1
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Maes SL, Dietrich J, Midolo G, Schwieger S, Kummu M, Vandvik V, Aerts R, Althuizen IHJ, Biasi C, Björk RG, Böhner H, Carbognani M, Chiari G, Christiansen CT, Clemmensen KE, Cooper EJ, Cornelissen JHC, Elberling B, Faubert P, Fetcher N, Forte TGW, Gaudard J, Gavazov K, Guan Z, Guðmundsson J, Gya R, Hallin S, Hansen BB, Haugum SV, He JS, Hicks Pries C, Hovenden MJ, Jalava M, Jónsdóttir IS, Juhanson J, Jung JY, Kaarlejärvi E, Kwon MJ, Lamprecht RE, Le Moullec M, Lee H, Marushchak ME, Michelsen A, Munir TM, Myrsky EM, Nielsen CS, Nyberg M, Olofsson J, Óskarsson H, Parker TC, Pedersen EP, Petit Bon M, Petraglia A, Raundrup K, Ravn NMR, Rinnan R, Rodenhizer H, Ryde I, Schmidt NM, Schuur EAG, Sjögersten S, Stark S, Strack M, Tang J, Tolvanen A, Töpper JP, Väisänen MK, van Logtestijn RSP, Voigt C, Walz J, Weedon JT, Yang Y, Ylänne H, Björkman MP, Sarneel JM, Dorrepaal E. Environmental drivers of increased ecosystem respiration in a warming tundra. Nature 2024; 629:105-113. [PMID: 38632407 PMCID: PMC11062900 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07274-7] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Arctic and alpine tundra ecosystems are large reservoirs of organic carbon1,2. Climate warming may stimulate ecosystem respiration and release carbon into the atmosphere3,4. The magnitude and persistency of this stimulation and the environmental mechanisms that drive its variation remain uncertain5-7. This hampers the accuracy of global land carbon-climate feedback projections7,8. Here we synthesize 136 datasets from 56 open-top chamber in situ warming experiments located at 28 arctic and alpine tundra sites which have been running for less than 1 year up to 25 years. We show that a mean rise of 1.4 °C [confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.0 °C] in air and 0.4 °C [CI 0.2-0.7 °C] in soil temperature results in an increase in growing season ecosystem respiration by 30% [CI 22-38%] (n = 136). Our findings indicate that the stimulation of ecosystem respiration was due to increases in both plant-related and microbial respiration (n = 9) and continued for at least 25 years (n = 136). The magnitude of the warming effects on respiration was driven by variation in warming-induced changes in local soil conditions, that is, changes in total nitrogen concentration and pH and by context-dependent spatial variation in these conditions, in particular total nitrogen concentration and the carbon:nitrogen ratio. Tundra sites with stronger nitrogen limitations and sites in which warming had stimulated plant and microbial nutrient turnover seemed particularly sensitive in their respiration response to warming. The results highlight the importance of local soil conditions and warming-induced changes therein for future climatic impacts on respiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Maes
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden.
- Forest Ecology and Management Group (FORECOMAN), Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - J Dietrich
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden
| | - G Midolo
- Department of Spatial Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - S Schwieger
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - M Kummu
- Water and development research group, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - V Vandvik
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - R Aerts
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - I H J Althuizen
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- NORCE Climate and Environment, Norwegian Research Centre AS, Bergen, Norway
| | - C Biasi
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - R G Björk
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - H Böhner
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - M Carbognani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - G Chiari
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - C T Christiansen
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Permafrost, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - K E Clemmensen
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - E J Cooper
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT-the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - J H C Cornelissen
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - B Elberling
- Center for Permafrost, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - P Faubert
- Carbone Boréal, Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada
| | - N Fetcher
- Institute for Environmental Science and Sustainability, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
| | - T G W Forte
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - J Gaudard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - K Gavazov
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Z Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems and College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - J Guðmundsson
- Agricultural University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - R Gya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - S Hallin
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - B B Hansen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
- Gjærevoll Centre for Biodiversity Foresight Analyses & Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - S V Haugum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- The Heathland Centre, Alver, Norway
| | - J-S He
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems and College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - C Hicks Pries
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - M J Hovenden
- Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Mountain Research Facility, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - M Jalava
- Water and development research group, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - I S Jónsdóttir
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - J Juhanson
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J Y Jung
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - E Kaarlejärvi
- Research Centre for Ecological Change, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - M J Kwon
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Korea
- Institute of Soil Science, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - R E Lamprecht
- University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Kuopio, Finland
| | - M Le Moullec
- Gjærevoll Centre for Biodiversity Foresight Analyses & Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - H Lee
- NORCE, Norwegian Research Centre AS, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - M E Marushchak
- University of Eastern Finland, Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Kuopio, Finland
| | - A Michelsen
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - T M Munir
- Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - E M Myrsky
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - C S Nielsen
- Center for Permafrost, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- SEGES Innovation P/S, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - M Nyberg
- Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - J Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - H Óskarsson
- Agricultural University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - T C Parker
- Ecological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, UK
| | - E P Pedersen
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - M Petit Bon
- Department of Wildland Resources, Quinney College of Natural Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Department of Arctic Biology, University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - A Petraglia
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - K Raundrup
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - N M R Ravn
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - R Rinnan
- Center for Volatile Interactions, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - H Rodenhizer
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - I Ryde
- Terrestrial Ecology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Permafrost, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - N M Schmidt
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - E A G Schuur
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - S Sjögersten
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK
| | - S Stark
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - M Strack
- Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - J Tang
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - A Tolvanen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland
| | - J P Töpper
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - M K Väisänen
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - R S P van Logtestijn
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C Voigt
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Institute of Soil Science, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - J Walz
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden
| | - J T Weedon
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Y Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - H Ylänne
- School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - M P Björkman
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - J M Sarneel
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - E Dorrepaal
- Climate Impacts Research Centre, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Abisko, Sweden
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2
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Buezo J, Medina NG, Hereş AM, Petritan IC, Cornelissen JHC, Petritan AM, Esteban R, Ilinca E, Stoian R, Curiel Yuste J. Downed woody debris carbon emissions in a European temperate virgin forest as driven by species, decay classes, diameter and microclimate. Sci Total Environ 2024; 912:169133. [PMID: 38070551 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169133] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Downed woody debris (DWD) plays an important role as regulator of nutrient and carbon (C) cycling in forests, accounting for up to the 20 % of the total C stocks in primary forests. DWD persistence is highly influenced by microbial decomposition, which is determined by various environmental factors, including fluctuations in temperature and moisture, as well as in intrinsic DWD properties determined by species, diameter, or decay classes (DCs). The relative importance of these different drivers, as well as their interactions, remains largely unknown. Moreover, the importance of DWD for C cycling in virgin forests remains poorly understood, due to their scarcity and poor accessibility. To address this research gap, we conducted a study on DWD respiration (RDWD), in a temperate virgin forest dominated by European beech and silver fir. Our investigation analysed the correlation between RDWD of these two dominant tree species and the seasonal changes in climate (temperature and moisture), considering other intrinsic DWD traits such as DCs (1, 2 and 4) and diameters (1, 10 and 25 cm). As anticipated, RDWD (normalized per gram of dry DWD) increased with air temperature. Surprisingly, DWD diameter also had a strong positive correlation with RDWD. Nonetheless, the sensitivity to both variables and other intrinsic traits (DC and density) was greatly modulated by the species. On the contrary, water content, which exhibited a considerable spatial variation, had an overall negative effect on RDWD. Virgin forests are generally seen as ineffective C sinks due to their lack of net productivity and high respiration and nutrient turnover. However, the rates of RDWD in this virgin forest were significantly lower than those previously estimated for managed forests. This suggests that DWD in virgin forests may be buffering forest CO2 emissions to the atmosphere more than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Buezo
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology (IMAB), Department of Sciences, Public University of Navarre (UPNA), Avda. de Pamplona 123, E-31192 Mutilva, Navarre, Spain
| | - N G Medina
- Departamento de Biología (Botánica), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - A-M Hereş
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania; BC3 - Basque Centre for Climate Change, Scientific Campus of the University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - I C Petritan
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania.
| | - J H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A-M Petritan
- National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea", Eroilor 128, 077190 Voluntari, Romania
| | - R Esteban
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa Bizkaia, Spain
| | - E Ilinca
- Environmental Management and Engineering, AgroParisTech, Paris, France
| | - R Stoian
- Department of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
| | - J Curiel Yuste
- BC3 - Basque Centre for Climate Change, Scientific Campus of the University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
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3
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Joswig JS, Wirth C, Schuman MC, Kattge J, Reu B, Wright IJ, Sippel SD, Rüger N, Richter R, Schaepman ME, van Bodegom PM, Cornelissen JHC, Díaz S, Hattingh WN, Kramer K, Lens F, Niinemets Ü, Reich PB, Reichstein M, Römermann C, Schrodt F, Anand M, Bahn M, Byun C, Campetella G, Cerabolini BEL, Craine JM, Gonzalez-Melo A, Gutiérrez AG, He T, Higuchi P, Jactel H, Kraft NJB, Minden V, Onipchenko V, Peñuelas J, Pillar VD, Sosinski Ê, Soudzilovskaia NA, Weiher E, Mahecha MD. Climatic and soil factors explain the two-dimensional spectrum of global plant trait variation. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:36-50. [PMID: 34949824 PMCID: PMC8752441 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01616-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [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: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Plant functional traits can predict community assembly and ecosystem functioning and are thus widely used in global models of vegetation dynamics and land-climate feedbacks. Still, we lack a global understanding of how land and climate affect plant traits. A previous global analysis of six traits observed two main axes of variation: (1) size variation at the organ and plant level and (2) leaf economics balancing leaf persistence against plant growth potential. The orthogonality of these two axes suggests they are differently influenced by environmental drivers. We find that these axes persist in a global dataset of 17 traits across more than 20,000 species. We find a dominant joint effect of climate and soil on trait variation. Additional independent climate effects are also observed across most traits, whereas independent soil effects are almost exclusively observed for economics traits. Variation in size traits correlates well with a latitudinal gradient related to water or energy limitation. In contrast, variation in economics traits is better explained by interactions of climate with soil fertility. These findings have the potential to improve our understanding of biodiversity patterns and our predictions of climate change impacts on biogeochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia S. Joswig
- grid.419500.90000 0004 0491 7318Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany ,grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Remote Sensing Laboratories, Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Wirth
- grid.419500.90000 0004 0491 7318Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786Institute of Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Meredith C. Schuman
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Remote Sensing Laboratories, Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ,grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jens Kattge
- grid.419500.90000 0004 0491 7318Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Björn Reu
- grid.411595.d0000 0001 2105 7207Escuela de Biología, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Ian J. Wright
- grid.1004.50000 0001 2158 5405Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales Australia
| | - Sebastian D. Sippel
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ,grid.454322.60000 0004 4910 9859Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nadja Rüger
- grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786Department of Economics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany ,grid.438006.90000 0001 2296 9689Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancón, Panama
| | - Ronny Richter
- grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786Institute of Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, Institute for Geography, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael E. Schaepman
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Remote Sensing Laboratories, Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter M. van Bodegom
- grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Environmental Biology Department, Institute of Environmental Sciences, CML, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - J. H. C. Cornelissen
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra Díaz
- grid.10692.3c0000 0001 0115 2557Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Koen Kramer
- grid.4818.50000 0001 0791 5666Chairgroup Forest Ecology and Forest Management, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands ,Land Life Company, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frederic Lens
- grid.425948.60000 0001 2159 802XResearch Group Functional Traits, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands ,grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- grid.16697.3f0000 0001 0671 1127Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Peter B. Reich
- grid.17635.360000000419368657Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN USA ,grid.1029.a0000 0000 9939 5719Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales Australia ,grid.214458.e0000000086837370Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | - Markus Reichstein
- grid.419500.90000 0004 0491 7318Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christine Römermann
- grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany ,grid.9613.d0000 0001 1939 2794Department of Plant Biodiversity, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Franziska Schrodt
- grid.4563.40000 0004 1936 8868School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Madhur Anand
- grid.34429.380000 0004 1936 8198School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Michael Bahn
- grid.5771.40000 0001 2151 8122Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Chaeho Byun
- grid.252211.70000 0001 2299 2686Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Andong National University, Andong, Korea
| | - Giandiego Campetella
- grid.5602.10000 0000 9745 6549Plant Diversity and Ecosystems Management Unit, School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Bruno E. L. Cerabolini
- grid.18147.3b0000000121724807Department of Biotechnologies and Life Sciences (DBSV), University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | | | - Andres Gonzalez-Melo
- grid.412191.e0000 0001 2205 5940Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Alvaro G. Gutiérrez
- grid.443909.30000 0004 0385 4466Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales Renovables, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tianhua He
- grid.1032.00000 0004 0375 4078School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia Australia ,grid.1025.60000 0004 0436 6763College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia Australia
| | - Pedro Higuchi
- grid.412287.a0000 0001 2150 7271Department of Forestry, Universidade do Estado de Santa, Catarina, Lages, Brazil
| | - Hervé Jactel
- grid.508391.60000 0004 0622 9359INRAE University Bordeaux, BIOGECO, Cestas, France
| | - Nathan J. B. Kraft
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Vanessa Minden
- grid.8767.e0000 0001 2290 8069Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium ,grid.5560.60000 0001 1009 3608Landscape Ecology Group, Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Vladimir Onipchenko
- grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Department of Ecology and Plant Geography, Moscow State Lomonosov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- grid.4711.30000 0001 2183 4846CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Spain ,grid.452388.00000 0001 0722 403XCREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallés, Spain
| | - Valério D. Pillar
- grid.8532.c0000 0001 2200 7498Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ênio Sosinski
- grid.460200.00000 0004 0541 873XEmbrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia
- grid.12155.320000 0001 0604 5662Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium ,grid.5132.50000 0001 2312 1970Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Evan Weiher
- grid.267460.10000 0001 2227 2494Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, WI USA
| | - Miguel D. Mahecha
- grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany ,grid.9647.c0000 0004 7669 9786Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany ,grid.7492.80000 0004 0492 3830Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
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Thomas HJD, Bjorkman AD, Myers-Smith IH, Elmendorf SC, Kattge J, Diaz S, Vellend M, Blok D, Cornelissen JHC, Forbes BC, Henry GHR, Hollister RD, Normand S, Prevéy JS, Rixen C, Schaepman-Strub G, Wilmking M, Wipf S, Cornwell WK, Beck PSA, Georges D, Goetz SJ, Guay KC, Rüger N, Soudzilovskaia NA, Spasojevic MJ, Alatalo JM, Alexander HD, Anadon-Rosell A, Angers-Blondin S, Te Beest M, Berner LT, Björk RG, Buchwal A, Buras A, Carbognani M, Christie KS, Collier LS, Cooper EJ, Elberling B, Eskelinen A, Frei ER, Grau O, Grogan P, Hallinger M, Heijmans MMPD, Hermanutz L, Hudson JMG, Johnstone JF, Hülber K, Iturrate-Garcia M, Iversen CM, Jaroszynska F, Kaarlejarvi E, Kulonen A, Lamarque LJ, Lantz TC, Lévesque E, Little CJ, Michelsen A, Milbau A, Nabe-Nielsen J, Nielsen SS, Ninot JM, Oberbauer SF, Olofsson J, Onipchenko VG, Petraglia A, Rumpf SB, Shetti R, Speed JDM, Suding KN, Tape KD, Tomaselli M, Trant AJ, Treier UA, Tremblay M, Venn SE, Vowles T, Weijers S, Wookey PA, Zamin TJ, Bahn M, Blonder B, van Bodegom PM, Bond-Lamberty B, Campetella G, Cerabolini BEL, Chapin FS, Craine JM, Dainese M, Green WA, Jansen S, Kleyer M, Manning P, Niinemets Ü, Onoda Y, Ozinga WA, Peñuelas J, Poschlod P, Reich PB, Sandel B, Schamp BS, Sheremetiev SN, de Vries FT. Global plant trait relationships extend to the climatic extremes of the tundra biome. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1351. [PMID: 32165619 PMCID: PMC7067758 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15014-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of variation in six traits critical to the growth, survival and reproduction of plant species is thought to be organised along just two dimensions, corresponding to strategies of plant size and resource acquisition. However, it is unknown whether global plant trait relationships extend to climatic extremes, and if these interspecific relationships are confounded by trait variation within species. We test whether trait relationships extend to the cold extremes of life on Earth using the largest database of tundra plant traits yet compiled. We show that tundra plants demonstrate remarkably similar resource economic traits, but not size traits, compared to global distributions, and exhibit the same two dimensions of trait variation. Three quarters of trait variation occurs among species, mirroring global estimates of interspecific trait variation. Plant trait relationships are thus generalizable to the edge of global trait-space, informing prediction of plant community change in a warming world.
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Affiliation(s)
- H J D Thomas
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, Scotland, UK.
| | - A D Bjorkman
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, Scotland, UK
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 18, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Carl Skottsbergs gata 22B, 41319, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - I H Myers-Smith
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, Scotland, UK
| | - S C Elmendorf
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0450, USA
| | - J Kattge
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07701, Jena, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - S Diaz
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET, Av.Velez Sarsfield 299, Cordoba, Argentina
- FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M Vellend
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, boul. de l'Université Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - D Blok
- Dutch Research Council, (NWO), Postbus 93460, 2509 AL, Den Haag, The Netherlands
| | - J H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - B C Forbes
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96101, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - G H R Henry
- Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, 1984 West Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - R D Hollister
- Biology Department, Grand Valley State University, 1 Campus Drive, 3300a Kindschi Hall of Science, Allendale, Michigan, USA
| | - S Normand
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114-116, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - J S Prevéy
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
| | - C Rixen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
| | - G Schaepman-Strub
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M Wilmking
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald University, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - S Wipf
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
- Swiss National Park, Runatsch 124, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland
| | - W K Cornwell
- Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - P S A Beck
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Via Enrico Fermi, 2749, Ispra, 21027, Italy
| | - D Georges
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, Scotland, UK
- International Agency for Research in Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372, Lyon, France
| | - S J Goetz
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, 1295S Knoles Dr, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - K C Guay
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, 60 Bigelow Dr, East Boothbay, Maine, 04544, USA
| | - N Rüger
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement Avenue, Bldg. 401 Tupper, Balboa Ancón, Panama
| | - N A Soudzilovskaia
- Environmental Biology Department, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M J Spasojevic
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside, Life Sciences Building, Eucalyptus Dr #2710, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - J M Alatalo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
- Environmental Science Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - H D Alexander
- Department of Forestry, Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS, 39762, USA
| | - A Anadon-Rosell
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald University, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Biodiversity Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Angers-Blondin
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, Scotland, UK
| | - M Te Beest
- Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - L T Berner
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, 1295S Knoles Dr, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - R G Björk
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, SE-405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - A Buchwal
- Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Geoecology and Geoinformation, B. Krygowskiego 10, 61-680, Poznan, Poland
- University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA
| | - A Buras
- Land Surface-Atmosphere Interactions, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - M Carbognani
- Deptartment of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/a, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - K S Christie
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 333 Raspberry Rd, Anchorage, AK, 99518, USA
| | - L S Collier
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - E J Cooper
- Deptartment of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Bioscences Fisheries and Economics, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - B Elberling
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - A Eskelinen
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, Linnanmaa, Oulu, Finland
| | - E R Frei
- Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, 1984 West Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z2, Canada
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - O Grau
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
- Cirad, UMR EcoFoG (AgroParisTech, CNRS, Inra, Univ Antilles, Univ Guyane), Campus Agronomique, 97310, Kourou, French Guiana
| | - P Grogan
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Biosciences Complex, 116 Barrie St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - M Hallinger
- Biology Department, Swedish Agricultural University (SLU), SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M M P D Heijmans
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - L Hermanutz
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - J M G Hudson
- British Columbia Public Service, Vancouver, Canada
| | - J F Johnstone
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - K Hülber
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - M Iturrate-Garcia
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - C M Iversen
- Climate Change Science Institute and Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831-6134, USA
| | - F Jaroszynska
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, N-5020, Bergen, Norway
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX, Scotland, UK
| | - E Kaarlejarvi
- Biodiversity Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Elsene, Brussles, Belgium
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, PO Box, 65, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - A Kulonen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
| | - L J Lamarque
- Département des Sciences de l'environnement et Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, Québec, Canada
| | - T C Lantz
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, David Turpin Building, B243, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - E Lévesque
- Département des Sciences de l'environnement et Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, Québec, Canada
| | - C J Little
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, CH-8600, Duebendorf, Switzerland
| | - A Michelsen
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, DK-1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Terrestrial Ecology Section, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - A Milbau
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Havenlaan 88 bus 73, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - J Nabe-Nielsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - S S Nielsen
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114-116, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - J M Ninot
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Biodiversity Research Institute, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S F Oberbauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11200S.W. 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - J Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - V G Onipchenko
- Department of Ecology and Plant Geography, Moscow State Lomonosov University, 119234, Moscow, 1-12 Leninskie Gory, Russia
| | - A Petraglia
- Deptartment of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/a, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - S B Rumpf
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Bâtiment Biophore, Quartier UNIL-Sorge, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - R Shetti
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald University, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - J D M Speed
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - K N Suding
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0450, USA
| | - K D Tape
- Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska, Engineering Learning and Innovation Facility (ELIF), Suite 240, 1764 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-5910, USA
| | - M Tomaselli
- Deptartment of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/a, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - A J Trant
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - U A Treier
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114-116, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - M Tremblay
- Département des Sciences de l'environnement et Centre d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges, Québec, Canada
| | - S E Venn
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Rd, Waurn Ponds Victoria, 3216, Australia
| | - T Vowles
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - S Weijers
- Department of Geography, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 166, D-53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - P A Wookey
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK
| | - T J Zamin
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Biosciences Complex, 116 Barrie St., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - M Bahn
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - B Blonder
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, 3 South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, 8000 Co Rd 317, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94706, USA
| | - P M van Bodegom
- Environmental Biology Department, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - B Bond-Lamberty
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Joint Global Change Research Institute, 5825 University Research Ct, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | - G Campetella
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine-Plant Diversity and Ecosystems Management Unit, Univeristy of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy
| | - B E L Cerabolini
- DBSV-University of Insubria, Via Dunant, 3, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - F S Chapin
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - J M Craine
- Jonah Ventures, 1600 Range Street Suite 201, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
| | - M Dainese
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Institute for Alpine Environment, EURAC Research, Viale Druso, 1, 39100, Bolzano, Italy
| | - W A Green
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - S Jansen
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - M Kleyer
- Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Strasse 9-11, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - P Manning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ü Niinemets
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr.R.Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Y Onoda
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - W A Ozinga
- Vegetation, Forest and Landscape Ecology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - J Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - P Poschlod
- Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - P B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - B Sandel
- Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053, USA
| | - B S Schamp
- Department of Biology, Algoma University, 1520 Queen Street East, Sault Ste., Marie, ON, P6A 2G4, Canada
| | - S N Sheremetiev
- Komarov Botanical Institute, Professor Popova Street, 2, St Petersburg, Russia
| | - F T de Vries
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Postbus 94240, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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5
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Thomas HJD, Myers‐Smith IH, Bjorkman AD, Elmendorf SC, Blok D, Cornelissen JHC, Forbes BC, Hollister RD, Normand S, Prevéy JS, Rixen C, Schaepman‐Strub G, Wilmking M, Wipf S, Cornwell WK, Kattge J, Goetz SJ, Guay KC, Alatalo JM, Anadon‐Rosell A, Angers‐Blondin S, Berner LT, Björk RG, Buchwal A, Buras A, Carbognani M, Christie K, Siegwart Collier L, Cooper EJ, Eskelinen A, Frei ER, Grau O, Grogan P, Hallinger M, Heijmans MMPD, Hermanutz L, Hudson JMG, Hülber K, Iturrate‐Garcia M, Iversen CM, Jaroszynska F, Johnstone JF, Kaarlejärvi E, Kulonen A, Lamarque LJ, Lévesque E, Little CJ, Michelsen A, Milbau A, Nabe‐Nielsen J, Nielsen SS, Ninot JM, Oberbauer SF, Olofsson J, Onipchenko VG, Petraglia A, Rumpf SB, Semenchuk PR, Soudzilovskaia NA, Spasojevic MJ, Speed JDM, Tape KD, te Beest M, Tomaselli M, Trant A, Treier UA, Venn S, Vowles T, Weijers S, Zamin T, Atkin OK, Bahn M, Blonder B, Campetella G, Cerabolini BEL, Chapin III FS, Dainese M, de Vries FT, Díaz S, Green W, Jackson RB, Manning P, Niinemets Ü, Ozinga WA, Peñuelas J, Reich PB, Schamp B, Sheremetev S, van Bodegom PM. Traditional plant functional groups explain variation in economic but not size-related traits across the tundra biome. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 2019; 28:78-95. [PMID: 31007605 PMCID: PMC6472633 DOI: 10.1111/geb.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
AIM Plant functional groups are widely used in community ecology and earth system modelling to describe trait variation within and across plant communities. However, this approach rests on the assumption that functional groups explain a large proportion of trait variation among species. We test whether four commonly used plant functional groups represent variation in six ecologically important plant traits. LOCATION Tundra biome. TIME PERIOD Data collected between 1964 and 2016. MAJOR TAXA STUDIED 295 tundra vascular plant species. METHODS We compiled a database of six plant traits (plant height, leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen, seed mass) for tundra species. We examined the variation in species-level trait expression explained by four traditional functional groups (evergreen shrubs, deciduous shrubs, graminoids, forbs), and whether variation explained was dependent upon the traits included in analysis. We further compared the explanatory power and species composition of functional groups to alternative classifications generated using post hoc clustering of species-level traits. RESULTS Traditional functional groups explained significant differences in trait expression, particularly amongst traits associated with resource economics, which were consistent across sites and at the biome scale. However, functional groups explained 19% of overall trait variation and poorly represented differences in traits associated with plant size. Post hoc classification of species did not correspond well with traditional functional groups, and explained twice as much variation in species-level trait expression. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Traditional functional groups only coarsely represent variation in well-measured traits within tundra plant communities, and better explain resource economic traits than size-related traits. We recommend caution when using functional group approaches to predict tundra vegetation change, or ecosystem functions relating to plant size, such as albedo or carbon storage. We argue that alternative classifications or direct use of specific plant traits could provide new insights for ecological prediction and modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. J. D. Thomas
- School of GeosciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | | | - A. D. Bjorkman
- School of GeosciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F)FrankfurtGermany
| | - S. C. Elmendorf
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of ColoradoBoulderColorado
| | - D. Blok
- Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund UniversityLundSweden
| | | | - B. C. Forbes
- Arctic Centre, University of LaplandRovaniemiFinland
| | - R. D. Hollister
- Biology Department, Grand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMichigan
| | - S. Normand
- Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - J. S. Prevéy
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFDavosSwitzerland
| | - C. Rixen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFDavosSwitzerland
| | - G. Schaepman‐Strub
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - M. Wilmking
- Institute for Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald UniversityGreifswaldGermany
| | - S. Wipf
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFDavosSwitzerland
| | - W. K. Cornwell
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - J. Kattge
- Max Planck Institute for BiogeochemistryJenaGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigGermany
| | - S. J. Goetz
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffArizona
| | - K. C. Guay
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean SciencesBoothbayMaine
| | - J. M. Alatalo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Qatar UniversityDohaQatar
| | - A. Anadon‐Rosell
- Institute for Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald UniversityGreifswaldGermany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Biodiversity Research InstituteUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - L. T. Berner
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffArizona
| | - R. G. Björk
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity CentreGothenburgSweden
| | - A. Buchwal
- Institute of Geoecology and Geoinformation, Adam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznanPoland
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska AnchorageAnchorageAlaska
| | - A. Buras
- Forest Ecology and Forest Management, Wageningen University and Research, WageningenNetherlands
| | - M. Carbognani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - K. Christie
- The Alaska Department of Fish and GameJuneauAlaska
| | - L. Siegwart Collier
- Department of Biology, Memorial UniversitySt John’s, Newfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - E. J. Cooper
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT‐The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - A. Eskelinen
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigGermany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZLeipzigGermany
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of OuluOuluFinland
| | - E. R. Frei
- Department of Geography, University of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - O. Grau
- Global Ecology Unit, CREAF‐CSIC‐UAB‐UBBellaterraSpain
| | - P. Grogan
- Department of Biology, Queen's UniversityKingston, OntarioCanada
| | - M. Hallinger
- Biology Department, Swedish Agricultural University (SLU)UppsalaSweden
| | - M. M. P. D. Heijmans
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - L. Hermanutz
- Department of Biology, Memorial UniversitySt John’s, Newfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | | | - K. Hülber
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - M. Iturrate‐Garcia
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - C. M. Iversen
- Climate Change Science Institute and Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTennessee
| | | | - J. F. Johnstone
- Department of Biology, University of SaskatchewanSaskatoonCanada
| | - E. Kaarlejärvi
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå UniversityUmeåSweden
- Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)BrusselsBelgium
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - A. Kulonen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFDavosSwitzerland
- Department of Biology, University of BergenBergenNorway
| | - L. J. Lamarque
- Département des Sciences de l'Environnement and Centres d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois‐RivièresTrois‐RivièresQuebecCanada
| | - E. Lévesque
- Département des Sciences de l'Environnement and Centres d'études nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois‐RivièresTrois‐RivièresQuebecCanada
| | - C. J. Little
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Eawag Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & TechnologyDubendorfSwitzerland
| | - A. Michelsen
- Department of Biology, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - A. Milbau
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO)BrusselsBelgium
| | - J. Nabe‐Nielsen
- Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - S. S. Nielsen
- Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - J. M. Ninot
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Biodiversity Research InstituteUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - S. F. Oberbauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityMiamiFlorida
| | - J. Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå UniversityUmeåSweden
| | - V. G. Onipchenko
- Department of Geobotany, Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityMoscowRussia
| | - A. Petraglia
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - S. B. Rumpf
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - P. R. Semenchuk
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT‐The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - N. A. Soudzilovskaia
- Environmental Biology, Department Institute of Environmental Sciences, CML, Leiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - M. J. Spasojevic
- Department of Biology, University of California RiversideRiversideCalifornia
| | - J. D. M. Speed
- NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - K. D. Tape
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of AlaskaFairbanksAlaska
| | - M. te Beest
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå UniversityUmeåSweden
- Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - M. Tomaselli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - A. Trant
- Department of Biology, Memorial UniversitySt John’s, Newfoundland and LabradorCanada
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of WaterlooWaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - U. A. Treier
- Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - S. Venn
- Research School of Biology, Australian National UniversityActon, ACTAustralia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin UniversityBurwoodVictoriaAustralia
| | - T. Vowles
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - S. Weijers
- Department of Geography, University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - T. Zamin
- Department of Biology, Queen's UniversityKingston, OntarioCanada
| | - O. K. Atkin
- Research School of Biology, Australian National UniversityActon, ACTAustralia
| | - M. Bahn
- Department of Ecology, University of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - B. Blonder
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Rocky Mountain Biological LaboratoryCrested ButteColorado
| | - G. Campetella
- School of Biosciences & Veterinary Medicine ‐ Plant Diversity and Ecosystems Management Unit, University of CamerinoCamerinoItaly
| | | | - F. S. Chapin III
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of AlaskaFairbanksAlaska
| | - M. Dainese
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - F. T. de Vries
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of ManchesterManchesterUnited Kingdom
| | - S. Díaz
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and FCEFyN, Universidad Nacional de CórdobaCórdobaArgentina
| | - W. Green
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - R. B. Jackson
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford UniversityStanford, California
| | - P. Manning
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK‐F)FrankfurtGermany
| | - Ü. Niinemets
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life SciencesTartuEstonia
| | - W. A. Ozinga
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - J. Peñuelas
- Global Ecology Unit, CREAF‐CSIC‐UAB‐UBBellaterraSpain
- CREAFCerdanyola del VallèsSpain
| | - P. B. Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of MinnesotaSt. Paul, MinneapolisMinnesota
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney UniversityPenrith, NSWAustralia
| | - B. Schamp
- Department of Biology, Algoma UniversitySault Ste. MarieOntarioCanada
| | | | - P. M. van Bodegom
- Environmental Biology, Department Institute of Environmental Sciences, CML, Leiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
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He D, Chen Y, Zhao K, Cornelissen JHC, Chu C. Intra- and interspecific trait variations reveal functional relationships between specific leaf area and soil niche within a subtropical forest. Ann Bot 2018; 121:1173-1182. [PMID: 29415250 PMCID: PMC5946913 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcx222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Background and Aims How functional traits vary with environmental conditions is of fundamental importance in trait-based community ecology. However, how intraspecific variability in functional traits is connected to species distribution is not well understood. This study investigated inter- and intraspecific variation of a key functional trait, i.e. specific leaf area (leaf area per unit dry mass; SLA), in relation to soil factors and tested if trait variation is more closely associated with specific environmental regimes for low-variability species than for high-variability species. Methods In a subtropical evergreen forest plot (50 ha, southern China), 106 700 leaves from 5335 individuals of 207 woody species were intensively collected, with 30 individuals sampled for most species to ensure a sufficient sample size representative of intraspecific variability. Soil conditions for each plant were estimated by kriging from more than 1700 observational soil locations across the plot. Intra- and interspecific variation in SLA were separately related to environmental factors. Based on the species-specific variation of SLA, species were categorized into three groups: low-, intermediate- and high-intraspecific variability. Intraspecific habitat ranges and the strength of SLA-habitat relationships were compared among these three groups. Key Results Interspecific variation in SLA overrides the intraspecific variation (77 % vs. 8 %). Total soil nitrogen (TN, positively) and total organic carbon (TOC, negatively) are the most important explanatory factors for SLA variation at both intra- and interspecific levels. SLA, both within and between species, decreases with decreasing soil nitrogen availability. As predicted, species with low intraspecific variability in SLA have narrower habitat ranges with respect to soil TOC and TN and show a stronger SLA-habitat association than high-variability species. Conclusions For woody plants low SLA is a phenotypic and probably adaptive response to nitrogen stress, which drives the predominance of species with ever-decreasing SLA towards less fertile habitats. Intraspecific variability in SLA is positively connected to species' niche breadth, suggesting that low-variability species may play a more deterministic role in structuring plant assemblages than high-variability species. This study highlights the importance of quantifying intraspecific trait variation to improve our understanding of species distributions across a vegetated landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong He
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongfa Chen
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kangning Zhao
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - J H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chengjin Chu
- Department of Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Makoto K, Kajimoto T, Koyama L, Kudo G, Shibata H, Yanai Y, Cornelissen JHC. Winter climate change in plant–soil systems: summary of recent findings and future perspectives. Ecol Res 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-013-1115-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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8
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Temme AA, Cornwell WK, Cornelissen JHC, Aerts R. Meta-analysis reveals profound responses of plant traits to glacial CO2 levels. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:4525-35. [PMID: 24340192 PMCID: PMC3856751 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A general understanding of the links between atmospheric CO2 concentration and the functioning of the terrestrial biosphere requires not only an understanding of plant trait responses to the ongoing transition to higher CO2 but also the legacy effects of past low CO2. An interesting question is whether the transition from current to higher CO2 can be thought of as a continuation of the past trajectory of low to current CO2 levels. Determining this trajectory requires quantifying the effect sizes of plant response to low CO2. We performed a meta-analysis of low CO2 growth experiments on 34 studies with 54 species. We quantified how plant traits vary at reduced CO2 levels and whether C3 versus C4 and woody versus herbaceous plant species respond differently. At low CO2, plant functioning changed drastically: on average across all species, a 50% reduction in current atmospheric CO2 reduced net photosynthesis by 38%; increased stomatal conductance by 60% and decreased intrinsic water use efficiency by 48%. Total plant dry biomass decreased by 47%, while specific leaf area increased by 17%. Plant types responded similarly: the only significant differences being no increase in SLA for C4 species and a 16% smaller decrease in biomass for woody C3 species at glacial CO2. Quantitative comparison of low CO2 effect sizes to those from high CO2 studies showed that the magnitude of response of stomatal conductance, water use efficiency and SLA to increased CO2 can be thought of as continued shifts along the same line. However, net photosynthesis and dry weight responses to low CO2 were greater in magnitude than to high CO2. Understanding the causes for this discrepancy can lead to a general understanding of the links between atmospheric CO2 and plant responses with relevance for both the past and the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Temme
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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9
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Aerts R, Callaghan TV, Dorrepaal E, van Logtestijn RSP, Cornelissen JHC. Seasonal climate manipulations have only minor effects on litter decomposition rates and N dynamics but strong effects on litter P dynamics of sub-arctic bog species. Oecologia 2012; 170:809-19. [PMID: 22526945 PMCID: PMC3470819 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2330-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [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: 11/08/2011] [Accepted: 04/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Litter decomposition and nutrient mineralization in high-latitude peatlands are constrained by low temperatures. So far, little is known about the effects of seasonal components of climate change (higher spring and summer temperatures, more snow which leads to higher winter soil temperatures) on these processes. In a 4-year field experiment, we manipulated these seasonal components in a sub-arctic bog and studied the effects on the decomposition and N and P dynamics of leaf litter of Calamagrostis lapponica, Betula nana, and Rubus chamaemorus, incubated both in a common ambient environment and in the treatment plots. Mass loss in the controls increased in the order Calamagrostis < Betula < Rubus. After 4 years, overall mass loss in the climate-treatment plots was 10 % higher compared to the ambient incubation environment. Litter chemistry showed within each incubation environment only a few and species-specific responses. Compared to the interspecific differences, they resulted in only moderate climate treatment effects on mass loss and these differed among seasons and species. Neither N nor P mineralization in the litter were affected by the incubation environment. Remarkably, for all species, no net N mineralization had occurred in any of the treatments during 4 years. Species differed in P-release patterns, and summer warming strongly stimulated P release for all species. Thus, moderate changes in summer temperatures and/or winter snow addition have limited effects on litter decomposition rates and N dynamics, but summer warming does stimulate litter P release. As a result, N-limitation of plant growth in this sub-arctic bog may be sustained or even further promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Aerts
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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10
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Aerts R, van Bodegom PM, Cornelissen JHC. Litter stoichiometric traits of plant species of high-latitude ecosystems show high responsiveness to global change without causing strong variation in litter decomposition. New Phytol 2012; 196:181-188. [PMID: 22889103 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04256.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
• High-latitude ecosystems are important carbon accumulators, mainly as a result of low decomposition rates of litter and soil organic matter. We investigated whether global change impacts on litter decomposition rates are constrained by litter stoichiometry. • Thereto, we investigated the interspecific natural variation in litter stoichiometric traits (LSTs) in high-latitude ecosystems, and compared it with climate change-induced LST variation measured in the Meeting of Litters (MOL) experiment. This experiment includes leaf litters originating from 33 circumpolar and high-altitude global change experiments. Two-year decomposition rates of litters from these experiments were measured earlier in two common litter beds in sub-Arctic Sweden. • Response ratios of LSTs in plants of high-latitude ecosystems in the global change treatments showed a three-fold variation, and this was in the same range as the natural variation among species. However, response ratios of decomposition were about an order of magnitude lower than those of litter carbon/nitrogen ratios. • This implies that litter stoichiometry does not constrain the response of plant litter decomposition to global change. We suggest that responsiveness is rather constrained by the less responsive traits of the Plant Economics Spectrum of litter decomposability, such as lignin and dry matter content and specific leaf area.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Aerts
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P M van Bodegom
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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11
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Soudzilovskaia NA, Aksenova AA, Makarov MI, Onipchenko VG, Logvinenko OA, ter Braak CJF, Cornelissen JHC. Legumes affect alpine tundra community composition via multiple biotic interactions. Ecosphere 2012. [DOI: 10.1890/es11-00357.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Hodgson JG, Montserrat-Martí G, Charles M, Jones G, Wilson P, Shipley B, Sharafi M, Cerabolini BEL, Cornelissen JHC, Band SR, Bogard A, Castro-Díez P, Guerrero-Campo J, Palmer C, Pérez-Rontomé MC, Carter G, Hynd A, Romo-Díez A, de Torres Espuny L, Royo Pla F. Is leaf dry matter content a better predictor of soil fertility than specific leaf area? Ann Bot 2011; 108:1337-45. [PMID: 21948627 PMCID: PMC3197453 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcr225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [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: 02/16/2011] [Accepted: 07/12/2011] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Specific leaf area (SLA), a key element of the 'worldwide leaf economics spectrum', is the preferred 'soft' plant trait for assessing soil fertility. SLA is a function of leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and leaf thickness (LT). The first, LDMC, defines leaf construction costs and can be used instead of SLA. However, LT identifies shade at its lowest extreme and succulence at its highest, and is not related to soil fertility. Why then is SLA more frequently used as a predictor of soil fertility than LDMC? METHODS SLA, LDMC and LT were measured and leaf density (LD) estimated for almost 2000 species, and the capacity of LD to predict LDMC was examined, as was the relative contribution of LDMC and LT to the expression of SLA. Subsequently, the relationships between SLA, LDMC and LT with respect to soil fertility and shade were described. KEY RESULTS Although LD is strongly related to LDMC, and LDMC and LT each contribute equally to the expression of SLA, the exact relationships differ between ecological groupings. LDMC predicts leaf nitrogen content and soil fertility but, because LT primarily varies with light intensity, SLA increases in response to both increased shade and increased fertility. CONCLUSIONS Gradients of soil fertility are frequently also gradients of biomass accumulation with reduced irradiance lower in the canopy. Therefore, SLA, which includes both fertility and shade components, may often discriminate better between communities or treatments than LDMC. However, LDMC should always be the preferred trait for assessing gradients of soil fertility uncoupled from shade. Nevertheless, because leaves multitask, individual leaf traits do not necessarily exhibit exact functional equivalence between species. In consequence, rather than using a single stand-alone predictor, multivariate analyses using several leaf traits is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Hodgson
- Station House, Leadmill, Hathersage, Hope Valley S32 1BA, UK.
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Soudzilovskaia NA, Cornelissen JHC, During HJ, van Logtestijn RSP, Lang SI, Aerts R. Similar cation exchange capacities among bryophyte species refute a presumed mechanism of peatland acidification. Ecology 2010; 91:2716-26. [PMID: 20957965 DOI: 10.1890/09-2095.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Fen-bog succession is accompanied by strong increases of carbon accumulation rates. We tested the prevailing hypothesis that living Sphagna have extraordinarily high cation exchange capacity (CEC) and therefore acidify their environment by exchanging tissue-bound protons for basic cations in soil water. As Sphagnum invasion in a peatland usually coincides with succession from a brown moss-dominated alkaline fen to an acidic bog, the CEC of Sphagna is widely believed to play an important role in this acidification process. However, Sphagnum CEC has never been compared explicitly to that of a wide range of other bryophyte taxa. Whether high CEC directly leads to the ability to acidify the environment in situ also remains to be tested. We screened 20 predominant subarctic bryophyte species, including fen brown mosses and bog Sphagna for CEC, in situ soil water acidification capacity (AC), and peat acid neutralizing capacity (ANC). All these bryophyte species possessed substantial CEC, which was remarkably similar for brown mosses and Sphagna. This refutes the commonly accepted idea of living Sphagnum CEC being responsible for peatland acidification, as Sphagnum's ecological predecessors, brown mosses, can do the same job. Sphagnum AC was several times higher than that of other bryophytes, suggesting that CE (cation exchange) sites of Sphagna in situ are not saturated with basic cations, probably due to the virtual absence of these cations in the bog water. Together, these results suggest that Sphagna can not realize their CEC in bogs, while fen mosses can do so in fens. The fen peat ANC was 65% higher than bog ANC, indicating that acidity released by brown mosses in the CE process was neutralized, maintaining an alkaline environment. We propose two successional pathways indicating boundaries for a fen-bog shift with respect to bryophyte CEC. In neither of them is Sphagnum CE an important factor. We conclude that living Sphagnum CEC does not play any considerable role in the fen-bog shift. Alternatively, we propose that exclusively indirect effects of Sphagnum expansion such as peat accumulation and subsequent blocking of upward alkaline soil water transport are keys to the fen-bog succession and therefore for bog-associated carbon accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Soudzilovskaia
- Department of Systems Ecology, Vrije Universiteit, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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14
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Hodgson JG, Sharafi M, Jalili A, Díaz S, Montserrat-Martí G, Palmer C, Cerabolini B, Pierce S, Hamzehee B, Asri Y, Jamzad Z, Wilson P, Raven JA, Band SR, Basconcelo S, Bogard A, Carter G, Charles M, Castro-Díez P, Cornelissen JHC, Funes G, Jones G, Khoshnevis M, Pérez-Harguindeguy N, Pérez-Rontomé MC, Shirvany FA, Vendramini F, Yazdani S, Abbas-Azimi R, Boustani S, Dehghan M, Guerrero-Campo J, Hynd A, Kowsary E, Kazemi-Saeed F, Siavash B, Villar-Salvador P, Craigie R, Naqinezhad A, Romo-Díez A, de Torres Espuny L, Simmons E. Stomatal vs. genome size in angiosperms: the somatic tail wagging the genomic dog? Ann Bot 2010; 105:573-84. [PMID: 20375204 PMCID: PMC2850795 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcq011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [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: 06/09/2008] [Revised: 07/04/2008] [Accepted: 12/21/2009] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Genome size is a function, and the product, of cell volume. As such it is contingent on ecological circumstance. The nature of 'this ecological circumstance' is, however, hotly debated. Here, we investigate for angiosperms whether stomatal size may be this 'missing link': the primary determinant of genome size. Stomata are crucial for photosynthesis and their size affects functional efficiency. METHODS Stomatal and leaf characteristics were measured for 1442 species from Argentina, Iran, Spain and the UK and, using PCA, some emergent ecological and taxonomic patterns identified. Subsequently, an assessment of the relationship between genome-size values obtained from the Plant DNA C-values database and measurements of stomatal size was carried out. KEY RESULTS Stomatal size is an ecologically important attribute. It varies with life-history (woody species < herbaceous species < vernal geophytes) and contributes to ecologically and physiologically important axes of leaf specialization. Moreover, it is positively correlated with genome size across a wide range of major taxa. CONCLUSIONS Stomatal size predicts genome size within angiosperms. Correlation is not, however, proof of causality and here our interpretation is hampered by unexpected deficiencies in the scientific literature. Firstly, there are discrepancies between our own observations and established ideas about the ecological significance of stomatal size; very large stomata, theoretically facilitating photosynthesis in deep shade, were, in this study (and in other studies), primarily associated with vernal geophytes of unshaded habitats. Secondly, the lower size limit at which stomata can function efficiently, and the ecological circumstances under which these minute stomata might occur, have not been satisfactorally resolved. Thus, our hypothesis, that the optimization of stomatal size for functional efficiency is a major ecological determinant of genome size, remains unproven.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Hodgson
- Peak Science and Environment, Station House, Leadmill, Hathersage, Hope Valley S32 1BA, UK.
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15
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Aerts R, Cornelissen JHC, van Logtestijn RSP, Callaghan TV. Climate change has only a minor impact on nutrient resorption parameters in a high-latitude peatland. Oecologia 2006; 151:132-9. [PMID: 17063365 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-006-0575-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2005] [Accepted: 09/21/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Nutrient resorption from senescing plant tissues is an important determinant of the fitness of plant populations in nutrient-poor ecosystems, because it makes plants less dependent on current nutrient uptake. Moreover, it can have significant "afterlife" effects through its impact on litter chemistry and litter decomposability. Little is known about the effects of climate change on nutrient resorption. We studied the effects of climate change treatments (including winter snow addition, and spring and/or summer warming) on nutrient resorption of four dominant species in a nutrient-poor subarctic peatland. These species were Betula nana (woody deciduous), Vaccinium uliginosum (woody deciduous), Calamagrostis lapponica (graminoid) and Rubus chamaemorus (forb). After five years of treatments both mature and senesced leaf N concentrations showed a small but significant overall reduction in response to the climate treatments. However, the effects were species-specific. For example, in the controls the N concentration in senesced leaves of Calamagrostis (3.0+/-0.2 mg N g(-1)) was about four times lower than for Rubus (11.2+/-0.2 mg N g(-1)). There were no significant treatment effects on N resorption efficiency (% of the N pool in mature leaves that is resorbed during senescence). The nitrogen resorption efficiency of Calamagrostis (about 80%) was higher than in the other three species (about 60%). Thus, climate change has only a minor impact on nutrient resorption parameters. However, given the substantial interspecific differences in these parameters, substantial changes in plant-soil feedbacks may be expected as a result of the observed changes in the species composition of high-latitude vegetation. These changes are species-specific and thus difficult to predict.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Aerts
- Institute of Ecological Science, Department of Systems Ecology, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Cornelissen JHC, Quested HM, van Logtestijn RSP, Pérez-Harguindeguy N, Gwynn-Jones D, Díaz S, Callaghan TV, Press MC, Aerts R. Foliar pH as a new plant trait: can it explain variation in foliar chemistry and carbon cycling processes among subarctic plant species and types? Oecologia 2005; 147:315-26. [PMID: 16217678 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-005-0269-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2005] [Accepted: 09/07/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Plant traits have become popular as predictors of interspecific variation in important ecosystem properties and processes. Here we introduce foliar pH as a possible new plant trait, and tested whether (1) green leaf pH or leaf litter pH correlates with biochemical and structural foliar traits that are linked to biogeochemical cycling; (2) there is consistent variation in green leaf pH or leaf litter pH among plant types as defined by nutrient uptake mode and higher taxonomy; (3) green leaf pH can predict a significant proportion of variation in leaf digestibility among plant species and types; (4) leaf litter pH can predict a significant proportion of variation in leaf litter decomposability among plant species and types. We found some evidence in support of all four hypotheses for a wide range of species in a subarctic flora, although cryptogams (fern allies and a moss) tended to weaken the patterns by showing relatively poor leaf digestibility or litter decomposability at a given pH. Among seed plant species, green leaf pH itself explained only up to a third of the interspecific variation in leaf digestibility and leaf litter up to a quarter of the interspecific variation in leaf litter decomposability. However, foliar pH substantially improved the power of foliar lignin and/or cellulose concentrations as predictors of these processes when added to regression models as a second variable. When species were aggregated into plant types as defined by higher taxonomy and nutrient uptake mode, green-specific leaf area was a more powerful predictor of digestibility or decomposability than any of the biochemical traits including pH. The usefulness of foliar pH as a new predictive trait, whether or not in combination with other traits, remains to be tested across more plant species, types and biomes, and also in relation to other plant or ecosystem traits and processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J H C Cornelissen
- Institute of Ecological Science, Department of Systems Ecology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Castro-Díez P, Puyravaud JP, Cornelissen JHC, Villar-Salvador P. Stem anatomy and relative growth rate in seedlings of a wide range of woody plant species and types. Oecologia 1998; 116:57-66. [PMID: 28308541 DOI: 10.1007/s004420050563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Stem traits were analysed in laboratory-grown seedlings of 80 European woody and semiwoody species of known potential relative growth rate (RGR) and of similar ontogenetic phase. The objectives were, firstly, to assess the relation between stem structure and plant growth potential and, secondly, to explore how stem structure varies among species differing in life form and leaf habit. Hydraulic conductance was represented by the mean diameter of the widest xylem conduits (Dmax), and structural strength by the percentage of xylem tissue occupied by cell wall material (CWx) or stem tissue density (SD). Across all species RGR showed a weak positive correlation with Dmax and weak negative ones with CWx and SD, with slow-growers showing great dispersion of stem trait values. In the RGR-Dmax relationship this dispersion disappeared when trees were removed from the analysis. None of the relationships were significant among tree species alone. It was suggested that fast-growers require a xylem with wide conduits (high Dmax) to achieve high hydraulic conductivity, and "cheaply" constructed stems (low CWx and SD) to maximise allocation to leaves. However, the possession of such traits does not guarantee fast growth, as other factors may constrain RGR elsewhere in the plant. Deciduous seedlings showed higher Dmax and lower CWx than evergreens. Higher Dmax could reflect an innate higher tolerance of conductivity loss by freeze-induced embolism in deciduous plants, which are not burdened by the maintenance of foliage in winter. In contrast, life forms were differentiated most clearly by SD. For instance, shrub seedlings had less dense stem tissues than tree seedlings, possibly because they need less investment in long-term strength and stature.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Castro-Díez
- NERC Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK, , , , , , GB
| | - J P Puyravaud
- NERC Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK, , , , , , GB
| | - J H C Cornelissen
- NERC Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK, , , , , , GB
| | - P Villar-Salvador
- Centro Nacional de Mejora Forestal "El Serranillo", Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, P.O. Box 249, E-19004, Spain, , , , , , ES
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Grime JP, Thompson K, Hunt R, Hodgson JG, Cornelissen JHC, Rorison IH, Hendry GAF, Ashenden TW, Askew AP, Band SR, Booth RE, Bossard CC, Campbell BD, Cooper JEL, Davison AW, Gupta PL, Hall W, Hand DW, Hannah MA, Hillier SH, Hodkinson DJ, Jalili A, Liu Z, Mackey JML, Matthews N, Mowforth MA, Neal AM, Reader RJ, Reiling K, Ross-Fraser W, Spencer RE, Sutton F, Tasker DE, Thorpe PC, Whitehouse J. Integrated Screening Validates Primary Axes of Specialisation in Plants. OIKOS 1997. [DOI: 10.2307/3546011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 604] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that functional attributes of living leaves provide a basis for predicting the decomposition rate of leaf litter. The data were obtained from standardized screening tests on 38 British herbaceous species. Graminoid monocots had physically tougher leaves with higher silicon contents than did herbaceous dicots, and this corresponded with the lesser decomposibility of the former. Total base content of living leaves was a good predictor of litter decomposition rate, but the evolutionary and ecological basis for this relationship appeared to differ between graminoid monocots and herbaceous dicots. In the monocots, litter decomposition rate was strongly predicted by leaf potassium content, which appeared to reflect other growth- related plant attributes such as seedling maximum relative growth rate, foliar nitrogen and phosphorus content, specific leaf area and short leaf lifespan. In the dicots the relationship between total leaf base content and litter decomposition rate was not unambiguously explained by growth-related leaf attributes, possibly because of the considerable calcium uptake by dicots, which varies according to calcium availability in the soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- J H C Cornelissen
- NERC Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - K Thompson
- NERC Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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Affiliation(s)
- J. H. C. Cornelissen
- Department of Biology; South West China Teachers University; Beibei Chongqing People's Republic of China
- ; Department of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Utrecht; Sorbonnelaan 16 CA Utrecht 3584 The Netherlands
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Cornelissen JHC. Seasonal and year to year variation in performance of Gordonia acuminata seedlings in different light environments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1992. [DOI: 10.1139/b92-299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The effects of light environment on temporal growth and allocation patterns in the subtropical Chinese evergreen tree Gordonia acuminata, a gap-dependent species, were studied during its first 2 years of growth. Seedlings were grown in full sun (S100), 55% of full sun (S5S), 33% of full sun (S33), and 18% of full sun (S18). During the 1st year, plant size and leaf dynamics were monitored nondestructively. The best growth was at S33. Growth rates fluctuated more from season to season in treatments of higher relative light exposure, largely owing to sun-imposed inhibition of growth in summer. Leaf size was to a large extent ontogenetically determined. Additionally, a size reduction with increasing light exposure was shown for individual leaves that had expanded during a given ontogenetic phase. In the 2nd year relative growth was best at S55 (first 6 months) and in full sun (second 6 months), successively, which resulted in S55 plants outgrowing the initially bigger S33 plants. Self-shading and smaller relative investment in leaf area were associated with a reduction of sun-imposed inhibition and thus with enhanced growth in sun in the 2nd year. The large seasonal and year to year variation in growth response to relative light exposure may have important consequences for the success of young Gordonia plants in gaps of different sizes or formed in different seasons. Key words: broad-leaved evergreen seedlings, gaps, growth, morphology, ontogeny, seasons, subtropical China.
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