1
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Dallstream C, Milder L, Powers JS, Soper FM. Strong scale-dependent relationships between fine-root function and soil properties uncovered with spatially coupled sampling. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 246:2506-2521. [PMID: 40302234 PMCID: PMC12095980 DOI: 10.1111/nph.70143] [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: 11/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2025] [Indexed: 05/02/2025]
Abstract
Substantial fine-root trait variation is found at fine spatial scales but rarely linked to edaphic variation. We assessed the spatial scales of variation in fine-root traits and adjacent soils using a spatially coupled, nested sampling scheme along a fertility gradient in a seasonally dry tropical forest tree, Handroanthus ochraceus. We examined relationships among fine-root traits and identified edaphic drivers of fine-root function. We collected fine-root samples at three scales: multiple samples within individual trees (separated by > 1 m), among trees in a site (3-60 m) and across three sites (15-60 km). We quantified physiological, symbiotic, morphological, chemical and architectural traits, and paired soil physical and chemical properties. Fine-root traits and soils often varied most at fine spatial scales. Root arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and phosphomonoesterase activity were coordinated and driven by coarse-scale heterogeneity in bulk density, magnesium and phosphate. The trade-off between large diameter and high specific root length, respiration rate and nitrogen concentration was driven by fine-scale heterogeneity in ammonium. The role of base cations was notable, with nitrogen and phosphorus being less influential than expected. Intraspecific fine-root responses to edaphic properties can occur at multiple spatial scales simultaneously and be detected when variation in both is properly captured and spatially matched.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lola Milder
- Bieler School of EnvironmentMcGill UniversityMontrealQCH3A 2A7Canada
| | - Jennifer S. Powers
- Department of Plant and Microbial BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulMN55108USA
| | - Fiona M. Soper
- Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealQCH3A 1B1Canada
- Bieler School of EnvironmentMcGill UniversityMontrealQCH3A 2A7Canada
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2
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Craig ME, Walker AP, Iversen CM, Knox RG, Yaffar D, York LM. Tree root nutrient uptake kinetics vary with nutrient availability, environmental conditions, and root traits: a global analysis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 246:2495-2505. [PMID: 40296682 DOI: 10.1111/nph.70140] [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: 12/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2025] [Indexed: 04/30/2025]
Abstract
Root nutrient uptake by trees is a critical process that couples carbon and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Yet, root nutrient uptake traits are poorly constrained, and the dynamics of this process are often not represented in models reflecting sparse measurements and understanding of root nutrient uptake physiology that lags those of aboveground physiology in forest ecosystems. Here, we present a global dataset of published nutrient uptake capacity and affinity values for tree species, with the goal of describing global patterns and evaluating responses to environmental drivers and associations with root traits. The dataset contains observations for ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate uptake spanning 77 tree species. Nutrient uptake capacity and affinity varied by more than an order of magnitude for each nutrient. Notably, tropical forests are underrepresented in these observations. Nutrient uptake capacity was generally diminished under nutrient enrichment but enhanced with soil warming and root-mycorrhizal colonization. The magnitude and direction of these effects can depend on the duration of exposure to a given treatment. Species with thinner roots had a tendency toward greater uptake capacity and affinity. Overall, root nutrient uptake traits are highly variable across tree species, yet they depend on environmental drivers and life-history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E Craig
- Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Anthony P Walker
- Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Colleen M Iversen
- Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Ryan G Knox
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Daniela Yaffar
- Environmental Sciences Division and Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Larry M York
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
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3
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Kretz L, Schnabel F, Richter R, Raabgrund A, Kattge J, Andraczek K, Kahl A, Künne T, Wirth C. Functional traits explain growth response to successive hotter droughts across a wide set of common and future tree species in Europe. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2025. [PMID: 40343391 DOI: 10.1111/plb.70024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2025] [Indexed: 05/11/2025]
Abstract
In many regions worldwide, forests increasingly suffer from droughts. The 'hotter drought' in Europe in 2018, and the consecutive drought years 2019 and 2020 caused large-scale growth declines and forest dieback. We investigated whether tree growth responses to the 2018-2020 drought can be explained by tree functional traits related to drought tolerance, growth and resource acquisition. We assessed the growth response, that is, growth during drought compared to pre-drought conditions of 71 planted tree species, using branch shoot increments. We used gap-filled trait data related to drought tolerance (P50, stomatal density, conductivity), resource acquisition (SLA, LNC, C:N, Amax) and wood density from the TRY database to explain growth responses, while accounting for differences in growth programmes (spring vs. full-season growing species). We found significantly reduced growth during the 2018 drought across all species. Legacy effects further reduced growth in 2019 and 2020. Gymnosperms showed decreasing growth with increasing P50 and acquisitiveness, such as high SLA, LNC, and Amax. Similar results were found for angiosperms, however, with a less clear pattern. Four distinct response types emerged: 'Sufferer', 'Late sufferer', 'Recoverer' and 'Resister', with gymnosperms predominately appearing as 'Sufferer' and 'Late sufferer'. 'Late sufferers' tended to be spring growing species. This study provides evidence for significant growth reductions and legacy effects in response to consecutive hotter droughts, which can be explained by functional traits across a wide range of tree species when accounting for fundamental growth programmes. We conclude that high drought tolerance bolsters growth reductions, while acquisitive species suffer more from drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Kretz
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Department Conservation Biology and Social-Ecological Systems, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental, Leipzig, Germany
| | - F Schnabel
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - R Richter
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, Institute for Geography, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - A Raabgrund
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - J Kattge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - K Andraczek
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - A Kahl
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - T Künne
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - C Wirth
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Life Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
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4
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Bassi L, Hennecke J, Albracht C, Solbach MD, Rai A, Pinheiro Alves de Souza Y, Fox A, Zeng M, Döll S, Doan VC, Richter R, Kahl A, Von Sivers L, Winkler L, Eisenhauer N, Meyer ST, van Dam NM, Weigelt A. Plant species richness promotes the decoupling of leaf and root defence traits while species-specific responses in physical and chemical defences are rare. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 246:729-746. [PMID: 40013369 PMCID: PMC11923407 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20434] [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: 08/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2025] [Indexed: 02/28/2025]
Abstract
The increased positive impact of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning is often attributed to the accumulation of mutualists and dilution of antagonists in diverse plant communities. While increased plant diversity alters traits related to resource acquisition, it remains unclear whether it reduces defence allocation, whether this reduction differs between roots and leaves, or varies among species. To answer these questions, we assessed the effect of plant species richness, plant species identity and their interaction on the expression of 23 physical and chemical leaf and fine root defence traits of 16 plant species in a 19-yr-old biodiversity experiment. Only leaf mass per area, leaf and root dry matter content and root nitrogen, traits associated with both, resource acquisition and defence, responded consistently to species richness. However, species richness promoted a decoupling of these defences in leaves and fine roots, possibly in response to resource limitations in diverse communities. Species-specific responses were rare and related to chemical defence and mutualist collaboration, likely responding to species-specific antagonists' dilution and mutualists' accumulation. Overall, our study suggests that resource limitation in diverse communities might mediate the relationship between plant defence traits and antagonist dilution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Bassi
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
| | - Justus Hennecke
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
| | - Cynthia Albracht
- Department of Soil EcologyHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZHalle06120Germany
- Swammerdam Institute for Life SciencesUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdam1098XHThe Netherlands
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant BiotechnologyJulius Kühn‐InstituteQuedlinburg06484Germany
| | | | - Akanksha Rai
- Department of Biogeochemical ProcessesMax Planck Institute for BiogeochemistryJena0774526Germany
| | - Yuri Pinheiro Alves de Souza
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome AnalysisHelmholtz Zentrum MünchenNeuherberg85764Germany
- TUM School of Life Science, Chair of Environmental MicrobiologyTechnische Universität MünchenFreising85354Germany
| | - Aaron Fox
- TUM School of Life Science, Chair of Environmental MicrobiologyTechnische Universität MünchenFreising85354Germany
- Environment, Soils and Land UseTeagasc, Johnstown Castle, CoWexfordY35HK54Ireland
| | - Ming Zeng
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
- Institute of BiodiversityUniversity JenaJena07743Germany
- Université de BordeauxINRAE, BFP, UMR 1332Villenave d'Ornon33140France
| | - Stefanie Döll
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
- Institute of BiodiversityUniversity JenaJena07743Germany
| | - Van Cong Doan
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
- Institute of BiodiversityUniversity JenaJena07743Germany
- Plant Physiology Unit, Life Sciences and Systems Biology DepartmentUniversity of TurinTorino10123Italy
| | - Ronny Richter
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
| | - Anja Kahl
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
| | - Lea Von Sivers
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
| | - Luise Winkler
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
- Experimental Interaction Ecology, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
| | - Sebastian T. Meyer
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, School of Life SciencesTechnical University MunichFreisingD‐85354Germany
| | - Nicole M. van Dam
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
- Institute of BiodiversityUniversity JenaJena07743Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ)Großbeeren14979Germany
| | - Alexandra Weigelt
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzig04103Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzig04103Germany
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5
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Kimball S, Nguyen MA, Funk JL, Lulow M, Vose G, Huxman TE. Plant traits reveal that biotic resistance to invasibility is shaped by slope aspect. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2025; 35:e70048. [PMID: 40415709 DOI: 10.1002/eap.70048] [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: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2025] [Accepted: 03/27/2025] [Indexed: 05/27/2025]
Abstract
During community assembly, species' traits interact with environmental conditions and influence biotic interactions. Learning how traits of non-native species enable them to successfully navigate these interacting biotic and abiotic filters informs invasion dynamics. Here we test how plant traits relate to invasion resistance under differing degrees of abiotic stress based on slope aspect in a large restoration project in Southern California. The site was dominated by non-native annual plants but was restored to coastal sage scrub and grassland with mixtures of native shrubs, grasses, and forbs on two different slope aspects. Abiotic filters may be stronger than biotic filters on slopes exposed to greater solar radiation (S-facing at our study site) resulting in decreased soil moisture and increased abiotic stress. We measured subsequent establishment and performance by the three most abundant non-native species (Brassica nigra in year 1, Salsola tragus and Sonchus oleraceus in year 3) on N- and S-facing slopes to investigate relationships between traits, abiotic environment, native community composition, and invasibility in the context of community assembly. We evaluated which measures of community functional diversity best predicted invader performance and tested whether relationships between invader performance and community-weighted trait values varied by slope aspect. Plots with slow-growing native shrubs contained less of the fast-growing invasive, Brassica nigra. Invasibility was greatest in native communities restored with native grass and on N-facing slopes. Correlations among individual species traits indicated strong biotic filtering, but only in certain environments. For instance, the abundance of Phacelia cicutaria, a native annual with traits similar to Brassica nigra, was negatively correlated with that invasive on N-facing slopes. Community-weighted trait metrics were also related to invasibility and differed by slope aspect, though relationships varied based on specific functional trait, community-weighted trait measure (mean or dispersion), and invader. The native functional group most effective at preventing invasion (native shrubs) was different from the species that most prevented invasion (native forb). In restoration planning, functional groups and individual native species traits may be more predictive of invasion resistance than community-weighted trait metrics. Combining perennials with an under-story of fast-growing annuals worked well to prevent invasion by non-native annuals. Understanding the role of lifespan effects in biotic filtering is essential for interpreting complex community-weighted trait responses to environmental variation across space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kimball
- Environmental Collaboratory, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Monica A Nguyen
- Department of Biology, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, California, USA
| | - Jennifer L Funk
- Department of Biology, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, California, USA
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Megan Lulow
- Environmental Collaboratory, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Gregory Vose
- Environmental Collaboratory, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Travis E Huxman
- Environmental Collaboratory, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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6
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Wang D, Freschet GT, McCormack ML, Lambers H, Gu J. Nutrient resorption of leaves and roots coordinates with root nutrient-acquisition strategies in a temperate forest. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 246:515-527. [PMID: 39931837 DOI: 10.1111/nph.70001] [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: 10/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2025] [Indexed: 03/21/2025]
Abstract
Nutrient acquisition, conservation and recycling are three mechanisms for plants to meet their nutritional requirements. However, how nutrient recycling relates to other mechanisms remains unknown. Here, we hypothesize that nutrient resorption processes are coordinated with plant nutrient-acquisition strategies. We measured leaf and root nutrient resorption efficiencies and proficiencies and root economic traits for 34 coexisting ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) temperate woody species. Our results revealed that species with lower foraging efficiency relying on mycorrhizal fungi for nutrient absorption (e.g. larger root diameter) have higher root phosphorus resorption efficiency and greater phosphorus concentrations of senesced roots, while species with conservative nutrient-acquisition strategies (e.g. higher root tissue density) have lower nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of senesced leaves and roots. Overall, our results demonstrate that plant nutrient acquisition and protection strategies are partly coordinated with plants' ability to resorb nutrients. First, they suggest that outsourcing phosphorus acquisition to mycorrhiza may limit the value for plants to reduce phosphorus loss. Second, those species better able to protect their living leaves and roots from adversity are not necessarily the most efficient to recycle nutrients, but are nonetheless the most capable of minimizing nutrient loss during organ senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongnan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | | | - M Luke McCormack
- Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL, 60523, USA
| | - Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jiacun Gu
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
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7
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Burks J, Tumber-Dávila SJ. Rooted in potential: advances in estimating spatiotemporal root water uptake in situ. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025. [PMID: 40156230 DOI: 10.1111/nph.70119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2025]
Affiliation(s)
- Junior Burks
- Department of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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8
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Shedd EL, Cavaleri MA, Külheim C, Burton AJ. Fine root respiration in Quercus rubra (L.) aligns with the economics trade-offs in bi-dimensional root trait space. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2025; 45:tpaf024. [PMID: 39969889 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf024] [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: 11/20/2024] [Revised: 01/23/2025] [Accepted: 02/16/2025] [Indexed: 02/20/2025]
Abstract
Plant economic theory argues that growth strategies maximize either the rate or longevity of return per resource investment in a unidimensional trade-off. Belowground trade-offs may not mimic those aboveground due to soil resource heterogeneity, different physical constraints imposed by the shape of roots compared with leaves and fungal symbioses, and often multiple dimensions of variation are found. Root respiration represents a substantial carbon flux out of forest ecosystems, but its placement in these trade-offs is unclear, and its incorporation into carbon cycle models is limited by available data. Most research on root traits has focused on interspecific variability, but here, we investigated whether trade-offs among one species' populations align with those between species by sampling Quercus rubra (L.) populations along a Midwest, USA latitudinal gradient. Across populations, we assessed whether fine root traits follow uni- or multidimensional trade-offs and how these axes relate to root respiration. Respiration rates, morphological traits and root nitrogen were measured on excised fine roots at 14 sites, spanning a wide variety of environmental conditions, and then analyzed for trade-off axes. We uncovered substantial root trait variation among Q. rubra populations that aligned with two distinct trade-offs, one between branching intensity (BI) and average diameter and a second with root tissue density on one end and specific root length, root nitrogen concentration and root specific respiration (RSR) on the other. Reliance on ectomycorrhizal fungi, which colonize root tips, may be a possible explanation for the first axis, with higher BI representing more collaboration. Along the latter axis, RSR increased with root nitrogen concentration and decreased with root tissue density. These results support a similar bidimensional trait space between Q. rubra populations to that between species, with an economics trade-off that might be a useful predictor of the fine root respiration carbon flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- E L Shedd
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - M A Cavaleri
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - C Külheim
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
| | - A J Burton
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931, USA
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9
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Wang S, Comas LH, Reich PB, McCormack ML, Phillips RP, Gu J, Sun T. Variation of root resource acquisition and conservation strategies in a temperate forest is linked with plant growth forms. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2025; 45:tpaf027. [PMID: 40037285 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf027] [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: 01/15/2025] [Revised: 02/17/2025] [Accepted: 02/23/2025] [Indexed: 03/06/2025]
Abstract
Exploring why species of different plant growth forms can coexist in the same forest is critical for understanding the long-term community stability, but is poorly studied from root ecological strategies. The aim of this study was to explore the variation of root functional traits among different growth forms and their distribution patterns in root economics space to clarify how plant growth forms affect the root resource acquisition strategies of co-occurring species in a forest community. We sampled 115 co-occurring species with five growth forms (i.e., trees, shrubs, lianas, herbs and ferns) from a mega-plot (>50 ha) in temperate forest and measured seven root functional traits, including root morphological, anatomical and chemical traits, that are closely associated with root resource foraging and conservation strategies. We found that root specific length (SRL) and tissue density (RTD) showed wider variations than other traits among the five growth forms. Moreover, compared with clade and mycorrhizal type, variations of SRL and RTD were largely attributed to growth forms. Importantly, 115 co-occurring species were separately aggregated by growth forms along the trade-off dimension of SRL and RTD in root economics space, suggesting the diversity in root resource acquisition strategies at a local forest community is linked to plant growth forms. In particular, herbs were concentrated towards the side of high SRL and RN, by contrast, trees, shrubs and ferns were positioned at the side of high RTD and carbon/nitrogen, and lianas were located towards the middle. Diverse root resource acquisition strategies in plant growth forms allow them to occupy specific belowground ecological niches, thereby relieving the competition for the common resource. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanism for maintaining community species coexistence from a below-ground perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Wang
- CAS Kay Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 72, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Louise H Comas
- USDA-ARS, Water Management and Systems Research Unit, 2150 Center Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
- Colorado State University, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, 108 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 2005 Upper Buford Cir, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Institute for Global Change Biology, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Bourke Street, NSW 2753, Australia
| | - M Luke McCormack
- The Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53 Lisle, IL 60515, USA
| | - Richard P Phillips
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Biology Building, Rm. 1421001 East Third Street Bloomington, IN 47401, USA
| | - Jiacun Gu
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, No. 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Tao Sun
- CAS Kay Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 72, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016, China
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10
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Pan Z, Lu Z, Li S, Liao J, Zhou C, Chen L, Chen S, Cai N, Wang D, Xu Y. Seasonal Variation in Root Morphological Traits and Non-Structural Carbohydrates of Pinus yunnanensis Seedlings Across Different Seedling Orders. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2025; 14:825. [PMID: 40094837 PMCID: PMC11902860 DOI: 10.3390/plants14050825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2025] [Accepted: 03/04/2025] [Indexed: 03/19/2025]
Abstract
Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), comprising soluble sugars (SS) and starch (ST), are essential for plant growth and development. The distribution of SS and ST concentration across various organs fluctuates throughout time due to the changes in root morphology in plants, ultimately demonstrating multiple strategies for adapting to seasonal environmental variations. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the seasonal dynamic patterns of root morphology in Pinus yunnanensis, with particular emphasis on specific root length (SRL), specific root surface area (SRA), root tissue density (RTD), and average diameter (AD). This study also aimed to investigate the seasonal fluctuation patterns of NSC. The SRL, SRA, RTD, and AD in both first-order and second-order seedlings had analogous fluctuation patterns from March to December. Although the SRL, SRA, RTD, and AD of third-order seedlings exhibited minor differences from the preceding orders, the overall variance patterns corresponded with those of the first two seedling groups. Consequently, the seasonal fluctuations in SS, ST, and NSC levels in various seedling orders exhibited patterns similar to root morphological characteristics. The SRL, SRA, and AD of three seedling orders exhibited a significant correlation with SS, ST, and NSC, confirming the link between NSC concentration and root morphology. The responses of SS, ST, and NSC in various organs of P. yunnanensis seedlings to root morphological characteristics further substantiated the correlation between the variations in NSC across different organs and root morphological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixing Pan
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Zhuangyue Lu
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Sunling Li
- Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, Kunming 650224, China;
| | - Jianzhen Liao
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Chiyu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Shi Chen
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Nianhui Cai
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Dexin Wang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Yulan Xu
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; (Z.P.); (Z.L.); (J.L.); (C.Z.); (L.C.); (S.C.); (N.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650224, China
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11
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Zhang C, Zhu T, Nielsen UN, Wright IJ, Li N, Chen X, Liu M. An integrated fast-slow plant and nematode economics spectrum predicts soil organic carbon dynamics during natural restoration. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2025; 245:2467-2479. [PMID: 39364765 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20166] [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: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
Aboveground and belowground attributes of terrestrial ecosystems interact to shape carbon (C) cycling. However, plants and soil organisms are usually studied separately, leading to a knowledge gap regarding their coordinated contributions to ecosystem C cycling. We explored whether integrated consideration of plant and nematode traits better explained soil organic C (SOC) dynamics than plant or nematode traits considered separately. Our study system was a space-for-time natural restoration chronosequence following agricultural abandonment in a subtropical region, with pioneer, early, mid and climax stages. We identified an integrated fast-slow trait spectrum encompassing plants and nematodes, demonstrating coordinated shifts from fast strategies in the pioneer stage to slow strategies in the climax stage, corresponding to enhanced SOC dynamics. Joint consideration of plant and nematode traits explained more variation in SOC than by either group alone. Structural equation modeling revealed that the integrated fast-slow trait spectrum influenced SOC through its regulation of microbial traits, including microbial C use efficiency and microbial biomass. Our findings confirm the pivotal role of plant-nematode trait coordination in modulating ecosystem C cycling and highlight the value of incorporating belowground traits into biogeochemical cycling under global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongzhe Zhang
- Centre for Grassland Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Tongbin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MLR & Guangxi, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Uffe N Nielsen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Ian J Wright
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Plant Success in Nature & Agriculture, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Na Li
- Centre for Grassland Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaoyun Chen
- Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Manqiang Liu
- Centre for Grassland Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
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12
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Sanaei A, van der Plas F, Chen H, Davids S, Eckhardt S, Hennecke J, Kahl A, Möller Y, Richter R, Schütze J, Wirth C, Weigelt A. Tree growth is better explained by absorptive fine root traits than by transport fine root traits. Commun Biol 2025; 8:313. [PMID: 40011709 PMCID: PMC11865288 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07756-y] [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: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2025] [Indexed: 02/28/2025] Open
Abstract
Although the interest in root traits has increased in recent years, we still have limited knowledge of (i) whether functionally different fine roots-absorptive versus transport roots-have similar trait coordination and (ii) how they help to explain plant performance, such as growth. We measured traits of 25 European broadleaved tree species growing in a research arboretum to study (i) the coordination of root traits within absorptive and transport fine roots and (ii) the degree of trait-tree growth relationships. To do so, we combined a suite of morphological and anatomical traits for each of the absorptive and transport roots. Despite remarkable differences in average trait values between absorptive and transport roots, our study shows that trait coordination within absorptive and transport roots is relatively similar. Our results also show that, for the selected traits, tree growth is better explained by absorptive root traits than by transport root traits and is higher in species with thinner roots. The stronger relationship between absorptive roots and tree growth highlights that roots mostly involved with resource absorption are more important in explaining tree growth than transport roots, which are mainly responsible for resource transportation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvar Sanaei
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Fons van der Plas
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hongmei Chen
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Sophie Davids
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Justus Hennecke
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Kahl
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yasmin Möller
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ronny Richter
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jana Schütze
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Wirth
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Alexandra Weigelt
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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13
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Lemoine T, Violle C, Gonzalez EA, Gaubert M, Rocher A, Fréville H, Fort F. Unravelling the impact of domestication on competitive ability in durum wheat: a phenotypic plasticity perspective. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2025; 76:1300-1313. [PMID: 39673786 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae480] [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: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 12/13/2024] [Indexed: 12/16/2024]
Abstract
The need to address the impact of domestication on plant traits is frequently highlighted in modern agriculture. It is often argued that domesticated plants have lost competitive ability due to reduced phenotypic plasticity. This study investigates whether domestication has affected competitive ability, functional trait values, and plasticity in durum wheat across 39 genotypes representing four key stages of domestication, from wild progenitors to modern elite varieties. Plants were grown in pots, both alone and in competition with the same neighbouring genotype. Biomass, and above- and belowground traits were measured at the end of the vegetative stage. Our results showed that the three domesticated groups lost less biomass in response to competition compared with their wild progenitors. All genotypes developed thinner leaves and thicker roots when grown with a neighbour. While wild progenitors exhibited the highest plasticity, this did not translate to a greater competitive ability. These findings challenge the theoretical expectation that domesticated plants are less suited for competition. Instead, they suggest that domesticated plants perform well in competitive environments and question the need to reintroduce wild traits to improve competitive ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taïna Lemoine
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier, France
- AGAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Cyrille Violle
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | | | - Mathis Gaubert
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Aline Rocher
- AGAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Hélène Fréville
- AGAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Florian Fort
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, L'Institut Agro, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier, France
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14
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Hähn GJA, Damasceno G, Alvarez-Davila E, Aubin I, Bauters M, Bergmeier E, Biurrun I, Bjorkman AD, Bonari G, Botta-Dukát Z, Campos JA, Čarni A, Chytrý M, Ćušterevska R, de Gasper AL, De Sanctis M, Dengler J, Dolezal J, El-Sheikh MA, Finckh M, Galán-de-Mera A, Garbolino E, Gholizadeh H, Golub V, Haider S, Hatim MZ, Hérault B, Homeier J, Jandt U, Jansen F, Jentsch A, Kattge J, Kessler M, Khanina L, Kreft H, Küzmič F, Lenoir J, Moeslund JE, Mucina L, Naqinezhad A, Noroozi J, Pérez-Haase A, Phillips OL, Pillar VD, Rivas-Torres G, Ruprecht E, Sandel B, Schmidt M, Schmiedel U, Schnitzer S, Schrodt F, Šilc U, Sparrow B, Sporbert M, Stančić Z, Strohbach B, Svenning JC, Tang CQ, Tang Z, Vibrans AC, Violle C, Waller D, Wana D, Wang HF, Whitfeld T, Zizka G, Sabatini FM, Bruelheide H. Global decoupling of functional and phylogenetic diversity in plant communities. Nat Ecol Evol 2025; 9:237-248. [PMID: 39627407 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02589-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 10/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/11/2025]
Abstract
Plant communities are composed of species that differ both in functional traits and evolutionary histories. As species' functional traits partly result from their individual evolutionary history, we expect the functional diversity of communities to increase with increasing phylogenetic diversity. This expectation has only been tested at local scales and generally for specific growth forms or specific habitat types, for example, grasslands. Here we compare standardized effect sizes for functional and phylogenetic diversity among 1,781,836 vegetation plots using the global sPlot database. In contrast to expectations, we find functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity to be only weakly and negatively correlated, implying a decoupling between these two facets of diversity. While phylogenetic diversity is higher in forests and reflects recent climatic conditions (1981 to 2010), functional diversity tends to reflect recent and past climatic conditions (21,000 years ago). The independent nature of functional and phylogenetic diversity makes it crucial to consider both aspects of diversity when analysing ecosystem functioning and prioritizing conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg J A Hähn
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Gabriella Damasceno
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Isabelle Aubin
- Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marijn Bauters
- Department of Environment, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Erwin Bergmeier
- Department of Vegetation and Phytodiversity Analysis, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Idoia Biurrun
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Anne D Bjorkman
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gianmaria Bonari
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Zoltán Botta-Dukát
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Juan A Campos
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Andraž Čarni
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- School for Viticulture and Enology, University of Nova Gorica, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
| | - Milan Chytrý
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Renata Ćušterevska
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | | | - Michele De Sanctis
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Jürgen Dengler
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Jiri Dolezal
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Science, Trebon, Czechia
| | - Mohamed A El-Sheikh
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manfred Finckh
- Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Hamid Gholizadeh
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Valentin Golub
- Institute of Ecology of the Volga River Basin, Samara Federal Research Scientific Center, Togliatti, Russia
| | - Sylvia Haider
- Institute of Ecology, School of Sustainability, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Mohamed Z Hatim
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Environmental Sciences Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bruno Hérault
- CIRAD, UPR Forêts et Sociétés, Campus de Baillarguet, Montpellier, France
- University Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jürgen Homeier
- Resource Management, HAWK Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ute Jandt
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Anke Jentsch
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, Department of Disturbance Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Jens Kattge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Kessler
- Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Larisa Khanina
- Branch of the M.V. Keldysh IAM RAS, IMPB RAS, Pushchino, Russia
| | - Holger Kreft
- Department of Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Filip Küzmič
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jonathan Lenoir
- UMR CNRS 7058 Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | | | - Ladislav Mucina
- Harry Butler Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Alireza Naqinezhad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Jalil Noroozi
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aaron Pérez-Haase
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Valério D Pillar
- Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegro, Brazil
| | - Gonzalo Rivas-Torres
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Eszter Ruprecht
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Brody Sandel
- Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | | | - Ute Schmiedel
- Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Urban Šilc
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ben Sparrow
- The School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia
| | - Maria Sporbert
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Zvjezdana Stančić
- Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Zagreb, Varaždin, Croatia
| | - Ben Strohbach
- Biodiversity Research Center, Faculty of Health, Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Cindy Q Tang
- College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, University Town, China
| | - Zhiyao Tang
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Department of Ecology, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Cyrille Violle
- CEFE, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Donald Waller
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Desalegn Wana
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Hua-Feng Wang
- Sanya Nanfan Research Institute, Hainan University, Sanya, China
| | | | - Georg Zizka
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt and Department Botany and Molecular Evolution, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Francesco Maria Sabatini
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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15
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Ning Y, Dijkstra FA, Liang XS, Zhang XJ, Yang GJ, Jiang LC, Han XG, Lü XT. Stronger Response of Plant N:P to Nitrogen Enrichment When Considering Roots. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2025; 31:e70091. [PMID: 39950368 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.70091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2024] [Revised: 01/16/2025] [Accepted: 01/29/2025] [Indexed: 05/09/2025]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) enrichment leads to an imbalance of N and phosphorus (P) in plants by enhancing plant N:P, with consequences for ecosystem processes and function. However, the evidence for a plant N-P imbalance is predominantly from studies on aboveground tissues. It remains unclear whether imbalanced aboveground responses would be paralleled by similar responses in roots, which contribute to nearly 70% of total biomass in grasslands globally. We measured community-level N:P stoichiometry of both shoots and roots to 1 m depth across a wide-ranging N addition gradient in a temperate steppe after 7-9 years of treatment. Both shoot N:P (SNP) and root N:P (RNP) showed nonlinear responses to increasing N addition rates, where N:P first increased and then saturated. RNP was significantly higher than SNP and saturated at higher N addition rates than SNP (39.0 vs. 16.8 g N m-2 yr.-1). Furthermore, the inter-annual stability of RNP was higher than that of SNP. Consequently, N:P in whole plants was higher than that in shoots, indicating more severe N-P imbalance than based on shoot measurements only. Previous results from aboveground parts might have underestimated the enhancement of N enrichment on plant N:P. Our results imply that belowground food webs with roots as their food resource would be more severely suffering from N-P imbalance than aboveground food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ning
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Feike A Dijkstra
- Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Xiao-Sa Liang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Zhang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Guo-Jiao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | | | - Xing-Guo Han
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Xiao-Tao Lü
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
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16
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Xi N, Zhao Y, Semchenko M. Interactive effects of leaf pathogens and plant mycorrhizal type on plant diversity-productivity relationships. Ecology 2025; 106:e70029. [PMID: 39935235 PMCID: PMC11814911 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.70029] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 11/15/2024] [Accepted: 12/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2025]
Abstract
Diversity-productivity relationships can differ between forests dominated by different mycorrhizal types and be modulated by specialist and generalist pathogens. However, little is known about how these factors interact to modulate biodiversity effects. We addressed this knowledge gap with a 2-year experiment combining the manipulation of plant richness (one, two, four, eight species) and mycorrhizal tree type (arbuscular mycorrhizal [AM] tree-dominated; ecto-mycorrhizal [ECM] tree-dominated) with fungicide application for leaf pathogens (added or control). Biodiversity effects were quantified for community productivity and its two components (shoots and roots). We observed nonlinear diversity-productivity relationships, with the productivity of ECM tree-dominated communities increasing at low to intermediate diversity and declining at the highest species richness. Foliar fungicide application reduced positive complementarity effects and increased productivity in both ECM tree monocultures as well as eight-species mixtures. This finding suggests that the dilution effects of specialized pathogens may dominate at low diversity, while the spillover effects of generalist pathogens may become dominant at high diversity, resulting in unimodal diversity-productivity relationships. In AM tree-dominated communities, aboveground productivity strongly increased in response to leaf pathogen suppression in eight-species mixtures, and the release from leaf pathogens benefited most of the species that were most productive in fungicide-treated monocultures. This agrees with the prediction that spillover effects of generalist pathogens in diverse plant communities could differentially suppress highly productive species due to the trade-off between growth and defense. In addition, positive biodiversity effects on root production were significantly stronger in AM tree- than ECM tree-dominated communities. Our results demonstrate that relationships between plant diversity and productivity can be nonlinear due to the combined effects of specialized and generalized plant-fungal interactions, depend on plant mycorrhizal type, and differ between aboveground and belowground compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nianxun Xi
- Hainan Baoting Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem Observation and Research StationSchool of Ecology, Hainan UniversityHaikouChina
- School of Life Sciences, School of Ecology, Sun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuTartuEstonia
| | - Yansong Zhao
- Department of Microbial Population BiologyMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | - Marina Semchenko
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of TartuTartuEstonia
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17
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Spitzer CM, Jämtgård S, Larsson MJ, Gundale MJ. Aboveground and belowground trait coordination across twelve boreal forest tree species. Sci Rep 2025; 15:680. [PMID: 39753716 PMCID: PMC11698914 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-84162-0] [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: 09/13/2024] [Accepted: 12/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/06/2025] Open
Abstract
The existence of trait coordination in roots and leaves has recently been debated, with studies reaching opposing conclusions. Here, we assessed trait coordination across twelve boreal tree species. We show that there is only partial evidence for above-belowground coordination for "fast-slow" economic traits across boreal tree species, i.e., while N content in leaves and roots were positively correlated, as well as dry matter content, root dry matter content and leaf N had no significant relationship. For resource acquisition traits (i.e. related to light capture and nutrient uptake) we did not find strong evidence for trait coordination, as specific root length and specific leaf area were not positively correlated. We further show that site only explained between 0 and 7% of the total trait variation, while within-site variation contributed substantially to the total trait variation for a large number of traits (1.6-96%), and more so for morphological root traits than leaf traits. This likely influences the strength of above-belowground trait coordination found across species in our study. Understanding sources of trait variation and above-belowground trait relationships can contribute to improving global and regional C cycling models. However, fine-scale environmental variability should be accounted for given its importance for driving trait variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clydecia M Spitzer
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, Umeå, 901 83, Sweden.
| | - Sandra Jämtgård
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, Umeå, 901 83, Sweden
| | - Marcus J Larsson
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Linnéus väg 6, Umeå, 901 83, Sweden
| | - Michael J Gundale
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, Umeå, 901 83, Sweden
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18
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Yan G, Luo X, Huang B, Wang H, Xing Y, Wang Q. Imbalance in nitrogen and phosphorus allocation between tree roots and leaves induced by nitrogen addition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2025; 958:177925. [PMID: 39675287 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177925] [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: 09/27/2024] [Revised: 11/28/2024] [Accepted: 12/02/2024] [Indexed: 12/17/2024]
Abstract
The allocation of limiting elements, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), in plant organs is essential for nutrient cycling between soil and plants (soil-plant nutrient cycling) and functional optimization in plant communities. Unprecedented inputs of anthropogenic N have caused drastic N and P imbalances in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the effects of N addition on the allocation strategies of N and P between plant organs remain unclear. In this study, we conducted a long-term, multilevel N addition experiment to investigate the allocation strategies for N and P in plant leaves and fine roots. We found that N addition significantly increased leaf N concentration, leaf P concentration, and leaf N:P ratios, while significantly decreasing fine root N concentration, fine root P concentration, and fine root N:P ratios. Additionally, we demonstrated a higher proportional increase of N in leaves and a lower proportional decrease of P in fine roots with N addition. Furthermore, our analyses revealed that N addition influenced the allocation of N and P between plant leaves and fine roots through changes in plant growth patterns and nutrient distribution strategies. These changes were driven by a significant increase in soil inorganic N concentration, a decrease in soil N cycling and a reduction in mycorrhizal symbiosis. Our findings suggest that N addition will likely lead to an imbalance between the N and P cycles in temperate forest ecosystems, due to the unequal allocation of N and P between tree roots and leaves. This imbalance may, in turn, have negative implications for the provision of ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyong Yan
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, 57 Jingxuan West Road, Qufu 273165, China
| | - Xi Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, 57 Jingxuan West Road, Qufu 273165, China
| | - Binbin Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, 57 Jingxuan West Road, Qufu 273165, China
| | - Honglin Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, 57 Jingxuan West Road, Qufu 273165, China
| | - Yajuan Xing
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, 57 Jingxuan West Road, Qufu 273165, China.
| | - Qinggui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, 57 Jingxuan West Road, Qufu 273165, China.
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19
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Hennecke J, Bassi L, Albracht C, Amyntas A, Bergmann J, Eisenhauer N, Fox A, Heimbold L, Heintz-Buschart A, Kuyper TW, Lange M, Pinheiro Alves de Souza Y, Rai A, Solbach MD, Mommer L, Weigelt A. Plant Species Richness and the Root Economics Space Drive Soil Fungal Communities. Ecol Lett 2025; 28:e70032. [PMID: 39737799 DOI: 10.1111/ele.70032] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 10/28/2024] [Accepted: 11/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/01/2025]
Abstract
Trait-based approaches have been increasingly used to relate plants to soil microbial communities. Using the recently described root economics space as an approach to explain the structure of soil-borne fungal communities, our study in a grassland diversity experiment reveals distinct root trait strategies at the plant community level. In addition to significant effects of plant species richness, we show that the collaboration and conservation gradient are strong drivers of the composition of the different guilds of soil fungi. Saprotrophic fungi are most diverse in species-rich plant communities with 'slow' root traits, whereas plant pathogenic fungi are most diverse and abundant in communities with 'fast' and 'DIY' root traits. Fungal biomass is strongly driven by plant species richness. Our results illustrate that the root economics space and plant species richness jointly determine the effects of plants on soil fungal communities and their potential role in plant fitness and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus Hennecke
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Leonardo Bassi
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cynthia Albracht
- Biosystems Data Analysis, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department Soil Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Institute for Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology, Julius Kühn Institute, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Angelos Amyntas
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joana Bergmann
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Aaron Fox
- Chair of Environmental Microbiology, TUM School of Life Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Environment, Soils and Land Use, Teagasc, Johnstown Castle Co., Wexford, Ireland
| | - Lea Heimbold
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Anna Heintz-Buschart
- Biosystems Data Analysis, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas W Kuyper
- Soil Biology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Markus Lange
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Yuri Pinheiro Alves de Souza
- Chair of Environmental Microbiology, TUM School of Life Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Akanksha Rai
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Marcel Dominik Solbach
- Terrestrial Ecology Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandra Weigelt
- Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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20
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Werner R, Gasser LT, Steinparzer M, Mayer M, Ahmed IU, Sandén H, Godbold DL, Rewald B. Early overyielding in a mixed deciduous forest is driven by both above- and below-ground species-specific acclimatization. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 134:1077-1096. [PMID: 39312215 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae150] [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: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/02/2025]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Mixed forest plantations are increasingly recognized for their role in mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing ecosystem resilience. Yet, there remains a significant gap in understanding the early-stage dynamics of species trait diversity and interspecies interactions, particularly in pure deciduous mixtures. This study aims to explore the timing and mechanisms by which trait diversity of deciduous species and competitive interactions influence yield, carbon allocation and space occupation in mixed forests, both above and below ground. METHODS A forest inventory was conducted in planted monocultures, two-species and four-species mixtures of European Acer, Tilia, Carpinus and Quercus, representing a spectrum from acquisitive to conservative tree species. Effects of competition were assessed with linear mixed-effects models at the level of biomass and space acquisition, including leaf, canopy, stem and fine root traits. KEY RESULTS Early above-ground growth effects were observed 6 years post-planting, with significant biomass accumulation after 8 years, strongly influenced by species composition. Mixtures, especially with acquisitive species, exhibited above-ground overyielding, 1.5-1.9 times higher than monocultures. Fine roots showed substantial overyielding in high-diversity stands. Biomass allocation was species specific and varied markedly by tree size and the level of diversity and between acquisitive Acer and the more conservative species. No root segregation was found. CONCLUSIONS Our findings underscore the crucial role of species trait diversity in enhancing productivity in mixed deciduous forest plantations. Allometric changes highlight the need to differentiate between (active) acclimatizations and (passive) tree size-related changes, but illustrate major consequences of competitive interactions for the functional relationship between leaves, stem and roots. This study points towards the significant contributions of both above- and below-ground components to overall productivity of planted mixed-species forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Werner
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa T Gasser
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Steinparzer
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mathias Mayer
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Iftekhar U Ahmed
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Federal Research and Training Center for Forests (BFW), Department of Forest Protection, Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 8, 1131 Vienna, Austria
| | - Hans Sandén
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Douglas L Godbold
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Zemědělská 3, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Boris Rewald
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Zemědělská 3, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic
- Vienna Scientific Instruments, Heiligenkreuzer Straße 433, 2534 Alland, Austria
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21
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Fan A, Wang X, Yan X, Chen T, Jiang Q, Jia L, Wang W, Xiong D, Huang J, Chen G. Does a whole plant conservation gradient exist within a subtropical broadleaved evergreen forest? FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1481323. [PMID: 39722876 PMCID: PMC11668598 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1481323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 11/25/2024] [Indexed: 12/28/2024]
Abstract
The coordination between leaf and root traits is crucial for plants to synchronize their strategies for acquiring and utilizing above- and belowground resources. Nevertheless, the generality of a whole plant conservation gradient is still controversial. Such testing has been conducted mainly among communities at large spatial scales, and thus evidence is lacking within communities. This is noteworthy because factors that influence leaf and root trait variation differ across scales. Here, we measured pairs of analogous leaf and first-order root traits, including morphological (leaf thickness (LT) and root diameter (RD), leaf mass per unit area (LMA) and specific root length (SRL), and leaf and root tissue density (LTD and RTD)) and chemical traits (carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in leaf and root tissues), on the same plants from 60 woody species within a subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest. The trade-off patterns in and correlations between leaf and root traits were examined using (phylogenetic) principal component analysis and correlation analysis. Our results revealed two dominant dimensions of leaf trait variation, the leaf economics spectrum (LES) and the LT-LTD trade-off axis. Variations in root traits were mainly accounted for by a two-dimensional root economics space (RES) (i.e., root conservation gradient (RTD-RN) and root collaboration gradient (RD-SRL)). The LES and root conservation gradient were correlated and could be integrated into one whole plant conservation gradient, independent of the root collaboration gradient and the leaf LT-LTD trade-off dimension. Leaf and root N concentrations correlated positively, independent of phylogeny, whereas analogous leaf and root morphological traits varied independently of each other. These results support the existence of a whole plant conservation gradient, but also highlight a complex integration of multiple above- and belowground adaptive strategies of plants within a forest community, which offer new insight into ecological trade-offs, species coexistence and community assembly in the forest ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailian Fan
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaojun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tingting Chen
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Linqiao Jia
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Decheng Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jinxue Huang
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guangshui Chen
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
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22
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Laughlin DC. Unifying functional and population ecology to test the adaptive value of traits. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1976-1991. [PMID: 38855941 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13107] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Plant strategies are phenotypes shaped by natural selection that enable populations to persist in a given environment. Plant strategy theory is essential for understanding the assembly of plant communities, predicting plant responses to climate change, and enhancing the restoration of our degrading biosphere. However, models of plant strategies vary widely and have tended to emphasize either functional traits or life-history traits at the expense of integrating both into a general framework to improve our ecological and evolutionary understanding of plant form and function. Advancing our understanding of plant strategies will require investment in two complementary research agendas that together will unify functional ecology and population ecology. First, we must determine what is phenotypically possible by quantifying the dimensionality of plant traits. This step requires dense taxonomic sampling of traits on species representing the broad diversity of phylogenetic clades, environmental gradients, and geographical regions found across Earth. It is important that we continue to sample traits locally and share data globally to fill biased gaps in trait databases. Second, we must test the power of traits for explaining species distributions, demographic rates, and population growth rates across gradients of resource limitation, disturbance regimes, temperature, vegetation density, and frequencies of other strategies. This step requires thoughtful, theory-driven empiricism. Reciprocal transplant experiments beyond the native range and synthetic demographic modelling are the most powerful methods to determine how trait-by-environment interactions influence fitness. Moving beyond easy-to-measure traits and evaluating the traits that are under the strongest ecological selection within different environmental contexts will improve our understanding of plant adaptations. Plant strategy theory is poised to (i) unpack the multiple dimensions of productivity and disturbance gradients and differentiate adaptations to climate and resource limitation from adaptations to disturbance, (ii) distinguish between the fundamental and realized niches of phenotypes, and (iii) articulate the distinctions and relationships between functional traits and life-history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Laughlin
- Botany Department, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, 82071, USA
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23
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Seethepalli A, Ottley C, Childs J, Cope KR, Fine AK, Lagergren JH, Kalluri U, Iversen CM, York LM. Divide and conquer: using RhizoVision Explorer to aggregate data from multiple root scans using image concatenation and statistical methods. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 244:2101-2108. [PMID: 39370539 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20151] [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: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024]
Abstract
Roots are important in agricultural and natural systems for determining plant productivity and soil carbon inputs. Sometimes, the amount of roots in a sample is too much to fit into a single scanned image, so the sample is divided among several scans, and there is no standard method to aggregate the data. Here, we describe and validate two methods for standardizing measurements across multiple scans: image concatenation and statistical aggregation. We developed a Python script that identifies which images belong to the same sample and returns a single, larger concatenated image. These concatenated images and the original images were processed with RhizoVision Explorer, a free and open-source software. An R script was developed, which identifies rows of data belonging to the same sample and applies correct statistical methods to return a single data row for each sample. These two methods were compared using example images from switchgrass, poplar, and various tree and ericaceous shrub species from a northern peatland and the Arctic. Most root measurements were nearly identical between the two methods except median diameter, which cannot be accurately computed by statistical aggregation. We believe the availability of these methods will be useful to the root biology community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Seethepalli
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Chanae Ottley
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 27695, NC, USA
| | - Joanne Childs
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Kevin R Cope
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
- Bayer Crop Science, Chesterfield, MO, 63017, USA
| | - Aubrey K Fine
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - John H Lagergren
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Udaya Kalluri
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Colleen M Iversen
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Larry M York
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
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24
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Schaffer‐Morrison SAZ, Ibáñez I, Weemstra M, Petri L, Umaña MN. Intraspecific Trait Variation in Seedlings Reveals Independence Between Leaf and Root Traits but a Lack of an Independent "Collaboration Axis" Belowground. PLANT-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2024; 5:e70019. [PMID: 39582873 PMCID: PMC11584351 DOI: 10.1002/pei3.70019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2024] [Revised: 11/12/2024] [Accepted: 11/13/2024] [Indexed: 11/26/2024]
Abstract
Plant functional traits help determine resource acquisition strategies. Global trends at the interspecific scale suggest independence between leaf and root traits described by three functional dimensions: resource acquisition above- and belowground and degree of mycorrhizal collaboration belowground. However, there are ecological and evolutionary reasons to expect different patterns of variation within species, especially within seedlings-the stage at which most tree mortality occurs. Describing the intraspecific patterns of trait variation in seedlings will improve the understanding of tree populations' ability to cope with environmental change. We ask the following questions: (1) How do traits above- and belowground co-vary within species? (2) How do traits relate to soil nutrients and light conditions? We collected root and leaf traits on 131 seedlings from four naturally occurring woody species across eight sites in a temperate, deciduous broadleaf forest in the USA. We measured traits reflecting resource use strategies-specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen, root nitrogen, and root tissue density-and those defining the collaboration axis-specific root length and root diameter. We measured light conditions for each seedling and soil nitrogen and phosphorus to examine the relationship between traits and abiotic conditions using a novel multivariate regression analysis approach. We found that above- and belowground traits segregated into independent functional axes and that the collaboration axis merged with the belowground resource-acquisition axis. We found limited associations between abiotic factors and traits. Our findings suggest that within species, there might be additional constraints to adjust to soil conditions and therefore impact response to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Inés Ibáñez
- University of MichiganSchool for Environment and SustainabilityAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Monique Weemstra
- University of MichiganDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- Wageningen UniversityDepartment of Environmental SciencesWageningenNetherlands
| | - Lais Petri
- University of MichiganSchool for Environment and SustainabilityAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- Michigan State UniversityPlant BiologyEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - María Natalia Umaña
- University of MichiganDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyAnn ArborMichiganUSA
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25
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Yang C, Qiu Z, Wang S, Shen H, Ma X. Effects of climate change and deep fertilization on the growth and yield of winter wheat in the Loess Plateau of China. JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2024; 104:9742-9757. [PMID: 39120149 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.13798] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global temperature is projected to rise continuously under climate change, negatively impacting the growth and yield of winter wheat. Optimizing traditional agricultural measures is necessary to mitigate potential winter wheat yield losses caused by future climate change. This study aims to explore the variations in winter wheat growth and yield on the Loess Plateau of China under future climate change, identify the key meteorological factors affecting winter wheat growth and yield, and analyze the differences in winter wheat yield and root characteristics under different fertilization depths. RESULTS Meteorological data from 20 General Circulation Models were applied to drive the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer model, simulating the future growth characteristics of winter wheat under various fertilization depths. The Random Forest model was used to determine the relative importance of meteorological factors influencing winter wheat yield, root length density and leaf area index. The results showed that temperature and high emission concentration were primary factors influencing crop yield under future climate change. The temperature increase projected from 2021 to 2100 would be anticipated to shorten the phenology period of winter wheat by 2-16 days and reduce grain yield by 2.9-12.7% compared to the period from 1981 to 2020. Conversely, the root length density and root weight of winter wheat would increase by 1.2-10.9% and 0.2-24.1%, respectively, in the future, and excessive allocation of root system resources was identified as a key factor contributing to the reduction in winter wheat yield. Compared with the shallow fertilization treatment (N5), the deep fertilization treatments (N15 and N25) increased the proportion of roots in the deep soil layer (30-60 cm) by 2.7-10.2%. Because of the improvement in root structure, the decline in winter wheat yield under deep fertilization treatments in the future is expected to be reduced by 1.2% to 6.5%, whereas water use efficiency increases by 1.1% to 2.4% compared to the shallow fertilization treatment. CONCLUSION The deep fertilization treatment can enhance the root structure of winter wheat and increase the proportion of roots in the deep soil layer, thereby effectively mitigating the decline in winter wheat yield under future climate change. Overall, optimizing fertilization depth effectively addresses the reduced winter wheat yield risks and agricultural production challenges under future climate change. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiping Yang
- A Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid Area of Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Zhiyuan Qiu
- A Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid Area of Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Shuxian Wang
- A Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid Area of Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Hongzheng Shen
- A Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid Area of Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xiaoyi Ma
- A Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid Area of Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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de Alencar MIG, Dias ATC, Asato AEB, Caliman A. Patterns of decomposition and functional traits for flower and leaf litter in tropical woody species. Oecologia 2024; 206:253-264. [PMID: 39400582 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05616-w] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
The variation within and across species has afterlife effects on carbon and nutrient cycling through the alteration of litter decomposability. However, the focus on leaves may not reflect a whole-plant economic spectrum of strategies. Here, we assessed the patterns and predictors of flower and leaf-litter decomposition at the intra- (i.e., flowers and leaves of the same species) and inter-specific (i.e., flowers and leaves from different species) levels for 29 tropical woody species in northeast Brazil. We evaluated nine functional litter traits, including structural and chemical traits. Flower litter decomposed, on average, three times faster than leaf litter (11.9% and 39.4% mass remaining, respectively) and exhibited higher water-holding capacity (WHC), leaching (LEA), and N, P, and K content. Otherwise, leaf litter showed higher density (DEN) and Ca, Mg, and Na content. The average relative differences in decomposition rate and functional traits between flower and leaf litter did not differ at both intra- and inter-specific levels. The predictors of decomposition were mostly similar, explaining 39% and 37% of flower and leaf litter, respectively. Leaching, P, Ca, Mg, and Na predict both flower and leaf-litter decomposition. However, WHC exclusively predicted flower-litter decomposition, and DEN, N, and K exclusively predicted leaf-litter decomposition. The observed differences in decomposition rate and functional traits between flower and leaf litter indicate that the afterlife effects differ between these plant organs and leverage the role of flower litter and its secondary consequences to nutrient and carbon cycling on ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mery Ingrid Guimarães de Alencar
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59072-970, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59072-970, Brazil.
| | - André T C Dias
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Ana Elizabeth Bonato Asato
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59072-970, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59072-970, Brazil
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Adriano Caliman
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Norte, Natal, 59072-970, Brazil
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Yang Y, Bao W, Hu H, Wu N, Li F, Wang Z, Hu B, Yang T, Li X. Environmental factors drive latitudinal patterns of fine-root architectures of 96 xerophytic species in the dry valleys of Southwest China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:175352. [PMID: 39117225 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175352] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Fine-root architecture is critical feature reflecting root explorative and exploitative strategies for soil resources and soil space occupancy. Yet, studies on the variation of fine-root architecture across different species are scare and little work has been done to integrate the potential drivers on these variations along a biogeographical gradient in arid ecosystems. We measured root branching intensity, topological index, and root branching ratios as well as morphological traits (root diameter and length) in dry valley along a 1000 km latitudinal gradient. Influence of phylogeny, environmental factors on fine-root architecture and trade-offs among root traits were evaluated. With increasing latitude, the topological index and second to third root order branching ratio decreased, whereas first-to-second branching ratio increased. Root branching intensity was associated with short and thin fine roots, but has no significant latitudinal pattern. As a whole, soil microbial biomass was the most important driver in the variation of root branching intensity, and soil texture was the strongest predictor of topological index. Additionally, mean annual temperature was an important factor influencing first-to-second branching ratio. Our results suggest variations in fine-root architectures were more dependent on environmental variables than phylogeny, signifying that fine-root architecture is sensitive to environmental variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Yang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weikai Bao
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
| | - Hui Hu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ning Wu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
| | - Fanglan Li
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China.
| | - Zilong Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bin Hu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China
| | - Tinghui Yang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaojuan Li
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Camenzind T, Aguilar-Trigueros CA, Heuck MK, Maerowitz-McMahan S, Rillig MC, Cornwell WK, Powell JR. Progressing beyond colonization strategies to understand arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal life history. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 244:752-759. [PMID: 39229862 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20090] [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: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Knowledge of differential life-history strategies in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is relevant for understanding the ecology of this group and its potential role in sustainable agriculture and carbon sequestration. At present, AM fungal life-history theories often focus on differential investment into intra- vs extraradical structures among AM fungal taxa, and its implications for plant benefits. With this Viewpoint we aim to expand these theories by integrating a mycocentric economics- and resource-based life-history framework. As in plants, AM fungal carbon and nutrient demands are stoichiometrically coupled, though uptake of these elements is spatially decoupled. Consequently, investment in morphological structures for carbon vs nutrient uptake is not in competition. We argue that understanding the ecology and evolution of AM fungal life-history trade-offs requires increased focus on variation among structures foraging for the same element, that is within intra- or extraradical structures (in our view a 'horizontal' axis), not just between them ('vertical' axis). Here, we elaborate on this argument and propose a range of plausible life-history trade-offs that could lead to the evolution of strategies in AM fungi, providing testable hypotheses and creating opportunities to explain AM fungal co-existence, and the context-dependent effects of AM fungi on plant growth and soil carbon dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Camenzind
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlos A Aguilar-Trigueros
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Meike K Heuck
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Solomon Maerowitz-McMahan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Will K Cornwell
- Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Jeff R Powell
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
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Beccari E, Carmona CP. Aboveground and belowground sizes are aligned in the unified spectrum of plant form and function. Nat Commun 2024; 15:9199. [PMID: 39448582 PMCID: PMC11502772 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53180-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: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 10/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the global variation of plant strategies is essential for unravelling eco-evolutionary processes and ecosystem functions. Variation in ten fundamental aboveground and fine-root traits is summarised in four dimensions, the first of which relates to aboveground plant size. However, there is no consensus about how root size fits within this scheme. Here, we add rooting depth and lateral spread, compiling a set of twelve key traits that define the fundamental investments of plants in growth, reproduction, and survival. We examine whether the inclusion of root size alters the dimensionality and structure of trait correlations defining plant functional strategies. Our results show that including root size traits does not alter the fundamental structure and dimensionality of the plant functional space, regardless of trait completeness and phylogenetic relatedness. Plant size defines a single continuum of allometric investments at the global scale, independent from leaf and root economic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Beccari
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Carlos P Carmona
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, Tartu, Estonia
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30
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Garbowski M, Laughlin DC, Blumenthal DM, Sofaer HR, Barnett DT, Beaury EM, Buonaiuto DM, Corbin JD, Dukes JS, Early R, Nebhut AN, Petri L, Vilà M, Pearse IS. Naturalized species drive functional trait shifts in plant communities. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2403120121. [PMID: 39298470 PMCID: PMC11459196 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403120121] [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: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research documenting the consequences of naturalized and invasive plant species on ecosystem functions, our understanding of the functional underpinnings of these changes remains rudimentary. This is partially due to ineffective scaling of trait differences between native and naturalized species to whole plant communities. Working with data from over 75,000 plots and over 5,500 species from across the United States, we show that changes in the functional composition of communities associated with increasing abundance of naturalized species mirror the differences in traits between native and naturalized plants. We find that communities with greater abundance of naturalized species are more resource acquisitive aboveground and belowground, shorter, more shallowly rooted, and increasingly aligned with an independent strategy for belowground resource acquisition via thin fine roots with high specific root length. We observe shifts toward herbaceous-dominated communities but shifts within both woody and herbaceous functional groups follow community-level patterns for most traits. Patterns are remarkably similar across desert, grassland, and forest ecosystems. Our results demonstrate that the establishment and spread of naturalized species, likely in combination with underlying environmental shifts, leads to predictable and consistent changes in community-level traits that can alter ecosystem functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Garbowski
- Botany Department, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY82071
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM88003
| | | | - Dana M. Blumenthal
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins, CO80526
| | - Helen R. Sofaer
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hilo, HI96718
| | | | - Evelyn M. Beaury
- Department of Ecology and Evolution and the High Meadows Environmental Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ08544
| | - Daniel M. Buonaiuto
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA01003
- North East Climate Adaptation Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Amherst, MA01003
| | - Jeffrey D. Corbin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Union College, Schenectady, NY12308
| | - Jeffrey S. Dukes
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA94305
- Departments of Biology and Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Regan Early
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, CornwallEX4 4QD, UK
| | | | - Laís Petri
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI48824
| | - Montserrat Vilà
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Spanish National Research Council, Sevilla41092, Spain
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Sevilla, Sevilla41092, Spain
| | - Ian S. Pearse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO80526
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Ye Z, Mu Y, Van Duzen S, Ryser P. Root and shoot phenology, architecture, and organ properties: an integrated trait network among 44 herbaceous wetland species. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 244:436-450. [PMID: 38600040 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19747] [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: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Integrating traits across above- and belowground organs offers comprehensive insights into plant ecology, but their various functions also increase model complexity. This study aimed to illuminate the interspecific pattern of whole-plant trait correlations through a network lens, including a detailed analysis of the root system. Using a network algorithm that allows individual traits to belong to multiple modules, we characterize interrelations among 19 traits, spanning both shoot and root phenology, architecture, morphology, and tissue properties of 44 species, mostly herbaceous monocots from Northern Ontario wetlands, grown in a common garden. The resulting trait network shows three distinct yet partially overlapping modules. Two major trait modules indicate constraints of plant size and form, and resource economics, respectively. These modules highlight the interdependence between shoot size, root architecture and porosity, and a shoot-root coordination in phenology and dry-matter content. A third module depicts leaf biomechanical adaptations specific to wetland graminoids. All three modules overlap on shoot height, suggesting multifaceted constraints of plant stature. In the network, individual-level traits showed significantly higher centrality than tissue-level traits do, demonstrating a hierarchical trait integration. The presented whole-plant, integrated network suggests that trait covariation is essentially function-driven rather than organ-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Ye
- School of Natural Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Yanmei Mu
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Shianne Van Duzen
- School of Natural Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Peter Ryser
- School of Natural Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
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32
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Luo YH, Ma LL, Cadotte MW, Seibold S, Zou JY, Burgess KS, Tan SL, Ye LJ, Zheng W, Chen ZF, Liu DT, Zhu GF, Shi XC, Zhao W, Bi Z, Huang XY, Li JH, Liu J, Li DZ, Gao LM. Testing the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis for ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical mountain forest. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:2401-2415. [PMID: 39073209 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20003] [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: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Mycorrhizal associations are key mutualisms that shape the structure of forest communities and multiple ecosystem functions. However, we lack a framework for predicting the varying dominance of distinct mycorrhizal associations in an integrated proxy of multifunctionality across ecosystems. Here, we used the datasets containing diversity of mycorrhizal associations and 18 ecosystem processes related to supporting, provisioning, and regulating services to examine how the dominance of ectomycorrhiza (EcM) associations affects ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical mountain forests in Southwest China. Meanwhile, we synthesized the prevalence of EcM-dominant effects on ecosystem functioning in forest biomes. Our results demonstrated that elevation significantly modified the distributions of EcM trees and fungal dominance, which in turn influenced multiple functions simultaneously. Multifunctionality increased with increasing proportion of EcM associations, supporting the ectomycorrhizal-dominance hypothesis. Meanwhile, we observed that the impacts of EcM dominance on individual ecosystem functions exhibited different relationships among forest biomes. Our findings highlight the importance of ectomycorrhizal dominance in regulating multifunctionality in subtropical forests. However, this ectomycorrhizal feedback in shaping ecosystem functions cannot necessarily be generalized across forests. Therefore, we argue that the predictions for ecosystem multifunctionality in response to the shifts of mycorrhizal composition could vary across space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Huang Luo
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
| | - Liang-Liang Ma
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Marc W Cadotte
- Biological Sciences, University of Toronto-Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C1A4, Canada
| | - Sebastian Seibold
- Forest Zoology, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Tharandt, 01737, Germany
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, Berchtesgaden, 83471, Germany
| | - Jia-Yun Zou
- Forest Zoology, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Tharandt, 01737, Germany
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
| | - Kevin S Burgess
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Columbus, GA, 31901, USA
| | - Shao-Lin Tan
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Lin-Jiang Ye
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Wei Zheng
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zhi-Fa Chen
- Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - De-Tuan Liu
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Guang-Fu Zhu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Xiao-Chun Shi
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau, Baoshan, 678000, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau, Baoshan, 678000, China
| | - Zheng Bi
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau Tengchong Division, Baoshan, 679100, China
| | - Xiang-Yuan Huang
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau Tengchong Division, Baoshan, 679100, China
| | - Jia-Hua Li
- Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Baoshan Bureau Longyang Division, Baoshan, 678000, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
| | - Lian-Ming Gao
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, 674100, China
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Marcellus M, Goud EM, Swartz N, Brown E, Soper FM. Evolutionary history and root trait coordination predict nutrient strategy in tropical legume trees. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:1711-1723. [PMID: 39005157 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19962] [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: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Plants express diverse nutrient use and acquisition traits, but it is unclear how trait combinations at the species level are constrained by phylogeny, trait coordination, or trade-offs in resource investment. One trait - nitrogen (N) fixation - is assumed to correlate with other traits and used to define plant functional groups, despite potential confounding effects of phylogeny. We quantified growth, carbon metabolism, fixation rate, root phosphatase activity (RPA), mycorrhizal colonization, and leaf and root morphology/chemistry across 22 species of fixing and nonfixing tropical Fabaceae trees under common conditions. Belowground trait variation was high even among closely related species, and most traits displayed a phylogenetic signal, including N-fixation rate and nodule biomass. Across species, we observed strong positive correlations between physiological traits such as RPA and root respiration. RPA increased ~ fourfold per unit increase in fixation, supporting the debated hypothesis that N-fixers 'trade' N for phosphatases to enhance phosphorus acquisition. Specific root length and root N differed between functional groups, though for other traits, apparent differences became nonsignificant after accounting for phylogenetic nonindependence. We conclude that evolutionary history, trait coordination, and fixation ability contribute to nutrient trait expression at the species level, and recommend explicitly considering phylogeny in analyses of functional groupings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Marcellus
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Ellie M Goud
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS, B3H 3C3, Canada
| | - Natalie Swartz
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Emily Brown
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Fiona M Soper
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
- Bieler School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
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Majumder S, Mason CM. A machine learning approach to study plant functional trait divergence. APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES 2024; 12:e11576. [PMID: 39360189 PMCID: PMC11443442 DOI: 10.1002/aps3.11576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Premise Plant functional traits are often used to describe the spectra of ecological strategies used by different species. Here, we demonstrate a machine learning approach for identifying the traits that contribute most to interspecific phenotypic divergence in a multivariate trait space. Methods Descriptive and predictive machine learning approaches were applied to trait data for the genus Helianthus, including random forest and gradient boosting machine classifiers and recursive feature elimination. These approaches were applied at the genus level as well as within each of the three major clades within the genus to examine the variability in the major axes of trait divergence in three independent species radiations. Results Machine learning models were able to predict species identity from functional traits with high accuracy, and differences in functional trait importance were observed between the genus and clade levels indicating different axes of phenotypic divergence. Conclusions Applying machine learning approaches to identify divergent traits can provide insights into the predictability or repeatability of evolution through the comparison of parallel diversifications of clades within a genus. These approaches can be implemented in a range of contexts across basic and applied plant science from interspecific divergence to intraspecific variation across time, space, and environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sambadi Majumder
- Department of Biology University of Central Florida Orlando 32816 Florida USA
- Present address: Global Water Security Center University of Alabama 1041 Cyber Hall, Box 870206 Tuscaloosa 35487 Alabama USA
| | - Chase M Mason
- Department of Biology University of Central Florida Orlando 32816 Florida USA
- Department of Biology University of British Columbia Okanagan Kelowna V1W5H9 British Columbia Canada
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Zhang C, Cai Y, Zhao Q, He T, Mao T, Zhang T, Zhang L, Su W. The quantification of root exudation by an in-situ method based on root morphology over three incubation periods. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1423703. [PMID: 39220007 PMCID: PMC11361950 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1423703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Investigating the quantity and spatiotemporal dynamics of metabolite release from plant roots is essential if we are to understand the ecological significance of root exudates in the rhizosphere; however, this is difficult to quantify. In the present study, we quantified in situ root exudation rates during three incubation periods (0-24, 24-48, and 48-72 h) and fine roots within four diameter ranges (<0.8, 0.8-1.0, 1.0-1.2, and 1.2-2.0 mm), and also measured nine morphological traits in the fine roots of Pinus massoniana. Higher root carbon (C) exudation rates were detected during the 0-24 h period. During the 0-24 h and 24-48 h periods, nitrogen (N) uptake rates were higher than N exudation rates, while during the 48-72 h period, N exudation rates exceeded uptake rates. As C exudation increased during 0-48h incubation period, the uptake of N tended to level out. We concluded that the 24-48 h incubation period was the most suitable for capturing root exudates from P. massoniana. The exudation of C from the roots was positively associated with root mass, length, surface area, volume, the number of root tips, and the root tissue density, when incubated for 0-24 h and 24-48 h. Furthermore, length-specific C exudation rates, along with N exudation and uptake rates, all increased as the diameter of the fine roots increased. The release of root exudates could be efficiently predicted by the fine root morphological traits, although the accuracy of prediction depended on the incubation period. Higher values for fine root morphological traits were generally indicative of higher nutrient requirements and tissue investment, as well as higher C exudation rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengfu Zhang
- Guizhou Institute of Mountain Resources, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yinmei Cai
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Qingxia Zhao
- Institute of New Rural Development, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Tengbing He
- College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Tianxu Mao
- College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Institute of New Rural Development, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Limin Zhang
- Guizhou Academy of Testing and Analysis, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Weici Su
- Guizhou Institute of Mountain Resources, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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Ma B, Ge J, Zhao C, Xu W, Xu K, Xie Z. Plant economics spectrum governs leaf nitrogen and phosphorus resorption in subtropical transitional forests. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:764. [PMID: 39123124 PMCID: PMC11316423 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05484-9] [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: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption is a fundamental adaptation strategy for plant nutrient conservation. However, the relative roles that environmental factors and plant functional traits play in regulating N and P resorption remain largely unclear, and little is known about the underlying mechanism of plant functional traits affecting nutrient resorption. Here, we measured leaf N and P resorption and 13 plant functional traits of leaf, petiole, and twig for 101 representative broad-leaved tree species in our target subtropical transitional forests. We integrated these multiple functional traits into the plant economics spectrum (PES). We further explored whether and how elevation-related environmental factors and these functional traits collectively control leaf N and P resorption. RESULTS We found that deciduous and evergreen trees exhibited highly diversified PES strategies, tending to be acquisitive and conservative, respectively. The effects of PES, rather than of environmental factors, dominated leaf N and P resorption patterns along the elevational gradient. Specifically, the photosynthesis and nutrient recourse utilization axis positively affected N and P resorption for both deciduous and evergreen trees, whereas the structural and functional investment axis positively affected leaf N and P resorption for evergreen species only. Specific leaf area and green leaf nutrient concentrations were the most influential traits driving leaf N and P resorption. CONCLUSIONS Our study simultaneously elucidated the relative contributions of environmental factors and plant functional traits to leaf N and P resorption by including more representative tree species than previous studies, expanding our understanding beyond the relatively well-studied tropical and temperate forests. We highlight that prioritizing the fundamental role of traits related to leaf resource capture and defense contributes to the monitoring and modeling of leaf nutrient resorption. Therefore, we need to integrate PES effects on leaf nutrient resorption into the current nutrient cycling model framework to better advance our general understanding of the consequences of shifting tree species composition for nutrient cycles across diverse forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jielin Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Changming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Wenting Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Kai Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Zongqiang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Yu H, Le X, Peñuelas J, Sardans J, Xu C, Zou Y, Zhang X, Li C, Mao Z, Cheng D, Zhong Q. Trait divergence and opposite above- and below-ground strategies facilitate moso bamboo invasion into subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1410372. [PMID: 39100082 PMCID: PMC11294163 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1410372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the invasion of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) into adjacent evergreen broadleaf forest based on functional traits is crucial due to its significant influence on ecosystem processes. However, existing research has primarily focused on above- or below-ground traits in isolation, lacking a comprehensive integration of both. In this study, we conducted a trait-based analysis including 23 leaf traits and 11 root traits in three forest types - bamboo forest, mixed bamboo and broadleaf forest, and evergreen broadleaf forest - to investigate trait differences, phenotypic integration, and above- and below-ground resource strategies in bamboo and broadleaf species. Our findings demonstrated significant differences in leaf and root key traits between bamboo and broadleaf species, strongly supporting the "phenotypic divergence hypothesis". Bamboo exhibited stronger trait correlations compared to broadleaf species, indicating higher phenotypic integration. Above- and below-ground strategies were characterized by trade-offs rather than coordination, resulting in a multi-dimensional trait syndrome. Specifically, a unidimensional leaf economics spectrum revealed that bamboo with higher leaf N concentrations (LNC), P concentrations (LPC), and specific leaf area (SLA) adopted a "fast acquisitive" above-ground strategy, while broadleaf species with thicker leaves employed a "slow conservative" above-ground strategy. A two-dimensional root trait syndrome indicated a "conservation" gradient with bamboo adopting a "slow conservative" below-ground strategy associated with higher root tissue density (RTD), and broadleaf species exhibiting a "fast acquisitive" below-ground strategy linked to higher root N concentrations (RNC) and P concentrations (RPC), and a "collaboration" gradient probably ranging from broadleaf species with a "do-it-yourself" strategy characterized by high specific root length (SRL), to bamboo adopting an "outsourcing" strategy with thicker roots. In conclusion, key trait divergence from coexisting broadleaf species, higher phenotypic integration, and multi-dimensional opposite above- and below-ground resource strategies confer competitive advantages to moso bamboo, shedding light on the mechanistic understanding of its invasion into subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest and providing theoretical guidance for maintaining the stability of subtropical forest ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Yu
- College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- College of Geography and Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xingui Le
- Department of Protection and Management, Administrative Bureau of Yangjifeng National Nature Reserve, Guixi, Jiangxi, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Center (CREAF), Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Center (CREAF), Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Chaobin Xu
- College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yuxing Zou
- College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- College of Tourism and Resources Environment, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, Shandong, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Conghui Li
- College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zhenwei Mao
- Department of Protection and Management, Administrative Bureau of Yangjifeng National Nature Reserve, Guixi, Jiangxi, China
| | - Dongliang Cheng
- College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Quanlin Zhong
- College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
- Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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38
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Hollister RD. Why we need long-term monitoring to understand ecosystem change. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2409666121. [PMID: 38913909 PMCID: PMC11228527 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2409666121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
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39
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Wild AJ, Steiner FA, Kiene M, Tyborski N, Tung SY, Koehler T, Carminati A, Eder B, Groth J, Vahl WK, Wolfrum S, Lueders T, Laforsch C, Mueller CW, Vidal A, Pausch J. Unraveling root and rhizosphere traits in temperate maize landraces and modern cultivars: Implications for soil resource acquisition and drought adaptation. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2024; 47:2526-2541. [PMID: 38515431 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14898] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
A holistic understanding of plant strategies to acquire soil resources is pivotal in achieving sustainable food security. However, we lack knowledge about variety-specific root and rhizosphere traits for resource acquisition, their plasticity and adaptation to drought. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to phenotype root and rhizosphere traits (mean root diameter [Root D], specific root length [SRL], root tissue density, root nitrogen content, specific rhizosheath mass [SRM], arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [AMF] colonization) of 16 landraces and 22 modern cultivars of temperate maize (Zea mays L.). Our results demonstrate that landraces and modern cultivars diverge in their root and rhizosphere traits. Although landraces follow a 'do-it-yourself' strategy with high SRLs, modern cultivars exhibit an 'outsourcing' strategy with increased mean Root Ds and a tendency towards increased root colonization by AMF. We further identified that SRM indicates an 'outsourcing' strategy. Additionally, landraces were more drought-responsive compared to modern cultivars based on multitrait response indices. We suggest that breeding leads to distinct resource acquisition strategies between temperate maize varieties. Future breeding efforts should increasingly target root and rhizosphere economics, with SRM serving as a valuable proxy for identifying varieties employing an outsourcing resource acquisition strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas J Wild
- Agroecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Franziska A Steiner
- Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Marvin Kiene
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Nicolas Tyborski
- Ecological Microbiology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Shu-Yin Tung
- Institute for Agroecology and Organic Farming, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, Freising, Germany
- School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Tina Koehler
- Soil Physics, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
- Physics of Soils and Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Carminati
- Physics of Soils and Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Eder
- Institute for Crop Science and Plant Breeding, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture (LfL), Freising, Germany
| | - Jennifer Groth
- Institute for Crop Science and Plant Breeding, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture (LfL), Freising, Germany
| | - Wouter K Vahl
- Institute for Crop Science and Plant Breeding, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture (LfL), Freising, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wolfrum
- Institute for Agroecology and Organic Farming, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture, Freising, Germany
| | - Tillmann Lueders
- Ecological Microbiology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christian Laforsch
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Carsten W Mueller
- Chair of Soil Science, Institute of Ecology, Technische Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alix Vidal
- Soil Biology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Johanna Pausch
- Agroecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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40
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Guilbeault-Mayers X, Laliberté E. Root phosphatase activity is coordinated with the root conservation gradient across a phosphorus gradient in a lowland tropical forest. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:636-647. [PMID: 38320974 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19567] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Soil phosphorus (P) is a growth-limiting nutrient in tropical ecosystems, driving diverse P-acquisition strategies among plants. Particularly, mining for inorganic P through phosphomonoesterase (PME) activity is essential, given the substantial proportion of organic P in soils. Yet, the relationship between PME activity and other nutrient-acquisition root traits remains unclear. We measured root PME activity and commonly measured root traits, including root diameter, specific root length (SRL), root tissue density (RTD), and nitrogen concentration ([N]) in 18 co-occurring species across soils with varying P availability to better understand trees response to P supply. Root [N] and RTD were inversely related, and that axis was not clearly related to soil P supply. Both traits, however, correlated positively and negatively with PME activity, which responded strongly to P supply. Conversely, root diameter was inversely related to SRL, but this axis was not related to P supply. This pattern suggests that limiting similarity influenced variation along the diameter-SRL axis, explaining local trait diversity. Meanwhile, variation along the root [N]-RTD axis might best reflect environmental filtering. Overall, P availability indicator traits such as PME activity and root hairs only tended to be associated with these axes, highlighting limitations of these axes in describing convergent adaptations at local sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Guilbeault-Mayers
- Département de sciences biologiques, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B1, Canada
| | - Etienne Laliberté
- Département de sciences biologiques, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H1X 2B1, Canada
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41
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Zhang P, Ding J, Wang Q, McDowell NG, Kong D, Tong Y, Yin H. Contrasting coordination of non-structural carbohydrates with leaf and root economic strategies of alpine coniferous forests. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:580-590. [PMID: 38488228 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19678] [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: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), as the labile fraction and dominant carbon currency, are essential mediators of plant adaptation to environments. However, whether and how NSC coordinates with plant economic strategy frameworks, particularly the well-recognized leaf economics spectrums (LES) and root economics space (RES), remains unclear. We examined the relationships between NSC and key plant economics traits in leaves and fine roots across 90 alpine coniferous populations on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We observed contrasting coordination of NSC with economics traits in leaves and roots. Leaf total NSC and soluble sugar aligned with the leaf economic spectrum, conveying a trade-off between growth and storage in leaves. However, NSC in roots was independent of the root economic spectrum, but highly coordinated with root foraging, with more starch and less sugar in forage-efficient, thinner roots. Further, NSC-trait coordination in leaves and roots was, respectively, driven by local temperature and precipitation. These findings highlight distinct roles of NSC in shaping the above- and belowground multidimensional economics trait space, and NSC-based carbon economics provides a mechanistic understanding of how plants adapt to heterogeneous habitats and respond to environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Junxiang Ding
- College of Ecology and Environment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Qitong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Nate G McDowell
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Lab, PO Box 999, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Deliang Kong
- College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Yindong Tong
- School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa, 850000, China
| | - Huajun Yin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
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42
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Ma JG, Wang XB, Hou FJ. A general pattern of plant traits and their relationships with environmental factors and microbial life-history strategies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 931:172670. [PMID: 38679109 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172670] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The trait-based unidimensional plant economics spectrum provides a valuable framework for understanding plant adaptation strategies to the environment. However, it is still uncertain whether there is a general multidimensionality of how variation of both leaf and fine root traits are influenced by environmental factors, and how these relate to microbial resource strategies. Here, we examined the coordination patterns of four pairs of similar leaf and fine root traits of herbaceous plants in an alpine meadow at the community-level, and their environmental driving patterns. We then assessed their correlation with microbial life-history strategies, as these exhibit analogous resource strategies with plants in terms of growth and resource utilization efficiency. Results exhibited an analogous multidimensionality of the economics spectrum for leaf and fine root traits: the first dimension, collaboration gradient, primarily represented a tradeoff between lifespan and resource foraging efficiency; the second dimension, conservation gradient, primarily represented a tradeoff between conservation and acquisition in resource uptake. Climate variables had a stronger impact on both dimensions for leaf and fine root traits than soil variables did; whereas, the primary drivers were more complex for fine root traits than for leaf traits. The collaboration gradient of leaf and fine root traits exhibited consistent relationships with soil microbial life-history strategies, both showed negative and positive correlation with bacterial and fungal strategies, respectively. Our findings suggest that both leaves and fine roots have general multidimensional strategies for adapting to new environments and provide a solid basis for further understanding the relationships between the adaptive strategies of plants and microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Guo Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, and College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China.
| | - Xiao-Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, and College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China.
| | - Fu-Jiang Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, and College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China.
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43
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Wang M, Kong D, Mo X, Wang Y, Yang Q, Kardol P, Valverde-Barrantes OJ, Simpson MJ, Zeng H, Reich PB, Bergmann J, Tharayil N, Wang J. Molecular-level carbon traits underlie the multidimensional fine root economics space. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:901-909. [PMID: 38740944 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01700-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Carbon influences the evolution and functioning of plants and their roots. Previous work examining a small number of commonly measured root traits has revealed a global multidimensionality of the resource economics traits in fine roots considering carbon as primary currency but without considering the diversity of carbon-related traits. To address this knowledge gap, we use data from 66 tree species from a tropical forest to illustrate that root economics space co-varies with a novel molecular-level traits space based on nuclear magnetic resonance. Thinner fine roots exhibit higher proportions of carbohydrates and lower diversity of molecular carbon than thicker roots. Mass-denser fine roots have more lignin and aromatic carbon compounds but less bioactive carbon compounds than lighter roots. Thus, the transition from thin to thick fine roots implies a shift in the root carbon economy from 'do-it-yourself' soil exploration to collaboration with mycorrhizal fungi, while the shift from light to dense fine roots emphasizes a shift from acquisitive to conservative root strategy. We reveal a previously undocumented role of molecular-level carbon traits that potentially undergird the multidimensional root economics space. This finding offers new molecular insight into the diversity of root form and function, which is fundamental to our understanding of plant evolution, species coexistence and adaptations to heterogeneous environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengke Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Deliang Kong
- College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Xiaohan Mo
- School of Urban Planning and Design, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yinghui Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Qingpei Yang
- College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Paul Kardol
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Oscar J Valverde-Barrantes
- Department of Biological Sciences, International Center for Tropical Biodiversity, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Myrna J Simpson
- Environmental NMR Centre and Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hui Zeng
- School of Urban Planning and Design, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources University of Minnesota St, Paul, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
| | - Joana Bergmann
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Nishanth Tharayil
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Junjian Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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44
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Wang L, Zhang B, Fang Y, Yin H, Fu S, Chang SX, Cai Y. Distinct effects of canopy vs understory and organic vs inorganic N deposition on root resource acquisition strategies of subtropical Moso bamboo plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172424. [PMID: 38614348 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172424] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition inevitably alters soil nutrient status, subsequently prompting plants to modify their root morphology (i.e., adopting a do-it-yourself strategy), mycorrhizal symbioses (i.e., outsourcing strategy), and root exudation (i.e., nutrient-mining strategy) linking with resource acquisition. However, how N deposition influences the integrated pattern of these resource-acquisition strategies remains unclear. Furthermore, most studies in forest ecosystems have focused on understory N and inorganic N deposition, neglecting canopy-associated processes (e.g., N interception and assimilation) and the impacts of organic N on root functional traits. In this study, we compared the effects of canopy vs understory, organic vs inorganic N deposition on eight root functional traits of Moso bamboo plants. Our results showed that N deposition significantly decreased arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization, altered root exudation rate and root foraging traits (branching intensity, specific root area, and length), but did not influence root tissue density and N concentration. Moreover, the impacts of N deposition on root functional traits varied significantly with deposition approach (canopy vs. understory), form (organic vs. inorganic), and their interaction, showing variations in both intensity and direction (positive/negative). Furthermore, specific root area and length were positively correlated with AMF colonization under canopy N deposition and root exudation rate in understory N deposition. Root trait variation under understory N deposition, but not under canopy N deposition, was classified into the collaboration gradient and the conservation gradient. These findings imply that coordination of nutrient-acquisition strategies dependent on N deposition approach. Overall, this study provides a holistic understanding of the impacts of N deposition on root resource-acquisition strategies. Our results indicate that the evaluation of N deposition on fine roots in forest ecosystems might be biased if N is added understory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Baogang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China.
| | - Yunying Fang
- Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Huajun Yin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & China-Croatia "Belt and Road" Joint Laboratory on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Shenglei Fu
- College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Scott X Chang
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Yanjiang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
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Gundale MJ, Axelsson EP, Buness V, Callebaut T, DeLuca TH, Hupperts SF, Ibáñez TS, Metcalfe DB, Nilsson MC, Peichl M, Spitzer CM, Stangl ZR, Strengbom J, Sundqvist MK, Wardle DA, Lindahl BD. The biological controls of soil carbon accumulation following wildfire and harvest in boreal forests: A review. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17276. [PMID: 38683126 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17276] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Boreal forests are frequently subjected to disturbances, including wildfire and clear-cutting. While these disturbances can cause soil carbon (C) losses, the long-term accumulation dynamics of soil C stocks during subsequent stand development is controlled by biological processes related to the balance of net primary production (NPP) and outputs via heterotrophic respiration and leaching, many of which remain poorly understood. We review the biological processes suggested to influence soil C accumulation in boreal forests. Our review indicates that median C accumulation rates following wildfire and clear-cutting are similar (0.15 and 0.20 Mg ha-1 year-1, respectively), however, variation between studies is extremely high. Further, while many individual studies show linear increases in soil C stocks through time after disturbance, there are indications that C stock recovery is fastest early to mid-succession (e.g. 15-80 years) and then slows as forests mature (e.g. >100 years). We indicate that the rapid build-up of soil C in younger stands appears not only driven by higher plant production, but also by a high rate of mycorrhizal hyphal production, and mycorrhizal suppression of saprotrophs. As stands mature, the balance between reductions in plant and mycorrhizal production, increasing plant litter recalcitrance, and ectomycorrhizal decomposers and saprotrophs have been highlighted as key controls on soil C accumulation rates. While some of these controls appear well understood (e.g. temporal patterns in NPP, changes in aboveground litter quality), many others remain research frontiers. Notably, very little data exists describing and comparing successional patterns of root production, mycorrhizal functional traits, mycorrhizal-saprotroph interactions, or C outputs via heterotrophic respiration and dissolved organic C following different disturbances. We argue that these less frequently described controls require attention, as they will be key not only for understanding ecosystem C balances, but also for representing these dynamics more accurately in soil organic C and Earth system models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Gundale
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - E Petter Axelsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Vincent Buness
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Timon Callebaut
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Thomas H DeLuca
- College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Stefan F Hupperts
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Theresa S Ibáñez
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Daniel B Metcalfe
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marie-Charlotte Nilsson
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Matthias Peichl
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Clydecia M Spitzer
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Zsofia R Stangl
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Joachim Strengbom
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maja K Sundqvist
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - David A Wardle
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Björn D Lindahl
- Department of Soil Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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46
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Hewitt RE, DeVan MR, Taylor DL, Mack MC. Root-associated fungi and acquisitive root traits facilitate permafrost nitrogen uptake from long-term experimentally warmed tundra. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:1704-1716. [PMID: 38273466 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19521] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Root-associated fungi (RAF) and root traits regulate plant acquisition of nitrogen (N), which is limiting to growth in Arctic ecosystems. With anthropogenic warming, a new N source from thawing permafrost has the potential to change vegetation composition and increase productivity, influencing climate feedbacks. Yet, the impact of warming on tundra plant root traits, RAF, and access to permafrost N is uncertain. We investigated the relationships between RAF, species-specific root traits, and uptake of N from the permafrost boundary by tundra plants experimentally warmed for nearly three decades at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Warming increased acquisitive root traits of nonmycorrhizal and mycorrhizal plants. RAF community composition of ericoid (ERM) but not ectomycorrhizal (ECM) shrubs was impacted by warming and correlated with root traits. RAF taxa in the dark septate endophyte, ERM, and ECM guilds strongly correlated with permafrost N uptake for ECM and ERM shrubs. Overall, a greater proportion of variation in permafrost N uptake was related to root traits than RAF. Our findings suggest that warming Arctic ecosystems will result in interactions between roots, RAF, and newly thawed permafrost that may strongly impact feedbacks to the climate system through mechanisms of carbon and N cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Hewitt
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 5620, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Environmental Studies, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA
| | - M Rae DeVan
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - D Lee Taylor
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Michelle C Mack
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 5620, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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47
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Hou J, McCormack ML, Reich PB, Sun T, Phillips RP, Lambers H, Chen HYH, Ding Y, Comas LH, Valverde-Barrantes OJ, Solly EF, Freschet GT. Linking fine root lifespan to root chemical and morphological traits-A global analysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320623121. [PMID: 38607930 PMCID: PMC11032481 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320623121] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Fine root lifespan is a critical trait associated with contrasting root strategies of resource acquisition and protection. Yet, its position within the multidimensional "root economics space" synthesizing global root economics strategies is largely uncertain, and it is rarely represented in frameworks integrating plant trait variations. Here, we compiled the most comprehensive dataset of absorptive median root lifespan (MRL) data including 98 observations from 79 woody species using (mini-)rhizotrons across 40 sites and linked MRL to other plant traits to address questions of the regulators of MRL at large spatial scales. We demonstrate that MRL not only decreases with plant investment in root nitrogen (associated with more metabolically active tissues) but also increases with construction of larger diameter roots which is often associated with greater plant reliance on mycorrhizal symbionts. Although theories linking organ structure and function suggest that root traits should play a role in modulating MRL, we found no correlation between root traits associated with structural defense (root tissue density and specific root length) and MRL. Moreover, fine root and leaf lifespan were globally unrelated, except among evergreen species, suggesting contrasting evolutionary selection between leaves and roots facing contrasting environmental influences above vs. belowground. At large geographic scales, MRL was typically longer at sites with lower mean annual temperature and higher mean annual precipitation. Overall, this synthesis uncovered several key ecophysiological covariates and environmental drivers of MRL, highlighting broad avenues for accurate parametrization of global biogeochemical models and the understanding of ecosystem response to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Hou
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang110016, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, China
| | | | - Peter B. Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN55108
- Institute for Global Change Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
- Hawkesbury Institute Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW2753, Australia
| | - Tao Sun
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang110016, China
| | | | - Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA6009, Australia
| | - Han Y. H. Chen
- Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ONP7B 5E1, Canada
| | - Yiyang Ding
- Department of Forest Sciences/Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiFI-00014, Finland
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, HelsinkiFI-00014, Finland
| | - Louise H. Comas
- Department of Soil & Crop Science, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO80523
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Water Management Research Unit, Ft. Collins, CO80526
| | | | - Emily F. Solly
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research–Umwelt Forschungs Zentrum, Leipzig04318, Germany
| | - Gregoire T. Freschet
- Station d’écologie théorique et expérimentale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Moulis09200, France
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48
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Yang J, Wang X, Carmona CP, Wang X, Shen G. Inverse relationship between species competitiveness and intraspecific trait variability may enable species coexistence in experimental seedling communities. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2895. [PMID: 38570481 PMCID: PMC10991546 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47295-4] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Theory suggests that intraspecific trait variability may promote species coexistence when competitively inferior species have higher intraspecific trait variability than their superior competitors. Here, we provide empirical evidence for this phenomenon in tree seedlings. We evaluated intraspecific variability and plastic response of ten traits in 6750 seedlings of ten species in a three-year greenhouse experiment. While we observed no relationship between intraspecific trait variability and species competitiveness in competition-free homogeneous environments, an inverse relationship emerged under interspecific competition and in spatially heterogeneous environments. We showed that this relationship is driven by the plastic response of the competitively inferior species: Compared to their competitively superior counterparts, they exhibited a greater increase in trait variability, particularly in fine-root traits, in response to competition, environmental heterogeneity and their combination. Our findings contribute to understanding how interspecific competition and intraspecific trait variability together structure plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xiya Wang
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Carlos P Carmona
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Xihua Wang
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, 1515 North Zhongshan Rd. (No.2), Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Guochun Shen
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, 1515 North Zhongshan Rd. (No.2), Shanghai, 200092, China.
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49
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Liu Q, Chen Y, Chen Y. Nitrogen acquisition strategy shifts with tree age depending on root functional traits and soil properties in Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1358367. [PMID: 38533407 PMCID: PMC10964345 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1358367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Variation in plant nitrogen uptake rate and substrate preference is complicated due to the combined influence of abiotic and biotic factors. For the same species of tree across different ages, the interactions between root structural traits, nitrogen uptake rate, and soil environment have not been fully characterized, a situation that constrains our understanding of underground resource strategies employed by trees at different ages. Methods In the present study, we examined the nitrogen uptake rate, mycorrhiza, morphology, architecture, and chemistry of the roots of Larix principis-rupprechtii in a chronosequence (aged 18, 27, 37, 46, and 57 years) in the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm in Northern China. Results L. principis-rupprechtii preferred to absorb ammonium, followed in order by glycine and nitrate. The ammonium uptake rate of L. principis-rupprechtii significantly decreased (aged 18-37 years) and then increased (aged 46-57 years) with tree age. The glycine, nitrate, and total nitrogen uptake rates decreased with tree age. The root resource acquisition strategy appeared to shift from an acquisitive strategy to a conservative strategy associated with increasing tree age. Discussion Along the root-mycorrhizal collaboration gradient, the younger L. principis-rupprechtii relied more on their own root morphology and physiology to acquire resources, adopting a "do it yourself" strategy comprising increasing the specific root length, the specific root area, and the N uptake rate (nitrate and glycine). Conversely, older trees depended more on mycorrhizal partners to acquire nitrogen resources, an "outsourcing" strategy. The results contribute to our understanding of underground resource-use strategies of plants and the nitrogen cycle in forest ecosystems according to stand age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyuan Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction, School of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- Geography Postdoctoral Research Station at Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yaxuan Chen
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction, School of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yanmei Chen
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction, School of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
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50
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Zheng L, Barry KE, Guerrero-Ramírez NR, Craven D, Reich PB, Verheyen K, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Eisenhauer N, Barsoum N, Bauhus J, Bruelheide H, Cavender-Bares J, Dolezal J, Auge H, Fagundes MV, Ferlian O, Fiedler S, Forrester DI, Ganade G, Gebauer T, Haase J, Hajek P, Hector A, Hérault B, Hölscher D, Hulvey KB, Irawan B, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Kreft H, Lanta V, Leps J, Mereu S, Messier C, Montagnini F, Mörsdorf M, Müller S, Muys B, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker WC, Parker JD, Parrotta JA, Paterno GB, Perring MP, Piotto D, Wayne Polley H, Ponette Q, Potvin C, Quosh J, Rewald B, Godbold DL, van Ruijven J, Standish RJ, Stefanski A, Sundawati L, Urgoiti J, Williams LJ, Wilsey BJ, Yang B, Zhang L, Zhao Z, Yang Y, Sandén H, Ebeling A, Schmid B, Fischer M, Kotowska MM, Palmborg C, Tilman D, Yan E, Hautier Y. Effects of plant diversity on productivity strengthen over time due to trait-dependent shifts in species overyielding. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2078. [PMID: 38453933 PMCID: PMC10920907 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46355-z] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant diversity effects on community productivity often increase over time. Whether the strengthening of diversity effects is caused by temporal shifts in species-level overyielding (i.e., higher species-level productivity in diverse communities compared with monocultures) remains unclear. Here, using data from 65 grassland and forest biodiversity experiments, we show that the temporal strength of diversity effects at the community scale is underpinned by temporal changes in the species that yield. These temporal trends of species-level overyielding are shaped by plant ecological strategies, which can be quantitatively delimited by functional traits. In grasslands, the temporal strengthening of biodiversity effects on community productivity was associated with increasing biomass overyielding of resource-conservative species increasing over time, and with overyielding of species characterized by fast resource acquisition either decreasing or increasing. In forests, temporal trends in species overyielding differ when considering above- versus belowground resource acquisition strategies. Overyielding in stem growth decreased for species with high light capture capacity but increased for those with high soil resource acquisition capacity. Our results imply that a diversity of species with different, and potentially complementary, ecological strategies is beneficial for maintaining community productivity over time in both grassland and forest ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liting Zheng
- Zhejiang Zhoushan Island Observation and Research Station, Zhejiang Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban and Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
- Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Kathryn E Barry
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nathaly R Guerrero-Ramírez
- Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of Temperate Zones, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dylan Craven
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Universidad Mayor, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
- Data Observatory Foundation, ANID Technology Center No. DO210001, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Peter B Reich
- Institute for Global Change Biology and School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | | | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nadia Barsoum
- Centre for Ecosystems, Society and Biosecurity, Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, UK
| | - Jürgen Bauhus
- Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | | | - Jiri Dolezal
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Functional Ecology, Institute of Botany CAS, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Harald Auge
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Marina V Fagundes
- Departamento de Ecología, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Olga Ferlian
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fiedler
- Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Büsgen-Institute, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Gislene Ganade
- Departamento de Ecología, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Tobias Gebauer
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Bioenergy Systems Department, Resource Mobilisation, German Biomass Research Center-DBFZ gGmbH, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Josephine Haase
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag-Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Peter Hajek
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andy Hector
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bruno Hérault
- CIRAD, Forêts et Sociétés, Montpellier, France
- Forêts et Sociétés, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - Dirk Hölscher
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Tropical Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Bambang Irawan
- Forestry Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia
- Land Use Transformation Systems Center of Excellence, University of Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia
| | - Hervé Jactel
- INRAE, University of Bordeaux, BIOGECO, Cestas, France
| | - Julia Koricheva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Holger Kreft
- Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Vojtech Lanta
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Functional Ecology, Institute of Botany CAS, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Leps
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Biological Research Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Simone Mereu
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la Bioeconomia, CNR-IBE, Sassari, Italy
- CMCC-Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici, IAFES Division, Sassari, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61 (c/o palazzo Steri), Palermo, Italy
| | - Christian Messier
- Département des sciences biologiques, Centre for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Département des sciences naturelles, ISFORT, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Ripon, QC, Canada
| | - Florencia Montagnini
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Martin Mörsdorf
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department for Research, Biotope-, and Wildlife Management; National Park Administration Hunsrück-Hochwald, Birkenfeld, Germany
| | - Sandra Müller
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bart Muys
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Charles A Nock
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alain Paquette
- Département des sciences biologiques, Centre for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - William C Parker
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada
| | - John D Parker
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | - John A Parrotta
- USDA Forest Service, Research & Development, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Gustavo B Paterno
- Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael P Perring
- UKCEH (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology), Environment Centre Wales, Bangor, UK
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Daniel Piotto
- Centro de Formação em Ciências Agroflorestais, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Itabuna, Brazil
| | | | - Quentin Ponette
- Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | | | - Julius Quosh
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Boris Rewald
- Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Forest Ecosystem Research, Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Douglas L Godbold
- Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Forest Ecosystem Research, Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jasper van Ruijven
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Forest Ecology and Management group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rachel J Standish
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Artur Stefanski
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Leti Sundawati
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Institut Pertanian Bogor University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Jon Urgoiti
- Département des sciences biologiques, Centre for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura J Williams
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Brian J Wilsey
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Baiyu Yang
- Zhejiang Zhoushan Island Observation and Research Station, Zhejiang Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban and Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Zhejiang Zhoushan Island Observation and Research Station, Zhejiang Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban and Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao Zhao
- Zhejiang Zhoushan Island Observation and Research Station, Zhejiang Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban and Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongchuan Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hans Sandén
- Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anne Ebeling
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schmid
- Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Markus Fischer
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Martyna M Kotowska
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cecilia Palmborg
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - David Tilman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Enrong Yan
- Zhejiang Zhoushan Island Observation and Research Station, Zhejiang Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Shanghai Key Lab for Urban and Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Eco-Chongming (IEC), Shanghai, China.
| | - Yann Hautier
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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