Size Hierarchy and Stability in Competitive Plant Populations

Yokozawa, Masayuki

doi:10.1006/bulm.1999.0120

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…The influence of herbivores on size variation within populations of the dominant species has important implications for species distribution and abundance. Recent theoretical work provides support for the notion that size hierarchies of dominant species influence the composition and diversity of the entire community (Yokozawa 1999). Germinant populations are often characterized by small differences in plant size that result from minute differences in maternal endowments, genetics, micro-environmental quality, germination time, chance, etc.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of small herbivores in structuring annual grassland

Peters

2007

J Vegetation Science

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Question: Herbivores can play a fundamental role in regulating the composition and structure of terrestrial plant communities. Relatively inconspicuous but nevertheless ubiquitous gastropods and small mammals are usually considered to influence grassland communities through distinct modes. 1. Do terrestrial gastropods and small mammals, either alone or in combination, influence plant community composition of an intact annual grassland? 2. Do these herbivores influence the plant size structure of the dominant grass Avena? Location: Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (37°24’ N, 122° 13’ W, elevation 150 m) in northern California. Methods: Animal exclosures were used to examine the single and combined influences of these herbivores on annual grassland production, community composition, and plant size structure during the growing season of an intact annual grassland. Results: The removal and exclusion of the herbivores increased the prevalence of grasses relative to legumes and non‐legume forbs; increased total production of above‐ground plant biomass; and increased mean plant size and exacerbated size hierarchies in populations of Avena. The effect of both gastropods and small mammals, alone and in combination, was characterized by temporal oscillations in the relative dominance of grasses in plots with vs. without herbivores. Conclusions: Both groups of herbivores are important controllers of California annual grassland that exert similar influences on production and composition. While other factors appear to determine the absolute number of individuals in this plant community, selective consumption of grasses by gastropods and small mammals partially offsets the competitive advantages associated with their early germination.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of small herbivores in structuring annual grassland

Peters

2007

J Vegetation Science

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“…Resource acquisition influences not only how populations survive, develop and reproduce, but also how they compete (Tilman 1977(Tilman , 1982. This is especially true in tree communities, where competition for light is asymmetric (Yokozawa 1999). Large trees capture a disproportionate fraction of resources (Weiner 1990).…”

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Individual variability in tree allometry determines light resource allocation in forest ecosystems: a hierarchical Bayesian approach

Vieilledent

Courbaud

Künstler³

et al. 2010

Oecologia

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Tree species differences in crown size and shape are often highlighted as key characteristics determining light interception strategies and successional dynamics. The phenotypic plasticity of species in response to light and space availability suggests that intraspecific variability can have potential consequences on light interception and community dynamics. Species crown size varies depending on site characteristics and other factors at the individual level which differ from competition for light and space. These factors, such as individual genetic characteristics, past disturbances or environmental micro-site effects, combine with competition-related phenotypic plasticity to determine the individual variability in crown size. Site and individual variability are typically ignored when considering crown size and light interception by trees, and residual variability is relegated to a residual error term, which is then ignored when studying ecological processes. In the present study, we structured and quantified variability at the species, site, and individual levels for three frequently used tree allometric relations using fixed and random effects in a hierarchical Bayesian framework. We focused on two species: Abies alba (silver fir) and Picea abies (Norway spruce) in nine forest stands of the western Alps. We demonstrated that species had different allometric relations from site to site and that individual variability accounted for a large part of the variation in allometric relations. Using a spatially explicit radiation transmission model on real stands, we showed that individual variability in tree allometry had a substantial impact on light resource allocation in the forest. Individual variability in tree allometry modulates species' light-intercepting ability. It generates heterogeneous light conditions under the canopy, with high light micro-habitats that may promote the regeneration of light-demanding species and slow down successional dynamics.

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The Mode of Competition and Spatial Pattern Formation in Plant Communities

Yokozawa

2003

Morphogenesis and Pattern Formation in Biological Systems

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Size Hierarchy and Stability in Competitive Plant Populations

Cited by 7 publications

References 37 publications

The significance of small herbivores in structuring annual grassland

The significance of small herbivores in structuring annual grassland

Individual variability in tree allometry determines light resource allocation in forest ecosystems: a hierarchical Bayesian approach

The Mode of Competition and Spatial Pattern Formation in Plant Communities

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