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Liu C, Van Meerbeek K. Predicting the responses of European grassland communities to climate and land cover change. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230335. [PMID: 38583469 PMCID: PMC10999271 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0335] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
European grasslands are among the most species-rich ecosystems on small spatial scales. However, human-induced activities like land use and climate change pose significant threats to this diversity. To explore how climate and land cover change will affect biodiversity and community composition in grassland ecosystems, we conducted joint species distribution models (SDMs) on the extensive vegetation-plot database sPlotOpen to project distributions of 1178 grassland species across Europe under current conditions and three future scenarios. We further compared model accuracy and computational efficiency between joint SDMs (JSDMs) and stacked SDMs, especially for rare species. Our results show that: (i) grassland communities in the mountain ranges are expected to suffer high rates of species loss, while those in western, northern and eastern Europe will experience substantial turnover; (ii) scaling anomalies were observed in the predicted species richness, reflecting regional differences in the dominant drivers of assembly processes; (iii) JSDMs did not outperform stacked SDMs in predictive power but demonstrated superior efficiency in model fitting and predicting; and (iv) incorporating co-occurrence datasets improved the model performance in predicting the distribution of rare species. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders 3001, Belgium
| | - Koenraad Van Meerbeek
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders 3001, Belgium
- KU Leuven Plant Institute, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
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Masters LE, Tomaszewska P, Schwarzacher T, Hackel J, Zuntini AR, Heslop-Harrison P, Vorontsova MS. Phylogenomic analysis reveals five independently evolved African forage grass clades in the genus Urochloa. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:725-742. [PMID: 38365451 PMCID: PMC11082517 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae022] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The grass genus Urochloa (Brachiaria) sensu lato includes forage crops that are important for beef and dairy industries in tropical and sub-tropical Africa, South America and Oceania/Australia. Economically important species include U. brizantha, U. decumbens, U. humidicola, U. mutica, U. arrecta, U. trichopus, U. mosambicensis and Megathyrsus maximus, all native to the African continent. Perennial growth habits, large, fast growing palatable leaves, intra- and interspecific morphological variability, apomictic reproductive systems and frequent polyploidy are widely shared within the genus. The combination of these traits probably favoured the selection for forage domestication and weediness, but trait emergence across Urochloa cannot be modelled, as a robust phylogenetic assessment of the genus has not been conducted. We aim to produce a phylogeny for Urochloa that includes all important forage species, and identify their closest wild relatives (crop wild relatives). Finally, we will use our phylogeny and available trait data to infer the ancestral states of important forage traits across Urochloa s.l. and model the evolution of forage syndromes across the genus. METHODS Using a target enrichment sequencing approach (Angiosperm 353), we inferred a species-level phylogeny for Urochloa s.l., encompassing 54 species (~40 % of the genus) and outgroups. Phylogenies were inferred using a multispecies coalescent model and maximum likelihood method. We determined the phylogenetic placement of agriculturally important species and identified their closest wild relatives, or crop wild relatives, based on well-supported monophyly. Further, we mapped key traits associated with Urochloa forage crops to the species tree and estimated ancestral states for forage traits along branch lengths for continuous traits and at ancestral nodes in discrete traits. KEY RESULTS Agricultural species belong to five independent clades, including U. brizantha and U. decumbens lying in a previously defined species complex. Crop wild relatives were identified for these clades supporting previous sub-generic groupings in Urochloa based on morphology. Using ancestral trait estimation models, we find that five morphological traits that correlate with forage potential (perennial growth habits, culm height, leaf size, a winged rachis and large seeds) independently evolved in forage clades. CONCLUSIONS Urochloa s.l. is a highly diverse genus that contains numerous species with agricultural potential, including crop wild relatives that are currently underexploited. All forage species and their crop wild relatives naturally occur on the African continent and their conservation across their native distributions is essential. Genomic and phenotypic diversity in forage clade species and their wild relatives need to be better assessed both to develop conservation strategies and to exploit the diversity in the genus for improved sustainability in Urochloa cultivar production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizo E Masters
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester, Leicester LE17RH, UK
- Accelerated Taxonomy/Trait Diversity and Function, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK
| | - Paulina Tomaszewska
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester, Leicester LE17RH, UK
- Department of Genetics and Cell Physiology, University of Wroclaw, 50-328 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Trude Schwarzacher
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester, Leicester LE17RH, UK
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Jan Hackel
- Accelerated Taxonomy/Trait Diversity and Function, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexandre R Zuntini
- Accelerated Taxonomy/Trait Diversity and Function, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK
| | - Pat Heslop-Harrison
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester, Leicester LE17RH, UK
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Maria S Vorontsova
- Accelerated Taxonomy/Trait Diversity and Function, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK
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Courtenay AP, Moonlight PW, Toby Pennington R, Lehmann CER. Underground trees inhabit varied environmental extremes across the Afrotropics. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:757-772. [PMID: 37642263 PMCID: PMC11082510 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad124] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Geoxyles, a distinctive feature of Afrotropical savannas and grasslands, survive recurrent disturbances by resprouting subshrub branches from large below-ground woody structures. Underground trees are a type of geoxyle that independently evolved within woody genera of at least 40 plant families in Africa. The environmental limits and determinants of underground tree biogeography are poorly understood, with the relative influence of frost and fire debated in particular. We aim to quantify variability in the niche of underground tree species relative to their taller, woody tree/shrub congeners. METHODS Using occurrence records of four Afrotropical genera, Parinari (Chrysobalanaceae), Ozoroa (Anacardiaceae), Syzygium (Myrtaceae) and Lannea (Anacardiaceae), and environmental data of nine climate and disturbance variables, the biogeography and niche of underground trees are compared with their open and closed ecosystem congeners. KEY RESULTS Along multiple environmental gradients and in a multidimensional environmental space, underground trees inhabit significantly distinct and extreme environments relative to open and closed ecosystem congeners. Niche overlap is low among underground trees and their congeners, and also among underground trees of the four genera. Of the study taxa, Parinari underground trees inhabit hotter, drier and more seasonal environments where herbivory pressure is greatest. Ozoroa underground trees occupy relatively more fire-prone environments, while Syzygium underground trees sustain the highest frost frequency and occur in relatively wetter conditions with seasonal waterlogging. Lannea underground trees are associated with the lowest temperatures, highest precipitation, and varying exposure to disturbance. CONCLUSIONS While underground trees exhibit repeated convergent evolution, varied environments shape the ecology and biogeography of this iconic plant functional group. The multiplicity of extreme environments related to fire, frost, herbivory and waterlogging that different underground tree taxa occupy, and the distinctiveness of these environments, should be recognized in the management of African grassy ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya P Courtenay
- GeoSciences, Crew Building, The King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
| | - Peter W Moonlight
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
- Botany Department, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - R Toby Pennington
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
- Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Caroline E R Lehmann
- GeoSciences, Crew Building, The King’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
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Reinecke A, Flaig IC, Lozano YM, Rillig MC, Hilker M. Drought induces moderate, diverse changes in the odour of grassland species. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2024; 221:114040. [PMID: 38428627 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114040] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Plants react to drought stress with numerous changes including altered emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from leaves, which provide protection against oxidative tissue damage and mediate numerous biotic interactions. Despite the share of grasslands in the terrestrial biosphere, their importance as carbon sinks and their contribution to global biodiversity, little is known about the influence of drought on VOC profiles of grassland species. Using coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we analysed the odorants emitted by 22 European grassland species exposed to an eight-week-lasting drought treatment (DT; 30% water holding capacity, WHC). We focused on the odorants emitted during the light phase from whole plant shoots in their vegetative stage. Emission rates were standardised to the dry weight of each shoot. Well-watered (WW) plants (70% WHC) served as control. Drought-induced significant changes included an increase in total emission rates of plant VOC in six and a decrease in three species. Diverging effects on the number of emitted VOC (chemical richness) or on the Shannon diversity of the VOC profiles were detected in 13 species. Biosynthetic pathways-targeted analyses revealed 13 species showing drought-induced higher emission rates of VOC from one, two, three, or four major biosynthetic pathways (lipoxygenase, shikimate, mevalonate and methylerythritol phosphate pathway), while six species exhibited reduced emission rates from one or two of these pathways. Similarity trees of odorant profiles and their drought-induced changes based on a biosynthetically informed distance metric did not match species phylogeny. However, a phylogenetic signal was detected for the amount of terpenoids released by the studied species under WW and DT conditions. A comparative analysis of emission rates of single compounds released by WW and DT plants revealed significant VOC profile dissimilarities in four species only. The moderate drought-induced changes in the odorant emissions of grassland species are discussed with respect to their impact on trophic interactions across the food web. (294 words).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Reinecke
- Freie Universität Berlin, Inst. of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Haderslebener Str. 9, 12163, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Isabelle C Flaig
- Freie Universität Berlin, Inst. of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Haderslebener Str. 9, 12163, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yudi M Lozano
- Freie Universität Berlin, Inst. of Biology, Plant Ecology, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Freie Universität Berlin, Inst. of Biology, Plant Ecology, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Monika Hilker
- Freie Universität Berlin, Inst. of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Haderslebener Str. 9, 12163, Berlin, Germany; Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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Elliott TL, Spalink D, Larridon I, Zuntini AR, Escudero M, Hackel J, Barrett RL, Martín-Bravo S, Márquez-Corro JI, Granados Mendoza C, Mashau AC, Romero-Soler KJ, Zhigila DA, Gehrke B, Andrino CO, Crayn DM, Vorontsova MS, Forest F, Baker WJ, Wilson KL, Simpson DA, Muasya AM. Global analysis of Poales diversification - parallel evolution in space and time into open and closed habitats. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:727-743. [PMID: 38009920 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19421] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Poales are one of the most species-rich, ecologically and economically important orders of plants and often characterise open habitats, enabled by unique suites of traits. We test six hypotheses regarding the evolution and assembly of Poales in open and closed habitats throughout the world, and examine whether diversification patterns demonstrate parallel evolution. We sampled 42% of Poales species and obtained taxonomic and biogeographic data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants database, which was combined with open/closed habitat data scored by taxonomic experts. A dated supertree of Poales was constructed. We integrated spatial phylogenetics with regionalisation analyses, historical biogeography and ancestral state estimations. Diversification in Poales and assembly of open and closed habitats result from dynamic evolutionary processes that vary across lineages, time and space, most prominently in tropical and southern latitudes. Our results reveal parallel and recurrent patterns of habitat and trait transitions in the species-rich families Poaceae and Cyperaceae. Smaller families display unique and often divergent evolutionary trajectories. The Poales have achieved global dominance via parallel evolution in open habitats, with notable, spatially and phylogenetically restricted divergences into strictly closed habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy L Elliott
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Daniel Spalink
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, TX, 77843-2258, USA
| | - Isabel Larridon
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Systematic and Evolutionary Botany Lab, Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | | | - Marcial Escudero
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Seville, Reina Mercedes 6, Seville, 41012, Spain
| | - Jan Hackel
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Russell L Barrett
- National Herbarium of New South Wales, Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden, Locked Bag 6002, Mount Annan, NSW, 2567, Australia
| | - Santiago Martín-Bravo
- Botany Area, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ctra. de Utrera km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - José Ignacio Márquez-Corro
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Botany Area, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ctra. de Utrera km 1, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Carolina Granados Mendoza
- Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, CP 04510, Mexico
| | - Aluoneswi C Mashau
- Foundational Research and Services, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Private Bag X101, Pretoria, 0184, South Africa
| | - Katya J Romero-Soler
- Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, CP 04510, Mexico
| | - Daniel A Zhigila
- Department of Botany, Gombe State University, Tudun Wada, Gombe, 760001, Nigeria
| | - Berit Gehrke
- Universitetet i Bergen, Universitetsmuseet, Postboks 7800, NO-5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Caroline Oliveira Andrino
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, CEP 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Darren M Crayn
- Sir Robert Norman Building (E2), James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, QLD, 4870, Australia
| | | | - Félix Forest
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | | | - Karen L Wilson
- National Herbarium of New South Wales, Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden, Locked Bag 6002, Mount Annan, NSW, 2567, Australia
| | - David A Simpson
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Botany Department, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - A Muthama Muasya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
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Luo A, Li Y, Shrestha N, Xu X, Su X, Li Y, Lyu T, Waris K, Tang Z, Liu X, Lin L, Chen Y, Zu K, Song W, Peng S, Zimmermann NE, Pellissier L, Wang Z. Global multifaceted biodiversity patterns, centers, and conservation needs in angiosperms. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:817-828. [PMID: 38217639 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2430-2] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The Convention on Biological Diversity seeks to conserve at least 30% of global land and water areas by 2030, which is a challenge but also an opportunity to better preserve biodiversity, including flowering plants (angiosperms). Herein, we compiled a large database on distributions of over 300,000 angiosperm species and the key functional traits of 67,024 species. Using this database, we constructed biodiversity-environment models to predict global patterns of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity in terrestrial angiosperms and provide a comprehensive mapping of the three diversity facets. We further evaluated the current protection status of the biodiversity centers of these diversity facets. Our results showed that geographical patterns of the three facets of plant diversity exhibited substantial spatial mismatches and nonoverlapping conservation priorities. Idiosyncratic centers of functional diversity, particularly of herbaceous species, were primarily distributed in temperate regions and under weaker protection compared with other biodiversity centers of taxonomic and phylogenetic facets. Our global assessment of multifaceted biodiversity patterns and centers highlights the insufficiency and unbalanced conservation among the three diversity facets and the two growth forms (woody vs. herbaceous), thus providing directions for guiding the future conservation of global plant diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Luo
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yaoqi Li
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Nawal Shrestha
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaoting Xu
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Xiangyan Su
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing, 100035, China
| | - Yichao Li
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Tong Lyu
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Kilara Waris
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhiyao Tang
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xiaojuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Luxiang Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Yongsheng Chen
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Kuiling Zu
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Wenqi Song
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shijia Peng
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Niklaus E Zimmermann
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Zhiheng Wang
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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Qu X, Li X, Bardgett RD, Kuzyakov Y, Revillini D, Sonne C, Xia C, Ruan H, Liu Y, Cao F, Reich PB, Delgado-Baquerizo M. Deforestation impacts soil biodiversity and ecosystem services worldwide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318475121. [PMID: 38466879 PMCID: PMC10990143 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318475121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Deforestation poses a global threat to biodiversity and its capacity to deliver ecosystem services. Yet, the impacts of deforestation on soil biodiversity and its associated ecosystem services remain virtually unknown. We generated a global dataset including 696 paired-site observations to investigate how native forest conversion to other land uses affects soil properties, biodiversity, and functions associated with the delivery of multiple ecosystem services. The conversion of native forests to plantations, grasslands, and croplands resulted in higher bacterial diversity and more homogeneous fungal communities dominated by pathogens and with a lower abundance of symbionts. Such conversions also resulted in significant reductions in carbon storage, nutrient cycling, and soil functional rates related to organic matter decomposition. Responses of the microbial community to deforestation, including bacterial and fungal diversity and fungal guilds, were predominantly regulated by changes in soil pH and total phosphorus. Moreover, we found that soil fungal diversity and functioning in warmer and wetter native forests is especially vulnerable to deforestation. Our work highlights that the loss of native forests to managed ecosystems poses a major global threat to the biodiversity and functioning of soils and their capacity to deliver ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjing Qu
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing210037, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing210037, China
| | - Xiaogang Li
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing210037, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing210037, China
| | - Richard D. Bardgett
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, ManchesterM13 9PT, United Kingdom
| | - Yakov Kuzyakov
- Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen37077, Germany
- Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow117198, Russia
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kazan Federal University, Kazan420049, Russia
| | - Daniel Revillini
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla41012, Spain
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, RoskildeDK-4000, Denmark
| | - Changlei Xia
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210037, China
| | - Honghua Ruan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing210037, China
| | - Yurong Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan430070, China
| | - Fuliang Cao
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing210037, China
| | - Peter B. Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN55108
- Institute for Global Change Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sevilla41012, Spain
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8
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Shu X, Ye Q, Huang H, Xia L, Tang H, Liu X, Wu J, Li Y, Zhang Y, Deng L, Liu W. Effects of grazing exclusion on soil microbial diversity and its functionality in grasslands: a meta-analysis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1366821. [PMID: 38567132 PMCID: PMC10985342 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1366821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Grazing exclusion (GE) is considered an effective strategy for restoring the degradation of overgrazed grasslands on the global scale. Soil microbial diversity plays a crucial role in supporting multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality) in grassland ecosystems. However, the impact of grazing exclusion on soil microbial diversity remains uncertain. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis using a dataset comprising 246 paired observations from 46 peer-reviewed papers to estimate how GE affects microbial diversity and how these effects vary with climatic regions, grassland types, and GE duration ranging from 1 to 64 years. Meanwhile, we explored the relationship between microbial diversity and its functionality under grazing exclusion. Overall, grazing exclusion significantly increased microbial Shannon (1.9%) and microbial richness (4.9%) compared to grazing group. For microbial groups, GE significantly increased fungal richness (8.6%) and bacterial richness (5.3%), but decreased specific microbial richness (-11.9%). The responses of microbial Shannon to GE varied among climatic regions, grassland types, and GE duration. Specifically, GE increased microbial diversity in in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid regions, but decreased it in humid regions. Moreover, GE significantly increased microbial Shannon in semidesert grasslands (5.9%) and alpine grasslands (3.0%), but not in temperate grasslands. Long-term (>20 year) GE had greater effects on microbial diversity (8.0% for Shannon and 6.7% for richness) compared to short-term (<10 year) GE (-0.8% and 2.4%). Furthermore, grazing exclusion significantly increased multifunctionality, and both microbial and plant Shannon positively correlated with multifunctionality. Overall, our findings emphasize the importance of considering climate, GE duration, and grassland type for biodiversity conservation and sustainable grassland ecosystem functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyang Shu
- Key Laboratory of Land Resources Evaluation and Monitoring in Southwest, Ministry of Education, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qinxin Ye
- Institute of Agricultural Bioenvironment and Energy, Chengdu Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Han Huang
- College of Economics and Management, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Longlong Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Tang
- Key Laboratory of Land Resources Evaluation and Monitoring in Southwest, Ministry of Education, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xingyi Liu
- Institute of Agricultural Bioenvironment and Energy, Chengdu Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianwei Wu
- Institute of Agricultural Bioenvironment and Energy, Chengdu Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiding Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liangji Deng
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Weijia Liu
- Institute of Agricultural Bioenvironment and Energy, Chengdu Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Chengdu, China
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9
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Parr CL, Te Beest M, Stevens N. Conflation of reforestation with restoration is widespread. Science 2024; 383:698-701. [PMID: 38359128 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj0899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Across Africa, vast areas of nonforest are threatened by inappropriate restoration in the form of tree planting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine L Parr
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Mariska Te Beest
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
- South African Environmental Observation Network, G-F-W Node, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Nicola Stevens
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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10
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Ma Q, Zhu Y, Wang Y, Liu T, Qing X, Liu J, Xiao Y, Song Y, Yue Y, Yu H, Wang J, Zhong Z, Wang D, Wang L. Livestock grazing modifies soil nematode body size structure in mosaic grassland habitats. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119600. [PMID: 38042077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119600] [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: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Body size is closely related to the trophic level and abundance of soil fauna, particularly nematodes. Therefore, size-based analyses are increasingly prominent in unveiling soil food web structure and its responses to anthropogenic disturbances, such as livestock grazing. Yet, little is known about the effects of different livestock on the body size structure of soil nematodes, especially in grasslands characterized by local habitat heterogeneity. A four-year field grazing experiment from 2017 to 2020 was conducted in a meadow steppe characterized by typical mosaics of degraded hypersaline patches and undegraded hyposaline patches to assess the impacts of cattle and sheep grazing on the body size structure of soil nematodes within and across trophic groups. Without grazing, the hypersaline patches harbored higher abundance of large-bodied nematodes in the community compared to the hyposaline patches. Livestock grazing decreased large-bodied nematodes within and across trophic groups mainly by reducing soil microbial biomass in the hypersaline patches, with sheep grazing resulting in more substantial reductions compared to cattle grazing. The reduction in large-bodied nematode individuals correspondingly resulted in decreases in nematode community-weighted mean (CWM) body size, nematode biomass, and size spectra slopes. However, both cattle and sheep grazing had minimal impacts on the CWM body size and size spectra of total nematodes in the hyposaline patches. Our findings suggest that livestock grazing, especially sheep grazing, has the potential to simplify soil food webs by reducing large-bodied nematodes in degraded habitats, which may aggravate soil degradation by weakening the bioturbation activities of soil fauna. In light of the widespread land use of grasslands by herbivores of various species and the ongoing global grassland degradation of mosaic patches, the recognition of the trends revealed by our findings is critical for developing appropriate strategies for grassland grazing management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanhui Ma
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization & Heilongjiang Xingkai Lake Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station & Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xue Qing
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jushan Liu
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yingli Xiao
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yueqing Song
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yonghuan Yue
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jianyong Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhong
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Deli Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
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11
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Su J, Fan L, Yuan Z, Wang Z, Wang Z. Quantifying the drought sensitivity of grassland under different climate zones in Northwest China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 910:168688. [PMID: 37992825 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Grassland is essential for maintaining the stability and functionality of terrestrial ecosystems. Although previous research has explored how grassland responds to drought, the drought sensitivity of grassland (DSG) across climate zones and aridity gradients remains uncertain. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation spanning 1982 to 2015 in Northwest China. To assess the time-cumulative effect (TCE) and the time-lag effect (TLE) of drought on grassland, we employed Spearman rank correlation analysis, utilizing long-term datasets of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). This analysis allowed us to quantify the DSG in the region and further examine its variations across climate zones and aridity gradient. Our results revealed that 81.2 % and 99.7 % of the grassland in Northwest China was influenced by the TCE and TLE of drought, respectively, with 38.2 % and 60.9 % of these effects being statistically significant (p < 0.05). The mean accumulated and lagged timescales of drought on grassland were 7.89 and 9.41 months, respectively. Remarkably, the highest DSG was observed in the semi-arid zone (0.58), followed by the arid (0.54), sub-humid (0.51), and humid (0.44) zones. Furthermore, we identified significant nonlinear variation patterns of DSG along the aridity gradient, characterized by several discernible trend breaks. These findings contribute to our understanding of the impacts of drought on vegetation, particularly in ecologically fragile regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Su
- School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan 454003, China
| | - Liangxin Fan
- School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan 454003, China.
| | - Zhanliang Yuan
- School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan 454003, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan 454003, China
| | - Zhijun Wang
- School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan 454003, China
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12
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Zhang YW, Peng ZC, Chang SH, Wang ZF, Li DC, An YF, Hou FJ, Ren JZ. Long-term grazing improved soil chemical properties and benefited community traits under climatic influence in an alpine typical steppe. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119184. [PMID: 37832291 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119184] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Grazing and climate change both contribute to diversity loss and productivity fluctuations. Sensitive climate conditions and long-term grazing activities have a profound influence on community change, particularly in high-altitude mountain grassland ecosystems. However, knowledge about the role of long-term continuous grazing management on diversity, productivity and the regulation mechanisms in fragile grassland ecosystems is still rudimentary. We conducted a long-term grazing experiment on an alpine typical steppe in the Qilian Mountains to assess effects of grazing intensity on soil, diversity, productivity and the regulation mechanisms. Plants and soil were sampled along grazing gradients at different distances from the pasture entrance (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5 km) under the non-growing (WP) and the growing season grazing pasture (SAP). The results revealed that community diversity and biomass did not change significantly on a time scale, while the concentration of soil organic carbon and total phosphorus increased significantly. Heavy grazing (0-0.3 km) decreased community diversity and biomass. Grazing increased soil chemical properties in heavy grazed areas of WP, while the opposite was recorded in SAP. Soil chemical properties explained the largest variances in community diversity and community biomass. The prediction model indicates that grazing in WP mainly affects community diversity through soil chemical properties, and promotes a positive correlation between community diversity and community biomass; in SAP, the direct effect of grazing gradients on community diversity and biomass is the main pathway, but not eliminating the single positive relationship between diversity and biomass, which means that diversity can still be used as a potential resource to promote productivity improvement. Therefore, we should focus on the regulation of soil chemical properties in WP, such as the health and quality of soil, strengthening its ability to store water, sequester carbon and increase nutrients; focus on the management of livestock in SAP, including providing fertilizer and sowing to increase diversity and production in heavily grazed regions and reducing grazing pressure through regional rotational grazing. Ultimately, we call for strengthening the stability and sustainability of ecosystems through targeted and active human intervention in ecologically sensitive areas to cope with future grazing pressures and climate disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, PR China
| | - Ze-Chen Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, PR China
| | - Sheng-Hua Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, PR China
| | - Zhao-Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, PR China
| | - Duo-Cai Li
- Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision Liangzhou Branch, Wuwei, Gansu, PR China
| | - Yu-Feng An
- Sunan Yugu Autonomous County Deer Farm, Zhangye, Gansu, PR China
| | - Fu-Jiang Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, PR China.
| | - Ji-Zhou Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, PR China
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13
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Demichelis C, Oszwald J, Mckey D, Essono PYB, Sounguet GP, Braun JJ. Socio-Ecological Approach to a Forest-Swamp-Savannah Mosaic Landscape Using Remote Sensing and Local Knowledge: a Case Study in the Bas-Ogooué Ramsar Site, Gabon. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 72:1241-1258. [PMID: 37202510 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01827-8] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Studies of landscape dynamics in protected areas often rely exclusively on remotely-sensed data, leading to bias by neglecting how local inhabitants, who often have a long history of interaction with their environment, perceive and structure the landscape over time. Using a socio-ecological system (SES) approach in a forest-swamp-savannah mosaic within the Bas-Ogooué Ramsar site in Gabon, we assess how human populations participate in landscape dynamics over time. We first conducted a remote sensing analysis to produce a land-cover map representing the biophysical dimension of the SES. This map is based on pixel-oriented classifications, using a 2017 Sentinel-2 satellite image and 610 GPS points, that categorized the landscape in 11 ecological classes. To study the landscape's social dimension, we collected data on local knowledge to understand how local people perceive and use the landscape. These data were collected through 19 semi-structured individual interviews, three focus groups and 3 months of participant observation during an immersive field mission. We developed a systemic approach by combining data on biophysical and social dimensions of the landscape. Our analysis shows that in the absence of continued anthropic interventions, both savannahs and swamps dominated by herbaceous vegetation will experience closure by encroaching woody vegetation, leading to eventual biodiversity loss. Our methodology based on an SES approach to landscapes could improve the conservation programs developed by Ramsar site managers. Designing actions at the local scale, rather than applying one set of actions to the entire protected area, allows the integration of human perceptions, practices and expectations, a challenge that is more than essential in the context of global change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan Oszwald
- LETG-COSTEL UMR 6554 (Univ. Rennes, CNRS), Rennes, France
| | - Doyle Mckey
- CEFE (Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD), Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Jean-Jacques Braun
- IRD GET UMR 5563 (Univ. Toulouse, CNRS, IRD), Toulouse, France
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux, Libreville, Gabon
- LMI DYCOFAC (IRD), Yaoundé, Cameroun
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14
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Bertuol-Garcia D, Ladouceur E, Brudvig LA, Laughlin DC, Munson SM, Curran MF, Davies KW, Svejcar LN, Shackelford N. Testing the hierarchy of predictability in grassland restoration across a gradient of environmental severity. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2922. [PMID: 37776043 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Ecological restoration is critical for recovering degraded ecosystems but is challenged by variable success and low predictability. Understanding which outcomes are more predictable and less variable following restoration can improve restoration effectiveness. Recent theory asserts that the predictability of outcomes would follow an order from most to least predictable from coarse to fine community properties (physical structure > taxonomic diversity > functional composition > taxonomic composition) and that predictability would increase with more severe environmental conditions constraining species establishment. We tested this "hierarchy of predictability" hypothesis by synthesizing outcomes along an aridity gradient with 11 grassland restoration projects across the United States. We used 1829 vegetation monitoring plots from 227 restoration treatments, spread across 52 sites. We fit generalized linear mixed-effects models to predict six indicators of restoration outcomes as a function of restoration characteristics (i.e., seed mixes, disturbance, management actions, time since restoration) and used variance explained by models and model residuals as proxies for restoration predictability. We did not find consistent support for our hypotheses. Physical structure was among the most predictable outcomes when the response variable was relative abundance of grasses, but unpredictable for total canopy cover. Similarly, one dimension of taxonomic composition related to species identities was unpredictable, but another dimension of taxonomic composition indicating whether exotic or native species dominated the community was highly predictable. Taxonomic diversity (i.e., species richness) and functional composition (i.e., mean trait values) were intermittently predictable. Predictability also did not increase consistently with aridity. The dimension of taxonomic composition related to the identity of species in restored communities was more predictable (i.e., smaller residuals) in more arid sites, but functional composition was less predictable (i.e., larger residuals), and other outcomes showed no significant trend. Restoration outcomes were most predictable when they related to variation in dominant species, while those responding to rare species were harder to predict, indicating a potential role of scale in restoration predictability. Overall, our results highlight additional factors that might influence restoration predictability and add support to the importance of continuous monitoring and active management beyond one-time seed addition for successful grassland restoration in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Bertuol-Garcia
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emma Ladouceur
- Institute of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig-Halle-Jena, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lars A Brudvig
- Department of Plant Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Seth M Munson
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Kirk W Davies
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Burns, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Nancy Shackelford
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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15
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Gao Y, Zhong T, Bhat JD, Gomes de Farias AR, Dawoud TM, Hyde KD, Xiong W, Li Y, Gui H, Yang X, Wu S, Wanasinghe DN. Pleomorphic Dematiomelanommayunnanense gen. et sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Melanommataceae) from grassland vegetation in Yunnan, China. MycoKeys 2023; 98:273-297. [PMID: 37539358 PMCID: PMC10394607 DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.98.107093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
During a survey of microfungi associated with grasslands and related vegetation types from Yunnan Province in China, various ascomycetous and coelomycetous fungi were isolated. This study reports the discovery of four strains of ascomycetous and coelomycetous fungi from dead stalks of Hypericummonogynum L. (Hypericaceae) and Rubusparvifolius L. (Rosaceae) in the Zhaotong region of Yunnan Province, China. The isolates were characterized using multi-locus phylogenetic analyses and were found to represent a new monophyletic lineage in Melanommataceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes). This new clade was named as Dematiomelanommayunnanense gen. et sp. nov. which consists of both sexual and asexual morphs. The sexual morph is characterized by globose to subglobose ascomata with a central ostiole, cylindrical asci with a pedicel and ocular chamber, and muriform, ellipsoidal to fusiform ascospores. The asexual morph has synanamorphs including both brown, muriform macroconidia and hyaline, round to oblong or ellipsoidal microconidia. These findings contribute to the understanding of fungal diversity in grasslands and related vegetation types in Yunnan Province, China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Gao
- Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Honghe 654400, Yunnan, ChinaCenter for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of BotanyKunmingChina
- School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandMae Fah Luang UniversityChiang RaiThailand
| | - Tingfang Zhong
- Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandKey Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jayarama D. Bhat
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh-11451, Saudi ArabiaVishnugupta VishwavidyapeetamGokarnaIndia
| | | | - Turki M. Dawoud
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Kevin D. Hyde
- School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandMae Fah Luang UniversityChiang RaiThailand
| | - Weiqiang Xiong
- Biology Division, Vishnugupta Vishwavidyapeetam, Ashoke, Gokarna 581326, IndiaScience and Technology on Aerospace Chemical Power Laboratory, Hubei Institute of Aerospace ChemotechnologyHubeiChina
| | - Yunju Li
- Science and Technology on Aerospace Chemical Power Laboratory, Hubei Institute of Aerospace Chemotechnology, Xiangyang, 441003, Hubei, ChinaThe State Phosphorus Resource Development and Utilization Engineering Technology Research CentreKunmingChina
- The State Phosphorus Resource Development and Utilization Engineering Technology Research Centre, Yunnan Phosphate Chemical Group Co. Ltd, Kunming, ChinaYTH Modern Agriculture Development Co. LtdKunmingChina
| | - Heng Gui
- Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Honghe 654400, Yunnan, ChinaCenter for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of BotanyKunmingChina
- Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandKey Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
| | - Xuefei Yang
- Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandKey Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Shixi Wu
- Biology Division, Vishnugupta Vishwavidyapeetam, Ashoke, Gokarna 581326, IndiaScience and Technology on Aerospace Chemical Power Laboratory, Hubei Institute of Aerospace ChemotechnologyHubeiChina
| | - Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe
- Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, ThailandKey Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology and the Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- YTH Modern Agriculture Development Co. Ltd, Kunming, ChinaCenter for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of BotanyYunnanChina
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16
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Christensen EM, James D, Randall RM, Bestelmeyer B. Abrupt transitions in a southwest U.S. desert grassland related to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Ecology 2023:e4065. [PMID: 37186307 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Prediction of abrupt ecosystem transitions resulting from climatic change will be an essential element of adaptation strategies in the coming decades. In the arid southwest United States, the collapse and recovery of long-lived perennial grasses have important effects on ecosystem services, but the causes of these variations have been poorly understood. Here we use a quality-controlled vegetation monitoring dataset initiated in 1915 to show that grass cover dynamics during the 20th century were closely correlated to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) index. The relationship out-performed models correlating grasses to yearly precipitation and drought indices, suggesting that ecosystem transitions attributed only to local disturbances were instead influenced by climate teleconnections. Shifts in PDO phase over time were associated with the persistent loss of core grass species and recovery of transient species, so recovery of grasses in aggregate concealed significant changes in species composition. However, the relationship between PDO and grass cover broke down after 1995; grass cover is consistently lower than PDO would predict. The decoupling of grass cover from the PDO suggests that a threshold had been crossed in which warming or land degradation overwhelmed the ability of any grass species to recover during favorable periods. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica M Christensen
- USDA-ARS-Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Darren James
- USDA-ARS-Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Robb M Randall
- DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, White Sands Missile Range, NM, USA
| | - Brandon Bestelmeyer
- USDA-ARS-Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
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Luo Q, Chen S, Nian H, Ma Q, Ding Y, Hao Q, Wei J, Patel JD, McElroy JS, Liu Y, Chen Y. Establishment of an Efficient Agrobacterium-Mediated Genetic Transformation System to Enhance the Tolerance of the Paraquat Stress in Engineering Goosegrass (Eleusine Indica L.). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076629. [PMID: 37047599 PMCID: PMC10095498 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Eleusine indica (goosegrass) is a problematic weed worldwide known for its multi-herbicide tolerance/resistance biotype. However, a genetic transformation method in goosegrass has not been successfully established, making a bottleneck for functional genomics studies in this species. Here, we report a successful Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method for goosegrass. Firstly, we optimized conditions for breaking seed dormancy and increasing seed germination rate. A higher callus induction rate from germinated seeds was obtained in N6 than in MS or B5 medium. Then the optimal transformation efficiency of the gus reporter gene was obtained by infection with Agrobacterium tumefaciens culture of OD600 = 0.5 for 30 min, followed by 3 days of co-cultivation with 300 μmol/L acetosyringone. Concentrations of 20 mg L−1 kanamycin and 100 mg L−1 timentin were used to select the transformed calli. The optimal rate of regeneration of the calli was generated by using 0.50 mg L−1 6-BA and 0.50 mg L−1 KT in the culture medium. Then, using this transformation method, we overexpressed the paraquat-resistant EiKCS gene into a paraquat-susceptible goosegrass biotype MZ04 and confirmed the stable inheritance of paraquat-resistance in the transgenic goosegrass lines. This approach may provide a potential mechanism for the evolution of paraquat-resistant goosegrass and a promising gene for the manipulation of paraquat-resistance plants. This study is novel and valuable in future research using similar methods for herbicide resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyu Luo
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36830, USA
| | - Shu Chen
- College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hai Nian
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qibing Ma
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuyao Ding
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qinwen Hao
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiping Wei
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jinesh D. Patel
- Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36830, USA
| | - Joseph Scott McElroy
- Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36830, USA
| | - Yaoguang Liu
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yong Chen
- College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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18
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Hamilton NP, Burton PJ. Wildfire disturbance reveals evidence of ecosystem resilience and precariousness in a forest–grassland mosaic. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P. Hamilton
- Ministry of Forests, Range Branch Prince George British Columbia Canada
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Program University of Northern British Columbia Prince George British Columbia Canada
| | - Philip J. Burton
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management University of Northern British Columbia Terrace British Columbia Canada
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Torres B, Espinoza Í, Torres A, Herrera-Feijoo R, Luna M, García A. Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas' Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040714. [PMID: 36830503 PMCID: PMC9952715 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Land use change in pastures is considered one of the leading drivers of tropical deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region (EAR). To halt and reverse this process, it is necessary to understand, among other factors, the local livelihoods, income from grazing area and the appropriate options to foster sustainable production, incorporating the land-sparing and land-sharing approach. This work was conducted using 167 household surveys along an altitudinal gradient within the buffer and transition zone of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in the EAR. The results of a comparative analysis of the main capital variables (human, social, natural, financial, and physical), and the opportunity cost of grazing area assessment provides the following key findings: (a) the concepts of land sparing and land sharing should be considered as complementary local strategies, including household livelihoods and the opportunity cost of the grazing area; (b) we should encourage markets with differentiated restoration rights, based on households engaged in low grazing areas' opportunity costs, and making less impact on capitals' livelihood a key element of economic and conservation initiatives; and (c) sectoral policy implications, including moderate intensification and technological improvements to strengthen the pastureland-sparing and -sharing approach, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bolier Torres
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Amazon State University (UEA), Pastaza 160101, Ecuador
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
- Postgraduate Unit, State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
| | - Ítalo Espinoza
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
| | - Alexandra Torres
- Postgraduate Unit, State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
- Faculty of Legal, Social and Education Sciences, Technical University of Babahoyo (UTB), Km 3 1/2 Vía a Valencia, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
| | - Robinson Herrera-Feijoo
- Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, State Technical University of Quevedo (UTEQ), Quevedo Av. Quito km, 1 1/2 Vía a Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Quevedo 120550, Ecuador
| | - Marcelo Luna
- Faculty of Earth Sciences, Amazon State University (UEA), Pastaza 160101, Ecuador
| | - Antón García
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
- Correspondence:
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He S, Xiong K, Song S, Chi Y, Fang J, He C. Research Progress of Grassland Ecosystem Structure and Stability and Inspiration for Improving Its Service Capacity in the Karst Desertification Control. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:770. [PMID: 36840118 PMCID: PMC9959505 DOI: 10.3390/plants12040770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The structure and stability of grassland ecosystems have a significant impact on biodiversity, material cycling and productivity for ecosystem services. However, the issue of the structure and stability of grassland ecosystems has not been systematically reviewed. Based on the Web of Science (WOS) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases, we used the systematic-review method and screened 133 papers to describe and analyze the frontiers of research into the structure and stability of grassland ecosystems. The research results showed that: (1) The number of articles about the structure and stability of grassland ecosystems is gradually increasing, and the research themes are becoming increasingly diverse. (2) There is a high degree of consistency between the study area and the spatial distribution of grassland. (3) Based on the changes in ecosystem patterns and their interrelationships with ecosystem processes, we reviewed the research progress and landmark results on the structure, stability, structure-stability relationship and their influencing factors of grassland ecosystems; among them, the study of structure is the main research focus (51.12%), followed by the study of the influencing factors of structure and stability (37.57%). (4) Key scientific questions on structural optimization, stability enhancement and harmonizing the relationship between structure and stability are explored. (5) Based on the background of karst desertification control (KDC) and its geographical characteristics, three insights are proposed to optimize the spatial allocation, enhance the stability of grassland for rocky desertification control and coordinate the regulation mechanism of grassland structure and stability. This study provided some references for grassland managers and relevant policy makers to optimize the structure and enhance the stability of grassland ecosystems. It also provided important insights to enhance the service capacity of grassland ecosystems in KDC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyu He
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control of China, 116 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Kangning Xiong
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control of China, 116 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Shuzhen Song
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control of China, 116 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Yongkuan Chi
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control of China, 116 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Jinzhong Fang
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control of China, 116 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Chen He
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control of China, 116 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550001, China
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Substrate and low intensity fires influence bacterial communities in longleaf pine savanna. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20904. [PMID: 36463255 PMCID: PMC9719495 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24896-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial communities associated with vegetation-soil interfaces have important roles in terrestrial ecosystems. These bacterial communities, studied almost exclusively in unburnt ecosystems or those affected by rare, high-intensity wildfires, have been understudied in fire-frequented grasslands and savannas. The composition of ground-level bacterial communities was explored in an old-growth pine savanna with a centuries-long management history of prescribed fires every 1-2 years. Using 16S metabarcoding, hypotheses were tested regarding differences in bacterial families of litter and soil surface substrates in patches of ground layer vegetation that were naturally burnt or unburnt during landscape-level prescribed fires. Litter/soil substrates and fire/no fire treatments explained 67.5% of bacterial community variation and differences, driven by relative abundance shifts of specific bacterial families. Fires did not strongly affect plant or soil variables, which were not linked to bacterial community differences. Litter/soil substrates and the naturally patchy frequent fires appear to generate microhabitat heterogeneity in this pine savanna, driving responses of bacterial families. Prescribed fire management may benefit from considering how fire-altered substrate heterogeneity influences and maintains microbial diversity and function, especially in these fiery ecosystems. Frequent, low-intensity fires appear ecologically important in maintaining the diverse microbial foundation that underlie ecosystem processes and services in fire-frequented habitats.
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Estimates of regeneration potential in the Pannonian sand region help prioritize ecological restoration interventions. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1136. [PMID: 36302892 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04047-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Restoration prioritization helps determine optimal restoration interventions in national and regional spatial planning to create sustainable landscapes and maintain biodiversity. Here we investigate different forest-steppe vegetation types in the Pannonian sand region to provide restoration recommendations for conservation management, policy and research. We create spatial trajectories based on local, neighbouring and old-field regeneration capacity estimates of the Hungarian Habitat Mapping Database, compare the trajectories between different mesoregions and determine which environmental predictors possibly influence them at the mesoregion level using a random forest model. The trajectories indicate which types of passive or active restoration intervention are needed, including increasing connectivity, controlling invasive species, or introducing native species. Better restoration results can be achieve in the vicinity of larger (semi-)natural areas, but the specific site conditions must also be taken into account during prioritization. We also propose large-scale grassland restoration on abandoned agricultural fields instead of industrial forest plantations and afforestation with non-native species.
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Bison outperform cattle at restoring their home on the range. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2213632119. [PMID: 36170245 PMCID: PMC9546598 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2213632119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Liu L, Sayer EJ, Deng M, Li P, Liu W, Wang X, Yang S, Huang J, Luo J, Su Y, Grünzweig JM, Jiang L, Hu S, Piao S. The grassland carbon cycle: mechanisms, responses to global changes, and potential contribution to carbon neutrality. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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