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Oberhuber W, Dobler AL, Heinzle T, Scandurra F, Gruber A, Wieser G. Climate Overrides the Influence of Microsite Conditions on Radial Growth of the Tall Multi-Stemmed Shrub Alnus alnobetula at Treeline. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1708. [PMID: 37111935 PMCID: PMC10143859 DOI: 10.3390/plants12081708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Green alder (Alnus alnobetula), a tall multi-stemmed deciduous shrub, is widespread at high elevations in the Central European Alps. Its growth form frequently leads to asymmetric radial growth and anomalous growth ring patterns, making development of representative ring-width series a challenge. In order to assess the variability among radii of one shoot, among shoots belonging to one stock and among stocks, 60 stem discs were sampled at treeline on Mt. Patscherkofel (Tyrol, Austria). Annual increments were measured along 188 radii and analyzed in terms of their variability by applying dendrochronological techniques. Results revealed a high agreement in ring-width variation among radii of one shoot, among shoots of one stock and largely among stocks from different sites, confirming the pronounced limitation of radial stem growth by climate forcing at the alpine treeline. In contrast to this, a high variability in both absolute growth rates and long-term growth trends was found, which we attribute to different microsite conditions and disturbances. These factors also override climate control of radial growth under growth-limiting environmental conditions. Based on our findings we provide recommendations for the number of samples needed to carry out inter- and intra-annual studies of radial growth in this multi-stemmed clonal shrub.
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Svensk M, Pittarello M, Mariotte P, Nota G, Schneider MK, Frund D, Dubois S, Allan E, Probo M. Nitrogen translocation by Highland cattle grazing in Alnus viridis-encroached pastures. NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGROECOSYSTEMS 2023; 126:127-141. [PMID: 37124631 PMCID: PMC10129924 DOI: 10.1007/s10705-023-10282-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
During the last decades, Alnus viridis has expanded over former montane pastures and meadows, due to land use and abandonment. This nitrogen-fixing woody species has triggered negative agro-environmental impacts, such as nitrogen (N) leaching, soil acidification and a reduced biodiversity. The aim of this study was to estimate the N translocation from A. viridis-encroached areas to adjacent open pastures by Highland cattle. In 2019 and 2020, Highland cattle herds equipped with GPS collars were placed in four A. viridis-encroached paddocks across Italy and Switzerland. The N content was measured in A. viridis leaves, herbaceous vegetation, and cattle dung pats, which were collected throughout the grazing season. Using GPS locations and collar activity sensors, livestock activity phases were discriminated. The N ingested by cattle was estimated through the N content of herbaceous vegetation and A. viridis leaves of vegetation patches visited by cattle during 24 h before dung sampling (N24H). The N content of herbaceous vegetation significantly increased with increasing A. viridis cover. The average N content in dung pats (31.2 ± 3.4 g.kg-1 DM) was higher than average values from literature on grazing cattle. Moreover, it was positively related to the N24H. Most of this N (29.5 ± 10.3 kg ha-1 yr-1) was translocated towards resting areas, which generally occurred on flat open pastures. Our results highlight the potential of Highland cattle to effectively translocate part of the ingested N from A. viridis-encroached towards targeted open areas, thus bringing new perspective for forage yield and quality improvement in the long-term. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10705-023-10282-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Svensk
- Grazing Systems, Agroscope, Posieux, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marco Pittarello
- Department of Veterinary Sciences (DSV), University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Ginevra Nota
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - David Frund
- Grazing Systems, Agroscope, Posieux, Switzerland
| | | | - Eric Allan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Shi FX, Chen HM, Wang XW, Mao R. Alder encroachment alters subsoil organic carbon pool and chemical structure in a boreal peatland of Northeast China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157849. [PMID: 35932865 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Boreal peatlands have been experiencing increased abundances of symbiotic dinitrogen-fixing woody plants (mainly alder species). However, how alder encroachment alters soil organic carbon (C) pool and stability is unclear. To examine the effects of alder encroachment on soil organic C, we measured soil organic C pool, phenol oxidase (POX) activity, organic C mineralization rate, and organic C chemical structure (alkyl C, O-alkyl C, aromatic C, and carbonyl C) using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-40 cm depths in the Alnus sibirica islands and adjacent open peatlands in the north of Da'xingan Mountain, Northeast China. A. sibirica islands had 28 %, 25 %, and 30 % greater POX activity and 36 %, 31 %, and 100 % higher organic C mineralization than open peatlands in the 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-40 cm soil depths, respectively. Despite no significant changes in the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths, alder encroachment reduced soil organic C pool in the 20-40 cm depth. Soil organic C pool in the 0-40 cm depth was lower in A. sibirica islands (298 Mg ha-1) than in the open peatlands (315 Mg ha-1). Moreover, alder encroachment increased alkyl (7 %) and carbonyl (57 %) C fractions but reduced O-alkyl C fraction (16 %) in the 20-40 cm depth, resulting in increased aliphaticity and recalcitrance indices. These findings suggest that alder encroachment will reduce soil organic C accumulation by accelerating microbial decomposition, and highlight that increased biochemical stabilization would attenuate soil organic C loss after alder expansion in boreal peatlands. Our results will help assess and project future C budgets in boreal peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Xi Shi
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Hui-Min Chen
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Xian-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Rong Mao
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China.
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Treeline-Quo Vadis? An Ecophysiological Approach. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13060857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
At high elevation or latitude, the margin of the life-form tree is set by low temperature, with trees defined as upright woody species taller than 2–3 m. Globally, the temperature limit of the life-form tree occurs whenever the growing season mean soil temperature declines to 6.7 ± 0.8 °C. Disturbance and human land use, however, can cause trees to be absent from the climatic treeline. After addressing definitions and concepts related to treeline ecophysiology and examining treeline structure and dynamics, the focus will be on future treeline developments with respect to climate, competition and land use change. Finally, changes in economic structure and land use within the treeline ecotone are outlined with respect to net ecosystem production and year-round evapotranspiration.
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Increased Arctic NO3− Availability as a Hydrogeomorphic Consequence of Permafrost Degradation and Landscape Drying. NITROGEN 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/nitrogen3020021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate-driven permafrost thaw alters the strongly coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles within the Arctic tundra, influencing the availability of limiting nutrients including nitrate (NO3−). Researchers have identified two primary mechanisms that increase nitrogen and NO3− availability within permafrost soils: (1) the ‘frozen feast’, where previously frozen organic material becomes available as it thaws, and (2) ‘shrubification’, where expansion of nitrogen-fixing shrubs promotes increased soil nitrogen. Through the synthesis of original and previously published observational data, and the application of multiple geospatial approaches, this study investigates and highlights a third mechanism that increases NO3− availability: the hydrogeomorphic evolution of polygonal permafrost landscapes. Permafrost thaw drives changes in microtopography, increasing the drainage of topographic highs, thus increasing oxic conditions that promote NO3− production and accumulation. We extrapolate relationships between NO3− and soil moisture in elevated topographic features within our study area and the broader Alaskan Coastal Plain and investigate potential changes in NO3− availability in response to possible hydrogeomorphic evolution scenarios of permafrost landscapes. These approximations indicate that such changes could increase Arctic tundra NO3− availability by ~250–1000%. Thus, hydrogeomorphic changes that accompany continued permafrost degradation in polygonal permafrost landscapes will substantially increase soil pore water NO3− availability and boost future fertilization and productivity in the Arctic.
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Radial Stem Growth of the Clonal Shrub Alnus alnobetula at Treeline Is Constrained by Summer Temperature and Winter Desiccation and Differs in Carbon Allocation Strategy Compared to Co-Occurring Pinus cembra. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13030440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Green alder (Alnus alnobetula) is currently the most expanding shrub species in the Alps. Because dense thickets impair tree establishment, understanding how climate affects shrub growth is essential for predictions of treeline dynamics. We evaluated ring width data from >50 A. alnobetula stems sampled at treeline on Mt. Patscherkofel (Central European Alps, Austria) to identify main climatic drivers and influence of climate warming on radial stem growth (RG). We also compared RG of A. alnobetula with RG of the co-occurring treeline conifer Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra). We addressed our questions through calculation of response functions and evaluation of climate in years showing exceptional growth deviations. Response function analyses and evaluation of growth trends during 1991–2020 revealed that RG of A. alnobetula is significantly and directly related to summer temperatures. Precipitation in January also showed a direct relationship to RG, indicating effects of frost drought on RG. Surprisingly, nitrogen fixing A. alnobetula showed strikingly lower RG compared to P. cembra, and the latter also responded more strongly to the increase in summer temperature in the course of climate warming. We explain these findings by different carbon allocation strategies, i.e., preference of “vertical” stem growth in late successional P. cembra vs. favoring “horizontal” spread in the pioneer shrub A. alnobetula.
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Pauler CM, Zehnder T, Staudinger M, Lüscher A, Kreuzer M, Berard J, Schneider MK. Thinning the thickets: Foraging of hardy cattle, sheep and goats in green alder shrubs. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. M. Pauler
- Agroscope, Forage Production and Grassland Systems Zurich Switzerland
| | - T. Zehnder
- Agroscope, Forage Production and Grassland Systems Zurich Switzerland
- ETH Institute of Agricultural Sciences Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - M. Staudinger
- Agroscope, Forage Production and Grassland Systems Zurich Switzerland
- ETH Institute of Agricultural Sciences Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - A. Lüscher
- Agroscope, Forage Production and Grassland Systems Zurich Switzerland
| | - M. Kreuzer
- ETH Institute of Agricultural Sciences Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - J. Berard
- ETH Institute of Agricultural Sciences Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Agroscope, Animal Production Systems and Animal Health, Posieux Switzerland
| | - M. K. Schneider
- Agroscope, Forage Production and Grassland Systems Zurich Switzerland
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Markham J, Anderson P. Soil moisture, N, P, and forest cover effects on N fixation in alders in the southern boreal forest. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John Markham
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba R2T 2N2 Canada
| | - Paige Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg Manitoba R2T 2N2 Canada
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Bokhorst S, Convey P, Casanova-Katny A, Aerts R. Warming impacts potential germination of non-native plants on the Antarctic Peninsula. Commun Biol 2021; 4:403. [PMID: 33767327 PMCID: PMC7994377 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01951-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Antarctic Peninsula is under pressure from non-native plants and this risk is expected to increase under climate warming. Establishment and subsequent range expansion of non-native plants depend in part on germination ability under Antarctic conditions, but quantifying these processes has yet to receive detailed study. Viability testing and plant growth responses under simulated Antarctic soil surface conditions over an annual cycle show that 16 non-native species, including grasses, herbs, rushes and a succulent, germinated and continued development under a warming scenario. Thermal germination requirement (degree day sum) was calculated for each species and field soil-temperature recordings indicate that this is satisfied as far south as 72° S. Here, we show that the establishment potential of non-native species, in number and geographical range, is considerably greater than currently suggested by species distribution modelling approaches, with important implications for risk assessments of non-native species along the Antarctic Peninsula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stef Bokhorst
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Peter Convey
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
| | - Angélica Casanova-Katny
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiologia Vegetal y Núcleo de Estudios Ambientales (NEA), Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
| | - Rien Aerts
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Hansen W, Wollny J, Otte A, Eckstein RL, Ludewig K. Invasive legume affects species and functional composition of mountain meadow plant communities. Biol Invasions 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02371-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPlant invasions are among the key drivers of global biodiversity and ecosystem change. They often cause reductions in native species richness and overall biodiversity. Nitrogen-fixing plants are problematic as they affect soil nutrient availability and outcompete species of nutrient-poor sites. Here we assessed the impacts of the legume Lupinus polyphyllus on species and functional diversity of mountain meadow communities in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Rhön. We compared species diversity (richness, evenness and effective species number), functional diversity (functional richness, evenness, divergence and dispersion) and similarity of plots in three characteristic vegetation types (Nardus grassland, mesic and wet mountain hay meadows) between different lupine cover classes. We calculated community weighted means (CWMs) of single plant traits and plotted them against lupine cover classes. The invasion of L. polyphyllus homogenizes vegetation composition since the similarity among plots of the different vegetation types increased with increasing lupine cover. It significantly affected species diversity in terms of richness and effective species number and the functional divergence of the vegetation. The trait set of species occurring together with lupine was shifted towards more competitive trait values. We demonstrate strongly negative impacts of L. polyphyllus on different mountain meadow vegetation types since L. polyphyllus, fosters the growth of competitive species and leads to overall more productive plant communities.
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11
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Klinger YP, Eckstein RL, Horlemann D, Otte A, Ludewig K. Germination of the invasive legume Lupinus polyphyllus depends on cutting date and seed morphology. NEOBIOTA 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.60.56117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
In semi-natural grasslands, mowing leads to the dispersal of species that have viable seeds at the right time. For invasive plant species in grasslands, dispersal by mowing should be avoided, and information on the effect of cutting date on the germination of invasive species is needed. We investigated the germination of seeds of the invasive legume Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl. depending on the cutting date. We measured seed traits associated with successful germination that can be assessed by managers for an improved timing of control measures. To this end, we sampled seeds of L. polyphyllus on six cutting dates and analyzed the germination of these seeds in climate chambers and under ambient weather conditions. We collected information on seed morphology (color/size/hardseededness) for each cutting date to identify seed traits associated with successful germination. Observed germination patterns were highly asynchronous and differed between seeds cut at different dates. Seeds cut early, being green and soft, tended to germinate in autumn. Seeds cut late, being dark and hard, were more prone to germinate the following spring, after winter stratification. This allows the species to utilize germination niches throughout the year, thus indicating a bet-hedging strategy. Seed color and the percentage of hard seeds were good predictors of germination percentage, but not of mean germination time and synchrony. Managers should prevent the species producing black and hard seeds, while cutting plants carrying green and soft seeds is less problematic. Furthermore, germination patterns differed between climate chambers and the common garden, mainly because germination of dormant seeds was lower in climate chambers. More germination experiments under ambient weather conditions should be carried out, as they can give information on the germination dynamics of invasive species.
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12
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Ecosystem Network Analysis in a Smallholder Integrated Crop–Livestock System for Coastal Lowland Situation in Tropical Humid Conditions of India. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12125017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The integrated crop–livestock system (ICLS) is a farming strategy that helps to sustain agrobiodiversity, ecosystem services, and restores environmental sustainability. Furthermore, ICLS provides food and nutritional security to the small and marginal farmers in developing nations. In this context a mass-balanced ecosystem model was constructed for a smallholder ICLS along the Indian west coast to analyze the agro-ecological performance in terms of sustainability, resource use, nutrient balance and recycling. Thirteen functional groups were defined in the ICLS model with trophic levels ranging from 1.00 (detritus and benthic nitrogen fixers) to 3.00 (poultry and ruminants). The total system throughput index was estimated to be 1134.9 kg N ha−1 year−1 of which 60% was from consumption, 15% from exports, 10% from respiration, and the remaining 15% eventually flowing into detritus. The gross efficiency of the ecosystem was estimated to 0.3, which indicated higher growth rates and low maintenance energy costs. The higher food self-sufficiency ration of 7.4 indicated the integration of crop–livestock as an imperative system to meet the food and nutritional requirement of the farm family. The indices such as system overhead (60%), Finn’s cycling index (16.6) and mean path length (3.5) denoted that the ICLS is a small, resource-efficient, stable, maturing and sustainable ecosystem in terms of the ecosystem principles and recycling. The present model will serve as the first model on the ICLS from the humid tropics and will help in the evaluation of the other agro-ecological systems using the Ecopath modelling approach. In conclusion, farm intensification through crop and animal diversification has the highest impact on farm productivity, food self-sufficiency and resource-use-efficiency of the smallholder’s livelihood security.
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Sinclair MN, Woods NN, Zinnert JC. Seasonal facilitative and competitive trade‐offs between shrub seedlings and coastal grasses. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael N. Sinclair
- Department of Biology Virginia Commonwealth University 1000 W Cary Street Richmond Virginia 23284 USA
| | - Natasha N. Woods
- Department of Biology Virginia Commonwealth University 1000 W Cary Street Richmond Virginia 23284 USA
| | - Julie C. Zinnert
- Department of Biology Virginia Commonwealth University 1000 W Cary Street Richmond Virginia 23284 USA
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Zhang Y, Shi FX, Mao R. Alnus sibirica encroachment promotes dissolved organic carbon biodegradation in a boreal peatland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 695:133882. [PMID: 31421329 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Symbiotic dinitrogen (N2)-fixing trees have been expanding to boreal peatlands, yet its influence on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) biodegradation is unclear. Here, we measured DOC, ammonium‑nitrogen (NH4+-N), nitrate‑nitrogen (NO3--N), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), and dissolved total nitrogen (DTN) concentrations, specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA254), and humification index in the extracts obtained from peats in the 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-40 cm depths in the open peatlands and Alnus sibirica islands in a boreal peatland, Northeast China. Afterwards, the peat extracts were used to assess the effect of N2-fixing woody plant expansion on DOC biodegradation with a 42-day incubation experiment. The expansion of A. sibirica significantly increased NH4+-N, NO3--N, DIN, and DTN concentrations, but did not produce a significant effect on SUVA254 and humification index in the extracts in each depth. Following A. sibirica expansion, DOC biodegradation was enhanced by 24.5%, 15.4%, and 38.3% at 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-40 cm depths, respectively. Furthermore, DOC biodegradation was significantly and negatively correlated with DOC:DIN and DOC:DTN ratios, but exhibited no significant relationship with SUVA254 and humification index. This implied that improved N availability and associated shifts in C:N stoichiometry determined the increase in DOC biodegradation following A. sibirica expansion. Our findings suggest that N2-fixing tree encroachment promotes microbial decomposition of DOC through improved N availability in boreal peatlands, which may cause organic C loss from soils in these C-enriched ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Jiangxi Typical Trees Cultivation and Utilization, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Fu-Xi Shi
- 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Jiangxi Typical Trees Cultivation and Utilization, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
| | - Rong Mao
- 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Jiangxi Typical Trees Cultivation and Utilization, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China.
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15
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Wallace CA, Baltzer JL. Tall Shrubs Mediate Abiotic Conditions and Plant Communities at the Taiga–Tundra Ecotone. Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00435-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Applying landscape structure analysis to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of an invasive legume in the Rhön UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Biol Invasions 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-019-02012-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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17
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De Boeck HJ, Hiltbrunner E, Jentsch A, Vandvik V. Editorial: Responses to Climate Change in the Cold Biomes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:347. [PMID: 30984216 PMCID: PMC6447700 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hans J. De Boeck
- Department of Biology, Centre of Excellence PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Universiteit Antwerpen, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Erika Hiltbrunner
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Institute of Botany, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anke Jentsch
- Department of Disturbance Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics, Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Vigdis Vandvik
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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18
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Chaia EE, Huss-Danell K, Wall LG, Myrold DD. Nitrogen fixation by riparian plants belonging to Coriariaceae, Rhamnaceae, and Gunneraceae in Northwest Patagonia. Symbiosis 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-018-00590-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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19
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Vetter VMS, Tjaden NB, Jaeschke A, Buhk C, Wahl V, Wasowicz P, Jentsch A. Invasion of a Legume Ecosystem Engineer in a Cold Biome Alters Plant Biodiversity. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:715. [PMID: 29922310 PMCID: PMC5996276 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Plant ecosystem engineers are widely used to combat land degradation. However, the ability of those plants to modulate limiting abiotic and biotic resources of other species can cause damage to ecosystems in which they become invasive. Here, we use Lupinus nootkatensis as example to estimate and project the hazardous potential of nitrogen fixing herbaceous plants in a sub-polar oceanic climate. L. nootkatensis was introduced to Iceland in the 1940s to address erosion problems and foster reforestation, but subsequently became a high-latitude invader. In a local field survey, we quantified the impact of L. nootkatensis invasion at three different cover levels (0, 10-50, and 51-100%) upon native plant diversity, richness, and community composition of heath-, wood-, and grasslands using a pairwise comparison design and comparisons of means. Afterward, we scaled impacts up to the ecosystem and landscape level by relating occurrences of L. nootkatensis to environmental and human-mediated variables across Iceland using a species distribution model. Plant diversity was significantly deteriorated under high lupine cover levels of the heath- and woodland, but not in the grassland. Plant species richness of the most diverse habitat, the heathland, linearly decreased with lupine cover level. The abundance of small rosettes, cushion plants, orchids, and small woody long-lived plants of the heath declined with invader presence, while the abundance of late successional species and widespread nitrophilous ruderals in wood- and grasslands increased. Distribution modeling revealed 13.3% of Iceland's land surface area to be suitable lupine habitat. Until 2061-2080, this area will more than double and expand significantly into the Central Highlands due to human mediation and increasingly favorable climatic conditions. Species-rich habitats showed a loss of plant species diversity and richness as well as a change in community composition even in low lupine cover classes. The future increase of suitable lupine habitat might lead to the displacement of cold-adapted native plant species and will certainly challenge conservation as well as restoration of ecosystems in the cold climate of Iceland, but also elsewhere. Lupine invasion speeds up succession, which may be additive with climate change effects, and accelerates ecological change in cold biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M. S. Vetter
- Disturbance Ecology, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
- Biogeography, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Nils B. Tjaden
- Biogeography, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Anja Jaeschke
- Biogeography, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Constanze Buhk
- Geoecology, Physical Geography, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Veronika Wahl
- Disturbance Ecology, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Pawel Wasowicz
- Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Akureyri, Iceland
| | - Anke Jentsch
- Disturbance Ecology, BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Schwob G, Roy M, Manzi S, Pommier T, Fernandez MP. Green alder (
Alnus viridis
) encroachment shapes microbial communities in subalpine soils and impacts its bacterial or fungal symbionts differently. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:3235-3250. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Schwob
- CNRS, UMR 5557, INRA, UMR 1418, Laboratoire d'Ecologie MicrobienneUniversité de Lyon, Université Lyon143, Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918Villeurbanne Cedex 69622 France
| | - M. Roy
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité BiologiqueUMR 5174 UPS CNRS ENFA IRDToulouse France
| | - S. Manzi
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité BiologiqueUMR 5174 UPS CNRS ENFA IRDToulouse France
| | - T. Pommier
- CNRS, UMR 5557, INRA, UMR 1418, Laboratoire d'Ecologie MicrobienneUniversité de Lyon, Université Lyon143, Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918Villeurbanne Cedex 69622 France
| | - M. P. Fernandez
- CNRS, UMR 5557, INRA, UMR 1418, Laboratoire d'Ecologie MicrobienneUniversité de Lyon, Université Lyon143, Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918Villeurbanne Cedex 69622 France
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21
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Robbins CJ, King RS, Yeager AD, Walker CM, Back JA, Doyle RD, Whigham DF. Low‐level addition of dissolved organic carbon increases basal ecosystem function in a boreal headwater stream. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb J. Robbins
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research Department of Biology Baylor University One Bear Place 97388 Waco Texas 76798 USA
| | - Ryan S. King
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research Department of Biology Baylor University One Bear Place 97388 Waco Texas 76798 USA
| | - Alyse D. Yeager
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research Department of Biology Baylor University One Bear Place 97388 Waco Texas 76798 USA
| | - Coowe M. Walker
- Kachemak Bay Research Reserve 2181 Kachemak Drive Homer Alaska 99603 USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Back
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research Department of Biology Baylor University One Bear Place 97388 Waco Texas 76798 USA
| | - Robert D. Doyle
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research Department of Biology Baylor University One Bear Place 97388 Waco Texas 76798 USA
| | - Dennis F. Whigham
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center P.O. Box 28, 647 Contees Wharf Road Edgewater Maryland 21037 USA
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22
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Sardans J, Bartrons M, Margalef O, Gargallo-Garriga A, Janssens IA, Ciais P, Obersteiner M, Sigurdsson BD, Chen HYH, Peñuelas J. Plant invasion is associated with higher plant-soil nutrient concentrations in nutrient-poor environments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:1282-1291. [PMID: 27272953 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant invasion is an emerging driver of global change worldwide. We aimed to disentangle its impacts on plant-soil nutrient concentrations. We conducted a meta-analysis of 215 peer-reviewed articles and 1233 observations. Invasive plant species had globally higher N and P concentrations in photosynthetic tissues but not in foliar litter, in comparison with their native competitors. Invasive plants were also associated with higher soil C and N stocks and N, P, and K availabilities. The differences in N and P concentrations in photosynthetic tissues and in soil total C and N, soil N, P, and K availabilities between invasive and native species decreased when the environment was richer in nutrient resources. The results thus suggested higher nutrient resorption efficiencies in invasive than in native species in nutrient-poor environments. There were differences in soil total N concentrations but not in total P concentrations, indicating that the differences associated to invasive plants were related with biological processes, not with geochemical processes. The results suggest that invasiveness is not only a driver of changes in ecosystem species composition but that it is also associated with significant changes in plant-soil elemental composition and stoichiometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Sardans
- Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB, CSIC, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Mireia Bartrons
- Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB, CSIC, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- BETA Technological Centre (Tecnio), Aquatic Ecology Group, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Catalonia, 08500, Vic, Spain
| | - Olga Margalef
- Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB, CSIC, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Albert Gargallo-Garriga
- Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB, CSIC, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ivan A Janssens
- Research Group of Plant and Vegetation Ecology (PLECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Phillipe Ciais
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, IPSL, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Michael Obersteiner
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Ecosystems Services and Management, Schlossplatz 1, A-2361, Laxenburg, Austria
| | | | - Han Y H Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7G 1A6, Canada
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB, CSIC, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
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23
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Positive responses of coastal dune plants to soil conditioning by the invasive Lupinus nootkatensis. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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24
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Prŷs-Jones OE, Kristjánsson K, Ólafsson E. Hitchhiking with the Vikings? The anthropogenic bumblebee fauna of Iceland – past and present. J NAT HIST 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2016.1234655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Erling Ólafsson
- The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Reykjavik, Iceland
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25
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Thrippleton T, Bugmann H, Kramer-Priewasser K, Snell RS. Herbaceous Understorey: An Overlooked Player in Forest Landscape Dynamics? Ecosystems 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-016-9999-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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26
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Bühlmann T, Körner C, Hiltbrunner E. Shrub Expansion of Alnus viridis Drives Former Montane Grassland into Nitrogen Saturation. Ecosystems 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-016-9979-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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27
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Werner GDA, Cornwell WK, Cornelissen JHC, Kiers ET. Evolutionary signals of symbiotic persistence in the legume-rhizobia mutualism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:10262-9. [PMID: 26041807 PMCID: PMC4547229 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1424030112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the origins and evolutionary trajectories of symbiotic partnerships remains a major challenge. Why are some symbioses lost over evolutionary time whereas others become crucial for survival? Here, we use a quantitative trait reconstruction method to characterize different evolutionary stages in the ancient symbiosis between legumes (Fabaceae) and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, asking how labile is symbiosis across different host clades. We find that more than half of the 1,195 extant nodulating legumes analyzed have a high likelihood (>95%) of being in a state of high symbiotic persistence, meaning that they show a continued capacity to form the symbiosis over evolutionary time, even though the partnership has remained facultative and is not obligate. To explore patterns associated with the likelihood of loss and retention of the N2-fixing symbiosis, we tested for correlations between symbiotic persistence and legume distribution, climate, soil and trait data. We found a strong latitudinal effect and demonstrated that low mean annual temperatures are associated with high symbiotic persistence in legumes. Although no significant correlations between soil variables and symbiotic persistence were found, nitrogen and phosphorus leaf contents were positively correlated with legumes in a state of high symbiotic persistence. This pattern suggests that highly demanding nutrient lifestyles are associated with more stable partnerships, potentially because they "lock" the hosts into symbiotic dependency. Quantitative reconstruction methods are emerging as a powerful comparative tool to study broad patterns of symbiont loss and retention across diverse partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gijsbert D A Werner
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - William K Cornwell
- Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Johannes H C Cornelissen
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E Toby Kiers
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
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28
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Yang Y, Siegwolf RTW, Körner C. Species specific and environment induced variation of δ(13)C and δ(15)N in alpine plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:423. [PMID: 26097487 PMCID: PMC4456574 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signals in plant tissues integrate plant-environment interactions over long periods. In this study, we hypothesized that humid alpine life conditions are narrowing the scope for significant deviations from common carbon, water and nitrogen relations as captured by stable isotope signals. We explored the variation in δ(13)C and δ(15)N in 32 plant species from tissue type to ecosystem scale across a suite of locations at c. Two thousand five hundred meter elevation in the Swiss Alps. Foliar δ(13)C and δ(15)N varied among species by about 3-4‰ and 7-8‰ respectively. However, there was no overall difference in means of δ(13)C and δ(15)N for species sampled in different plant communities or when bulk plant dry matter harvests of different plant communities were compared. δ(13)C was found to be highly species specific, so that the ranking among species was mostly maintained across 11 habitats. However, δ(15)N varied significantly from place to place in all species (a range of 2.7‰) except in Fabaceae (Trifolium alpinum) and Juncaceae (Luzula lutea). There was also a substantial variation among individuals of the same species collected next to each other. No difference was found in foliar δ(15)N of non-legumes, which were either collected next to or away from the most common legume, T. alpinum. δ(15)N data place Cyperaceae and Juncaceae, just like Fabaceae, in a low discrimination category, well separated from other families. Soil δ(15)N was higher than in plants and increased with soil depth. The results indicate a high functional diversity in alpine plants that is similar to that reported for low elevation plants. We conclude that the surprisingly high variation in δ(13)C and δ(15)N signals in the studied high elevation plants is largely species specific (genetic) and insensitive to obvious environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunming, China
- Institute of Botany, University of BaselBasel, Switzerland
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29
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Smith MC, Gomulkiewicz R, Mack RN. Potential role of masting by introduced bamboos in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) population irruptions holds public health consequences. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124419. [PMID: 25898267 PMCID: PMC4405191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We hypothesized that the ongoing naturalization of frost/shade tolerant Asian bamboos in North America could cause environmental consequences involving introduced bamboos, native rodents and ultimately humans. More specifically, we asked whether the eventual masting by an abundant leptomorphic (“running”) bamboo within Pacific Northwest coniferous forests could produce a temporary surfeit of food capable of driving a population irruption of a common native seed predator, the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), a hantavirus carrier. Single-choice and cafeteria-style feeding trials were conducted for deer mice with seeds of two bamboo species (Bambusa distegia and Yushania brevipaniculata), wheat, Pinus ponderosa, and native mixed diets compared to rodent laboratory feed. Adult deer mice consumed bamboo seeds as readily as they consumed native seeds. In the cafeteria-style feeding trials, Y. brevipaniculata seeds were consumed at the same rate as native seeds but more frequently than wheat seeds or rodent laboratory feed. Females produced a median litter of 4 pups on a bamboo diet. Given the ability of deer mice to reproduce frequently whenever food is abundant, we employed our feeding trial results in a modified Rosenzweig-MacArthur consumer-resource model to project the population-level response of deer mice to a suddenly available/rapidly depleted supply of bamboo seeds. The simulations predict rodent population irruptions and declines similar to reported cycles involving Asian and South American rodents but unprecedented in deer mice. Following depletion of a mast seed supply, the incidence of Sin Nombre Virus (SNV) transmission to humans could subsequently rise with dispersal of the peridomestic deer mice into nearby human settlements seeking food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa C. Smith
- USDA-ARS, Invasive Plant Research Laboratory, 3225 College Ave, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Richard Gomulkiewicz
- Washington State University, School of Biological Sciences, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Richard N. Mack
- Washington State University, School of Biological Sciences, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
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