1
|
Mota JF, Martínez-Hernández F, Pérez-García FJ, Mendoza-Fernández AJ, Salmerón-Sánchez E, Merlo ME. Shipwrecked on the Rock, or Not Quite: Gypsophytes and Edaphic Islands. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:970. [PMID: 38611499 PMCID: PMC11013591 DOI: 10.3390/plants13070970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Species-area relationships (SAR) constitute a key aspect of ecological theory and are integral to other scientific disciplines, such as biogeography, which have played a crucial role in advancing biology. The theory of insular biogeography provides a clear example. This theory initially expanded from true islands to other types of systems characterized by their insularity. One such approach was linked to geoedaphic islands, as seen in gypsum outcrops. While these continental areas have been considered insular systems, only limited and mostly indirect evidence thereof has been provided. This study utilized SAR to advance the understanding of gypsum outcrops as insular continental territories. It is hereby hypothesized that gypsum outcrops are edaphic islands, although their insular nature depends on the different functional or ecological plant types, and this nature will be reflected in the potential Arrhenius model z values. The results obtained support both hypotheses and provide insight into the ecological factors that help interpret the insularity of these areas. This interpretation goes beyond their mere extent and the distance among outcrops, emphasizing the importance of environmental filters. Said filters vary in permeability depending on the degree of gypsophily, or preference for gypsum, exhibited by different species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan F. Mota
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (J.F.M.); (F.J.P.-G.); (E.S.-S.); (M.E.M.)
| | - Fabián Martínez-Hernández
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (J.F.M.); (F.J.P.-G.); (E.S.-S.); (M.E.M.)
| | - Francisco Javier Pérez-García
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (J.F.M.); (F.J.P.-G.); (E.S.-S.); (M.E.M.)
| | | | - Esteban Salmerón-Sánchez
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (J.F.M.); (F.J.P.-G.); (E.S.-S.); (M.E.M.)
| | - M. Encarna Merlo
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain; (J.F.M.); (F.J.P.-G.); (E.S.-S.); (M.E.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
The degree of urbanisation reduces wild bee and butterfly diversity and alters the patterns of flower-visitation in urban dry grasslands. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2702. [PMID: 36792660 PMCID: PMC9932066 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29275-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect-provided pollination services are increasingly threatened due to alarming declines in insect pollinator populations. One of the main threats to insect pollinators and consequently pollination is urbanisation. Here, we investigate the effects of local habitat quality (patch size, flowering plant richness, bare soil cover, vegetation structure), degree of urbanisation (impervious surfaces) and 3D connectivity on bee, hoverfly and butterfly flower visitors and plant-flower visitor networks in flower-rich urban dry grasslands. Overall, the degree of urbanisation and the quality of the local habitat influenced the flowering plant and pollinator communities. Although flowering plant abundance increased with urbanisation, bee species richness and butterfly species richness decreased with increasing impervious surfaces. Flowering plant richness and ground nesting resource availability were positively related to bee richness and local vegetation structure boosted hoverfly and butterfly visitation rates. In terms of plant-pollinator interactions, insect pollinators visited a lower proportion of the available flowering plants in more urbanised areas and network modularity and specialisation increased with patch size. Our findings show that urban dry grasslands are valuable habitats for species-rich pollinator communities and further highlight the importance of minimizing the intensity of urbanisation and the potential of local management practices to support insect biodiversity in cities.
Collapse
|
3
|
Sandor ME, Elphick CS, Tingley MW. Extinction of biotic interactions due to habitat loss could accelerate the current biodiversity crisis. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2608. [PMID: 35366031 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Habitat loss disrupts species interactions through local extinctions, potentially orphaning species that depend on interacting partners, via mutualisms or commensalisms, and increasing secondary extinction risk. Orphaned species may become functionally or secondarily extinct, increasing the severity of the current biodiversity crisis. While habitat destruction is a major cause of biodiversity loss, the number of secondary extinctions is largely unknown. We investigate the relationship between habitat loss, orphaned species, and bipartite network properties. Using a real seed dispersal network, we simulate habitat loss to estimate the rate at which species are orphaned. To be able to draw general conclusions, we also simulate habitat loss in synthetic networks to quantify how changes in network properties affect orphan rates across broader parameter space. Both real and synthetic network simulations show that even small amounts of habitat loss can cause up to 10% of species to be orphaned. More area loss, less connected networks, and a greater disparity in the species richness of the network's trophic levels generally result in more orphaned species. As habitat is lost to land-use conversion and climate change, more orphaned species increase the loss of community-level and ecosystem functions. However, the potential severity of repercussions ranges from minimal (no species orphaned) to catastrophic (up to 60% of species within a network orphaned). Severity of repercussions also depends on how much the interaction richness and intactness of the community affects the degree of redundancy within networks. Orphaned species could add substantially to the loss of ecosystem function and secondary extinction worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manette E Sandor
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Northern Arizona University, Landscape Conservation Initiative, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | - Chris S Elphick
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Morgan W Tingley
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Effect of Landscape Composition and Invasive Plants on Pollination Networks of Smallholder Orchards in Northeastern Thailand. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11151976. [PMID: 35956454 PMCID: PMC9370323 DOI: 10.3390/plants11151976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Destruction of natural habitat, land-use changes and biological invasion are some of the major threats to biodiversity. Both habitat alteration and biological invasions can have impacts on pollinator communities and pollination network structures. This study aims to examine the effect of an invasive plant, praxelis (Praxelis clematidea; Asteraceae), and land-use types on pollinator communities and the structure of pollination networks. We conducted the study in smallholder orchards which are either invaded or non-invaded by P. clematidea. We estimated the pollinator richness, visitation rates, and pollinator diversity and evaluated the network structures from 18 smallholder orchards in Northeastern Thailand. The effect of landscape structure in the vicinity of the orchards was investigated, with the proportion of agricultural, forest, and urban landscape within a 3 km radius analyzed. The invasive species and land-use disturbance influence the pollinator communities and pollination network structure at species level was affected by the presence of P. clematidea. Bees were the most important pollinator group for pollinator communities and pollination networks of both invaded or non-invaded plots, as bees are a generalist species, they provide the coherence of both the network and its own module. The urban landscape had a strong negative influence on pollinator richness, while the proportions of agriculture and forest landscape positively affected the pollinator community.
Collapse
|
5
|
Neff F, Brändle M, Ambarlı D, Ammer C, Bauhus J, Boch S, Hölzel N, Klaus VH, Kleinebecker T, Prati D, Schall P, Schäfer D, Schulze ED, Seibold S, Simons NK, Weisser WW, Pellissier L, Gossner MM. Changes in plant-herbivore network structure and robustness along land-use intensity gradients in grasslands and forests. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/20/eabf3985. [PMID: 33990326 PMCID: PMC8121428 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf3985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Land-use intensification poses major threats to biodiversity, such as to insect herbivore communities. The stability of these communities depends on interactions linking herbivores and host plants. How interaction network structure begets robustness, and thus stability, in different ecosystems and how network structure and robustness are altered along land-use intensity gradients are unclear. We analyzed plant-herbivore networks based on literature-derived interactions and long-term sampling from 289 grasslands and forests in three regions of Germany. Network size and nestedness were the most important determinants of network robustness in both ecosystems. Along land-use intensity gradients, networks in moderately grazed grasslands were more robust than in those managed by frequent mowing or fertilization. In forests, changes of network robustness along land-use intensity gradients relied on changes in plant species richness. Our results expand our knowledge of the stability of plant-herbivore networks and indicate options for management aimed at stabilizing herbivore communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix Neff
- Forest Entomology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
- Landscape Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Universitätstr. 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Brändle
- Division of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Didem Ambarlı
- Terrestrial Ecology, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Düzce University, 81620 Düzce, Turkey
| | - Christian Ammer
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bauhus
- Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79085 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Boch
- Ecosystem Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Norbert Hölzel
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University Münster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Valentin H Klaus
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Universitätstr. 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Till Kleinebecker
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University Münster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Landscape Ecology and Landscape Planning, Institute of Landscape Ecology and Resource Management, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Daniel Prati
- Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Schall
- Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Deborah Schäfer
- Botanical Garden of the University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ernst-Detlef Schulze
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Seibold
- Terrestrial Ecology, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management in Mountain Landscapes, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Nadja K Simons
- Ecological Networks, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstr. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Landscape Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Universitätstr. 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Landscape Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Martin M Gossner
- Forest Entomology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Terrestrial Ecology, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Universitätstr. 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Azcárate FM, Alameda-Martín A, Escudero A, Sánchez AM. Ant Communities Resist Even in Small and Isolated Gypsum Habitat Remnants in a Mediterranean Agroecosystem. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.619215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural and seminatural habitat remnants play a crucial ecological role in intensified agroecosystems. Assumptions on the conservation value of small and poorly connected fragments in a hostile matrix come from generalization obtained from a limited number of taxa, mostly plants, and vertebrates. To date, few studies have analyzed the effect of fragmentation on ant communities in Mediterranean agroecosystems, despite the importance of this group of animals on several key ecosystem functions and services. Here, we analyze the effects of fragment area and connectivity on ant communities in gypsum outcrops in a large cereal agroecosystem of Central Spain. Ant communities were described by their species composition, abundance (total number of occurrences), and number of species, standardized both by area (species density), and abundance (species richness). Observed number of species was relatively high in comparison with other studies in the Mediterranean, and we found no effects of fragment characteristics on species density, species richness and species composition, which implies that even small and isolated patches do have a value for ant conservation. Moreover, total number of occurrences were higher for smaller and more isolated fragments. This finding contrasts with the results reported for other taxa in similar gypsum habitats and suggests that certain ant traits and strategies make them particularly resistant to fragmentation and capable to take advantage of small habitat patches. Given the important ecological role played by ants, we recommend the preservation of these small habitat fragments in the management plans of agroecosystems in these drylands, especially in those cases in which intensification of agricultural practices greatly diminish natural habitat availability.
Collapse
|
7
|
Blanco-Sánchez M, Moore MJ, Ramos-Muñoz M, Pías B, García-Fernández A, Prieto M, Plaza L, Isabel I, Escudero A, Matesanz S. Phylogeography of a gypsum endemic plant across its entire distribution range in the western Mediterranean. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:443-460. [PMID: 33740271 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Gypsum soils in the Mediterranean Basin house large numbers of edaphic specialists that are adapted to stressful environments. The evolutionary history and standing genetic variation of these taxa have been influenced by the geological and paleoclimatic complexity of this area and the long-standing effect of human activities. However, little is known about the origin of Mediterranean gypsophiles and the factors affecting their genetic diversity and population structure. METHODS Using phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches based on microsatellites and sequence data from nuclear and chloroplast regions, we evaluated the divergence time, genetic diversity, and population structure of 27 different populations of the widespread Iberian gypsophile Lepidium subulatum throughout its entire geographic range. RESULTS Lepidium subulatum diverged from its nearest relatives ~3 million years ago, and ITS and psbA/matK trees supported the monophyly of the species. These results suggest that both geological and climatic changes in the region around the Plio-Pleistocene promoted its origin, compared to other evolutionary processes. We found high genetic diversity in both nuclear and chloroplast markers, but a greater population structure in the chloroplast data. These results suggest that while seed dispersal is limited, pollen flow may be favored by the presence of numerous habitat patches that enhance the movement of pollinators. CONCLUSIONS Despite being an edaphic endemic, L. subulatum possesses high genetic diversity probably related to its relatively old age and high population sizes across its range. Our study highlights the value of using different markers to fully understand the phylogeographic history of plant species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Blanco-Sánchez
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Michael J Moore
- Department of Biology, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, 44074, USA
| | - Marina Ramos-Muñoz
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Beatriz Pías
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C/José Antonio Nováis 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo García-Fernández
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - María Prieto
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Lidia Plaza
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Ignacio Isabel
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Adrián Escudero
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Silvia Matesanz
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Plant-pollinator networks in Australian urban bushland remnants are not structurally equivalent to those in residential gardens. Urban Ecosyst 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-020-01089-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
9
|
Moncalvillo B, Matesanz S, Escudero A, Sánchez AM. Habitat fragmentation and population features differently affect fruit predation, fecundity and offspring performance in a non-specialist gypsum plant. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2021; 23:184-192. [PMID: 32939896 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The effects of habitat fragmentation on plant populations are complex, as it might disrupt many ecological processes, including plant reproduction and plant-animal interactions. Gypsum specialist plants may be resilient to fragmentation due to their evolutionary history in fragmented landscapes, but the effects on non-specialist plants occurring in gypsum are unknown. We conducted a study focusing on different aspects of the reproductive cycle of Astragalus incanus subsp. incanus, a plant facultatively linked to gypsum soils. We focused on plant fecundity and pre-dispersal predation, obtained from field observations, and offspring performance, assessed in a common garden. Beyond fragment size and connectivity, we also considered habitat quality, population size and density and plant size as predictors. Fragment size and connectivity had no effect on plant fecundity, but jointly determined fruit predation, while fragment size was positively related to offspring growth. Population density, rather than population size, had a positive effect on predation but negatively affected plant fecundity and offspring performance. Habitat quality reduced both plant fecundity and predation incidence. In this non-specialist species, habitat fragmentation, population features and habitat quality affect different facets of plant performance. Predation was the only process clearly affected by fragmentation variables, fecundity mainly depended on population features and offspring performance and was better explained by mother plant identity. Our results show the need to consider habitat and population features together with fragment size and connectivity in order to assess the effects of fragmentation. Importantly, these effects can involve different aspects of plant reproduction, including plant-animal interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B Moncalvillo
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - S Matesanz
- Biodiversity and Conservation Unit, Department Biology, Geology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry, ESCET, URJC, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - A Escudero
- Biodiversity and Conservation Unit, Department Biology, Geology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry, ESCET, URJC, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - A M Sánchez
- Biodiversity and Conservation Unit, Department Biology, Geology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry, ESCET, URJC, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
McClinton JD, Parchman TL, Torrence KL, Verburg PS, Leger EA. How specialized is a soil specialist? Early life history responses of a rare Eriogonum to site-level variation in volcanic soils. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:1663-1676. [PMID: 33306244 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Understanding edaphic specialization is crucial for conserving rare plants that may need relocation due to habitat loss. Focusing on Eriogonum crosbyae, a rare soil specialist in the Great Basin of the United States, we asked how site-level variation among volcanic soil outcrops affected plant growth and population distribution. METHODS We measured emergence, survival, size, and biomass allocation of E. crosbyae seedlings planted in soils collected from 42 outcrops of actual and potential habitat. We also measured phenotypic variation in the wild, documented abiotic and biotic components of E. crosbyae habitat, re-surveyed Nevada populations, and evaluated occupancy changes over time. RESULTS Plants responded plastically to edaphic variation, growing larger and allocating relatively more to aboveground tissues in soils with greater nutrient availability and growing smaller in soils higher in copper in the field and the greenhouse. However, the chemical and physical soil properties we measured did not predict site occupancy, nor was plant phenotype in the greenhouse different when plants were grown in soils from sites with different occupation status. We observed occupation status reversals at five locations. CONCLUSIONS Eriogonum crosbyae performed well in soils formed on hydrothermally altered rocks that are inhospitable to many other plants. Extirpation/colonization events observed were consistent with metapopulation dynamics, which may partially explain the patchy distribution of E. crosbyae among outcrops of potential habitat. While soil properties did not predict site occupancy, early life stages showed sensitivity to soil variation, indicating that seedling dynamics may be important to consider for the conservation of this soil specialist.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jamey D McClinton
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | | | | | - Paul S Verburg
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Using SPOT Data and FRAGSTAS to Analyze the Relationship between Plant Diversity and Green Space Landscape Patterns in the Tropical Coastal City of Zhanjiang, China. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12213477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Urban green spaces provide a host of ecosystem services, the quantity and structure of which play an important role in human well-being. Rapid urbanization may modify urban green spaces, having various effects on plant diversity. Tropical coastal cities have urbanized rapidly in recent decades, but few studies have been conducted with a focus on their green spaces. We studied the responses of cultivated and spontaneous plants, both key components of urban flora, to the landscape structure of urban green spaces and possible social drivers. We analyzed existing relationships between plant diversity indices, urban green space landscape metrics (using Systeme Probatoire d’Observation de la Terre (SPOT) data,), and social factors, including the type, population density, construction age, and GPS coordinates of each Urban Functional Unit, or UFU. We found that UFUs with more green space patches had higher cultivated and spontaneous species richness than those with fewer green space patches. Spontaneous species richness decreased when green space patches became fragmented, and it increased when green space patches were more connected (e.g., via land bridges). Conversely, cultivated species richness increased with green space patch fragmentation. The phylogenetic diversity of both cultivated and spontaneous plants were weakly associated with green space structure, which was strongly driven by land use. Old UFUs and those with larger populations had more green space patches overall, although they tended to be small and fragmented. Green space patch density was found to increase as the UFU age increased. From the viewpoint of knowledge transfer, understanding the effects and drivers of landscape patterns of urban green spaces could inform the development of improved policies and management of urban green space areas.
Collapse
|
12
|
Morrison BML, Brosi BJ, Dirzo R. Agricultural intensification drives changes in hybrid network robustness by modifying network structure. Ecol Lett 2019; 23:359-369. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.13440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Berry J. Brosi
- Department of Environmental Sciences Emory University Atlanta 30322 Georgia
| | - Rodolfo Dirzo
- Department of Biology Stanford University Stanford CA 94305 USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Montesinos-Navarro A, Díaz G, Torres P, Caravaca F, Roldán A. Phylogenetic rewiring in mycorrhizal-plant interaction networks increases community stability in naturally fragmented landscapes. Commun Biol 2019; 2:452. [PMID: 31840098 PMCID: PMC6895200 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0700-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although ecological networks are usually considered a static representation of species' interactions, the interactions can change when the preferred partners are absent (rewiring). In mutualistic networks, rewiring with non-preferred partners can palliate extinction cascades, contributing to communities' stability. In spite of its significance, whether general patterns can shape the rewiring of ecological interactions remains poorly understood. Here, we show a phylogenetic constraint in the rewiring of mycorrhizal networks, so that rewired interactions (i.e., with non-preferred hosts) tend to involve close relatives of preferred hosts. Despite this constraint, rewiring increases the robustness of the fungal community to the simulated loss of their host species. We identify preferred and non-preferred hosts based on the probability that, when the two partners co-occur, they actually interact. Understanding general patterns in the rewiring of interactions can improve our predictions of community responses to interactions' loss, which influences how global changes will affect ecosystem stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Montesinos-Navarro
- Centro de Investigaciones Sobre Desertificación (CIDE, CSIC-UV-GV), Carretera de Moncada-Náquera Km 4.5, 46113 Moncada, Valencia Spain
| | - Gisela Díaz
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Área de Botánica, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante Spain
| | - Pilar Torres
- Departamento de Biología Aplicada, Área de Botánica, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante Spain
| | - Fuensanta Caravaca
- CSIC—Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Campus de Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonio Roldán
- CSIC—Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Campus de Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Luzuriaga AL, Sánchez AM, López-Angulo J, Escudero A. Habitat fragmentation determines diversity of annual plant communities at landscape and fine spatial scales. Basic Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|
15
|
Arroyo J, Thompson JD. Plant reproductive ecology and evolution in a changing Mediterranean climate. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2018; 20 Suppl 1:3-7. [PMID: 29292591 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J Arroyo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - J D Thompson
- UMR 5175 Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionelle et Evolutive, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|