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Weihs BJ, Heuschele DJ, Tang Z, York LM, Zhang Z, Xu Z. The State of the Art in Root System Architecture Image Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence: A Review. PLANT PHENOMICS (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 6:0178. [PMID: 38711621 PMCID: PMC11070851 DOI: 10.34133/plantphenomics.0178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Roots are essential for acquiring water and nutrients to sustain and support plant growth and anchorage. However, they have been studied less than the aboveground traits in phenotyping and plant breeding until recent decades. In modern times, root properties such as morphology and root system architecture (RSA) have been recognized as increasingly important traits for creating more and higher quality food in the "Second Green Revolution". To address the paucity in RSA and other root research, new technologies are being investigated to fill the increasing demand to improve plants via root traits and overcome currently stagnated genetic progress in stable yields. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now a cutting-edge technology proving to be highly successful in many applications, such as crop science and genetic research to improve crop traits. A burgeoning field in crop science is the application of AI to high-resolution imagery in analyses that aim to answer questions related to crops and to better and more speedily breed desired plant traits such as RSA into new cultivars. This review is a synopsis concerning the origins, applications, challenges, and future directions of RSA research regarding image analyses using AI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon J. Weihs
- United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service–Plant Science Research, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics,
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Deborah-Jo Heuschele
- United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service–Plant Science Research, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics,
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Zhou Tang
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences,
Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Larry M. York
- Biosciences Division and Center for Bioenergy Innovation,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Zhiwu Zhang
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences,
Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Zhanyou Xu
- United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service–Plant Science Research, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Zou H, Wang W, Huang J, Li X, Ma M, Wu S, Zhao C. Soil Nitrogen and Flooding Intensity Determine the Trade-Off between Leaf and Root Traits of Riparian Plant Species. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:978. [PMID: 38611507 PMCID: PMC11013260 DOI: 10.3390/plants13070978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The investigation into trade-offs among plant functional traits sheds light on how plants strategically balance growth and survival when facing environmental stress. This study sought to evaluate whether trade-offs observed at both community and individual species levels could indicate adaptive fitness across an intensity of flooding intensity. The study was conducted at 25 sampling sites spanning approximately 600 km along the riparian zone in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China. The findings revealed that, along the flooding gradient, the overall riparian community did not exhibit significant trade-offs between leaf and root traits. Examining three broadly distributed dominant species (Cynodon dactylon, Xanthium strumarium, and Abutilon theophrasti), perennial plants showed pronounced trade-offs under low flooding intensity, while annuals exhibited trade-offs under moderate and low flooding intensity. The trade-offs were evident in traits related to nitrogen-carbon resources, such as specific leaf area, root tissue density, and photosynthetic rate. However, under strong flooding intensity, the relationship between leaf and root traits of the species studied was decoupled. Furthermore, the study identified a significant correlation between soil nitrogen and the trade-off traits under moderate and low flooding intensity. Integrating results from the CSR (Competitors, Stress-tolerators, Ruderals) strategy model, species niche breath analysis, and nitrogen-regulated trade-off, the study revealed that, in the face of high flooding intensity, perennial species (C. dactylon) adopts an S-strategy, demonstrating tolerance through a conservative resource allocation that decouples leaf-root coordination. Annual species (X. strumarium and A. theophrasti), on the other hand, exhibit niche specialization along the flooding gradient, employing distinct strategies (R- and C-strategy). As flooding stress diminishes and soil nitrogen level decreases, plant strategies tend to shift towards an R-strategy with a competition for reduced N resources. In conclusion, the study highlighted the pivotal roles of soil nitrogen and flooding intensity acting as the dual determinants of species growth and tolerance. These dynamics of growth-tolerance balance were evident in the diverse trade-offs between leaf and root traits of individual plant species with different life histories, underscoring the array of adaptive strategies employed by riparian plants across the flooding intensity gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Zou
- The College of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
- Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
- Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Wanyu Wang
- Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
- Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Jinxia Huang
- The College of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
- Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
- Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
- Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Maohua Ma
- Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
- Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Shengjun Wu
- Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
- Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Cunfeng Zhao
- Chongqing Institute of Green Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
- Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
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Duan X, Jia Z, Li J, Wu S. The influencing factors of leaf functional traits variation of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Fan B, Ma Z, Gao P, Lu J, Ding N, Sun K. Functional Traits of Male and Female Leaves of Hippophae tibetana on the Eastern Edge of the Tibetan Plateau and Their Altitudinal Variability. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2484. [PMID: 36235349 PMCID: PMC9573225 DOI: 10.3390/plants11192484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
To date, there have been few studies of the functional traits of the dioecious Hippophae tibetana Schlecht leaves, either male or female, in response to ecological factors such as altitude. Elucidating these relationships will establish an important scientific basis for vegetation restoration and reconstruction of the Tibetan Plateau ecosystem. The natural populations of H. tibetana, distributed across three field sites, at 2868 m, 3012 m and 3244 m, in Tianzhu, Gansu, were studied by field survey sampling and laboratory analysis. In particular, the adaptions of leaf functional traits to elevation in these dioecious plants were analyzed. The results show that: (1) there is no “midday depression” of photosynthetic activity in either male or female plants. Over a one-day period, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr) of H. tibetana female plants were higher than those of male plants (p < 0.05). This correlated to the period of vigorous fruit growth in the female plant. The measured Pn and Tr were maximal at the intermediate altitude (3012 m). The light compensation point (LCP) of the leaves of male and female plants were 57.6 and 43.2 μmol·m−2·s−1, respectively, and the light saturation points (LSP) of the leaves were 1857.6 and 1596.8 μmol·m−2·s−1. (2) Altitude had a significant effect on plant and leaf functional traits of male and female H. tibetana (p < 0.05), and no significant difference was noted between plants at the same altitude. The values for leaf area (LA), specific leaf weight (LMA), leaf phosphorus content per unit mass (Pmass) and leaf phosphorus content per unit area (Parea) were also maximal at the intermediate altitude. Leaf nitrogen content per unit area (Narea) and leaf nitrogen content per unit mass (Nmass) increased with altitude. This indicated that the functional traits of male and female plants and leaves of H. tibetana showed a strong “trade-off relationship” with altitude. (3) Pearson correlation analysis showed that there were significant correlations among functional traits of H. tibetana leaves. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that soil water content (SWC), altitude (Alt) and soil organic carbon (SOC) had significant effects on the functional traits of H. tibetana leaves (p < 0.05).
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Fadrique B, Baraloto C, Bravo‐Avila CH, Feeley KJ. Bamboo climatic tolerances are decoupled from leaf functional traits across an Andean elevation gradient. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Belen Fadrique
- School of Geography, Univ. of Leeds Leeds UK
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Dept of Biological Sciences, Florida International Univ. Miami FL USA
| | | | - Catherine H. Bravo‐Avila
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Dept of Biological Sciences, Florida International Univ. Miami FL USA
| | - Kenneth J. Feeley
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Miami Miami FL USA
- International Center for Tropical Botany, Dept of Biological Sciences, Florida International Univ. Miami FL USA
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Zhang X, Wang C, Zhou C. The Variation of Functional Traits in Leaves and Current-Year Twigs of Quercus aquifolioides Along an Altitudinal Gradient in Southeastern Tibet. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.855547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clarifying the adaptation mechanism of alpine plants to climate or habitat under the alpine environmental gradient on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is substantially important to understand the their geography in alpine regions and their responses to future climate change. The spatial distribution characteristics of functional traits in leaves and current-year twigs of Quercus aquifolioides on five consecutive altitudinal gradients in Southeastern Tibet were analyzed. The relationship between the functional traits and habitat factors (topographic and soil factors) was explored. Key results: the functional traits of leaves and current-year twigs of Quercus aquifolioides in Southeastern Tibet showed significant linear variations along the altitudinal gradients (p < 0.001). Quercus aquifolioides at low altitudes tended to have shorter current-year twigs and less leaves with larger LA (leaf area) and higher RWC (relative water content) than those at high altitudes. Strong trade-off and coordination relationship were found between the functional traits of leaves and those of current-year twigs, respectively. SL (slope) and TN (total nitrogen) contributed the most to leaf functional traits (p < 0.05); AL (altitude) was the main determinant of functional traits in current-year twigs of Quercus aquifolioides in southeast Tibet. In conclusion, our observation demonstrate that the ecological adaptation strategy of Quercus aquifolioides was formed through the trade-off mechanism among various functional traits, the variation of hydrothermal conditions and soil environmental factors caused by altitude in the alpine region lead to differences in functional traits of Quercus aquifolioides along an altitudinal gradient in southeast Tibet.
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Tao Y, Qiu D, Gong YM, Liu HL, Zhang J, Yin BF, Lu HY, Zhou XBB, Zhang YM. Leaf-root-soil N:P stoichiometry of ephemeral plants in a temperate desert in Central Asia. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2022; 135:55-67. [PMID: 34762207 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-021-01355-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ephemeral plants are a crucial vegetation component in temperate deserts of Central Asia, and play an important role in biogeochemical cycle and biodiversity maintenance in desert ecosystems. However, the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) status and interrelations of leaf-root-soil of ephemeral plants remain unclear. A total of 194 leaf-root-soil samples of eight ephemeral species at 37 sites in the Gurbantunggut Desert, China were collected, and then the corresponding N and P concentrations, and the N:P ratio were measured. Results showed that soil parameters presented no significant difference among the eight species. The total soil N:P was only 0.116 (geomean), indicating limited soil N, while the available soil N:P (4.896, geomean) was significantly larger than the total N:P. The leaf N (averagely 30.995 mg g-1) and P (averagely 1.523 mg g-1) concentrations were 2.64-8.46 and 0.93-3.99 times higher than the root N (averagely 8.014 mg g-1) and P (averagely 0.802 mg g-1) concentrations, respectively. Thus, leaf N:P (averagely 21.499) was 1.410-2.957 times higher than root N:P (averagely 11.803). Meanwhile, significant interspecific differences existed in plant stoichiometric traits. At the across-species level, N content scaled as the 3/4-power of P content in both leaves and roots. Leaf and root N:P ratios were mainly influenced by P; however, the leaf-to-root N or P ratio was dominated by roots. Leaf and root N, P contents and N:P were generally unrelated to soil nutrients, and the former presented lower variation than the latter, indicating a strong stoichiometric homeostasis for ephemerals. These results demonstrate that regardless of soil nutrient supply capacity in this region, the fast-growing ephemeral plants have formed a specific leaf-root-soil stoichiometric relation and nutrient use strategy adapting to the extreme desert environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Dong Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yan-Ming Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Hui-Liang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ben-Feng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Hai-Ying Lu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, No. 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210042, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xiao-Bing B Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Yuan-Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China.
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Chu HH, Farrell C. Fast plants have water-use and drought strategies that balance rainfall retention and drought survival on green roofs. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e02486. [PMID: 34674341 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Green roofs can improve ecosystem services in cities; however, this depends on appropriate plant selection. For stormwater management, plants should have high water use to maximize retention and also survive dry periods. Plants adapted to wetter habitats develop "fast" traits for growth, whereas plants from drier habitats develop "slow" traits to conserve water use and survive drought. Therefore, we hypothesized that (1) plants with fast traits would have greater water use, (2) plants with slow traits would have greater drought tolerance, (3) fast-slow traits would be consistent across the plant, and (4) fast plants with greater water use could avoid drought stress. We evaluated 14 green roof species in a glasshouse experiment under well-watered (WW) and water-deficit (WD) conditions to determine relationships between fast-slow traits, water use, and drought resistance. Traits measured were shoot dry mass, specific leaf area (SLA), root mass fraction (RMF), and specific root length (SRL). Daily evapotranspiration per shoot dry mass was used to describe water use. Drought resistance was represented by (1) days to stomatal closure; (2) cumulative ET before stomatal closure; and (3) degree of iso-anisohydry (difference between midday leaf water potential (ΨMD ) of WW and WD plants; ΔΨMD ). Plants with greater water use had fast aboveground traits (greater shoot biomass and SLA). Plants with slow traits had greater drought tolerance as plants with lower shoot dry mass closed their stomata later under WD, and plants with greater root allocation were more anisohydric. Fast-slow traits were not consistent across the plant. Although SLA and SRL were positively related, SRL was not related to water use or drought resistance. Shoot dry mass was inversely related to SLA and had a stronger influence on stomatal closure. Though plants with greater water use under well-watered conditions closed their stomates earlier to avoid drought stress, they were not more isohydric (smaller ∆ΨMD ) and did not necessarily use more water under WD. Fast aboveground traits can be used to select green roof plants with high water use that avoid drought stress to optimize rainfall retention without jeopardizing drought survival. This will facilitate rapid plant selection using trait information from online databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Hsuan Chu
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia
| | - Claire Farrell
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria, 3121, Australia
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Weigelt A, Mommer L, Andraczek K, Iversen CM, Bergmann J, Bruelheide H, Fan Y, Freschet GT, Guerrero-Ramírez NR, Kattge J, Kuyper TW, Laughlin DC, Meier IC, van der Plas F, Poorter H, Roumet C, van Ruijven J, Sabatini FM, Semchenko M, Sweeney CJ, Valverde-Barrantes OJ, York LM, McCormack ML. An integrated framework of plant form and function: the belowground perspective. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:42-59. [PMID: 34197626 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant trait variation drives plant function, community composition and ecosystem processes. However, our current understanding of trait variation disproportionately relies on aboveground observations. Here we integrate root traits into the global framework of plant form and function. We developed and tested an overarching conceptual framework that integrates two recently identified root trait gradients with a well-established aboveground plant trait framework. We confronted our novel framework with published relationships between above- and belowground trait analogues and with multivariate analyses of above- and belowground traits of 2510 species. Our traits represent the leaf and root conservation gradients (specific leaf area, leaf and root nitrogen concentration, and root tissue density), the root collaboration gradient (root diameter and specific root length) and the plant size gradient (plant height and rooting depth). We found that an integrated, whole-plant trait space required as much as four axes. The two main axes represented the fast-slow 'conservation' gradient on which leaf and fine-root traits were well aligned, and the 'collaboration' gradient in roots. The two additional axes were separate, orthogonal plant size axes for height and rooting depth. This perspective on the multidimensional nature of plant trait variation better encompasses plant function and influence on the surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Weigelt
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands
| | - Karl Andraczek
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Colleen M Iversen
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Climate Change Science Institute and Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Joana Bergmann
- Sustainable Grassland Systems, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Paulinenaue, 14641, Germany
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, 06108, Germany
| | - Ying Fan
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Grégoire T Freschet
- Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station (SETE), National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Moulis, 09200, France
| | - Nathaly R Guerrero-Ramírez
- Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
| | - Jens Kattge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- Functional Biogeography, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Thom W Kuyper
- Soil Biology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands
| | - Daniel C Laughlin
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Ina C Meier
- Functional Forest Ecology, Department of Biology, Universität Hamburg, Barsbüttel-Willinghusen, 22885, Germany
| | - Fons van der Plas
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, 52425, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Catherine Roumet
- CEFE, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, University Montpellier, Montpellier, 34293, France
| | - Jasper van Ruijven
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, Wageningen, 6700 AA, the Netherlands
| | - Francesco Maria Sabatini
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, 06108, Germany
| | - Marina Semchenko
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, 51005, Estonia
| | - Christopher J Sweeney
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Oscar J Valverde-Barrantes
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Larry M York
- Noble Research Institute, LLC, Ardmore, OK, 73401, USA
| | - M Luke McCormack
- The Root Lab, Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL, 60515, USA
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Laughlin DC, Mommer L, Sabatini FM, Bruelheide H, Kuyper TW, McCormack ML, Bergmann J, Freschet GT, Guerrero-Ramírez NR, Iversen CM, Kattge J, Meier IC, Poorter H, Roumet C, Semchenko M, Sweeney CJ, Valverde-Barrantes OJ, van der Plas F, van Ruijven J, York LM, Aubin I, Burge OR, Byun C, Ćušterevska R, Dengler J, Forey E, Guerin GR, Hérault B, Jackson RB, Karger DN, Lenoir J, Lysenko T, Meir P, Niinemets Ü, Ozinga WA, Peñuelas J, Reich PB, Schmidt M, Schrodt F, Velázquez E, Weigelt A. Root traits explain plant species distributions along climatic gradients yet challenge the nature of ecological trade-offs. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:1123-1134. [PMID: 34112996 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01471-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Ecological theory is built on trade-offs, where trait differences among species evolved as adaptations to different environments. Trade-offs are often assumed to be bidirectional, where opposite ends of a gradient in trait values confer advantages in different environments. However, unidirectional benefits could be widespread if extreme trait values confer advantages at one end of an environmental gradient, whereas a wide range of trait values are equally beneficial at the other end. Here, we show that root traits explain species occurrences along broad gradients of temperature and water availability, but model predictions only resembled trade-offs in two out of 24 models. Forest species with low specific root length and high root tissue density (RTD) were more likely to occur in warm climates but species with high specific root length and low RTD were more likely to occur in cold climates. Unidirectional benefits were more prevalent than trade-offs: for example, species with large-diameter roots and high RTD were more commonly associated with dry climates, but species with the opposite trait values were not associated with wet climates. Directional selection for traits consistently occurred in cold or dry climates, whereas a diversity of root trait values were equally viable in warm or wet climates. Explicit integration of unidirectional benefits into ecological theory is needed to advance our understanding of the consequences of trait variation on species responses to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Francesco Maria Sabatini
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Thom W Kuyper
- Soil Biology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Joana Bergmann
- Sustainable Grassland Systems, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Paulinenaue, Germany
| | - Grégoire T Freschet
- Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station (SETE), National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Moulis, France
| | - Nathaly R Guerrero-Ramírez
- Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Colleen M Iversen
- Climate Change Science Institute and Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Jens Kattge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Functional Biogeography, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Ina C Meier
- Functional Forest Ecology, Department of Biology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Catherine Roumet
- CEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Marina Semchenko
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Christopher J Sweeney
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Oscar J Valverde-Barrantes
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Fons van der Plas
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jasper van Ruijven
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Isabelle Aubin
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olivia R Burge
- Ecosystems and Conservation, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Chaeho Byun
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Andong National University, Andong, Republic of Korea
| | - Renata Ćušterevska
- Institute of Biology, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - Jürgen Dengler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland.,Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Estelle Forey
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INRAE, ECODIV, Rouen, France
| | - Greg R Guerin
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bruno Hérault
- CIRAD, UPR Forêts et Sociétés, Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire.,Forêts et Sociétés, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France.,Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Robert B Jackson
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dirk Nikolaus Karger
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Spatial Evolutionary Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Lenoir
- UMR CNRS 7058 'Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés (EDYSAN)', Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Tatiana Lysenko
- Laboratory of Vegetation Science, Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Saint Petersburg, Russia.,Laboratory of Phytodiversity Problems and Phytocoenology, Institute of Ecology of the Volga River Basin, Samara Scientific Center, RAS, Togliatti, Russia.,Group of Ecology of living organisms, Tobolsk Complex Scientific Station, Ural Branch, RAS, Tobolsk, Russia
| | - Patrick Meir
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Crop Science and Plant Biology, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia.,Estonian Academy of Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Wim A Ozinga
- Vegetation, Forest and Landscape Ecology, Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Barcelona, Spain.,CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, USA.,Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marco Schmidt
- Data and Modelling Centre, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt, Germany.,Palmengarten, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Eduardo Velázquez
- Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid and INIA, Palencia, Spain.,School of Agricultural Engineering, University of Valladolid, Palencia, Spain
| | - Alexandra Weigelt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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11
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Mikola J, Koikkalainen K, Rasehorn M, Silfver T, Paaso U, Rousi M. Genotypic traits and tradeoffs of fast growth in silver birch, a pioneer tree. Oecologia 2021; 196:1049-1060. [PMID: 34309705 PMCID: PMC8367902 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04986-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Fast-growing and slow-growing plant species are suggested to show integrated economics spectrums and the tradeoffs of fast growth are predicted to emerge as susceptibility to herbivory and resource competition. We tested if these predictions also hold for fast-growing and slow-growing genotypes within a silver birch, Betula pendula population. We exposed cloned saplings of 17 genotypes with slow, medium or fast height growth to reduced insect herbivory, using an insecticide, and to increasing resource competition, using naturally varying field plot grass cover. We measured shoot and root growth, ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal production using ergosterol analysis and soil N transfer to leaves using 15N-labelled pulse of NH4+. We found that fast-growing genotypes grew on average 78% faster, produced 56% and 16% more leaf mass and ergosterol, and showed 78% higher leaf N uptake than slow-growing genotypes. The insecticide decreased leaf damage by 83% and increased shoot growth, leaf growth and leaf N uptake by 38%, 52% and 76%, without differences between the responses of fast-growing and slow-growing genotypes, whereas root mass decreased with increasing grass cover. Shoot and leaf growth of fast-growing genotypes decreased and EM fungal production of slow-growing genotypes increased with increasing grass cover. Our results suggest that fast growth is genotypically associated with higher allocation to EM fungi, better soil N capture and greater leaf production, and that the tradeoff of fast growth is sensitivity to competition, but not to insect herbivory. EM fungi may have a dual role: to support growth of fast-growing genotypes under low grass competition and to maintain growth of slow-growing genotypes under intensifying competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Mikola
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland. .,Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Katariina Koikkalainen
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland.,Ramboll Finland, Niemenkatu 73, 15240, Lahti, Finland
| | - Mira Rasehorn
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland
| | - Tarja Silfver
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland.,Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ulla Paaso
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland
| | - Matti Rousi
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
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12
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Fan S, Zhang Z. Predicting Spatial Distribution of Plant Functional Traits in a Forest-Steppe Zone. POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2021.69.1.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shunxiang Fan
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhidong Zhang
- Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Forest Trees Germplasm Resources and Forest Protection, College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, 2596, Lekai South Street, Baoding 071000, China
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13
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Chen L, Jiang C, Wang X, Feng Q, Liu X, Tang Z, Sun OJ. Nutrient trade-offs mediated by ectomycorrhizal strategies in plants: Evidence from an Abies species in subalpine forests. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5281-5294. [PMID: 34026006 PMCID: PMC8131813 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbiosis is an evolutionary biological trait of higher plants for effective nutrient uptakes. However, little is known that how the formation and morphological differentiations of ECM roots mediate the nutrients of below- and aboveground plant tissues and the balance among nutrient elements across environmental gradients. Here, we investigated the effects of ECM foraging strategies on root and foliar N and P concentrations and N:P ratio Abies faxoniana under variations of climate and soil conditions.The ECM symbionts preferentially mediated P uptake under both N and P limitations. The uptake efficiency of N and P was primarily associated with the ECM root traits, for example, ECM root tip density, superficial area of ECM root tips, and the ratio of living to dead root tips, and was affected by the ECM proliferations and morphological differentiations. The tissue N and P concentrations were positively associated with the abundance of the contact exploration type and negatively with that of the short-distance exploration type.Our findings indicate that the nutritional status of both below- and aboveground plant tissues can be strongly affected by ECM symbiosis in natural environments. Variations in the ECM strategies in response to varying environmental conditions significantly influence plant nutrient uptakes and trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Chen
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
- Institute of Forestry and Climate Change ResearchBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Chao Jiang
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
- Institute of Forestry and Climate Change ResearchBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiangping Wang
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
- Institute of Forestry and Climate Change ResearchBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Qiuhong Feng
- Sichuan Wolong Forest Ecosystem Research StationSichuan Academy of ForestryChengduChina
- Ecological Restoration and Conservation on Forest and Wetland Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceSichuan Academy of ForestryChengduChina
| | - Xingliang Liu
- Sichuan Wolong Forest Ecosystem Research StationSichuan Academy of ForestryChengduChina
- Ecological Restoration and Conservation on Forest and Wetland Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceSichuan Academy of ForestryChengduChina
| | - Zuoxin Tang
- College of Agricultural and Life SciencesKunming UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Osbert Jianxin Sun
- School of Ecology and Nature ConservationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
- Institute of Forestry and Climate Change ResearchBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
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14
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Pierick K, Leuschner C, Homeier J. Topography as a factor driving small-scale variation in tree fine root traits and root functional diversity in a species-rich tropical montane forest. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:129-138. [PMID: 33278844 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the variation in tree fine root traits and their functional diversity along a local topographic gradient in a Neotropical montane forest to test if fine root trait variation along the gradient is consistent with the predictions of the root economics spectrum on a shift from acquisitive to conservative traits with decreasing resource supply. We measured five fine root functional traits in 179 randomly selected tree individuals of 100 species and analysed the variation of single traits (using Bayesian phylogenetic multilevel models) and of functional trait diversity with small-scale topography. Fine roots exhibited more conservative traits (thicker diameters, lower specific root length and nitrogen concentration) at upper slope compared with lower slope positions, but the largest proportion of variation (40-80%) was explained by species identity and phylogeny. Fine root functional diversity decreased towards the upper slopes. Our results suggest that local topography and the related soil fertility and moisture gradients cause considerable small-scale variation in fine root traits and functional diversity along tropical mountain slopes, with conservative root traits and greater trait convergence being associated with less favourable soil conditions due to environmental filtering. We provide evidence of a high degree of phylogenetic conservation in fine root traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Pierick
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 1, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
| | - Jürgen Homeier
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, Göttingen, 37073, Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 1, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
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15
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Lee MA, Burger G, Green ER, Kooij PW. Relationships between resource availability and elevation vary between metrics creating gradients of nutritional complexity. Oecologia 2021; 195:213-223. [PMID: 33458802 PMCID: PMC7882561 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04824-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Plant and animal community composition changes at higher elevations on mountains. Plant and animal species richness generally declines with elevation, but the shape of the relationship differs between taxa. There are several proposed mechanisms, including the productivity hypotheses; that declines in available plant biomass confers fewer resources to consumers, thus supporting fewer species. We investigated resource availability as we ascended three aspects of Helvellyn mountain, UK, measuring several plant nutritive metrics, plant species richness and biomass. We observed a linear decline in plant species richness as we ascended the mountain but there was a unimodal relationship between plant biomass and elevation. Generally, the highest biomass values at mid-elevations were associated with the lowest nutritive values, except mineral contents which declined with elevation. Intra-specific and inter-specific increases in nutritive values nearer the top and bottom of the mountain indicated that physiological, phenological and compositional mechanisms may have played a role. The shape of the relationship between resource availability and elevation was different depending on the metric. Many consumers actively select or avoid plants based on their nutritive values and the abundances of consumer taxa vary in their relationships with elevation. Consideration of multiple nutritive metrics and of the nutritional requirements of the consumer may provide a greater understanding of changes to plant and animal communities at higher elevations. We propose a novel hypothesis for explaining elevational diversity gradients, which warrants further study; the ‘nutritional complexity hypothesis’, where consumer species coexist due to greater variation in the nutritional chemistry of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Lee
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.
| | - Grace Burger
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.,Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK
| | - Emma R Green
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Pepijn W Kooij
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.,Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil
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16
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Colesie C, Stangl ZR, Hurry V. Differences in growth-economics of fast vs. slow growing grass species in response to temperature and nitrogen limitation individually, and in combination. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:63. [PMID: 33234143 PMCID: PMC7684899 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00333-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fast growing invasive alien species are highly efficient with little investment in their tissues. They often outcompete slower growing species with severe consequences for diversity and community composition. The plant economics trait-based approach provides a theoretical framework, allowing the classification of plants with different performance characteristics. However, in multifaceted background, this approach needs testing. The evaluation and prediction of plant performance outcomes in ecologically relevant settings is among the most pressing topics to understand and predict ecosystem functioning, especially in a quickly changing environment. Temperature and nutrient availability are major components of the global environmental change and this study examines the response of growth economic traits, photosynthesis and respiration to such changes for an invasive fast-growing (Bromus hordaceus) and a slow-growing perennial (Bromus erectus) grass species. Results The fully controlled growth chamber experiment simulated temperature—and changes in nitrogen availability individually and in combination. We therefore provide maximum control and monitoring of growth responses allowing general growth trait response patterns to be tested. Under optimal nitrogen availability the slow growing B. erectus was better able to handle the lower temperatures (7 °C) whilst both species had problems at higher temperatures (30 °C). Stresses produced by a combination of heat and nutrient availability were identified to be less limiting for the slow growing species but the combination of chilling with low nutrient availability was most detrimental to both species. Conclusions For the fast-growing invader B. hordeaceus a reduction of nitrogen availability in combination with a temperature increase, leads to limited growth performance in comparison to the slow-growing perennial species B.erectus and this may explain why nutrient-rich habitats often experience more invasion than resource-poor habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Colesie
- Edinburgh Global Change Institute, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zsofia Reka Stangl
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Vaughan Hurry
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.
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17
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18
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Oram NJ, De Deyn GB, Bodelier PLE, Cornelissen JHC, Groenigen JW, Abalos D. Plant community flood resilience in intensively managed grasslands and the role of the plant economic spectrum. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J. Oram
- Soil Biology Group Wageningen University & Research Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Gerlinde B. De Deyn
- Soil Biology Group Wageningen University & Research Wageningen The Netherlands
| | | | - Johannes H. C. Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology Department of Ecological Science Faculty of Science Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | | | - Diego Abalos
- Soil Biology Group Wageningen University & Research Wageningen The Netherlands
- Department of Agroecology – Soil Fertility Aarhus University Tjele Denmark
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19
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Qi Y, Huang JL, Zhang SB. Correlated evolution of leaf and root anatomic traits in Dendrobium (Orchidaceae). AOB PLANTS 2020; 12:plaa034. [PMID: 32818052 PMCID: PMC7426005 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The whole-plant economic spectrum concept predicts that leaf and root traits evolve in coordination to cope with environmental stresses. However, this hypothesis is difficult to test in many species because their leaves and roots are exposed to different environments, above- and below-ground. In epiphytes, both leaves and roots are exposed to the atmosphere. Thus, we suspect there are consistent water conservation strategies in leaf and root traits of epiphytes due to similar selection pressures. Here, we measured the functional traits of 21 species in the genus Dendrobium, which is one of the largest epiphytic taxa in the family Orchidaceae, and used phylogenetically independent contrasts to test the relationships among traits, and between traits and the environment. Our results demonstrate that species with a thicker velamen tended to have thicker roots, a thicker root cortex and vascular cylinder, and a larger number of vessels in the root. Correspondingly, these species also had higher leaf mass per area, and thicker leaf lower cuticles. Leaf and root traits associated with water conservation showed significantly positive relationships. The number of velamen layers, leaf density and the ratio of vascular cylinder radius to root radius were significantly affected by the species' differing environments. Thus, traits related to water conservation and transport may play an important role in helping Dendrobium cope with the cool and dry conditions found at high elevations. These findings confirmed the hypothesis that leaf and root traits have evolved in coordination, and also provide insights into trait evolution and ecological adaptation in epiphytic orchids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Qi
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Lin Huang
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Shi-Bao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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20
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Topography and disturbance influence trait‐based composition and productivity of adjacent habitats in a coastal system. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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21
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Legay N, Grassein F, Arnoldi C, Segura R, Laîné P, Lavorel S, Clément J. Studies of NH
4
+
and NO
3
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uptake ability of subalpine plants and resource‐use strategy identified by their functional traits. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Legay
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53 FR‐38041 Grenoble Cedex 09 France
- INSA Centre Val de Loire, Univ. de Tours, CNRS, UMR 7324 CITERES Tours France
| | - Fabrice Grassein
- Univ. de Caen Basse‐Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S Caen France
- INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S Caen France
| | - Cindy Arnoldi
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53 FR‐38041 Grenoble Cedex 09 France
| | - Raphael Segura
- Univ. de Caen Basse‐Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S Caen France
- INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S Caen France
| | - Philippe Laîné
- Univ. de Caen Basse‐Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S Caen France
- INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S Caen France
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53 FR‐38041 Grenoble Cedex 09 France
| | - Jean‐Christophe Clément
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS UMR 5553, Université Joseph Fourier, BP 53 FR‐38041 Grenoble Cedex 09 France
- CARRTEL, UMR 0042 INRA‐Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc Le Bourget du Lac France
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22
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Zhang H, Zeng Z, Zou Z, Zeng F. Climate, Life Form and Family Jointly Control Variation of Leaf Traits. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 8:E286. [PMID: 31416214 PMCID: PMC6724092 DOI: 10.3390/plants8080286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Variation in leaf traits may represent differences in physiological processes and environmental adaptative strategies. Using multivariate analyses, we investigated 13 leaf traits to quantify the trade-off in these traits and the trait-climate/biome relationships based on the China Plant Trait Database, which contains morphometric and physiological character information on 1215 species for 122 sites, ranging from the north to the tropics, and from deserts and grasslands to woodlands and forests. Leaf traits across the dataset of Chinese plants showed different spatial patterns along longitudinal and latitudinal gradients and high variation. There were significant positive or negative correlations among traits; however, with the exception of the leaf 13C:12C stable isotope ratio, there were no significant correlations between leaf area and other traits. Climate, life form, and family jointly accounted for 68.4% to 95.7% of trait variance. Amongst these forms of variation partitioning, the most important partitioning feature was the family independence of climate and life form (35.6% to 57.2%), while the joint effect of family and climate was 4.5% to 26.2%, and the joint effect of family and life form was 2.4% to 21.6%. The findings of this study will enhance our understanding of the variation in leaf traits in Chinese flora and the environmental adaptative strategies of plants against a background of global climate change, and also may enrich and improve the leaf economics spectrum of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Restoration Ecology in Karst Terrain, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin 541006, China
| | - Zhaoxia Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China
| | - Zhigang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China
| | - Fuping Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
- Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang 547100, China.
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23
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Dong LJ, He WM. The relative contributions of climate, soil, diversity and interactions to leaf trait variation and spectrum of invasive Solidago canadensis. BMC Ecol 2019; 19:24. [PMID: 31202262 PMCID: PMC6570854 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-019-0240-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Invasive plants commonly occupy diverse habitats and thus must adapt to changing environmental pressures through altering their traits and economics spectra, and addressing these patterns and their drivers has an importantly ecological and/or evolutionary significance. However, few studies have considered the role of multiple biotic and abiotic factors in shaping trait variation and spectra. In this study, we determined seven leaf traits of 66 Solidago canadensis populations, and quantified the relative contributions of climate, soil properties, native plant diversity, and S. canadensis–community interactions (in total 16 factors) to leaf trait variation and spectrum with multimodel inference. Results Overall, the seven leaf traits had high phenotypic variation, and this variation was highest for leaf dry matter content and lowest for leaf carbon concentration. The per capita contribution of climate to the mean leaf trait variation was highest (7.5%), followed by soil properties (6.2%), S. canadensis–community interactions (6.1%), and native plant diversity (5.4%); the dominant factors underlying trait variation varied with leaf traits. Leaf production potential was negatively associated with leaf stress-tolerance potential, and the relative contributions to this trade-off followed in order: native plant diversity (7.7%), climate (6.9%), S. canadensis–community interactions (6.2%), and soil properties (5.6%). Climate, diversity, soil, and interactions had positive, neutral or negative effects. Conclusions Climate, soil, diversity, and interactions contribute differentially to the leaf trait variation and economics spectrum of S. canadensis, and their relative importance and directions depend on plant functional traits. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12898-019-0240-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Jia Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China. .,College of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, 312000, China.
| | - Wei-Ming He
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China. .,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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24
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Broadbent AAD, Stevens CJ, Ostle NJ, Orwin KH. Biogeographic differences in soil biota promote invasive grass response to nutrient addition relative to co-occurring species despite lack of belowground enemy release. Oecologia 2018; 186:611-620. [PMID: 29399738 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4081-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Multiple plant species invasions and increases in nutrient availability are pervasive drivers of global environmental change that often co-occur. Many plant invasion studies, however, focus on single-species or single-mechanism invasions, risking an oversimplification of a multifaceted process. Here, we test how biogeographic differences in soil biota, such as belowground enemy release, interact with increases in nutrient availability to influence invasive plant growth. We conducted a greenhouse experiment using three co-occurring invasive grasses and one native grass. We grew species in live and sterilized soil from the invader's native (United Kingdom) and introduced (New Zealand) ranges with a nutrient addition treatment. We found no evidence for belowground enemy release. However, species' responses to nutrients varied, and this depended on soil origin and sterilization. In live soil from the introduced range, the invasive species Lolium perenne L. responded more positively to nutrient addition than co-occurring invasive and native species. In contrast, in live soil from the native range and in sterilized soils, there were no differences in species' responses to nutrients. This suggests that the presence of soil biota from the introduced range allowed L. perenne to capture additional nutrients better than co-occurring species. Considering the globally widespread nature of anthropogenic nutrient additions to ecosystems, this effect could be contributing to a global homogenization of flora and the associated losses in native species diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carly J Stevens
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Nicholas J Ostle
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Kate H Orwin
- Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln, 7640, New Zealand
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Abalos D, van Groenigen JW, De Deyn GB. What plant functional traits can reduce nitrous oxide emissions from intensively managed grasslands? GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:e248-e258. [PMID: 28727214 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Plant species exert a dominant control over the nitrogen (N) cycle of natural and managed grasslands. Although in intensively managed systems that receive large external N inputs the emission of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2 O) is a crucial component of this cycle, a mechanistic relationship between plant species and N2 O emissions has not yet been established. Here we use a plant functional trait approach to study the relation between plant species strategies and N2 O emissions from soils. Compared to species with conservative strategies, species with acquisitive strategies have higher N uptake when there is ample N in the soil, but also trigger N mineralization when soil N is limiting. Therefore, we hypothesized that (1) compared to conservative species, species with acquisitive traits reduce N2 O emissions after a high N addition; and (2) species with conservative traits have lower N2 O emissions than acquisitive plants if there is no high N addition. This was tested in a greenhouse experiment using monocultures of six grass species with differing above- and below-ground traits, growing across a gradient of soil N availability. We found that acquisitive species reduced N2 O emissions at all levels of N availability, produced higher biomass and showed larger N uptake. As such, acquisitive species had 87% lower N2 O emissions per unit of N uptake than conservative species (p < .05). Structural equation modelling revealed that specific leaf area and root length density were key traits regulating the effects of plants on N2 O emission and biomass productivity. These results provide the first framework to understand the mechanisms through which plants modulate N2 O emissions, pointing the way to develop productive grasslands that contribute optimally to climate change mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Abalos
- Department of Soil Quality, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Gerlinde B De Deyn
- Department of Soil Quality, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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26
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Broadbent A, Stevens CJ, Peltzer DA, Ostle NJ, Orwin KH. Belowground competition drives invasive plant impact on native species regardless of nitrogen availability. Oecologia 2017; 186:577-587. [PMID: 29218538 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-4039-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Plant invasions and eutrophication are pervasive drivers of global change that cause biodiversity loss. Yet, how invasive plant impacts on native species, and the mechanisms underpinning these impacts, vary in relation to increasing nitrogen (N) availability remains unclear. Competition is often invoked as a likely mechanism, but the relative importance of the above and belowground components of this is poorly understood, particularly under differing levels of N availability. To help resolve these issues, we quantified the impact of a globally invasive grass species, Agrostis capillaris, on two co-occurring native New Zealand grasses, and vice versa. We explicitly separated above- and belowground interactions amongst these species experimentally and incorporated an N addition treatment. We found that competition with the invader had large negative impacts on native species growth (biomass decreased by half), resource capture (total N content decreased by up to 75%) and even nutrient stoichiometry (native species tissue C:N ratios increased). Surprisingly, these impacts were driven directly and indirectly by belowground competition, regardless of N availability. Higher root biomass likely enhanced the invasive grass's competitive superiority belowground, indicating that root traits may be useful tools for understanding invasive plant impacts. Our study shows that belowground competition can be more important in driving invasive plant impacts than aboveground competition in both low and high fertility ecosystems, including those experiencing N enrichment due to global change. This can help to improve predictions of how two key drivers of global change, plant species invasions and eutrophication, impact native species diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Broadbent
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK.
| | - Carly J Stevens
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | | | - Nicholas J Ostle
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Kate H Orwin
- Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln, 7640, New Zealand
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27
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Fontana V, Kohler M, Niedrist G, Bahn M, Tappeiner U, Frenck G. Decomposing the land-use specific response of plant functional traits along environmental gradients. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 599-600:750-759. [PMID: 28499223 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Environmental conditions affect functional trait variability within communities and thus shape ecosystem properties. With the ability of plants to adapt morphologically and physiologically to changing abiotic conditions, gradient analysis was shown to be a suitable tool to identify the drivers which determine trait values. Apart from direct environmental drivers and indirect gradients such as elevation, also anthropogenic effects (e.g. irrigation, grazing) can influence trait variability. Our aim was to assess the interactive effects of different environmental drivers on major plant traits and to investigate how these are modulated within two different land-use types (hay meadow vs. pasture). An elevational gradient spanning 1000m was decomposed into its underlying direct components (temperature, water input, length of growing season) for the investigation of gradual responses of five prominent functional traits (aboveground dry weight (AGDW), vegetative height (VegHt), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC)) for key species from two functional groups (grasses, forbs) in the two land-use/management regimes. The present study revealed that the detailed analysis of single direct gradients provides substantial additional information on trait response which remains hidden or is even reversed if only indirect gradients such as elevation are analysed. However, trait response to the combination of the three direct gradients aligned surprisingly well with trait response to the indirect gradient underpinning the adequate representation of temperature, water input and length of growing season by elevation. The response of traits significantly depended on the management regime and corresponding intensity which was shown to play an overriding role and constrained and attenuated response ranges of traits to climatic gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Fontana
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Marina Kohler
- Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Georg Niedrist
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Michael Bahn
- Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ulrike Tappeiner
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy; Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Georg Frenck
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy; Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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28
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Bergmann J, Ryo M, Prati D, Hempel S, Rillig MC. Root traits are more than analogues of leaf traits: the case for diaspore mass. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 216:1130-1139. [PMID: 28895147 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Root traits are often thought to be analogues of leaf traits along the plant economics spectrum. But evolutionary pressures have most likely shaped above- and belowground patterns differentially. Here, we aimed to identify the most important aboveground traits for explaining root traits without an a priori focus on known concepts. We measured morphological root traits in a glasshouse experiment on 141 common Central European grassland species. Using random forest algorithms, we built predictive models of six root traits from 97 aboveground morphological, ecological and life history traits. Root tissue density was best predicted by leaf dry matter content, whereas traits related to root fineness were best predicted by diaspore mass: the heavier the diaspore, the coarser the root system. Specific leaf area (SLA) was not an important predictor for any of the root traits. This study confirms the hypothesis that root traits are more than analogues of leaf traits within a plant economics spectrum. The results reveal a novel ecological pattern and highlight the power of root data to close important knowledge gaps in trait-based ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Bergmann
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Science (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Biology, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Masahiro Ryo
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Science (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Biology, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Prati
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, CH-3013, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Hempel
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Science (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Biology, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Dahlem Centre of Plant Science (DCPS), Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Biology, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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29
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Trocha LK, Bulaj B, Kutczynska P, Mucha J, Rutkowski P, Zadworny M. The interactive impact of root branch order and soil genetic horizon on root respiration and nitrogen concentration. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 37:1055-1068. [PMID: 28903525 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpx096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In general, respiration (RS) is highly correlated with nitrogen concentration (N) in plant organs, including roots, which exhibit a positive N-RS relationship. Less is known, however, about the relationship between N and RS in roots of different branch orders within an individual tree along a vertical soil profile; this is especially true in trees with contrasting life strategies, such as pioneer Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) vs mid-successional sessile oak (Quercus petraea Liebl.). In the present research, the impact of root branch order, as represented by those with absorptive vs transporting ability, and soil genetic horizon on root N, RS and the N-RS relationship was examined. Mean RS and total N concentration differed significantly among root branch orders and was significantly higher in absorptive roots than in transporting roots. The soil genetic horizon differentially affected root RS in Scots pine vs sessile oak. The genetic horizon mostly affected RS in absorptive roots of Scots pine and transporting roots in sessile oak. Root N was the highest in absorptive roots and most affected by soil genetic horizon in both tree species. Root N was not correlated with soil N, although N levels were higher in roots growing in fertile soil genetic horizons. Overall, RS in different root branch orders was positively correlated with N in both species. The N-RS relationship in roots, pooled by soil genetic horizon, was significant in both species, but was only significant in sessile oak when roots were pooled by root branch order. In both tree species, a significant interaction was found between the soil genetic horizon and root branch order with root function; however, species-specific responses were found. Both root N, which was unaffected by soil N, and the positive N-RS relationship consistently observed in different genetic horizons suggest that root function prevails over environmental factors, such as soil genetic horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia K Trocha
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland
| | - Bartosz Bulaj
- Faculty of Forestry, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
| | - Paulina Kutczynska
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland
| | - Joanna Mucha
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland
| | - Pawel Rutkowski
- Faculty of Forestry, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
| | - Marcin Zadworny
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland
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30
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Ramírez-Valiente JA, Cavender-Bares J. Evolutionary trade-offs between drought resistance mechanisms across a precipitation gradient in a seasonally dry tropical oak (Quercus oleoides). TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 37:889-901. [PMID: 28419347 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpx040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In seasonally dry tropical forest regions, drought avoidance during the dry season coupled with high assimilation rates in the wet season is hypothesized to be an advantageous strategy for forest trees in regions with severe and long dry seasons. In contrast, where dry seasons are milder, drought tolerance coupled with a conservative resource-use strategy is expected to maximize carbon assimilation throughout the year. Tests of this hypothesis, particularly at the intraspecific level, have been seldom conducted. In this study, we tested the extent to which drought resistance mechanisms and rates of carbon assimilation have evolved under climates with varying dry season length and severity within Quercus oleoidesCham. and Schlect., a tropical dry forest species that is widely distributed in Central America. For this purpose, we conducted a greenhouse experiment where seedlings originating from five populations that vary in rainfall patterns were grown under different watering treatments. Our results revealed that populations from xeric climates with more severe dry seasons exhibited large mesophyllous leaves (with high specific leaf area, SLA), and leaf abscission in response to drought, consistent with a drought-avoidance strategy. In contrast, populations from more mesic climates with less severe dry seasons had small and thick sclerophyllous leaves with low SLA and reduced water potential at the turgor loss point (πtlp), consistent with a drought-tolerance strategy. Mesic populations also showed high plasticity in πtlp in response to water availability, indicating that osmotic adjustment to drought is an important component of this strategy. However, populations with mesophyllous leaves did not have higher maximum carbon assimilation rates under well-watered conditions. Furthermore, SLA was negatively associated with mass-based photosynthetic rates, contrary to expectations of the leaf economics spectrum, indicating that drought-resistance strategies are not necessarily tightly coupled with resource-use strategies. Overall, our study demonstrates the importance of considering intraspecific variation in analyses of the vulnerability of tropical trees to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Ramírez-Valiente
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Department of Integrative Ecology, Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), Avda Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Jeannine Cavender-Bares
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Wang M, Wan P, Guo J, Xu J, Chai Y, Yue M. Relationships among Leaf, Stem and Root Traits of the Dominant Shrubs from Four Vegetation Zones in Shaanxi Province, China. Isr J Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/22244662-06301005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Leaves, stems and roots as the main plant organs have specific functions and together modulate survival, growth and reproduction. The relationships between these organs are high research priority, and there have been many hypotheses about the trade-offs between them. However, the results of these hypotheses are inconsistent and confusing. In this study, we examined 15 core traits of leaves, stems and woody roots of 27 dominant shrub species and further tested the hypotheses about the relationships between these organs. Measurements were made for shrubs across 9 sites including desert, steppe, temperate forest and subtropical forest in Shaanxi Province of China. Many significant correlations of different organ traits were found, e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus content showed a significant positive correlation, either within or across organs. Also, representatives of structural traits (carbon content and dry matter content) and mineral nutrient traits (nitrogen and phosphorus content) showed significant positive correlations among the leaves, stems and roots. The results of this study supported the hypotheses that there were significant correlations between leaf and root and between stem and root. Similarly, we found that trade-off between leaf and stem-plus-root showed a significant correlation. Thus, root traits, which are difficult to measure, are coordinated with those of the leaf and stem. We conclude that the leaf component of shrubs is a good proxy for the whole-plant in studying trade-offs and it could provide a convenient way to understand the whole-plant economic spectrum by focusing on the leaf economic spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Wang
- a School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
- b College of Grassland and Environment Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi, China
| | - Pengcheng Wan
- a School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jiangchao Guo
- a School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jinshi Xu
- a School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yongfu Chai
- a School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ming Yue
- a School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
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32
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Bowsher AW, Mason CM, Goolsby EW, Donovan LA. Fine root tradeoffs between nitrogen concentration and xylem vessel traits preclude unified whole-plant resource strategies in Helianthus. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:1016-31. [PMID: 26941942 PMCID: PMC4761775 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent work suggests variation in plant growth strategies is governed by a tradeoff in resource acquisition and use, ranging from a rapid resource acquisition strategy to a resource-conservative strategy. While evidence for this tradeoff has been found in leaves, knowledge of root trait strategies, and whether they reflect adaptive differentiation across environments, is limited. In the greenhouse, we investigated variation in fine root morphology (specific root length and tissue density), chemistry (nitrogen concentration and carbon:nitrogen), and anatomy (root cross-sectional traits) in populations of 26 Helianthus species and sister Phoebanthus tenuifolius. We also compared root trait variation in this study with leaf trait variation previously reported in a parallel study of these populations. Root traits varied widely and exhibited little phylogenetic signal, suggesting high evolutionary lability. Specific root length and root tissue density were weakly negatively correlated, but neither was associated with root nitrogen, providing little support for a single axis of root trait covariation. Correlations between traits measured in the greenhouse and native site characteristics were generally weak, suggesting a variety of equally viable root trait combinations exist within and across environments. However, high root nitrogen was associated with lower xylem vessel number and cross-sectional area, suggesting a tradeoff between nutrient investment and water transport capacity. This led to correlations between root and leaf traits that were not always consistent with an acquisition-conservation tradeoff at the whole-plant level. Given that roots must balance acquisition of water and nutrients with functions like anchorage, exudation, and microbial symbioses, the varied evidence for root trait covariation likely reflects the complexity of interacting selection pressures belowground. Similarly, the lack of evidence for a single acquisition-conservation tradeoff at the whole-plant level likely reflects the vastly different selection pressures shaping roots and leaves, and the resources they are optimized to obtain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan W. Bowsher
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of Georgia2502 Miller Plant SciencesAthensGeorgia30602
| | - Chase M. Mason
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of Georgia2502 Miller Plant SciencesAthensGeorgia30602
| | - Eric W. Goolsby
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology ProgramUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgia
| | - Lisa A. Donovan
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology ProgramUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgia
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33
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Sun K, Luke McCormack M, Li L, Ma Z, Guo D. Fast-cycling unit of root turnover in perennial herbaceous plants in a cold temperate ecosystem. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19698. [PMID: 26791578 PMCID: PMC4726329 DOI: 10.1038/srep19698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Roots of perennial plants have both persistent portion and fast-cycling units represented by different levels of branching. In woody species, the distal nonwoody branch orders as a unit are born and die together relatively rapidly (within 1-2 years). However, whether the fast-cycling units also exist in perennial herbs is unknown. We monitored root demography of seven perennial herbs over two years in a cold temperate ecosystem and we classified the largest roots on the root collar or rhizome as basal roots, and associated finer laterals as secondary, tertiary and quaternary roots. Parallel to woody plants in which distal root orders form a fast-cycling module, basal root and its finer laterals also represent a fast-cycling module in herbaceous plants. Within this module, basal roots had a lifespan of 0.5-2 years and represented 62-87% of total root biomass, thus dominating annual root turnover (60%-81% of the total). Moreover, root traits including root length, tissue density, and biomass were useful predictors of root lifespan. We conclude that both herbaceous and woody plants have fast-cycling modular units and future studies identifying the fast-cycling module across plant species should allow better understanding of how root construction and turnover are linked to whole-plant strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sun
- Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - M. Luke McCormack
- Center for Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Le Li
- Center for Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zeqing Ma
- Center for Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Dali Guo
- Center for Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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34
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Verheijen LM, Aerts R, Bönisch G, Kattge J, Van Bodegom PM. Variation in trait trade-offs allows differentiation among predefined plant functional types: implications for predictive ecology. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 209:563-575. [PMID: 26352461 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Plant functional types (PFTs) aggregate the variety of plant species into a small number of functionally different classes. We examined to what extent plant traits, which reflect species' functional adaptations, can capture functional differences between predefined PFTs and which traits optimally describe these differences. We applied Gaussian kernel density estimation to determine probability density functions for individual PFTs in an n-dimensional trait space and compared predicted PFTs with observed PFTs. All possible combinations of 1-6 traits from a database with 18 different traits (total of 18 287 species) were tested. A variety of trait sets had approximately similar performance, and 4-5 traits were sufficient to classify up to 85% of the species into PFTs correctly, whereas this was 80% for a bioclimatically defined tree PFT classification. Well-performing trait sets included combinations of correlated traits that are considered functionally redundant within a single plant strategy. This analysis quantitatively demonstrates how structural differences between PFTs are reflected in functional differences described by particular traits. Differentiation between PFTs is possible despite large overlap in plant strategies and traits, showing that PFTs are differently positioned in multidimensional trait space. This study therefore provides the foundation for important applications for predictive ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieneke M Verheijen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rien Aerts
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Gerhard Bönisch
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knoell Strasse 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Jens Kattge
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knoell Strasse 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Peter M Van Bodegom
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Li FL, Bao WK. New insights into leaf and fine-root trait relationships: implications of resource acquisition among 23 xerophytic woody species. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:5344-5351. [PMID: 30151136 PMCID: PMC6102526 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 09/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional traits of leaves and fine root vary broadly among different species, but little is known about how these interspecific variations are coordinated between the two organs. This study aims to determine the interspecific relationships between corresponding leaf and fine-root traits to better understand plant strategies of resource acquisition. SLA (Specific leaf area), SRL (specific root length), mass-based N (nitrogen) and P (phosphorus) concentrations of leaves and fine roots, root system, and plant sizes were measured in 23 woody species grown together in a common garden setting. SLA and SRL exhibited a strong negative relationship. There were no significant relationships between corresponding leaf and fine-root nutrient concentrations. The interspecific variations in plant height and biomass were tightly correlated with root system size characteristics, including root depth and total root length. These results demonstrate a coordinated plant size-dependent variation between shoots and roots, but for efficiency, plant resource acquisition appears to be uncoupled between the leaves and fine roots. The different patterns of leaf and fine-root traits suggest different strategies for resource acquisition between the two organs. This provides insights into the linkage between above- and belowground subsystems in carbon and nutrient economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Lan Li
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource UtilizationChengdu Institute of BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| | - Wei Kai Bao
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource UtilizationChengdu Institute of BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
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Cheng J, Chu P, Chen D, Bai Y. Functional correlations between specific leaf area and specific root length along a regional environmental gradient in Inner Mongolia grasslands. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Junhui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences 20 Nanxincun Xiangshan Beijing 100093 China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences No.19A Yuquan Road Beijing 100049 China
| | - Pengfei Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences 20 Nanxincun Xiangshan Beijing 100093 China
| | - Dima Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences 20 Nanxincun Xiangshan Beijing 100093 China
| | - Yongfei Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences 20 Nanxincun Xiangshan Beijing 100093 China
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Laliberté E, Lambers H, Burgess TI, Wright SJ. Phosphorus limitation, soil-borne pathogens and the coexistence of plant species in hyperdiverse forests and shrublands. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2015; 206:507-21. [PMID: 25494682 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 11/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Hyperdiverse forests occur in the lowland tropics, whereas the most species-rich shrublands are found in regions such as south-western Australia (kwongan) and South Africa (fynbos). Despite large differences, these ecosystems share an important characteristic: their soils are strongly weathered and phosphorus (P) is a key growth-limiting nutrient. Soil-borne pathogens are increasingly being recognized as drivers of plant diversity in lowland tropical rainforests, but have received little attention in species-rich shrublands. We suggest a trade-off in which the species most proficient at acquiring P have ephemeral roots that are particularly susceptible to soil-borne pathogens. This could equalize out the differences in competitive ability among co-occurring species in these ecosystems, thus contributing to coexistence. Moreover, effective protection against soil-borne pathogens by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi might explain the occurrence of monodominant stands of ECM trees and shrubs amongst otherwise species-rich communities. We identify gaps in our knowledge which need to be filled in order to evaluate a possible link between P limitation, fine root traits, soil-borne pathogens and local plant species diversity. Such a link may help to explain how numerous plant species can coexist in hyperdiverse rainforests and shrublands, and, conversely, how monodominant stands can develop in these ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Laliberté
- School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
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Martin LB, Liebl AL, Kilvitis HJ. Covariation in stress and immune gene expression in a range expanding bird. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 211:14-9. [PMID: 25448257 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2014] [Revised: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The enemy release hypothesis (ERH) posits that hosts encounter fewer infectious parasites when they arrive in new areas, so individuals that adjust their immune defenses most effectively should thrive and even expand the range of that species. An important aspect of vertebrate immune defense is inflammation, as it provides rapid defense against diverse parasites. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are integral to the regulation of inflammation, so here we investigated whether and how covariation in the expression of genes affecting the regulation of inflammation and GCs might have impacted the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) invasion of Kenya. Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 (TLRs) detect microbial threats and instigate inflammatory responses, whereas the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is integral to resolving inflammation via both local and systemic pathways. As with a previous study on circulating leukocytes, we found that splenic TLR-4 and TLR-2 (the latter marginally non-significant) expression was higher in younger than older populations but only when differences in spleen size were considered; birds at the range edge had larger spleens. In regards to covariation, we found that TLR-2, TLR-4 and GR expression were closely inter-related within individuals, but covariation did not differ among populations. Subsequently, our data suggest that house sparrows are using variants of a common stress-immune regulatory mechanism to expand their Kenyan range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn B Martin
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, SCA 110, Tampa, FL 33620, United States.
| | - Andrea L Liebl
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Holly J Kilvitis
- University of South Florida, Department of Integrative Biology, SCA 110, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
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Grassein F, Lemauviel-Lavenant S, Lavorel S, Bahn M, Bardgett RD, Desclos-Theveniau M, Laîné P. Relationships between functional traits and inorganic nitrogen acquisition among eight contrasting European grass species. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2015; 115:107-15. [PMID: 25471096 PMCID: PMC4284118 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcu233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS Leaf functional traits have been used as a basis to categoize plants across a range of resource-use specialization, from those that conserve available resources to those that exploit them. However, the extent to which the leaf functional traits used to define the resource-use strategies are related to root traits and are good indicators of the ability of the roots to take up nitrogen (N) are poorly known. This is an important question because interspecific differences in N uptake have been proposed as one mechanism by which species' coexistence may be determined. This study therefore investigated the relationships between functional traits and N uptake ability for grass species across a range of conservative to exploitative resource-use strategies. METHODS Root uptake of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and leaf and root functional traits were measured for eight grass species sampled at three grassland sites across Europe, in France, Austria and the UK. Species were grown in hydroponics to determine functional traits and kinetic uptake parameters (Imax and Km) under standardized conditions. KEY RESULTS Species with high specific leaf area (SLA) and shoot N content, and low leaf and root dry matter content (LDMC and RDMC, respectively), which are traits associated with the exploitative syndrome, had higher uptake and affinity for both N forms. No trade-off was observed in uptake between the two forms of N, and all species expressed a higher preference for [Formula: see text]. CONCLUSIONS The results support the use of leaf traits, and especially SLA and LDMC, as indicators of the N uptake ability across a broad range of grass species. The difficulties associated with assessing root properties are also highlighted, as root traits were only weakly correlated with leaf traits, and only RDMC and, to a lesser extent, root N content were related to leaf traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Grassein
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Servane Lemauviel-Lavenant
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Michael Bahn
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Richard D Bardgett
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Marie Desclos-Theveniau
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Philippe Laîné
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France INRA, UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et nutritions N, C, S, Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR 5553 CNRS-UJF, Université de Grenoble, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestr. 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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Zhong M, Wang J, Liu K, Wu R, Liu Y, Wei X, Pan D, Shao X. Leaf Morphology Shift of Three Dominant Species along Altitudinal Gradient in an Alpine Meadow of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.3161/104.062.0409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Jo I, Fridley JD, Frank DA. Linking above- and belowground resource use strategies for native and invasive species of temperate deciduous forests. Biol Invasions 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-014-0814-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Leishman MR, Cooke J, Richardson DM, Newman J. Evidence for shifts to faster growth strategies in the new ranges of invasive alien plants. THE JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2014; 102:1451-1461. [PMID: 25558090 PMCID: PMC4277856 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.12318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the processes underlying the transition from introduction to naturalization and spread is an important goal of invasion ecology. Release from pests and pathogens in association with capacity for rapid growth is thought to confer an advantage for species in novel regions.We assessed leaf herbivory and leaf-level traits associated with growth strategy in the native and exotic ranges of 13 invasive plant species from 256 populations. Species were native to either the Western Cape region of South Africa, south-western Australia or south-eastern Australia and had been introduced to at least one of the other regions or to New Zealand. We tested for evidence of herbivore release and shifts in leaf traits between native and exotic ranges of the 13 species.Across all species, leaf herbivory, specific leaf area and leaf area were significantly different between native and exotic ranges while there were no significant differences across the 13 species found for leaf mass, assimilation rate, dark respiration or foliar nitrogen.Analysis at the species- and region-level showed that eight out of 13 species had reduced leaf herbivory in at least one exotic region compared to its native range.Six out of 13 species had significantly larger specific leaf area (SLA) in at least one exotic range region and five of those six species experienced reduced leaf herbivory. Increases in SLA were underpinned by increases in leaf area rather than reductions in leaf mass.No species showed differences in the direction of trait shifts from the native range between different exotic regions. This suggests that the driver of selection on these traits in the exotic range is consistent across regions and hence is most likely to be associated with factors linked with introduction to a novel environment, such as release from leaf herbivory, rather than with particular environmental conditions.Synthesis. These results provide evidence that introduction of a plant species into a novel environment commonly results in a reduction in the top-down constraint imposed by herbivores on growth, allowing plants to shift towards a faster growth strategy which may result in an increase in population size and spread and consequently to invasive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Leishman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Julia Cooke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - David M Richardson
- Department of Botany & Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Newman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
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Wang N, Gao J, Zhang SQ, Wang GX. Variations in leaf and root stoichiometry of Nitraria tangutorum along aridity gradients in the Hexi Corridor, northwest China. CONTEMP PROBL ECOL+ 2014. [DOI: 10.1134/s1995425514030123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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44
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Wullschleger SD, Epstein HE, Box EO, Euskirchen ES, Goswami S, Iversen CM, Kattge J, Norby RJ, van Bodegom PM, Xu X. Plant functional types in Earth system models: past experiences and future directions for application of dynamic vegetation models in high-latitude ecosystems. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2014; 114:1-16. [PMID: 24793697 PMCID: PMC4071098 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcu077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Earth system models describe the physical, chemical and biological processes that govern our global climate. While it is difficult to single out one component as being more important than another in these sophisticated models, terrestrial vegetation is a critical player in the biogeochemical and biophysical dynamics of the Earth system. There is much debate, however, as to how plant diversity and function should be represented in these models. SCOPE Plant functional types (PFTs) have been adopted by modellers to represent broad groupings of plant species that share similar characteristics (e.g. growth form) and roles (e.g. photosynthetic pathway) in ecosystem function. In this review, the PFT concept is traced from its origin in the early 1800s to its current use in regional and global dynamic vegetation models (DVMs). Special attention is given to the representation and parameterization of PFTs and to validation and benchmarking of predicted patterns of vegetation distribution in high-latitude ecosystems. These ecosystems are sensitive to changing climate and thus provide a useful test case for model-based simulations of past, current and future distribution of vegetation. CONCLUSIONS Models that incorporate the PFT concept predict many of the emerging patterns of vegetation change in tundra and boreal forests, given known processes of tree mortality, treeline migration and shrub expansion. However, representation of above- and especially below-ground traits for specific PFTs continues to be problematic. Potential solutions include developing trait databases and replacing fixed parameters for PFTs with formulations based on trait co-variance and empirical trait-environment relationships. Surprisingly, despite being important to land-atmosphere interactions of carbon, water and energy, PFTs such as moss and lichen are largely absent from DVMs. Close collaboration among those involved in modelling with the disciplines of taxonomy, biogeography, ecology and remote sensing will be required if we are to overcome these and other shortcomings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stan D Wullschleger
- Environmental Sciences Division, Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6301, USA
| | - Howard E Epstein
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4123, USA
| | - Elgene O Box
- Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Eugénie S Euskirchen
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Santonu Goswami
- Environmental Sciences Division, Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6301, USA
| | - Colleen M Iversen
- Environmental Sciences Division, Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6301, USA
| | - Jens Kattge
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Richard J Norby
- Environmental Sciences Division, Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6301, USA
| | - Peter M van Bodegom
- Department of Ecological Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Xiaofeng Xu
- Environmental Sciences Division, Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6301, USA
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Geng Y, Wang L, Jin D, Liu H, He JS. Alpine climate alters the relationships between leaf and root morphological traits but not chemical traits. Oecologia 2014; 175:445-55. [PMID: 24633995 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-2919-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Leaves and fine roots are among the most important and dynamic components of terrestrial ecosystems. To what extent plants synchronize their resource capture strategies above- and belowground remains uncertain. Existing results of trait relationships between leaf and root showed great inconsistency, which may be partly due to the differences in abiotic environmental conditions such as climate and soil. Moreover, there is currently little evidence on whether and how the stringent environments of high-altitude alpine ecosystems alter the coordination between above- and belowground. Here we measured six sets of analogous traits for both leaves and fine roots of 139 species collected from Tibetan alpine grassland and Mongolian temperate grassland. N, P and N:P ratio of leaves and fine roots were positively correlated, independent of biogeographic regions, phylogenetic affiliation or climate. In contrast, leaves and fine roots seem to regulate morphological traits more independently. The specific leaf area (SLA)-specific root length (SRL) correlation shifted from negative at sites under low temperature to positive at warmer sites. The cold climate of alpine regions may impose different constraints on shoots and roots, selecting simultaneously for high SLA leaves for rapid C assimilation during the short growing season, but low SRL roots with high physical robustness to withstand soil freezing. In addition, there might be more community heterogeneity in cold soils, resulting in multidirectional strategies of root in resource acquisition. Thus our results demonstrated that alpine climate alters the relationships between leaf and root morphological but not chemical traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Geng
- Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing, 100871, China
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Hajek P, Hertel D, Leuschner C. Intraspecific variation in root and leaf traits and leaf-root trait linkages in eight aspen demes (Populus tremula and P. tremuloides). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2013; 4:415. [PMID: 24155751 PMCID: PMC3801086 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2013.00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Leaf and fine root morphology and physiology have been found to vary considerably among tree species, but not much is known about intraspecific variation in root traits and their relatedness to leaf traits. Various aspen progenies (Populus tremula and P. tremuloides) with different growth performance are used in short-rotation forestry. Hence, a better understanding of the link between root trait syndromes and the adaptation of a deme to a particular environment is essential in order to improve the match between planted varieties and their growth conditions. We examined the between-deme (genetic) and within-deme (mostly environmental) variation in important fine root traits [mean root diameter, specific root area (SRA) and specific root length (SRL), root tissue density (RTD), root tip abundance, root N concentration] and their co-variation with leaf traits [specific leaf area (SLA), leaf size, leaf N concentration] in eight genetically distinct P. tremula and P. tremuloides demes. Five of the six root traits varied significantly between the demes with largest genotypic variation in root tip abundance and lowest in mean root diameter and RTD (no significant difference). Within-deme variation in root morphology was as large as between-deme variation suggesting a relatively low genetic control. Significant relationships existed neither between SLA and SRA nor between leaf N and root N concentration in a plant. Contrary to expectation, high aboveground relative growth rates (RGR) were associated with large, and not small, fine root diameters with low SRA and SRL. Compared to leaf traits, the influence of root traits on RGR was generally low. We conclude that aspen exhibits large intraspecific variation in leaf and also in root morphological traits which is only partly explained by genetic distances. A root order-related analysis might give deeper insights into intraspecific root trait variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Hajek
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of GöttingenGöttingen, Germany
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Laughlin DC, Laughlin DE. Advances in modeling trait-based plant community assembly. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2013; 18:584-93. [PMID: 23727200 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2013.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Revised: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/29/2013] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we examine two new trait-based models of community assembly that predict the relative abundance of species from a regional species pool. The models use fundamentally different mathematical approaches and the predictions can differ considerably. Maxent obtains the most even probability distribution subject to community-weighted mean trait constraints. Traitspace predicts low probabilities for any species whose trait distribution does not pass through the environmental filter. Neither model maximizes functional diversity because of the emphasis on environmental filtering over limiting similarity. Traitspace can test for the effects of limiting similarity by explicitly incorporating intraspecific trait variation. The range of solutions in both models could be used to define the range of natural variability of community composition in restoration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Laughlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
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Gross N, Börger L, Duncan RP, Hulme PE. Functional differences between alien and native species: do biotic interactions determine the functional structure of highly invaded grasslands? Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Philip E. Hulme
- Bio-Protection Research Centre; Lincoln University; PO Box 84; Canterbury; 7647; New Zealand
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Richardson SJ, Allen RB, Buxton RP, Easdale TA, Hurst JM, Morse CW, Smissen RD, Peltzer DA. Intraspecific relationships among wood density, leaf structural traits and environment in four co-occurring species of Nothofagus in New Zealand. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58878. [PMID: 23527041 PMCID: PMC3601108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant functional traits capture important variation in plant strategy and function. Recent literature has revealed that within-species variation in traits is greater than previously supposed. However, we still have a poor understanding of how intraspecific variation is coordinated among different traits, and how it is driven by environment. We quantified intraspecific variation in wood density and five leaf traits underpinning the leaf economics spectrum (leaf dry matter content, leaf mass per unit area, size, thickness and density) within and among four widespread Nothofagus tree species in southern New Zealand. We tested whether intraspecific relationships between wood density and leaf traits followed widely reported interspecific relationships, and whether variation in these traits was coordinated through shared responses to environmental factors. Sample sites varied widely in environmental variables, including soil fertility (25–900 mg kg–1 total P), precipitation (668–4875 mm yr–1), temperature (5.2–12.4 °C mean annual temperature) and latitude (41–46 °S). Leaf traits were strongly correlated with one another within species, but not with wood density. There was some evidence for a positive relationship between wood density and leaf tissue density and dry matter content, but no evidence that leaf mass or leaf size were correlated with wood density; this highlights that leaf mass per unit area cannot be used as a surrogate for component leaf traits such as tissue density. Trait variation was predicted by environmental factors, but not consistently among different traits; e.g., only leaf thickness and leaf density responded to the same environmental cues as wood density. We conclude that although intraspecific variation in wood density and leaf traits is strongly driven by environmental factors, these responses are not strongly coordinated among functional traits even across co-occurring, closely-related plant species.
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Wu Y, Deng Y, Zhang J, Wu J, Tang Y, Cao G, Zhang F, Cui X. Root size and soil environments determine root lifespan: evidence from an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. Ecol Res 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-013-1038-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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