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Significant gaps remain in understanding the response of plant reproduction to environmental change. This is partly because measuring reproduction in long-lived plants requires direct observation over many years and such datasets have rarely been made publicly available. Here we introduce MASTREE+, a data set that collates reproductive time-series data from across the globe and makes these data freely available to the community. MASTREE+ includes 73,828 georeferenced observations of annual reproduction (e.g. seed and fruit counts) in perennial plant populations worldwide.These observations consist of 5971 population-level time-series from 974 species in 66 countries. The mean and median time-series length is 12.4 and 10 years respectively, and the data set includes 1122 series that extend over at least two decades (≥20 years of observations). For a subset of well-studied species, MASTREE+ includes extensive replication of time-series across geographical and climatic gradients. Herewe describe the open-access data set, available as a.csv file, and we introduce an associated web-based app for data exploration. MASTREE+ will provide the basis for improved understanding of the response of long-lived plant reproduction to environmental change. Additionally, MASTREE+ will enable investigation of the ecology and evolution of reproductive strategies in perennial plants, and the role of plant reproduction as a driver of ecosystem dynamics.

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Abstract:During 5 y, we monitored reproductive activity and seed production of Carapa guianensis in two forest types to test the hypothesis that seed production is influenced by multiple factors across scales (regional climatic cues, local habitat heterogeneity and individual tree attributes). Variability in seed production was moderate at the population (CVp = 1.25) and individual level (xCVi = 1.24). A mixed model with a Poisson regression revealed that seed production was explained by variables at all scales. Total seed production was significantly higher in occasionally inundated forests. Diameter at breast height, dbh2, crown cross-sectional area, liana load, density, dry-season rainfall and mean maximum temperature were also significant in explaining seed production variation. Seed production increased with dbh until 40–50 cm, then decreased. Liana load demonstrated a negative relationship with seed production, but only in terra firme forests. Climatic cues (rainfall and temperature parameters) were central to setting overall patterns in reproductive activity and seemed to best explain why years with high seed production were consistent across the two forest types (habitats) examined. Dry-season rainfall was positively correlated with seed production.

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Various factors affect spatial genetic structure in plant populations, including adult density and primary and secondary seed dispersal mechanisms. We evaluated pollen and seed dispersal distances and spatial genetic structure of Carapa guianensis Aublet. (Meliaceae) in occasionally inundated and terra firme forest environments that differed in tree densities and secondary seed dispersal agents. We used parentage analysis to obtain contemporary gene flow estimates and assessed the spatial genetic structure of adults and juveniles. Despite the higher density of adults (diameter at breast height ≥ 25 cm) and spatial aggregation in occasionally inundated forest, the average pollen dispersal distance was similar in both types of forest (195 ± 106 m in terra firme and 175 ± 87 m in occasionally inundated plots). Higher seed flow rates (36.7% of juveniles were from outside the plot) and distances (155 ± 84 m) were found in terra firme compared to the occasionally inundated plot (25.4% and 114 ± 69 m). There was a weak spatial genetic structure in juveniles and in terra firme adults. These results indicate that inundation may not have had a significant role in seed dispersal in the occasionally inundated plot, probably because of the higher levels of seedling mortality.

This study investigates small-scale variability in ecosystem services and disservices that is important for sustainable planning in urban areas (including suburbs surrounding the urban core). We quantified and valued natural capital (tree and soil carbon stocks) ecosystem services (annual tree carbon sequestration and pollutant uptake, and stormwater runoff reduction) and disservices (greenhouse gas emissions and soil soluble reactive phosphorus) within a 30-hectare heterogeneous green space that included approximately 13% wetland, 13% prairie, 16% forest, and 55% subdivision. We found similar soil organic carbon across green space types, but spatial heterogeneity in other ecosystem services and disservices. The value of forest tree carbon stock was estimated at approximately $10,000 per hectare. Tree carbon sequestration, and pollutant uptake added benefits of $1000+ per hectare per year. Annual per hectare benefits from tree carbon stock and ecosystem services in the subdivision were each 63% of forest values. Total annual greenhouse gas emissions had significant spatial and temporal variation. Soil soluble reactive phosphorus was significantly higher in the wetland than in forest and prairie. Our results have implications for urban planning. Adding or improving ecosystem service provision on small (private or public) urban or suburban lots may benefit from careful consideration of small-scale variability.

We examined the effects of atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture stress (SMS) on leaf-and stand-level CO 2 exchange in model 3-year-old coppiced cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.) plantations using the large-scale, controlled environments of the Biosphere 2 Laboratory. A short-term experiment was imposed on top of continuing, long-term CO 2 treatments (43 and 120 Pa), at the end of the growing season. For the experiment, the plantations were exposed for 6-14 days to low and high VPD (0.6 and 2.5 kPa) at low and high volumetric soil moisture contents (25-39%). When system gross CO 2 assimilation was corrected for leaf area, system net CO 2 exchange (SNCE), integrated daily SNCE, and system respiration increased in response to elevated CO 2 . The increases were mainly as a result of the larger leaf area developed during growth at high CO 2 , before the short-term experiment; the observed decline in responses to SMS and high VPD treatments was partly because of leaf area reduction. Elevated CO 2 ameliorated the gas exchange consequences of water stress at the stand level, in all treatments. The initial slope of light response curves of stand photosynthesis (efficiency of light use by the stand) increased in response to elevated CO 2 under all treatments. Leaf-level net CO 2 assimilation rate and apparent quantum efficiency were consistently higher, and stomatal conductance and transpiration were significantly lower, under high CO 2 in all soil moisture and VPD combinations (except for conductance and transpiration in high soil moisture, low VPD). Comparisons of leaf-and stand-level gross CO 2 exchange indicated that the limitation of assimilation because of canopy light environment (in well-irrigated stands; ratio of leaf : stand 5 3.2-3.5) switched to a predominantly individual leaf limitation (because of stomatal closure) in response to water stress (leaf : stand 5 0.8-1.3). These observations enabled a good prediction of whole stand assimilation from leaf-level data under water-stressed conditions; the predictive ability was less under well-watered conditions. The data also demonstrated the need for a better understanding of the relationship between leaf water potential, leaf abscission, and stand LAI. NomenclatureA net 5 leaf net photosynthetic CO 2 assimilation B2L 5 Biosphere 2 Laboratory E 5 leaf transpiration ECW 5 eastern cottonwoods g s 5 stomatal conductanceCorrespondence: Ramesh Murthy, LAI 5 leaf area index PPF 5 photosynthetic photon flux SGCA 5 system gross CO 2 assimilation SGCA L 5 system gross CO 2 assimilation per unit leaf area at light saturation SMS 5 soil moisture stress SNCE L or D 5 system net CO 2 exchange (soil area basis), L or D as subscripts refer to light or dark VPD 5 atmospheric vapor pressure deficit