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Sharma MK, Hopak NE, Chawla A. Alpine plant species converge towards adopting elevation-specific resource-acquisition strategy in response to experimental early snow-melting. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167906. [PMID: 37858830 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167906] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Snow-melt is one of the important factors limiting growth and survival of alpine plants. Changes in snow-melt timing have profound effects on eco-physiological characteristics of alpine plant species through alterations in growing season length. Here, we conducted a field experiment and studied species response to experimentally induced early snow-melting (ES) (natural vs. early) at an alpine site (Rohtang) in the western Himalaya region. Eco-physiological response of eight snow-bed restricted alpine plant species from different elevations (lower: 3850 m and upper: 4150 m amsl) and belonging to contrasting resource acquisition strategies (conservative and acquisitive) were studied after 2-years (2019 & 2020) of initiating ES field experiment. We estimated the functional traits related to leaf economic spectrum and physiological performance and assessed their pattern of phenotypic plasticity. Analysis by linear mixed effect model showed that both the 'conservative' and 'acquisitive' species had responded to ES with significant effects on species specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf thickness, leaf water content and sugar content. Our results also revealed that ES treatment induced significant increase in leaf C/N ratio (10.57 % to 13.65 %) and protein content (15.85 % to 20.76 %) at both the elevations, irrespective of species groups. The phenotypic plasticity was found to be low and was essentially species-specific. However, for leaf protein content, the upper elevation species exhibited a higher phenotypic plasticity (0.43 ± 0.18) than the lower elevation species (0.31 ± 0.21). Interestingly, we found that irrespective of species unique functional strategy, species adapt to perform more conservative at lower elevation and more acquisitive at upper elevation, in response to ES. We conclude that plants occurring at contrasting elevations respond differentially to ES. However, species showed capacity for short-term acclimation to future environmental conditions, but may be vulnerable, if their niche is occupied by new species with greater phenotypic plasticity and a superior competitive ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish K Sharma
- Environmental Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176 061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India; Centre for High Altitude Biology (CeHAB), Research Centre of CSIR-IHBT, Ribling, P.O. Tandi, District Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh 175132, India
| | - Nang Elennie Hopak
- Environmental Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176 061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India; Centre for High Altitude Biology (CeHAB), Research Centre of CSIR-IHBT, Ribling, P.O. Tandi, District Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh 175132, India
| | - Amit Chawla
- Environmental Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh 176 061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India; Centre for High Altitude Biology (CeHAB), Research Centre of CSIR-IHBT, Ribling, P.O. Tandi, District Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh 175132, India.
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Luo F, Liu W, Mi W, Ma X, Liu K, Ju Z, Li W. Legume-grass mixtures increase forage yield by improving soil quality in different ecological regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1280771. [PMID: 37929174 PMCID: PMC10620939 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1280771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Information on the relationship between soil quality and forage yield of legume-grass mixtures in different ecological regions can guide decision-making to achieve eco-friendly and sustainable pasture production. This study's objective was to assess the effects of different cropping systems on soil physical properties, nitrogen fractions, enzyme activities, and forage yield and determine suitable legume-grass mixtures for different ecoregions. Methods Oats (Avena sativa L.), forage peas (Pisum sativum L.), common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), and fava beans (Vicia faba L.) were grown in monocultures and mixtures (YS: oats and forage peas; YJ: oats and common vetch; YC: oats and fava beans) in three ecological regions (HZ: Huangshui Valley; GN: Sanjiangyuan District; MY: Qilian Mountains Basin) in a split-plot design. Results The results showed that the forage yield decreased with increasing altitude, with an order of GN (3203 m a.s.l.; YH 8.89 t·ha-1) < HZ (2661 m; YH 9.38 t·ha-1) < MY (2513m; YH 9.78 t·ha-1). Meanwhile, the forage yield was higher for mixed crops than for single crops in all ecological regions. In the 0-10 cm soil layer, the contents of total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), soil organic matter (SOM), soluble organic nitrogen (SON), urease (UE), nitrate reductase (NR), sucrase (SC), and bacterial community alpha diversity, as well as relative abundance of dominant bacteria, were higher for mixed crops than for oats unicast. In addition, soil physical properties, nitrogen fractions, and enzyme activities varied in a wider range in the 0-10 cm soil layer than in the 10-20 cm layer, with larger values in the surface layer than in the subsurface layer. MBN, SON, UE, SC and catalase (CAT) were significantly and positively correlated with forage yield (P < 0.05). Ammonium nitrogen (ANN), nitrate nitrogen (NN), SOM and cropping systems (R) were significantly and positively correlated with Shannon and bacterial community (P < 0.05). The highest yields in the three ecological regions were 13.00 t·ha-1 for YS in MY, 10.59 t·ha-1 for YC in GN, and 10.63 t·ha-1 for YS in HZ. Discussion We recommend planting oats and forage peas in the Qilian Mountains Basin, oats and fava beans in the Sanjiangyuan District, and oats and forage peas in Huangshui valley. Our results provide new insights into eco-friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective forage production in the Qinghai Alpine Region in China.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wenhui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Superior Forage Germplasm in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining, China
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Drought Timing Modulates Soil Moisture Thresholds for CO2 Fluxes and Vegetation Responses in an Experimental Alpine Grassland. Ecosystems 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-023-00831-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
AbstractDrought timing determines the degree to which dry events impact ecosystems, with the ability of key processes to withstand change differing between drought periods. Findings indicate that drought timing effects vary across ecosystems, with few studies focusing on alpine grasslands. We conducted a mesocosm experiment using small grassland monoliths collected in September from the high Alps and left to overwinter at 0 °C until the experiment began in lowland Italy under late-winter outdoor conditions. Together with watered controls, we imposed three different drought treatments (zero precipitation): (1) one-month early-drought immediately after simulated snowmelt; (2) one-month mid-drought a month after melt-out; and (3) continuous two-month drought across the entire experimental period. Ecosystem responses were assessed by measuring CO2 fluxes, while vegetation responses were investigated by measuring aboveground net primary production (ANPP) of graminoids and forbs and post-harvest resprouting after one-month rehydration. We found that ecosystem respiration and gross ecosystem production (GEP) during the day were more negatively affected by mid-season drought compared to drought starting early in the season. By the end of treatments, GEP reduction under mid-season drought was similar to that of a continuous two-month drought. ANPP reduction was similar in early- and mid-drought treatments, showing a greater decrease under an enforced two-month period without precipitation. Plant resprouting, however, was only reduced in full- and mid-season drought pots, with forbs more negatively affected than graminoids. Seasonal soil moisture variation can account for these patterns: remaining winter moisture allowed almost full canopy development during the first month of the season, despite precipitation being withheld, while soil moisture depletion in the second month, resulting from higher temperatures and greater biomass, caused a collapse of gas exchange and diminished plant resprouting. Our data illustrates the importance of the timing of zero-precipitation periods for both plant and ecosystem responses in alpine grasslands.
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Steinbauer K, Lamprecht A, Winkler M, Di Cecco V, Fasching V, Ghosn D, Maringer A, Remoundou I, Suen M, Stanisci A, Venn S, Pauli H. Recent changes in high-mountain plant community functional composition in contrasting climate regimes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 829:154541. [PMID: 35302025 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154541] [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: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High-mountain plant communities are strongly determined by abiotic conditions, especially low temperature, and are therefore susceptible to effects of climate warming. Rising temperatures, however, also lead to increased evapotranspiration, which, together with projected shifts in seasonal precipitation patterns, could lead to prolonged, detrimental water deficiencies. The current study aims at comparing alpine plant communities along elevation and water availability gradients from humid conditions (north-eastern Alps) to a moderate (Central Apennines) and a pronounced dry period during summer (Lefka Ori, Crete) in the Mediterranean area. We do this in order to (1) detect relationships between community-based indices (plant functional leaf and growth traits, thermic vegetation indicator, plant life forms, vegetation cover and diversity) and soil temperature and snow duration and (2) assess if climatic changes have already affected the vegetation, by determining directional changes over time (14-year period; 2001-2015) in these indices in the three regions. Plant community indices responded to decreasing temperatures along the elevation gradient in the NE-Alps and the Apennines, but this elevation effect almost disappeared in the summer-dry mountains of Crete. This suggests a shift from low-temperature to drought-dominated ecological filters. Leaf trait (Leaf Dry Matter Content and Specific Leaf Area) responses changed in direction from the Alps to the Apennines, indicating that drought effects already become discernible at the northern margin of the Mediterranean. Over time, a slight increase in vegetation cover was found in all regions, but thermophilisation occurred only in the NE-Alps and Apennines, accompanied by a decline of cold-adapted cushion plants in the Alps. On Crete, xeromorphic shrubs were increasing in abundance. Although critical biodiversity losses have not yet been observed, an intensified monitoring of combined warming-drought impacts will be required in view of threatened alpine plants that are either locally restricted in the south or weakly adapted to drought in the north.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Steinbauer
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; UNESCO-Chair on Sustainable Management of Conservation Areas, Carinthia University of Applied Science, 9524 Villach, Austria; E.C.O. - Institut für Ökologie, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria.
| | - A Lamprecht
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - M Winkler
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - V Di Cecco
- Maiella Seed Bank, Maiella National Park, Loc. Colle Madonna, Lama dei Peligni 66010, Italy
| | - V Fasching
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - D Ghosn
- Department of Geoinformation in Environmental Management - CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Alsyllio Agrokepiou, 73100 Chania, Greece
| | - A Maringer
- Gesaeuse National Park, 8911 Admont, Austria
| | - I Remoundou
- Department of Geoinformation in Environmental Management - CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Alsyllio Agrokepiou, 73100 Chania, Greece
| | - M Suen
- Gesaeuse National Park, 8911 Admont, Austria
| | - A Stanisci
- Dep. Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Termoli 86039, Italy
| | - S Venn
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - H Pauli
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
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Changes in plant biodiversity facets of rocky outcrops and their surrounding rangelands across precipitation and soil gradients. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9022. [PMID: 35637253 PMCID: PMC9151709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13123-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate and soil factors induce substantial controls over plant biodiversity in stressful ecosystems. Despite of some studies on plant biodiversity in extreme ecosystems including rocky outcrops, simultaneous effects of climate and soil factors have rarely been studied on different facets of biodiversity including taxonomic and functional diversity in these ecosystems. In addition, we know little about plant biodiversity variations in such extreme ecosystems compared to natural environments. It seems that environmental factors acting in different spatial scales specifically influence some facets of plant biodiversity. Therefore, we studied changes in taxonomic and functional diversity along precipitation and soil gradients in both landscapes (i) rocky outcrops and (ii) their nearby rangeland sites in northeast of Iran. In this regard, we considered six sites across precipitation and soil gradients in each landscape, and established 90 1m2 quadrates in them (i.e. 15 quadrats in each site; 15 × 6 = 90 in each landscape). Then, taxonomic and functional diversity were measured using RaoQ index, FDis and CWM indices. Finally, we assessed impacts of precipitation and soil factors on biodiversity indices in both landscapes by performing regression models and variation partitioning procedure. The patterns of taxonomic diversity similarly showed nonlinear changes along the precipitation and soil factors in both landscapes (i.e. outcrop and rangeland). However, we found a more negative and significant trends of variation in functional diversity indices (except for CWMSLA) across precipitation and soil factors in outcrops than their surrounding rangelands. Variations of plant biodiversity were more explained by precipitation factors in surrounding rangelands, whereas soil factors including organic carbon had more consistent and significant effects on plant biodiversity in outcrops. Therefore, our results represent important impacts of soil factors in structuring plant biodiversity facets in stressful ecosystems. While, environmental factors acting in regional and broad scales such as precipitation generally shape vegetation and plant biodiversity patterns in natural ecosystems. We can conclude that rocky outcrops provide suitable microenvironments to present plant species with similar yields that are less able to be present in rangeland ecosystems.
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Navarro J, Powers JM, Paul A, Campbell DR. Phenotypic plasticity and selection on leaf traits in response to snowmelt timing and summer precipitation. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:1477-1490. [PMID: 35274312 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Vegetative traits of plants can respond directly to changes in the environment, such as those occurring under climate change. That phenotypic plasticity could be adaptive, maladaptive, or neutral. We manipulated the timing of spring snowmelt and amount of summer precipitation in factorial combination and examined responses of specific leaf area (SLA), trichome density, leaf water content (LWC), photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) in the subalpine herb Ipomopsis aggregata. The experiment was repeated in three years differing in natural timing of snowmelt. To examine natural selection, we used survival, relative growth rate, and flowering as fitness indices. A 50% reduction in summer precipitation reduced stomatal conductance and increased iWUE, and doubled precipitation increased LWC. Combining natural and experimental variation, earlier snowmelt reduced soil moisture, photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance, and increased trichome density and iWUE. Precipitation reduction reversed the mortality selection favoring high stomatal conductance under normal and doubled precipitation, and higher LWC improved growth. Earlier snowmelt is a strong signal of climate change and can change expression of leaf morphology and gas exchange traits, just as reduced precipitation can. Stomatal conductance and SLA showed adaptive plasticity under some conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Navarro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, PO Box 210088, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, 8000 County Road 317, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
| | - John M Powers
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, 8000 County Road 317, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ayaka Paul
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, 8000 County Road 317, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Diane R Campbell
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, 8000 County Road 317, Crested Butte, CO, 81224, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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Zhang B, Zhang J, Hastings A, Fu Z, Yuan Y, Zhai L. Contrasting plant responses to multivariate environmental variations among species with divergent elevation shifts. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e02488. [PMID: 34679234 PMCID: PMC9285362 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The general predictions of climate impacts on species shifts (e.g., upward shift) cannot directly inform local species conservation, because local-scale studies find divergent patterns instead of a general one. For example, our previous study found three shift patterns with elevation (strong down-, moderate down-, and up-slope shifts) in temperate mountain forests. The divergent shifts are hypothesized to arise from both multivariate environmental variations with elevation and corresponding species-specific responses. To test this hypothesis, we sampled soils and leaves to measure elevation variations in soil conditions and determined plant responses using discriminations against heavier isotopes, carbon (13 C) and nitrogen (15 N). Functional traits of the species studied were also extracted from a public trait dataset. We found that: (1) With low soil water contents at low elevations, only the leaves of up-shifters had lower 13 C discriminations at low vs. high elevations; (2) With low soil P contents at high elevations, only the leaves of moderate down-shifters had higher 15 N discriminations at high vs. low elevations; (3) The leaves of strong down-shifters did not show significant elevation patterns of the discriminations; (4) The contrasting responses among the three types of shifters agree with their functional dissimilarity, suggested by their separate locations in a multitrait space. Taken together, the divergent shifts are associated with the elevation variations in environmental conditions and contrasting plant responses. The contrasting responses could result from the functional dissimilarity among species. Therefore, a detailed understanding of both local environmental variations and species-specific responses can facilitate accurate predictions of species shifts to inform local species conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma74078USA
- Department of Integrative BiologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma74078USA
| | - Jinchi Zhang
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaJiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological RestorationNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingJiangsu210037China
| | - Alan Hastings
- Department of Environmental Science and PolicyUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCalifornia95616USA
- Santa Fe InstituteSanta FeNew Mexico87501USA
| | - Zhiyuan Fu
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaJiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological RestorationNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingJiangsu210037China
| | - Yingdan Yuan
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaJiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological RestorationNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingJiangsu210037China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and PhysiologyCollege of Horticulture and Plant ProtectionYangzhou UniversityNo. 88, Daxue South RoadYangzhouJiangsu225127China
| | - Lu Zhai
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahoma74078USA
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Schuchardt MA, Berauer BJ, Heßberg A, Wilfahrt P, Jentsch A. Drought effects on montane grasslands nullify benefits of advanced flowering phenology due to warming. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Max A. Schuchardt
- Department of Disturbance Ecology Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
| | - Bernd J. Berauer
- Department of Disturbance Ecology Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
- Department of Plant Ecology Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology University of Hohenheim Hohenheim Germany
| | - Andreas Heßberg
- Department of Disturbance Ecology Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
| | - Peter Wilfahrt
- Department of Disturbance Ecology Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Anke Jentsch
- Department of Disturbance Ecology Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
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Oishi Y. Factors that shape the elevational patterns of plant diversity in the Yatsugatake Mountains, Japan. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4887-4897. [PMID: 33976856 PMCID: PMC8093696 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevation is involved in determining plant diversity in montane ecosystems. This study examined whether the distribution of plants in the Yatsugatake Mountains, central Japan, substantiated hypotheses associated with an elevational diversity gradient. Species richness of trees, shrubs, herbs, ferns, and bryophytes was investigated in study plots established at 200-m elevational intervals from 1,800 to 2,800 m. The changes in plant diversity (alpha and beta diversities, plant functional types, and elevational ranges) with elevation were analyzed in relation to climatic factors and elevational diversity gradient hypotheses, that is, mass effect, mid-domain effect, and Rapoport's elevational rule. In addition, the elevational patterns of dominance of plant functional types were also analyzed. A comparison of alpha and beta diversities revealed that different plant groups responded variably to elevation; the alpha diversity of trees and ferns decreased, that of herbs increased, whereas the alpha diversity of shrubs and bryophytes showed a U-shaped relationship and a hump-shaped pattern. The beta diversity of shrubs, herbs, and bryophytes increased above the subalpine-alpine ecotone. In accordance with these changes, the dominance of evergreen shrubs and graminoids increased above this ecotone, whereas that of evergreen trees and liverworts decreased. None of the plant groups showed a wide elevational range at higher elevations. These elevational patterns of plant groups were explained by climatic factors, and not by elevational diversity gradient hypotheses. Of note, the changes in the dominance of plant groups with elevation can be attributed to plant-plant interactions via competition for light and the changes in physical habitat. These interactions could alter the elevational diversity gradient shaped by climatic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshitaka Oishi
- Center for Arts and SciencesFukui Prefectural UniversityFukuiJapan
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Vitasse Y, Ursenbacher S, Klein G, Bohnenstengel T, Chittaro Y, Delestrade A, Monnerat C, Rebetez M, Rixen C, Strebel N, Schmidt BR, Wipf S, Wohlgemuth T, Yoccoz NG, Lenoir J. Phenological and elevational shifts of plants, animals and fungi under climate change in the European Alps. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1816-1835. [PMID: 33908168 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Mountain areas are biodiversity hotspots and provide a multitude of ecosystem services of irreplaceable socio-economic value. In the European Alps, air temperature has increased at a rate of about 0.36°C decade-1 since 1970, leading to glacier retreat and significant snowpack reduction. Due to these rapid environmental changes, this mountainous region is undergoing marked changes in spring phenology and elevational distribution of animals, plants and fungi. Long-term monitoring in the European Alps offers an excellent natural laboratory to synthetize climate-related changes in spring phenology and elevational distribution for a large array of taxonomic groups. This review assesses the climatic changes that have occurred across the European Alps during recent decades, spring phenological changes and upslope shifts of plants, animals and fungi from evidence in published papers and previously unpublished data. Our review provides evidence that spring phenology has been shifting earlier during the past four decades and distribution ranges show an upwards trend for most of the taxonomic groups for which there are sufficient data. The first observed activity of reptiles and terrestrial insects (e.g. butterflies) in spring has shifted significantly earlier, at an average rate of -5.7 and -6.0 days decade-1 , respectively. By contrast, the first observed spring activity of semi-aquatic insects (e.g. dragonflies and damselflies) and amphibians, as well as the singing activity or laying dates of resident birds, show smaller non-significant trends ranging from -1.0 to +1.3 days decade-1 . Leaf-out and flowering of woody and herbaceous plants showed intermediate trends with mean values of -2.4 and -2.8 days decade-1 , respectively. Regarding species distribution, plants, animals and fungi (N = 2133 species) shifted the elevation of maximum abundance (optimum elevation) upslope at a similar pace (on average between +18 and +25 m decade-1 ) but with substantial differences among taxa. For example, the optimum elevation shifted upward by +36.2 m decade-1 for terrestrial insects and +32.7 m decade-1 for woody plants, whereas it was estimated to range between -1.0 and +11 m decade-1 for semi-aquatic insects, ferns, birds and wood-decaying fungi. The upper range limit (leading edge) of most species also shifted upslope with a rate clearly higher for animals (from +47 to +91 m decade-1 ) than for plants (from +17 to +40 m decade-1 ), except for semi-aquatic insects (-4.7 m decade-1 ). Although regional land-use changes could partly explain some trends, the consistent upward shift found in almost all taxa all over the Alps is likely reflecting the strong warming and the receding of snow cover that has taken place across the European Alps over recent decades. However, with the possible exception of terrestrial insects, the upward shift of organisms seems currently too slow to track the pace of isotherm shifts induced by climate warming, estimated at about +62 to +71 m decade-1 since 1970. In the light of these results, species interactions are likely to change over multiple trophic levels through phenological and spatial mismatches. This nascent research field deserves greater attention to allow us to anticipate structural and functional changes better at the ecosystem level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Vitasse
- WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Ursenbacher
- info fauna CSCF & karch, Avenue de Bellevaux 51, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.,Department of Environmental Sciences, Section of Conservation Biology, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 10, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Geoffrey Klein
- WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.,Institute of Geography, University of Neuchâtel, Espace Tilo-Frey 1, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Yannick Chittaro
- info fauna CSCF & karch, Avenue de Bellevaux 51, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Anne Delestrade
- Centre de Recherches sur les Ecosystèmes d'Altitude, 67 Lacets du Belvédère, 74400, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France.,Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA), CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Savoie Technolac, 73376, Le Bourget du Lac Cedex, France
| | - Christian Monnerat
- info fauna CSCF & karch, Avenue de Bellevaux 51, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Martine Rebetez
- WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.,Institute of Geography, University of Neuchâtel, Espace Tilo-Frey 1, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Rixen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Group Mountain Ecosystems, Flüelastrasse 11, CH-7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Strebel
- Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Seerose 1, CH-6204, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Benedikt R Schmidt
- info fauna CSCF & karch, Avenue de Bellevaux 51, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.,Institut für Evolutionsbiologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-6204, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sonja Wipf
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Group Mountain Ecosystems, Flüelastrasse 11, CH-7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland.,Swiss National Park, Chastè Planta-Wildenberg, Runatsch 124, 7530, Zernez, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Wohlgemuth
- WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Nigel Gilles Yoccoz
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, PO Box 6050 Langnes, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jonathan Lenoir
- UMR CNRS 7058 « Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés » (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 1 Rue des Louvels, 80000, Amiens, France
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11
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Di Nuzzo L, Vallese C, Benesperi R, Giordani P, Chiarucci A, Di Cecco V, Di Martino L, Di Musciano M, Gheza G, Lelli C, Spitale D, Nascimbene J. Contrasting multitaxon responses to climate change in Mediterranean mountains. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4438. [PMID: 33627718 PMCID: PMC7904820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83866-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We explored the influence of climatic factors on diversity patterns of multiple taxa (lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants) along a steep elevational gradient to predict communities' dynamics under future climate change scenarios in Mediterranean regions. We analysed (1) species richness patterns in terms of heat-adapted, intermediate, and cold-adapted species; (2) pairwise beta-diversity patterns, also accounting for its two different components, species replacement and richness difference; (3) the influence of climatic variables on species functional traits. Species richness is influenced by different factors between three taxonomic groups, while beta diversity differs mainly between plants and cryptogams. Functional traits are influenced by different factors in each taxonomic group. On the basis of our observations, poikilohydric cryptogams could be more impacted by climate change than vascular plants. However, contrasting species-climate and traits-climate relationships were also found between lichens and bryophytes suggesting that each group may be sensitive to different components of climate change. Our study supports the usefulness of a multi-taxon approach coupled with a species traits analysis to better unravel the response of terrestrial communities to climate change. This would be especially relevant for lichens and bryophytes, whose response to climate change is still poorly explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Di Nuzzo
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via la Pira 4, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Chiara Vallese
- Biodiversity and Macroecology Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Renato Benesperi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via la Pira 4, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Paolo Giordani
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Genova, viale Cembrano, 4, 16148, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Chiarucci
- Biodiversity and Macroecology Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valter Di Cecco
- Parco Nazionale della Majella, Via Badia, 28, 67039, Sulmona, Italy
| | | | - Michele Di Musciano
- Biodiversity and Macroecology Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Gabriele Gheza
- Biodiversity and Macroecology Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Lelli
- Biodiversity and Macroecology Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniel Spitale
- Museo di Scienze Naturali Dell'Alto Adige, Via Bottai, 1, 39100, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Juri Nascimbene
- Biodiversity and Macroecology Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126, Bologna, Italy
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12
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Schnablová R, Huang L, Klimešová J, Šmarda P, Herben T. Inflorescence preformation prior to winter: a surprisingly widespread strategy that drives phenology of temperate perennial herbs. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:620-630. [PMID: 32805759 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Organ preformation in overwintering buds of perennial plants has been known for almost two centuries. It is hypothesized to underlie fast growth and early flowering, but its frequency, phylogenetic distribution, and ecological relevance have never been systematically examined. We microscopically observed inflorescence preformation in overwintering buds (IPB) in the autumn. We studied a phylogenetically and ecologically representative set of 330 species of temperate perennial angiosperms and linked these observations with quantitative data on species' flowering phenology, genome size, and ecology. IPB was observed in 34% of species examined (in 14% species the stamens and/or pistils were already developed). IPB is fairly phylogenetically conserved and frequent in many genera (Alchemilla, Carex, Euphorbia, Geranium, Primula, Pulmonaria) or families (Ranunculaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Violaceae, Boraginaceae). It was found in species of any genome size, although it was almost universal in those with large genomes. Compared with non-IPB species, IPB species flowered 38 d earlier on average and were more common in shaded and undisturbed habitats. IPB is a surprisingly widespread adaptation for early growth in predictable (undisturbed) conditions. It contributes to temporal niche differentiation and has important consequences for understanding plant phenology, genome size evolution, and phylogenetic structure of plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renáta Schnablová
- Department of Population Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, 252 43, Czech Republic
| | - Lin Huang
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha 2, 128 43, Czech Republic
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Jitka Klimešová
- Department of Functional Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Třeboň, 379 01, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Šmarda
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, 611 37, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Herben
- Department of Population Ecology, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, 252 43, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Praha 2, 128 43, Czech Republic
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13
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Bucher SF, Rosbakh S. Foliar summer frost resistance measured via electrolyte leakage approach as related to plant distribution, community composition and plant traits. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Solveig Franziska Bucher
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution with Herbarium Haussknecht and Botanical Garden Department of Plant Biodiversity Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena Germany
| | - Sergey Rosbakh
- Ecology and Nature Conservation Biology University of Regensburg Regensburg Germany
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14
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Verrall B, Pickering CM. Alpine vegetation in the context of climate change: A global review of past research and future directions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 748:141344. [PMID: 32814293 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is causing extensive alterations to ecosystems globally, with some more vulnerable than others. Alpine ecosystems, characterised by low-temperatures and cryophilic vegetation, provide ecosystems services for billions of people but are considered among the most susceptible to climate change. Therefore, it is timely to review research on climate change on alpine vegetation including assessing trends, topics, themes and gaps. Using a multicomponent bibliometric approach, we extracted bibliometric metadata from 3143 publications identified by searching titles, keywords and abstracts for research on 'climate change' and 'alpine vegetation' from Scopus and Web of Science. While primarily focusing on 'alpine vegetation', some literature that also assessed vegetation below the treeline was captured. There has been an exponential increase in research over 50 years, greater engagement and diversification in who does research, and where it is published and conducted, with increasing focus beyond Europe, particularly in China. Content analysis of titles, keywords and abstracts revealed that most of the research has focused on alpine grasslands but there have been relatively few publications that examine specialist vegetation communities such as snowbeds, subnival vegetation and fellfields. Important themes emerged from analysis of keywords, including treelines and vegetation dynamics, biodiversity, the Tibetan Plateau as well as grasslands and meadows. Traditional ecological monitoring techniques were important early on, but remote sensing has become the primary method for assessment. A key book on alpine plants, the IPCC reports and a few papers in leading journals underpin much of the research. Overall, research on this topic is increasing, with new methods and directions but thematic and geographical gaps remain particularly for research on extreme climatic events, and research in South America, in part due to limited capacity for research on these rare but valuable ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brodie Verrall
- Environment Futures Research Institute and School of Environment and Sciences, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Catherine Marina Pickering
- Environment Futures Research Institute and School of Environment and Sciences, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
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15
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Stanisci A, Bricca A, Calabrese V, Cutini M, Pauli H, Steinbauer K, Carranza ML. Functional composition and diversity of leaf traits in subalpine versus alpine vegetation in the Apennines. AOB PLANTS 2020; 12:plaa004. [PMID: 32257089 PMCID: PMC7098876 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plaa004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mediterranean high mountain grasslands are shaped by climatic stress and understanding their functional adaptations can contribute to better understanding ecosystems' response to global change. The present work analyses the plant functional traits of high-elevation grasslands growing in Mediterranean limestone mountains to explore, at the community level, the presence of different plant strategies for resource use (conservative vs. acquisitive) and functional diversity syndromes (convergent or divergent). Thus, we compared the functional composition and diversity of the above-ground traits related to resource acquisition strategies of subalpine and alpine calcareous grasslands in the central Apennines, a mountain region characterized by a dry-summer Mediterranean climate. We used georeferenced vegetation plots and field-measured plant functional traits (plant maximum height, specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content) for the dominant species of two characteristic vegetation types: the subalpine Sesleria juncifolia community and the alpine Silene acaulis community. Both communities are of particular conservation concern and are rich in endemic species for which plant functional traits are measured here for the first time. We analysed the functional composition and diversity using the community-weighted mean trait index and the functional diversity using Rao's function, and we assessed how much the observed pattern deviated from a random distribution by calculating the respective standardized effect sizes. The results highlighted that an acquisitive resource use strategy and relatively higher functional diversity of leaf traits prevail in the alpine S. acaulis community, optimizing a rapid carbon gain, which would help overcome the constraints exerted by the short growing season. The divergent functional strategy underlines the co-occurrence of different leaf traits in the alpine grasslands, which shows good adaptation to a microhabitat-rich environment. Conversely, in the subalpine S. juncifolia grassland, a conservative resource use strategy and relatively lower functional diversity of the leaf traits are likely related to a high level resistance to aridity over a longer growing season. Our outcomes indicate the preadaptation strategy of the subalpine S. juncifolia grassland to shift upwards to the alpine zone that will become warmer and drier as a result of anthropogenic climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Stanisci
- EnvixLab, Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Termoli, Italy
| | | | - Valentina Calabrese
- EnvixLab, Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Termoli, Italy
| | | | - Harald Pauli
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research & University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Silbergasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaus Steinbauer
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research & University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Silbergasse, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Laura Carranza
- EnvixLab, Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Termoli, Italy
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16
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Casagrande Bacchiocchi S, Scandellari F, Wellstein C, Cavieres LA, Zerbe S. Assessing the ecophysiological response of a mountain grassland community to ski slope management through isotopic composition. ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 2020; 56:36-50. [PMID: 32067470 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2020.1725000] [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: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A scarce natural snow cover forces an increasing use of artificial snow on ski slopes and returns a small amount of snowmelt water available to plants outside the pistes at the beginning of the growing season. We tested if the use of artificial snow on the ski slopes and the decreased natural snow cover outside the ski slopes lead to changes in the leaf ecophysiology of dominant species in a ski area located in Northern Italy. Using carbon (13C/12C) and oxygen (18O/16O) stable isotope ratios in plant leaves, we estimated the intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) and we speculated about changes in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. Furthermore, carbon and nitrogen concentration, pigments and dry matter content, and the specific area of leaves were measured. We found a higher iWUE of the plants on the ski slopes than outside, probably because the plants on the ski piste are exposed to a condition close to waterlogging that can lead them to regulate their stomata differently than the plants outside the pistes. This behaviour was observed particularly in Ranunculus acris and in Tussilago farfara, for these species the water surplus on the piste may have affected the plants' gas exchanges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Camilla Wellstein
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Lohengrin A Cavieres
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Santiago, Chile
| | - Stefan Zerbe
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
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17
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Li M, Zhang X, Niu B, He Y, Wang X, Wu J. Changes in plant species richness distribution in Tibetan alpine grasslands under different precipitation scenarios. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
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18
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Jia Y, Sun Y, Zhang T, Shi Z, Maimaitiaili B, Tian C, Feng G. Elevated precipitation alters the community structure of spring ephemerals by changing dominant species density in Central Asia. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2196-2212. [PMID: 32128149 PMCID: PMC7042772 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Global climate change is one of the most pressing conservation challenges; in particular, changes in precipitation regimes have already substantially influenced terrestrial ecosystems. However, the mechanisms influencing precipitation changes on individual plants and the plant communities in desert grasslands have yet to be fully elucidated. We therefore examine the influence of increased precipitation on plant community compositions in the Gurbantunggut Desert, Xinjiang, northwestern China, from 2005 to 2009. We found that growth of all plant species and the community productivities increased markedly with enhanced water input. Cover of ephemeral synusia also significantly increased due to increased precipitation, implying that the role of the ephemeral community for stabilization of sand dunes was strengthened by increased precipitation. The response of plant community compositions to increased precipitation was primarily reflected as changes in plant density, while increased precipitation did not affect plant species richness and the diversity index. Dominant species drove the response of plant density to increasing precipitation during the five-year study period. However, the relative responses of rare species were stronger than those of the dominant species, thereby potentially driving species turnover with long-term increased precipitation. This finding improved our understanding of how increased precipitation drives the changes in plant community composition in desert grasslands and will help to better predict changes in the community composition of ephemerals under future global climate change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Jia
- College of Resources and Environmental SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yu Sun
- Cultivation and Farming Research InstituteHeilongjiang Academy of Agriculture ScienceHarbinChina
| | - Tao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation EcologyMinistry of EducationInstitute of Grassland SciencesNortheast Normal UniversityChangchunChina
| | - Zhaoyong Shi
- College of AgricultureHenan University of Science and TechnologyLuoyangChina
| | - Baidengsha Maimaitiaili
- Institute of Nuclear Technology and BiotechnologyXinjiang Academy of Agricultural ScienceUrumqiChina
| | - Changyan Tian
- Xinjiang Institute Ecology and GeographyChinese Academy of SciencesUrumqiChina
| | - Gu Feng
- College of Resources and Environmental SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
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19
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Tonin R, Gerdol R, Tomaselli M, Petraglia A, Carbognani M, Wellstein C. Intraspecific Functional Trait Response to Advanced Snowmelt Suggests Increase of Growth Potential but Decrease of Seed Production in Snowbed Plant Species. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:289. [PMID: 30923530 PMCID: PMC6426784 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In ecological theory, it is currently unclear if intraspecific trait responses to environmental variation are shared across plant species. We use one of the strongest environmental variations in alpine ecosystems, i.e., advanced snowmelt due to climate warming, to answer this question for alpine snowbed plants. Snowbeds are extreme habitats where long-lasting snow cover represents the key environmental factor affecting plant life. Intraspecific variation in plant functional traits is a key to understanding the performance and vulnerability of species in a rapidly changing environment. We sampled snowbed species after an above-average warm winter to assess their phenotypic adjustment to advanced snowmelt, based on differences in the natural snowmelt dynamics with magnitudes reflecting predicted future warming. We measured nine functional traits related to plant growth and reproduction in seven vascular species, comparing snowbeds of early and late snowmelt across four snowbed sites in the southern Alps in Italy. The early snowbeds provide a proxy for the advanced snowmelt caused by climatic warming. Seed production was reduced under advanced snowmelt in all seed-forming snowbed species. Higher specific leaf area (SLA) and lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC) were indicative of improved growth potential in most seed-forming species under advanced snowmelt. We conclude, first, that in the short term, advanced snowmelt can improve snowbed species' growth potential. However, in the long term, results from other studies hint at increasing competition in case of ongoing improvement of conditions for plant growth under continued future climate warming, representing a risk for snowbed species. Second, a lower seed production can negatively affect the seed rain. A reduction of propagule pressure can be crucial in a context of loss of the present snowbed sites and the formation of new ones at higher altitudes along with climate warming. Finally, our findings encourage using plant functional traits at the intraspecific level across species as a tool to understand the future ecological challenges of plants in changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Tonin
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Renato Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Marcello Tomaselli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alessandro Petraglia
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Michele Carbognani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Camilla Wellstein
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
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20
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Gao S, Liu R, Zhou T, Fang W, Yi C, Lu R, Zhao X, Luo H. Dynamic responses of tree-ring growth to multiple dimensions of drought. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:5380-5390. [PMID: 29963735 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Droughts, which are characterized by multiple dimensions including frequency, duration, severity, and onset timing, can impact tree stem radial growth profoundly. Different dimensions of drought influence tree stem radial growth independently or jointly, which makes the development of accurate predictions a formidable challenge. Measurement-based tree-ring data have obvious advantages for studying the drought responses of trees. Here, we explored the use of abundant tree-ring records for quantifying regional response patterns to key dimensions of drought. Specifically, we designed a series of regional-scaled "natural experiments," based on 357 tree-ring chronologies from Southwest USA and location-matched monthly water balance anomalies, to reveal how tree-ring responds to each dimension of drought. Our results showed that tree-ring was affected significantly more by the water balance condition in the current hydrological year than that in the prior hydrological year. Within the current hydrological year, increased drought frequency (number of dry months) and duration (maximum number of consecutive dry months) resulted in "cumulative effects" which amplified the impacts of drought on trees and reduced the drought resistance of trees. Drought events that occurred in the pregrowing seasons strongly affected subsequent tree stem radial growth. Both the onset timing and severity of drought increased "legacy effects" on tree stem radial growth, which reduced the drought resilience of trees. These results indicated that the drought impact on trees is a dynamic process: even when the total water deficits are the same, differences among the drought processes could lead to considerably different responses from trees. This study thus provides a conceptual framework and probabilistic patterns of tree-ring growth response to multiple dimensions of drought regimes, which in turn may have a wide range of implications for predictions, uncertainty assessment, and forest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster of Ministry of Education, Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York
| | - Ruishun Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Tao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster of Ministry of Education, Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Fang
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York
| | - Chuixiang Yi
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Queens College, City University of New York, Queens, New York
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York City, New York
| | - Ruijie Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Jointly Sponsored by Beijing Normal University and Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster of Ministry of Education, Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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21
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Winkler DE, Butz RJ, Germino MJ, Reinhardt K, Kueppers LM. Snowmelt Timing Regulates Community Composition, Phenology, and Physiological Performance of Alpine Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1140. [PMID: 30108605 PMCID: PMC6079221 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The spatial patterning of alpine plant communities is strongly influenced by the variation in physical factors such as temperature and moisture, which are strongly affected by snow depth and snowmelt patterns. Earlier snowmelt timing and greater soil-moisture limitations may favor wide-ranging species adapted to a broader set of ecohydrological conditions than alpine-restricted species. We asked how plant community composition, phenology, plant water relations, and photosynthetic gas exchange of alpine-restricted and wide-ranging species differ in their responses to a ca. 40-day snowmelt gradient in the Colorado Rocky Mountains (Lewisia pygmaea, Sibbaldia procumbens, and Hymenoxys grandiflora were alpine-restricted and Artemisia scopulorum, Carex rupestris, and Geum rossii were wide-ranging species). As hypothesized, species richness and foliar cover increased with earlier snowmelt, due to a greater abundance of wide-ranging species present in earlier melting plots. Flowering initiation occurred earlier with earlier snowmelt for 12 out of 19 species analyzed, while flowering duration was shortened with later snowmelt for six species (all but one were wide-ranging species). We observed >50% declines in net photosynthesis from July to September as soil moisture and plant water potentials declined. Early-season stomatal conductance was higher in wide-ranging species, indicating a more competitive strategy for water acquisition when soil moisture is high. Even so, there were no associated differences in photosynthesis or transpiration, suggesting no strong differences between these groups in physiology. Our findings reveal that plant species with different ranges (alpine-restricted vs. wide-ranging) could have differential phenological and physiological responses to snowmelt timing and associated soil moisture dry-down, and that alpine-restricted species' performance is more sensitive to snowmelt. As a result, alpine-restricted species may serve as better indicator species than their wide-ranging heterospecifics. Overall, alpine community composition and peak % cover are strongly structured by spatio-temporal patterns in snowmelt timing. Thus, near-term, community-wide changes (or variation) in phenology and physiology in response to shifts in snowmelt timing or rates of soil dry down are likely to be contingent on the legacy of past climate on community structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Winkler
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
- United States Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT, United States
| | - Ramona J. Butz
- Department of Forestry & Wildland Resources, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, United States
- Pacific Southwest Region, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Eureka, CA, United States
| | - Matthew J. Germino
- United States Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID, United States
| | - Keith Reinhardt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, United States
| | - Lara M. Kueppers
- Energy & Resource Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Rosbakh S, Pacini E, Nepi M, Poschlod P. An Unexplored Side of Regeneration Niche: Seed Quantity and Quality Are Determined by the Effect of Temperature on Pollen Performance. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1036. [PMID: 30073009 PMCID: PMC6058057 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In 1977, Peter Grubb introduced the regeneration niche concept, which assumes that a plant species cannot persist if the environmental conditions are only suitable for adult plant growth and survival, but not for seed production, dispersal, germination, and seedling establishment. During the last decade, this concept has received considerable research attention as it helps to better understand community assembly, population dynamics, and plant responses to environmental changes. Yet, in its present form, it focuses too much on the post-fertilization stages of plant sexual reproduction, neglecting the fact that the environment can operate as a constraint at many points in the chain of processes necessary for successful regeneration. In this review, we draw the attention of the plant ecology research community to the pre-fertilization stages of plant sexual reproduction, an almost ignored but important aspect of the regeneration niche, and their potential consequences for successful seed production. Particularly, we focus on how temperature affects pollen performance and determines plant reproduction success by playing an important role in the temporal and spatial variations in seed quality and quantity. We also review the pollen adaptations to temperature stresses at different levels of plant organization and discuss the plasticity of the performance of pollen under changing temperature conditions. The reviewed literature demonstrates that pre-fertilization stages of seed production, particularly the extreme sensitivity of male gametophyte performance to temperature, are the key determinants of a species' regeneration niche. Thus, we suggest that previous views stating that the regeneration niche begins with the production of seeds should be modified to include the preceding stages. Lastly, we identify several gaps in pollen-related studies revealing a framework of opportunities for future research, particularly how these findings could be used in the field of plant biology and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Rosbakh
- Chair of Ecology and Conservation Biology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ettore Pacini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Massimo Nepi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Peter Poschlod
- Chair of Ecology and Conservation Biology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Rosbakh S, Poschlod P. Killing me slowly: Harsh environment extends plant maximum life span. Basic Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2018.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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