How Do Tree Canopy and Soil Nutrients Drive Distinct Facets of Diversity and Community Assembly in Sub-Mediterranean Grasslands?

IF 2.7 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ECOLOGY

Journal of Vegetation Science Pub Date : 2025-09-12 DOI:10.1111/jvs.70064

Sergio de Tomás-Marín, Francesco de Bello, Javier Galán Díaz, Francisco J. Muñoz-Gálvez, Iván Prieto, Enrique G. de la Riva

{"title":"How Do Tree Canopy and Soil Nutrients Drive Distinct Facets of Diversity and Community Assembly in Sub-Mediterranean Grasslands?","authors":"Sergio de Tomás-Marín, Francesco de Bello, Javier Galán Díaz, Francisco J. Muñoz-Gálvez, Iván Prieto, Enrique G. de la Riva","doi":"10.1111/jvs.70064","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Question</h3>\n \n <p>How do tree canopy cover and soil nutrients shape the taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of sub-Mediterranean grasslands?</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Location</h3>\n \n <p>Valdebezana's valley (Burgos, Northern Spain).</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>We measured 10 above- and belowground plant functional raits related to resource acquisition strategies and dispersal ability from four sub-Mediterranean grasslands dominated by species with different biogeographic origins (Eurosiberian vs. Mediterranean). Then, we estimated patterns in taxonomic composition and compared the levels of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity indices among communities and estimated their phylogenetic and functional assembly patterns, together with the decoupled functional diversity. Additionally, we estimated the influence of tree canopy and soil nutrients in shaping such patterns.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>Communities segregated according to their biogeographic origin (Eurosiberian vs. Mediterranean) along a soil resource gradient, matching the economics spectrum expectation. Taxonomic diversity differed significantly between biogeographic origins, but phylogenetic or functional diversity did not. Assembly patterns showed phylogenetic over-dispersion accompanied by functional clustering, with a significant effect of decoupling. Differences in taxonomic diversity were driven by edaphic factors, while canopy closure mainly influenced phylogenetic and functional patterns.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusions</h3>\n \n <p>Sub-Mediterranean grasslands are highly rich in all facets of biodiversity (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional) and in assembly processes. In these habitats, local conditions may influence the structure and composition of herbaceous plant communities, highlighting the fragility of ecotones to environmental variations. Our results underline the need to develop proper management actions to preserve ecotone grassland communities; for instance, the creation of heterogeneous environments combining forest patches with open areas to maximize their biodiversity and functionality.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"36 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.70064","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Vegetation Science","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.70064","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Question

How do tree canopy cover and soil nutrients shape the taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of sub-Mediterranean grasslands?

Location

Valdebezana's valley (Burgos, Northern Spain).

Methods

We measured 10 above- and belowground plant functional raits related to resource acquisition strategies and dispersal ability from four sub-Mediterranean grasslands dominated by species with different biogeographic origins (Eurosiberian vs. Mediterranean). Then, we estimated patterns in taxonomic composition and compared the levels of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity indices among communities and estimated their phylogenetic and functional assembly patterns, together with the decoupled functional diversity. Additionally, we estimated the influence of tree canopy and soil nutrients in shaping such patterns.

Results

Communities segregated according to their biogeographic origin (Eurosiberian vs. Mediterranean) along a soil resource gradient, matching the economics spectrum expectation. Taxonomic diversity differed significantly between biogeographic origins, but phylogenetic or functional diversity did not. Assembly patterns showed phylogenetic over-dispersion accompanied by functional clustering, with a significant effect of decoupling. Differences in taxonomic diversity were driven by edaphic factors, while canopy closure mainly influenced phylogenetic and functional patterns.

Conclusions

Sub-Mediterranean grasslands are highly rich in all facets of biodiversity (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional) and in assembly processes. In these habitats, local conditions may influence the structure and composition of herbaceous plant communities, highlighting the fragility of ecotones to environmental variations. Our results underline the need to develop proper management actions to preserve ecotone grassland communities; for instance, the creation of heterogeneous environments combining forest patches with open areas to maximize their biodiversity and functionality.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

亚地中海草原树冠和土壤养分如何驱动不同方面的多样性和群落聚集？

树冠覆盖度和土壤养分如何影响亚地中海草原的分类、系统发育和功能多样性？位置Valdebezana山谷（布尔戈斯，西班牙北部）。方法在4个亚地中海草原（欧洲西伯利亚与地中海）不同生物地理来源的物种占主导地位，测量了10个与资源获取策略和扩散能力相关的地上和地下植物功能雨。在此基础上，估算了不同群落的分类组成格局，比较了不同群落的分类、系统发育和功能多样性指数水平，估算了不同群落的系统发育和功能组合格局以及解耦的功能多样性。此外，我们估计了树冠和土壤养分对形成这种模式的影响。结果群落根据其生物地理来源（欧洲西伯利亚vs地中海）沿土壤资源梯度划分，符合经济学谱预期。不同生物地理起源的分类多样性差异显著，但系统发育多样性和功能多样性差异不显著。装配模式表现为系统发育上的过度分散和功能聚类，具有显著的解耦效应。分类多样性差异主要受土壤因子驱动，而冠层闭合主要影响系统发育模式和功能模式。结论亚地中海草原具有丰富的生物多样性（分类学、系统发育和功能）和聚集过程。在这些生境中，当地条件可能影响草本植物群落的结构和组成，突出了过渡带对环境变化的脆弱性。我们的研究结果强调需要制定适当的管理措施来保护交错带草地群落；例如，创造异质环境，将森林斑块与开放区域相结合，以最大限度地提高其生物多样性和功能。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of Vegetation Science 环境科学-林学

CiteScore

6.00

自引率

3.60%

发文量

审稿时长

2 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of Vegetation Science publishes papers on all aspects of plant community ecology, with particular emphasis on papers that develop new concepts or methods, test theory, identify general patterns, or that are otherwise likely to interest a broad international readership. Papers may focus on any aspect of vegetation science, e.g. community structure (including community assembly and plant functional types), biodiversity (including species richness and composition), spatial patterns (including plant geography and landscape ecology), temporal changes (including demography, community dynamics and palaeoecology) and processes (including ecophysiology), provided the focus is on increasing our understanding of plant communities. The Journal publishes papers on the ecology of a single species only if it plays a key role in structuring plant communities. Papers that apply ecological concepts, theories and methods to the vegetation management, conservation and restoration, and papers on vegetation survey should be directed to our associate journal, Applied Vegetation Science journal.