Journal of Vegetation Science最新文献

{"title":"The effect of neighbor species' phylogenetic and trait difference on tree growth in subtropical forests","authors":"Joice Klipel,&nbsp;Rodrigo Scarton Bergamin,&nbsp;Kauane Maiara Bordin,&nbsp;Rayana Caroline Picolotto,&nbsp;Sandra Cristina Müller,&nbsp;Francesco de Bello","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13296","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13296","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To comprehensively understand ecological dynamics within a forest ecosystem, it is vital to explore how surrounding trees influence the growth of individual trees in a community. This study investigates the importance of biotic interactions on tree growth by examining several metrics of competitive interactions and community structure and considering three classes of intrinsic growth rates among the focal individuals: slower, intermediate, and faster-growing trees. We also separated the focal trees based on their canopy position.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Brazilian subtropical forests.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We assessed various factors related to the focal trees and their neighbors, including differences in traits, neighborhood crowding, phylogenetic distance, and overall trait composition within the community. We then ran linear mixed-effects models to test how these different metrics influenced the growth rates of the focal trees.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results indicate that phylogenetic distance is linked to higher growth. Specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area (LA), and wood density (WD) are significantly related to tree growth. Trees surrounded by neighbors with higher SLA than themselves grow better, particularly smaller trees. Similarly, taller trees with smaller LA than their neighbors grow better. Trees in the intermediary growth class grow better when they have higher WD than their neighbors. Conversely, smaller trees benefit from greater WD difference between the focal trees and their neighbors, while height difference negatively impacts faster-growing trees. Moreover, communities with higher SLA and WD positively impact the growth of faster-growing trees.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We conclude that the interactions between trees are mediated by their ecological differences, but the performance and responses to surrounding competitors vary along with their grow class and position within a community. This study has revealed that the tree's intrinsic growth rate mediates the effect of traits and phylogeny of surrounding trees on individual tree growth.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13296","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141931349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beta diversity of restored river dike grasslands is strongly influenced by uncontrolled spatio-temporal variability","authors":"Markus Bauer,&nbsp;Jakob K. Huber,&nbsp;Johannes Kollmann","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13293","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13293","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Understanding the spatio-temporal patterns of restoration outcomes is crucial to improve predictability of restoration. High beta diversity of species-rich communities is sought because it increases overall biodiversity and improves ecosystem stability and multifunctionality. For predictive restoration, it is important to identify the significance of drivers like site characteristics but also uncontrolled factors such as spatial effects, historical factors, and year effects.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Dikes at river Danube, SE Germany.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We studied dike grasslands 4–19 years after restoration over five years (2017–2021, 41 plots in 12 sites). We calculated beta diversity indices to describe spatial variation and temporal turnover, including their additive components ‘replacement’ and ‘nestedness’, or ‘gains’ and ‘losses’. We analysed the main drivers of beta diversity like local site characteristics, landscape, and historical factors.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Spatial variation of the restored dike grasslands was dominated by the replacement component and showed no homogenisation despite a significant temporal turnover. The replacement drivers changed over time, although replacement was mainly affected by slope aspect and landscape factors. Historical factors were inconsistent over time, and no statistically clear drivers of nestedness were found. The dike grasslands exhibited a year-to-year turnover in species composition of 37 ± 11%. Gains and losses were balanced over time, although the ratio changed and was most pronounced on south-facing slopes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The restored grasslands exhibited spatial variation by site characteristics but also by spatial factors which were not controlled by restorations. Moreover, high non-directional temporal turnover occurred, caused most likely by weather fluctuations, slightly varying management, and stochastic biotic dynamics. Thus, flexible targets are recommended for restoration monitoring, by defining a set of desired states within a certain range. Furthermore, the dominance of the replacement component of spatial variation should move the focus from defining one precise restoration approach to defining a set of possible methods which together would foster beta diversity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13293","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141966916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The importance of considering temporal intraspecific trait variation in Campos grasslands","authors":"Nicolas Caram,&nbsp;Felipe Casalás,&nbsp;Marcelo O. Wallau,&nbsp;Lynn E. Sollenberger,&nbsp;Pablo Soca,&nbsp;Mónica Cadenazzi,&nbsp;Pablo Boggiano","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13294","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13294","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Changes in species composition and intraspecific trait variation are recognized as potential drivers of population and community temporal dynamics but their independent and overlapping effects have not been distinguished conclusively. Our goal was to quantify the relevance of temporal vs spatial changes in species composition and intraspecific trait variations when assessing community responses to seasonality, grazing pressure and above-ground biomass gradients.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Campos</i> grassland in northeastern Uruguay.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Leaf dry matter content, specific leaf area, leaf width and tensile strength of dominant grass species were assessed across summer–autumn, winter, and spring seasons, under two grazing pressures. Species composition and above-ground biomass were estimated in 20 × 20-cm permanent quadrats within each season. Species trait variability was decomposed across space and time using hierarchical linear mixed models, while the spatio-temporal community functional variation was decomposed into species turnover (abundance and/or species identity shifts) and intraspecific trait variation. Additionally, we explored the relevance of including or not including temporal intraspecific trait variation on community responses to seasonality, above-ground biomass and grazing pressure using linear mixed models.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Intraspecific trait variation explained 22.4%–66.5% of total trait variability, and it was generally more important across time than space, which accounted for 12.2%–57.7% of total variability. The within-species trait variability was generally more important than species turnover in explaining the community spatio-temporal functional variation. In general, seasonality more strongly caused intraspecific changes while the above-ground biomass gradient caused species turnover. Functional community responses to grazing pressure, above-ground biomass and seasonality were affected by considering or not considering intraspecific trait variation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Trait variation within species across seasons is at least equally important as variation within species across space. Its influence in the functional changes of vegetation should not be considered only along environmental gradients but also through time.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141882257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trait correlation and the assembly of island plant communities: Evidence from the Southwest Pacific","authors":"Riccardo Ciarle","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13291","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13291","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Predictable and consistent differences between island and mainland organisms arising from biased colonization/establishment are known as insular assembly rules. Baker's rule is a long-standing assembly rule predicting that the incidence of dioecy among early island colonizers should be lower than that of the mainland source pool. While Baker's rule is an established pattern of island floras, whether it results from trait correlation or factors other than insularity remains poorly understood. Here, I investigated the relative roles of insularity, climate, and dioecy-correlated traits in regulating the incidence of dioecy across islands.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Southwest Pacific.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>I amassed a data set of 485 plant species distributed across eight archipelagos surrounding New Zealand. Trait correlation was estimated using an association rule algorithm. I then used a null model and undirected network models to test for Baker's rule and to disentangle the relative roles of insularity, climate, and dioecy-correlated traits in filtering dioecy among undifferentiated island colonizers.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Some archipelagos conformed to Baker's rule, but the incidence of dioecy was not directly linked to insularity. Instead, it was directly regulated by dioecy-related traits, that is, fleshy-fruitedness and woody habit, which in turn were primarily driven by climate.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Island assembly rules can result from trait correlation. While results were partially consistent with predictions by Baker's rules, this resulted from dioecy-related traits being largely excluded from island colonization/establishment because of climatic factors, not insularity. Geographic variation in this plant breeding system can be determined endogenously, rather than by being filtered directly by the characteristics of islands per se.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141772583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Taxonomic and functional changes in mountain meadow communities four years after transplantation to a lowland environment","authors":"Sylvia Haider,&nbsp;Carolin Schaub,&nbsp;Susanne Lachmuth","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13280","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13280","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Climate warming at high altitudes occurs at an above-average rate. Due to short geographical distances, warm-adapted species might establish rapidly in mountain communities, while cold-adapted specialists are likely to locally disappear, sometimes after a lag phase. Here, we investigate changes not only of the community composition of species-rich mountain meadows, but also resulting alterations of their functional identity and diversity. Thereby, we hypothesize that transplantation to a warmer lowland environment leads to a shift towards a more acquisitive resource-use strategy, caused by the immigration of lowland species. Temporarily this leads to an increase in functional diversity through the lagged extinction of high-altitude species with conservative resource-use strategies.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>European Alps, Germany.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Using a space-for-time substitution, we conducted a community transplant experiment at a high- and low-elevation common garden site, where we compared the development of highland communities transplanted to the warmer low-elevation site and control plant communities locally replanted at both sites over a period of 4 years after transplantation. In situ, we collected functional leaf morphological and biochemical traits based on which we calculated community weighted mean traits as well as community functional richness and functional divergence.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Species richness of the communities transplanted to the low-elevation site increased over time, resulting from more species invasions than disappearances. This led to increasing similarity between transplanted highland communities and local lowland communities, and to greater functional richness and divergence 4 years after transplantation, although mean community traits did not diverge yet.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Although the exposure to warmer temperatures did not immediately lead to the extinction of typical mountain meadow species, substantial community changes are expected through immigration of warm-adapted species. Resulting changes in the functional characteristics of mountain communities are likely to modify competition regimes within these communities, which might accelerate the local extinction of mountain specialists.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13280","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141772582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elevational shifts in tree community composition in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest related to climate change","authors":"Rodrigo Scarton Bergamin,&nbsp;Vinicius Augusto Galvão Bastazini,&nbsp;Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert,&nbsp;Kauane Maiara Bordin,&nbsp;Joice Klipel,&nbsp;Vanderlei Júlio Debastiani,&nbsp;Alexander Christian Vibrans,&nbsp;Rafael Loyola,&nbsp;Sandra Cristina Müller","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13289","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13289","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Question</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Climate change induces shifts in species distributions, ultimately changing community composition. Mountains are especially sensitive to climate change, and tree species are predicted to move towards higher elevations, but observed changes are not always unidirectional. The diversity and complexity of tropical and subtropical systems limits our understanding of climate-induced responses of subtropical mountain forests. Here, we investigated migration trends in tree community composition along an elevational gradient, and between the transition from lowland to montane forests in subtropical forests.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Brazilian Atlantic Forest.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We used thermal affiliations of 627 tree species to calculate community temperature scores (CTS) for different life-history stages of trees in 96 permanent plots. We compared CTS of different life-history stages across space and time.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Most tree communities (58%) did not show a significant difference of CTS between life-history stages, indicating a non-migration trend. On the other hand, 27% of tree communities showed upward migration and 15% downward migration. Upward migration was more common in montane forests, and downward migration in lowland forests. Our temporal analysis shows significant changes in CTS values for juvenile communities with 0.36°C decrease in lowland forests and 0.34°C increase in montane forests.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Contrasting results between lowland and montane forest communities indicate that the transition zone influences migration patterns and may reflect differences in species’ thermal limitations, as well as by non-thermal factors such as biotic interactions. Our findings provide the first evidence of climate change-induced community shifts in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We demonstrated that upward migration trends were predominantly observed in montane–upper mountain forests, while downward migrations were noted in lowland–submontane forests. The thermophilization of montane forests may suggest an increased risk of reduction for cold-demanding species under climate change scenarios.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13289","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141772788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Habitat loss and isolation threaten specialist flora in Baltic coastal meadows","authors":"Lukas Rimondini,&nbsp;Adam Kimberley,&nbsp;Sara A. O. Cousins","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13290","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13290","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Baltic coastal meadows are ecologically unique habitats that have been severely impacted by habitat loss and environmental change. To determine the effects of habitat loss and isolation on their plant communities, we analysed the relationships between species richness and habitat size and amount. Because coastal meadows host species with a vast array of traits, we expected responses to vary between species groups.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Swedish Baltic coast.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We inventoried the presence of vascular plant species in twenty-eight 1-m² plots placed along edaphically defined transects in fifteen coastal meadows. We determined the richness of three species groups: all species, halophytes and inland grassland specialists. We then mapped the habitat for coastal grassland plants using GIS overlay analysis. Using this habitat map, we calculated two variables: “habitat size” and “habitat amount”. We tested correlations between species richness measures and habitat variables, as well as determining the distribution of species traits within meadows.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We recorded 174 plant species, of which 6 were halophytes and 35 were inland grassland specialists. Species traits coincided with edaphic sea-to-land gradients. Halophyte and inland grassland specialist richness were significantly correlated with both habitat variables (<i>r</i> = 0.52–0.71). No correlations were found with total species richness. Our habitat map showed that there are 8,900 ha of managed Baltic coastal meadow left in Sweden, mostly in the south.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Species traits and distribution play a major role in determining persistence in the face of habitat loss and environmental change. This is especially true for some halophyte populations, which are more susceptible to habitat size and isolation because of their specialisation. Furthermore, they risk being squeezed between the dual threats of encroaching succession and sea-level rise. Preventing habitat loss, restoring meadows and increasing connectivity is crucial for the persistence of specialist plant species.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13290","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141772595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exotic wild boars and native wild guinea pigs maintain plant diversity in Argentinean coastal grasslands by decreasing plant dominance","authors":"Camila Rocca,&nbsp;Jesús Pascual,&nbsp;Clara Diaz de Astarloa,&nbsp;Pedro Daleo,&nbsp;Oscar Iribarne,&nbsp;Juan Alberti","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13287","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13287","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Question</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In productive grasslands highly dominated by a single plant species, herbivores can promote overall plant diversity. Wild boars (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) often decrease species diversity, alter regeneration and change community composition in their native and invader ranges while digging and uprooting vegetation for feeding. In addition, wild guinea pigs (<i>Cavia aperea</i>), a small vertebrate herbivore native to South America, concentrate their feeding activities in open patches where they also affect plant diversity, biomass and composition. In this context, can wild-boar disturbances promote plant diversity in herbaceous systems characterized by a highly dominant species? Can native wild guinea pigs magnify these impacts?</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Coastal grasslands and salt marshes of the northeastern part of the temperate Argentine pampas, that are dominated by native or exotic herbaceous species.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We first analyzed alpha- and beta-diversity of plant assemblies in three natural coastal herbaceous areas, invaded by wild boars, through samplings (comparing disturbed and undisturbed areas) and experiments (using exclosures and control plots). Then, we analyzed whether wild guinea pigs could affect patch recovery (alpha- and beta-diversity) after wild-boar disturbances in one site.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Wild boars enhanced alpha-diversity (compared to undisturbed areas) but had no significant effect on beta-diversity. Nevertheless, wild guinea pigs feeding on wild-boar disturbances increased between-patch heterogeneity in species composition (i.e., beta-diversity).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Wild boars remove vegetation in patches that, without subsequent wild-guinea-pig herbivory, dominant species rapidly recover. Wild-guinea-pig herbivory allows different subordinate species to peak at different disturbed patches, contributing to larger species richness at larger scales in areas otherwise occupied by highly dominant plant species. In a wider context, these results imply that the joint action of different-sized exotic and native herbivores can help to maintain plant species diversity in highly plant-dominated grasslands.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141597130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A spatiotemporal comparison of interobserver error in vegetation sampling","authors":"Lloyd W. Morrison,&nbsp;Sherry A. Leis,&nbsp;Mary F. Short,&nbsp;Michael D. DeBacker","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13286","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13286","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We asked how interobserver error in sampling vegetation (excluding trees) varied over time, space and habitat type; determined whether there were any obvious correlates of observer error; and evaluated evidence of bias among observers.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Nine national park units in the Midwestern USA.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We quantified observer error in the context of a long-term monitoring program employing three observers, evaluating interobserver error across 11 locations in the Midwestern USA over five years. The vegetation (excluding trees) was sampled independently by two teams of observers at prairie and woodland locations (<i>n</i> = 94 plots total).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Total pseudoturnover ranged between 20.2% and 22.1% at prairie locations, and between 16.8% and 28.6% at woodland locations. The overlooking component of pseudoturnover accounted for 75% or more of total pseudoturnover, with misidentification and cautious components each contributing 19% or less of the total, depending on location. The percentage of comparisons in which both observers recorded the same cover class ranged from 71.3% to 78.5% at the prairie locations and 56.9% to 85.6% at woodland locations. When observers did not agree on cover class, they were off by more than one class less than 6% of the time. Overlooking error was more likely to occur for species with less cover, while estimation error was more likely to occur for species with greater cover. A bias existed among observers, as the least experienced observer recorded 6.2%–11.8% more species than the other two observers. Interobserver bias also existed for rates of estimation error, as one observer consistently recorded higher cover classes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Observer error is a pervasive aspect of vegetation sampling. Continued training and experience yielded limited increases in precision. Elements of the sampling design probably reduced observer error to a certain degree, although some level of interobserver error in vegetation surveys is unavoidable.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141570803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The convex relationship between plant cover and biomass: Implications for assessing species and community properties","authors":"Xiaobin Pan,&nbsp;Nathan D. Ferris,&nbsp;Markéta Applová,&nbsp;Johanne Gresse,&nbsp;Kari Sogera Iamba,&nbsp;Warbota Khum,&nbsp;Tereza Švancárová,&nbsp;A. Y. Ayesh Piyar Wipulasena,&nbsp;Jan Hrcek,&nbsp;Jan Lepš","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13288","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jvs.13288","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Cover and biomass serve as common measures of species abundance in plant ecology. However, the underlying relationship between these two measures and its implications remain poorly understood. This makes results based on cover and biomass difficult to compare.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Locations</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Wet meadow, southeast of České Budějovice, Czech Republic (48°57′ N, 14°36′ E).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Method</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We developed theoretical expectations for systematic differences in characterizing vegetation using cover and biomass for species and community characteristics, including species diversity, temporal dynamics, and responses to experimental manipulations. We then tested these expectations using cover and biomass data from an experimental study of fertilization and dominant removal spanning 14 years (2001–2014).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Consistent with our expectations, on average, species biomass corresponded to the power of species cover, with a power coefficient slightly below 3/2. Community diversity indices calculated using cover and biomass were tightly correlated but were higher for cover. Temporal variabilities based on cover and biomass for individual species were also correlated, but higher for biomass than cover. Though strongly correlated, cover data show much stronger asynchrony, suggesting higher importance of compensatory dynamics. However, using the sum of individual species' cover values as a measure of total community abundance or productivity is problematic. Such a measure is nearly independent of total biomass and leads to contradictory results when used to characterize temporal variability. Species- and community-level responses to treatments were congruent between the measures.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our study provides theoretical background for a convex relationship between plant cover and biomass. The data analysis confirms the relationship and its consequences for describing species- and community-level properties. Most characteristics are well correlated between cover and biomass, but with one metric systematically shifted higher in many cases. Total abundance is the most sensitive measure and is well characterized by sum of biomass, but not by sum of cover. Understanding these systematic differences allows meaningful comparison of studies based on biomass and cover.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13288","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141570802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}