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Yan P, He N, Fernández‐Martínez M, Yang X, Zuo Y, Zhang H, Wang J, Chen S, Song J, Li G, Valencia E, Wan S, Jiang L. Plant Acquisitive Strategies Promote Resistance and Temporal Stability of Semiarid Grasslands. Ecol Lett 2025; 28:e70110. [PMID: 40178069 PMCID: PMC11967160 DOI: 10.1111/ele.70110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2025] [Accepted: 03/06/2025] [Indexed: 04/05/2025]
Abstract
Among ecologists, it is widely believed that conservative growth strategies of plants are crucial for sustaining ecosystem stability, while the potential stabilising role of acquisitive strategies has received little attention. We investigated the relationships between plant traits and three stability dimensions-temporal stability, resistance and resilience-using two complementary datasets from drought-affected semi-arid grasslands: a temporal plant community survey from a single site and a 1000-km transect survey with satellite-derived productivity estimates. We found strikingly consistent patterns from the two datasets, with grasslands dominated by acquisitive strategies exhibiting greater resistance and temporal stability of productivity. Acquisitive strategies enhance stability by facilitating drought escape and avoidance, rather than drought tolerance typically associated with conservative strategies. These results highlight the important but underappreciated role of acquisitive strategies in enhancing ecosystem resistance to disturbances and maintaining temporal stability in semi-arid grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Yan
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Nianpeng He
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management–Ministry of EducationNortheast Forestry UniversityHarbinChina
| | | | - Xian Yang
- School of EcologySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yiping Zuo
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Hao Zhang
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources ResearchChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Shiping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jian Song
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green DevelopmentHebei UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Guoyong Li
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life SciencesHenan UniversityKaifengChina
| | - Enrique Valencia
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological ScienceComplutense University of MadridMadridSpain
| | - Shiqiang Wan
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green DevelopmentHebei UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Lin Jiang
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
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Rajak P, Afreen T, Raghubanshi AS, Singh H. Rainfall fluctuation causes the invasive plant Prosopis juliflora to adapt ecophysiologically and change phenotypically. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 197:26. [PMID: 39636530 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-13393-5] [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: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 11/04/2024] [Indexed: 12/07/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the impact of rainfall variability on the ecophysiology of invasive plants in tropical grasslands is crucial for sustainable ecosystem management. Climate change alters rainfall patterns, which, in turn, may influence the functional traits and physiological responses of plants. Recent studies have explored how fluctuating precipitation affects plant growth and broader ecological dynamics. In this study, we examined these effects on Prosopis juliflora under three different rainfall treatments using rainout shelters: low rainfall (LR, 500 mm, 50% less than ambient), normal rainfall (NR, 1000 mm, representing average ambient rainfall), and high rainfall (HR, 1400 mm, 40% more than ambient). Each shelter was divided into three replicate plots (2 m x 2 m) in a randomized block design. P. juliflora seedlings (20 seedlings per subplot) were transplanted into each subplot within a 4m2 area, with a 0.5 m distance between each plant, and data were collected one year after plot establishment (2020). The physiological parameters measured included leaf traits, growth metrics such as biomass, height, diameter, photosynthetic rate, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf carbon (LC), the leaf carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and the root-to-shoot ratio. These parameters showed significant positive responses to changes in precipitation i.e. increase with the increase in rainfall. However, water use efficiency (WUE), leaf nitrogen (LN), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and root length (RL) showed negative responses i.e. decrease with the increase in rainfall and were highest in the LR plots. Our findings suggest that the ecophysiology and functional traits of P. juliflora are strongly influenced by rainfall variability. The species exhibits considerable phenotypic plasticity, thriving in both drought and elevated precipitation conditions. This adaptability has important implications for its invasive potential and the overall functioning of ecosystems under shifting climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Rajak
- Ecosystem Analysis Laboratory, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Talat Afreen
- PG Centre of Botany, Gaya College (Magadh University), Bodhgaya, 823001, Bihar, India
| | - Akhilesh Singh Raghubanshi
- Integrative Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Hema Singh
- Ecosystem Analysis Laboratory, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Ru J, Wan S, Xia J, Niu S, Hui D, Song J, Feng J, Sun D, Wang H, Qiu X. Advanced precipitation peak offsets middle growing-season drought in impacting grassland C sink. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 244:1775-1787. [PMID: 39301581 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Redistribution of precipitation across seasons is a widespread phenomenon affecting dryland ecosystems globally. However, the impacts of shifting seasonal precipitation patterns on carbon (C) cycling and sequestration in dryland ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a 10-yr (2013-2022) field manipulative experiment that altered the timing of growing-season precipitation peaks in a semi-arid grassland. We found that the delayed precipitation peak suppressed plant growth and thus reduced gross ecosystem productivity, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem productivity due to middle growing-season water stress. Surprisingly, shifting more precipitation to the early growing season can advance plant development, increase the dominance of drought-tolerant forbs, and thus compensate for the negative impacts of middle growing-season water stress on ecosystem C cycling, leading to a neutral change in grassland C sink. Our findings indicate that greater precipitation and plant development in spring could act as a crucial mechanism, maintaining plant growth and stabilizing ecosystem C sink. This underscores the urgent need to incorporate precipitation seasonality into Earth system models, which is crucial for improving projections of terrestrial C cycling and sequestration under future climate change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Ru
- School of Life Sciences/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China
| | - Shiqiang Wan
- School of Life Sciences/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China
| | - Jianyang Xia
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- Research Center for Global Change and Complex Ecosystems, Institute of Eco-Chongming, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shuli Niu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dafeng Hui
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 37209, USA
| | - Jian Song
- School of Life Sciences/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China
| | - Jiayin Feng
- School of Life Sciences/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China
| | - Dasheng Sun
- School of Life Sciences/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China
| | - Haidao Wang
- School of Life Sciences/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China
| | - Xueli Qiu
- School of Life Sciences/Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interaction, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China
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Cardozo GA, Volaire F, Chapon P, Barotin C, Barkaoui K. Can we identify tipping points of resilience loss in Mediterranean rangelands under increased summer drought? Ecology 2024; 105:e4383. [PMID: 39054896 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4383] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Mediterranean ecosystems are predicted to undergo longer and more intense summer droughts. The mechanisms underlying the response of herbaceous communities to such drier environments should be investigated to identify the resilience thresholds of Mediterranean rangelands. A 5-year experiment was conducted in deep and shallow soil rangelands of southern France. A rainout shelter for 75 days in summer imposed drier and warmer conditions. Total soil water content was measured monthly to model available daily soil water. Aboveground net primary production (ANPP), forage quality, and the proportion of graminoids in ANPP were measured in spring and autumn. Plant senescence and plant cover were assessed in summer and spring, respectively. The experimental years were among the driest ever recorded at the site. Therefore, manipulated summer droughts were drier than long-term ambient conditions. Interactions between treatment, community type, and experimental year were found for most variables. In shallow soil communities, spring plant cover decreased markedly with time. This legacy effect, driven by summer plant mortality and the loss of perennial graminoids, led to an abrupt loss of resilience when the extreme water stress index exceeded 37 mm 10 day-1, characterized by a reduction of spring plant cover below 50% and a decreased ANPP in rainy years. Conversely, the ANPP of deep soil communities remained unaffected by increased summer drought, although the presence of graminoids increased and forage nutritive value decreased. This study highlights the role of the soil water reserve of Mediterranean plant communities in modulating ecosystem responses to chronically intensified summer drought. Communities on deep soils were resilient, but communities on shallow soils showed a progressive, rapid, and intense degradation associated with a loss of resilience capacity. Notably, indexes of extreme stress were a better indicator of tipping points than indexes of integrated annual stress. Considering the role of soil water availability in other herbaceous ecosystems should improve the ability to predict the resilience of plant communities under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerónimo A Cardozo
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), Área de Pasturas y Forrajes, Estación Experimental INIA Treinta y Tres, Treinta y Tres, Uruguay
| | - Florence Volaire
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Pascal Chapon
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Karim Barkaoui
- CIRAD, UMR AMAP, Montpellier, France
- AMAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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Song J, Liang Z, Li X, Wang X, Chu X, Zhao M, Zhang X, Li P, Song W, Huang W, Han G. Precipitation changes alter plant dominant species and functional groups by changing soil salinity in a coastal salt marsh. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 368:122235. [PMID: 39159574 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Specific mechanisms of precipitation change due to global climate variability on plant communities in coastal salt marsh ecosystems remain unknown. Hence, a field manipulative precipitation experiment was established in 2014 and 5 years of field surveys of vegetation from 2017 to 2021 to explore the effects of precipitation changes on plant community composition. The results showed that changes in plant community composition were driven by dominant species, and that the dominance of key species changed significantly with precipitation gradient and time, and that these changes ultimately altered plant community traits (i.e., community density, height, and species richness). Community height increased but community density decreased with more precipitation averaged five years. Furthermore, changes in precipitation altered dominant species composition and functional groups mainly by influencing soil salinity. Salinity stress caused by decreased precipitation shifted species composition from a dominance of taller perennials and grasses to dwarf annuals and forbs, while the species richness decreased. Conversely, soil desalination caused by increased precipitation increased species richness, especially increasing in the dominance of grasses and perennials. Specifically, Apocynaceae became dominance from rare while Amaranthaceae decreased in response to increased precipitation, but Poaceae was always in a position of dominance. Meanwhile, the dominance of grasses and perennials has the cumulative effect of years and their proportion increased under the increased 60% of ambient precipitation throughout the years. However, the annual forb Suaeda glauca was gradually losing its dominance or even becoming extinct over years. Our study highlights that the differences in plant salinity tolerance are key to the effects of precipitation changes on plant communities in coastal salt marsh. These findings aim to provide a theoretical basis for predicting vegetation dynamics and developing ecological management strategies to adapt to future precipitation changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Zhenghao Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, PR China.
| | - Xinge Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; The College of Geography and Environmental Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475000, Henan, PR China.
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Xiaojing Chu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Mingliang Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Xiaoshuai Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Peiguang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Weimin Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Wanxin Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Guangxuan Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China; Yellow River Delta Field Observation and Research Station of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dongying, 257500, Shandong, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, PR China.
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6
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Komatsu KJ, Avolio ML, Padullés Cubino J, Schrodt F, Auge H, Cavender-Bares J, Clark AT, Flores-Moreno H, Grman E, Harpole WS, Kattge J, Kimmel K, Koerner SE, Korell L, Langley JA, Münkemüller T, Ohlert T, Onstein RE, Roscher C, Soudzilovskaia NA, Taylor BN, Tedersoo L, Terry RS, Wilcox K. CoRRE Trait Data: A dataset of 17 categorical and continuous traits for 4079 grassland species worldwide. Sci Data 2024; 11:795. [PMID: 39025901 PMCID: PMC11258227 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03637-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In our changing world, understanding plant community responses to global change drivers is critical for predicting future ecosystem composition and function. Plant functional traits promise to be a key predictive tool for many ecosystems, including grasslands; however, their use requires both complete plant community and functional trait data. Yet, representation of these data in global databases is sparse, particularly beyond a handful of most used traits and common species. Here we present the CoRRE Trait Data, spanning 17 traits (9 categorical, 8 continuous) anticipated to predict species' responses to global change for 4,079 vascular plant species across 173 plant families present in 390 grassland experiments from around the world. The dataset contains complete categorical trait records for all 4,079 plant species obtained from a comprehensive literature search, as well as nearly complete coverage (99.97%) of imputed continuous trait values for a subset of 2,927 plant species. These data will shed light on mechanisms underlying population, community, and ecosystem responses to global change in grasslands worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly J Komatsu
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA.
| | - Meghan L Avolio
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | | | | | - Harald Auge
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Community Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jeannine Cavender-Bares
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Adam T Clark
- University of Graz, Institute of Biology, Holteigasse 6, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Emily Grman
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA
| | - W Stanley Harpole
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Physiological Diversity, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Jens Kattge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Sally E Koerner
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Lotte Korell
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Community Ecology, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - J Adam Langley
- Department of Biology, Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Tamara Münkemüller
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Timothy Ohlert
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Renske E Onstein
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Christiane Roscher
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Physiological Diversity, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Benton N Taylor
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Leho Tedersoo
- Mycology and Microbiology Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Rosalie S Terry
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Kevin Wilcox
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
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7
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Mueller KE, Kray JA, Blumenthal DM. Coordination of leaf, root, and seed traits shows the importance of whole plant economics in two semiarid grasslands. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:2410-2422. [PMID: 38214451 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19529] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Uncertainty persists within trait-based ecology, partly because few studies assess multiple axes of functional variation and their effect on plant performance. For 55 species from two semiarid grasslands, we quantified: (1) covariation between economic traits of leaves and absorptive roots, (2) covariation among economic traits, plant height, leaf size, and seed mass, and (3) relationships between these traits and species' abundance. Pairs of analogous leaf and root traits were at least weakly positively correlated (e.g. specific leaf area (SLA) and specific root length (SRL)). Two pairs of such traits, N content and DMC of leaves and roots, were at least moderately correlated (r > 0.5) whether species were grouped by site, taxonomic group and growth form, or life history. Root diameter was positively correlated with seed mass for all groups of species except annuals and monocots. Species with higher leaf dry matter content (LDMC) tended to be more abundant (r = 0.63). Annuals with larger seeds were more abundant (r = 0.69). Compared with global-scale syntheses with many observations from mesic ecosystems, we observed stronger correlations between analogous leaf and root traits, weaker correlations between SLA and leaf N, and stronger correlations between SRL and root N. In dry grasslands, plant persistence may require coordination of above- and belowground traits, and dense tissues may facilitate dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin E Mueller
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA
| | - Julie A Kray
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Resources & Systems Research, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Dana M Blumenthal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Resources & Systems Research, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
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Song L, Griffin-Nolan RJ, Muraina TO, Chen J, Te N, Shi Y, Whitney KD, Zhang B, Yu Q, Smith MD, Zuo X, Wang Z, Knapp AK, Han X, Collins SL, Luo W. Grassland sensitivity to drought is related to functional composition across East Asia and North America. Ecology 2024; 105:e4220. [PMID: 38037285 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4220] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Plant traits can be helpful for understanding grassland ecosystem responses to climate extremes, such as severe drought. However, intercontinental comparisons of how drought affects plant functional traits and ecosystem functioning are rare. The Extreme Drought in Grasslands experiment (EDGE) was established across the major grassland types in East Asia and North America (six sites on each continent) to measure variability in grassland ecosystem sensitivity to extreme, prolonged drought. At all sites, we quantified community-weighted mean functional composition and functional diversity of two leaf economic traits, specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content, in response to drought. We found that experimental drought significantly increased community-weighted means of specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content at all North American sites and at the wetter East Asian sites, but drought decreased community-weighted means of these traits at moderate to dry East Asian sites. Drought significantly decreased functional richness but increased functional evenness and dispersion at most East Asian and North American sites. Ecosystem drought sensitivity (percentage reduction in aboveground net primary productivity) positively correlated with community-weighted means of specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content and negatively correlated with functional diversity (i.e., richness) on an intercontinental scale, but results differed within regions. These findings highlight both broad generalities but also unique responses to drought of community-weighted trait means as well as their functional diversity across grassland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Song
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Robert J Griffin-Nolan
- Department of Biology Biological Sciences, Santa Clara California State University, Chico, California, USA
| | - Taofeek O Muraina
- Department of Animal Health and Production, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora, Nigeria
| | - Jiaqi Chen
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Niwu Te
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Yuan Shi
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Kenneth D Whitney
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Bingchuan Zhang
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Melinda D Smith
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhengwen Wang
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Alan K Knapp
- Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Xingguo Han
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Scott L Collins
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Wentao Luo
- Liaoning Northwest Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
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9
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Li X, Song Z, Hu Y, Qiao J, Chen Y, Wang S, Yue P, Chen M, Ke Y, Xu C, Yu Q, Zuo X. Drought intensity and post-drought precipitation determine vegetation recovery in a desert steppe in Inner Mongolia, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167449. [PMID: 37832659 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167449] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Extreme drought events are expected to increase in frequency and severity, posing significant threats to ecosystems worldwide. While considerable research has been concentrated on the effects of climate extremes on the stability of grasslands, the process by which grassland productivity may recover after extreme drought events are still not well understood. Here, we conducted a four-year (2019-2022) recovery investigation after four-year's (2015-2018) extreme drought treatments of different intensities (control, press and pulse) to explore the vegetation recovery of desert-grassland ecosystems Inner Mongolia, China. Press drought involved a 66 % reduction in natural precipitation from May to August, while pulse drought reduced it by 100 % during June and July. We found that both press and pulse droughts led to a sharp decrease in aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) after four years, primarily due to reduced growth, density, and productivity of annual and perennial plants. However, ANPP under pulse drought could recover fully after four years of stopping of drought treatment, and it could not under press drought. Additionally, community structure (i.e., species richness, plant density, and height) fully recovered within 1 year after the end of the two extreme drought treatments. Both plant density and height contributed to the ANPP recovery after press and pulse droughts. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results further revealed that the reduction in ANPP during the extreme drought was primarily due to a decrease in plant density caused by reduced soil water content. The recovery of ANPP in pulse drought was directly caused by increased soil water content in the post-extreme drought. These results suggest that drought intensity and precipitation determine ANPP recovery in a degraded desert steppe. Our findings are crucial for deepening understanding of the processes and mechanisms of ecosystem recovery after extreme drought, as well as for the successful management and protection of grassland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhaobin Song
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ya Hu
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingjuan Qiao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuheng Chen
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Shaokun Wang
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Min Chen
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yuguang Ke
- Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Chong Xu
- Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 10008, China
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Region, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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10
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Song Z, Hautier Y, Wang C. Grassland stability decreases with increasing number of global change factors: A meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165651. [PMID: 37474043 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Experiments manipulating a single global change factor (GCF) have provided increasing evidence that global environmental changes, such as eutrophication, precipitation change, and warming, generally affect the temporal stability of grassland productivity. Whether the combined impact of global changes on grassland stability increases as the number of global changes increases remains unknown. Using a meta-analysis of 673 observations from 143 sites worldwide, including 7 different GCFs, we examined the responses of grassland temporal stability of productivity to increasing numbers of GCFs. We quantified the links between community stability, biotic factors (i.e., species richness, species stability, and species asynchrony), and abiotic factors (i.e., aridity index, experimental duration, and experimental intensity). Although inconsistent responses of community stability were found with different GCF types and combinations, when integrating existing GCFs studies and ignoring the identity of GCFs, we found a general decrease in community stability as the number of GCFs increases, but the main drivers of community stability varied with the numbers of GCFs. Specifically, one GCF mainly reduced species stability through species richness and thus weakened community stability. Two GCFs weakened community stability via independently weakening species stability and species asynchrony. Three GCFs reduce community stability mainly via independently weakening species asynchrony. Moreover, for single factor, the impact of GCFs on community stability was weaker under dryer conditions, but stronger when two or three factors were manipulated. In addition, the negative effect of GCFs on community stability was weaker with increasing experimental duration. Our study reveals that reduced community stability with increasing numbers of GCFs is caused by a shift from reduced species stability to reduced species asynchrony, suggesting that persistent global changes will destabilize grassland productivity by reducing asynchronous dynamics among species in response to natural environmental fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaobin Song
- Institute of Grassland, Flowers and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China; Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yann Hautier
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Chao Wang
- Institute of Grassland, Flowers and Ecology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China.
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11
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Martínez-Vilalta J, García-Valdés R, Jump A, Vilà-Cabrera A, Mencuccini M. Accounting for trait variability and coordination in predictions of drought-induced range shifts in woody plants. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:23-40. [PMID: 37501525 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Functional traits offer a promising avenue to improve predictions of species range shifts under climate change, which will entail warmer and often drier conditions. Although the conceptual foundation linking traits with plant performance and range shifts appears solid, the predictive ability of individual traits remains generally low. In this review, we address this apparent paradox, emphasizing examples of woody plants and traits associated with drought responses at the species' rear edge. Low predictive ability reflects the fact not only that range dynamics tend to be complex and multifactorial, as well as uncertainty in the identification of relevant traits and limited data availability, but also that trait effects are scale- and context-dependent. The latter results from the complex interactions among traits (e.g. compensatory effects) and between them and the environment (e.g. exposure), which ultimately determine persistence and colonization capacity. To confront this complexity, a more balanced coverage of the main functional dimensions involved (stress tolerance, resource use, regeneration and dispersal) is needed, and modelling approaches must be developed that explicitly account for: trait coordination in a hierarchical context; trait variability in space and time and its relationship with exposure; and the effect of biotic interactions in an ecological community context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Martínez-Vilalta
- CREAF, E08193, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E08193, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Raúl García-Valdés
- CREAF, E08193, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
- Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), E25280, Solsona, Spain
- Department of Biology, Geology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry, School of Experimental Sciences and Technology, Rey Juan Carlos University, E28933, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alistair Jump
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, Stirling, UK
| | - Albert Vilà-Cabrera
- CREAF, E08193, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, Stirling, UK
| | - Maurizio Mencuccini
- CREAF, E08193, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Catalonia, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, E08010, Barcelona, Spain
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12
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Iozia LM, Varone L. Tackling local ecological homogeneity: Finding intraspecific trait variability in local populations of Mediterranean plants. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10550. [PMID: 37732284 PMCID: PMC10507572 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10550] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Local homogeneity, in ecology, is the often undisclosed assumption that variability within populations is negligible or mostly distributed evenly. In large areas, this can lead to the aggregation of different populations without regard for their unique needs and characteristics, such as drought sensitivity and functional trait distributions. Here, we discuss whether this assumption can be justified, and we hypothesize that discerning the source of variation between plasticity and adaptation could be a feasible approach to formulate an informed decision. We test this hypothesis on plants, resorting to a common garden experiment to determine the source of variation of several plant functional traits at a local scale (~60 km) of three wild species: Quercus ilex, Pistacia lentiscus, and Cistus salviifolius. Individuals of each species were sourced from three key sites chosen along a local aridity gradient. Our approach led to the rejection of the local homogeneity assumption for Q. ilex and C. salviifolius at this scale due to the adaptive divergence observed among neighboring populations. This case study provides evidence that addressing local homogeneity can highlight diverging populations in a relatively simple way. We conclude that gathering empirical evidence on intraspecific variability is a feasible approach that can provide researchers with solid bases to decide whether to adopt the local homogeneity assumption or not.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Varone
- Department of Environmental BiologySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
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13
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Wang X, Chen X, Xu J, Ji Y, Du X, Gao J. Precipitation Dominates the Allocation Strategy of Above- and Belowground Biomass in Plants on Macro Scales. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2843. [PMID: 37570997 PMCID: PMC10421374 DOI: 10.3390/plants12152843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
The allocation of biomass reflects a plant's resource utilization strategy and is significantly influenced by climatic factors. However, it remains unclear how climate factors affect the aboveground and belowground biomass allocation patterns on macro scales. To address this, a study was conducted using aboveground and belowground biomass data for 486 species across 294 sites in China, investigating the effects of climate change on biomass allocation patterns. The results show that the proportion of belowground biomass in the total biomass (BGBP) or root-to-shoot ratio (R/S) in the northwest region of China is significantly higher than that in the southeast region. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in BGBP or R/S among different types of plants (trees, shrubs, and herbs plants), with values for herb plants being significantly higher than shrubs and tree species. On macro scales, precipitation and soil nutrient factors (i.e., soil nitrogen and phosphorus content) are positively correlated with BGBP or R/S, while temperature and functional traits are negatively correlated. Climate factors contribute more to driving plant biomass allocation strategies than soil and functional trait factors. Climate factors determine BGBP by changing other functional traits of plants. However, climate factors influence R/S mainly by affecting the availability of soil nutrients. The results quantify the productivity and carbon sequestration capacity of terrestrial ecosystems and provide important theoretical guidance for the management of forests, shrubs, and herbaceous plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianxian Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; (X.W.); (X.C.); (J.X.); (Y.J.)
| | - Xiaohong Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; (X.W.); (X.C.); (J.X.); (Y.J.)
| | - Jiali Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; (X.W.); (X.C.); (J.X.); (Y.J.)
| | - Yuhui Ji
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; (X.W.); (X.C.); (J.X.); (Y.J.)
| | - Xiaoxuan Du
- Coastal Agriculture Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Jie Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, China; (X.W.); (X.C.); (J.X.); (Y.J.)
- Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes of Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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14
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Barkaoui K, Volaire F. Drought survival and recovery in grasses: Stress intensity and plant-plant interactions impact plant dehydration tolerance. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 46:1489-1503. [PMID: 36655754 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14543] [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: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plant dehydration tolerance confers drought survival in grasses, but the mortality thresholds according to soil water content (SWC), vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and plant-plant interactions are little explored. We compared the dehydration dynamics of leaf meristems, which are the key surviving organs, plant mortality, and recovery of Mediterranean and temperate populations of two perennial grass species, Dactylis glomerata and Festuca arundinacea, grown in monocultures and mixtures under a low-VPD (1.5 kPa) versus a high-VPD drought (2.2 kPa). The lethal drought index (LD50 ), that is, SWC associated with 50% plant mortality, ranged from 2.87% (ψs = -1.68 MPa) to 2.19% (ψs = -4.47 MPa) and reached the lowest values under the low-VPD drought. Populations of D. glomerata were more dehydration-tolerant (lower LD50 ), survived and recovered better than F. arundinacea populations. Plant-plant interactions modified dehydration tolerance and improved post-drought recovery in mixtures compared with monocultures. Water content as low as 20.7%-36.1% in leaf meristems allowed 50% of plants to survive. We conclude that meristem dehydration causes plant mortality and that drought acclimation can increase dehydration tolerance. Genetic diversity, acclimation and plant-plant interactions are essential sources of dehydration tolerance variability to consider when predicting drought-induced mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Barkaoui
- CIRAD, UMR ABSys, F-34398 Montpellier, France
- ABSys, Univ Montpellier, CIHEAM-IAMM, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Volaire
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
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15
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Ingrisch J, Umlauf N, Bahn M. Functional thresholds alter the relationship of plant resistance and recovery to drought. Ecology 2023; 104:e3907. [PMID: 36314950 PMCID: PMC10078541 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The ecological consequences of future droughts are difficult to predict due to a limited understanding of the nonlinear responses of plants to increasing drought intensity, which can change abruptly when critical thresholds of drought intensity are crossed. Drought responses are composed of resistance and postdrought recovery. Although it is well established that higher drought intensity increases the impact and, thus, reduces plant resistance, less is known about how drought intensity affects recovery and how resistance and recovery are related. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that resistance, recovery, and their relationship change abruptly upon crossing critical thresholds of drought intensity. We exposed mesocosms of two monospecific stands of the common grassland species Dactylis glomerata and Plantago lanceolata to a large gradient of drought intensity and quantified the resistance and recovery of multiple measures of plant productivity, including gross-primary productivity, vegetative height, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, and aboveground biomass production. Drought intensity had nonlinear and contrasting effects on plant productivity during drought and recovery, which differed between the two species. Increasing drought intensity decreased the resistance of plant productivity and caused rapid compensatory growth during postdrought recovery, the degree of which was highly dependent on drought intensity. Across multiple response parameters two thresholds of drought intensity emerged, upon which we observed abrupt changes in plant resistance and recovery, as well as their relationship. We conclude that across gradients of drought intensity resistance and recovery are tightly coupled and that both the magnitude and the direction of drought effects on resistance and recovery can change abruptly upon specific thresholds of stress intensity. These findings highlight the urgent need to account for nonlinear responses of resistance and recovery to drought intensity as critical drivers of productivity in a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikolaus Umlauf
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Michael Bahn
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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16
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Tordoni E, Petruzzellis F, Di Bonaventura A, Pavanetto N, Tomasella M, Nardini A, Boscutti F, Martini F, Bacaro G. Projections of leaf turgor loss point shifts under future climate change scenarios. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6640-6652. [PMID: 36054311 PMCID: PMC9825879 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Predicting the consequences of climate change is of utmost importance to mitigate impacts on vulnerable ecosystems; plant hydraulic traits are particularly useful proxies for predicting functional disruptions potentially occurring in the near future. This study assessed the current and future regional patterns of leaf water potential at turgor loss point (Ψtlp ) by measuring and projecting the Ψtlp of 166 vascular plant species (159 angiosperms and 7 gymnosperms) across a large climatic range spanning from alpine to Mediterranean areas in NE Italy. For angiosperms, random forest models predicted a consistent shift toward more negative values in low-elevation areas, whereas for gymnosperms the pattern was more variable, particularly in the alpine sector (i.e., Alps and Prealps). Simulations were also developed to evaluate the number of threatened species under two Ψtlp plasticity scenarios (low vs. high plasticity), and it was found that in the worst-case scenario approximately 72% of the angiosperm species and 68% of gymnosperms within a location were at risk to exceed their physiological plasticity. The different responses to climate change by specific clades might produce reassembly in natural communities, undermining the resilience of natural ecosystems to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Tordoni
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Institute of Ecology and Earth ScienceUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | - Francesco Petruzzellis
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal SciencesUniversity of UdineUdineItaly
| | - Azzurra Di Bonaventura
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal SciencesUniversity of UdineUdineItaly
| | | | | | - Andrea Nardini
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
| | - Francesco Boscutti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal SciencesUniversity of UdineUdineItaly
| | | | - Giovanni Bacaro
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
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17
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Mueller KE, Ocheltree TW, Kray JA, Bushey JA, Blumenthal DM, Williams DG, Pendall E. Trading water for carbon in the future: Effects of elevated CO 2 and warming on leaf hydraulic traits in a semiarid grassland. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5991-6001. [PMID: 35751572 PMCID: PMC9544398 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The effects of climate change on plants and ecosystems are mediated by plant hydraulic traits, including interspecific and intraspecific variability of trait phenotypes. Yet, integrative and realistic studies of hydraulic traits and climate change are rare. In a semiarid grassland, we assessed the response of several plant hydraulic traits to elevated CO2 (+200 ppm) and warming (+1.5 to 3°C; day to night). For leaves of five dominant species (three graminoids and two forbs), and in replicated plots exposed to 7 years of elevated CO2 , warming, or ambient climate, we measured: stomatal density and size, xylem vessel size, turgor loss point, and water potential (pre-dawn). Interspecific differences in hydraulic traits were larger than intraspecific shifts induced by elevated CO2 and/or warming. Effects of elevated CO2 were greater than effects of warming, and interactions between treatments were weak or not detected. The forbs showed little phenotypic plasticity. The graminoids had leaf water potentials and turgor loss points that were 10% to 50% less negative under elevated CO2 ; thus, climate change might cause these species to adjust their drought resistance strategy away from tolerance and toward avoidance. The C4 grass also reduced allocation of leaf area to stomata under elevated CO2 , which helps explain observations of higher soil moisture. The shifts in hydraulic traits under elevated CO2 were not, however, simply due to higher soil moisture. Integration of our results with others' indicates that common species in this grassland are more likely to adjust stomatal aperture in response to near-term climate change, rather than anatomical traits; this contrasts with apparent effects of changing CO2 on plant anatomy over evolutionary time. Future studies should assess how plant responses to drought may be constrained by the apparent shift from tolerance (via low turgor loss point) to avoidance (via stomatal regulation and/or access to deeper soil moisture).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin E. Mueller
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental SciencesCleveland State UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Troy W. Ocheltree
- Department of Forest and Rangeland StewardshipColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Julie A. Kray
- Rangeland Resources & Systems Research, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Julie A. Bushey
- Water Management Research, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Dana M. Blumenthal
- Rangeland Resources & Systems Research, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of AgricultureFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | | | - Elise Pendall
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityPenrithNew South WalesAustralia
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18
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Müller LM, Bahn M. Drought legacies and ecosystem responses to subsequent drought. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5086-5103. [PMID: 35607942 PMCID: PMC9542112 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of droughts. These events, which can cause significant perturbations of terrestrial ecosystems and potentially long-term impacts on ecosystem structure and functioning after the drought has subsided are often called 'drought legacies'. While the immediate effects of drought on ecosystems have been comparatively well characterized, our broader understanding of drought legacies is just emerging. Drought legacies can relate to all aspects of ecosystem structure and functioning, involving changes at the species and the community scale as well as alterations of soil properties. This has consequences for ecosystem responses to subsequent drought. Here, we synthesize current knowledge on drought legacies and the underlying mechanisms. We highlight the relevance of legacy duration to different ecosystem processes using examples of carbon cycling and community composition. We present hypotheses characterizing how intrinsic (i.e. biotic and abiotic properties and processes) and extrinsic (i.e. drought timing, severity, and frequency) factors could alter resilience trajectories under scenarios of recurrent drought events. We propose ways for improving our understanding of drought legacies and their implications for subsequent drought events, needed to assess the longer-term consequences of droughts on ecosystem structure and functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena M. Müller
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Michael Bahn
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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19
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Luo W, Griffin‐Nolan RJ, Felton AJ, Yu Q, Wang H, Zhang H, Wang Z, Han X, Collins SL, Knapp AK. Drought has inconsistent effects on seed trait composition despite their strong association with ecosystem drought sensitivity. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Luo
- Erguna Forest‐Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang China
| | | | - Andrew J. Felton
- Schmid College of Science and Technology Chapman University Orange CA USA
| | - Qiang Yu
- School of Grassland Science Beijing Forestry University Beijing China
| | - Hongyi Wang
- Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University Daqing China
| | - Hongxiang Zhang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun China
| | - Zhengwen Wang
- Erguna Forest‐Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang China
| | - Xingguo Han
- Erguna Forest‐Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Scott L. Collins
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque NM USA
| | - Alan K. Knapp
- Department of Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
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20
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Kramp RE, Liancourt P, Herberich MM, Saul L, Weides S, Tielbörger K, Májeková M. Functional traits and their plasticity shift from tolerant to avoidant under extreme drought. Ecology 2022; 103:e3826. [PMID: 35857330 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Under climate change, extreme droughts will limit water availability for plants. However, the species-specific responses make it difficult to draw general conclusions. We hypothesized that changes in species' abundance in response to extreme drought can be best explained by a set of water economic traits under ambient conditions in combination with the ability to adjust these traits towards higher drought resistance. We conducted a four-year field experiment in temperate grasslands using rainout shelters with 30% and 50% rainfall reduction. We quantified the response as the change in species abundance between ambient conditions and the rainfall reduction. Abundance response to extreme drought was best explained by a combination of traits in ambient conditions and their functional adjustment, most likely reflecting plasticity. Smaller leaved species decreased less in abundance under drought. With increasing drought intensity, we observed a shift from drought tolerance, i.e. an increase in leaf dry matter content, to avoidance, i.e. a less negative turgor loss point (TLP) in ambient conditions and a constancy in TLP under drought. We stress the importance of using a multidimensional approach of variation in multiple traits and the importance of considering a range of drought intensities to improve predictions of species' response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa E Kramp
- Plant Ecology Group, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Pierre Liancourt
- Plant Ecology Group, University of Tübingen, Germany.,Botany Department, State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Germany.,Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Science, Czech Republic
| | | | - Lara Saul
- Plant Ecology Group, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sophie Weides
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland
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21
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Interactions of Environmental Variables and Water Use Efficiency in the Matopiba Region via Multivariate Analysis. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14148758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the interaction of environmental variables and Water Use Efficiency (WUE) via multivariate analysis to understand the importance of each variable in the carbon–water balance in MATOPIBA. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to reduce spatial dimensionality and to identify patterns by using the following data: (i) LST (MOD11A2) and WUE (ratio between GPP-MOD17A2 and ET-MOD16A2), based on MODIS orbital products; (ii) Rainfall based on CHIRPS precipitation product; (iii) slope, roughness, and elevation from the GMTED and SRTM version 4.1 products; and (iv) geographic data, Latitude, and Longitude. All calculations were performed in R version 3.6.3 and Quantum GIS (QGIS) version 3.4.6. Eight variables were initially used. After applying the PCA, only four were suitable: Elevation, LST, Rainfall, and WUE, with values greater than 0.7. A positive correlation (≥0.78) between the variables (Elevation, LST, and Rainfall) and vegetation was identified. According to the KMO test, a series-considered medium was obtained (0.7 < KMO < 0.8), and it was explained by one PC (PC1). PC1 was explained by four variables (Elevation, LST, Rainfall, and WUE), among which WUE (0.8 < KMO < 0.9) was responsible for detailing 65.77% of the total explained variance. Positive scores were found in the states of Maranhão and Tocantins and negative scores in Piauí and Bahia. The positive scores show areas with greater Rainfall, GPP, and ET availability, while the negative scores show areas with greater water demand and LST. It was concluded that variations in variables such as Rainfall, LST, GPP, and ET can influence the local behavior of the carbon–water cycle of the vegetation, impacting the WUE in MATOPIBA.
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Stears AE, Adler PB, Blumenthal DM, Kray JA, Mueller KE, Ocheltree TW, Wilcox KR, Laughlin DC. Water availability dictates how plant traits predict demographic rates. Ecology 2022; 103:e3799. [PMID: 35724968 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A major goal in ecology is to make generalizable predictions of organism responses to environmental variation based on their traits. However, straightforward relationships between traits and fitness are rare and likely vary with environmental context. Characterizing how traits mediate demographic responses to the environment may enhance predictions of organism responses to global change. We synthesized 15 years of demographic data and species-level traits in a shortgrass steppe to determine whether the effects of leaf and root traits on growth and survival depend on seasonal water availability. We predicted that (1) species with drought-tolerant traits, such as lower leaf turgor loss point (TLP) and higher leaf and root dry matter content (LDMC and RDMC), would be more likely to survive and grow in drier years due to higher wilting resistance, (2) these traits would not predict fitness in wetter years, and (3) traits that more directly measure physiological mechanisms of water use such as TLP would best predict demographic responses. We found that graminoids with more negative TLP and higher LDMC and RDMC had higher survival rates in drier years. Forbs demonstrated similar yet more variable responses. Graminoids grew larger in wetter years, regardless of traits. However, in both wet and dry years, graminoids with more negative TLP and higher LDMC and RDMC grew larger than less negative TLP and low LDMC and RDMC species. Traits significantly mediated the impact of drought on survival, but not growth, suggesting survival could be a stronger driver of species' drought response in this system. TLP predicted survival in drier years, but easier-to-measure LDMC and RDMC were equal or better predictors. These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms by which drought drives population dynamics, and show that abiotic context determines how traits drive fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice E Stears
- Botany Department and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
| | - Peter B Adler
- Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | | | - Julie A Kray
- USDA-ARS Rangeland Resources Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Kevin E Mueller
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH
| | - Troy W Ocheltree
- Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Kevin R Wilcox
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
| | - Daniel C Laughlin
- Botany Department and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
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23
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Jin Y, Liu C, Qian SS, Luo Y, Zhou R, Tang J, Bao W. Large-scale patterns of understory biomass and its allocation across China's forests. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 804:150169. [PMID: 34520923 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant biomass storage and its allocation reflect the ecosystem productivity and adaptation to different environments. Understory vegetation is a significant component of any forest ecosystem and plays a vital role in biodiversity maintenance and the ecosystem's carbon cycle. Although many studies have addressed the relationships of climate, stand structure and resource availability with understory biomass and its allocation at local scales, the large-scale variation of understory biomass and allocation and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We compiled a large database of understory biomass at the community level across China's forests to explore the large-scale patterns of understory biomass and R/S ratio, and to quantify the relative importance of drivers. Understory biomass and R/S ratio varied largely with forest types, and decreased with increasing longitude, but increased with elevation. Understory biomass increased with increasing latitude, mean annual temperature (MAT), and mean annual precipitation (MAP), while the R/S ratio decreased with latitude, MAT, and MAP. Stand structure had a strong effect on the variations in understory biomass. MAP was the most important driver in determining R/S ratio. This synthesis provides a first assessment of the large-scale patterns of understory biomass and allocation and sheds new light on the mechanisms underlying the variations in understory biomass and its allocation over a broad geographic scale. These findings will improve predictions of understory community dynamics in response to climate change and aid in further optimizing ecosystem process models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqiang Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China.
| | - Chenggang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Song S Qian
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
| | - Yiqi Luo
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Ruiwu Zhou
- College of Geography and Land Engineering, Yuxi Normal University, Yuxi, Yunnan 653100, China
| | - Jianwei Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Weikai Bao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
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Crausbay SD, Sofaer HR, Cravens AE, Chaffin BC, Clifford KR, Gross JE, Knapp CN, Lawrence DJ, Magness DR, Miller-Rushing AJ, Schuurman GW, Stevens-Rumann CS. A Science Agenda to Inform Natural Resource Management Decisions in an Era of Ecological Transformation. Bioscience 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Earth is experiencing widespread ecological transformation in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems that is attributable to directional environmental changes, especially intensifying climate change. To better steward ecosystems facing unprecedented and lasting change, a new management paradigm is forming, supported by a decision-oriented framework that presents three distinct management choices: resist, accept, or direct the ecological trajectory. To make these choices strategically, managers seek to understand the nature of the transformation that could occur if change is accepted while identifying opportunities to intervene to resist or direct change. In this article, we seek to inspire a research agenda for transformation science that is focused on ecological and social science and based on five central questions that align with the resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework. Development of transformation science is needed to apply the RAD framework and support natural resource management and conservation on our rapidly changing planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley D Crausbay
- Conservation Science Partners, Fort Collins, Colorado, and is a consortium partner for the US Geological Survey's North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Helen R Sofaer
- US Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i, United States
| | - Amanda E Cravens
- US Geological Survey's Social and Economic Analysis Branch, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | | | - Katherine R Clifford
- US Geological Survey's Social and Economic Analysis Branch, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - John E Gross
- US National Park Service Climate Change Response Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | | | - David J Lawrence
- US National Park Service Climate Change Response Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Dawn R Magness
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Soldotna, Alaska, United States
| | | | - Gregor W Schuurman
- US National Park Service Climate Change Response Program, in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Camille S Stevens-Rumann
- Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Department and assistant director of the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
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25
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Cheng H, Gong Y, Zuo X. Precipitation Variability Affects Aboveground Biomass Directly and Indirectly via Plant Functional Traits in the Desert Steppe of Inner Mongolia, Northern China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:674527. [PMID: 34456934 PMCID: PMC8385370 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.674527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Clarifying the response of community and dominance species to climate change is crucial for disentangling the mechanism of the ecosystem evolution and predicting the prospective dynamics of communities under the global climate scenario. We examined how precipitation changes affect community structure and aboveground biomass (AGB) according to manipulated precipitation experiments in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. Bayesian model and structural equation models (SEM) were used to test variation and causal relationship among precipitation, plant diversity, functional attributes, and AGB. The results showed that the responses of species richness, evenness, and plant community weighted means traits to precipitation changes in amount and year were significant. The SEM demonstrated that precipitation change in amount and year has a direct effect on richness, evenness, and community-weighted mean (CWM) for height, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf nitrogen content (LNC), and leaf carbon content (LCC) and AGB; there into CWM for height and LDMC had a direct positive effect on AGB; LA had a direct negative effect on AGB. Three dominant species showed diverse adaptation and resource utilization strategies in response to precipitation changes. A. polyrhizum showed an increase in height under the precipitation treatments that promoted AGB, whereas the AGB of P. harmala and S. glareosa was boosted through alterations in height and LA. Our results highlight the asynchronism of variation in community composition and structure, leaf functional traits in precipitation-AGB relationship. We proposed that altered AGB resulted from the direct and indirect effects of plant functional traits (plant height, LA, LDMC) rather than species diversity, plant functional traits are likely candidate traits, given that they are mechanistically linked to precipitation changes and affected aboveground biomass in a desert steppe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Cheng
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Yuanbo Gong
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, China
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26
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Kang X, Li Y, Zhou J, Zhang S, Li C, Wang J, Liu W, Qi W. Response of Leaf Traits of Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Broad-Leaved Woody Plants to Climatic Factors. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:679726. [PMID: 34394139 PMCID: PMC8363248 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.679726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Plant ecologists have long been interested in quantifying how leaf traits vary with climate factors, but there is a paucity of knowledge on these relationships given a large number of the relevant leaf traits and climate factors to be considered. We examined the responses of 11 leaf traits (including leaf morphology, stomatal structure and chemical properties) to eight common climate factors for 340 eastern Qinghai-Tibetan woody species. We showed temperature as the strongest predictor of leaf size and shape, stomatal size and form, and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, implying the important role of local heat quantity in determining the variation in the cell- or organ-level leaf morphology and leaf biochemical properties. The effects of moisture-related climate factors (including precipitation and humidity) on leaf growth were mainly through variability in leaf traits (e.g., specific leaf area and stomatal density) related to plant water-use physiological processes. In contrast, sunshine hours affected mainly cell- and organ-level leaf size and shape, with plants developing small/narrow leaves and stomata to decrease leaf damage and water loss under prolonged solar radiation. Moreover, two sets of significant leaf trait-climate relationships, i.e., the leaf/stomata size traits co-varying with temperature, and the water use-related leaf traits co-varying with precipitation, were obtained when analyzing multi-trait relationships, suggesting these traits as good indicators of climate gradients. Our findings contributed evidence to enhance understanding of the regional patterns in leaf trait variation and its environmental determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yanan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jieyang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shiting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chenxi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Juhong Wang
- College of Life Science and Food Technology, Hanshan Normal University, Chaozhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wei Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Qi,
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