large Scales? Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 36:151-163. [PMID: 33589047 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Half a century ago, Janzen and Connell hypothesized that the high tree species diversity in tropical forests is maintained by specialized natural enemies. Along with other mechanisms, these can cause conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) and thus maintain species diversity. Numerous studies have measured proxies of CNDD worldwide, but doubt about its relative importance remains. We find ample evidence for CNDD in local populations, but methodological limitations make it difficult to assess if CNDD scales up to control community diversity and thereby local and global biodiversity patterns. A combination of more robust statistical methods, new study designs, and eco-evolutionary models are needed to provide a more definite evaluation of the importance of CNDD for geographic variation in plant species diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hülsmann
- Theoretical Ecology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Ryan A Chisholm
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Florian Hartig
- Theoretical Ecology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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28
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Song X, Zhang W, Johnson DJ, Yang J, Asefa M, Deng X, Yang X, Cao M. Conspecific negative density dependence in rainy season enhanced seedling diversity across habitats in a tropical forest. Oecologia 2020; 193:949-957. [PMID: 32851493 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04729-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) could be one of the most important local-scale mechanisms shaping plant species coexistence. However, the spatial and temporal changes in the strength CNDD and the implications for the plant diversity remain unknown. We used 10 years of seedling data, in a seasonal tropical rainforest, to discover how CNDD influences tree seedling survival across habitats and seasons. We also evaluated the relation between CNDD and species diversity. We found the strength of CNDD in the valley habitat was significantly stronger than in ridge habitat in rainy season, but not significantly different in dry season. Corresponding to expectations of CNDD as mechanism of diversity maintenance, seedling species diversity was significantly higher in valley habitat than in ridge habitat and significantly correlated with CNDD. Additionally, conspecific and heterospecific seedling neighbour densities positively affected the survival of tree seedlings, but heterospecific adult neighbour density had a weak effect. Our study finds that CNDD varied significantly across habitats and was correlated with local seedling diversity. Our results highlight the importance of CNDD in driving species diversity at the local scale. Recognizing the spatial and temporal variation in the strength of CNDD will aid efforts to model and understand species coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
- Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China
| | - Wenfu Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Daniel J Johnson
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jie Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China.
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China.
| | - Mengesha Asefa
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaobao Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaofei Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Min Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, Yunnan, China
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29
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Crespo-Pérez V, Kazakou E, Roubik DW, Cárdenas RE. The importance of insects on land and in water: a tropical view. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 40:31-38. [PMID: 32563991 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Tropical insects are astonishingly diverse and abundant yet receive only marginal scientific attention. In natural tropical settings, insects are involved in regulating and supporting ecosystem services including seed dispersal, pollination, organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, herbivory, food webs and water quality, which in turn help fulfill UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Current and future global changes that affect insect diversity and distribution could disrupt key ecosystem services and impose important threats on ecosystems and human well-being. A significant increase in our knowledge of tropical insect roles in ecosystem processes is thus vital to ensure sustainable development on a rapidly changing planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Crespo-Pérez
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Museo de Zoología QCAZ I, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, Apartado: 17-01-2184 Quito, Ecuador.
| | - Elena Kazakou
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, Institut Agro, IRD, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - David W Roubik
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - Rafael E Cárdenas
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Museo de Zoología QCAZ I, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, Apartado: 17-01-2184 Quito, Ecuador.
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30
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Tree species traits affect which natural enemies drive the Janzen-Connell effect in a temperate forest. Nat Commun 2020; 11:286. [PMID: 31941904 PMCID: PMC6962457 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14140-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A prominent tree species coexistence mechanism suggests host-specific natural enemies inhibit seedling recruitment at high conspecific density (negative conspecific density dependence). Natural-enemy-mediated conspecific density dependence affects numerous tree populations, but its strength varies substantially among species. Understanding how conspecific density dependence varies with species’ traits and influences the dynamics of whole communities remains a challenge. Using a three-year manipulative community-scale experiment in a temperate forest, we show that plant-associated fungi, and to a lesser extent insect herbivores, reduce seedling recruitment and survival at high adult conspecific density. Plant-associated fungi are primarily responsible for reducing seedling recruitment near conspecific adults in ectomycorrhizal and shade-tolerant species. Insects, in contrast, primarily inhibit seedling recruitment of shade-intolerant species near conspecific adults. Our results suggest that natural enemies drive conspecific density dependence in this temperate forest and that which natural enemies are responsible depends on the mycorrhizal association and shade tolerance of tree species. The Janzen-Connell hypothesis posits that seedlings may be less likely to establish near conspecifics due to shared natural enemies. Here, Jia et al. show that tree species traits determine whether fungal pathogens or insect herbivores inhibit seedling recruitment and survival in a temperate forest.
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31
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Coelho de Souza F, Dexter KG, Phillips OL, Pennington RT, Neves D, Sullivan MJP, Alvarez-Davila E, Alves Á, Amaral I, Andrade A, Aragao LEOC, Araujo-Murakami A, Arets EJMM, Arroyo L, Aymard C GA, Bánki O, Baraloto C, Barroso JG, Boot RGA, Brienen RJW, Brown F, Camargo JLC, Castro W, Chave J, Cogollo A, Comiskey JA, Cornejo-Valverde F, da Costa AL, de Camargo PB, Di Fiore A, Feldpausch TR, Galbraith DR, Gloor E, Goodman RC, Gilpin M, Herrera R, Higuchi N, Honorio Coronado EN, Jimenez-Rojas E, Killeen TJ, Laurance S, Laurance WF, Lopez-Gonzalez G, Lovejoy TE, Malhi Y, Marimon BS, Marimon-Junior BH, Mendoza C, Monteagudo-Mendoza A, Neill DA, Vargas PN, Peñuela Mora MC, Pickavance GC, Pipoly JJ, Pitman NCA, Poorter L, Prieto A, Ramirez F, Roopsind A, Rudas A, Salomão RP, Silva N, Silveira M, Singh J, Stropp J, Ter Steege H, Terborgh J, Thomas-Caesar R, Umetsu RK, Vasquez RV, Célia-Vieira I, Vieira SA, Vos VA, Zagt RJ, Baker TR. Evolutionary diversity is associated with wood productivity in Amazonian forests. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:1754-1761. [PMID: 31712699 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-1007-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Higher levels of taxonomic and evolutionary diversity are expected to maximize ecosystem function, yet their relative importance in driving variation in ecosystem function at large scales in diverse forests is unknown. Using 90 inventory plots across intact, lowland, terra firme, Amazonian forests and a new phylogeny including 526 angiosperm genera, we investigated the association between taxonomic and evolutionary metrics of diversity and two key measures of ecosystem function: aboveground wood productivity and biomass storage. While taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity were not important predictors of variation in biomass, both emerged as independent predictors of wood productivity. Amazon forests that contain greater evolutionary diversity and a higher proportion of rare species have higher productivity. While climatic and edaphic variables are together the strongest predictors of productivity, our results show that the evolutionary diversity of tree species in diverse forest stands also influences productivity. As our models accounted for wood density and tree size, they also suggest that additional, unstudied, evolutionarily correlated traits have significant effects on ecosystem function in tropical forests. Overall, our pan-Amazonian analysis shows that greater phylogenetic diversity translates into higher levels of ecosystem function: tropical forest communities with more distantly related taxa have greater wood productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyle G Dexter
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - R Toby Pennington
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Geography Department, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Danilo Neves
- Department of Botany, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Esteban Alvarez-Davila
- Escuela de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Ambientales, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, Sede José Celestino Mutis, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Átila Alves
- Projeto TEAM-Manaus, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Ieda Amaral
- Projeto TEAM-Manaus, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Ana Andrade
- Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project, INPA and STRI, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Luis E O C Aragao
- Geography Department, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.,National Institute for Space Research, São José dos Campos, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Araujo-Murakami
- Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Universidad Autonoma Gabriel Rene Moreno, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Eric J M M Arets
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Luzmilla Arroyo
- Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Universidad Autonoma Gabriel Rene Moreno, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Gerardo A Aymard C
- UNELLEZ-Guanare, Programa del Agro y del Mar, Herbario Universitario PORT, Mesa de Cavacas, Venezuela
| | - Olaf Bánki
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Christopher Baraloto
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Rene G A Boot
- Tropenbos International, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - José Luís C Camargo
- Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project, INPA and STRI, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Wendeson Castro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Manejo de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Brazil
| | - Jerome Chave
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Alvaro Cogollo
- Jardín Botánico de Medellín Joaquín Antonio Uribe, Medellin, Colombia
| | - James A Comiskey
- National Park Service, Fredericksburg, VA, USA.,Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
| | | | | | - Plínio B de Camargo
- Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ted R Feldpausch
- Geography Department, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | | | - Rosa C Goodman
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Rafael Herrera
- Centro de Ecología, IVIC, Caracas, Venezuela.,Institut für Geographie und Regionalforschung, Univerity of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Niro Higuchi
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brasil
| | | | | | | | - Susan Laurance
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - William F Laurance
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Thomas E Lovejoy
- Environmental Science and Policy Department, George Mason University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Casimiro Mendoza
- Unidad Académica del Trópico, Escuela de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Sacta, Bolivia
| | | | - David A Neill
- Facultad de Ingeniería Ambiental, Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Puyo, Ecuador
| | | | | | | | - John J Pipoly
- Broward County Parks and Recreation Division, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Nigel C A Pitman
- Center for Tropical Conservation, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lourens Poorter
- Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Adriana Prieto
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Freddy Ramirez
- Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Peru
| | - Anand Roopsind
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Agustin Rudas
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Rafael P Salomão
- Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belém, Brazil.,Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Belém, Brasil
| | | | - Marcos Silveira
- Museu Universitário, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Brazil
| | - James Singh
- Guyana Forestry Commission, Georgetown, Guyana
| | - Juliana Stropp
- Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas Maceio, Maceio, Brazil
| | - Hans Ter Steege
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Systems Ecology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - John Terborgh
- Department of Biology and Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,School of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Raquel Thomas-Caesar
- Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, Georgetown, Guyana
| | | | | | | | - Simone A Vieira
- Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Vincent A Vos
- Centro de Investigación y Promoción del Campesinado-Regional Norte Amazónico, Riberalta, Bolivia.,Universidad Autónoma del Beni, Riberalta, Bolivia
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Sedio BE, Durant Archibold A, Rojas Echeverri JC, Debyser C, Boya P CA, Wright SJ. A comparison of inducible, ontogenetic, and interspecific sources of variation in the foliar metabolome in tropical trees. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7536. [PMID: 31579568 PMCID: PMC6756142 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant interactions with other organisms are mediated by chemistry, yet chemistry varies among conspecific and within individual plants. The foliar metabolome—the suite of small-molecule metabolites found in the leaf—changes during leaf ontogeny and is influenced by the signaling molecule jasmonic acid. Species differences in secondary metabolites are thought to play an important ecological role by limiting the host ranges of herbivores and pathogens, and hence facilitating competitive coexistence among plant species in species-rich plant communities such as tropical forests. Yet it remains unclear how inducible and ontogenetic variation compare with interspecific variation, particularly in tropical trees. Here, we take advantage of novel methods to assemble mass spectra of all compounds in leaf extracts into molecular networks that quantify their chemical structural similarity in order to compare inducible and ontogenetic chemical variation to among-species variation in species-rich tropical tree genera. We ask (i) whether young and mature leaves differ chemically, (ii) whether jasmonic acid-inducible chemical variation differs between young and mature leaves, and (iii) whether interspecific exceeds intraspecific chemical variation for four species from four hyperdiverse tropical tree genera. We observed significant effects of the jasmonic acid treatment for three of eight combinations of species and ontogenetic stage evaluated. Three of the four species also exhibited large metabolomic differences with leaf ontogenetic stage. The profound effect of leaf ontogenetic stage on the foliar metabolome suggests a qualitative turnover in secondary chemistry with leaf ontogeny. We also quantified foliar metabolomes for 45 congeners of the four focal species. Chemical similarity was much greater within than between species for all four genera, even when within-species comparisons included leaves that differed in age and jasmonic acid treatment. Despite ontogenetic and inducible variation within species, chemical differences among congeneric species may be sufficient to partition niche space with respect to chemical defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Sedio
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama.,Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología-AIP, Ciudad del Saber, Republic of Panama.,Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Armando Durant Archibold
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología-AIP, Ciudad del Saber, Republic of Panama
| | - Juan Camilo Rojas Echeverri
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología-AIP, Ciudad del Saber, Republic of Panama
| | - Chloé Debyser
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Cristopher A Boya P
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología-AIP, Ciudad del Saber, Republic of Panama.,Department of Biotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, India
| | - S Joseph Wright
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
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Detto M, Visser MD, Wright SJ, Pacala SW. Bias in the detection of negative density dependence in plant communities. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1923-1939. [PMID: 31523913 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Regression dilution is a statistical inference bias that causes underestimation of the strength of dependency between two variables when the predictors are error-prone proxies (EPPs). EPPs are widely used in plant community studies focused on negative density-dependence (NDD) to quantify competitive interactions. Because of the nature of the bias, conspecific NDD is often overestimated in recruitment analyses, and in some cases, can be erroneously detected when absent. In contrast, for survival analyses, EPPs typically cause NDD to be underestimated, but underestimation is more severe for abundant species and for heterospecific effects, thereby generating spurious negative relationships between the strength of NDD and the abundances of con- and heterospecifics. This can explain why many studies observed rare species to suffer more severely from conspecific NDD, and heterospecific effects to be disproportionally smaller than conspecific effects. In general, such species-dependent bias is often related to traits associated with likely mechanisms of NDD, which creates false patterns and complicates the ecological interpretation of the analyses. Classic examples taken from literature and simulations demonstrate that this bias has been pervasive, which calls into question the emerging paradigm that intraspecific competition has been demonstrated by direct field measurements to be generally stronger than interspecific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Detto
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
| | - Marco D Visser
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Stephen W Pacala
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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Chen L, Wang Y, Mi X, Liu X, Ren H, Chen J, Ma K, Kraft NJB. Neighborhood effects explain increasing asynchronous seedling survival in a subtropical forest. Ecology 2019; 100:e02821. [PMID: 31310665 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Biotic interactions play a critical role in mediating community responses to temporal environmental variation, but the importance of these effects relative to the direct effects of environmental change remains poorly understood, particularly in diverse forest communities. Here we combine a neighborhood modeling approach with insights from coexistence theory to assess the effects of temporal variation in species interactions and environmental conditions (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and understory light availability) on seedling survival over nine census years in a subtropical forest. We find significant temporal shifts in the magnitude of neighborhood effects on both community-wide and species-level seedling survival (statistically significant random effects of neighborhood × year and neighborhood × species × year interactions). These results are consistent with the idea that environmental change will play a fundamental role on forest regeneration dynamics by altering biotic interactions at the neighborhood scale. Moreover, differences among species in response to neighbors over time contribute to a pattern of temporal decoupling of seedling survival between species, which can help to promote diversity in certain contexts. In separate analyses of multiple regression on distance matrices (MRM), altered interactions with neighbors are much stronger predictors of asynchronous seedling survival among species than the pure effects of climate and plant functional traits, explaining twice as much variation (43.9% vs. 22.2%). In sum, these results reveal that divergent species responses to interannual environmental variability detected are driven primarily by indirect effects mediated by changing biotic environments. This highlights the importance of including indirect effects from local biotic (neighborhood) interactions in forecasts of forest community responses to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90095, USA
| | - Yunquan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.,Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xiangcheng Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Xiaojuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Haibao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Jianhua Chen
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Keping Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Nathan J B Kraft
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90095, USA
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