Influences of traits and processes on productivity and functional composition in grasslands: A modeling study

Interspecific trait variability and local soil conditions modulate grassland model community responses to climate

“…With limited resources available in each pot, intensive root competition may have resulted in decreased species abundance, however, overall higher productivity (Rajaniemi et al, 2003 ; Tilman, 1990 ), explaining how species with lower survivorship were able to increase their individual biomass to maintain overall community hierarchies. This demonstrates how competition for space strongly affects community productivity (Schmid et al, 2021 ), while also agreeing with past studies finding that net primary production can be maintained even with shifts in community composition (Liu et al, 2018 ). Nevertheless, this observation underscores the role of survival and individual species dynamics in contributing to overall community biomass.…”

Impact of mowing frequency and temperature on the production of temperate grasslands: explanations received by an individual‐based model

“…A detailed description of the GRASSMIND model can be found in Taubert et al (2020a, b), under <http://www.formind.org/downloads> and <http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=48444>. Note that in this study, belowground processes in soil such as competition for water and nitrogen are excluded (assumption that soil water and nitrogen do not limit plant growth (Schmid et al 2021)). In order to take a first step in disentangling effects of environmental and management change, we constrained our modeling study to vegetation processes acting aboveground only (e.g.…”

“…The average 2‐PFT and 3‐PFT mixture plots were used for model validation. For model parameterization, calibration as well as validation, mean vegetation attributes over the entire measurement period from 2002 to 2008 were considered (Schmid et al 2021). Final parameter values of each of the four PFTs are shown in Table 1.…”

“…Final parameter values of each of the four PFTs are shown in Table 1. Methodological details of the calibration, a comparison of observed and calibrated grassland dynamics (in terms of different vegetation attributes and functional composition) and a sensitivity and robustness analysis are provided in Schmid et al (2021).…”

Tackling unresolved questions in forest ecology: The past and future role of simulation models

“…To simplify the high species richness of these forests, tropical gap models typically simulate forest succession by grouping tree species that share similar ecological features into plant functional types (PFTs). The gap model approach was also extended beyond forests, for example, to grassland systems (Coffin & Lauenroth, 1990;Schmid et al, 2021;Taubert et al, 2020).…”