Yinliu Wang, Muqier Hasi, D. Bu, Ang Li, Jianguo Xue, Changhui Wang, Q. Tian, Guoxiang Niu, Qianqian Geng, Lixin Wang, Jianhui Huang
{"title":"Nitrogen addition results in Medicago sativa switching nitrogen sources","authors":"Yinliu Wang, Muqier Hasi, D. Bu, Ang Li, Jianguo Xue, Changhui Wang, Q. Tian, Guoxiang Niu, Qianqian Geng, Lixin Wang, Jianhui Huang","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.2007309","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.2007309","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Nitrogen (N) addition may have strong impacts on legume growth and their biological N fixation (BNF), but how legume N acquisition sources respond to N inputs have yet to be comprehensively assessed. Aims We quantified the effects of N addition on the growth and BNF of Medicago sativa and to assess the response of legume N acquisition to N addition. Methods We grew M. sativa in the greenhouse under gradients of added NH4NO3 and analysed the variables that were relative to growth and BNF, such as N concentration, biomass, δ15N values, nodule number, percentage of N derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa%). Results Nitrogen addition had marginal effects on plant biomass production and foliar N concentration. Foliar δ15N value increased with increasing added N, while Ndfa% decreased. The number of nodules formed also decreased with N addition while the nitrogenase (nifH)genecopies per unit nodule mass was not significantly different with N addition. Conclusions These findings indicate that increasing mineral N availability decreases symbiotic investment into BNF, mainly by reducing nodule formation; this was found to have no significant impact on plant growth because the plant changes its N source from BNF-N to mineral N derived from the soil.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41314244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Mansur, F. Brearley, P. J. Esseen, E. J. Rode-Margono, M. Tarigan
{"title":"Ecology of Nepenthes clipeata on Gunung Kelam, Indonesian Borneo","authors":"M. Mansur, F. Brearley, P. J. Esseen, E. J. Rode-Margono, M. Tarigan","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.1984602","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.1984602","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Nepenthes clipeata is a Critically Endangered plant species with the population at its only location in the wild, Gunung (Mount) Kelam in Kalimantan, Indonesia, under threat – its nutrient relationships have not been studied. Aims To improve understanding of the autecology of N. clipeata by assessing the current population and providing information on its mineral nutrient relationships. Methods A survey was undertaken in 2019 when population numbers and habitat preferences of N. clipeata were recorded. Nutrient concentrations in soil, leaves and pitcher fluid were analysed and compared with those in other Nepenthes species. Results Eighteen individuals of N. clipeata were found on Gunung Kelam (only one of which was female). Seven other Nepenthes species were found and hybrids with two of these and N. clipeata were observed. Although the foliar nutrient concentrations (‘ionome’) of N. clipeata appeared distinct from that of other Nepenthes species, with N. clipeata having greater nutrient concentrations, particularly nitrogen, potassium and calcium, nitrogen limitation was still prevalent. Conclusions N. clipeata still persists in the wild but with very low numbers, indicating that conservation actions are required. Along with other species of Nepenthes, it is limited by soil nitrogen concentrations although it has a distinct ionome derived from high foliar nutrient concentrations.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48986312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Plant speciation in the Quaternary","authors":"J. Kadereit, R. Abbott","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.2012849","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.2012849","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background There are conflicting views between palaeobotanists and plant systematists/evolutionary biologists regarding the occurrence of plant speciation in the Quaternary. Palaeobotanists advocate that Quaternary speciation was rare despite opposing molecular phylogenetic evidence, the extent of which appears underappreciated. Aims To document, describe and discuss evidence for Quaternary plant speciation across different geographical regions based on dated molecular phylogenies and related studies. Methods From a search of the literature, we compiled a selection mainly of dated molecular phylogenies from all continents (except Antarctica) and from all major climate zones. Results Molecular phylogenetic analyses and related studies show that Quaternary plant speciation and radiations occurred frequently and that in many instances Quaternary climatic oscillations were likely important drivers of them. In all geographical regions studied, Quaternary plant speciation and radiations were particularly evident in mountainous areas and arid regions, and were also prevalent on all major oceanic archipelagos. Conclusions Based on our survey of the molecular phylogenetic and related literature we propose there is now overwhelming evidence that plant speciation and radiations were ubiquitous during the Quaternary. We therefore reject the view of palaeobotanists that plant speciation was rare during this period and briefly discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48620307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Maracahipes, W. S. de Araújo, Fernando L. Sobral, L. Bergamini, M. Almeida-Neto, M. Cianciaruso
{"title":"Ecological and evolutionary distances from neighbouring plants do not influence leaf herbivory by chewing insects in a Neotropical savanna","authors":"L. Maracahipes, W. S. de Araújo, Fernando L. Sobral, L. Bergamini, M. Almeida-Neto, M. Cianciaruso","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.2022798","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.2022798","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Coexisting plant species frequently exhibit marked differences in leaf damage caused by chewing insects. Such variation in leaf herbivory has often been attributed to interspecific differences in leaf defensive traits, leaf nutritional quality and leaf abundance. Aims We aimed to investigate the hypothesis that plants surrounded by more similar neighbours tend to exhibit higher levels of herbivory than plants surrounded by less similar neighbours. Methods We sampled 27 tree and shrub species in 49 plots of 10 m2 located in a Neotropical savanna. For each of the 815 plants sampled, we quantified leaf damage, specific leaf area, leaf toughness, height, and conspecific abundance. We analysed the relationship between herbivory levels and plant traits comparing each individual with its neighbouring plants. The effect of phylogenetic similarity was addressed using the mean phylogenetic distance between a focal plant individual and its neighbours (i.e., the phylogenetic isolation). Results Leaf herbivory damage ranged from zero to 29.6%. We found that phylogenetic isolation, specific leaf area, plant height, and plant abundance were not related to differences in leaf herbivory at the individual level in a neighbourhood. Conclusions Our findings show that leaf herbivory damage of individual plants was not consistently influenced either by phylogenetic or by trait similarity with neighbours.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45379742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
W. Gosling, S. Y. Maezumi, Britte M. Heijink, M. N. Nascimento, M. Raczka, Masha T. van der Sande, M. Bush, C. McMichael
{"title":"Scarce fire activity in north and north-western Amazonian forests during the last 10,000 years","authors":"W. Gosling, S. Y. Maezumi, Britte M. Heijink, M. N. Nascimento, M. Raczka, Masha T. van der Sande, M. Bush, C. McMichael","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.2008040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.2008040","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Fire is known to affect forest biodiversity, carbon storage, and public health today; however, comparable fire histories from across forest regions in Amazonia are lacking. Consequently, the degree to which past fires could have preconditioned modern forest resilience to fire remains unknown. Aim We characterised the long-term (multi-millennial) fire history of forests in Amazonia to determine spatial and temporal differences in fire regimes. Methods We collated and standardised all available charcoal data extracted from continuously deposited lake sediments (n = 31) to reconstruct a ca. 10,000-year fire history for: (i) north and north-western, (ii) south-western, and (iii) eastern parts of Amazonia. Results Charcoal was found across Amazonia, but it was less abundant in the north and north-western regions. Regionally distinct periods of elevated charcoal deposition were identified at between ca. 4000 and 1500 (eastern), 3000–1000 (south-western) and 2500–2000 (north and north-western) years ago. Conclusions Forests in eastern and south-western Amazonia have been exposed to fire activity over recent millennia, while the forests in north and north-western Amazonia have grown under conditions largely free of fire activity. Consequently, we hypothesise that the forests in eastern and south-western Amazonia are preconditioned to be relatively more resilient to the threat of increased modern fire activity.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49231720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The relevance of the concept of potential natural vegetation in the Anthropocene","authors":"I. Somodi, J. Ewald, Ákos Bede‐Fazekas, Z. Molnár","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.1984600","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.1984600","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background The concept of potential natural vegetation (PNV) refers to self-sustaining mature vegetation matching the environmental conditions a site offers. Despite its widespread use, the applicability of the concept under the current level of human impacts on the environment has been criticised. Aims We re-examine the original publication of the PNV concept and its development over time to identify the sources of tension between theory and application and to direct the discourse onto a common ground of understanding. Our focus is on the relationship between human impacts and PNV. Arguments Based on extended excerpts and detailed interpretation, we affirm that PNV applies to a specific point in time. Consequently, PNV is independent of any realised vegetation including past undisturbed (pre-human) vegetation. We track possible routes and reasons for alternative interpretations. We identify PNV as a mental concept, or a neutral model, that represents baseline vegetation potential that excludes contemporary human management but includes past environment-modifying impacts. We address how a concept reflecting unmanaged vegetation can be important for application in a world transformed by humans. Conclusions Rather than abandoning the concept, we advocate adhering to using it in the original sense of its definition. This way PNV can serve research as a neutral model and support sustainable land use planning.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45118758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Rowntree, Clare Dean, F. Morrison, R. Brooker, E. Price
{"title":"Arable wildflowers have potential as living mulches for sustainable agriculture","authors":"J. Rowntree, Clare Dean, F. Morrison, R. Brooker, E. Price","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.1933233","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.1933233","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background As agriculture has intensified, many once-common wildflowers have declined in arable landscapes, which has widespread implications for associated ecosystem services. The incorporation of sustainable practices, for example, growing living mulches (in-field, non-crop plant ground cover, maintained during the target crop growing season), can boost arable biodiversity, but few wildflower species have been utilised in this context. Aims Our aim was to determine the suitability of arable wildflower species, once considered weeds, for use as living mulches. Methods We first screened a number of arable wildflower species for germination when growing with a common cereal, barley (Hordeum vulgare). We then grew two (Centaurea cyanus and Scandix pecten-veneris) in pots in a glasshouse with and without barley, and grew barley alone to test the impact of the wildflowers on barley growth and biomass. Results Neither of the wildflowers significantly negatively impacted barley biomass. Barley initially facilitated germination in S. pecten-veneris, but ultimately suppressed the above-ground biomass of both wildflowers. However, both wildflower species were able to coexist alongside barley. Conclusions Our experiment provides evidence that wildflowers that were considered weeds in traditional agriculture have the potential to be grown alongside barley and could be incorporated as part of a living mulch.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17550874.2021.1933233","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42248790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Melissa Llerena-Zambrano, J. Ordoñez, L. Llambí, Masha T. van der Sande, E. Pinto, L. Salazar, F. Cuesta
{"title":"Minimum temperature drives community leaf trait variation in secondary montane forests along a 3000-m elevation gradient in the tropical Andes","authors":"Melissa Llerena-Zambrano, J. Ordoñez, L. Llambí, Masha T. van der Sande, E. Pinto, L. Salazar, F. Cuesta","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.1903604","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.1903604","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background: Leaf functional traits (LFT) influence resource acquisition and are important for understanding ecosystem processes. Climate and land use are key filters of community composition and LFT, however, how the relative importance of these filter changes with elevation has been little studied in the Andes. Aims: To gain insight into the functional response of Andean forests to climate and disturbance in naturally regenerated forest stands. Methods: We measured leaf blade thickness (LBT), leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) from 13 secondary forest communities, along a 3000-m elevation transect. We derived basal area-weighted mean community (CWM) trait values to assess the effect of climate and disturbance on the functional structure of regenerating tree communities. Results: Community LFT progressively shifted along the elevation gradient driven by changes in temperature and successional stages towards communities with thicker leaves with low SLA. Reduction in LDMC with elevation suggested that both succulence and sclerophylly were important strategies in these forests. Conclusions: Our findings reinforce the validity of LFT as a powerful predictor to explore the ecological strategies of tree species in climate scenarios. Warmer conditions could result in a shift from slower to faster resource acquisition strategies at higher elevations.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17550874.2021.1903604","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48792700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The drought‒dieback‒death conundrum in trees and forests","authors":"J. Camarero","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.1961172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.1961172","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background: Climate warming is amplifying and exacerbating drought stress worldwide. Long-term trends of increasing evaporative demand and decreasing soil moisture availability occur superimposed on severe spells of drought. These rare, extreme droughts have triggered episodes of forest dieback that have led to reduced productivity and rising mortality rates, usually at small scales (dieback hotspots), but affecting biomes worldwide. Aims: This review summarizes and discusses the drivers, patterns and mechanisms of forest dieback caused by drought. Methods: I review studies on forest dieback and tree death linked to dry spells with a focus on tools to forecast dieback. Results: Several mechanisms have been described as physiological drivers of dieback, including hydraulic failure and carbon starvation, however hydraulics-based models have shown little predictive power of dieback and mortality. Field proxies of tree vigour, including changes in canopy defoliation and water content, combined with surrogates of tree functioning (tree-ring growth, wood anatomy, tree-ring δ13C or δ18O composition) may improve predictions of forest dieback or at least render early-warning signals of impending tree death. Conclusions: Drought-induced dieback and mortality are concerning phenomena which lack forecasting tools with sufficient predictive power. Surrogates of tree vigour, growth and functioning should be used to build more accurate models of tree death in response to extreme climate events linked to drought. Here, I argue for combining and comparing those surrogates to better forecast forest dieback.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46653704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Inter-annual climatic variability modulates biotic interactions on early Nothofagus pumilio community development","authors":"Clara Pissolito, Irene A. Garibotti, R. Villalba","doi":"10.1080/17550874.2021.1900445","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2021.1900445","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background: Despite extensive efforts to understand how biotic interactions and community dynamics respond to changes in environmental conditions many knowledge gaps remain. Assessing biotic interactions involving little studied organisms, such as the biological soil crust (BSC), can widen our understanding of ecosystem functioning. Aims: (1) to quantify the effects of two pioneer communities, one of shrubs and the other of BSC, on the survival and early growth of Nothofagus pumilio tree seedlings on land exposed after glacier retreat, and (2) evaluate how these biotic effects changed according to variations in environmental conditions. Methods: We conducted seedling transplants, at four glacier forelands in the Patagonian Andes across a precipitation gradient in three microsite types: bare soil, soil-covered BSC, low-stature vegetation cover by the creeping dwarf-shrub Empetrum rubrum (ER). Results: N. pumilio seedling survival was related to inter-annual climatic variations, with higher survival in cool-wet years. These effects depended on microsite conditions, with a tendency towards highest survival in BSC. Conversely, microsite type was the dominant factor affecting seedling leaf area, with a trend towards bigger leaves in bare soil. Conclusions: At regional scales, inter-annual climatic variability modulates N. pumilio colonisation. However, microenvironmental differences imposed by cover type introduce important variations. Accounting for interactions between climate and pre-existing communities is essential for predicting climate change impacts on plant community development.","PeriodicalId":49691,"journal":{"name":"Plant Ecology & Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2021-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17550874.2021.1900445","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60364746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}