Morphological and reproductive responses of dominant plant species to local conditions in herbaceous successional stages of a calcareous hillside

Dujardin, Gaylord; Bureau, Fabrice; Decaëns, Thibaud; Langlois, Estelle

doi:10.1016/j.flora.2011.05.012

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 42 publications

(48 reference statements)

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“…However, irrespective of high seed output in old populations (e.g. Dujardin et al, 2011) the germination of these diaspores could be hampered by dense sward. Similar results were found in other clonal species, i.e.…”

Section: Decline Of Genotypic Diversity With Population Age In Relatimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The expansion of B. pinnatum since the second half of the 20th century is a result of the abandonment of agricultural practices leading to successional changes of ancient calcareous grasslands and an increase of fallow land. Now it occurs in many calcareous grasslands across humid regions of Europe, often forming nearly monodominant stands (Bąba, 2003;Dujardin et al, 2011;Willems and van Nieuwstadt, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Genetic diversity of the expansive grass Brachypodium pinnatum in a changing landscape: Effect of habitat age

Bąba

Kurowska

Kompała‐Bąba

et al. 2012

Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants

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Section: Decline Of Genotypic Diversity With Population Age In Relatimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic diversity of the expansive grass Brachypodium pinnatum in a changing landscape: Effect of habitat age

Bąba

Kurowska

Kompała‐Bąba

et al. 2012

Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants

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“…For example, variation in certain leaf traits reveals trade-offs involving photosynthetic carbon fixation in plant species, known as the leaf economics spectrum (Westoby & Wright 2003;Wright et al 2004). Variations in other leaf traits may reflect trade-offs between herbivore resistance and tolerance and photosynthetic capacity (Spriggs et al 2003;Hobbie & Hobbie 2008); therefore many researchers have used leaf traits to identify and interpret processes and mechanisms of succession (Wilson et al 1999;D€ olle et al 2008;Kahmen & Poschlod 2008;Dujardin et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaf traits in dominant species from different secondary successional stages of deciduous forest on the Loess Plateau of northern China

Chai

Liu

Yue

et al. 2014

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions Are leaf traits related to plant growth efficiency different in different stages of forest succession on the Loess Plateau of northern Shaanxi, China? How do plant ecological strategies change with the progress of forest succession? Can a combination of some key leaf traits across species discriminate successional stages? Location Loess Plateau region of northern Shaanxi, China. Methods A set of 31 plots was established in the study area. Twenty‐two traits were measured in 31 dominant species representative of six succession stages: three pertaining to morphology, nine to stoichiometry and ten to physiological ecology. Six traits related to photosynthesis were measured in 15 species. Results Eleven of 22 leaf traits differed significantly along the succession gradient. Early succession species had leaves with higher specific leaf area (SLA), higher leaf phosphorus (P) content (LPC) and lower N/P ratio, which assured higher growth rates and resource acquisition. Species from more advanced stages had a higher leaf dry mass content (LDMC), leaf carbon (C) content (LCC), leaf construction cost (CC) and C/P ratio, indicating improved competiveness through efficient nutrient conservation. None of the traits related to photosynthesis differed significantly among successional stages. Differences between traits among life forms also revealed that changes in traits with succession were due to the turnover of life forms in dominant species along the succession gradient. Conclusions The results provide clear evidence of functional links between leaf traits and forest succession in the Loess Plateau ecosystem, confirming trait‐based trade‐off of nutrient acquisition vs conservation during succession. We recommend using a combination of seven key leaf traits across species to discriminate between the succession stages.

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“…Of the 12 traits investigated, 3 of them show evolutionary responses along the successional gradient. Surprisingly, height and aboveground biomass did not change along the successional gradient despite these 2 traits usually increase along the successional gradient in the field (Dujardin et al 2011). Völler et al (2017-growing 8 plant species collected from 3 regimes of Germany in a common garden-also found that height and biomass are not responsive to fertilization but they decrease as grazing intensity increases.…”

Section: Traitsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Evolutionary responses of a dominant plant along a successional gradient in a salt-marsh system

Chen

2021

Plant Ecol

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The ecological responses of plant populations along a successional gradient have been intensively examined; however, the evolutionary responses received much less attention. Here, I explored genetic changes of key phenotypic traits of a dominant clonal plant (Elytrigia atherica) along a saltmarsh successional gradient by collecting samples along the successional gradient in the high and low marsh and growing them in a common environment (greenhouse). Additionally, to explore whether changes in traits are driven by abiotic (e.g. clay thickness) and biotic (e.g. grazing intensity) variables along the successional gradient, I measured these two variables in the field. I found that clay thickness (a proxy of total nitrogen) increased along the successional gradient both in the high and low marsh; grazing intensity from hares (the most important herbivores) decreased along the successional gradient in the high marsh but did not change in the low marsh. Meanwhile, I found that growth in number of leaves and ramets decreased, while rhizome length increased, along the successional gradient for E. atherica collected from the high marsh. Opposite trends were found for E. atherica collected from the low marsh. Results suggest that, in the high marsh, herbivores may overrule nutrients to drive trait changes. That is, at the early successional stages, E. atherica had higher growth in number of leaves and ramets to compensate for high-intensity grazing. In the low marsh, nutrients may be the dominant driver for trait changes. That is, at the late successional stages, E. atherica had higher growth in number of leaves and ramets but shorter rhizomes to maximize its expansion under the favorable conditions (higher nutrient availability). Results suggest that ecologically important abiotic and biotic variables such as nutrients and herbivores may also have a substantial evolutionary impact on plant populations.

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Morphological and reproductive responses of dominant plant species to local conditions in herbaceous successional stages of a calcareous hillside

Cited by 14 publications

References 42 publications

Genetic diversity of the expansive grass Brachypodium pinnatum in a changing landscape: Effect of habitat age

Genetic diversity of the expansive grass Brachypodium pinnatum in a changing landscape: Effect of habitat age

Leaf traits in dominant species from different secondary successional stages of deciduous forest on the Loess Plateau of northern China

Evolutionary responses of a dominant plant along a successional gradient in a salt-marsh system

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