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Bell KL, Turo KJ, Lowe A, Nota K, Keller A, Encinas‐Viso F, Parducci L, Richardson RT, Leggett RM, Brosi BJ, Burgess KS, Suyama Y, de Vere N. Plants, pollinators and their interactions under global ecological change: The role of pollen DNA metabarcoding. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6345-6362. [PMID: 36086900 PMCID: PMC10947134 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities are triggering global changes in the environment, causing entire communities of plants, pollinators and their interactions to restructure, and ultimately leading to species declines. To understand the mechanisms behind community shifts and declines, as well as monitoring and managing impacts, a global effort must be made to characterize plant-pollinator communities in detail, across different habitat types, latitudes, elevations, and levels and types of disturbances. Generating data of this scale will only be feasible with rapid, high-throughput methods. Pollen DNA metabarcoding provides advantages in throughput, efficiency and taxonomic resolution over traditional methods, such as microscopic pollen identification and visual observation of plant-pollinator interactions. This makes it ideal for understanding complex ecological networks and their responses to change. Pollen DNA metabarcoding is currently being applied to assess plant-pollinator interactions, survey ecosystem change and model the spatiotemporal distribution of allergenic pollen. Where samples are available from past collections, pollen DNA metabarcoding has been used to compare contemporary and past ecosystems. New avenues of research are possible with the expansion of pollen DNA metabarcoding to intraspecific identification, analysis of DNA in ancient pollen samples, and increased use of museum and herbarium specimens. Ongoing developments in sequencing technologies can accelerate progress towards these goals. Global ecological change is happening rapidly, and we anticipate that high-throughput methods such as pollen DNA metabarcoding are critical for understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes that support biodiversity, and predicting and responding to the impacts of change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L. Bell
- CSIRO Health & Biosecurity and CSIRO Land & WaterFloreatWAAustralia
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWAAustralia
| | - Katherine J. Turo
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural ResourcesRutgers UniversityNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
| | | | - Kevin Nota
- Department of Ecology and GeneticsEvolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Alexander Keller
- Organismic and Cellular Networks, Faculty of BiologyBiocenter, Ludwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenPlaneggGermany
| | - Francisco Encinas‐Viso
- Centre for Australian National Biodiversity ResearchCSIROBlack MountainAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Laura Parducci
- Department of Ecology and GeneticsEvolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
- Department of Environmental BiologySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
| | - Rodney T. Richardson
- Appalachian LaboratoryUniversity of Maryland Center for Environmental ScienceFrostburgMarylandUSA
| | | | - Berry J. Brosi
- Department of BiologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Kevin S. Burgess
- Department of BiologyCollege of Letters and Sciences, Columbus State University, University System of GeorgiaAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Yoshihisa Suyama
- Field Science CenterGraduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku UniversityOsakiMiyagiJapan
| | - Natasha de Vere
- Natural History Museum of DenmarkUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
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2
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Williams JW, Spanbauer TL, Heintzman PD, Blois J, Capo E, Goring SJ, Monchamp ME, Parducci L, Von Eggers JM. Strengthening global-change science by integrating aeDNA with paleoecoinformatics. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:946-960. [PMID: 37230884 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Ancient environmental DNA (aeDNA) data are close to enabling insights into past global-scale biodiversity dynamics at unprecedented taxonomic extent and resolution. However, achieving this potential requires solutions that bridge bioinformatics and paleoecoinformatics. Essential needs include support for dynamic taxonomic inferences, dynamic age inferences, and precise stratigraphic depth. Moreover, aeDNA data are complex and heterogeneous, generated by dispersed researcher networks, with methods advancing rapidly. Hence, expert community governance and curation are essential to building high-value data resources. Immediate recommendations include uploading metabarcoding-based taxonomic inventories into paleoecoinformatic resources, building linkages among open bioinformatic and paleoecoinformatic data resources, harmonizing aeDNA processing workflows, and expanding community data governance. These advances will enable transformative insights into global-scale biodiversity dynamics during large environmental and anthropogenic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Williams
- Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53704, USA.
| | - Trisha L Spanbauer
- Department of Environmental Science and Lake Erie Center, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
| | - Peter D Heintzman
- The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Centre for Palaeogenetics, Svante Arrhenius väg 20C, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jessica Blois
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California -Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Eric Capo
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Linnaeus väg 4-6, 907 36 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Simon J Goring
- Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53704, USA
| | | | - Laura Parducci
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy; Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jordan M Von Eggers
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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3
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McDonald LM, Scharnagl A, Turcu AK, Patterson CM, Kooyers NJ. Demographic consequences of an extreme heat wave are mitigated by spatial heterogeneity in an annual monkeyflower. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10397. [PMID: 37575594 PMCID: PMC10412438 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense with climate change, but the demographic and evolutionary consequences of heat waves are rarely investigated in herbaceous plant species. We examine the consequences of a short but extreme heat wave in Oregon populations of the common yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) by leveraging a common garden experiment planted with range-wide populations and observational studies of 11 local populations. In the common garden, 89% of seedlings died during the heat wave including >96% of seedlings from geographically local populations. Some populations from hotter and drier environments had higher fitness, however, others from comparable environments performed poorly. Observational studies of local natural populations drastically differed in the consequences of the heat wave-one population was completely extirpated and nearly half had a >50% decrease in fitness. However, a few populations had greater fitness during the heat wave year. Differences in mortality corresponded to the impact of the heat wave on soil moisture-retention of soil moisture throughout the heat wave led to greater survivorship. Our results suggest that not all populations experience the same intensity or degree of mortality during extreme events and such heterogeneity could be important for genetic rescue or to facilitate the distribution of adaptive variants throughout the region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Scharnagl
- Department of BiologyUniversity of LouisianaLafayetteLouisianaUSA
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Andrea K. Turcu
- Department of BiologyUniversity of LouisianaLafayetteLouisianaUSA
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Fajardo A, Gazol A, Meynard PM, Mayr C, Martínez Pastur GJ, Peri PL, Camarero JJ. Climate change-related growth improvements in a wide niche-breadth tree species across contrasting environments. Ann Bot 2023; 131:941-951. [PMID: 36996263 PMCID: PMC10332394 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The vulnerability and responsiveness of forests to drought are immensely variable across biomes. Intraspecific tree responses to drought in species with wide niche breadths that grow across contrasting climatically environments might provide key information regarding forest resistance and changes in species distribution under climate change. Using a species with an exceptionally wide niche breath, we tested the hypothesis that tree populations thriving in dry environments are more resistant to drought than those growing in moist locations. METHODS We determined temporal trends in tree radial growth of 12 tree populations of Nothofagus antarctica (Nothofagaceae) located across a sharp precipitation gradient (annual precipitation of 500-2000 mm) in Chile and Argentina. Using dendrochronological methods, we fitted generalized additive mixed-effect models to predict the annual basal area increment as a function of year and dryness (De Martonne aridity index). We also measured carbon and oxygen isotope signals (and estimated intrinsic water-use efficiency) to provide potential physiological causes for tree growth responses to drought. KEY RESULTS We found unexpected improvements in growth during 1980-1998 in moist sites, while growth responses in dry sites were mixed. All populations, independent of site moisture, showed an increase in their intrinsic water-use efficiency in recent decades, a tendency that seemed to be explained by an increase in the photosynthetic rate instead of drought-induced stomatal closure, given that δ18O did not change with time. CONCLUSIONS The absence of drought-induced negative effects on tree growth in a tree species with a wide niche breadth is promising because it might relate to the causal mechanisms tree species possess to face ongoing drought events. We suggest that the drought resistance of N. antarctica might be attributable to its low stature and relatively low growth rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Fajardo
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria (I), Vicerrectoría Académica, Universidad de Talca, Campus Lircay, Talca 3460000, Chile
| | - Antonio Gazol
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, E-50192 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Paulo Moreno Meynard
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Camino Baguales s/n, Coyhaique 5951601, Chile
| | - Christoph Mayr
- Institut für Geographie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Guillermo J Martínez Pastur
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Houssay 200 (9410) Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
| | - Pablo L Peri
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)-CONICET, cc332 (9400) Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
| | - J Julio Camarero
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, E-50192 Zaragoza, Spain
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Bugmann H, Seidl R. The evolution, complexity and diversity of models of long-term forest dynamics. J Ecol 2022; 110:2288-2307. [PMID: 36632361 PMCID: PMC9826524 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
To assess the impacts of climate change on vegetation from stand to global scales, models of forest dynamics that include tree demography are needed. Such models are now available for 50 years, but the currently existing diversity of model formulations and its evolution over time are poorly documented. This hampers systematic assessments of structural uncertainties in model-based studies.We conducted a meta-analysis of 28 models, focusing on models that were used in the past five years for climate change studies. We defined 52 model attributes in five groups (basic assumptions, growth, regeneration, mortality and soil moisture) and characterized each model according to these attributes. Analyses of model complexity and diversity included hierarchical cluster analysis and redundancy analysis.Model complexity evolved considerably over the past 50 years. Increases in complexity were largest for growth processes, while complexity of modelled establishment processes increased only moderately. Model diversity was lowest at the global scale, and highest at the landscape scale. We identified five distinct clusters of models, ranging from very simple models to models where specific attribute groups are rendered in a complex manner and models that feature high complexity across all attributes.Most models in use today are not balanced in the level of complexity with which they represent different processes. This is the result of different model purposes, but also reflects legacies in model code, modelers' preferences, and the 'prevailing spirit of the epoch'. The lack of firm theories, laws and 'first principles' in ecology provides high degrees of freedom in model development, but also results in high responsibilities for model developers and the need for rigorous model evaluation. Synthesis. The currently available model diversity is beneficial: convergence in simulations of structurally different models indicates robust projections, while convergence of similar models may convey a false sense of certainty. The existing model diversity-with the exception of global models-can be exploited for improved projections based on multiple models. We strongly recommend balanced further developments of forest models that should particularly focus on establishment and mortality processes, in order to provide robust information for decisions in ecosystem management and policymaking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Bugmann
- Forest Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems ScienceETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest ManagementTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Rupert Seidl
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest ManagementTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
- Berchtesgaden National ParkBerchtesgadenGermany
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6
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Becker-Scarpitta A, Auberson-Lavoie D, Aussenac R, Vellend M. Different temporal trends in vascular plant and bryophyte communities along elevational gradients over four decades. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9102. [PMID: 36016818 PMCID: PMC9395318 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite many studies showing biodiversity responses to warming, the generality of such responses across taxonomic groups remains unclear. Very few studies have tested for evidence of bryophyte community responses to warming, even though bryophytes are major contributors to diversity and functioning in many ecosystems. Here, we report an empirical study comparing long‐term change in bryophyte and vascular plant communities in two sites with contrasting long‐term warming trends, using “legacy” botanical records as a baseline for comparison with contemporary resurveys. We hypothesized that ecological changes would be greater in sites with a stronger warming trend and that vascular plant communities, with narrower climatic niches, would be more sensitive than bryophyte communities to climate warming. For each taxonomic group in each site, we quantified the magnitude of changes in species' distributions along the elevation gradient, species richness, and community composition. We found contrasted temporal changes in bryophyte vs. vascular plant communities, which only partially supported the warming hypothesis. In the area with a stronger warming trend, we found a significant increase in local diversity and dissimilarity (β‐diversity) for vascular plants, but not for bryophytes. Presence–absence data did not provide sufficient power to detect elevational shifts in species distributions. The patterns observed for bryophytes are in accordance with recent literature showing that local diversity can remain unchanged despite strong changes in composition. Regardless of whether one taxon is systematically more or less sensitive to environmental change than another, our results suggest that vascular plants cannot be used as a surrogate for bryophytes in terms of predicting the nature and magnitude of responses to warming. Thus, to assess overall biodiversity responses to global change, abundance data from different taxonomic groups and different community properties need to be synthesized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Becker-Scarpitta
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Québec Canada.,Spatial Foodweb Ecology Group, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Department of Agricultural Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland.,Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences Brno Czech Republic
| | - Diane Auberson-Lavoie
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Québec Canada
| | | | - Mark Vellend
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Québec Canada
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7
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de Oliveira ACP, Nunes A, Oliveira MA, Rodrigues RG, Branquinho C. How Do Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics Change Along an Aridity Gradient in a Tropical Dry Forest? Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:923219. [PMID: 35873975 PMCID: PMC9302379 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.923219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ecological indicators based on biodiversity metrics are valuable and cost-effective tools to quantify, track and understand the effects of climate change on ecosystems. Studying changes in these indicators along climatic gradients in space is a common approach to infer about potential impacts of climate change over time, overcoming the limitations of lack of sufficiently long time-series data. Here, we studied the response of complementary biodiversity metrics in plants: taxonomic diversity (species richness and Simpson index) and functional diversity (diversity and redundancy) in 113 sampling sites along a spatial aridity gradient (from 0.27 to 0.69 of aridity index-AI) of 700 km in a Tropical dry forest. We found different responses of taxonomic and functional diversity metrics to aridity. Species diversity showed a hump-shaped curve peaking at intermediate levels of aridity between 0.38 and 0.52 AI as an ecotone, probably because it is where most species, from both drier and more mesic environments, still find conditions to co-exist. Functional diversity showed a positive linear relation with increasing aridity, suggesting higher aridity favors drought-adapted species with diverse functional traits. In contrast, redundancy showed a negative linear relation with increasing aridity, indicating that drier sites have few species sharing the same functional traits and resource acquisition strategies. Thus, despite the increase in functional diversity toward drier sites, these communities are less resilient since they are composed of a small number of plant species with unique functions, increasing the chances that the loss of one of such "key species" could lead to the loss of key ecosystem functions. These findings show that the integration of complementary taxonomic and functional diversity metrics, beyond the individual response of each one, is essential for reliably tracking the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. This work also provides support to the use of these biodiversity metrics as ecological indicators of the potential impact of climate change on drylands over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cláudia Pereira de Oliveira
- cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Alice Nunes
- cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria Alexandra Oliveira
- cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Renato Garcia Rodrigues
- Núcleo de Ecologia e Monitoramento Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Petrolina, Brazil
| | - Cristina Branquinho
- cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Johnson SN, Cibils-Stewart X, Waterman JM, Biru FN, Rowe RC, Hartley SE. Elevated atmospheric CO 2 changes defence allocation in wheat but herbivore resistance persists. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212536. [PMID: 35168395 PMCID: PMC8848237 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting how plants allocate to different anti-herbivore defences in response to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations is important for understanding future patterns of crop susceptibility to herbivory. Theories of defence allocation, especially in the context of environmental change, largely overlook the role of silicon (Si), despite it being the major anti-herbivore defence in the Poaceae. We demonstrated that elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 (e[CO2]) promoted plant growth by 33% and caused wheat (Triticum aestivum) to switch from Si (-19%) to phenolic (+44%) defences. Despite the lower levels of Si under e[CO2], resistance to the global pest Helicoverpa armigera persisted; relative growth rates (RGRs) were reduced by at least 33% on Si-supplied plants, irrespective of CO2 levels. RGR was negatively correlated with leaf Si concentrations. Mandible wear was c. 30% higher when feeding on Si-supplemented plants compared to those feeding on plants with no Si supply. We conclude that higher carbon availability under e[CO2] reduces silicification and causes wheat to increase concentrations of phenolics. However, Si supply, at all levels, suppressed the growth of H. armigera under both CO2 regimes, suggesting that shifts in defence allocation under future climate change may not compromise herbivore resistance in wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott N. Johnson
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Ximena Cibils-Stewart
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia,Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), La Estanzuela Research Station, Ruta 50, Km. 11, Colonia, Uruguay
| | - Jamie M. Waterman
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Fikadu N. Biru
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia,College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma 307, Ethiopia
| | - Rhiannon C. Rowe
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Susan E. Hartley
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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Maghiar LM, Stoica IA, Tanentzap AJ. Integrating demography and distribution modeling for the iconic Leontopodium alpinum Colm. in the Romanian Carpathians. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12322-12334. [PMID: 34594502 PMCID: PMC8462177 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Both climate change and human exploitation are major threats to plant life in mountain environments. One species that may be particularly sensitive to both of these stressors is the iconic alpine flower edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum Colm.). Its populations have declined across Europe due to over-collection for its highly prized flowers. Edelweiss is still subject to harvesting across the Romanian Carpathians, but no study has measured to what extent populations are vulnerable to anthropogenic change.Here, we estimated the effects of climate and human disturbance on the fitness of edelweiss. We combined demographic measurements with predictions of future range distribution under climate change to assess the viability of populations across Romania.We found that per capita and per-area seed number and seed mass were similarly promoted by both favorable environmental conditions, represented by rugged landscapes with relatively cold winters and wet summers, and reduced exposure to harvesting, represented by the distance of plants from hiking trails. Modeling these responses under future climate scenarios suggested a slight increase in per-area fitness. However, we found plant ranges contracted by between 14% and 35% by 2050, with plants pushed into high elevation sites.Synthesis. Both total seed number and seed mass are expected to decline across Romania despite individual edelweiss fitness benefiting from a warmer and wetter climate. More generally, our approach of coupling species distribution models with demographic measurements may better inform conservation strategies of ways to protect alpine life in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lăcrămioara M Maghiar
- Institute of Biological Research Branch of the National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences Cluj-Napoca Romania
- Ecosystems and Global Change Group Department of Plant Sciences University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Ilie A Stoica
- Institute of Biological Research Branch of the National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences Cluj-Napoca Romania
| | - Andrew J Tanentzap
- Ecosystems and Global Change Group Department of Plant Sciences University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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10
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Miner CM, Burnaford JL, Ammann K, Becker BH, Fradkin SC, Ostermann-Kelm S, Smith JR, Whitaker SG, Raimondi PT. Latitudinal variation in long-term stability of North American rocky intertidal communities. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2077-2093. [PMID: 34002377 PMCID: PMC8518646 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Although long‐term ecological stability is often discussed as a community attribute, it is typically investigated at the species level (e.g. density, biomass), or as a univariate metric (e.g. species diversity). To provide a more comprehensive assessment of long‐term community stability, we used a multivariate similarity approach that included all species and their relative abundances. We used data from 74 sites sampled annually from 2006 to 2017 to examine broad temporal and spatial patterns of change within rocky intertidal communities along the west coast of North America. We explored relationships between community change (inverse of stability) and the following potential drivers of change/stability: (a) marine heatwave events; (b) three attributes of biodiversity: richness, diversity and evenness and (c) presence of the mussel, Mytilus californianus, a dominant space holder and foundation species in this system. At a broad scale, we found an inverse relationship between community stability and elevated water temperatures. In addition, we found substantial differences in stability among regions, with lower stability in the south, which may provide a glimpse into the patterns expected with a changing climate. At the site level, community stability was linked to high species richness and, perhaps counterintuitively, to low evenness, which could be a consequence of the dominance of mussels in this system. Synthesis. Assessments of long‐term stability at the whole‐community level are rarely done but are key to a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of climate change. In communities structured around a spatially dominant species, long‐term stability can be linked to the stability of this ‘foundation species’, as well as to traditional predictors, such as species richness.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Melissa Miner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer L Burnaford
- Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Karah Ammann
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin H Becker
- U.S. National Park Service, Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes Station, CA, USA
| | - Steven C Fradkin
- U.S. National Park Service, Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, WA, USA
| | - Stacey Ostermann-Kelm
- U.S. National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Jayson R Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Stephen G Whitaker
- U.S. National Park Service, Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, CA, USA
| | - Peter T Raimondi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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11
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Harvey BP, Kon K, Agostini S, Wada S, Hall-Spencer JM. Ocean acidification locks algal communities in a species-poor early successional stage. Glob Chang Biol 2021; 27:2174-2187. [PMID: 33423359 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Long-term exposure to CO2 -enriched waters can considerably alter marine biological community development, often resulting in simplified systems dominated by turf algae that possess reduced biodiversity and low ecological complexity. Current understanding of the underlying processes by which ocean acidification alters biological community development and stability remains limited, making the management of such shifts problematic. Here, we deployed recruitment tiles in reference (pHT 8.137 ± 0.056 SD) and CO2 -enriched conditions (pHT 7.788 ± 0.105 SD) at a volcanic CO2 seep in Japan to assess the underlying processes and patterns of algal community development. We assessed (i) algal community succession in two different seasons (Cooler months: January-July, and warmer months: July-January), (ii) the effects of initial community composition on subsequent community succession (by reciprocally transplanting preestablished communities for a further 6 months), and (iii) the community production of resulting communities, to assess how their functioning was altered (following 12 months recruitment). Settlement tiles became dominated by turf algae under CO2 -enrichment and had lower biomass, diversity and complexity, a pattern consistent across seasons. This locked the community in a species-poor early successional stage. In terms of community functioning, the elevated pCO2 community had greater net community production, but this did not result in increased algal community cover, biomass, biodiversity or structural complexity. Taken together, this shows that both new and established communities become simplified by rising CO2 levels. Our transplant of preestablished communities from enriched CO2 to reference conditions demonstrated their high resilience, since they became indistinguishable from communities maintained entirely in reference conditions. This shows that meaningful reductions in pCO2 can enable the recovery of algal communities. By understanding the ecological processes responsible for driving shifts in community composition, we can better assess how communities are likely to be altered by ocean acidification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben P Harvey
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Koetsu Kon
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Sylvain Agostini
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shigeki Wada
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Jason M Hall-Spencer
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
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12
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Bui A, Orr D, Lepori-Bui M, Konicek K, Young HS, Moeller HV. Soil fungal community composition and functional similarity shift across distinct climatic conditions. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 96:5909968. [PMID: 32960210 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A large part of ecosystem function in woodland systems depends on soil fungal communities. However, global climate change has the potential to fundamentally alter these communities as fungal species are filtered with changing environmental conditions. In this study, we examined the potential effects of climate on host-associated (i.e. tree-associated) soil fungal communities at climatically distinct sites in the Tehachapi Mountains in California, where more arid conditions represent likely regional climate futures. We found that soil fungal community composition changes strongly across sites, with species richness and diversity being highest at the most arid site. However, host association may buffer the effects of climate on community composition, as host-associated fungal communities are more similar to each other across climatically distinct sites than the whole fungal community. Lastly, an examination of functional traits for ectomycorrhizal fungi, a well-studied guild of fungal mutualist species, showed that stress-tolerant traits were more abundant at arid sites than mesic sites, providing a mechanistic understanding of these community patterns. Taken together, our results indicate that fungal community composition will likely shift with future climate change but that host association may buffer these effects, with shifts in functional traits having implications for future ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Bui
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9620, USA
| | - Devyn Orr
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9620, USA
| | - Michelle Lepori-Bui
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9620, USA
| | - Kelli Konicek
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9620, USA
| | - Hillary S Young
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9620, USA
| | - Holly V Moeller
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9620, USA
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13
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Atkinson J, King NG, Wilmes SB, Moore PJ. Summer and Winter Marine Heatwaves Favor an Invasive Over Native Seaweeds. J Phycol 2020; 56:1591-1600. [PMID: 32679619 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13051-20-029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are emerging as forceful agents of ecosystem change and are increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity with climate change. During MHWs, physiological thresholds of native species may be exceeded while the performance of invasive species with warm affinities may be enhanced. As a consequence, MHWs could significantly alter an ecosystem's invasive dynamics, but such interactions are poorly understood. Following a 10-d acclimation period, we investigated the physiological resistance and resilience of an intertidal rock pool assemblage invaded by the seaweed Sargassum muticum to realistic 14-d marine heatwave scenarios (+1.5°C, +2.0°C, +3.5°C) followed by a 14-d recovery period. We conducted mesocosm experiments in both summer and winter to investigate temporal variability of MHWs. MHW treatments had clear negative impacts on native seaweeds (Fucus serratus and Chondrus crispus) while enhancing the performance of S. muticum. This pattern was consistent across season indicating that acclimation to cooler ambient temperatures results in winter MHWs having significant impacts on native species. As climate warming advances, this may ultimately lead to changes in competitive interactions and potentially exclusion of native species, while invasive species may proliferate and become more conspicuous within temperate rocky shore environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Atkinson
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - Nathan G King
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Sophie B Wilmes
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Pippa J Moore
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
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14
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Atkinson J, King NG, Wilmes SB, Moore PJ. Summer and Winter Marine Heatwaves Favor an Invasive Over Native Seaweeds. J Phycol 2020; 56:1591-1600. [PMID: 32679619 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are emerging as forceful agents of ecosystem change and are increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity with climate change. During MHWs, physiological thresholds of native species may be exceeded while the performance of invasive species with warm affinities may be enhanced. As a consequence, MHWs could significantly alter an ecosystem's invasive dynamics, but such interactions are poorly understood. Following a 10-d acclimation period, we investigated the physiological resistance and resilience of an intertidal rock pool assemblage invaded by the seaweed Sargassum muticum to realistic 14-d marine heatwave scenarios (+1.5°C, +2.0°C, +3.5°C) followed by a 14-d recovery period. We conducted mesocosm experiments in both summer and winter to investigate temporal variability of MHWs. MHW treatments had clear negative impacts on native seaweeds (Fucus serratus and Chondrus crispus) while enhancing the performance of S. muticum. This pattern was consistent across season indicating that acclimation to cooler ambient temperatures results in winter MHWs having significant impacts on native species. As climate warming advances, this may ultimately lead to changes in competitive interactions and potentially exclusion of native species, while invasive species may proliferate and become more conspicuous within temperate rocky shore environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Atkinson
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
| | - Nathan G King
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Sophie B Wilmes
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Pippa J Moore
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
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15
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Thompson SK, Kirkpatrick C, Kramer M, Cotner S. Leveraging public data to offer online inquiry opportunities. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:12555-12560. [PMID: 33250994 PMCID: PMC7679546 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Inquiry activities have become increasingly common in Ecology and Evolution courses, but the rapid shift to remote instruction for many faculty members in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges for maintaining these student-centered activities in a distance learning format. Moving forward, many instructors will be asked to create flexible course structures that allow for a mix of different teaching modalities and will be looking for resources to support student inquiry in both online and in-person settings. Here, we propose the use of data-driven inquiry activities as a flexible option for offering students experiences to build career-relevant skills and learn fundamental ecological concepts. We share lessons learned from our experiences teaching a two-semester course-based research experience in global change ecology that leverages publicly available datasets to engage students in broadly relevant scientific inquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth K. Thompson
- Biology Teaching and LearningUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesMinneapolisMNUSA
| | | | - Maxwell Kramer
- Biology Teaching and LearningUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesMinneapolisMNUSA
| | - Sehoya Cotner
- Biology Teaching and LearningUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesMinneapolisMNUSA
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16
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Decker LE, Hunter MD. Interspecific variation and elevated CO 2 influence the relationship between plant chemical resistance and regrowth tolerance. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:5416-5430. [PMID: 32607163 PMCID: PMC7319169 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand how comprehensive plant defense phenotypes will respond to global change, we investigated the legacy effects of elevated CO2 on the relationships between chemical resistance (constitutive and induced via mechanical damage) and regrowth tolerance in four milkweed species (Asclepias). We quantified potential resistance and tolerance trade-offs at the physiological level following simulated mowing, which are relevant to milkweed ecology and conservation. We examined the legacy effects of elevated CO2 on four hypothesized trade-offs between the following: (a) plant growth rate and constitutive chemical resistance (foliar cardenolide concentrations), (b) plant growth rate and mechanically induced chemical resistance, (c) constitutive resistance and regrowth tolerance, and (d) regrowth tolerance and mechanically induced resistance. We observed support for one trade-off between plant regrowth tolerance and mechanically induced resistance traits that was, surprisingly, independent of CO2 exposure. Across milkweed species, mechanically induced resistance increased by 28% in those plants previously exposed to elevated CO2. In contrast, constitutive resistance and the diversity of mechanically induced chemical resistance traits declined in response to elevated CO2 in two out of four milkweed species. Finally, previous exposure to elevated CO2 uncoupled the positive relationship between plant growth rate and regrowth tolerance following damage. Our data highlight the complex and dynamic nature of plant defense phenotypes under environmental change and question the generality of physiologically based defense trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark D. Hunter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of MichiganBiological Sciences BuildingAnn ArborMIUSA
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17
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McCoy SJ, Widdicombe S. Thermal plasticity is independent of environmental history in an intertidal seaweed. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:13402-13412. [PMID: 31871653 PMCID: PMC6912923 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms inhabiting the intertidal zone have been used to study natural ecophysiological responses and adaptations to thermal stress because these organisms are routinely exposed to high-temperature conditions for hours at a time. While intertidal organisms may be inherently better at withstanding temperature stress due to regular exposure and acclimation, they could be more vulnerable to temperature stress, already living near the edge of their thermal limits. Strong gradients in thermal stress across the intertidal zone present an opportunity to test whether thermal tolerance is a plastic or canalized trait in intertidal organisms. Here, we studied the intertidal pool-dwelling calcified alga, Ellisolandia elongata, under near-future temperature regimes, and the dependence of its thermal acclimatization response on environmental history. Two timescales of environmental history were tested during this experiment. The intertidal pool of origin was representative of long-term environmental history over the alga's life (including settlement and development), while the pool it was transplanted into accounted for recent environmental history (acclimation over many months). Unexpectedly, neither long-term nor short-term environmental history, nor ambient conditions, affected photosynthetic rates in E. elongata. Individuals were plastic in their photosynthetic response to laboratory temperature treatments (mean 13.2°C, 15.7°C, and 17.7°C). Further, replicate ramets from the same individual were not always consistent in their photosynthetic performance from one experimental time point to another or between treatments and exhibited no clear trend in variability over experimental time. High variability in climate change responses between individuals may indicate the potential for resilience to future conditions and, thus, may play a compensatory role at the population or species level over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie J. McCoy
- Department of Biological ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFLUSA
- Plymouth Marine LaboratoryPlymouthUK
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18
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Yang X, Huang Z, Dong M, Ye X, Liu G, Hu D, Tuvshintogtokh I, Tumenjargal T, Cornelissen JHC. Responses of community structure and diversity to nitrogen deposition and rainfall addition in contrasting steppes are ecosystem-dependent and dwarfed by year-to-year community dynamics. Ann Bot 2019; 124:461-469. [PMID: 31161191 PMCID: PMC6798833 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Long-term studies to disentangle the multiple, simultaneous effects of global change on community dynamics are a high research priority to forecast future distribution of diversity. Seldom are such multiple effects of global change studied across different ecosystems. METHODS Here we manipulated nitrogen deposition and rainfall at levels realistic for future environmental scenarios in three contrasting steppe types in Mongolia and followed community dynamics for 7 years. KEY RESULTS Redundancy analyses showed that community composition varied significantly among years. Rainfall and nitrogen manipulations did have some significant effects, but these effects were dependent on the type of response and varied between ecosystems. Community compositions of desert and meadow steppes, but not that of typical steppe, responded significantly to rainfall addition. Only community composition of meadow steppe responded significantly to nitrogen deposition. Species richness in desert steppe responded significantly to rainfall addition, but the other two steppes did not. Typical steppe showed significant negative response of species richness to nitrogen deposition, but the other two steppes did not. There were significant interactions between year and nitrogen deposition in desert steppe and between year and rainfall addition in typical steppe, suggesting that the effect of the treatments depends on the particular year considered. CONCLUSIONS Our multi-year experiment thus suggests that responses of community structure and diversity to global change drivers are ecosystem-dependent and that their responses to experimental treatments are dwarfed by the year-to-year community dynamics. Therefore, our results point to the importance of taking annual environmental variability into account for understanding and predicting the specific responses of different ecosystems to multiple global change drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenying Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuehua Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guofang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Indree Tuvshintogtokh
- Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tsogtsaikhan Tumenjargal
- Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - J Hans C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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19
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Metcalfe DB, Ahlstrand JCM. Effects of moisture dynamics on bryophyte carbon fluxes in a tropical cloud forest. New Phytol 2019; 222:1766-1777. [PMID: 30716175 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Bryophytes play key roles in the ecological function of a number of major world biomes but remain understudied compared with vascular plants. Little is known about bryophyte responses to different aspects of predicted changes in moisture dynamics with climate change. In this study, CO2 fluxes and photosynthetic light responses were measured within bryophyte mesocosms, being subjected to different amounts, frequencies, and types (mist or rainfall) of water addition, both before and after different periods of complete desiccation. Bryophyte carbon fluxes and photosynthetic light response were generally affected by the magnitude and type, but not frequency, of watering events. Desiccation suppressed bryophyte carbon uptake even after rehydration, and the degree of uptake suppression progressively increased with desiccation duration. Estimated ecosystem-level bryophyte respiration and net carbon uptake were c. 58% and c. 3%, respectively, of corresponding fluxes from tree foliage at the site. Our results suggest that a simplified representation of precipitation processes may be sufficient to accurately model bryophyte carbon cycling under future climate scenarios. Further, we find that projected increases in drought could have strong negative impacts on bryophyte and ecosystem carbon storage, with major consequences for a wide range of ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Metcalfe
- Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jenny C M Ahlstrand
- Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
- County Administrative Board, Hamngatan 4, SE-551 86, Jönköping, Sweden
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20
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Tucker C, Yan D, Dannenberg M, Reed SC, Smith W. Science at the frontier: multimethod research to evaluate ecosystem change across multiple scales. New Phytol 2018; 218:1318-1320. [PMID: 29738086 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin Tucker
- Southwest Biological Science Center, US Geological Survey, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Dong Yan
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Matthew Dannenberg
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Sasha C Reed
- Southwest Biological Science Center, US Geological Survey, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - William Smith
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
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21
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Zaller JG, Parth M, Szunyogh I, Semmelrock I, Sochurek S, Pinheiro M, Frank T, Drapela T. Herbivory of an invasive slug is affected by earthworms and the composition of plant communities. BMC Ecol 2013; 13:20. [PMID: 23668239 PMCID: PMC3656784 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-13-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biodiversity loss and species invasions are among the most important human-induced global changes. Moreover, these two processes are interlinked as ecosystem invasibility is considered to increase with decreasing biodiversity. In temperate grasslands, earthworms serve as important ecosystem engineers making up the majority of soil faunal biomass. Herbivore behaviour has been shown to be affected by earthworms, however it is unclear whether these effects differ with the composition of plant communities. To test this we conducted a mesocosm experiment where we added earthworms (Annelida: Lumbricidae) to planted grassland communities with different plant species composition (3 vs. 12 plant spp.). Plant communities had equal plant densities and ratios of the functional groups grasses, non-leguminous forbs and legumes. Later, Arion vulgaris slugs (formerly known as A. lusitanicus; Gastropoda: Arionidae) were added and allowed to freely choose among the available plant species. This slug species is listed among the 100 worst alien species in Europe. We hypothesized that (i) the food choice of slugs would be altered by earthworms' specific effects on the growth and nutrient content of plant species, (ii) slug herbivory will be less affected by earthworms in plant communities containing more plant species than in those with fewer plant species because of a more readily utilization of plant resources making the impacts of earthworms less pronounced. RESULTS Slug herbivory was significantly affected by both earthworms and plant species composition. Slugs damaged 60% less leaves when earthworms were present, regardless of the species composition of the plant communities. Percent leaf area consumed by slugs was 40% lower in communities containing 12 plant species; in communities containing only three species earthworms increased slug leaf area consumption. Grasses were generally avoided by slugs. Leaf length and number of tillers was increased in mesocosms containing more plant species but little influenced by earthworms. Overall shoot biomass was decreased, root biomass increased in plant communities with more plant species. Earthworms decreased total shoot biomass in mesocosms with more plant species but did not affect biomass production of individual functional groups. Plant nitrogen concentrations across three focus species were 18% higher when earthworms were present; composition of plant communities did not affect plant quality. CONCLUSIONS Given the important role that both herbivores and earthworms play in structuring plant communities the implications of belowground-aboveground linkages should more broadly be considered when investigating global change effects on ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann G Zaller
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
| | - Myriam Parth
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
| | - Ilona Szunyogh
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
| | - Ines Semmelrock
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
| | - Susanne Sochurek
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
| | - Marcia Pinheiro
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
| | - Thomas Frank
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
| | - Thomas Drapela
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, Vienna, A-1180, Austria
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL Austria), Vienna, A-1070, Austria
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22
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Quirk J, Beerling DJ, Banwart SA, Kakonyi G, Romero-Gonzalez ME, Leake JR. Evolution of trees and mycorrhizal fungi intensifies silicate mineral weathering. Biol Lett 2012; 8:1006-11. [PMID: 22859556 PMCID: PMC3497110 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2012.0503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Forested ecosystems diversified more than 350 Ma to become major engines of continental silicate weathering, regulating the Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration by driving calcium export into ocean carbonates. Our field experiments with mature trees demonstrate intensification of this weathering engine as tree lineages diversified in concert with their symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi. Preferential hyphal colonization of the calcium silicate-bearing rock, basalt, progressively increased with advancement from arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) to later, independently evolved ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi, and from gymnosperm to angiosperm hosts with both fungal groups. This led to 'trenching' of silicate mineral surfaces by AM and EM fungi, with EM gymnosperms and angiosperms releasing calcium from basalt at twice the rate of AM gymnosperms. Our findings indicate mycorrhiza-driven weathering may have originated hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously recognized and subsequently intensified with the evolution of trees and mycorrhizas to affect the Earth's long-term CO(2) and climate history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Quirk
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
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