Journal of Vegetation Science最新文献

{"title":"Unraveling local and regional determinants of high plant diversity at marine rocky outcrops in Uruguay","authors":"Patricia Mai,&nbsp;Eduardo Marchesi,&nbsp;Antonella Pollero,&nbsp;María Zabaleta,&nbsp;Laura Cappuccio,&nbsp;Sebastián Fernández,&nbsp;Ninoska Idjiloff,&nbsp;Matías Arim","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13284","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Marine rocky outcrops are model systems of community assembly under harsh conditions. The prevailing environmental conditions that determine a coast–inland gradient of stress and disturbance impose a strong environmental filter on community assembly. However, the Atlantic rocky outcrops of Uruguay challenge this assumption as they exhibit high plant diversity at small spatial scales. We investigated this study system to answer: (1) which environmental factors determine diversity at the local scale; (2) and how does the regional pool influence species composition along the coast–inland gradient?</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We analyzed the local and regional determinants of plant community assembly in four rocky sites along the Uruguayan coast. Through a random sampling approach stratified by distance to the coast, we recorded species occurrences and microenvironmental conditions. Observed taxa were assigned into different species assemblages according to their typical vegetation type. Generalized Linear Model (GLM)–Poisson regression, quantile regressions and hierarchical cluster analyses were used to identify the factors underlying local richness and the spatial vegetation structure.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Nine different vegetation types generate a mass effect that enhances local diversity. Unexpectedly, 56% of the species are from non-marine environments — e.g. grasslands or hydrophilous herblands. Species assemblages were spatially clustered, with a turnover of these clusters along the coast–inland gradient. Elevation, distance to the coast and vegetation cover promoted richness, likely due to an attenuation of marine filters. Meanwhile, substrate availability reduced richness, likely due to competitive exclusion as a result of more resources and homogeneous microenvironmental conditions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The high local diversity along the marine rocky outcrops of Uruguay is best explained by a functionally diverse regional species pool, which interacts with local heterogeneity, and by conditions that enhance or attenuate the effect of marine stress. Effective conservation and management strategies are key to minimize the detrimental effects of urbanization, fragmentation, and non-native plant invasions on these diverse habitats.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141556626","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":"Current and future patterns of vascular plant species richness across a forest–grassland–desert transect in East Asia","authors":"Binghe Li,&nbsp;Enzai Du","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13285","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Rapid climate change has profoundly altered the spatial distribution of terrestrial plants especially in arid and semi-arid biomes. However, it remains poorly documented how climate shapes the current and future patterns of plant diversity within and across these vulnerable vegetation types.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Parts of Mongolia, southeastern Russia, and northern China (94.78°–126.78°E, 34.60°–54.27°N).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Using a random forest model trained by a comprehensively compiled database on vascular plant species richness (i.e., the number of species within a defined plot area) and corresponding climate variables, soil conditions and vegetation types (forest, grassland, desert), we assessed the current pattern of vascular plant species richness across a typical forest–grassland–desert transect in East Asia. We further predicted future changes in vascular plant species richness under three climate scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Vascular plant species richness generally showed a decrease from northeast to southwest across the transect, mainly explained by spatial variations in growing-season precipitation and the minimum temperature of the coldest month. More than half of the transect area will likely experience a loss in vascular plant species richness in 2041–2070 under all three scenarios. The decrease in vascular plant species richness will likely occur in a smaller area under the low-emission scenario (SSP1-2.6). We also predict distinct changes in vascular plant species richness for different vegetation types, including a slight increase in forests but an overall decrease in both grasslands and deserts.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our findings suggest a dominant role of growing-season precipitation in shaping the spatiotemporal patterns of vascular plant species richness across the forest–grassland–desert transect and highlight a risk of plant diversity loss in the regional dryland ecosystems in response to future climate change.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141556683","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":"Red-deer dung increases species diversity but does not influence species composition of open grasslands","authors":"Barbora Lepková,&nbsp;Eva Horčičková,&nbsp;Tomáš Herben","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13283","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13283","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Free-ranging herbivores are often seen as important endozoochorous dispersal vectors for plant propagules. Dispersal by free-ranging animals, in contrast to domestic animals, and its effects on vegetation have rarely been studied. We ask what are the effects of deposition of dung on open landscape vegetation, how does it influence vegetation development after disturbance by soil removal, and does it change species richness or composition?</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Doupov Mountains, Czech Republic.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We established a six-year experiment in 2015 to study the effects of dung deposition on vegetation of an open grassland landscape. The experiment comprised 300 plots distributed across five fenced site locations and treatments were implemented in partially crossed design, with soil removed (disturbance) and dung pellets deposited; treatments were applied once to five replicates, from June to October 2015. We recorded plant species cover at the beginning of the vegetation seasons of 2016, 2017 and 2021.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Dung deposition increased species richness and Ellenberg Indicator Values for nutrients, and these effects were stronger in disturbed plots; however, these effects diminished with time. There were no effects of dung deposition on species composition. In contrast, disturbance affected species diversity, composition, Ellenberg Indicator Values for nutrients, proportion of dung-dispersed species, but not species richness. Surprisingly, there were no effects of timing of dung deposition.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results indicate that endozoochorous seed dispersal by red deer impacts vegetation dynamics of this open grassland landscape, but effects are weak and diminish with time. Considering the large seed load in dung, it is possible that endozoochorous seeds from wild herbivores are incorporated into the soil seed bank, where they persist until appropriate ecological conditions for germination arise.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13283","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141488737","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":"Combining chronosequences and multi-census approaches to understand patterns of succession in subtropical montane forests of NW Argentina","authors":"Sergio Javier Ceballos,&nbsp;Agustina Malizia,&nbsp;Julieta Carilla,&nbsp;Ricardo Grau,&nbsp;Oriana Osinaga Acosta,&nbsp;Cecilia Blundo","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13281","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13281","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Question</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>How does the diversity of successional forests evolve with stand age, and to what extent do permanent plots validate the previously studied successional patterns of tree diversity and composition observed through chronosequences? To evaluate the role of successional forests as reservoirs for many species, it is essential to examine how biodiversity recovers with the age of the stand. We studied patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity, as well as species composition during forest succession, by combining chronosequences and permanent plot monitoring.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Subtropical montane forests in NW Argentina.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We used data from two chronosequences of plots monitored for 30 years in lower and upper montane forests dominated by native trees (LMF-Native and UMF-Native), and one chronosequence of plots dominated by the exotic tree <i>Ligustrum lucidum</i>, monitored for 10 years in low montane forests (LMF-Invaded). We analyzed changes in taxonomic (species richness, Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity) and functional diversity, as well as composition with forest age.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Taxonomic and functional diversity increased between 30 and 70 years of succession in LMF-Native and UMF-Native. Successional LMF-Native forests reached the diversity of mature forests earlier than UMF-Native. In LMF-Invaded, taxonomic and functional diversity decreased in the same period because of the increasing dominance of the exotic species <i>Ligustrum lucidum</i>. In non-invaded chronosequences (LMF-Native and UMF-Native) we observed a convergence towards the composition of mature forests; however, each successional forest kept its identity for 30 years.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Diversity and composition followed different successional trajectories depending on the type of forest. We found that successional patterns, such as changes in taxonomic and functional diversity, predicted with the chronosequence approach, were confirmed with data from plot monitoring. The effects of pre-abandonment conditions persist in the diversity and composition of successional forests monitored between 10 and 30 years.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141488698","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":"Long-term effects of meadow management on seed bank diversity and composition","authors":"Alida A. Hábenczyus,&nbsp;Iva Weiterová,&nbsp;Kacper Foremnik,&nbsp;Aljaž Jakob,&nbsp;Siddharth Khopkar,&nbsp;Agnishikhe Kumar,&nbsp;Anamaria Lazăr,&nbsp;Bruno Paganeli,&nbsp;Kenz Raouf Samraoui,&nbsp;Jeni Sidwell,&nbsp;Jan Hrček,&nbsp;Jan Lepš,&nbsp;Jules Segrestin","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13282","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13282","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Oligotrophic grasslands are habitats that host among the most diverse plant communities in Europe. Altering management regimes by either intensifying or ceasing management is known to decrease plant diversity. Yet, despite its importance for the recovery of plant communities after disturbances, little is known about whether seed banks are also affected by changes in management. Here, we investigate the effect of management practices on a meadow seed bank using a long-term manipulative experiment. We focus on the response of the seed bank to the treatments, and the relationship between the seed bank and the vegetation response.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study was conducted in a species-rich wet meadow. The experiment consists of a factorial combination of fertilization, mowing, and removal of the dominant species. After 20 years of management, the seed bank was sampled seasonally at two soil layer depths. Standing vegetation was recorded in June at the peak of vegetation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>All seed bank characteristics varied between soil layers. Mowing decreased seed density and diversity, while fertilization significantly affected the species composition. Dominant removal had no effect on the seed bank. While seed bank diversity was not correlated to vegetation diversity, individual species' responses to mowing and fertilization were positively correlated in the seed bank and the vegetation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our results show that long-term management influences the seed bank down to 10 cm of soil depth. Whereas mowing apparently reduced seed density and diversity, the effects of fertilization on these characteristics were harder to interpret. After 20 years, most species had concordant responses to both mowing and fertilization, indicating a low legacy of previous management regimes on the seed bank. Our study reveals that the intensification of grassland management has a profound effect on plant diversity by directly affecting plant communities and their seed-bank-driven recovery potential.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141488632","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":"Topographic gradient influences vascular epiphyte occurrence in a small watershed covered by a mature coniferous/broadleaf evergreen mixed forest in Japan","authors":"Mifumi Seto,&nbsp;Motoki Higa","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13279","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aim</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>At fine scales (&lt;10 km in spatial resolution), only a few studies have evaluated the relationships between abiotic factors and the horizontal occurrence of vascular epiphytes. At fine scales, variation in abiotic variables can be attributed to topographic heterogeneity. For example, air humidity and wind speed are likely to vary along ridge–valley gradients, and differences in slope aspect cause variation in light intensity as well as temperature gradient along an elevation. We tested the hypothesis that the horizontal epiphyte occurrence at fine scales is influenced more by topographic gradients related to abiotic factors than by host tree size and species. We also assessed air humidity variation along the ridge–valley gradient at our study site as a way to explore its possible correlation with the epiphyte occurrence.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A coniferous/broadleaf evergreen mixed forest in a humid temperate zone of Kochi, southwest Japan.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We surveyed epiphyte occurrence on 310 trees and recorded host tree size and species within a 52-ha watershed with an elevational range of 378–777 m a.s.l. Epiphyte occurrence was modeled using three topographic variables (ridge–valley gradient, slope aspect differences and elevational gradient), host tree size and species. The effect sizes of each variable were then compared. Air humidity was measured on the valley bottom, slope and ridge throughout the year.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Epiphyte occurrence probability increased toward the valley bottom and on larger host trees; it also varied among host tree species. Slope aspect differences and elevational gradient were less effective. The ridge–valley gradient had a greater effect than host tree size on epiphyte occurrence. Air humidity was highest at the valley bottom and lowest on the ridge.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Horizontal epiphyte occurrence was driven more by topographic gradient than by host tree size and species in a small watershed covered by a warm-temperate broadleaf forest. This finding suggests the importance of forests at valley bottoms to support epiphyte occurrence.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13279","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141435613","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":"Seed-predation and dispersal by ants determine plant-species dominance and diversity in a semi-arid grassland","authors":"Diego García-Meza,&nbsp;Leticia Ríos-Casanova,&nbsp;Alejandro Zavala-Hurtado,&nbsp;Carlos Martorell","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13278","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13278","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Question</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Granivorous ants may affect plants negatively by diminishing their numbers, or positively by dispersing seeds, reducing aggregation and thus competition. We assessed whether, and how, ants affect plant populations and community diversity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Semi-arid grassland in southern Mexico.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Over 5 years, using ant exclosures, we compared plant diversity in plots where ants were present or not using Hill numbers. Furthermore, we determined whether the effects of ants on plant species depend on the relative dominance or rarity of plants. We tested whether ants cause greater reductions in the abundance of the plant species they prefer most. We also determined whether plant species whose aggregation was reduced by ants increased in numbers.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Six plant species increased their numbers when ants were present, and four experienced reductions. Ants reduced richness, although evidence was inconclusive; however, they clearly increased dominant species diversity (²<i>D</i>). Although the overall effect that ants exerted on plant species did not depend on their dominance or rarity, four of the five most abundant species were favored by ants. Ants’ preferences did not determine their effect on species’ abundance. The species that benefited from ants were those whose spatial aggregation increased when exposed to ants.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Ants do not maintain richness, but instead may reduce it by favoring a few dominant species. The lack of a relationship between ants’ preferences and their effect on plant populations may arise from a mixture of positive and negative effects on the preferred seeds. Ants may increase aggregation by enhancing seedling performance near their nests, where conditions may be improved, and by dispersing seeds into these areas. This is in line with our finding that common species are favored by ants, because, at our study site, they are more likely to be dispersed.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jvs.13278","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141326511","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":"Elevation differentially shapes functional diversity patterns in understorey forest communities when considering intraspecific and interspecific trait variability","authors":"Arianna Ferrara,&nbsp;Alessandro Bricca,&nbsp;Davide Alberti,&nbsp;Francesco Maria Sabatini,&nbsp;Alessandro Chiarucci","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13277","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13277","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>What is the relative importance of interspecific and intraspecific trait variation and their covariation in the herb layer of European temperate beech forests, and how do they vary with elevation? Is there evidence of interspecific trait convergence at higher elevations, as postulated by the habitat-filtering hypothesis, and is this convergence enhanced or counteracted by intraspecific variation?</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>National Park “Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna”, Italy.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We measured four functional traits – plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and leaf area – across 775 individuals from 60 herb-layer species in 28 forest plots (10 m × 10 m) spanning an 800 m elevation gradient. For each trait in each plot, we computed community-weighted means (CWMs) and the standardized effect size of functional diversity (SES-FD). We decomposed total trait variation into its interspecific and intraspecific components, and their covariation. We run linear regression models to assess the impact of elevation on these three components of functional variation. Lastly, we investigated whether higher elevation communities exhibited lower SES-FD, indicating functional convergence that could hint to a stronger habitat filtering.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Interspecific trait variation was more important than the intraspecific counterpart both for CWMs and SES-FD. Only CWMs calculated for plant height and LDMC showed a significant relationship with elevation. Low-elevation communities featured taller, more-conservative species, whereas shorter, faster-growing species were more common at higher elevations. SES-FD remained consistently negative for species turnover and total variation, suggesting stable functional convergence across the gradient.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our findings suggest that interspecific and intraspecific trait variability can be decoupled along an elevation gradient, stressing the importance of individually considering each component of trait variation when studying community composition. Elevation significantly influenced various components of plant community trait variation, with habitat filtering playing a substantial role in selecting plants with specific traits across elevations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141298536","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":"Fire stimulates seedling recruitment from the seed bank in the Cerrado","authors":"Mariana Dairel,&nbsp;Alessandra Fidelis","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13268","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13268","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Questions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Fire is an important ecological factor influencing plant communities in many fire-prone ecosystems. Savannas in the Cerrado are resilient to fire, with plants exhibiting fire-related traits, allowing them to persist in post-fire environments. Therefore, excluding fire may result in changes in plant community dynamics, thus affecting their resilience. We investigated the effect of the reintroduction of fire in savannas where fire has been excluded for longer periods (&gt;12 years) on seedling recruitment. We asked the following questions: (i) how does fire affect seed bank germination in sites with different fire histories; and (ii) how did fire exclusion affect species composition of the seed bank?</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Estação Ecológica de Itirapina (EEI), Southeastern Brazil.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Two sites with different fire histories were selected: FE1985 – fire exclusion for more than 30 years, with one fire event in 1985; and FE2009 – fire exclusion for 12 years, with three fire events since 1985, the last one being in 2009. Both areas have low fire frequency, but different times since the last fire. Soil samples were collected before and after prescribed fires to evaluate the effects of fire after longer periods of fire exclusion in the soil seed bank. Using the seedling emergence method, we evaluate the effects of the reintroduction of fire after longer periods of fire exclusion in the soil seed bank.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We found that fire significantly increased the seed bank recruitment at both sites, FE1985 and FE2009 (increase of 16% and 50% in seedling recruitment, respectively), showing that species of the Cerrado responded positively to the fire passage. The reintroduction of fire promoted different effects on seed bank recruitment: shrubs experienced a significant decrease in seedling emergence from the seed bank at FE1985, while their recruitment was not affected at FE2009. Time since last fire appears to influence the seed bank composition, showing a shift in dominance from a grassy community to a woody one.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>After fire, more species germinated from the seed bank, showing that direct and indirect effects of fire are affecting seed germination from the seed bank, and its importance on seedling recruitment from the seed bank in the Cerrado.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141187560","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":"Successional dynamics of species composition, functional traits and assembly mechanisms during the 60-year long history of agricultural transformations in subarctic tundra communities","authors":"Alexander Borisovich Novakovskiy,&nbsp;Andrey Nikolaevich Panyukov,&nbsp;Basil Nikolaevich Yakimov","doi":"10.1111/jvs.13276","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13276","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Tundra communities are known for their harsh environmental conditions and tundra is one of the most vulnerable biomes on Earth. Restoring these unique communities after anthropogenic impact is crucial for the sustainable development of northern regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the recovery of subarctic tundra after long-term agricultural use.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Location</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Subarctic zone, European northeast, Vorkuta district, Komi Republic, Russia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In the latter half of the twentieth century, large areas of tundra were plowed and cultivated with cereals to be used as fodder in livestock farms. These areas were subsequently abandoned (1990–2000) and the stage of natural recovery began. From 1960 to 2017 one of these plant communities was regularly assessed and we used these data, along with data from a reference tundra community, to examine changes in community assembly. We evaluated biodiversity indices, functional diversity using various plant traits and phylogenetic diversity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Agricultural management in tundra areas has led to the development of a meadow community that differs significantly from the typical tundra found in similar landscapes. The highest level of meadow biodiversity was observed under moderate anthropogenic pressure. The most significant changes in plant community assembly were observed after withdrawal from agricultural use. The average plant height, leaf area, and leaf dry matter content increased, while the average specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content decreased. The functional and phylogenetic clustering was replaced by overdispersion.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Over the 20-year period following the cessation of agricultural use, we observed a decrease in the vitality of cultivated cereals and overall biodiversity. However, there was a redistribution of species abundance rather than a complete change in species composition. Deciduous and evergreen shrubs have not become introduced in sufficient abundance to transform the artificial meadow into the typical subarctic willow–shrub tundra. This is a fundamental difference between abandoned agricultural lands of the tundra zone and those of more southern regions, which are rapidly overgrown with pioneer tree or shrub species.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vegetation Science","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141182290","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}