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Finger Higgens RA, Hoover DL, Knight AC, Schlaepfer DR, Duniway MC. Flexible Phenology of a C 4 Grass Linked to Resiliency to Seasonal and Multiyear Drought Events in the American Southwest. Ecol Evol 2025; 15:e71435. [PMID: 40370350 PMCID: PMC12077930 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.71435] [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: 02/20/2025] [Revised: 04/15/2025] [Accepted: 04/28/2025] [Indexed: 05/16/2025] Open
Abstract
Rising temperatures are predicted to further limit dryland water availability as droughts become more intense and frequent and seasonal precipitation patterns shift. Vegetation drought stress may increase mortality and cause declines and delays in phenological events, thereby impacting species' capacity to persist and recover from extreme drought conditions. We compare phenological responses of two common dryland perennial grass species, Achnatherum hymenoides (C3) and Pleuraphis jamesii (C4), to 4 years of experimentally imposed precipitation drought treatments (cool season, warm season, ambient), followed by 2 years of recovery on the Colorado Plateau, United States of America. Tagged individual grasses from both species were monitored biweekly and assessed for phenological metrics and mortality. The C3 grass exhibited less phenological flexibility to both seasonal and interannual drought conditions and experienced high rates of mortality, thus reducing resiliency. Conversely, the C4 grass showed more phenological plasticity during imposed drought treatments, with treatment effects diminishing in the two-year recovery period during a severe ambient drought. Synthesis: Results suggest that plant photosynthetic strategies may impact plant resistance and resiliency to drought. Here, C3 grass populations may decline, potentially shifting cool dryland ecosystems into a system comprised predominantly of warm-season adapted species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David L. Hoover
- USDA‐ARSRangeland Resources and Systems Research UnitFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Anna C. Knight
- US Geological SurveySouthwest Biological Science CenterMoabUtahUSA
| | - Daniel R. Schlaepfer
- US Geological SurveySouthwest Biological Science CenterFlagstaffArizonaUSA
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffArizonaUSA
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2
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Hecht K, Kowalchuk GA, Ford Denison R, Kahmen A, Xiong W, Jousset A, Ravanbakhsh M. Deletion of ACC Deaminase in Symbionts Converts the Host Plant From Water Waster to Water Saver. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2025; 48:1919-1931. [PMID: 39511978 PMCID: PMC11788950 DOI: 10.1111/pce.15265] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 10/20/2024] [Accepted: 10/23/2024] [Indexed: 11/15/2024]
Abstract
Increasing drought events coupled with dwindling water reserves threaten global food production and security. This issue is exacerbated by the use of crops that overconsume water, undermining yield. We show here that microorganisms naturally associated with plant roots can undermine efficient water use, whereas modified bacteria can enhance it. We demonstrate that microbe-encoded genes shape drought tolerance, likely by modulating plant hormonal balance. Specifically, we built a minimal holobiont out of Arabidopsis thaliana and either the bacterium Pseudomonas putida UW4 or its isogenic AcdS- mutant, lacking the enzyme ACC deaminase. This enzyme breaks down the precursor of ethylene, a key regulator in plant response to drought. This single mutation profoundly affected plant physiology and shifted the plant from a 'water-spender' (with more growth under well-watered conditions) to a 'water-spender' phenotype. Under drought, plants associated with wild-type bacteria consumed soil water faster, leading to a shorter period of growth followed by death. In contrast, plants associated with the AcdS- mutant managed to maintain growth by reducing water consumption via stomatal closure, thus conserving soil water. This allowed plants to survive severe water deficiency. We conclude that plant-associated bacteria can modulate plant water use strategies, opening possibilities to engineer water-savvy crop-production systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Hecht
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Ecology and BiodiversityUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - George A. Kowalchuk
- Institute of Environmental Biology, Ecology and BiodiversityUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - R. Ford Denison
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of Minnesota – Twin CitiesSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Ansgar Kahmen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Physiological Plant Ecology GroupThe University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Wu Xiong
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource‐Saving FertilizersNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Alexandre Jousset
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Solid Organic Wastes, Educational Ministry Engineering Center of Resource‐Saving FertilizersNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
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3
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Finger-Higgens R, Hoover DL, Knight AC, Wilson SL, Bishop TBB, Reibold R, Reed SC, Duniway MC. Seasonal drought treatments impact plant and microbial uptake of nitrogen in a mixed shrub grassland on the Colorado Plateau. Ecology 2024; 105:e4393. [PMID: 39104160 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
For many drylands, both long- and short-term drought conditions can accentuate landscape heterogeneity at both temporal (e.g., role of seasonal patterns) and spatial (e.g., patchy plant cover) scales. Furthermore, short-term drought conditions occurring over one season can exacerbate long-term, multidecadal droughts or aridification, by limiting soil water recharge, decreasing plant growth, and altering biogeochemical cycles. Here, we examine how experimentally altered seasonal precipitation regimes in a mixed shrub grassland on the Colorado Plateau impact soil moisture, vegetation, and carbon and nitrogen cycling. The experiment was conducted from 2015 to 2019, during a regional multidecadal drought event, and consisted of three precipitation treatments, which were implemented with removable drought shelters intercepting ~66% of incoming precipitation including: control (ambient precipitation conditions, no shelter), warm season drought (sheltered April-October), and cool season drought (sheltered November-March). To track changes in vegetation, we measured biomass of the dominant shrub, Ephedra viridis, and estimated perennial plant and ground cover in the spring and the fall. Soil moisture dynamics suggested that warm season experimental drought had longer and more consistent drought legacy effects (occurring two out of the four drought cycles) than either cool season drought or ambient conditions, even during the driest years. We also found that E. viridis biomass remained consistent across treatments, while bunchgrass cover declined by 25% by 2019 across all treatments, with the earliest declines noticeable in the warm season drought plots. Extractable dissolved inorganic nitrogen and microbial biomass nitrogen concentrations appeared sensitive to seasonal drought conditions, with dissolved inorganic nitrogen increasing and microbial biomass nitrogen decreasing with reduced soil volumetric water content. Carbon stocks were not sensitive to drought but were greater under E. viridis patches. Additionally, we found that under E. viridis, there was a negative relationship between dissolved inorganic nitrogen and microbial biomass nitrogen, suggesting that drought-induced increases in dissolved inorganic nitrogen may be due to declines in nitrogen uptake from microbes and plants alike. This work suggests that perennial grass plant-soil feedbacks are more vulnerable to both short-term (seasonal) and long-term (multiyear) drought events than shrubs, which can impact the future trajectory of dryland mixed shrub grassland ecosystems as drought frequency and intensity will likely continue to increase with ongoing climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David L Hoover
- USDA-ARS Rangeland Resource and Systems Research Unit, Crops Research Laboratory, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Anna C Knight
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
| | - Savannah L Wilson
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
| | - Tara B B Bishop
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
- Department of Earth Science, Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah, USA
| | - Robin Reibold
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
| | - Sasha C Reed
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
| | - Michael C Duniway
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
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4
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Sasaki T, Collins SL, Rudgers JA, Batdelger G, Baasandai E, Kinugasa T. Dryland sensitivity to climate change and variability using nonlinear dynamics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305050120. [PMID: 37603760 PMCID: PMC10587894 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305050120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary productivity response to climatic drivers varies temporally, indicating state-dependent interactions between climate and productivity. Previous studies primarily employed equation-based approaches to clarify this relationship, ignoring the state-dependent nature of ecological dynamics. Here, using 40 y of climate and productivity data from 48 grassland sites across Mongolia, we applied an equation-free, nonlinear time-series analysis to reveal sensitivity patterns of productivity to climate change and variability and clarify underlying mechanisms. We showed that productivity responded positively to annual precipitation in mesic regions but negatively in arid regions, with the opposite pattern observed for annual mean temperature. Furthermore, productivity responded negatively to decreasing annual aridity that integrated precipitation and temperature across Mongolia. Productivity responded negatively to interannual variability in precipitation and aridity in mesic regions but positively in arid regions. Overall, interannual temperature variability enhanced productivity. These response patterns are largely unrecognized; however, two mechanisms are inferable. First, time-delayed climate effects modify annual productivity responses to annual climate conditions. Notably, our results suggest that the sensitivity of annual productivity to increasing annual precipitation and decreasing annual aridity can even be negative when the negative time-delayed effects of annual precipitation and aridity on productivity prevail across time. Second, the proportion of plant species resistant to water and temperature stresses at a site determines the sensitivity of productivity to climate variability. Thus, we highlight the importance of nonlinear, state-dependent sensitivity of productivity to climate change and variability, accurately forecasting potential biosphere feedback to the climate system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takehiro Sasaki
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Hodogaya, Yokohama240-8501, Japan
| | - Scott L. Collins
- Department of Biology, MSC03-2020, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87131
| | - Jennifer A. Rudgers
- Department of Biology, MSC03-2020, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87131
| | - Gantsetseg Batdelger
- Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar15160, Mongolia
| | - Erdenetsetseg Baasandai
- Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar15160, Mongolia
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5
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Zhang J, Zuo X, Lv P. Effects of Grazing, Extreme Drought, Extreme Rainfall and Nitrogen Addition on Vegetation Characteristics and Productivity of Semiarid Grassland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:960. [PMID: 36673715 PMCID: PMC9859310 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20020960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Grassland use patterns, water and nutrients are the main determinants of ecosystem structure and function in semiarid grasslands. However, few studies have reported how the interactive effects of rainfall changes and nitrogen deposition influence the recovery of semiarid grasslands degraded by grazing. In this study, a simulated grazing, increasing and decreasing rainfall, nitrogen deposition test platform was constructed, and the regulation mechanism of vegetation characteristics and productivity were studied. We found that grazing decreased plant community height (CWMheight) and litter and increased plant density. Increasing rainfall by 60% from May to August (+60%) increased CWMheight; decreasing rainfall by 60% from May to August (-60%) and by 100% from May to June (-60 d) decreased CWMheight and coverage; -60 d, +60% and increasing rainfall by 100% from May to June (+60 d) increased plant density; -60% increased the Simpson dominance index (D index) but decreased the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H index); -60 d decreased the aboveground biomass (ABG), and -60% increased the underground biomass (BGB) in the 10-60 cm layer. Nitrogen addition decreased species richness and the D index and increased the H index and AGB. Rainfall and soil nitrogen directly affect AGB; grazing and rainfall can also indirectly affect AGB by inducing changes in CWMheight; grazing indirectly affects BGB by affecting plant density and soil nitrogen. The results of this study showed that in the semiarid grassland of Inner Mongolia, grazing in the nongrowing season and grazing prohibition in the growing season can promote grassland recovery, continuous drought in the early growing season will have dramatic impacts on productivity, nitrogen addition has a certain impact on the species composition of vegetation, and the impact on productivity will not appear in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environmental and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
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6
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Liang XS, Ma W, Hu JX, Zhang BC, Wang ZW, Lü XT. Extreme drought exacerbates plant nitrogen‑phosphorus imbalance in nitrogen enriched grassland. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 849:157916. [PMID: 35963412 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The nitrogen‑phosphorus (N-P) imbalance induced by N enrichment has received increasing concerns, because N:P ratios play a critical role in driving many fundamental ecological processes. Given the simultaneous occurrence of different global change drivers, it is important to understand whether and how would such N-induced N-P imbalance would be mediated by other global change factors. We examined the interactive effects of N addition (10 g N m-2 yr-1) and extreme drought (-66 % rainfall during the growing season) on species- and community-level N:P ratios in both green and senesced leaves in a temperate grassland of northern China. Extreme drought did not alter soil available N:P ratio under ambient N conditions, but increased that under N enriched conditions. Further, extreme drought did not alter the community-level N:P in both green and senesced leaves under ambient N conditions but significantly enhanced that under N enriched conditions. The drought-induced species turnover made a significant positive contribution to the changes in the community-level N:P ratio under N enriched conditions, but not under ambient N conditions. Our results suggest that the N-induced ecosystem N-P imbalance would be exacerbated by extreme drought event, the frequency of which is predicted to increase across global drylands. Such N-P imbalance would have consequences on litter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and the structures of above- and below-ground food webs. Our findings highlighted the complexity in predicting ecosystem N-P imbalance given the interactions between different global change drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Sa Liang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wang Ma
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Jia-Xin Hu
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bing-Chuan Zhang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zheng-Wen Wang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xiao-Tao Lü
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China.
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7
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Zang YX, Xu WX, Wu K, Yang WK. Effect of Nitrogen Application on the Sensitivity of Desert Shrub Community Productivity to Precipitation in Central Asia. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:916706. [PMID: 35923882 PMCID: PMC9340062 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.916706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Precipitation variability and nitrogen (N) deposition caused by anthropogenic activities could profoundly impact ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling. In desert ecosystems, vegetation is sensitive to changes in precipitation and N deposition. However, the impacts of large changes in precipitation, especially with a concurrent increase in N content, on plant community remain unclear. In this study, we carried out experiments to monitor the impacts of five precipitation levels and two N levels on the plant community function and composition from the Junggar desert in Central Asia during the period 2018-2019. Our results showed that: (1) Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) significantly increased with increasing precipitation, it followed a positive linear model under normal precipitation range, and nonlinear mode under extreme precipitation events; (2) N application led to an increase in ANPP, but did not significantly improve the sensitivity of ANPP to precipitation change; (3) Changes in N content and precipitation, and their impacts on ANPP were mainly driven by plant density. These results provide a theoretical basis for predict the future dynamics of terrestrial vegetation more accurately under climate change and increasing nitrogen deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Xin Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Wen-Xuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- The Specimen Museum of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
| | - Ke Wu
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
| | - Wei-Kang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- The Specimen Museum of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
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8
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Slette IJ, Blair JM, Fay PA, Smith MD, Knapp AK. Effects of Compounded Precipitation Pattern Intensification and Drought Occur Belowground in a Mesic Grassland. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00714-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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9
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Barton KE, Shiels AB. Additive and non‐additive responses of seedlings to simulated herbivory and drought. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kasey E. Barton
- School of Life Sciences University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Honolulu Hawaii USA
| | - Aaron B. Shiels
- USDA National Wildlife Research Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
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10
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Winkler DE, Belnap J, Duniway MC, Hoover D, Reed SC, Yokum H, Gill R. Seasonal and individual event-responsiveness are key determinants of carbon exchange across plant functional types. Oecologia 2020; 193:811-825. [PMID: 32728948 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04718-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Differentiation in physiological activity is a critical component of resource partitioning in resource-limited environments. For example, it is crucial to understand how plant physiological performance varies through time for different functional groups to forecast how terrestrial ecosystems will respond to change. Here, we tracked the seasonal progress of 13 plant species representing C3 shrub, perennial C3 and C4 grass, and annual forb functional groups of the Colorado Plateau, USA. We tested for differences in carbon assimilation strategies and how photosynthetic rates related to recent, seasonal, and annual precipitation and temperature variables. Despite seasonal shifts in species presence and activity, we found small differences in seasonally weighted annual photosynthetic rates among groups. However, differences in the timing of maximum assimilation (Anet) were strongly functional group-dependent. C3 shrubs employed a relatively consistent, low carbon capture strategy and maintained activity year-round but switched to a rapid growth strategy in response to recent climate conditions. In contrast, grasses maintained higher carbon capture during spring months when all perennials had maximum photosynthetic rates, but grasses were dormant during months when shrubs remained active. Perennial grass Anet rates were explained in part by precipitation accumulated during the preceding year and average maximum temperatures during the past 48 h, a result opposite to shrubs. These results lend insight into diverse physiological strategies and their connections to climate, and also point to the potential for shrubs to increase in abundance in response to increased climatic variability in drylands, given shrubs' ability to respond rapidly to changing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Winkler
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT, 84532, USA.
| | - Jayne Belnap
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Michael C Duniway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - David Hoover
- Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins, 80526, USA
| | - Sasha C Reed
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Hannah Yokum
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84604, USA
| | - Richard Gill
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84604, USA
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11
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Zang YX, Min XJ, de Dios VR, Ma JY, Sun W. Extreme drought affects the productivity, but not the composition, of a desert plant community in Central Asia differentially across microtopographies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 717:137251. [PMID: 32092808 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Extreme climatic conditions are major drivers of ecosystem function and dynamics and their frequency is increasing under climate change. Climatic conditions interact with local microtopography, which might either buffer or exacerbate the degree of climatic stress. Here we sought to understand how extremely dry growing seasons affected the composition and productivity of desert ephemeral communities growing in sand dunes from the Gurbantunggut desert in Central Asia, and to which extent did microtopography modulate the response. We set up a rainfall manipulation study on four sand dune microtopographies and, during two consecutive years, we measured soil moisture, nutrients and texture, ephemeral layer composition, plant phenology, biomass accumulation and biomass allocation patterns for the dominant species. We observed significant biomass reductions during the extreme drought but plant community richness and composition were not affected, indicating that the composition of the ephemeral layer in this desert ecosystem may resist under extreme conditions. Additionally, extreme drought increased biomass allocation to reproductive organs of the dominant species. There were also significant microtopographic effects as the sensitivity of biomass to drought in western aspects was larger than in eastern aspects. Our results indicate that previously overlooked microtopographical differences may mediate the impact of climate change on plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Xin Zang
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Fukang Station of Desert Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Min
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Fukang Station of Desert Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Víctor Resco de Dios
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China; Department of Crop and Forest Sciences & Agrotecnio Center, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Jian-Ying Ma
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Fukang Station of Desert Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang, China.
| | - Wei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.
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12
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Upton RN, Checinska Sielaff A, Hofmockel KS, Xu X, Polley HW, Wilsey BJ. Soil depth and grassland origin cooperatively shape microbial community co‐occurrence and function. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Racheal N. Upton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
| | | | - Kirsten S. Hofmockel
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richmond Washington 99354 USA
| | - Xia Xu
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
| | - H. Wayne Polley
- USDA‐Agricultural Research Service Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory Temple Texas 76502 USA
| | - Brian J. Wilsey
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa 50011 USA
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13
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Drought sensitivity of aboveground productivity in Leymus chinensis meadow steppe depends on drought timing. Oecologia 2019; 191:685-696. [PMID: 31535253 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04506-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
There is limited understanding of the combined effects of discrete climate extremes and chronic environmental changes on ecosystem processes and functioning. We assessed the interactions of extreme drought timing (45 days, in spring or summer) and nitrogen (N) addition in a full factorial field experiment in a Leymus chinensis-dominated meadow steppe in northeast China. We evaluated the resistance and recovery of the grassland (calculated in terms of aboveground biomass) to these two drought events. The spring drought reduced aboveground biomass by 28% in the unfertilized plots and by 33% in the fertilized plots, and the effects persisted during the subsequent post-drought period within the same growing season; however, the summer drought had no significant influence on aboveground biomass. Although there were no significant interactive effects between drought timing and N addition, we observed a potential trend of N addition increasing the proportion of aboveground biomass suppressed by spring drought but not summer drought. Moreover, the drought resistance of the aboveground biomass was positively correlated with the response of the belowground biomass to drought. One year after the extreme drought events, the spring drought effects on aboveground and belowground biomass were negligible. Our results indicate that the drought sensitivity of productivity likely depends on the phenological and morphological traits of the single highly dominant species (Leymus chinensis) in this meadow steppe.
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14
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Winkler DE, Belnap J, Hoover D, Reed SC, Duniway MC. Shrub persistence and increased grass mortality in response to drought in dryland systems. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:3121-3135. [PMID: 31025434 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Droughts in the southwest United States have led to major forest and grassland die-off events in recent decades, suggesting plant community and ecosystem shifts are imminent as native perennial grass populations are replaced by shrub- and invasive plant-dominated systems. These patterns are similar to those observed in arid and semiarid systems around the globe, but our ability to predict which species will experience increased drought-induced mortality in response to climate change remains limited. We investigated meteorological drought-induced mortality of nine dominant plant species in the Colorado Plateau Desert by experimentally imposing a year-round 35% precipitation reduction for eight continuous years. We distributed experimental plots across numerous plant, soil, and parent material types, resulting in 40 distinct sites across a 4,500 km2 region of the Colorado Plateau Desert. For all 8 years, we tracked c. 400 individual plants and evaluated mortality responses to treatments within and across species, and through time. We also examined the influence of abiotic and biotic site factors in driving mortality responses. Overall, high mortality trends were driven by dominant grass species, including Achnatherum hymenoides, Pleuraphis jamesii, and Sporobolus cryptandrus. Responses varied widely from year to year and dominant shrub species were generally resistant to meteorological drought, likely due to their ability to access deeper soil water. Importantly, mortality increased in the presence of invasive species regardless of treatment, and native plant die-off occurred even under ambient conditions, suggesting that recent climate changes are already negatively impacting dominant species in these systems. Results from this long-term drought experiment suggest major shifts in community composition and, as a result, ecosystem function. Patterns also show that, across multiple soil and plant community types, native perennial grass species may be replaced by shrubs and invasive annuals in the Colorado Plateau Desert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Winkler
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah
| | - Jayne Belnap
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah
| | - David Hoover
- Rangeland Resources & Systems Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Sasha C Reed
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah
| | - Michael C Duniway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah
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15
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Duniway MC, Pfennigwerth AA, Fick SE, Nauman TW, Belnap J, Barger NN. Wind erosion and dust from
US
drylands: a review of causes, consequences, and solutions in a changing world. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Duniway
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Alix A. Pfennigwerth
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Stephen E. Fick
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Travis W. Nauman
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Jayne Belnap
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Nichole N. Barger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
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16
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Bachle S, Griffith DM, Nippert JB. Intraspecific Trait Variability in Andropogon gerardii, a Dominant Grass Species in the US Great Plains. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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17
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Asbjornsen H, Campbell JL, Jennings KA, Vadeboncoeur MA, McIntire C, Templer PH, Phillips RP, Bauerle TL, Dietze MC, Frey SD, Groffman PM, Guerrieri R, Hanson PJ, Kelsey EP, Knapp AK, McDowell NG, Meir P, Novick KA, Ollinger SV, Pockman WT, Schaberg PG, Wullschleger SD, Smith MD, Rustad LE. Guidelines and considerations for designing field experiments simulating precipitation extremes in forest ecosystems. Methods Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Asbjornsen
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
- Earth Systems Research CenterInstitute for Earth, Oceans, and SpaceUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
| | - John L. Campbell
- Northern Research StationUSDA Forest Service Durham New Hampshire
| | - Katie A. Jennings
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
- Earth Systems Research CenterInstitute for Earth, Oceans, and SpaceUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
| | - Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur
- Earth Systems Research CenterInstitute for Earth, Oceans, and SpaceUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
| | - Cameron McIntire
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
| | | | | | - Taryn L. Bauerle
- School of Integrative Plant ScienceCornell University Ithaca New York
| | - Michael C. Dietze
- Department of Earth and EnvironmentBoston University Boston Massachusetts
| | - Serita D. Frey
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
| | - Peter M. Groffman
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesAdvanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and Brooklyn College New York New York
| | - Rosella Guerrieri
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF)Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Paul J. Hanson
- Environmental Sciences DivisionOak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge Tennessee
| | - Eric P. Kelsey
- Department of Atmospheric Science and ChemistryPlymouth State University Plymouth New Hampshire
- Mount Washington Observatory North Conway New Hampshire
| | - Alan K. Knapp
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in EcologyColorado State University Fort Collins Colorado
| | | | - Patrick Meir
- Research School of BiologyAustralian National University Canberra ACT Australia
- School of GeosciencesUniversity of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | - Kimberly A. Novick
- School of Public and Environmental AffairsIndiana University Bloomington Indiana
| | - Scott V. Ollinger
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New Hampshire Durham New Hampshire
| | - Will T. Pockman
- Department of BiologyUniversity of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico
| | | | - Stan D. Wullschleger
- Environmental Sciences DivisionOak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge Tennessee
| | - Melinda D. Smith
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in EcologyColorado State University Fort Collins Colorado
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18
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Stuart-Haëntjens E, De Boeck HJ, Lemoine NP, Mänd P, Kröel-Dulay G, Schmidt IK, Jentsch A, Stampfli A, Anderegg WRL, Bahn M, Kreyling J, Wohlgemuth T, Lloret F, Classen AT, Gough CM, Smith MD. Mean annual precipitation predicts primary production resistance and resilience to extreme drought. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 636:360-366. [PMID: 29709853 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Extreme drought is increasing in frequency and intensity in many regions globally, with uncertain consequences for the resistance and resilience of ecosystem functions, including primary production. Primary production resistance, the capacity to withstand change during extreme drought, and resilience, the degree to which production recovers, vary among and within ecosystem types, obscuring generalized patterns of ecological stability. Theory and many observations suggest forest production is more resistant but less resilient than grassland production to extreme drought; however, studies of production sensitivity to precipitation variability indicate that the processes controlling resistance and resilience may be influenced more by mean annual precipitation (MAP) than ecosystem type. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis to investigate primary production resistance and resilience to extreme drought in 64 forests and grasslands across a broad MAP gradient. We found resistance to extreme drought was predicted by MAP; however, grasslands (positive) and forests (negative) exhibited opposing resilience relationships with MAP. Our findings indicate that common plant physiological mechanisms may determine grassland and forest resistance to extreme drought, whereas differences among plant residents in turnover time, plant architecture, and drought adaptive strategies likely underlie divergent resilience patterns. The low resistance and resilience of dry grasslands suggests that these ecosystems are the most vulnerable to extreme drought - a vulnerability that is expected to compound as extreme drought frequency increases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nathan P Lemoine
- Colorado State University, Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, USA
| | - Pille Mänd
- University of Tartu, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Department of Botany, Estonia
| | - György Kröel-Dulay
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, 2-4 Alkotmány u., 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Inger K Schmidt
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Denmark
| | - Anke Jentsch
- University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, Department of Disturbance Ecology, Germany
| | - Andreas Stampfli
- Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Switzerland
| | | | - Michael Bahn
- University of Innsbruck, Institute of Ecology, Austria
| | - Juergen Kreyling
- University of Greifswald, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Germany
| | - Thomas Wohlgemuth
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Forest Dynamics Research Unit, Switzerland
| | | | - Aimée T Classen
- University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources, Burlington, VT, USA
| | | | - Melinda D Smith
- Colorado State University, Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, USA
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19
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Plant Production Responses to Precipitation Differ Along an Elevation Gradient and Are Enhanced Under Extremes. Ecosystems 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-018-0296-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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20
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Tiemuerbieke B, Min XJ, Zang YX, Xing P, Ma JY, Sun W. Water use patterns of co-occurring C 3 and C 4 shrubs in the Gurbantonggut desert in northwestern China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 634:341-354. [PMID: 29627558 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In water-limited ecosystems, spatial and temporal partitioning of water sources is an important mechanism that facilitates plant survival and lessens the competition intensity of co-existing plants. Insights into species-specific root functional plasticity and differences in the water sources of co-existing plants under changing water conditions can aid in accurate prediction of the response of desert ecosystems to future climate change. We used stable isotopes of soil water, groundwater and xylem water to determine the seasonal and inter- and intraspecific differences variations in the water sources of six C3 and C4 shrubs in the Gurbantonggut desert. We also measured the stem water potentials to determine the water stress levels of each species under varying water conditions. The studied shrubs exhibited similar seasonal water uptake patterns, i.e., all shrubs extracted shallow soil water recharged by snowmelt water during early spring and reverted to deeper water sources during dry summer periods, indicating that all of the studied shrubs have dimorphic root systems that enable them to obtain water sources that differ in space and time. Species in the C4 shrub community exhibited differences in seasonal water absorption and water status due to differences in topography and rooting depth, demonstrating divergent adaptations to water availability and water stress. Haloxylon ammodendron and T. ramosissima in the C3/C4 mixed community were similar in terms of seasonal water extraction but differed with respect to water potential, which indicated that plant water status is controlled by both root functioning and shoot eco-physiological traits. The two Tamarix species in the C3 shrub community were similar in terms of water uptake and water status, which suggests functional convergence of the root system and physiological performance under same soil water conditions. In different communities, Haloxylon ammodendron differed in terms of summer water extraction, which suggests that this species exhibits plasticity with respect to rooting depth under different soil water conditions. Shrubs in the Gurbantonggut desert displayed varying adaptations across species and communities through divergent root functioning and shoot eco-physiological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahejiayinaer Tiemuerbieke
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 10049, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Min
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 10049, China
| | - Yong-Xin Zang
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 10049, China
| | - Peng Xing
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 10049, China
| | - Jian-Ying Ma
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China.
| | - Wei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China.
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21
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Craven D, Eisenhauer N, Pearse WD, Hautier Y, Isbell F, Roscher C, Bahn M, Beierkuhnlein C, Bönisch G, Buchmann N, Byun C, Catford JA, Cerabolini BEL, Cornelissen JHC, Craine JM, De Luca E, Ebeling A, Griffin JN, Hector A, Hines J, Jentsch A, Kattge J, Kreyling J, Lanta V, Lemoine N, Meyer ST, Minden V, Onipchenko V, Polley HW, Reich PB, van Ruijven J, Schamp B, Smith MD, Soudzilovskaia NA, Tilman D, Weigelt A, Wilsey B, Manning P. Multiple facets of biodiversity drive the diversity–stability relationship. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:1579-1587. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0647-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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22
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Effects of extreme drought on plant nutrient uptake and resorption in rhizomatous vs bunchgrass-dominated grasslands. Oecologia 2018; 188:633-643. [PMID: 30043231 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4232-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Both the dominance and the mass ratio hypotheses predict that plant internal nutrient cycling in ecosystems is determined by the dominant species within plant communities. We tested this hypothesis under conditions of extreme drought by assessing plant nutrient (N, P and K) uptake and resorption in response to experimentally imposed precipitation reductions in two semiarid grasslands of northern China. These two communities shared similar environmental conditions, but had different dominant species-one was dominated by a rhizomatous grass (Leymus chinensis) and the other by a bunchgrass (Stipa grandis). Results showed that responses of N to drought differed between the two communities with drought decreasing green leaf N concentration and resorption in the community dominated by the rhizomatous grass, but not in the bunchgrass-dominated community. In contrast, negative effects of drought on green leaf P and K concentrations and their resorption efficiencies were consistent across the two communities. Additionally, in each community, the effects of extreme drought on soil N, P and K supply did not change synchronously with that on green leaf N, P and K concentrations, and senesced leaf N, P and K concentrations showed no response to extreme drought. Consistent with the dominance/mass ratio hypothesis, our findings suggest that differences in dominant species and their growth form (i.e., rhizomatous vs bunch grass) play an important nutrient-specific role in mediating plant internal nutrient cycling across communities within a single region.
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23
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Canarini A, Mariotte P, Ingram L, Merchant A, Dijkstra FA. Mineral-Associated Soil Carbon is Resistant to Drought but Sensitive to Legumes and Microbial Biomass in an Australian Grassland. Ecosystems 2018. [PMID: 29540992 PMCID: PMC5840236 DOI: 10.1007/s10021-017-0152-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Drought is predicted to increase in many areas of the world with consequences for soil carbon (C) dynamics. Plant litter, root exudates and microbial biomass can be used as C substrates to form organo-mineral complexes. Drought effects on plants and microbes could potentially compromise these relative stable soil C pools, by reducing plant C inputs and/or microbial activity. We conducted a 2-year drought experiment using rainout shelters in a semi-natural grassland. We measured aboveground biomass and C and nitrogen (N) in particulate organic matter (Pom), the organo-mineral fraction (Omin), and microbial biomass within the first 15 cm of soil. Aboveground plant biomass was reduced by 50% under drought in both years, but only the dominant C4 grasses were significantly affected. Soil C pools were not affected by drought, but were significantly higher in the relatively wet second year compared to the first year. Omin-C was positively related to microbial C during the first year, and positively related to clay and silt content in the second year. Increases in Omin-C in the second year were explained by increases in legume biomass and its effect on Pom-N and microbial biomass N (MBN) through structural equation modeling. In conclusion, soil C pools were unaffected by the drought treatment. Drought resistant legumes enhanced formation of organo-mineral complexes through increasing Pom-N and MBN. Our findings also indicate the importance of microbes for the formation of Omin-C as long as soil minerals have not reached their maximum capacity to bind with C (that is, saturation).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Canarini
- 1Centre for Carbon, Water and Food, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, 380 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570 Australia.,2Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Pierre Mariotte
- 1Centre for Carbon, Water and Food, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, 380 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570 Australia.,3Laboratory of Ecological Systems (ECOS), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Station 2, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,4Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Site Lausanne, Case postale 96, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lachlan Ingram
- 1Centre for Carbon, Water and Food, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, 380 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570 Australia
| | - Andrew Merchant
- 1Centre for Carbon, Water and Food, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, 380 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570 Australia
| | - Feike A Dijkstra
- 1Centre for Carbon, Water and Food, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, 380 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570 Australia
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24
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Shi B, Wang Y, Meng B, Zhong S, Sun W. Effects of Nitrogen Addition on the Drought Susceptibility of the Leymus chinensis Meadow Ecosystem Vary with Drought Duration. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:254. [PMID: 29535757 PMCID: PMC5835344 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
It is not clear yet how extreme drought and nitrogen (N) deposition influence grassland ecosystem functions when they are considered together, especially in complex field conditions. To explore the response of the Leymus chinensis meadow ecosystem to manipulated extreme drought (45 days), N addition and their interaction, we measured leaf photosynthetic characteristics, aboveground phytomass on the community level and ecosystem C exchange in different treatments at the middle and the end of the drought period. The extreme drought treatment decreased the leaf net CO2 assimilation rate and ecosystem C exchange [gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem CO2 exchange]. In contrast, the N addition treatment increased aboveground phytomass, GEP and net ecosystem CO2 exchange. The effects of N addition on the drought susceptibility of the L. chinensis meadow ecosystem varied with drought severity. The N addition treatment alleviated drought-induced suppression of CO2 exchange at the leaf and ecosystem levels in the middle of the drought period, whereas it exacerbated drought-induced suppression of the CO2 exchange and aboveground phytomass on the community level at the end of the drought period. Given that dominance by L. chinensis is a characteristic of the studied ecosystem, knowledge of the traits of L. chinensis and its response to multiple global change drivers will be crucial for predicting future ecosystem functions. Furthermore, increasing N deposition may affect the response of the L. chinensis meadow ecosystem to further droughts by increasing carbon allocation to roots and therefore root-shoot ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoku Shi
- Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yunbo Wang
- Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Bo Meng
- Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Shangzhi Zhong
- Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Sun,
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25
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Mojzes A, Kalapos T, Kovács-Láng E. Plant ecophysiological responses to drought, nocturnal warming and variable climate in the Pannonian sand forest-steppe: results of a six-year climate manipulation experiment. Biologia (Bratisl) 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2017-0163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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26
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Felton AJ, Smith MD. Integrating plant ecological responses to climate extremes from individual to ecosystem levels. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:20160142. [PMID: 28483872 PMCID: PMC5434093 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate extremes will elicit responses from the individual to the ecosystem level. However, only recently have ecologists begun to synthetically assess responses to climate extremes across multiple levels of ecological organization. We review the literature to examine how plant responses vary and interact across levels of organization, focusing on how individual, population and community responses may inform ecosystem-level responses in herbaceous and forest plant communities. We report a high degree of variability at the individual level, and a consequential inconsistency in the translation of individual or population responses to directional changes in community- or ecosystem-level processes. The scaling of individual or population responses to community or ecosystem responses is often predicated upon the functional identity of the species in the community, in particular, the dominant species. Furthermore, the reported stability in plant community composition and functioning with respect to extremes is often driven by processes that operate at the community level, such as species niche partitioning and compensatory responses during or after the event. Future research efforts would benefit from assessing ecological responses across multiple levels of organization, as this will provide both a holistic and mechanistic understanding of ecosystem responses to increasing climatic variability.This article is part of the themed issue 'Behavioural, ecological and evolutionary responses to extreme climatic events'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Felton
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Melinda D Smith
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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27
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Copeland SM, Bradford JB, Duniway MC, Schuster RM. Potential impacts of overlapping land-use and climate in a sensitive dryland: a case study of the Colorado Plateau, USA. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stella M. Copeland
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research and Department of Biological Sciences; Northern Arizona University; Flagstaff Arizona 86001 USA
- Southwest Biological Science Center; U.S. Geological Survey; Flagstaff Arizona 86001 USA
| | - John B. Bradford
- Southwest Biological Science Center; U.S. Geological Survey; Flagstaff Arizona 86001 USA
| | - Michael C. Duniway
- Southwest Biological Science Center; U.S. Geological Survey; Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Rudy M. Schuster
- Fort Collins Science Center; U.S. Geological Survey; Fort Collins Colorado 80526 USA
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28
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Generalizing Ecological Site Concepts of the Colorado Plateau for Landscape-Level Applications. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rala.2016.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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29
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Witwicki DL, Munson SM, Thoma DP. Effects of climate and water balance across grasslands of varying C
3
and C
4
grass cover. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dana L. Witwicki
- National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program P.O. Box 848 Moab Utah 84532 USA
| | - Seth M. Munson
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center 2255 N. Gemini Drive Flagstaff Arizona 86001 USA
| | - David P. Thoma
- National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program 2327 University Way Bozeman Montana 59715 USA
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30
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Hoover DL, Rogers BM. Not all droughts are created equal: the impacts of interannual drought pattern and magnitude on grassland carbon cycling. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2016; 22:1809-20. [PMID: 26568424 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Climate extremes, such as drought, may have immediate and potentially prolonged effects on carbon cycling. Grasslands store approximately one-third of all terrestrial carbon and may become carbon sources during droughts. However, the magnitude and duration of drought-induced disruptions to the carbon cycle, as well as the mechanisms responsible, remain poorly understood. Over the next century, global climate models predict an increase in two types of drought: chronic but subtle 'press-droughts', and shorter term but extreme 'pulse-droughts'. Much of our current understanding of the ecological impacts of drought comes from experimental rainfall manipulations. These studies have been highly valuable, but are often short term and rarely quantify carbon feedbacks. To address this knowledge gap, we used the Community Land Model 4.0 to examine the individual and interactive effects of pulse- and press-droughts on carbon cycling in a mesic grassland of the US Great Plains. A series of modeling experiments were imposed by varying drought magnitude (precipitation amount) and interannual pattern (press- vs. pulse-droughts) to examine the effects on carbon storage and cycling at annual to century timescales. We present three main findings. First, a single-year pulse-drought had immediate and prolonged effects on carbon storage due to differential sensitivities of ecosystem respiration and gross primary production. Second, short-term pulse-droughts caused greater carbon loss than chronic press-droughts when total precipitation reductions over a 20-year period were equivalent. Third, combining pulse- and press-droughts had intermediate effects on carbon loss compared to the independent drought types, except at high drought levels. Overall, these results suggest that interannual drought pattern may be as important for carbon dynamics as drought magnitude and that extreme droughts may have long-lasting carbon feedbacks in grassland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Hoover
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Center, 2290 SW Resource Blvd., Moab, UT, USA
| | - Brendan M Rogers
- Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA, USA
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Yang Z, Jiang L, Su F, Zhang Q, Xia J, Wan S. Nighttime warming enhances drought resistance of plant communities in a temperate steppe. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23267. [PMID: 26987482 PMCID: PMC4796875 DOI: 10.1038/srep23267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Drought events could have profound influence on plant community structure and ecosystem function, and have subsequent impacts on community stability, but we know little about how different climate warming scenarios affect community resistance and resilience to drought. Combining a daytime and nighttime warming experiment in the temperate steppe of north China with a natural drought event during the study period, we tested how daytime and nighttime warming influences drought resistance and resilience. Our results showed that the semi-arid steppe in north China was resistant to both daytime and nighttime warming, but vulnerable to drought. Nighttime warming, but not daytime warming, enhanced community resistance to drought via stimulating carbon sequestration, whereas neither daytime nor nighttime warming affected community resilience to drought. Large decline in plant community cover, primarily caused by the reduction in the cover of dominant and rare species rather than subordinate species during drought, did not preclude rapid ecosystem recovery. These findings suggest that nighttime warming may facilitate ecosystem sustainability and highlight the need to assess the effects of climate extremes on ecosystem functions at finer temporal resolutions than based on diurnal mean temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongling Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, College of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Fanglong Su
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, College of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, College of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Jianyang Xia
- Tiantong National Station of Forest Ecosystem & School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Shiqiang Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology, College of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
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