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Thouvenot L, Ferlian O, Craven D, Johnson EA, Köhler J, Lochner A, Quosh J, Zeuner A, Eisenhauer N. Invasive earthworms can change understory plant community traits and reduce plant functional diversity. iScience 2024; 27:109036. [PMID: 38361612 PMCID: PMC10867650 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Among the most important impacts of biological invasions on biodiversity is biotic homogenization, which may further compromise key ecosystem processes. However, the extent to which they homogenize functional diversity and shift dominant ecological strategies of invaded communities remains uncertain. Here, we investigated changes in plant communities in a northern North American forest in response to invasive earthworms, by examining the taxonomic and functional diversity of the plant community and soil ecosystem functions. We found that although plant taxonomic diversity did not change in response to invasive earthworms, they modified the dominance structure of plant functional groups. Invasive earthworms promoted the dominance of fast-growing plants at the expense of slow-growing ones. Moreover, earthworms decreased plant functional diversity, which coincided with changes in abiotic and biotic soil properties. Our study reveals that invasive earthworms erode multiple biodiversity facets of invaded forests, with potential cascading effects on ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Thouvenot
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dylan Craven
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide Huechuraba 5750, Santiago, Chile
- Data Observatory Foundation, Santiago, Chile
| | - Edward A. Johnson
- Department Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Johannes Köhler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alfred Lochner
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julius Quosh
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Zeuner
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Institute of Biology, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Moreira-Saporiti A, Teichberg M, Garnier E, Cornelissen JHC, Alcoverro T, Björk M, Boström C, Dattolo E, Eklöf JS, Hasler-Sheetal H, Marbà N, Marín-Guirao L, Meysick L, Olivé I, Reusch TBH, Ruocco M, Silva J, Sousa AI, Procaccini G, Santos R. A trait-based framework for seagrass ecology: Trends and prospects. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1088643. [PMID: 37021321 PMCID: PMC10067889 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1088643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In the last three decades, quantitative approaches that rely on organism traits instead of taxonomy have advanced different fields of ecological research through establishing the mechanistic links between environmental drivers, functional traits, and ecosystem functions. A research subfield where trait-based approaches have been frequently used but poorly synthesized is the ecology of seagrasses; marine angiosperms that colonized the ocean 100M YA and today make up productive yet threatened coastal ecosystems globally. Here, we compiled a comprehensive trait-based response-effect framework (TBF) which builds on previous concepts and ideas, including the use of traits for the study of community assembly processes, from dispersal and response to abiotic and biotic factors, to ecosystem function and service provision. We then apply this framework to the global seagrass literature, using a systematic review to identify the strengths, gaps, and opportunities of the field. Seagrass trait research has mostly focused on the effect of environmental drivers on traits, i.e., "environmental filtering" (72%), whereas links between traits and functions are less common (26.9%). Despite the richness of trait-based data available, concepts related to TBFs are rare in the seagrass literature (15% of studies), including the relative importance of neutral and niche assembly processes, or the influence of trait dominance or complementarity in ecosystem function provision. These knowledge gaps indicate ample potential for further research, highlighting the need to understand the links between the unique traits of seagrasses and the ecosystem services they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Moreira-Saporiti
- Faculty for Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Algae and Seagrass Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mirta Teichberg
- Algae and Seagrass Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Eric Garnier
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Mats Björk
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Emanuela Dattolo
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Johan S. Eklöf
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Nuria Marbà
- Global Change Research Group, Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), Esporles Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Lázaro Marín-Guirao
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), Murcia, Spain
| | - Lukas Meysick
- Åbo Akademi University, Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo, Finland
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) at the University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Irene Olivé
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Thorsten B. H. Reusch
- Marine Evolutionary Ecology, Division of Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Miriam Ruocco
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - João Silva
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - Ana I. Sousa
- CESAM – Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Rui Santos
- Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
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Comparison of Nutritive Values of Tropical Pasture Species Grown in Different Environments, and Implications for Livestock Methane Production: A Meta-Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141806. [PMID: 35883354 PMCID: PMC9311783 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Globally, tropical pasture species predominate in tropical and subtropical climates, and are the primary feed source for grazing livestock including dairy cattle. Therefore, this study aimed at systematically analysing the nutritive values of tropical pastures and the implications of potential methane gas production from tropical pasture species and livestock, in relation to the growing conditions and agronomic management approaches used (defoliation frequency and intensity) across different climates. This analysis allowed us to understand the better performing tropical pasture species grown across wider geographical regions, in order to improve pasture-based livestock production systems. Results revealed that pasture quality and methane gas production varied among and within species, and were significantly affected by the climate and by the agronomic management regime as well. Abstract The demand for dairy products is ever increasing across the world. The livestock sector is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. The availability of high-quality pasture is a key requirement to increase the productivity of dairy cows as well as manage enteric methane emissions. Warm-season perennial grasses are the dominant forages in tropical and subtropical regions, and thus exploring their nutritive characteristics is imperative in the effort to improve dairy productivity. Therefore, we have collated a database containing a total of 4750 records, with 1277 measurements of nutritive values representing 56 tropical pasture species and hybrid cultivars grown in 26 different locations in 16 countries; this was done in order to compare the nutritive values and GHG production across different forage species, climatic zones, and defoliation management regimes. Average edaphoclimatic (with minimum and maximum values) conditions for tropical pasture species growing environments were characterized as 22.5 °C temperature (range 17.5–29.30 °C), 1253.9 mm rainfall (range 104.5–3390.0 mm), 582.6 m elevation (range 15–2393 m), and a soil pH of 5.6 (range 4.6–7.0). The data revealed spatial variability in nutritive metrics across bioclimatic zones and between and within species. The ranges of these nutrients were as follows: neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 50.9–79.8%, acid detergent fibre (ADF) 24.7–57.4%, crude protein (CP) 2.1–21.1%, dry matter (DM) digestibility 30.2–70.1%, metabolisable energy (ME)3.4–9.7 MJ kg−1 DM, with methane (CH4) production at 132.9–133.3 g animal−1 day−1. The arid/dry zone recorded the highest DM yield, with decreased CP and high fibre components and minerals. Furthermore, the data revealed that climate, defoliation frequency and intensity, in addition to their interactions, have a significant effect on tropical pasture nutritive values and CH4 production. Overall, hybrid and newer tropical cultivars performed well across different climates, with small variations in herbage quality. The current study revealed important factors that affect pasture nutritive values and CH4 emissions, with the potential for improving tropical forage through the selection and management of pasture species.
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Rauschkolb R, Li Z, Godefroid S, Dixon L, Durka W, Májeková M, Bossdorf O, Ensslin A, Scheepens JF. Evolution of plant drought strategies and herbivore tolerance after two decades of climate change. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:773-785. [PMID: 35357713 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing global warming, coupled with increased drought frequencies, together with other biotic drivers may have resulted in complex evolutionary adaptation. The resurrection approach, comparing ancestors raised from stored seeds with their contemporary descendants under common conditions, is a powerful method to test for recent evolution in plant populations. We used 21-26-yr-old seeds of four European plant species - Matthiola tricuspidata, Plantago crassifolia, Clinopodium vulgare and Leontodon hispidus - stored in seed banks together with re-collected seeds from their wild populations. To test for evolutionary changes, we conducted a glasshouse experiment that quantified heritable changes in plant responses to drought and simulated insect herbivory. In three out of the four studied species, we found evidence that descendants had evolved shorter life cycles through faster growth and flowering. Shifts in the osmotic potential and leaf dry matter content indicated that descendants also evolved increased drought tolerance. A comparison of quantitative genetic differentiation (QST ) vs neutral molecular differentiation (FST ) values, using double digest restriction-site associated DNA (ddRAD) genotyping data, suggested that directional selection, and therefore adaptive evolution, was underlying some of the observed phenotypic changes. In summary, our study revealed evolutionary changes in plant populations over the last decades that are consistent with adaptation of drought escape and tolerance as well as herbivory avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Rauschkolb
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Plant Biodiversity, Institute of Ecology and Evolution with Herbarium Haussknecht and Botanical Garden, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany, Philosophenweg 16, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Zixin Li
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Lara Dixon
- Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles, 34 avenue Gambetta, 83400, Hyères, France
| | - Walter Durka
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4, 06120, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria Májeková
- Plant Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Ensslin
- Conservatory and Botanic Garden of the City of Geneva, 1296, Chambésy, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - J F Scheepens
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Seeber J, Tasser E, Rubatscher D, Loacker I, Lavorel S, Robson TM, Balzarolo M, Altimir N, Drösler M, Vescovo L, Gamper S, Barančok P, Staszewski T, Wohlfahrt G, Cernusca A, Sebastia MT, Tappeiner U, Bahn M. Effects of land use and climate on carbon and nitrogen pool partitioning in European mountain grasslands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 822:153380. [PMID: 35077786 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153380] [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: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
European mountain grasslands are increasingly affected by land-use changes and climate, which have been suggested to exert important controls on grassland carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. However, so far there has been no synthetic study on whether and how land-use changes and climate interactively affect the partitioning of these pools amongst the different grassland compartments. We analyzed the partitioning of C and N pools of 36 European mountain grasslands differing in land-use and climate with respect to above- and belowground phytomass, litter and topsoil (top 23 cm). We found that a reduction of management intensity and the abandonment of hay meadows and pastures increased above-ground phytomass, root mass and litter as well as their respective C and N pools, concurrently decreasing the fractional contribution of the topsoil to the total organic carbon pool. These changes were strongly driven by the cessation of cutting and grazing, a shift in plant functional groups and a related reduction in litter quality. Across all grasslands studied, variation in the impact of land management on the topsoil N pool and C/N-ratio were mainly explained by soil clay content combined with pH. Across the grasslands, below-ground phytomass as well as phytomass- and litter C concentrations were inversely related to the mean annual temperature; furthermore, C/N-ratios of phytomass and litter increased with decreasing mean annual precipitation. Within the topsoil compartment, C concentrations decreased from colder to warmer sites, and increased with increasing precipitation. Climate generally influenced effects of land use on C and N pools mainly through mean annual temperature and less through mean annual precipitation. We conclude that site-specific conditions need to be considered for understanding the effects of land use and of current and future climate changes on grassland C and N pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Seeber
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Erich Tasser
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Dagmar Rubatscher
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ingrid Loacker
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie-Mont Blanc, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - T Matthew Robson
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Manuela Balzarolo
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Nuria Altimir
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Global Change (ECOFUN), Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), Solsona, Spain; Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matthias Drösler
- Institute of Ecology and Landscape University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf Am Hofgarten 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Loris Vescovo
- Sustainable ecosystems & bioresources department, Research and Innovation Center, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige 38010, TN, Italy
| | - Sonja Gamper
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Peter Barančok
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Štefánikova 3, P.O.Box 254, 814 99 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tomasz Staszewski
- Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha St., 40-844 Katowice, Poland
| | - Georg Wohlfahrt
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexander Cernusca
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - M-Teresa Sebastia
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Global Change (ECOFUN), Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), Solsona, Spain; Group GAMES, Department of Horticulture, Botany and Landscaping, School of Agrifood and Forestry Science and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Ulrike Tappeiner
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Michael Bahn
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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National Park and UNESCO Global Geopark of Chelmos-Vouraikos (Greece): Floristic Diversity, Ecosystem Services and Management Implications. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land11010033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study highlights the importance of including detailed (local-scale) biodiversity and ecosystem services data for land-use management and promotion of protected areas using the National Park and UNESCO Global Geopark of Chelmos-Vouraikos (Greece) as a case study. Along with the conducted field surveys and literature review for the National Park’s flora documentation, ecosystem type mapping and assessment of ecosystem services have been performed, following National and European Union (EU) guidelines for the Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) implementation across EU Member States. Main results include floristic diversity indicators, ecosystem type mapping and assessment, and ecosystem services identification and assessment of their actual and potential supply. By this, a scientifically informed baseline dataset was developed to support management and policy needs towards a holistic National Park management and a sustainable spatial planning for protected areas. Additionally, local scale ecosystem type and ecosystem services data have been produced as input for the MAES implementation in Greece and the EU.
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Cebrián-Piqueras MA, Trinogga J, Trenkamp A, Minden V, Maier M, Mantilla-Contreras J. Digging into the roots: understanding direct and indirect drivers of ecosystem service trade-offs in coastal grasslands via plant functional traits. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:271. [PMID: 33988759 PMCID: PMC8121717 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-08817-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent empirical and theoretical approaches have called for an understanding of the processes underpinning ecosystem service provision. Environmental gradients have shown effects on key plant functional traits that subsequently explain ecosystem properties of several systems. However, little is known concerning how associations between plant functional traits, including both below- and aboveground plant components, predict ecosystem properties and independently measured final ecosystem services. Here, we modeled (1) the responses of the leaf and plant economics spectrum, Plant size axis, and root growth to environmental gradients and (2) how associations between plant functional traits explain trade-offs and synergies between multiple ecosystem properties and final services. Forty-four plots were studied in a coastal marsh landscape of the German North Sea Coast. We used a partial least square structural equation model approach to test the hypothesized model. We found (1) a negative covariation between plant traits pertaining to a size axis and traits explaining both plant growth (roots and stems) and the leaf economics spectrum; (2) this trade-off responded significantly to the land use gradient and nutrient availability, which were both strongly driven by the groundwater gradient; (3) this trade-off explained an initial major trade-off between carbon stocks, at one extreme of the axis, and both the habitat value to conserve endangered plants and forage production for meat and dairy products at the other extreme. However, a secondary trade-off between nature conservation value and forage production, explained by a trade-off between leaf economics spectrum and plant growth in response to the land use intensity gradient, was also found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Cebrián-Piqueras
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
- Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Str. 9-11, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Juliane Trinogga
- Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Str. 9-11, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Anastasia Trenkamp
- Ecology and Environmental Education Group, Institute of Biology and Chemistry, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Vanessa Minden
- Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Str. 9-11, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Biodiversity, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Martin Maier
- Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Str. 9-11, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Mantilla-Contreras
- Ecology and Environmental Education Group, Institute of Biology and Chemistry, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141, Hildesheim, Germany
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Keep T, Sampoux J, Barre P, Blanco‐Pastor J, Dehmer KJ, Durand J, Hegarty M, Ledauphin T, Muylle H, Roldán‐Ruiz I, Ruttink T, Surault F, Willner E, Volaire F. To grow or survive: Which are the strategies of a perennial grass to face severe seasonal stress? Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Klaus J. Dehmer
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Malchow/Poel Germany
| | | | | | | | - Hilde Muylle
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) ‐ Plant Sciences Unit Melle Belgium
| | - Isabel Roldán‐Ruiz
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) ‐ Plant Sciences Unit Melle Belgium
| | - Tom Ruttink
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) ‐ Plant Sciences Unit Melle Belgium
| | | | - Evelin Willner
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Malchow/Poel Germany
| | - Florence Volaire
- CEFEUniv MontpellierCNRSEPHE, IRDUniversité Paul Valéry Montpellier 3INRAE Montpellier France
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9
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Lee MA, Burger G, Green ER, Kooij PW. Relationships between resource availability and elevation vary between metrics creating gradients of nutritional complexity. Oecologia 2021; 195:213-223. [PMID: 33458802 PMCID: PMC7882561 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04824-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Plant and animal community composition changes at higher elevations on mountains. Plant and animal species richness generally declines with elevation, but the shape of the relationship differs between taxa. There are several proposed mechanisms, including the productivity hypotheses; that declines in available plant biomass confers fewer resources to consumers, thus supporting fewer species. We investigated resource availability as we ascended three aspects of Helvellyn mountain, UK, measuring several plant nutritive metrics, plant species richness and biomass. We observed a linear decline in plant species richness as we ascended the mountain but there was a unimodal relationship between plant biomass and elevation. Generally, the highest biomass values at mid-elevations were associated with the lowest nutritive values, except mineral contents which declined with elevation. Intra-specific and inter-specific increases in nutritive values nearer the top and bottom of the mountain indicated that physiological, phenological and compositional mechanisms may have played a role. The shape of the relationship between resource availability and elevation was different depending on the metric. Many consumers actively select or avoid plants based on their nutritive values and the abundances of consumer taxa vary in their relationships with elevation. Consideration of multiple nutritive metrics and of the nutritional requirements of the consumer may provide a greater understanding of changes to plant and animal communities at higher elevations. We propose a novel hypothesis for explaining elevational diversity gradients, which warrants further study; the ‘nutritional complexity hypothesis’, where consumer species coexist due to greater variation in the nutritional chemistry of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Lee
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.
| | - Grace Burger
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.,Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK
| | - Emma R Green
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Pepijn W Kooij
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.,Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil
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Hanisch M, Schweiger O, Cord AF, Volk M, Knapp S. Plant functional traits shape multiple ecosystem services, their trade‐offs and synergies in grasslands. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Hanisch
- Department of Community Ecology UFZ—Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Halle Germany
| | - Oliver Schweiger
- Department of Community Ecology UFZ—Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Halle Germany
| | - Anna F. Cord
- Department of Computational Landscape Ecology UFZ—Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig Germany
- Chair of Computational Landscape Ecology Institute of Geography Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Martin Volk
- Department of Computational Landscape Ecology UFZ—Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig Germany
| | - Sonja Knapp
- Department of Community Ecology UFZ—Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research Halle Germany
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11
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Prado DA, Zanine ADM, Ferreira DDJ, Rodrigues RC, Santos EM, Pinho RMA, Portela YPN. Morphogenetic and structural characteristics, yield and chemical composition of signal grass under deferred grazing. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2019.1621062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Edson Mauro Santos
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Paraíba, Areia, Brazil
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12
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Yang Y, Dou Y, Cheng H, An S. Plant functional diversity drives carbon storage following vegetation restoration in Loess Plateau, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 246:668-678. [PMID: 31216512 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.054] [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: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing climatic changes induced by human activities increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), which have considerable effects on the structure and function of ecosystems, including carbon (C) storage, plant functional traits and therefore on a wide set of ecosystem services. Plant functional diversity is benefit to improve plant photosynthesis and enhance C efficiency and therefore decrease CO2. Here, the focus of this article is on integrating of plant functional diversity and C storage, which aims to contribute to C sequestration for climate change mitigation following vegetation restoration in Loess Plateau, China. Firstly, the CWM (plant community-weighted mean) traits of the most abundant plant species can account for C storage in AGBC (above-ground biomass C), ALC (above-ground litter C), STC (soil total carbon) and TEC (total ecosystem carbon). Secondly, the CWM of plant height and LCC (leaf carbon concentration) had a positive effect C storage in different part (AGBC, ALC, STC and TEC), while the CWM of LNC (leaf nitrogen concentration) and SLA (specific leaf area) had a negative effect on C storage in different part. Further, the CWM of plant height, LCC, SLA and plant functional dispersion (FDis) can be used to predict C storage by multiple linear regression analysis. Finally, the positive association between FDis and C storage was found in SEM, shedding light on the key role of plant functional diversity driving C storage following vegetation restoration. The findings presented here highlight the importance of both plant traits of dominant species and plant functional diversity in regulating C storage, and show that favorable climate conditions, particularly vegetation restoration, tend to increase C storage and plant functional diversity, which have important implications for improving global C cycling and ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China; State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yanxing Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Huan Cheng
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Shaoshan An
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
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Piqueray J, Gilliaux V, Decruyenaere V, Cornelis JT, Uyttenbroeck R, Mahy G. Management of Grassland-like Wildflower Strips Sown on Nutrient-rich Arable Soils: The Role of Grass Density and Mowing Regime. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 63:647-657. [PMID: 30868313 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-019-01153-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Wildflower strips (WS) are proposed in many European countries as a strategy to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services in arable fields. To create and maintain WS on nutrient-rich cultivated soils reveals challenging. Flowered species may be outcompeted by grasses due to high phosphorus content in soil. We studied during 5 years seed mixture (grass density in the seed mix) and mowing regime influenced the ability of WS to provide environmental benefits (flower provision for insects and landscape purposes, reduction of soil nutrient load) and respond to farmer concerns (noxious weed promotion, forage production). Lowered grass density increased flower abundance, but not diversity, only in the first 3 years. In the last 2 years mowing effects became determinant. Flower cover and richness were the highest under the twice-a-year mowing regime. This regime also increased forage quantity and quality. Flower colour diversity was conversely the highest where mowing occurred every two years. Potassium in the soil decreased under the twice-a-year mowing regime. Other nutrients were not affected. No management option kept noxious weed to an acceptable level after 5 years. This supports the need to test the efficacy of specific management practices such as selective clipping or spraying. Mowing WS twice a year was retained as the most favourable treatment to maintain species-rich strips with an abundant flower provision. It however implies to mow in late June, i.e. at the peak of insect abundance. It is therefore suggested to keep an unmown refuge zone when applying this management regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Piqueray
- Natagriwal ASBL, site de Gembloux, Passage des Déportés 2, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium.
| | - Valentin Gilliaux
- Natagriwal ASBL, site de Gembloux, Passage des Déportés 2, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium
| | - Virginie Decruyenaere
- Walloon Agricultural Research Centre (CRA-W)-Production and Sectors Department, Rue de Liroux 8, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium
| | - Jean-Thomas Cornelis
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Department BIOSystem Engineering (BIOSE),Water - Soil - Plant Exchanges, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium
| | - Roel Uyttenbroeck
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Biodiversity and landscape Unit, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA - AgricultureIsLife, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium
| | - Grégory Mahy
- Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Biodiversity and landscape Unit, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium
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Lee MA. A global comparison of the nutritive values of forage plants grown in contrasting environments. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2018; 131:641-654. [PMID: 29550895 PMCID: PMC6015622 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-018-1024-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Forage plants are valuable because they maintain wild and domesticated herbivores, and sustain the delivery of meat, milk and other commodities. Forage plants contain different quantities of fibre, lignin, minerals and protein, and vary in the proportion of their tissue that can be digested by herbivores. These nutritive components are important determinants of consumer growth rates, reproductive success and behaviour. A dataset was compiled to quantify variation in forage plant nutritive values within- and between-plant species, and to assess variation between plant functional groups and bioclimatic zones. 1255 geo-located records containing 3774 measurements of nutritive values for 136 forage plant species grown in 30 countries were obtained from published articles. Spatial variability in forage nutritive values indicated that climate modified plant nutritive values. Forage plants grown in arid and equatorial regions generally contained less digestible material than those grown in temperate and tundra regions; containing more fibre and lignin, and less protein. These patterns may reveal why herbivore body sizes, digestion and migration strategies are different in warmer and drier regions. This dataset also revealed the capacity for variation in the nutrition provided by forage plants, which may drive consumer species coexistence. The proportion of the plant tissue that was digestible ranged between species from 2 to 91%. The amount of fibre contained within plant material ranged by 23-90%, protein by 2-36%, lignin by 1-21% and minerals by 2-22%. On average, grasses and tree foliage contained the most fibre, whilst herbaceous legumes contained the most protein and tree foliage contained the most lignin. However, there were individual species within each functional group that were highly nutritious. This dataset may be used to identify forage plant species or mixtures of species from different functional groups with useful nutritional traits which can be cultivated to enhance livestock productivity and inform wild herbivore conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Lee
- Natural Capital and Plant Health, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK.
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Mládková P, Mládek J, Hejduk S, Hejcman M, Pakeman RJ. Calcium plus magnesium indicates digestibility: the significance of the second major axis of plant chemical variation for ecological processes. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:885-895. [PMID: 29601668 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Plant variation in nutrient concentrations encompasses two major axes. The first is connected to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), reflects growth rate and has been designated as the leaf economics spectrum (LES) while the second follows the gradient in calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and mirrors cell structural differences. Here, we tested in grasslands whether the sum Ca + Mg concentrations is a better indicator of digestibility than LES constituents. Structural equation modelling revealed that the total effect size of N (0.30) on digestibility was much lower than that of Ca + Mg (0.58). The N effect originated predominantly from sampling date (biomass ageing), while the Ca + Mg effect largely from phylogenetic composition (proportion of monocots). Thus, plant variation in partially substitutable divalent cations seems to play a significant role in biomass digestion by ruminants. This finding contests, together with litter decomposition studies, the prominent role of the LES for understanding both fundamental ecological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavla Mládková
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 1176, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 21, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mládek
- Department of Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 241/27, Olomouc, 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Stanislav Hejduk
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University, Zemědělská 1, Brno, 613 00, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Hejcman
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 1176, Prague 6-Suchdol, 165 21, Czech Republic
| | - Robin J Pakeman
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
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16
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Bumb I, Garnier E, Coq S, Nahmani J, Del Rey Granado M, Gimenez O, Kazakou E. Traits determining the digestibility-decomposability relationships in species from Mediterranean rangelands. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2018; 121:459-469. [PMID: 29324980 PMCID: PMC5838807 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcx175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Background and Aims Forage quality for herbivores and litter quality for decomposers are two key plant properties affecting ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling. Although there is a positive relationship between palatability and decomposition, very few studies have focused on larger vertebrate herbivores while considering links between the digestibility of living leaves and stems and the decomposability of litter and associated traits. The hypothesis tested is that some defences of living organs would reduce their digestibility and, as a consequence, their litter decomposability, through 'afterlife' effects. Additionally in high-fertility conditions the presence of intense herbivory would select for communities dominated by fast-growing plants, which are able to compensate for tissue loss by herbivory, producing both highly digestible organs and easily decomposable litter. Methods Relationships between dry matter digestibility and decomposability were quantified in 16 dominant species from Mediterranean rangelands, which are subject to management regimes that differ in grazing intensity and fertilization. The digestibility and decomposability of leaves and stems were estimated at peak standing biomass, in plots that were either fertilized and intensively grazed or unfertilized and moderately grazed. Several traits were measured on living and senesced organs: fibre content, dry matter content and nitrogen, phosphorus and tannin concentrations. Key results Digestibility was positively related to decomposability, both properties being influenced in the same direction by management regime, organ and growth forms. Digestibility of leaves and stems was negatively related to their fibre concentrations, and positively related to their nitrogen concentration. Decomposability was more strongly related to traits measured on living organs than on litter. Digestibility and decomposition were governed by similar structural traits, in particular fibre concentration, affecting both herbivores and micro-organisms through the afterlife effects. Conclusions This study contributes to a better understanding of the interspecific relationships between forage quality and litter decomposition in leaves and stems and demonstrates the key role these traits play in the link between plant and soil via herbivory and decomposition. Fibre concentration and dry matter content can be considered as good predictors of both digestibility and decomposability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Bumb
- Montpellier Supagro and Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CEFE), CNRS, Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Eric Garnier
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Sylvain Coq
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Johanne Nahmani
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Maria Del Rey Granado
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Elena Kazakou
- Montpellier Supagro and Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CEFE), CNRS, Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
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17
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Bumb I, Garnier E, Bastianelli D, Richarte J, Bonnal L, Kazakou E. Influence of management regime and harvest date on the forage quality of rangelands plants: the importance of dry matter content. AOB PLANTS 2016; 8:plw045. [PMID: 27339049 PMCID: PMC4972474 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plw045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In spite of their recognized ecological value, relatively little is known about the nutritional value of species-rich rangelands for herbivores. We investigated the sources of variation in dry matter digestibility (DMD), neutral detergent fibre content (NDF) and nitrogen concentration (NC) in plants from species-rich Mediterranean rangelands in southern France, and tested whether the dry matter content (DMC) was a good predictor of the forage quality of different plant parts. Sixteen plant species with contrasting growth forms (rosette, tussock, extensive and stemmed-herb) were studied, representative of two management regimes imposed in these rangelands: (i) fertilization and intensive grazing and (ii) non-fertilization and moderate grazing. Among the 16 plant species, four species were found in both treatments, allowing us to assess the intraspecific variability in forage quality and DMC across the treatments. The components of nutritional value (DMD, NDF and NC) as well as the DMC of leaves, stems and reproductive plant parts, were assessed at the beginning of the growing season and at peak standing biomass. All components of nutritional value and DMC were affected by species growth form: rosettes had higher DMD and NC than tussocks; the reverse being found for NDF and DMC. As the season progressed, DMD and NC of the different plant parts decreased while NDF and DMC increased for all species. DMC was negatively related to DMD and NC and positively to NDF, regardless of the source of variation (species, harvest date, management regime or plant part). Path analysis indicated that NDF was the main determinant of DMD. Better assessment of forage quality in species-rich systems requires consideration of their growth form composition. DMC of all plant parts, which is closely related to NDF, emerged as a good predictor and easily measured trait to estimate DMD in these species-rich systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Bumb
- Montpellier Supagro, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CEFE), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Campus CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Eric Garnier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CEFE), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Campus CNRS, 1919 Route De Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | | | - Jean Richarte
- Montpellier Supagro, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CEFE), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Campus CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Laurent Bonnal
- CIRAD, UMR SELMET, Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Elena Kazakou
- Montpellier Supagro, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CEFE), CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Campus CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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18
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Gos P, Loucougaray G, Colace MP, Arnoldi C, Gaucherand S, Dumazel D, Girard L, Delorme S, Lavorel S. Relative contribution of soil, management and traits to co-variations of multiple ecosystem properties in grasslands. Oecologia 2016; 180:1001-13. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3551-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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19
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Violle C, Choler P, Borgy B, Garnier E, Amiaud B, Debarros G, Diquelou S, Gachet S, Jolivet C, Kattge J, Lavorel S, Lemauviel-Lavenant S, Loranger J, Mikolajczak A, Munoz F, Olivier J, Viovy N. Vegetation ecology meets ecosystem science: Permanent grasslands as a functional biogeography case study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 534:43-51. [PMID: 25908020 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 03/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning has been widely acknowledged, and the importance of the functional roles of species, as well as their diversity, in the control of ecosystem processes has been emphasised recently. However, bridging biodiversity and ecosystem science to address issues at a biogeographic scale is still in its infancy. Bridging this gap is the primary goal of the emerging field of functional biogeography. While the rise of Big Data has catalysed functional biogeography studies in recent years, comprehensive evidence remains scarce. Here, we present the rationale and the first results of a country-wide initiative focused on the C3 permanent grasslands. We aimed to collate, integrate and process large databases of vegetation relevés, plant traits and environmental layers to provide a country-wide assessment of ecosystem properties and services which can be used to improve regional models of climate and land use changes. We outline the theoretical background, data availability, and ecoinformatics challenges associated with the approach and its feasibility. We provide a case study of upscaling of leaf dry matter content averaged at ecosystem level and country-wide predictions of forage digestibility. Our framework sets milestones for further hypothesis testing in functional biogeography and earth system modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrille Violle
- CNRS, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France; CESAB/FRB, Domaine du Petit Arbois, Avenue Louis Philibert, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France.
| | - Philippe Choler
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LECA, F-38000 Grenoble, France; CNRS, LECA, F-38000 Grenoble, France.
| | - Benjamin Borgy
- CNRS, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France; CESAB/FRB, Domaine du Petit Arbois, Avenue Louis Philibert, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Eric Garnier
- CNRS, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France; CESAB/FRB, Domaine du Petit Arbois, Avenue Louis Philibert, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Bernard Amiaud
- Université de Lorraine, Ecologie et Ecophysiologie Forestières, UMR 1137, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, 54500, France; Inra, Ecologie et Ecophysiologie Forestières, UMR 1137, Champenoux, 54280, France
| | - Guilhem Debarros
- Fédération des Conservatoires Botaniques Nationaux, 93511 Montreuil-sous-Bois, France
| | - Sylvain Diquelou
- Normandie Univ, France; UNICAEN, UMR Ecophysiologie Végétale Agronomie et nutrition NCS, F-14032 Caen, France; INRA, UMR 950 NCS, F-14032 Caen, France
| | | | - Claudy Jolivet
- Aix Marseille Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Campus St-Jérôme, Case 421, 13397 MARSEILLE Cedex 20, France
| | - Jens Kattge
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans Knoell Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LECA, F-38000 Grenoble, France; CNRS, LECA, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Servane Lemauviel-Lavenant
- Normandie Univ, France; UNICAEN, UMR Ecophysiologie Végétale Agronomie et nutrition NCS, F-14032 Caen, France; INRA, UMR 950 NCS, F-14032 Caen, France
| | - Jessy Loranger
- CNRS, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175), 1919 route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France; Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 blv. de l'Université, Sherbrooke 2R1 J1K, Canada
| | - Alexis Mikolajczak
- Conservatoire Botanique National Alpin, domaine de Charance, 05000 Gap, France
| | - François Munoz
- University Montpellier 2, AMAP, Bd de la Lironde, TA A-51/PS2, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France; French Institute of Pondicherry, 11, St Louis Street, Pondicherry 605001, India
| | - Jean Olivier
- Fédération des Conservatoires Botaniques Nationaux, 93511 Montreuil-sous-Bois, France
| | - Nicolas Viovy
- Laboratoire des Sciences du climat et de l'Environnement (UMR 8212 CEA/CNRS/UVSQ), Orme des Merisiers, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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20
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Loucougaray G, Dobremez L, Gos P, Pauthenet Y, Nettier B, Lavorel S. Assessing the Effects of Grassland Management on Forage Production and Environmental Quality to Identify Paths to Ecological Intensification in Mountain Grasslands. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2015; 56:1039-1052. [PMID: 26092047 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-015-0550-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Ecological intensification in grasslands can be regarded as a process for increasing forage production while maintaining high levels of ecosystem functions and biodiversity. In the mountain Vercors massif, where dairy cattle farming is the main component of agriculture, how to achieve forage autonomy at farm level while sustaining environmental quality for tourism and local dairy products has recently stimulated local debate. As specific management is one of the main drivers of ecosystem functioning, we assessed the response of forage production and environmental quality at grassland scale across a wide range of management practices. We aimed to determine which components of management can be harnessed to better match forage production and environmental quality. We sampled the vegetation of 51 grasslands stratified across 13 grassland types. We assessed each grassland for agronomic and environmental properties, measuring forage production, forage quality, and indices based on the abundance of particular plant species such as timing flexibility, apiarian potential, and aromatic plants. Our results revealed an expected trade-off between forage production and environmental quality, notably by stressing the contrasts between sown and permanent grasslands. However, strong within-type variability in both production and environmental quality as well as in flexibility of timing of use suggests possible ways to improve this trade-off at grassland and farm scales. As achieving forage autonomy relies on increasing both forage production and grassland resilience, our results highlight the critical role of the ratio between sown and permanent grasslands as a major path for ecological intensification in mountain grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégory Loucougaray
- IRSTEA, UR Mountain Ecosystems, Saint Martin d'Hères Cedex, France.
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.
| | - Laurent Dobremez
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- IRSTEA, UR Mountain Territories Development, Saint Martin d'Hères Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Gos
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS, Grenoble Cedex, France
| | | | - Baptiste Nettier
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- IRSTEA, UR Mountain Territories Development, Saint Martin d'Hères Cedex, France
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS, Grenoble Cedex, France
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Martin AR, Isaac ME. REVIEW: Plant functional traits in agroecosystems: a blueprint for research. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam R. Martin
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Critical Development Studies; University of Toronto Scarborough; 1265 Military Trail Toronto ON M1C 1A4 Canada
| | - Marney E. Isaac
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Critical Development Studies; University of Toronto Scarborough; 1265 Military Trail Toronto ON M1C 1A4 Canada
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Wood SA, Karp DS, DeClerck F, Kremen C, Naeem S, Palm CA. Functional traits in agriculture: agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services. Trends Ecol Evol 2015; 30:531-9. [PMID: 26190137 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Functional trait research has led to greater understanding of the impacts of biodiversity in ecosystems. Yet, functional trait approaches have not been widely applied to agroecosystems and understanding of the importance of agrobiodiversity remains limited to a few ecosystem processes and services. To improve this understanding, we argue here for a functional trait approach to agroecology that adopts recent advances in trait research for multitrophic and spatially heterogeneous ecosystems. We suggest that trait values should be measured across environmental conditions and agricultural management regimes to predict how ecosystem services vary with farm practices and environment. This knowledge should be used to develop management strategies that can be easily implemented by farmers to manage agriculture to provide multiple ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Wood
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Agriculture and Food Security Center, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA.
| | - Daniel S Karp
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; The Nature Conservancy, Berkeley, CA 94705, USA
| | - Fabrice DeClerck
- Agriculture and Food Security Center, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA; Agrobiodiversity and Ecosystem Services Programme, Biodiversity International, Montpellier 34000, France
| | - Claire Kremen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Shahid Naeem
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Cheryl A Palm
- Agriculture and Food Security Center, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
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Merlin A, Bonis A, Damgaard CF, Mesléard F. Competition Is a Strong Driving Factor in Wetlands, Peaking during Drying Out Periods. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130152. [PMID: 26075597 PMCID: PMC4468187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study is to investigate the relative importance of plant-plant interactions with regard to flooding and drought effect on perennial plant performances in wetlands. Flooding is expected to be the major driver and, accordingly, the importance of drought is hardly if ever taken into account. Focusing on five widespread species, the growth, the survival and the competitive ability of plants were monitored on permanent plots spread along two elevation gradients. Flooding duration and drought intensity were found to vary substantially along the ~ 0.5 meter range elevation gradient. Flooding and drought alternate over the hydrological year and the pin-point surveys were thus conducted over the course of one year. The data were modeled taking into account survival, recruitment and competitive growth throughout flooding and drying out periods. Flooding and drought both directly impacted the plant performances and their competitive effect, with the effect of drought being much more general among species and of higher magnitude than flooding. The importance of competition was found to be high for all species, particularly during the drying out period. It varied more along the flooding gradient than along the drought gradient. The higher flooding tolerance shown by the studied species compared to drought may be related to species specific growth timing together with efficient response traits. These results offer new insights into the filters operating over the species pools. This suggests that the drying out period and drought conditions may be even more important for species' relative success and the importance of competition than the flooding pattern. The general applicability of this result, obtained in mild Atlantic climate and fertile wetlands, remains to be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Merlin
- UMR 6553 ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS-University of Rennes 1, OSUR, Rennes, France
- Centre de recherche de la Tour du Valat, Arles, France
| | - Anne Bonis
- UMR 6553 ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS-University of Rennes 1, OSUR, Rennes, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Christian F. Damgaard
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience—Plant and Insect Ecology, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - François Mesléard
- Centre de recherche de la Tour du Valat, Arles, France
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie (IMBE), IUT Université d'Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse, UMR CNRS 7263 IRD 237 Aix Marseille Université, France
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