1
|
Yamada S, Yoshida W, Iida M, Kitagawa Y, Mitchley J. Fast grassland recovery from viable propagules after reintroducing traditional mowing management on a steep slope. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17487. [PMID: 38854795 PMCID: PMC11162179 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Semi-natural grasslands on steep slopes often show high plant species diversity. These grasslands were traditionally maintained through mowing and/or grazing. The traditional management practices help to maintain species diversity, whereas land abandonment reduces diversity by increasing competition from dominant species and reducing seedling recruitment. The reintroduction of management can reverse species diversity declines, but suitable grassland restoration programs are scarce in Japan. To study the effect of short-term abandonment on seedling ecology, we monitored the vegetation of a Susogari grassland that had been abandoned for 3 years; the grassland occupies a steep slope (ca. 50°) on a hillside above paddy fields, and was traditionally mown. We monitored the vegetation before abandonment, in the 3rd year of abandonment, and in the 1st and 2nd years after restoration of mowing management. Emergence and survival of seedlings was monitored for 18 months after reintroduction of management. We monitored 1,183 seedlings of grassland species and non-target annuals in ten 1-m2 plots. After mowing was reintroduced, most grassland species reappeared or increased in the first and second years. Few seedlings of perennial plants and no seedlings of annuals flowered. An exotic species, Solidago altissima, had a lower survival rate (10%) than grassland species (>30%), and all but two grassland species survived over the 18-month period. Although vegetation composition was not fully recovered, our findings suggest that a steep slope acts as a strong filter that inhibits the establishment of non-target species while enhancing persistence of target grassland species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susumu Yamada
- Tokyo University of Agriculture, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Wakana Yoshida
- Tokyo University of Agriculture, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Minori Iida
- Tokyo University of Agriculture, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Jonathan Mitchley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xu C, Silliman BR, Chen J, Li X, Thomsen MS, Zhang Q, Lee J, Lefcheck JS, Daleo P, Hughes BB, Jones HP, Wang R, Wang S, Smith CS, Xi X, Altieri AH, van de Koppel J, Palmer TM, Liu L, Wu J, Li B, He Q. Herbivory limits success of vegetation restoration globally. Science 2023; 382:589-594. [PMID: 37917679 DOI: 10.1126/science.add2814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Restoring vegetation in degraded ecosystems is an increasingly common practice for promoting biodiversity and ecological function, but successful implementation is hampered by an incomplete understanding of the processes that limit restoration success. By synthesizing terrestrial and aquatic studies globally (2594 experimental tests from 610 articles), we reveal substantial herbivore control of vegetation under restoration. Herbivores at restoration sites reduced vegetation abundance more strongly (by 89%, on average) than those at relatively undegraded sites and suppressed, rather than fostered, plant diversity. These effects were particularly pronounced in regions with higher temperatures and lower precipitation. Excluding targeted herbivores temporarily or introducing their predators improved restoration by magnitudes similar to or greater than those achieved by managing plant competition or facilitation. Thus, managing herbivory is a promising strategy for enhancing vegetation restoration efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Changlin Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Jianshe Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xincheng Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mads S Thomsen
- Marine Ecology Research Group and Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Qun Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Juhyung Lee
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA
- Department of Oceanography and Marine Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonathan S Lefcheck
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network and MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD, USA
| | - Pedro Daleo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), UNMdP, CONICETC, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Brent B Hughes
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
| | - Holly P Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, and Energy, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
| | - Rong Wang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaopeng Wang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Carter S Smith
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Xinqiang Xi
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Andrew H Altieri
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Johan van de Koppel
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Yerseke, Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Todd M Palmer
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lingli Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jihua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, and College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Bo Li
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology and Centre for Invasion Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiang He
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mockford A, Urbaneja A, Ashbrook K, Westbury DB. Developing perennial wildflower strips for use in Mediterranean orchard systems. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10285. [PMID: 37465612 PMCID: PMC10350837 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
To support sustainable food production and the delivery of ecosystem services through ecological intensification, wildflower strips have become a popular strategy. Despite their success in temperate orchard systems, they remain understudied in Mediterranean ecosystems, which poses a significant barrier to uptake. In order to further promote their adoption, seed mixes must be optimised for commercial orchard systems and for the Mediterranean climate. Plant species should be selected for their consistent performance, whilst the availability of resources for ecosystem service providers determines the quality of the wildflower strip. In this study, the suitability of 12 native perennial forbs and two tussock-forming grass species for wildflower strips in commercial Citrus orchards was assessed over a 3-year period. Distinct resources for natural enemies according to the different plant growth stages were used an indicator of wildflower strip quality. The wildflower strips were managed under two different cutting strategies: (i) standard management, in which wildflower strips were cut once annually in February, and (ii) active management, in which wildflower strips were cut two additional times each year. The establishment and success of the sown species were compared. The influence of wildflower strips and their management on plant species richness, community structure, and the provision of resources was compared with a control treatment, in which alleyways were managed conventionally by cutting any naturally occurring vegetation to a height of ≤5 cm, four to five times annual. For the first time, the performance of native perennial plant species has been assessed in Mediterranean orchard systems and a seed mix developed for targeting pest regulation services. The wildflower strips were successful in increasing plant species richness and the available resources expected to support natural enemies. However, only wildflower strips managed with cutting once annually enhanced vegetation cover relative to the control, whilst extending the flowering period. This study therefore provides crucial tools for the further development of sustainable approaches to food production in Mediterranean orchard systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Mockford
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute for Natural Resource ConservationKiel UniversityKielGermany
- School of Science and the EnvironmentUniversity of WorcesterWorcesterUK
| | - Alberto Urbaneja
- Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA)Centro de Protección Vegetal y BiotecnologíaMoncadaSpain
| | - Kate Ashbrook
- School of Science and the EnvironmentUniversity of WorcesterWorcesterUK
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wei W, Zhen Q, Deng J, Yue H, Qin M, Oosthuizen MK. Grazing during the grassland greenup period promotes plant species richness in alpine grassland in winter pastures. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:973662. [PMID: 36051297 PMCID: PMC9426632 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.973662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although grazing is the most common use of grassland, the ecological function of grassland far exceeds its productivity. Therefore, the protection of plant diversity is of the utmost importance and cannot be ignored. Existing research on the effect of grazing on grassland mainly focuses on grazing intensity and the type of livestock, but the consequences of the timing of the grazing on the vegetation community remains unclear. We investigated plant community characteristics of winter pastures in alpine meadow with different grazing termination times (grazing before and during the grassland greenup periods) in Maqu County, eastern QTP. The results showed that vegetation height, coverage, aboveground biomass and Graminoid biomass were lower in grassland when grazing happened during the greenup period compared to grassland where grazing was terminated before the greenup period. However, the total plant species richness and forbs richness were higher in grassland with grazing during the greenup period compared to grassland without grazing during the greenup period. Our structural equation modeling reveals a potential indirect implication for the total plant species richness and forbs richness of winter pastures mainly through a decrease in the vegetation coverage and grass biomass abundance. Our findings imply that grazing during the grassland greenup period may facilitate the maintenance of plant diversity in winter pastures. These findings have important implications for grassland ecosystem functioning and for the conservation of plant diversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wanrong Wei
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | | | - Jia Deng
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Hanlin Yue
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Mingsen Qin
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Maria K. Oosthuizen
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Durán M, San Emeterio L, Canals RM. Comparison of Culturing and Metabarcoding Methods to Describe the Fungal Endophytic Assemblage of Brachypodium rupestre Growing in a Range of Anthropized Disturbance Regimes. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10121246. [PMID: 34943161 PMCID: PMC8698972 DOI: 10.3390/biology10121246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The richness (number of species) of the fungi kingdom is estimated at 1.5 million species, but the vast majority remains unknown. Many of them inhabit plants—the so-called fungal endophytes—and may establish different types of interactions with their host plant. Fungal endophytes have been traditionally studied by letting them grow in appropriate culturing media in petri dishes, but novel massive DNA sequencing techniques which do not require a cultivation step (metabarcoding) are gaining ground. Both techniques were applied and compared to characterize the mycobiome of plants of a tall grass (Brachypodium rupestre) growing in high-mountain grasslands with different plant diversity (low and high). The two methods showed similar trends comparing endophyte richness between plant tissue types (root > rhizome > shoot) and between grasslands (low-diversity > high-diversity). However, the metabarcoding identified almost six times more endophyte species than the culturing although the most isolated fungal species via culturing, Omnidemptus graminis, was not recognized via metabarcoding. We conclude that the complementation of both techniques is still the best option to obtain a complete characterization of the fungal endophytic assemblage of the plant species. Abstract Fungal endophytes develop inside plants without visible external signs, and they may confer adaptive advantages to their hosts. Culturing methods have been traditionally used to recognize the fungal endophytic assemblage, but novel metabarcoding techniques are being increasingly applied. This study aims to characterize the fungal endophytic assemblage in shoots, rhizomes and roots of the tall grass Brachypodium rupestre growing in a large area of natural grasslands with a continuum of anthropized disturbance regimes. Seven out of 88 taxa identified via metabarcoding accounted for 81.2% of the reads (Helotiaceae, Lachnum sp. A, Albotricha sp. A, Helotiales A, Agaricales A, Mycena sp. and Mollisiaceae C), revealing a small group of abundant endophytes and a large group of rare species. Although both methods detected the same trends in richness and fungal diversity among the tissues (root > rhizome > shoot) and grasslands (low-diversity > high-diversity grasslands), the metabarcoding tool identified 5.8 times more taxa than the traditional culturing method (15 taxa) but, surprisingly, failed to sequence the most isolated endophyte on plates, Omnidemptus graminis. Since both methods are still subject to important constraints, both are required to obtain a complete characterization of the fungal endophytic assemblage of the plant species.
Collapse
|
6
|
Kaushik K, Bricca A, Mugnai M, Viciani D, Rudolf K, Somfalvi-Tóth K, Morschhauser T. Effects of a Dominant Species on the Functional Diversity of Coexisting Species in Temperate Deciduous Understorey. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10112252. [PMID: 34834613 PMCID: PMC8620765 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The herb layer plays a significant role in maintaining forest functions, and its community composition is determined by various abiotic factors and biotic interactions. This study attempted to investigate the interspecific plant–plant biotic interactions using a functional traits approach. Specifically, the effects of a dominant species coverage on the functional diversity of coexisting species in the temperate forest understory were studied. Species coverage and soil moisture data were collected using a 1 m2 quadrat couplet (2 × 1 m2) from six sites alongside a 20 m linear transect encompassing a cover gradient of Allium ursinum in southwest Hungary. Major plant functional dimensions i.e., aboveground, and clonal functional traits were considered. Linear and nonlinear mixed models to quantify the effects of biotic interaction on the functional diversity of every single trait and multiple traits were employed. Both aboveground traits and clonal traits of persistent clonal growth organs responded positively to the A. ursinum L., cover gradient. The coexistence of understory species in the presence of a monodominant species seems to be mainly influenced by aboveground traits as compared to the clonal traits suggesting, a role of niche differentiation. The consistent impact of A. ursinum coverage on coexisting species dynamics highlights a need for similar in-depth studies in various forest settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krishan Kaushik
- Institute of Biology, University of Pécs, Ifjúság str. 6, 7624 Pécs, Hungary;
- Correspondence:
| | - Alessandro Bricca
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Pontoni 5, 62032 Camerino, Italy;
| | - Michele Mugnai
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy; (M.M.); (D.V.)
| | - Daniele Viciani
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121 Firenze, Italy; (M.M.); (D.V.)
| | - Kinga Rudolf
- Institute of Plant Production Science, Campus of Szent István, University of MATE, 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary;
| | - Katalin Somfalvi-Tóth
- Department of Water Management and Climate Adaption, Institute of Environmental Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 40. S. Guba str, 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary;
| | - Tamás Morschhauser
- Institute of Biology, University of Pécs, Ifjúság str. 6, 7624 Pécs, Hungary;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
From Remote Sensing to Species Distribution Modelling: An Integrated Workflow to Monitor Spreading Species in Key Grassland Habitats. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13101904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Remote sensing (RS) has been widely adopted as a tool to investigate several biotic and abiotic factors, directly and indirectly, related to biodiversity conservation. European grasslands are one of the most biodiverse habitats in Europe. Most of these habitats are subject to priority conservation measure, and several human-induced processes threaten them. The broad expansions of few dominant species are usually reported as drivers of biodiversity loss. In this context, using Sentinel-2 (S2) images, we investigate the distribution of one of the most spreading species in the Central Apennine: Brachypodium genuense. We performed a binary Random Forest (RF) classification of B. genuense using RS images and field-sampled presence/absence data. Then, we integrate the occurrences obtained from RS classification into species distribution models to identify the topographic drivers of B. genuense distribution in the study area. Lastly, the impact of B. genuense distribution in the Natura 2000 (N2k) habitats (Annex I of the European Habitat Directive) was assessed by overlay analysis. The RF classification process detected cover of B. genuense with an overall accuracy of 94.79%. The topographic species distribution model shows that the most relevant topographic variables that influence the distribution of B. genuense are slope, elevation, solar radiation, and topographic wet index (TWI) in order of importance. The overlay analysis shows that 74.04% of the B. genuense identified in the study area falls on the semi-natural dry grasslands. The study highlights the RS classification and the topographic species distribution model’s importance as an integrated workflow for mapping a broad-expansion species such as B. genuense. The coupled techniques presented in this work should apply to other plant communities with remotely recognizable characteristics for more effective management of N2k habitats.
Collapse
|