Changes in trait divergence and convergence along a productivity gradient in wet meadows

Carboni, Marta; Bello, Francesco de; Janeček, Štěpán; Doležal, Jiří; Horník, Jan; Lepš, Jan; Reitalu, Triin; Klimešová, Jitka

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2013.12.014

Cited by 31 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…The selection and complementarity effects distinguish the effects of very productive and dominant species to the complementarity in resource utilization by different species. Three grassland communities of six grass species across four management treatments (two cut frequencies and two levels of nitrogen fertilization) and throughout 2 years were explored in this study (n=24 for species assembling (Mason et al 2011;Spasojevic and Suding 2012;Gerhold et al 2013;Laliberté et al 2013;Price et al 2014;Carboni et al 2014). For instance, along an environmental severity gradient in productive grassland communities, Maire et al (2012a, see also Bernard-Verdier et al 2012 as another example along a natural soil fertility gradient in Mediterranean rangelands) found that convergence pattern towards high plant stature traits was the predominant force to explain species abundance in fertile and less disturbed habitat.…”

Section: Which Traits For Which Assembly Process?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Grass strategies and grassland community responses to environmental drivers: a review

Pontes

Maire

Schellberg

et al. 2015

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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Grassland covers about one quarter of the Earth's land area and is currently estimated to contribute to the livelihoods of over 800 million people. Grassland provides ecosystem goods and services, mainly through the provisioning of milk and meat. Therefore, the proper use of grasslands will be essential for feeding the nine billion people that will inhabit planet Earth by 2050. In the context of a changing climate, we should better understand the interactions of environment, management and grass crop at individual, community and ecosystem levels. Functional ecology focuses on the roles and functions that species play in the community or ecosystem in which they occur. Functional ecology thus aims to understand how plant species adapt to environmental conditions and how management can alter this adaptation. Here, we review the latest advances in plant functional traits research and on species strategies to the main environmental factors occurring in grassland ecosystems: nutrient availability, grazing, cutting and shading. Functional ecology also provides a framework to better understand how species strategies interact with the species composition at the community level. Therefore, the literature on community assembling theories in relation to ecosystem processes most relevant to grassland management and services is also reviewed. Finally, future research questions and some new orientations for grassland experts are offered in order to meet the challenge of maintaining productivity and preservation of these semi-natural environments in the face of global change.

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Section: Which Traits For Which Assembly Process?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Grass strategies and grassland community responses to environmental drivers: a review

Pontes

Maire

Schellberg

et al. 2015

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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“…This may be particularly the case in high‐productivity systems experiencing intense competition for resources (Carboni et al. ; Mudrák et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of environmental constraints on plant community organization depend on which traits are measured

Sfair

Rosado

Tabarelli

2016

J Vegetation Science

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Questions We test the hypothesis that soil water availability operates as an ecological filter on water economy plant traits, particularly in savanna stands, with consequences for species distribution and the functional profile of plant assemblages across a savanna–forest mosaic. Location A savanna–forest mosaic, northeastern Atlantic forest, Paraíba state, Brazil. Methods We sampled all trees and shrubs in 11 forest and 12 savanna plots in the same climatic region. Soil water storage capacity was measured, as well as the following traits: specific leaf area (SLA), internode mass fraction (IMF), maximum height (Hmax), wood density (WD), presence of trichomes (LT) and presence of abiotic seed dispersal (DD). Differences in trait values and water soil content between forest and savanna plots were assessed using Wilcoxon tests. Standardized effect size of functional richness and functional dispersion (SESFRic and SESFDis, respectively) were compared between forest and savanna plots with Wilcoxon tests, and the relationships between both functional indices of each trait and soil water content assessed using simple linear regression. We also used null models to test for habitat filtering in each plot, considering species assemblage (SESFRic) and abundance (SESFDis). Results Vegetation types differed in terms of soil water availability, with savanna soils having, on average, half the content of forest soils. Compared to forest, savanna plants had heavier internodes (30% increment), lower SLA (about 42% lower) and more plants with trichomes, but plants were much smaller across savanna assemblages. Savanna assemblages also exhibited a higher probability of trait convergence (i.e. reduced functional diversity) than forest assemblages in terms of SLA and maximum height, but savannas were less prone to trait convergence in terms of leaf trichomes, considering species abundance. Considering both vegetation types, a variable proportion of assemblages exhibited significant values of either FRic or FDis, but soil water availability did not correlate with functional diversity measures. Conclusions Habitat filtering not related to soil water availability favours the occurrence of conservative resource‐use plants across savanna stands, reinforcing the notion that filtering is able to act as an assembly force by affecting the abundance/frequency of particular traits, thus contributing to the occurrence of spatially organized mosaics of vegetation.

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“…trait convergence (Carboni et al. ). Within this patch, niche partitioning is triggered by competition leading to increased functional dissimilarity between the species, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…trait divergence (Carboni et al. ). In wet grasslands, waterlogged soil conditions and ensuing anoxic conditions in the rhizosphere act as strong habitat filters, as do soil acidity and nutrient availability (Kotowski et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Time lags in functional response to management regimes – evidence from a 26‐year field experiment in wet meadows

Velbert

Kleinebecker

Mudrák

et al. 2017

J Vegetation Science

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Questions (1) How does functional composition and diversity respond to different timings and frequencies of mowing or fallow treatment; (2) to which species assembly and related ecosystem processes do these developments correspond; and (3) what is the time course of these developments, and do they reach a stable state? Location North‐western Germany. Methods In 1987, a field experiment in nine wet meadow sites formerly exploited as fertilized meadows or pastures was established with four management treatments: (1) mowing twice a year in June/July and in September, (2) mowing once a year in June/July, (3) mowing once a year in September, and (4) leaving fallow except for shrub removal. Vegetation was recorded at least every second year and the functional composition (CWM) and diversity (Rao's quadratic entropy) were analysed in the course of the experiment. We selected eight plant functional traits (Canopy height, SLA, LDMC, Seed mass, Shoot cyclicity, Clonal index, Onset of flowering, Leaf distribution) capturing the main plant life strategies. Results Temporal changes, fluctuations and divergences between treatments could be observed in both functional composition and diversity. In particular, the vegetation of the fallow treatment showed strong competition for light and a higher investment into internal nutrient cycling. Over time, all treatments respond towards more stressful conditions due to generally less intensive management compared with the former management and respective nutrient depletion, leading to a more nutrient‐retentive and patch‐holding strategy and little investment into competitive seedlings. High competition and loose abiotic filters in the fallow treatment led to a niche separation in foliar traits. Mowing on the other hand enforced a divergence of reproduction mechanisms. Conclusion We detected long‐term fluctuations and on‐going changes in functional composition and diversity even after 26 yr. Especially early succession was characterized by a transient loss of functional diversity, caused by strong time lags in immigration and extinction of species. Our findings stress the importance of long‐term experimental studies to avoid precarious misinterpretations.

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Changes in trait divergence and convergence along a productivity gradient in wet meadows

Cited by 31 publications

References 58 publications

Grass strategies and grassland community responses to environmental drivers: a review

Grass strategies and grassland community responses to environmental drivers: a review

The effects of environmental constraints on plant community organization depend on which traits are measured

Time lags in functional response to management regimes – evidence from a 26‐year field experiment in wet meadows

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