Species traits as generalized predictors of forest community response to human disturbance

Mabry, Catherine M.; Fraterrigo, Jennifer M.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.10.002

Cited by 20 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Our study highlights the co-occurrence of wind-dispersed species (especially ferns and club mosses) together with species with low dispersal ability (e.g. some ballistically dispersed species including Scutellaria lateriflora and Cardamine concatenata), as already noted in previous studies (Aubin et al 2007;Mabry & Fraterrigo 2009). Such patterns are usually related either to the occurrence of small-to intermediatesized gaps, promoting the establishment of wind-dispersed species, or to the ecological continuity of old-growth forests that favours the persistence of low dispersal species (Ricotta et al 2010).…”

Section: Functional Traits Respond To Forest Managementsupporting

confidence: 85%

Functional diversity of ground‐layer plant communities in old‐growth and managed northern hardwood forests

Sabatini

Burton

Scheller

et al. 2013

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions: Do ecological sorting processes and functional diversity of forest ground-layer plant communities vary among mature (65-85-yr-old) even-aged, managed uneven-aged and old-growth forest stands? How does functional diversity relate to environmental variables within stands? Location: Northern temperate deciduous forests of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA. Methods: Ground-layer species cover and light availability were measured at each of four old-growth, even-aged second-growth, and managed uneven-aged stands (n = 12 stands total). We used mixed-effect models and fourth-corner analysis to assess relationships among forest structure, species traits and the three components of functional diversity (functional richness, evenness, divergence) based on 32 leaf, reproductive and whole plant traits from 111 species. Results: We identified differences in leaf phenology and morphology, life form and dispersal among stand types at the community level. Ground-layer plant communities of even-aged and uneven-aged stands were at opposite ends of a spectrum of strategies aimed at tolerating stressful vs competitive environments, respectively. In even-aged stands, communities were characterized by species adapted to relatively dark and closed conditions (heavy-seeded tree saplings, spring ephemerals). In contrast, managed uneven-aged stands were characterized by species with potential for quick returns on investment of nutrients and dry mass in leaves (i.e. early summer species with high specific leaf area, low leaf dry matter content and high phosphorus concentration). Old-growth stands had fewer trait associations than managed stands, and were characterized by ferns and species with either ballistic or wind-assisted seed dispersal. Functional diversity metrics were related in complex ways to light, management and soil texture. Managed stands had higher functional richness and divergence than old-growth stands, which, instead, showed higher functional evenness. Conclusions: Even-aged and managed stands support ground-layer species with a distinct set of traits relative to those found in old-growth forests. Although there is broad interest in uneven-aged management as a means to restore the structures and functions of old-growth forests, uneven-aged management does not, at least initially, produce ground-layer plant communities more similar to old-growth forests than even-aged management. We elucidated a set of life-history traits providing a synthetic view of vegetation response to forest management. Functional diversity of ground-layer plant communities was related to differences in environmental conditions related to forest structure, suggesting that habitat filtering contributes to compositional differences at the community level. We discussed these differences with reference to plants' general strategies and carbon econom

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Section: Functional Traits Respond To Forest Managementsupporting

confidence: 85%

Functional diversity of ground‐layer plant communities in old‐growth and managed northern hardwood forests

Sabatini

Burton

Scheller

et al. 2013

Applied Vegetation Science

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“…Vegetative spread, however, should promote persistence under disturbance because clonality organs are often linked with resource storage (Cornelissen et al 2003) and hence, capacity to resprout. Moreover, species with a high degree of vegetative spread, as long as they persist, are in advantage when colonizing open space (Cornelissen et al 2003), being able to immediately take advantage of it (Aikens et al 2007), but neither of these views was supported by this and other studies (McIntyre et al 1995;Mabry and Fraterrigo 2009). This may be a consequence of disturbance intensity, which plays a crucial role in determining the fate of the disturbed site, by controlling the relative importance of persistence versus immigration/regeneration from seed bank (Aikens et al 2007).…”

Section: Long-term Herbaceous Understory Recoverymentioning

confidence: 71%

Long-term consequences of mechanical fuel management for the conservation of Mediterranean forest herb communities

2011

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Mechanical clearing of understory vegetation is increasingly used in EuroMediterranean forests to reduce fire hazard, yet its long-term consequences for biodiversity remain poorly understood. This study analysed the influence of time since understory management and management frequency, on herbaceous species richness, cover and composition, functional richness and composition, and richness and cover within functional groups (life and growth forms, dispersal strategy, clonality, and plant height), using a chronosequence of cork oak (Quercus suber) stands spanning about 70 years. Overall species richness was virtually constant over time, but the richness of species with annual life form and plasticity in height was much higher in recently and recurrently treated stands; the opposite was found for perennial (mainly hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes), tussock-forming and clonal species richness, and functional richness. Overall herbaceous cover and that of annual, semi-basal, non-clonal and plastic species (in height) were favoured by recent and recurrent fuel treatments; cover by perennial (hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes), short basal, tussock-forming, and clonal species tended to increase for [10-20 years after management, and declined with management frequency. There was a marked shift in species and functional composition associated with time since understory management and management frequency. These findings suggest that widespread fuel management at \10 year intervals may shift understory herb communities to early-successional stages, impairing the persistence of species and functional groups recovering slowly after disturbance. Fuel management needs to balance the dual goals of Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (

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“…Quantifying optimal hydrological conditions provides one potential functional measure of niche overlap between exotic and native species. Measurement of fluctuations in functional group composition over time can indicate overall alterations in trait composition of forest communities (Mabry and Fraterrigo 2008), with potential relevance for management of ecosystem processes (Quétier et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alterations in flood frequency increase exotic and native species richness of understorey vegetation in a temperate floodplain eucalypt forest

2010

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The delivery of environmental flows for biodiversity benefits within regulated river systems can potentially contribute to exotic weed spread. This study explores whether exotic plants of a floodplain forest in Victoria, Australia, are characterised by specific functional groups and associated plant traits linked to altering hydrological conditions over time. Permanently marked 20 9 20 m 2 plots from five wetland sites in Eucalyptus camaldulensis floodplain forest were sampled twice, first in the early 1990s (1993)(1994) and then 15 years later (2007)(2008). Species cover abundance data for understorey vegetation communities were segregated by season and analysed using ordination analysis. Exotic species richness was modelled as a function of site flooding history and native species richness using general linear models. Site ordinations by detrended correspondence analysis showed differential community compositions between survey dates, but native and exotic species were not clearly differentiated in terms of DCA1 scores. Most exotics belonged to functional groups containing annual species that germinate and reproduce under drier conditions. Exotics reproducing under wetter conditions were in the minority, predominantly perennial and capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. Site flooding history and native species richness significantly predicted exotic species richness. Vegetation changes are partially structured by reduced flood frequency favouring increased abundance of exotic, sexually reproducing annuals at drier sites. Sites of low flood frequency are more sensitive to future exotic weed invasion and will require targeted management effort. Flow restoration is predicted to benefit propagule dispersal of species adopting dual regeneration strategies, which are predominantly natives in this system.

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Species traits as generalized predictors of forest community response to human disturbance

Cited by 20 publications

References 41 publications

Functional diversity of ground‐layer plant communities in old‐growth and managed northern hardwood forests

Functional diversity of ground‐layer plant communities in old‐growth and managed northern hardwood forests

Long-term consequences of mechanical fuel management for the conservation of Mediterranean forest herb communities

Alterations in flood frequency increase exotic and native species richness of understorey vegetation in a temperate floodplain eucalypt forest

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