Measuring temporal patterns in ecology: The case of mast seeding

Fernández‐Martínez, Marcos; Peñuelas, Josep

doi:10.1002/ece3.7291

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 42 publications

(78 reference statements)

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“…However, caution should be exercised in interpreting the confidence intervals because this approach assumes a normal distribution of CV values. The CV can be a useful metric for temporal variability when there are no zero values and the specific chronological sequence is not of interest ( Fernández-Martínez and Peñuelas 2021 ). Note that the CV as calculated here represents a population-level estimate of the variability in the means of the phenotypic traits among years ( Herrera 1998 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal variation of chasmogamy and cleistogamy in a native perennial grass: fecundity, reproductive allocation and allometry

Cheplick

2023

AoB PLANTS

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It is difficult to assess the relative variability or stability of chasmogamous (CH) and cleistogamous (CL) reproduction in perennial herbs with mixed mating because long-term data in natural populations are unavailable. Here, the aim was to quantify and compare spatial (between-habitat) and temporal (among-year) variation in CH and CL reproduction over five years in two subpopulations of the native perennial grass Danthonia compressa. This species produces CH spikelets on terminal panicles in early summer, while axillary CL spikelets, including a basal cleistogene, mature into the autumn. Flowering tillers were collected from a sunny woodland edge and an adjacent shady interior habitat for five consecutive years (2017-2021). Seed set, fecundity, seed mass and biomass allocation were recorded for the two floral types along with tiller vegetative mass. Bivariate line-fitting was used for allometric analysis of CH and CL fecundity. Seed set, fecundity, mass per seed and allocation to seeds differed between floral types and showed significant variation between habitats and among years. Seed set and fecundity in CH panicles was greater than that of axillary CL panicles in most years. Tiller mass positively affected axillary CL seed production and mass of the basal cleistogene. Fecundity and allocation among years was more variable for CH compared to CL reproduction. High seed set and fecundity of CH spikelets suggests that pollination does not limit reproduction via chasmogamy. Late maturation of axillary CL spikelets provides additional fecundity, especially in larger plants along sunny woodland edges. The heavy cleistogene at the tiller base could be important to population persistence, analogous to the axillary bud bank of other perennial grasses that are not cleistogamous. The spatiotemporal stability of CL reproduction underscores the ecological significance of cleistogamy to reproductive fitness.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal variation of chasmogamy and cleistogamy in a native perennial grass: fecundity, reproductive allocation and allometry

Cheplick

2023

AoB PLANTS

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“…Among-year variability in plant reproduction follows a continuous gradient, so using dichotomous classifications such as 'masting' and 'non-masting' can be problematic (Herrera et al 1998;Koenig and Knops 2000;Fernández-Martínez and Pe˜ 2021). This was recently demonstrated nuelas by Pearse et al's (2020) global analysis of mean CVps of 311 species, where the dataset showed a unimodal continuous distribution of CVps ranging from 0.5 to 3.3 (Fig.…”

Section: Quantifying Mastingmentioning

confidence: 93%

The ecology, evolution and management of mast reproduction in Australian plants

2022

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Australia is home to a diverse assemblage of plant species that display marked population-level variation in inter-annual flower or seed output (i.e. masting). These include a semelparous bamboo with an estimated inter-crop period of 40–50 years, numerous iteroparous masting gymnosperms, angiosperms that include landscape-dominant eucalypts, arid-zone wattles and spinifex (Triodia spp.) grasses, and a rich selection of species that display disturbance-related forms of masting such as pyrogenic flowering and environmental prediction. Despite the prevalence of masting in the Australian flora, there has been a paucity of research on these plants. Nevertheless, from the literature available, it appears that, similar to other parts of the world, a continuum of inter-year reproductive variability exists, with a small number of species displaying extreme–high inter-annual seeding variability. From experimental studies and many anecdotal reports, most of the fitness benefits associated with masting evident overseas also operate in Australia (e.g. predator satiation, improved pollination efficiency, and environmental prediction). Additionally, some Australian masting species offer periodically important food resources for Aboriginal nations in the form of seed or fruit. These include the bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii), members of the cycad genera Cycas and Macrozamia, spinifex (Triodia) grasses, and mulga shrubs (Acacia aneura). Key future research areas for effective conservation of Australian masting plants include (1) improved understanding of how management interventions such as burning and silvicultural thinning influence regeneration dynamics and higher-order trophic interactions, (2) further longitudinal monitoring across a range of habitats to identify other, as yet unknown, species that display reproductive intermittency, and (3) elucidation of how changes to temperature, precipitation and fire regimes under climate change will affect reproduction and regeneration dynamics of the Australian masting flora.

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“…Understanding the variation in masting at different organizational levels is a fundamental aspect of the discipline. Yet, the methods used to measure masting–masting metrics – continue to be controversial (Crone et al ., 2011; Fernández‐Martínez & Peñuelas, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The metrics termed volatility and periodicity provide a way to compare time‐series variation between trees, allowing scaling‐up to populations, and species (Qiu et al ., 2023). The term volatility was introduced to distinguish it from terms related to variability or variance (such as CV or lag‐1 approaches; Fernández‐Martínez & Peñuelas, 2021). Volatility measures variation in the frequency domain with a focus on the biologically significant long intervals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to measure mast seeding?

et al. 2023

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Summary The periodic production of large seed crops, or masting, is a widespread phenomenon in perennial plants. This behavior can enhance the reproductive efficiency of plants, leading to increased fitness, and produce ripple effects on food webs. While variability from year to year is a defining characteristic of masting, the methods used to quantify this variability are highly debated. The commonly used coefficient of variation lacks the ability to account for the serial dependence in mast data and can be influenced by zeros, making it a less suitable choice for various applications based on individual‐level observations, such as phenotypic selection, heritability, and climate change studies, which rely on individual‐plant‐level datasets that often contain numerous zeros. To address these limitations, we present three case studies and introduce volatility and periodicity, which account for the variance in the frequency domain by emphasizing the significance of long intervals in masting. By utilizing examples of Sorbus aucuparia, Pinus pinea, Quercus robur, Quercus pubescens, and Fagus sylvatica, we demonstrate how volatility captures the effects of variance at both high and low frequencies, even in the presence of zeros, leading to improved ecological interpretations of the results. The growing availability of long‐term, individual‐plant datasets promises significant advancements in the field, but requires appropriate tools for analysis, which the new metrics provide.

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Measuring temporal patterns in ecology: The case of mast seeding

Cited by 7 publications

References 42 publications

Spatiotemporal variation of chasmogamy and cleistogamy in a native perennial grass: fecundity, reproductive allocation and allometry

Spatiotemporal variation of chasmogamy and cleistogamy in a native perennial grass: fecundity, reproductive allocation and allometry

The ecology, evolution and management of mast reproduction in Australian plants

How to measure mast seeding?

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