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Nie Y, Xu L, Xin X, Ye L. Long-term grassland diversity-productivity relationship regulated by management regimes in northern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175084. [PMID: 39074747 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175084] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Grasslands are the most extensively distributed terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, providing a range of ecosystem services that are vital for sustaining human life and critical for sustainable development at the global scale. However, the relationship between the two most important attributes of grassland, plant diversity, and productivity, remains controversial even after many years of research. Here, we develop an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model based on decadal-scale experimental data from a degraded meadow steppe in northeastern Inner Mongolia, China to quantify the response of aboveground biomass (AGB) to plant species diversity under varying management regimes. We report that AGB responds negatively to the plant diversity in fallow grasslands and positively in grazing grasslands, transiting from negative to positive in mowing grasslands as mowing became more frequent. We show that the changing diversity-productivity relationships are driven by changes in species composition of the plant community, given the significant productivity gap between rare and non-rare species. This highlights the role of management in regulating the diversity-productivity relationships in grasslands. These results not only provide provocative insights into the relationships between plant diversity and productivity but also support more sustainable use and management of grassland resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Lijun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Xiaoping Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China.
| | - Liming Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China; Ghent University, Department of Geology, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
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Farooq M, Liu S, Tan L, Cai Q, Chiu MC, Resh VH. Multidimensional Aspects of Riverine Biodiversity Can Vary in Response to Nutrient Pollution and Environmental Dynamics Across Climatic Watersheds. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024:124775. [PMID: 39168439 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
The concurrent impact of anthropogenic and bioclimatic factors on biodiversity is a key focus in macroecology and biogeographical considerations in conservation programs within riverine ecosystems. However, there is still a lack of understanding about how multidimensional alpha and beta diversity measures respond to anthropogenic and bioclimatic drivers. Here, we assess the variations in taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional alpha and beta diversity of riverine macroinvertebrate communities across different watersheds in China. Our results show significant declines in most facets of alpha diversity across watersheds with low environmental heterogeneity, reflecting the loss of species with unique traits and evolutionary legacies. Both functional and phylogenetic beta-diversity values reveal a decreasing pattern along low heterogeneity environments, whereas taxonomic beta-diversity shows a contrasting pattern, which highlights the influence of microhabitat variation. Moreover, our findings identify nutrient levels, organic matter, water quality indicators, climatic variation, and geographic and habitat characteristics as key determinants of diversity patterns that are indicative of broader water pollution challenges. These factors jointly influence functional and phylogenetic alpha diversity and contribute to spatial homogenization, which is reflected in decreased functional and phylogenetic beta diversity. These trends highlight the complex interactions of chemical and physical factors in shaping biodiversity characteristics across watersheds. Based on the null model, macroinvertebrate communities primarily show random patterns, whereas clustering and overdispersion were sporadically observed in specific communities. We propose that conservation and restoration efforts should be aimed at enhancing aquatic biomes by managing extreme environmental conditions and amplifying spatial spillover, thereby supporting the intrinsic dynamics within natural metasystems and thus preserving the multidimensional aspects of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Farooq
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Shuoran Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China; Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China.
| | - Lu Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
| | - Qinghua Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
| | - Ming-Chih Chiu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
| | - Vincent H Resh
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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Vijayan J, Ezhuthanikkunnel AP, Punnorkodu SAK, Poikayil SS, Mohan M, Ammanamveetil MHA. Sediment microbial diversity, functional potentials, and antibiotic resistance pattern: a case study of Cochin Estuary core sediment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34665-0. [PMID: 39143383 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34665-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Marine sediments are an important part of the marine environment and the world's greatest organic carbon source. Sediment microorganisms are important regulators of major geochemical and eco-environmental processes in marine environments, especially nutrient dynamics and biogeochemical cycles. Despite their importance, core marine microorganisms are virtually unknown due to a lack of consensus on how to identify them. Most core microbiotas have been characterized thus far based on species abundance and occurrence. The combined effects of habitat and depth on benthic bacterial communities and ecological functions were studied using "Next-Generation sequencing (NGS) and Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) predictive functional profiling" at the surface (0.2 cm) and bottom depth (250 cm) in a sediment core sample from Cochin Estuary, Kerala, India. The results showed that bacterial diversity and richness were significantly higher in the surface sediment sample with the most abundant phyla being Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidetes. The major metabolic functions were metabolism, followed by environmental information processing and genetic information processing. Antibiotic resistance genes between the surface and bottom samples help to understand the resistance pattern among multidrug resistance is the most prominent one. Among viruses, Siphoviridae is the dominant family, followed by Myoviridae. In the case of Archea, Crenarchaeota is dominant, whereas among eukaryotes phyla Streptophyta and Chordata were dominant in the surface and the bottom samples respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasna Vijayan
- Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry; School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682016, Kerala, India.
| | - Akhil Prakash Ezhuthanikkunnel
- Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry; School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682016, Kerala, India
| | - Sabira Abdul Kareem Punnorkodu
- Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry; School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682016, Kerala, India
| | - Sunil Sukumaran Poikayil
- Department of Marine Geology and Geophysics; School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682016, Kerala, India
| | - Mahesh Mohan
- School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hills P.O, Kottayam, 686560, Kerala, India
| | - Mohamed Hatha Abdulla Ammanamveetil
- Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry; School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, 682016, Kerala, India
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Deng F, Xie H, Zheng T, Yang Y, Bao X, He H, Zhang X, Liang C. Dynamic responses of soil microbial communities to seasonal freeze-thaw cycles in a temperate agroecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:175228. [PMID: 39102954 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Soil freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) are common in temperate agricultural ecosystems during the non-growing season and are progressively influenced by climate change. The impact of these cycles on soil microbial communities, crucial for ecosystem functioning, varies under different agricultural management practices. Here, we investigated the dynamic changes in soil microbial communities in a Mollisol during seasonal FTCs and examined the effects of stover mulching and nitrogen fertilization. We revealed distinct responses between bacterial and fungal communities. The dominant bacterial phyla reacted differently to FTCs: for example, Proteobacteria responded opportunistically, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Choroflexi and Gemmatimonadetes responded sensitively, and Saccharibacteria exhibited a tolerance response. In contrast, the fungal community composition remained relatively stable during FTCs, except for a decline in Glomeromycota. Certain bacterial OTUs acted as sensitive indicators of FTCs, forming keystone modules in the network that are closely linked to soil carbon, nitrogen content and potential functions. Additionally, neither stover mulching nor nitrogen fertilization significantly influenced microbial richness, diversity and potential functions. However, over time, more indicator species specific to these agricultural practices began to emerge within the networks and gradually occupied the central positions. Furthermore, our findings suggest that farming practices, by introducing keystone microbes and changing interspecies interactions (even without changing microbial richness and diversity), can enhance microbial community stability against FTC disturbances. Specifically, higher nitrogen input with stover removal promotes fungal stability during soil freezing, while lower nitrogen levels increase bacterial stability during soil thawing. Considering the fungal tolerance to FTCs, we recommend reducing nitrogen input for manipulating bacterial interactions, thereby enhancing overall microbial resilience to seasonal FTCs. In summary, our research reveals that microbial responses to seasonal FTCs are reshaped through land management to support ecosystem functions under environmental stress amid climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangbo Deng
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongtu Xie
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Tiantian Zheng
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yali Yang
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xuelian Bao
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Hongbo He
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xudong Zhang
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Chao Liang
- Key Lab of Conservation Tillage & Ecological Agriculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China.
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Li W, Shen Y, Wang G, Ma H, Yang Y, Li G, Huo X, Liu Z. Plant species diversity and functional diversity relations in the degradation process of desert steppe in an arid area of northwest China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 365:121534. [PMID: 38905797 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121534] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Species and functional diversity play a major role in the stability and sustainability of grassland ecosystems. However, changes in species and functional diversity during grassland degradation in arid areas as well as the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we surveyed the vegetation and soil properties of arid regions across a degradation gradient to explore the shifts in species and functional diversity in plant communities, their relationships and key determinants during desert steppe degradation. Our results found significant variability in species diversity and functional diversity across degradation stages. Species diversity (Shannon-Wiener index (H), and Pielou index) and functional diversity (functional evenness (FEve) index, and Rao's quadratic entropy (RaoQ) index) tended to increase initially and then decrease with increasing grassland degradation. The Patrick index, Simpson index, functional richness (FRic) index, functional divergence (FDiv) index, and functional dispersion (FDis) index declined as grassland degradation increased. The relationships between species diversity and functional diversity indices at different stages of degradation in the desert steppe were inconsistent. From no to heavy degradation grasslands, the correlation between species diversity and functional diversity gradually weakened. Specifically, there was a significant correlation between Patrick (R) and FRic indices (R2 > 0.7) on both non-degraded and light degraded grasslands, but there was no significant correlation between R and FRic indices in moderately and heavily degraded grasslands (R2 < 0.7), and R2 gradually decreased. Redundancy analysis and partial least squares path modeling showed that grassland degradation has a significant direct effect on the species diversity and functional diversity. In addition grassland degradation has direct and indirect effects on the species diversity through soil available nitrogen, organic matter and total nitrogen. Functional diversity is directly or indirectly affected by species diversity, soil available nitrogen, organic matter and total nitrogen, soil moisture content, soil bulk density, and pH value. In summary, the relationship between species and functional diversity indices gradually weakened from areas with no degradation to heavy degradation in arid desert grasslands. Our study reveals the patterns and relationships between species diversity and functional diversity throughout the process of grassland degradation, demonstrating a gradual decrease in ecosystem stability and sustainability as degradation advances. Our results have significant implications for the restoration of grassland degradation and the management of ecosystem services in arid steppe regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Li
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Yan Shen
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Northern Yanchi Desert Steppe Observation and Research Station of Ningxia, Huamachi Town, Yanchi County, Wuzhong 751500, Ningxia, China
| | - Guohui Wang
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Northern Yanchi Desert Steppe Observation and Research Station of Ningxia, Huamachi Town, Yanchi County, Wuzhong 751500, Ningxia, China
| | - Hongbin Ma
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; Northern Yanchi Desert Steppe Observation and Research Station of Ningxia, Huamachi Town, Yanchi County, Wuzhong 751500, Ningxia, China.
| | - Yandong Yang
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Guoqiang Li
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Xinru Huo
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
| | - Zhuo Liu
- Key Laboratory for Model Innovation in Forage Production Efficiency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China; Ningxia Grassland and Animal Husbandry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China; College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, 489 Helanshan West Road, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China
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6
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Lemos-Costa P, Miller ZR, Allesina S. Phylogeny structures species' interactions in experimental ecological communities. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14490. [PMID: 39152685 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14490] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Species' traits and interactions are products of evolutionary history. Despite the long-standing hypothesis that closely related species possess similar traits, and thus experience stronger competition, measuring the effect of evolutionary history on the ecology of natural communities remains challenging. We propose a novel framework to test whether phylogeny influences patterns of coexistence and abundance of species assemblages. In our approach, phylogenetic trees are used to parameterize species' interactions, which in turn determine the abundance of species in a given assemblage. We use likelihoods to score models parameterized with a given phylogeny, and contrast them with models built using random trees, allowing us to test whether phylogenetic information helps to predict species' abundances. Our statistical framework reveals that interactions are indeed structured by phylogeny in a large set of experimental plant communities. Our results confirm that evolutionary history can help predict, and potentially manage or conserve, the structure and function of complex ecological communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Lemos-Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Zachary R Miller
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Stefano Allesina
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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Li Z, Wei J, Zhou X, Tian Q, He W, Cao X. Dynamic restoration mechanism of plant community in the burned area of northeastern margin of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1368814. [PMID: 39119492 PMCID: PMC11306190 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1368814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Forest fires play a pivotal role in influencing ecosystem evolution, exerting a profound impact on plant diversity and community stability. Understanding post-fire recovery strategies holds significant scientific importance for the ecological succession and restoration of forest ecosystems. This study utilized Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM) to investigate dynamic relationships among plant species diversity, phylogenetic diversity, soil properties, and community stability during various recovery stages (5-year, 15-year, and 23-year) following wildfires on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The findings revealed: (1) Over time, species richness significantly decreased (p< 0.05 or p< 0.01), while species diversity and dominance increased, resulting in uniform species distribution. Community stability progressively improved, with increased species compositional similarity. (2) Throughout succession, phylogenetic diversity (PD) significantly decreased (p< 0.01), accompanied by rising Mean Pairwise Distance (MPD) and Mean Nearest Taxon Distance (MNTD). Net Relatedness Index (NRI) shifted from positive to negative, indicating an increasing aggregation and dominance of plants with similar evolutionary traits in burned areas. Early succession witnessed simultaneous environmental filtering and competitive exclusion, shifting predominantly to competitive exclusion in later stages. (3) PLS-PM revealed that in the early recovery stage, soil properties mainly affected community stability, while species diversity metamorphosed into the primary factor in the mid-to-late stages. In summary, this study showed that plant diversity and phylogenetic variation were successful in revealing changes in community structure during the succession process. Soil characteristics functioned as selective barriers for plant communities during succession, and community stability underwent a multi-faceted and dynamic process. The soil-plant dynamic feedback continuously enhanced soil conditions and community vegetation structure thereby augmenting stability. Post-fire vegetation gradually transitioned towards the original native state, demonstrating inherent ecological self-recovery capabilities in the absence of secondary disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhen Li
- College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jia Wei
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolei Zhou
- College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qing Tian
- Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wanpeng He
- College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xueping Cao
- College of Forestry, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China
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Cui Y, Carmona CP, Wang Z. Identifying global conservation priorities for terrestrial vertebrates based on multiple dimensions of biodiversity. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14205. [PMID: 37855155 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14205] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity calls for an expansion of the current protected areas (PAs) to cover at least 30% of global land and water areas by 2030 (i.e., the 30×30 target). Efficient spatial planning for PA expansion is an urgent need for global conservation practice. A spatial prioritization framework considering multiple dimensions of biodiversity is critical for improving the efficiency of the spatial planning of PAs, yet it remains a challenge. We developed an index for the identification of priority areas based on functionally rare, evolutionarily distinct, and globally endangered species (FREDGE) and applied it to 21,536 terrestrial vertebrates. We determined species distributions, conservation status (global endangerment), molecular phylogenies (evolutionary distinctiveness), and life-history traits (functional rarity). Madagascar, Central America, and the Andes were of high priority for the conservation of multiple dimensions of terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity. However, 68.8% of grid cells in these priority areas had <17% of their area covered by PAs, and these priority areas were under intense anthropogenic and climate change threats. These results highlight the difficulties of conserving multiple dimensions of biodiversity. Our global analyses of the geographical patterns of multiple dimensions of terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity demonstrate the insufficiency of the conservation of different biodiversity dimensions, and our index, based on multiple dimensions of biodiversity, provides a useful tool for guiding future spatial prioritization of PA expansion to achieve the 30×30 target under serious pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Cui
- Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - 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, China
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9
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Henderson CJ, Gilby BL, Turschwell MP, Goodridge Gaines LA, Mosman JD, Schlacher TA, Borland HP, Olds AD. Long term declines in the functional diversity of sharks in the coastal oceans of eastern Australia. Commun Biol 2024; 7:611. [PMID: 38773323 PMCID: PMC11109089 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06308-0] [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: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Human impacts lead to widespread changes in the abundance, diversity and traits of shark assemblages, altering the functioning of coastal ecosystems. The functional consequences of shark declines are often poorly understood due to the absence of empirical data describing long-term change. We use data from the Queensland Shark Control Program in eastern Australia, which has deployed mesh nets and baited hooks across 80 beaches using standardised methodologies since 1962. We illustrate consistent declines in shark functional richness quantified using both ecological (e.g., feeding, habitat and movement) and morphological (e.g., size, morphology) traits, and this corresponds with declining ecological functioning. We demonstrate a community shift from targeted apex sharks to a greater functional richness of non-target species. Declines in apex shark functional richness and corresponding changes in non-target species may lead to an anthropogenically induced trophic cascade. We suggest that repairing diminished shark populations is crucial for the stability of coastal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Henderson
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia.
| | - Ben L Gilby
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Petrie, QLD, 4558, Australia
| | - Mischa P Turschwell
- Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Lucy A Goodridge Gaines
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia
| | - Jesse D Mosman
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia
| | - Thomas A Schlacher
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia
| | - Hayden P Borland
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia
| | - Andrew D Olds
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558, Australia
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10
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Powell VCR, Barr WA, Hammond AS, Wood BA. Behavioral and phylogenetic correlates of limb length proportions in extant apes and monkeys: Implications for interpreting hominin fossils. J Hum Evol 2024; 190:103494. [PMID: 38564844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103494] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The body proportions of extant animals help inform inferences about the behaviors of their extinct relatives, but relationships between body proportions, behavior, and phylogeny in extant primates remain unclear. Advances in behavioral data, molecular phylogenies, and multivariate analytical tools make it an opportune time to perform comprehensive comparative analyses of primate traditional limb length proportions (e.g., intermembral, humerofemoral, brachial, and crural indices), body size-adjusted long bone proportions, and principal components. In this study we used a mix of newly-collected and published data to investigate whether and how the limb length proportions of a diverse sample of primates, including monkeys, apes, and modern humans, are influenced by behavior and phylogeny. We reconfirm that the intermembral index, followed by the first principal component of traditional limb length proportions, is the single most effective variable distinguishing hominoids and other anthropoids. Combined limb length proportions and positional behaviors are strongly correlated in extant anthropoid groups, but phylogeny is a better predictor of limb length proportion variation than of behavior. We confirm convergences between members of the Atelidae and extant apes (especially Pan), members of the Hylobatidae and Pongo, and a potential divergence of Presbytis limb proportions from some other cercopithecoids, which correlate with adaptations for forelimb-dominated behaviors in some colobines. Collectively, these results substantiate hypotheses indicating that extinct hominins and other hominoid taxa can be distinguished by analyzing combinations of their limb length proportions at different taxonomic levels. From these results, we hypothesize that fossil skeletons characterized by notably disparate limb length proportions are unlikely to have exhibited similar behavioral patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vance C R Powell
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, 520 W St. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20059, USA; Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., 20052, USA.
| | - W Andrew Barr
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., 20052, USA
| | - Ashley S Hammond
- Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), New York, N.Y., 10024, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology at AMNH, New York, N.Y., 10024, USA
| | - Bernard A Wood
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., 20052, USA
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11
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Liu Y, Hogan JA, Lichstein JW, Guralnick RP, Soltis DE, Soltis PS, Scheiner SM. Biodiversity and productivity in eastern US forests. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314231121. [PMID: 38527197 PMCID: PMC10998592 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314231121] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite experimental and observational studies demonstrating that biodiversity enhances primary productivity, the best metric for predicting productivity at broad geographic extents-functional trait diversity, phylogenetic diversity, or species richness-remains unknown. Using >1.8 million tree measurements from across eastern US forests, we quantified relationships among functional trait diversity, phylogenetic diversity, species richness, and productivity. Surprisingly, functional trait and phylogenetic diversity explained little variation in productivity that could not be explained by tree species richness. This result was consistent across the entire eastern United States, within ecoprovinces, and within data subsets that controlled for biomass or stand age. Metrics of functional trait and phylogenetic diversity that were independent of species richness were negatively correlated with productivity. This last result suggests that processes that determine species sorting and packing are likely important for the relationships between productivity and biodiversity. This result also demonstrates the potential confusion that can arise when interdependencies among different diversity metrics are ignored. Our findings show the value of species richness as a predictive tool and highlight gaps in knowledge about linkages between functional diversity and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Liu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing100871, China
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
| | - J. Aaron Hogan
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
| | | | - Robert P. Guralnick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32610
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
| | - Douglas E. Soltis
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32610
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
| | - Pamela S. Soltis
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32610
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL32611
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12
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Hoenle PO, Plowman NS, Matos-Maraví P, de Bello F, Bishop TR, Libra M, Idigel C, Rimandai M, Klimes P. Forest disturbance increases functional diversity but decreases phylogenetic diversity of an arboreal tropical ant community. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:501-516. [PMID: 38409804 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14060] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Tropical rainforest trees host a diverse arthropod fauna that can be characterised by their functional diversity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD). Human disturbance degrades tropical forests, often coinciding with species invasion and altered assembly that leads to a decrease in FD and PD. Tree canopies are thought to be particularly vulnerable, but rarely investigated. Here, we studied the effects of forest disturbance on an ecologically important invertebrate group, the ants, in a lowland rainforest in New Guinea. We compared an early successional disturbed plot (secondary forest) to an old-growth plot (primary forest) by exhaustively sampling their ant communities in a total of 852 trees. We expected that for each tree community (1) disturbance would decrease FD and PD in tree-dwelling ants, mediated through species invasion. (2) Disturbance would decrease ant trait variation due to a more homogeneous environment. (3) The main drivers behind these changes would be different contributions of true tree-nesting species and visiting species. We calculated FD and PD based on a species-level phylogeny and 10 ecomorphological traits. Furthermore, we assessed by data exclusion the influence of species, which were not nesting in individual trees (visitors) or only nesting species (nesters), and of non-native species on FD and PD. Primary forests had higher ant species richness and PD than secondary forest. However, we consistently found increased FD in secondary forest. This pattern was robust even if we decoupled functional and phylogenetic signals, or if non-native ant species were excluded from the data. Visitors did not contribute strongly to FD, but they increased PD and their community weighted trait means often varied from nesters. Moreover, all community-weighted trait means changed after forest disturbance. Our finding of contradictory FD and PD patterns highlights the importance of integrative measures of diversity. Our results indicate that the tree community trait diversity is not negatively affected, but possibly even enhanced by disturbance. Therefore, the functional diversity of arboreal ants is relatively robust when compared between old-growth and young trees. However, further study with higher plot-replication is necessary to solidify and generalise our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp O Hoenle
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Nichola S Plowman
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Pável Matos-Maraví
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Francesco de Bello
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC-UV-GV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Tom R Bishop
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Martin Libra
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Cliffson Idigel
- New Guinea Binatang Research Center, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Maling Rimandai
- New Guinea Binatang Research Center, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Petr Klimes
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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13
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Rouabah A, Lasserre-Joulin F, Plantureux S, Taugourdeau S, Amiaud B. Functional trait composition of carabid beetle communities predicts prey suppression through both mass ratio and niche complementarity mechanisms. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:562-574. [PMID: 37596960 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13261] [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: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Several components of predator functional diversity have been hypothesized to influence prey suppression through either niche complementarity or mass ratio effects. Nevertheless, most studies have used a functional group approach when assessing the role of these predators in ecosystem functioning. By adopting a trait-based approach, we evaluated the relative contributions of carabid diversity components in predicting prey suppression. Our results highlight the importance of both taxonomic and functional diversity components of carabids as key drivers of prey suppression. Prey suppression was best predicted by carabid densities, with the dominance of Poecilus cupreus potentially driving the positive effect of community total abundance through the mass ratio effect. Prey suppression increased with increasing the density of large carabids. In addition, carabid eye diameter and antennal length were key functional traits for predicting prey suppression. Furthermore, prey suppression increased with increasing carabid functional richness following the niche complementarity effect. In contrast to functional richness, functional evenness and functional divergence of carabid communities were weakly correlated with prey suppression. By identifying which diversity components of carabid communities contribute the most to increase prey suppression, our results can guide efforts aiming to predict the relationship between diversity of these predators and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Simon Taugourdeau
- UMR SELMET, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, 34000, France
- CIRAD, UMR SELMET-PPZS, Dakar, Sénégal
| | - Bernard Amiaud
- UMR Silva, Université de Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE, Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, 54506, France
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14
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Shi X, Eisenhauer N, Peñuelas J, Fu Y, Wang J, Chen Y, Liu S, He L, Lucas-Borja ME, Wang L, Huang Z. Trophic interactions in soil micro-food webs drive ecosystem multifunctionality along tree species richness. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17234. [PMID: 38469998 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17234] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Rapid biodiversity losses under global climate change threaten forest ecosystem functions. However, our understanding of the patterns and drivers of multiple ecosystem functions across biodiversity gradients remains equivocal. To address this important knowledge gap, we measured simultaneous responses of multiple ecosystem functions (nutrient cycling, soil carbon stocks, organic matter decomposition, plant productivity) to a tree species richness gradient of 1, 4, 8, 16, and 32 species in a young subtropical forest. We found that tree species richness had negligible effects on nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and plant productivity, but soil carbon stocks and ecosystem multifunctionality significantly increased with tree species richness. Linear mixed-effect models showed that soil organisms, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and soil nematodes, elicited the greatest relative effects on ecosystem multifunctionality. Structural equation models revealed indirect effects of tree species richness on ecosystem multifunctionality mediated by trophic interactions in soil micro-food webs. Specifically, we found a significant negative effect of gram-positive bacteria on soil nematode abundance (a top-down effect), and a significant positive effect of AMF biomass on soil nematode abundance (a bottom-up effect). Overall, our study emphasizes the significance of a multitrophic perspective in elucidating biodiversity-multifunctionality relationships and highlights the conservation of functioning soil micro-food webs to maintain multiple ecosystem functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuzhen Shi
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Resources and Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CREAF, Centre de Recerca Ecològicai Aplicacions Forestals, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Yanrong Fu
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Resources and Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jianqing Wang
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Resources and Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Shengen Liu
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lulu He
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Resources and Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja
- Higher Technical School of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, Castilla-La Mancha University, Albacete, Spain
| | - Liyan Wang
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Resources and Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhiqun Huang
- Key Laboratory for Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Subtropical Resources and Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
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15
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de Sousa Gomes-Gonçalves R, Araújo FG. Interdecadal changes in ichthyofauna in a tropical bay with high anthropogenic influences: functional stability despite turnover predominance. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:536-547. [PMID: 37874547 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15596] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Functional characteristics of species are of great importance for understanding their roles in ecosystems and can be used to detect long-term chances in the environment. We evaluated temporal changes (1983-1985 and 2017-2019) in taxonomic and functional indices of the fish fauna in shallow areas of a tropical bay heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities in recent decades. The hypothesis that functional indices change over time as a result of environmental degradation was tested. Our results showed a significant decrease in species richness and abundance over time, and in functional richness, while others functional diversity indices (divergency, evenness, and originality) remained stable. Thirteen functional groups were detected, some of which contained only one species, raising concerns about the loss of ecosystem functions due to ongoing changes. We also observed an increase in beta diversity over time, which may be the result of a decrease in local richness without leading to regional extinctions. Turnover was the most important process in structuring the fish fauna at the evaluated time scale. The relative stability of the functional structure and the higher levels of turnover seem to be related to the dominance of functional groups, within which species replace each other according to their responses to environmental filters that select for specific functional traits. Incorporating functional diversity indices and beta diversity variations in the fish community helped to enhance the existing information about this coastal system by offering improved estimates of biological diversity through diverse approaches. The predominance of turnover identified in the preset study suggests a dynamic and fluctuating species composition within the habitat. In this sense, habitat preservation should prioritize the protection of diverse habitats to accommodate a broad spectrum of species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Gerson Araújo
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes, Seropédica, Brazil
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16
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Lu K, Wu H, Jähnig SC, He F. The impacts of reduced connectivity on multiple facets of aquatic insect diversity in floodplain wetlands, Northeast China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169207. [PMID: 38072277 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169207] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
River-floodplain ecosystems are highly complex and dynamic systems that are subjected to human disturbance, such as the construction of levees. Aquatic insects are among the most widely used indicators to assess human impacts on floodplain wetlands. Most studies are still based on taxonomic biodiversity. However, trait-based approaches remain limited, which could impede the development of effective management strategies. Here, we investigated aquatic insect assemblages in eleven pairs of wetlands along the Wusuli River in two seasons (Spring and Autumn) and assessed their responses to the impact of levee construction, considering taxonomic and functional diversity. We found that pooled species richness (73 taxa) in river-connected wetlands was almost twice of that in levee-blocked wetlands (37 taxa). Six and one indicator taxa for river-connected wetlands were identified in May and October, respectively, while no indicator taxon for the levee-blocked wetlands was identified. Moreover, taxonomic and functional alpha diversity in river-connected wetlands was much higher than in levee-blocked wetlands, but beta diversity showed a contrasting pattern. Additionally, multivariate dispersion analysis indicated a more evident difference in beta diversity between river-connected and levee-blocked wetlands in May than in October, likely due to the temporary lateral connection in summer (i.e., water flowed over levees during flood events). Our results revealed that anthropogenic impacts (e.g., levee construction and agricultural activity) weakened the connectivity of floodplain wetland ecosystems, leading to decreased taxonomic and functional diversity of aquatic insects in isolated wetlands. Our study highlights the importance of combining taxonomic and trait-based approaches in biomonitoring programs of floodplain wetland ecosystems. It also underscores the necessity of restoring habitat connectivity of wetland ecosystems (e.g., river-floodplain connectivity and connections between different wetlands) to facilitate biodiversity recovery and enhance ecological functions and services supported by these valuable ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangle Lu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130102 Changchun, China
| | - Haitao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130102 Changchun, China; State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China.
| | - Sonja C Jähnig
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Fengzhi He
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130102 Changchun, China; State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China; Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany
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17
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Zuo J, Xiao P, Heino J, Tan F, Soininen J, Chen H, Yang J. Eutrophication increases the similarity of cyanobacterial community features in lakes and reservoirs. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 250:120977. [PMID: 38128306 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120977] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Eutrophication of inland waters is a mostly anthropogenic phenomenon impacting aquatic biodiversity worldwide, and might change biotic community structure and ecosystem functions. However, little is known about the patterns of cyanobacterial community variations and changes both on alpha and beta diversity levels in response to eutrophication. Here, we investigated cyanobacterial communities sampled at 140 sites from 59 lakes and reservoirs along a strong eutrophication gradient in eastern China through using CPC-IGS and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We found that taxonomic diversity increased, but phylogenetic diversity decreased significantly along the eutrophication gradient. Both niche width and niche overlap of cyanobacteria significantly decreased from low- to high-nutrient waterbodies. Cyanobacterial community distance-decay relationship became weaker from mesotrophic to hypereutrophic waterbodies, while ecological uniqueness (i.e., local contributions to beta diversity) tended to increase in high-nutrient waterbodies. Latitude and longitude were more important in shaping cyanobacterial community structure than other environmental variables. These findings suggest that eutrophication affects alpha and beta diversity of cyanobacterial communities, leading to increasingly similar community structures in lakes and reservoirs with a higher level of eutrophication. Our work highlights how cyanobacterial communities respond to anthropogenic eutrophication and calls for an urgent need to develop conservation and management strategies to control lake eutrophication and protect freshwater biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zuo
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Institute for Eco-Environmental Research of Sanyang Wetland, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Peng Xiao
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Institute for Eco-Environmental Research of Sanyang Wetland, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jani Heino
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, Oulu FI-90014, Finland
| | - Fengjiao Tan
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Janne Soininen
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Huihuang Chen
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
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18
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Barnes J, Balestra B, Knee KL, Frederick JA, Landaverde N, Meiller J. Freshwater algal biofilm assemblages are more effective than invertebrate assemblages at aggregating microplastics. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23239. [PMID: 38163167 PMCID: PMC10754882 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Microplastics, plastic particles less than 5 mm in length, are a ubiquitous pollutant in the environment, but research on freshwater microplastic contamination is lacking. A possible fate of microplastics in freshwater environments is to become entangled or aggregated in biofilms, which are matrices of algae, bacteria, and micro invertebrates that grow on underwater surfaces, following a progression of settling algae, periphyton, and finally invertebrate colonization. This in-situ study at the Oasis Marina at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, examined how the taxonomic assemblages of freshwater biofilms in the Potomac River are associated with the number of microplastics aggregated within them. Aluminum discs, acting as artificial substrate for biofilm growth, were deployed at the water's surface and at 2 m depth to survey biofilm assemblage and were sampled monthly from October 2021-October 2022. Microplastic abundances in the water column were measured every 2 weeks over the same period. Spatial and temporal trends in trapped and suspended microplastics, water quality parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, conductivity, turbidity, ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate), and biofilm assemblages were measured and compared to explore factors affecting the abundance of microplastics and their partitioning between the water column and biofilms. Water quality had no measurable impact on microplastic abundance in the water column at either depth, but temperature was negatively correlated to microplastic abundance in biofilms. As the weather warmed and biofilms progressed to invertebrate settling, they tended to contain fewer microplastics. This may have occurred because less biologically rich biofilms, primarily composed of unicellular algal colonies, provide a favorable surface for microplastic deposition. Understanding seasonal changes in biofilm assemblage and microplastic abundance may help track the fate of microplastics in freshwater systems, particularly in their interactions with lower trophic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Barnes
- American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Barbara Balestra
- American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
- Paleobiology Department, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
| | - Karen L. Knee
- American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - J. Adam Frederick
- Maryland Sea Grant, 5825 University Research Ct Suite 1350, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Natalie Landaverde
- American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Jesse Meiller
- The Earth Commons—Georgetown University's Institute for Environment & Sustainability, Washington, DC, 20007, USA
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19
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Huang J, Li X, Zhang S, Wu S, Ma M. Response of riparian plant community to landscape matrix differs by taxonomic and functional diversity: Implications for the planning of riparian landscapes regulated by dams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167768. [PMID: 37866617 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167768] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Local plant communities are embedded within the landscape matrix, and thus, diversity of these communities is largely determined by the spatial pattern of surrounding land-use. However, it is not yet clear how taxonomic and functional diversity within riparian plant communities respond differently to the landscape matrix at different scales, and whether and how these landscape-scale responses can be shaped by flooding conditions in the riparian landscape. This study is based upon field surveys of riparian plant communities in a total of 136 quadrats exposed to two different levels of flooding intensity along the reservoir formed by the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). We investigated the relationship between plant diversity of riparian communities and the surrounding landscape at different scales, which examined how the diversity, in terms of both plant taxonomy and functional traits, was affected by the landscape matrix at 15 different spatial scales ranging from 200 m to 3000 m in increments of 200 m around each sampling site. Furthermore, the community diversity in response to the landscape matrix under different levels of flooding intensity was also examined. Our findings suggested that trait-based functional diversity was more closely related to the landscape matrix at all 15 scales examined, compared to taxon-based diversity. The dispersal trait was found to be more susceptible to landscape connectivity across the matrix. Further, both types of diversity responded more strongly to landscape configurational metrics than compositional metrics. In addition, we observed that, in the communities exposed to high flooding intensity, the two types of diversity tended to have more consistent responses to the landscape matrix compared to those exposed to low flooding intensity. We concluded that while the landscape matrix had different effects on taxonomic and functional diversity, the high flooding intensity could lessen their differences in the riparian landscape. Our findings revealed that the robust local environmental filtering process, which affects the diversity of riparian communities, could lead to both diversity components exhibiting similar responses to the landscape matrix in riparian landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxia Huang
- Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China; Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China.
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China.
| | - Songlin Zhang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China.
| | - Shengjun Wu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China.
| | - Maohua Ma
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China.
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Song S, Xiong K, Chi Y. Response of grassland ecosystem function to plant functional traits under different vegetation restoration models in areas of karst desertification. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1239190. [PMID: 38148857 PMCID: PMC10749941 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1239190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Plant functional traits serve as a bridge between plants, the environment, and ecosystem function, playing an important role in predicting the changes in ecosystem function that occur during ecological restoration. However, the response of grassland ecosystem function to plant functional traits in the context of ecological restoration in areas of karst desertification remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we selected five plant functional traits [namely, plant height (H), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), root length (RL), and root dry matter content (RDMC)], measured these along with community-weighted mean (CWM) and functional trait diversity, and combined these measures with 10 indexes related to ecosystem function in order to investigate the differences in plant functional traits and ecosystem function, as well as the relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem functions, under four ecological restoration models [Dactylis glomerata (DG), Lolium perenne (LP), Lolium perenne + Trifolium repens (LT), and natural grassland (NG)]. We found that: 1) the Margalef index and Shannon-Wiener index were significantly lower for plant species in DG and LP than for those in NG (P<0.05), while the Simpson index was significantly higher in the former than in NG (P<0.05); 2) CWMH, CWMLDMC, and CWMRDMC were significantly higher in DG, LP, and LT than in NG, while CWMSLA was significantly lower in the former than in NG (P<0.05). The functional richness index (FRic) was significantly higher in DG and LP than in NG and LT, but the functional dispersion index (FDis) and Rao's quadratic entropy index (RaoQ) were significantly lower in DG and LP than in NG and LT (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between DG and LP, or between NG and LT (P>0.05); 3) ecosystem function, including ecosystem productivity, carbon storage, water conservation and soil conservation, was highest in LT and lowest in NG; and 4) CWMLDMC (F=56.7, P=0.024), CWMRL (F=28.7, P=0.024), and CWMH (F=4.5, P=0.048) were the main factors affecting ecosystem function. The results showed that the mixed pasture of perennial ryegrass and white clover was most conductive to restoration of ecosystem function. This discovery has important implications for the establishment of vegetation, optimal utilization of resources, and the sustainable development of degraded karst ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuzhen Song
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Kangning Xiong
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yongkuan Chi
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
- State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China
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21
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Lengyel E, Stenger-Kovács C, Boros G, Al-Imari TJK, Novák Z, Bernát G. Anticipated impacts of climate change on the structure and function of phytobenthos in freshwater lakes. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117283. [PMID: 37783333 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117283] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Climate change threatens surface waters worldwide, especially shallow lakes where one of the expected consequences is a sharp increase in their water temperatures. Phytobenthos is an essential, but still less studied component of aquatic ecosystems, and it would be important to learn more about how global warming will affect this community in shallow lakes. In this research, the effects of different climate change scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5, as intermediate and high emission scenarios) on the structure and function of the entire phytobenthos community using species- and trait-based approaches were experimentally investigated in an outdoor mesocosm system. Our results show that the forecasted 3 °C increase in temperature will already exert significant impacts on the benthic algal community by (1) altering its species and (2) trait composition (smaller cell size, lower abundance of colonial and higher of filamentous forms); (3) decreasing Shannon diversity; and (4) enhancing the variability of the community. Higher increase in the temperature (+5 °C) will imply more drastic alterations in freshwater phytobenthos by (1) inducing very high variability in species composition and compositional changes even in phylum level (towards higher abundance of Cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta at the expense of Bacillariophyta); (2) continuing shift in trait composition (benefits for smaller cell volume, filamentous life-forms, non-motile and weakly attached taxa); (3) further reducing the functional diversity; (4) increasing biofilm thickness (1.4 μm/°C) and (5) decreasing maximum quantum yield of photosystem II. In conclusion, already the intermediate emission scenario will predictably induce high risk in biodiversity issues, the high emission scenario will imply drastic impacts on the benthic algae endangering even the function of the ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Lengyel
- Limnology Research Group, Center for Natural Science, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary; HUN-REN-PE Limnoecology Research Group, Egyetem utca 10, H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
| | - Csilla Stenger-Kovács
- Limnology Research Group, Center for Natural Science, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary; HUN-REN-PE Limnoecology Research Group, Egyetem utca 10, H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
| | - Gergely Boros
- HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg Kuno utca 3, H-8237, Tihany, Hungary.
| | - Tiba Jassam Kaison Al-Imari
- Limnology Research Group, Center for Natural Science, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
| | - Zoltán Novák
- HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg Kuno utca 3, H-8237, Tihany, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Bernát
- HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg Kuno utca 3, H-8237, Tihany, Hungary.
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22
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Tosini L, Cartereau M, Le Bagousse-Pinguet Y, Laffont-Schwob I, Prudent P, Farnet Da Silva AM, Montès N, Labrousse Y, Vassalo L, Folzer H. Plant biodiversity offsets negative effects of metals and metalloids soil multi-contamination on ecosystem multifunctionality. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165567. [PMID: 37459987 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite increasing metals and metalloids (MM) human-driven soil contamination, how it simultaneously alters biodiversity and ecosystem functioning remains unknown. We used a wide gradient of a 170-year-old MM soil multi-contamination in Mediterranean scrublands to assess the effects of soil multi-contamination on multiple plant biodiversity facets, microbial communities and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). We found an overall positive effect of plant biodiversity on EMF mediated by microbial communities, and allowing offsetting the negative impacts of MM soil multi-contamination, especially on soil water holding capacity and nitrogen content. The diversity of distant plant lineages was the key facet promoting EMF by enhancing microbial communities, whereas the subordinate species richness altered EMF. By developing a holistic approach of these complex relationships between soil multi-contamination, plant biodiversity, microbial communities and ecosystem functioning, our results reveal the potential of plant biodiversity, and especially the diversity of evolutionary distant species, to offset the alteration of ecosystem functioning by MM soil multi-contamination. In this worldwide decade of ecosystems restoration, our study helps to identify relevant facets of plant biodiversity promoting contaminated ecosystem functioning, which is crucial to guide and optimize management efforts aiming to restore ecosystems and preserve human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorène Tosini
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, LPED, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France.
| | - Manuel Cartereau
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hélène Folzer
- Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France.
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23
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Mayfield MM, Lau JA, Tobias JA, Ives AR, Strauss SY. What Can Evolutionary History Tell Us about the Functioning of Ecological Communities? The ASN Presidential Debate. Am Nat 2023; 202:587-603. [PMID: 37963115 DOI: 10.1086/726336] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIn January 2018, Sharon Strauss, then president of the American Society of Naturalists, organized a debate on the following topic: does evolutionary history inform the current functioning of ecological communities? The debaters-Ives, Lau, Mayfield, and Tobias-presented pro and con arguments, caricatured in standard debating format. Numerous examples show that both recent microevolutionary and longer-term macroevolutionary history are important to the ecological functioning of communities. On the other hand, many other examples illustrate that the evolutionary history of communities or community members does not influence ecological function, or at least not very much. This article aims to provide a provocative discussion of the consistent and conflicting patterns that emerge in the study of contemporary and historical evolutionary influences on community function, as well as to identify questions for further study. It is intended as a thought-provoking exercise to explore this complex field, specifically addressing (1) key assumptions and how they can lead us astray and (2) issues that need additional study. The debaters all agree that evolutionary history can inform us about at least some aspects of community function. The underlying question at the root of the debate, however, is how the fields of ecology and evolution can most profitably collaborate to provide a deeper and broader understanding of ecological communities.
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24
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Deng T, He Z, Xu M, Dong M, Guo J, Sun G, Huang H. Species' functional traits and interactions drive nitrate-mediated sulfur-oxidizing community structure and functioning. mBio 2023; 14:e0156723. [PMID: 37702500 PMCID: PMC10653917 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01567-23] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Understanding the processes and mechanisms governing microbial community assembly and their linkages to ecosystem functioning has long been a core issue in microbial ecology. An in-depth insight still requires combining with analyses of species' functional traits and microbial interactions. Our study showed how species' functional traits and interactions determined microbial community structure and functions by a well-controlled laboratory experiment with nitrate-mediated sulfur oxidation systems using high-throughput sequencing and culture-dependent technologies. The results provided solid evidences that species' functional traits and interactions were the intrinsic factors determining community structure and function. More importantly, our study established quantitative links between community structure and function based on species' functional traits and interactions, which would have important implications for the design and synthesis of microbiomes with expected functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongchu Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection Microbiology and Regional Ecological Security, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhili He
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China
| | - Meiying Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection Microbiology and Regional Ecological Security, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Meijun Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection Microbiology and Regional Ecological Security, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection Microbiology and Regional Ecological Security, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guoping Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection Microbiology and Regional Ecological Security, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Haobin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection Microbiology and Regional Ecological Security, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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25
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Meng Y, Li SP, Wang S, Meiners SJ, Jiang L. Scale-dependent changes in ecosystem temporal stability over six decades of succession. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi1279. [PMID: 37801504 PMCID: PMC10558118 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi1279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
A widely assumed, but largely untested, tenet in ecology is that ecosystem stability tends to increase over succession. We rigorously test this idea using 60-year continuous data of old field succession across 480 plots nested within 10 fields. We found that ecosystem temporal stability increased over succession at the larger field scale (γ stability) but not at the local plot scale (α stability). Increased spatial asynchrony among plots within fields increased γ stability, while temporal increases in species stability and decreases in species asynchrony offset each other, resulting in no increase in α stability at the local scale. Furthermore, we found a notable positive diversity-stability relationship at the larger but not local scale, with the increased γ stability at the larger scale associated with increasing functional diversity later in succession. Our results emphasize the importance of spatial scale in assessing ecosystem stability over time and how it relates to biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yani Meng
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shao-peng Li
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shaopeng Wang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Science and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Scott J. Meiners
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, 61920, USA
| | - Lin Jiang
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
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26
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Alavez V, Santos-Gally R, Gutiérrez-Aguilar M, Del-Val E, Boege K. Influence of phylogenetic diversity of plant communities on tri-trophic interactions. Oecologia 2023; 203:125-137. [PMID: 37777642 PMCID: PMC10615933 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05455-1] [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: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Phylogenetic diversity of plant communities can influence the interaction between plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies. Plant communities with phylogenetically distant species tend to present a wide variety of functional traits and ecological niches, which in turn can influence competitive interactions among plants as well as food and habitat quality for herbivores and their natural enemies. To assess some different mechanisms by which phylogenetic diversity of plant communities can influence herbivores and their natural enemies, we established 12 experimental plots of tropical trees with two treatments: high and low phylogenetic diversity. We measured plant growth and anti-herbivore defenses, herbivore foliar damage, and predator activity in seven species that were present in both treatments. We found significant differences in the expression of plant traits as a function of species identity and their life history, but also depending on the phylogenetic context in which they grew. Pioneer species had higher growth and produced more phenolics in plots with high phylogenetic diversity versus plants in plots with low phylogenetic diversity. Accordingly, herbivore damage in these species was greater in plots with low phylogenetic diversity. Finally, predator activity on caterpillar clay models placed on plants was greater within the low phylogenetic diversity treatment, but only for non-myrmecophytic species. These results suggest that plant phylogenetic diversity can influence the expression of growth and defensive traits and further modify the interaction between plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies. However, such effects depend on plant life history and the presence of mutualistic interaction with ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Alavez
- Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México C.P. 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rocio Santos-Gally
- CONAHCYT-Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Manuel Gutiérrez-Aguilar
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ek Del-Val
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Karina Boege
- Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México C.P. 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
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27
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Larkin DJ, Glasenhardt MC, Williams EW, Karimi N, Barak RS, Leavens E, Hipp AL. Evolutionary history shapes grassland productivity through opposing effects on complementarity and selection. Ecology 2023; 104:e4129. [PMID: 37342067 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Phylogenetic diversity (PD), the evolutionary history of the organisms comprising a community, is increasingly recognized as an important driver of ecosystem function. However, biodiversity-ecosystem function experiments have rarely included PD as an a priori treatment. Thus, PD's effects in existing experiments are often confounded by covarying differences in species richness and functional trait diversity (FD). Here we report an experimental demonstration of strong PD effects on grassland primary productivity that are independent of FD, which was separately manipulated, and species richness, which was planted uniformly high to mimic diverse natural grasslands. Partitioning diversity effects demonstrated that higher PD increased complementarity (niche partitioning and/or facilitation) but lowered selection effects (probability of sampling highly productive species). Specifically, for every 5% increase in PD, complementarity increased by 26% on average (±8% SE), while selection effects decreased more modestly (8 ± 16%). PD also shaped productivity through clade-level effects on functional traits, that is, trait values associated with particular plant families. This clade effect was most pronounced in the Asteraceae (sunflower family), which, in tallgrass prairies, generally comprises tall, high-biomass species with low phylogenetic distinctiveness. FD also reduced selection effects but did not alter complementarity. Our results show that PD, independent of richness and FD, mediates ecosystem function through contrasting effects on complementarity and selection. This adds to growing evidence that consideration of phylogenetic dimensions of biodiversity can advance ecological understanding and inform conservation and restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Larkin
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Evelyn W Williams
- Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois, USA
| | - Nisa Karimi
- Herbarium and Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois, USA
| | - Rebecca S Barak
- Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois, USA
| | - Emma Leavens
- Herbarium and Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois, USA
| | - Andrew L Hipp
- Herbarium and Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois, USA
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28
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Hughes LJ, Massam MR, Morton O, Edwards FA, Scheffers BR, Edwards DP. Global hotspots of traded phylogenetic and functional diversity. Nature 2023; 620:351-357. [PMID: 37495700 PMCID: PMC10412452 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06371-3] [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: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar industry1 targeting a hyperdiversity of species2 and can contribute to major declines in abundance3. A key question is understanding the global hotspots of wildlife trade for phylogenetic (PD) and functional (FD) diversity, which underpin the conservation of evolutionary history4, ecological functions5 and ecosystem services benefiting humankind6. Using a global dataset of traded bird and mammal species, we identify that the highest levels of traded PD and FD are from tropical regions, where high numbers of evolutionary distinct and globally endangered species in trade occur. The standardized effect size (ses) of traded PD and FD also shows strong tropical epicentres, with additional hotspots of mammalian ses.PD in the eastern United States and ses.FD in Europe. Large-bodied, frugivorous and canopy-dwelling birds and large-bodied mammals are more likely to be traded whereas insectivorous birds and diurnally foraging mammals are less likely. Where trade drives localized extinctions3, our results suggest substantial losses of unique evolutionary lineages and functional traits, with possible cascading effects for communities and ecosystems5,7. Avoiding unsustainable exploitation and lost community integrity requires targeted conservation efforts, especially in hotspots of traded phylogenetic and functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam J Hughes
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mike R Massam
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Oscar Morton
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Felicity A Edwards
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Cambridge, UK
| | - Brett R Scheffers
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David P Edwards
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
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29
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Chen Y, Wang J, Jiang L, Li H, Wang H, Lv G, Li X. Prediction of spatial distribution characteristics of ecosystem functions based on a minimum data set of functional traits of desert plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1131778. [PMID: 37332722 PMCID: PMC10272538 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1131778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem function is a hot topic in current ecological research, and community-level traits based on individual plant functional traits play important roles in ecosystem function. In temperate desert ecosystems, which functional trait to use to predict ecosystem function is an important scientific question. In this study, the minimum data sets of functional traits of woody (wMDS) and herbaceous (hMDS) plants were constructed and used to predict the spatial distribution of C, N, and P cycling in ecosystems. The results showed that the wMDS included plant height, specific leaf area, leaf dry weight, leaf water content, diameter at breast height (DBH), leaf width, and leaf thickness, and the hMDS included plant height, specific leaf area, leaf fresh weight, leaf length, and leaf width. The linear regression results based on the cross-validations (FTEIW - L, FTEIA - L, FTEIW - NL, and FTEIA - NL) for the MDS and TDS (total data set) showed that the R2 (coefficients of determination) for wMDS were 0.29, 0.34, 0.75, and 0.57, respectively, and those for hMDS were 0.82, 0.75, 0.76, and 0.68, respectively, proving that the MDSs can replace the TDS in predicting ecosystem function. Then, the MDSs were used to predict the C, N, and P cycling in the ecosystem. The results showed that non-linear models RF and BPNN were able to predict the spatial distributions of C, N and P cycling, and the distributions showed inconsistent patterns between different life forms under moisture restrictions. The C, N, and P cycling showed strong spatial autocorrelation and were mainly influenced by structural factors. Based on the non-linear models, the MDSs can be used to accurately predict the C, N, and P cycling, and the predicted values of woody plant functional traits visualized by regression kriging were closer to the kriging results based on raw values. This study provides a new perspective for exploring the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudong Chen
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe, China
| | - Jinlong Wang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe, China
| | - Lamei Jiang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe, China
| | - Hanpeng Li
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe, China
| | - Hengfang Wang
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe, China
| | - Guanghui Lv
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe, China
| | - Xiaotong Li
- College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe, China
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Molleman F, Rossignol N, Ponge JF, Peres G, Cluzeau D, Ruiz-Camacho N, Cortet J, Pernin C, Villenave C, Prinzing A. Why phylogenetic signal of traits is important in ecosystems: uniformity of a plant trait increases soil fauna, but only in a phylogenetically uniform vegetation. Oecologia 2023; 202:175-191. [PMID: 37204497 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05384-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Phylogenetically closely related plant species often share similar trait states (phylogenetic signal), but local assembly may favor dissimilar relatives and thereby decouple the diversity of a trait from the diversity of phylogenetic lineages. Associated fauna might either benefit from plant trait diversity, because it provides them complementary resources, or suffer from it due to dilution of preferred resources. We hence hypothesize that decoupling of trait and phylogenetic diversity weakens the relationship between the plant-trait diversity and the abundance and diversity of associated fauna. Studying permanent meadows, we tested for combined effects of plant phylogenetic diversity and diversity of two functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content) on major groups of soil fauna (earthworms, mites, springtails, nematodes). We found that only in phylogenetically uniform plant communities, was uniformity in the functional traits associated with (i) high abundance in springtails, and (ii) high abundance of the sub-group that feeds more directly on plant material (in springtails and mites) or those that are more prone to disturbance (in nematodes), and (iii) high diversity in all three groups tested (springtails, earthworms, nematodes). Our results suggest that soil fauna profits from the resource concentration in local plant communities that are uniform in both functional traits and phylogenetic lineages. Soil fauna would hence benefit from co-occurrence of closely related plants that have conserved the same trait values, rather than of distantly related plants that have converged in traits. This might result in faster decomposition and a positive feedback between trait conservatism and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Molleman
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań, Ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - N Rossignol
- Université de Rennes 1/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Research Unit 'Ecobio-Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution', Campus Beaulieu, Bâtiment 14 A, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - J F Ponge
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS UMR 7179, 4 avenue du Petit Château, 91800, Brunoy, France
| | - G Peres
- UMR SAS INRAE Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, 65 Rue de St-Brieuc, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - D Cluzeau
- Université de Rennes 1/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Research Unit 'Ecobio-Ecosystemes, Biodiversite, Evolution', Station Biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
| | - N Ruiz-Camacho
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche, 50, avenue Daumesnil, 75012, Paris, France
| | - J Cortet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3, Université de Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Route de Mende, 34199, Montpellier, France
| | - C Pernin
- Université de Lille, Institut Mines-Télécom, Université Artois, Junia, ULR 4515-LGCgE, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et geo-Environnement, 59000, Lille, France
| | - C Villenave
- ELISOL environnement, ZA des Tourels, 10 avenue du midi, 30111, Congénies, France
| | - A Prinzing
- Université de Rennes 1/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Research Unit 'Ecobio-Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution', Campus Beaulieu, Bâtiment 14 A, 35042, Rennes, France
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31
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Chen D, Feng Q, Zhang Y. Enrichment and response of iron-metabolizing microorganisms and metabolic genes in the contaminated area of stratified stacking coal gangue dumps, Northern China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:63603-63619. [PMID: 37046168 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26775-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
In the Xishan coalfield of northern China, the stratified stacking of soil and gangue was applied to limit the acid pollution from high-sulfur coal gangue. In this study, we found that stratified stacking can effectively neutralize the acidity, with the pH value of gangue-leaching water being 6.02-8.13. In contrast to the acidic contaminated area, most of the microorganisms in the study area sediment were neutrophilic, with the main genera being Arthrobacter, Pseudorhodobacter, Pseudomonas, and Rhodoferax. A variety of iron- and sulfur-metabolizing bacteria was discovered in the gangue-leaching sediment, with the total relative abundance ranging from 4.20 to 23.75%, of which the iron-reducing bacteria (FeRB) accounted for the highest percentage. The distributions of these functional microorganisms in the samples were significantly influenced by Fe and S. The co-occurrence network analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the iron- and sulfur-metabolizing bacteria in the sediment (93.75%), indicating a strong reciprocal symbiotic relationship between these bacteria. The iron and sulfur metabolism genes in the sediment were predicted and compared based on the Tax4Fun functional prediction method. Results showed that functional genes related to iron metabolism were highly expressed in the gangue-leaching sediment. This study enhances the understanding of iron and sulfur metabolism in gangue-leaching contaminated areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Street, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, 221116, People's Republic of China
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Street, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, 221116, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiyan Feng
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Street, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, 221116, People's Republic of China.
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Street, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, 221116, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yun Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Street, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, 221116, People's Republic of China
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Street, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, 221116, People's Republic of China
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32
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Drager KI, Rivera MD, Gibson JC, Ruzi SA, Hanisch PE, Achury R, Suarez AV. Testing the predictive value of functional traits in diverse ant communities. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10000. [PMID: 37091559 PMCID: PMC10115899 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Associating morphological features with ecological traits is essential for understanding the connection between organisms and their roles in the environment. If applied successfully, functional trait approaches link form and function in an organism. However, functional trait data not associated with natural history information provide an incomplete picture of an organism's role in the ecosystem. Using data on the relative trophic position of 592 ant (Formicidae) samples comprising 393 species from 11 subfamilies and 19 widely distributed communities, we tested the extent to which commonly used functional proxies (i.e., morphometric traits) predict diet/trophic position as estimated from stable isotopes (δ15N). We chose ants as a group due to their ubiquity and abundance, as well as the wealth of available data on species traits and trophic levels. We measured 12 traits that have previously been identified as functionally significant, and corrected trait values for size and evolutionary history by using phylogenetically corrected trait residuals. Estimated trophic positions varied from 0.9 to 4.8 or roughly 4 trophic levels. Morphological data spanned nearly the entire size range seen in ants from the smallest (e.g., Strumigenys mitis total length 1.1 mm) to the largest species (e.g., Dinoponera australis total length 28.3 mm). We found overall body size, relative eye position, and scape length to be informative for predicting diet/trophic position in these communities, albeit with relatively weak predictive values. Specifically, trophic position was negatively correlated with body size and positively correlated with sensory traits (higher eye position and scape length). Our results suggest that functional trait-based approaches can be informative but should be used with caution unless clear links between form and function have been established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim I. Drager
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and BehaviorUniversity of Illinois505 S. Goodwin Ave. 515 Morrill HallUrbanaIllinois61801USA
| | - Michael D. Rivera
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation BiologyUniversity of Illinois505 S. Goodwin Ave. 515 Morrill HallUrbanaIllinois61801USA
| | - Joshua C. Gibson
- Department of EntomologyUniversity of Illinois505 S. Goodwin Ave. 320 Morrill HallUrbanaIllinois61801USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and TechnologyUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign405 N. Mathews AveUrbanaIllinois61801USA
| | - Selina A. Ruzi
- Department of Applied EcologyNorth Carolina State University115 David Clark Labs, 100 Eugene Brooks AvenueRaleighNorth Carolina27695USA
| | - Priscila E. Hanisch
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyBiocenterUniversity of WürzburgAm Hubland 97074WürzburgGermany
- Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” MACN‐CONICETBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Rafael Achury
- Department of EntomologyUniversity of Illinois505 S. Goodwin Ave. 320 Morrill HallUrbanaIllinois61801USA
- Terrestrial Ecology Research GroupTechnical University of MunichHans‐Carl‐von‐Carlowitz‐Platz 2Freising85354Germany
| | - Andrew V. Suarez
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and BehaviorUniversity of Illinois505 S. Goodwin Ave. 515 Morrill HallUrbanaIllinois61801USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation BiologyUniversity of Illinois505 S. Goodwin Ave. 515 Morrill HallUrbanaIllinois61801USA
- Department of EntomologyUniversity of Illinois505 S. Goodwin Ave. 320 Morrill HallUrbanaIllinois61801USA
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Chen J, Liu Z, Cui H, Song H, Wang J, Gao H, Chen S, Liu K, Yang Z, Wang Y, Wang X, Yang X, Meng L, An L, Xiao S, Le Bagousse-Pinguet Y. Direct and indirect effects of dominant plants on ecosystem multifunctionality. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1117903. [PMID: 36938009 PMCID: PMC10017997 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1117903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity is essential for the provision of multiple ecosystem functions simultaneously (ecosystem multifunctionality EMF). Yet, it remains unclear whether and how dominant plant species impact EMF. Here, we aimed at disentangling the direct from indirect above- and belowground pathways by which dominant plant species influence EMF. We evaluated the effects of two dominant plant species (Dasiphora fruticosa, and the toxic perennial plant Ligularia virgaurea) with expected positive and negative impacts on the abiotic environment (soil water content and pH), surrounding biological communities (plant and nematode richness, biomass, and abundance in the vicinity), and on the EMF of alpine meadows, respectively. We found that the two dominant plants enhanced EMF, with a positive effect of L. virgaurea on EMF greater than that of D. fruticosa. We also observed that dominant plants impacted on EMF through changes in soil water content and pH (indirect abiotic effects), but not through changes in biodiversity of surrounding plants and nematodes (indirect biotic pathway). Our study suggests that dominant plants may play an important role in promoting EMF, thus expanding the pervasive mass-ratio hypothesis originally framed for individual functions, and could mitigate the negative impacts of vegetation changes on EMF in the alpine meadows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Ziyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Hanwen Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Hongxian Song
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jiajia Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Haining Gao
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye, Gansu, China
| | - Shuyan Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Kun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Zi Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yajun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xiangtai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xiaoli Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Lihua Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Lizhe An
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Sa Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet
- Aix Marseille Univ, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Avignon Université, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Écologie marine et continentale, Technopôle Arbois-Méditerranée, Aix-en-Provence, France
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34
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Keppeler FW, Junker JR, Shaw MJ, Alford SB, Engel AS, Hooper‐Bùi LM, Jensen OP, Lamb K, López‐Duarte PC, Martin CW, McDonald AM, Olin JA, Paterson AT, Polito MJ, Rabalais NN, Roberts BJ, Rossi RE, Swenson EM. Can biodiversity of preexisting and created salt marshes match across scales? An assessment from microbes to predators. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich W. Keppeler
- Center for Limnology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
- Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática e Pesca da Amazônia Federal University of Pará Belém Pará Brazil
| | - James R. Junker
- Great Lakes Research Center Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan USA
| | - Margaret J. Shaw
- Center for Limnology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Scott B. Alford
- Nature Coast Biological Station University of Florida Cedar Key Florida USA
| | - Annette S. Engel
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences The University of Tennessee–Knoxville Knoxville Tennessee USA
| | - Linda M. Hooper‐Bùi
- Department of Environmental Sciences Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Olaf P. Jensen
- Center for Limnology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Katelyn Lamb
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Paola C. López‐Duarte
- Department of Biological Sciences University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte North Carolina USA
| | - Charles W. Martin
- Nature Coast Biological Station University of Florida Cedar Key Florida USA
| | - Ashley M. McDonald
- Nature Coast Biological Station University of Florida Cedar Key Florida USA
| | - Jill A. Olin
- Great Lakes Research Center Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan USA
| | - Audrey T. Paterson
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences The University of Tennessee–Knoxville Knoxville Tennessee USA
| | - Michael J. Polito
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Nancy N. Rabalais
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | | | - Ryann E. Rossi
- Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium Chauvin Louisiana USA
- St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program Florida State University Panama City Panama City Florida USA
| | - Erick M. Swenson
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
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35
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Busch MH, Allen DC, Marske KA, Kuczynski L. The only lasting truth is change: multiple dimensions of biodiversity show historical legacy effects in community assembly processes of freshwater fish. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle H. Busch
- Geographical Ecology Group, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Dept of Biology, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, Univ. of Oklahoma Norman OK USA
| | - Daniel C. Allen
- Geographical Ecology Group, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Dept of Biology, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, Univ. of Oklahoma Norman OK USA
- Dept of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State Univ. University Park PA USA
| | - Katharine A. Marske
- Geographical Ecology Group, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Dept of Biology, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, Univ. of Oklahoma Norman OK USA
| | - Lucie Kuczynski
- Geographical Ecology Group, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Dept of Biology, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, Univ. of Oklahoma Norman OK USA
- Inst. for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Univ. of Oldenburg Wilhelmshaven Germany
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36
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Zuo X, Sun S, Wang S, Yue P, Hu Y, Zhao S, Guo X, Li X, Chen M, Ma X, Qu H, Hu W, Zhao X, Allington GRH. Contrasting relationships between plant-soil microbial diversity are driven by geographic and experimental precipitation changes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 861:160654. [PMID: 36473666 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Soil microbe diversity plays a key role in dryland ecosystem function under global climate change, yet little is known about how plant-soil microbe relationships respond to climate change. Altered precipitation patterns strongly shape plant community composition in deserts and steppes, but little research has demonstrated whether plant biodiversity attributes mediate the response of soil microbial diversity to long- and short-term precipitation changes. Here we used a comparative study to explore how altered precipitation along the natural and experimental gradients affected associations of soil bacterial and fungal diversity with plant biodiversity attributes (species, functional and phylogenetic diversity) and soil properties in desert-shrub and steppe-grass communities. We found that along both gradients, increasing precipitation increased soil bacterial and fungal richness in the desert and soil fungal richness in the steppe. Soil bacterial richness in the steppe was also increased by increasing precipitation in the experiment but was decreased along the natural gradient. Plant biodiversity and soil properties explained the variations in soil bacterial and fungal richness from 43 % to 96 % along the natural gradient and from 19 to 46 % in the experiment. Overall, precipitation effects on soil bacterial or fungal richness were mediated by plant biodiversity attributes (species richness and plant height) or soil properties (soil water content) along the natural gradient but were mediated by plant biodiversity attributes (functional or phylogenetic diversity) in the experiment. These results suggest that different mechanisms are responsible for the responses of soil bacterial and fungal diversity to long- and short-term precipitation changes. Long- and short-term precipitation changes may modify plant biodiversity attribute effects on soil microbial diversity in deserts and steppes, highlighting the importance of precipitation changes in shaping relationships between plant and soil microbial diversity in water-limited areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Shanshan Sun
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shaokun Wang
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ya Hu
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shengnlong Zhao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xinxin Guo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Chen
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xujun Ma
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hao Qu
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Weigang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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37
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Guo H, Zhou XB, Tao Y, Yin JF, Zhang L, Guo X, Liu CH, Zhang YM. Perennial herb diversity contributes more than annual herb diversity to multifunctionality in dryland ecosystems of North-western China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1099110. [PMID: 36890885 PMCID: PMC9986965 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1099110] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Considerable attention has been given to how different aspects of biodiversity sustain ecosystem functions. Herbs are a critical component of the plant community of dryland ecosystems, but the importance of different life form groups of herbs is often overlooked in experiments on biodiversity-ecosystem multifunctionality. Hence, little is known about how the multiple attributes of diversity of different life form groups of herbs affect changes to the multifunctionality of ecosystems. METHODS We investigated geographic patterns of herb diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality along a precipitation gradient of 2100 km in Northwest China, and assessed the taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional attributes of different life form groups of herbs on the multifunctionality. RESULTS We found that subordinate (richness effect) species of annual herbs and dominant (mass ratio effect) species of perennial herbs were crucial for driving multifunctionality. Most importantly, the multiple attributes (taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional) of herb diversity enhanced the multifunctionality. The functional diversity of herbs provided greater explanatory power than did taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. In addition, the multiple attribute diversity of perennial herbs contributed more than annual herbs to multifunctionality. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide insights into previously neglected mechanisms by which the diversity of different life form groups of herbs affect ecosystem multifunctionality. These results provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and multifunctionality, and will ultimately contribute to multifunctional conservation and restoration programs in dryland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-bing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ye Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-fei Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao-hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Yuan-ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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38
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Maihoff F, Sahler S, Schoger S, Brenzinger K, Kallnik K, Sauer N, Bofinger L, Schmitt T, Nooten SS, Classen A. Cuticular hydrocarbons of alpine bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Bombus) are species-specific, but show little evidence of elevation-related climate adaptation. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1082559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpine bumble bees are the most important pollinators in temperate mountain ecosystems. Although they are used to encounter small-scale successions of very different climates in the mountains, many species respond sensitively to climatic changes, reflected in spatial range shifts and declining populations worldwide. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) mediate climate adaptation in some insects. However, whether they predict the elevational niche of bumble bees or their responses to climatic changes remains poorly understood. Here, we used three different approaches to study the role of bumble bees’ CHCs in the context of climate adaptation: using a 1,300 m elevational gradient, we first investigated whether the overall composition of CHCs, and two potentially climate-associated chemical traits (proportion of saturated components, mean chain length) on the cuticle of six bumble bee species were linked to the species’ elevational niches. We then analyzed intraspecific variation in CHCs of Bombus pascuorum along the elevational gradient and tested whether these traits respond to temperature. Finally, we used a field translocation experiment to test whether CHCs of Bombus lucorum workers change, when translocated from the foothill of a cool and wet mountain region to (a) higher elevations, and (b) a warm and dry region. Overall, the six species showed distinctive, species-specific CHC profiles. We found inter- and intraspecific variation in the composition of CHCs and in chemical traits along the elevational gradient, but no link to the elevational distribution of species and individuals. According to our expectations, bumble bees translocated to a warm and dry region tended to express longer CHC chains than bumble bees translocated to cool and wet foothills, which could reflect an acclimatization to regional climate. However, chain lengths did not further decrease systematically along the elevational gradient, suggesting that other factors than temperature also shape chain lengths in CHC profiles. We conclude that in alpine bumble bees, CHC profiles and traits respond at best secondarily to the climate conditions tested in this study. While the functional role of species-specific CHC profiles in bumble bees remains elusive, limited plasticity in this trait could restrict species’ ability to adapt to climatic changes.
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Guo H, Zhou X, Tao Y, Yin J, Zhang L, Guo X, Liu C, Lin Y, Zhang Y. Precipitation preferences alter the relative importance of herbaceous plant diversity for multifunctionality in the drylands of China. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1084949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundMultiple components of biodiversity are excellent predictors of precipitation-induced changes in ecosystem function. However, the importance of differing scales (alpha versus beta) is usually overlooked in biodiversity–ecosystem multifunctionality studies. Consequently, little is known about how precipitation regulates the relationship between multifunctionality and multiple components of alpha and beta diversity.AimsWe investigated geographic patterns of herbaceous plant diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality along a precipitation gradient spanning more than 2010 km in Northwest China.MethodsWe assessed the effects of herbaceous species, phylogenetic, and functional components at different scales on multifunctionality in drylands.ResultsThe alpha diversity of species and functional beta diversity were key components explaining the variation in multifunctionality. As the main environmental factor, MAP (mean annual precipitation) affected multifunctionality by changing the mediating variables (i.e., species alpha and functional beta diversity). More importantly, a certain precipitation threshold was detected for the relationship of multifunctionality to species alpha and functional beta diversity. MAPs of approximately 158 mm and 140 mm modulated this relationship (shifting it from uncorrelated to significantly correlated).ConclusionsOur findings provide insights into previously neglected mechanisms by which diversity in herbaceous layers at different scales affects ecosystem multifunctionality. It is highlighted that MAP regulates the relationship between diversity and multifunctionality in dryland ecosystems at different scales. Further, diversity may have substantial consequences for multifunctionality where MAP is higher. These empirical results provide a comprehensive understanding of the biodiversity–multifunctionality relationship in the context of precipitation, ultimately contributing to conservation and restoration programs for multifunctionality in drylands.
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Loewen CJG, Jackson DA, Gilbert B. Biodiversity patterns diverge along geographic temperature gradients. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:603-617. [PMID: 36169599 PMCID: PMC10100522 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Models applying space-for-time substitution, including those projecting ecological responses to climate change, generally assume an elevational and latitudinal equivalence that is rarely tested. However, a mismatch may lead to different capacities for providing climatic refuge to dispersing species. We compiled community data on zooplankton, ectothermic animals that form the consumer basis of most aquatic food webs, from over 1200 mountain lakes and ponds across western North America to assess biodiversity along geographic temperature gradients spanning nearly 3750 m elevation and 30° latitude. Species richness, phylogenetic relationships, and functional diversity all showed contrasting responses across gradients, with richness metrics plateauing at low elevations but exhibiting intermediate latitudinal maxima. The nonmonotonic/hump-shaped diversity trends with latitude emerged from geographic interactions, including weaker latitudinal relationships at higher elevations (i.e. in alpine lakes) linked to different underlying drivers. Here, divergent patterns of phylogenetic and functional trait dispersion indicate shifting roles of environmental filters and limiting similarity in the assembly of communities with increasing elevation and latitude. We further tested whether gradients showed common responses to warmer temperatures and found that mean annual (but not seasonal) temperatures predicted elevational richness patterns but failed to capture consistent trends with latitude, meaning that predictions of how climate change will influence diversity also differ between gradients. Contrasting responses to elevation- and latitude-driven warming suggest different limits on climatic refugia and likely greater barriers to northward range expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie J. G. Loewen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
| | - Donald A. Jackson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Benjamin Gilbert
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
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Li X, Zuo X, Zhao X, Wang S, Yue P, Xu C, Yu Q, Medina-Roldán E. Extreme drought does not alter the stability of aboveground net primary productivity but decreases the stability of belowground net primary productivity in a desert steppe of northern China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:24319-24328. [PMID: 36334210 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23938-1] [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: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Extreme droughts strongly impact grassland ecology, both functionally and structurally. However, a comprehensive understanding of the drought impacts on the ecosystem stability is critical for its sustainable development under changing climate. We experimentally report the impact of extreme drought on the temporal stability of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) in a desert steppe of northern China. The relative importance evaluation of extreme drought, soil properties, species asynchrony, taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity was performed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to measure the temporal ANPP and BNPP stabilities. Our findings suggested that extreme drought decreased BNPP stability but did not affect ANPP stability. Extreme drought reduced taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, ANPP, and soil water content but did not affect species asynchrony, functional diversity, or BNPP. Species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, and soil water content were positively correlated with BNPP stability. The SEM results showed a drought-mediated indirect weakening of BNPP stability via modification of species richness. Asynchrony of species unrelated to drought, however, directly affected ANPP stability. The mechanisms underlying the response determination of ANPP and BNPP stability to extreme drought in desert steppe varied notably. Depending on the species asynchrony, ANPP reduced by extreme drought could maintain higher stability. However, extreme drought lowered BNPP stability by altering species richness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shaokun Wang
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Chong Xu
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 10008, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 10008, China
| | - Eduardo Medina-Roldán
- Institute of BioEconomy - National Research Council (IBE-CNR), 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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Dehling DM, Dehling JM. Elevated alpha diversity in disturbed sites obscures regional decline and homogenization of amphibian taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1710. [PMID: 36720891 PMCID: PMC9889332 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27946-0] [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: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss of natural habitat due to land-use change is one of the major threats to biodiversity worldwide. It not only affects the diversity of local species communities (alpha diversity) but can also lead to large-scale homogenization of community composition (reduced beta diversity) and loss of regional diversity (gamma diversity), but these effects are still rarely investigated. We assessed the impact of land-use change on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of amphibians in Rwanda, both on the local (community-level) and regional scale (country-wide). Alpha diversity in local communities was higher in farmland than in natural habitats; however, species turnover among farmland sites was much lower than among natural sites, resulting in highly homogenized communities and reduced taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic gamma diversity in farmland across Rwanda. Amphibians found in farmland were mostly disturbance-tolerant species that are widespread in eastern Africa and beyond. In contrast, most of the regionally endemic frog species that make this region a continent-wide hotspot of amphibian diversity were found only in the natural habitats. Ongoing habitat conversion might result in further homogenization of amphibian communities across sub-Saharan Africa and the loss of regional endemism, unique evolutionary lineages, and multifunctionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Matthias Dehling
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland. .,Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia. .,Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 1432, Ås, Norway.
| | - J Maximilian Dehling
- Department of Biology, Institute of Integrated Natural Sciences, University of Koblenz, Koblenz, Germany.
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Guo X, Zuo X, Medina-Roldán E, Guo A, Yue P, Zhao X, Qiao J, Li X, Chen M, Wei C, Yang T, Ke Y, Yu Q. Effects of multi-resource addition on grassland plant productivity and biodiversity along a resource gradient. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159367. [PMID: 36240924 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The change of plant biodiversity caused by resource-enhancing global changes has greatly affected grassland productivity. However, it remains unclear how multi-resource enrichment induces the effects of multifaceted biodiversity on grassland productivity under different site resource constraints. We conducted a multiple resource addition (MRA) experiment of water and nutrients at three sites located along a resource gradient in northern China. This allowed us to assess the response of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), species (species richness and plant density), functional (functional richness and community-weighted mean of traits) and phylogenetic (phylogenetic richness) diversity to increasing number of MRA. We used structural equation model (SEM) to examine the direct and indirect effects of MRA and multifaceted biodiversity on ANPP. The combined addition of the four resources increased ANPP at all three sites. But with increasing number of MRA, biodiversity varied at the three sites. At the high resource constraint site, species richness, plant density and leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC) increased. At the medium resource constraint site, plant height and LNC increased, leaf dry matter content (LDMC) decreased. At the low resource constraint site, species, functional and phylogenetic richness decreased, and height increased. The SEM showed that MRA increased ANPP directly at all three sites, and indirectly by increasing plant density at the high constraint site and height at the medium constraint site. Independent of MRA, ANPP was affected by height at the high resource constraint site and LNC at the low resource constraint site. Our results illustrate that multi-resource addition positively affects productivity, while affects biodiversity depending on site resource constraint. The study highlights that site resource constraint conditions need to be taken into consideration to better predict grassland structure and function, particularly under the future multifaceted global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Guo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Eduardo Medina-Roldán
- Institute of BioEconomy-National Research Council (IBE-NRC), 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Aixia Guo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Jingjuan Qiao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Min Chen
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Cunzheng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
| | - Tian Yang
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuguang Ke
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
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Swan CM, Sparkman A. The role of functional and phylogenetic diversity in riparian tree vegetation on leaf litter breakdown in rivers. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Swan
- Dept of Geography & Environmental Systems, Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County Baltimore MD USA
- Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education, Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County Baltimore MD USA
| | - April Sparkman
- Dept of Geography & Environmental Systems, Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County Baltimore MD USA
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Escobar-Luján J, Castaño-Quintero SM, Villalobos F, Lira-Noriega A, Chiappa-Carrara X, Yañez-Arenas C. Current and future geographic patterns of bird diversity dimensions of the Yucatan Peninsula and their representativeness in natural protected areas. NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2022.2087282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jazmín Escobar-Luján
- Laboratorio de Ecología Geográfica - Unidad de Biología de la Conservación, Unidad Académica Sisal - Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Parque Científico Chuburná, México
| | - Sandra M. Castaño-Quintero
- Laboratorio de Ecología Geográfica - Unidad de Biología de la Conservación, Unidad Académica Sisal - Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Parque Científico Chuburná, México
| | | | - Andrés Lira-Noriega
- CONACYT Research Fellow, Red de Estudios Moleculares Avanzados, Instituto de Ecología, A.C, Xalapa, México
| | - Xavier Chiappa-Carrara
- Laboratorio de Ecología Geográfica - Unidad de Biología de la Conservación, Unidad Académica Sisal - Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Parque Científico Chuburná, México
| | - Carlos Yañez-Arenas
- Laboratorio de Ecología Geográfica - Unidad de Biología de la Conservación, Unidad Académica Sisal - Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Parque Científico Chuburná, México
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Changes in Phylogenetic and Functional Diversity of Ciliates along the Course of a Mediterranean Karstic River. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122493. [PMID: 36557746 PMCID: PMC9783291 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122493] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ciliates are a group of phagotrophic protists found in a wide variety of ecosystems. This study builds on recent studies of ciliates in the Krka river and investigates changes in the phylogenetic and functional diversity of ciliates in biofilm to predict the phylogenetic and functional structure of ciliates in other karstic rivers. Biofilm samples were collected from four representative locations: upstream (Krka spring), midstream (Marasovine), and downstream (Roški slap, Skradinski buk) of the Krka river to test for differences in phylogenetic and functional diversity of ciliates in relation to location and positioning on tufa stones (light/dark-exposed side of tufa stone). Our results showed that Krka spring had higher phylogenetic species variability, lower phylogenetic diversity, and lower functional richness than Skradinski buk, suggesting phylogenetic overdispersal at Krka spring. This could be due to environmental filtering, competitive exclusion, or a combination of these factors. As the first study of its kind in the Mediterranean, our results shed light on the phylogenetic and functional diversity of ciliates in karst ecosystems and provide a basis for future ecological and conservation efforts.
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Vaccaro AS, Filloy J. Factors underlying bird community assembly in anthropogenic habitats depend on the biome. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19804. [PMID: 36396682 PMCID: PMC9672092 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24238-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: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Production activities drive the replacement of original habitats with artificial ones, leading to new bird assemblages. In this study, we assessed if anthropogenic habitats acted as environmental filters causing functional redundancy or as promoters of functional divergence, depending on the biome. We also investigated if functional patterns derived from phylogenetic convergence or clustering. For this purpose, we computed the standardized effect sizes (SES) for avian functional and phylogenetic diversity using null models and compared the SES values among tree plantations, urban settlements (US), cattle pastures (CP), crop fields (CF) and natural habitats from two biomes: grassland and forest. We used generalized least squares models to test if functional and phylogenetic SES indicated functional redundancy or divergence, and phylogenetic convergence or clustering. We found functional redundancy in grassland and functional divergence in forest associated with environmental filtering and competitive exclusion, respectively. In grassland, functional structure was not associated with a clear phylogenetic pattern, while in forest functional divergence was caused by evolutionary convergence in CF and CP and conservation in US. The prevalences of functional redundancy and functional divergence patterns and their associated predominant mechanism of community assembly were found to depend on the biome and the regional species pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anahí S. Vaccaro
- grid.7345.50000 0001 0056 1981Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Piso 4, C1428EGA CA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julieta Filloy
- grid.7345.50000 0001 0056 1981Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Piso 4, C1428EGA CA Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Jia X, Tao D, Ke Y, Li W, Yang T, Yang Y, He N, Smith MD, Yu Q. Dominant species control effects of nitrogen addition on ecosystem stability. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156060. [PMID: 35618129 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Increased nitrogen (N) deposition is known to reduce the ecosystem stability, while the underlying mechanisms are still controversial. We conducted an 8-year multi-level N addition experiment in a temperate semi-arid grassland to identify the mechanisms (biodiversity, species asynchrony, population stability and dominant species stability) driving the N-induced loss of temporal stability of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP). We found that N addition decreased ecosystem, population, and dominant species stability; decreased species richness and phylogenetic diversity; increased species dominance; but had nonsignificant effects on community-wide species asynchrony. Structural equation model revealed that N-induced loss of ecosystem stability was mainly driven by the loss of dominant species stability and the reduction in population stability. Moreover, species relative instability was negatively related with species relative production and the slopes increase with N addition, indicating that N addition weakened the stabilizing effect of dominant species on ecosystem function. Overall, our results highlight that the dominant species control the temporal stability of ANPP in grassland ecosystem under N addition, and support 'dominance management' as an effective strategy for conserving ecosystem functioning in grassland under N deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Jia
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Dongxue Tao
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuguang Ke
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Wenjin Li
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Tian Yang
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yadong Yang
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Nianpeng He
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Melinda D Smith
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, CO 80523, USA
| | - Qiang Yu
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
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Huang Y, Schuldt A, Hönig L, Yang B, Liu X, Bruelheide H, Ma K, Schmid B, Niklaus PA. Effects of enemy exclusion on biodiversity-productivity relationships in a subtropical forest experiment. THE JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2022; 110:2167-2178. [PMID: 36250130 PMCID: PMC9544039 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Interspecific niche complementarity is a key mechanism posited to explain positive species richness-productivity relationships in plant communities. However, the exact nature of the niche dimensions that plant species partition remains poorly known.Species may partition abiotic resources that limit their growth, but species may also be specialized with respect to their set of biotic interactions with other trophic levels, in particular with enemies including pathogens and consumers. The lower host densities present in more species-diverse plant communities may therefore result in smaller populations of specialized enemies, and in a smaller associated negative feedback these enemies exert on plant productivity.To test whether such host density-dependent effects of enemies drive diversity-productivity relationships in young forest stands, we experimentally manipulated leaf fungal pathogens and insect herbivores in a large subtropical forest biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in China (BEF-China).We found that fungicide spraying of tree canopies removed the positive tree-species richness-productivity relationship present in untreated control plots. The tree species that contributed the most to this effect were the ones with the highest fungicide-induced growth increase in monoculture. Insecticide application did not cause comparable effects. Synthesis. Our findings suggest that tree species diversity may not only promote productivity by interspecific resource-niche partitioning but also by trophic niche partitioning. Most likely, partitioning occurred with respect to enemies such as pathogenic fungi. Alternatively, similar effects on tree growth would have occurred if fungicide had eliminated positive effects of a higher diversity of beneficial fungi (e.g. mycorrhizal symbionts) that may have occurred in mixed tree species communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Huang
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZürichZürichSwitzerland
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Andreas Schuldt
- Forest Nature ConservationGeorg‐August‐University GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Lydia Hönig
- Institute of Biology, Geobotany and Botanical GardenMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalleGermany
| | - Bo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Biodiversity of Jiangxi ProvinceJingdezhen UniversityJingdezhenChina
| | - Xiaojuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of BotanyThe Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of Biology, Geobotany and Botanical GardenMartin‐Luther‐University Halle‐WittenbergHalleGermany
| | - Keping Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of BotanyThe Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Bernhard Schmid
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZürichZürichSwitzerland
- Department of Geography, Remote Sensing LaboratoriesUniversity of ZürichZürichSwitzerland
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental SciencesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Pascal A. Niklaus
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZürichZürichSwitzerland
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Marín C, Rubio J, Godoy R. Chilean blind spots in soil biodiversity and ecosystem function research. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- César Marín
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación para el Cambio Climático (CiiCC) Universidad Santo Tomás Av. Ramón Picarte 1130 5090000 Valdivia Chile
| | - Javiera Rubio
- Escuela de Geografía, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Valdivia Chile
| | - Roberto Godoy
- Instituto Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Valdivia Chile
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