Consistent trait–environment relationships within and across tundra plant communities

Abstract

Consistent trait-environment relationships within and across tundra plant communities Introductory paragraphA fundamental assumption in trait-based ecology is that relationships between traits and environmental conditions are globally consistent. We use field-quantified microclimate and soil data to explore if trait-environment relationships are generalisable across plant communities and spatial scales. We collected data from 6720 plots and 217 species across four distinct tundra regions from both hemispheres. We combine this data with over 76000 database trait records to relate local plant community trait composition to broad gradients of key environmental drivers: soil moisture, soil temperature, soil pH, and potential solar radiation. Results revealed strong, consistent trait-environment relationships across Arctic and Antarctic regions. This indicates that the detected relationships are transferable between tundra plant communities also when finescale environmental heterogeneity is accounted for, and that variation in local conditions heavily influences both structural and leaf economic traits. Our results strengthen the biological and mechanistic basis for climate change impact predictions of vulnerable high-latitude ecosystems.

The activity and functions of soil microbial communities in the Finnish sub-Arctic vary across vegetation types

“…The study area is topographically heterogeneous and part of the sub-Arctic alpine tundra biome. Consequently, the area comprises relatively broad environmental gradients of soil microclimate, moisture, and pH, among others (Kemppinen et al ., 2021a). The vegetation type is mainly mountain heath dominated by dwarf shrubs such as Empetrum nigrum and Betula nana and to a lesser extent by Juniperus communis, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, V. uliginosum , and V. myrtillus (Kemppinen et al ., 2019).…”

“…In high-latitude soils, microbial communities are exposed to extreme environmental stressors, such as fluctuating temperatures, long periods of darkness, and intensive UV radiation and drought. In addition, vegetation is typically heterogenous in areas, where the local growing conditions (microclimate, soil moisture, soil nutrients) can vary greatly at small spatial scales (le Roux et al ., 2013; Kemppinen et al ., 2021). Different vegetation types affect soil biotic and abiotic factors, through which vegetation can influence the local soil microbial community.…”

“…At large geographic scales, the composition of Arctic tundra vegetation is primarily shaped by climate (e.g., mean summer temperature) (Walker et al ., 2005). However, tundra vegetation is typically heterogeneous at the local level, as growing conditions (microclimate, soil moisture, soil nutrients) vary greatly at small spatial scales (le Roux et al ., 2013; Kemppinen et al ., 2021a). Different vegetation types affect soil biotic and abiotic factors which, in turn, influence the local soil microbial community.…”

Environmental filters of freshwater fish community assembly along elevation and latitudinal gradients

“…However, the novelty of our study was testing for assembly processes across elevation and latitude simultaneously to determine whether shared filters exist across both gradients. Future studies should consider whether shared environmental filters explain consistent trait-environment relationships across multiple spatial gradients to improve the identification of globally generalizable filters of community assembly (Bower & Winemiller, 2019b;Cadotte & Tucker, 2017;Ernst et al, 2012;Kemppinen et al, 2021;Kraft et al, 2015).…”

“…Alternatively, testing whether similar environmental filters act on community assembly across different spatial gradients or geographical regions could identify the role of shared filters. Evidence for shared filters (also called global or universal filters) occurs when community traits show consistent and generalizable relationships with the physical environment (Bower & Winemiller, 2019b;Ernst et al, 2012;Kemppinen et al, 2021;Poff, 1997).…”