Area and edge effects on leaf-litter decomposition in a fragmented subtropical dry forest

South American subtropical dry forests are highly threatened by fragmentation. Despite considerable research efforts aimed at predicting ecosystem alterations due to this driver of global change, we still need to deal with general principles to improve our ability to predict the impact of fragmentation. Our work is one of the few studies that analyse the relationship between forest fragmentation and decomposition. In 12 remnants of Chaco Serrano forest in Central Argentina we tested if decomposition rates of a common leaf-litter substrate varied with fragment size and between the forest edge and interior. Decomposition declined with fragment size, with no significant effects of location (edge/interior) or interaction between the two components of fragmentation. Our results suggest that in situ conditions for decomposition may change as a consequence of forest fragmentation, specifically as a result fragment size. This may lead to impaired nutrient recycling in smaller forest remnants.     

Altitudinal distribution of native and alien plant species in roadside communities from central Argentina

Roadsides may homogenize the distribution of native species and act as corridors for the spread of alien taxa. We examined the variation in native and alien plant species richness and composition at two spatial scales defined by altitude and habitat type (edges and fill slopes), as well as the relationship between native and exotic species richness in roadside plant communities in mountains from central Argentina. Following a gradient from 1100 to 2200 m a.s.l. along a mountain road, plant species cover was recorded within sample plots of 30 m × 10 m systematically located at 100‐m altitude intervals on both roadside habitats. Although native species richness decreased with altitude and composition changed accordingly, the number of alien species peaked at both extremes of the elevation gradient and did not reflect an altitudinal replacement of chorological groups. The number of both native and alien species was higher in roadside edges, but a negative association between the richness of native and alien species occurred only on fill slopes, suggesting that roadside habitats differ in their susceptibility to plant species colonization and in the mechanisms driving native and alien species richness. Our results highlight the importance of altitude and roadside habitat as factors controlling plant species richness and composition along roadside communities in central Argentina. Although altitude acts as a filter for native plants, it apparently did not constrain the establishment of alien species along the studied roadsides, indicating that the influence of this road as a plant species corridor may increase with time, promoting the opportunities for aliens to expand their current distribution.     

Environment differentially affects the functional and phylogenetic structures of plant communities in a dry evergreen Afromontane tropical forest

Testing how local environmental conditions influence plant community assembly is important to understand the underlying mechanisms that promote and/or maintain biodiversity. Functional traits are used to find the broad spectrum of resource use strategies that plants use to respond to environmental variation. The patterns and drivers of plant community assembly through the lens of traits and phylogeny; however, remain to be studied in a uniquely biodiversity rich but poorly known fragmented dry Afromontane forest of Ethiopia. Here, we combined trait and community phylogenetic data from thirty sampling plots of 20 × 20 m size to determine the functional and phylogenetic structures and their drivers in a fragmented, human-dominated dry evergreen Afromontane forest. We found phylogenetic and functional clustering of plants in which the effect of environment was found to be trait specific. A weak phylogenetic signal for traits was detected suggesting that species resource use strategies may not be inferred using species phylogenetic distance. Additionally, we found functional traits to be weak in predicting species abundance distribution. Overall, while this study shows a non-random community assembly pattern, it also highlights the importance of deterministic processes being trait specific.     

Offspring performance and recruitment of the pioneer tree Acacia caven (Fabaceae) in a fragmented subtropical dry forest

The process of habitat fragmentation results in the breaking apart of originally continuous habitats, causing multiple changes in biotic and abiotic interactions. Alterations in resource availability and in mutualistic and antagonistic plant–animal interactions may impact plant offspring quantity and quality. Currently, several old fragmented systems evidence a process of flora homogenization, where shade‐tolerant species are replaced by pioneer light‐demanding species. Notably, the relationship between quantity and quality parameters of plant offspring production and the successful recruitment of pioneer species in fragmented forests has been poorly explored. Here, we assess population size, sapling recruitment and offspring performance of one of the most widespread tree species of subtropical South America, the native pioneer Acacia caven (Fabaceae). Population size of adults and saplings increased from small to continuous forests, whereas the sapling recruitment per adult tree (sapling/adult ratio) showed no significant differences among forests of different size. Seedling performance was negatively related to forest area and population size, implying potential superior competitive ability of seedlings produced in smaller populations compared to larger ones. Our results show that A. caven is resilient to habitat fragmentation effects, which may be ascribed to a set of advantageous ecological traits such as outcrossing, massive flowering, generalist pollination, drought resistance, rapid growth and re‐sprouting. Thus, this pioneer tree benefits from the availability of vacant sites and resources released by declining plant populations of other species, eventually becoming the dominant species in fragmented habitats. Pioneer native plant species with ecological traits such as A. caven may represent the silent successful survivors and new colonizers of fragmented habitats, the ubiquitous landscapes of the future.     

Spatial structure of litter-dwelling ant distribution in a subtropical dry forest

Understanding the spatial patterns of species distribution is essential to characterize the structure of communities, to optimize species inventories and to evaluate the impact of biotic and abiotic variables. Here we describe the spatial structure of the distribution of leaf litter ant species, and of biotic factors that could explain it, in a subtropical semi-deciduous forest of the Argentinian Chaco, characterized by a dense understorey of shrubs and terrestrial bromeliads. Environmental variables (leaf litter quantity and ground bromeliad density) were measured and ants were collected in 1 m² quadrats distributed along two 200 m transects at intervals of 1.25 m. Overall 87 species were collected. Sixteen positive associations and a single negative association were observed between the 11 most frequent species taken pair-wise. Our results suggest that the spatial distribution of leaf litter ants was determined at two different scales. At a small scale (period below 10 m) a periodic spatial structure, likely due to intraspecific competition, produced a succession of peaks of abundance separated by gaps. At a larger scale (period around 50 m), periodically distributed environmental factors induced aggregates of colonies of species responding positively to these factors. A high quantity of leaf litter and, to a lesser extent, a high density of ground bromeliads promoted a high density and a high species richness of ants. Numerically dominant ants being generally positively associated, interspecific competition was apparently weak. All ant species whose abundance was correlated with an environmental factor were not completely spatially structured by it. This suggests that some other factors, such as intraspecific competition, may have counter-effects. Received 14 March 2005; revised 26 April 2005; accepted 10 May 2005.     

Similarity of plant functional traits and aggregation pattern in a subtropical forest

The distribution of species and communities in relation to environmental heterogeneity is a central focus in ecology. Co‐occurrence of species with similar functional traits is an indication that communities are determined in part by environmental filters. However, few studies have been designed to test how functional traits are selectively filtered by environmental conditions at local scales. Exploring the relationship between soil characteristics and plant traits is a step toward understanding the filtering hypothesis in determining plant distribution at local scale. Toward this end, we mapped all individual trees (diameter >1 cm) in a one‐ha subtropical forest of China in 2007 and 2015. We measured topographic and detailed soil properties within the field site, as well as plant leaf functional traits and demographic rates of the seven most common tree species. A second one‐ha study plot was established in 2015, to test and validate the general patterns that were drawn from first plot. We found that variation in species distribution at local scale can be explained by soil heterogeneity and plant functional traits. (From first plot). (1) Species dominant in habitats with high soil ammonium nitrogen and total phosphorus tended to have high specific leaf area (SLA) and relative growth rate (RGR). (2) Species dominant in low‐fertility habitats tended to have high leaf dry matter content (LDMC), ratio of chlorophyll a and b (ratioab), and leaf thickness (LT). The hypothesis that functional traits are selected in part by environmental filters and determine plant distribution at local scale was confirmed by the data of the first plot and a second regional site showed similar species distribution patterns.     

Using multiple traits to assess the potential of introduced and native vines to proliferate in a tropical region

Predicting the invasive potential of introduced species remains an ongoing challenge due to the multiple interacting regional and global processes that facilitate the introduction and proliferation of alien species. This may be particularly true in regions where native species are increasingly reported as expanding and impacting ecosystems in ways indistinguishable from alien ones. Current approaches to assess the invasive potential of plants may be limited by the choice of traits used and the exclusion of native species. To overcome these limitations, we develop a novel approach that focuses on all species—native and alien—within a functional group of plants to predict their proliferation status. Our approach relied on the development of an extensive database of extrinsic and intrinsic traits for Puerto Rican vines with the goal of generating a predictive model of vine proliferation status. We test three hypotheses linking origin, extrinsic and intrinsic traits, and proliferation status. We found that the origin of proliferating vines was associated with only one out of seven traits, namely plant use. We also found that proliferation status was associated with all but two traits, namely life span and climbing mechanism. Finally, a classification tree analysis identified five variables as good predictors of proliferation status and used them to split the species into six groups characterized by a unique suite of traits, three of them included proliferating species. The development of tools to identify potential proliferating species is critical for management and conservation purposes. Tools that can minimize biases and make predictions based on trait data easily obtainable are particularly needed in regions with a high taxonomic and functional diversity, and with limited ecological knowledge of individual species. In addition, these tools should be capable of incorporating native species since an increasing number of native species are behaving like invasive aliens.     

延河流域森林草原区不同植物功能型适应策略及功能型物种数量随退耕年限的变化

不同退耕年限退耕地的环境差异以及不同生物间的相互作用导致各阶段植物功能型物种数量不同。研究退耕地植被自然恢复过程中不同植物功能型适应策略及功能型物种数量随退耕年限的变化,对于理解植物对环境的响应机制及植物的适应策略具有重要意义。采用空间序列代替时间序列的方法,以延河流域森林草原区不同退耕年限、自然恢复的植物群落为研究对象,调查了不同退耕年限的植物群落33个,共44种植物,涉及16个科35个属,分别测定了每个物种的叶厚度、比叶面积、叶组织密度、叶片氮含量、比根长、根组织密度、细根氮含量等7项能够反映植物生存对策且易于测量的功能性状。依据这7项植物功能性状,采用数量分类方法将全部物种划分为3个功能型。结果表明:(1)根据C-S-R理论,功能型Ⅰ植物用于防御的投资较多,生长速率处于中间水平,偏向于"胁迫-干扰型",功能型Ⅱ植物能够通过维持体内的养分平衡的方式对抗资源贫瘠或干旱的环境,偏向于"胁迫-竞争型"对策,而功能型Ⅲ植物吸收大量的营养和资源用于生长,偏向于"竞争型";(2)功能型Ⅰ在整个植被恢复时间序列中占据优势地位(61%—80%),并呈增加趋势,功能型Ⅱ则由恢复初期的25%降低为恢复后期的15%,功能型Ⅲ从恢复初期的14%降低到恢复后期的5%。同时,在功能型Ⅰ内部,优势物种也发生着相应的相互替代。虽然土壤养分含量整体上随着植被自然恢复时间的延长而呈上升趋势,但是植物的生存环境并未改善到不存在干扰与胁迫的程度。因此,在植被恢复初期的四、五十年内,"胁迫-干扰型"策略的植物占据着绝对优势。随着植被恢复时间的延长,能够高效利用资源且抗胁迫能力强的物种代替了以快速生长和传播为适应策略的物种。     

Functional organization of woody plant assemblages along precipitation and human disturbance gradients in a seasonally dry tropical forest

Chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CAD) and rainfall are important drivers of plant community assembly, but little is known about the role played by inter‐ and intraspecific trait variation as communities respond to these pervasive forces. Here, we examined the hypothesis that lower precipitation and higher CAD reduce both intra‐ and interspecific trait variation in Caatinga dry forests. We sampled woody plants across 15 plots along precipitation and CAD gradients and measured resource‐use traits. The effects of precipitation and CAD on RaoQ functional diversity were decomposed into species turnover and intraspecific variability. We used “T‐statistics” to assess the trait sorting from the regional pool to local communities (i.e., external filtering), and within‐community forces leading to low trait overlap (i.e., internal filtering) at individual and species levels. Intraspecific variability explained at least one‐third of the total trait variation and 46% of variation in multitrait diversity across communities. Increasing disturbance reduced multitrait diversity, while precipitation affected some particular traits, such as wood density. Overall, precipitation determined species sorting across communities, while disturbance relaxed internal filters, leading to higher trait overlap within communities due to higher intraspecific variability. Our results suggest that the woody Caatinga flora contains a substantial amount of both inter‐ and intraspecific trait variation. This variation is not randomly distributed within and across communities, but varies according to rainfall conditions and disturbance intensity. These findings reinforce the emerging idea that human disturbances can reorganize plant communities at multiple scales and highlight trait variability as a key biological asset for the resilience of dry forests.     

Arthropods on plants in a fragmented Neotropical dry forest: A functional analysis of area loss and edge effects

Loss and fragmentation of natural ecosystems are widely recognized as the most important threats to biodiversity conservation, with Neotropical dry forests among the most endangered ecosystems. Area and edge effects are major factors in fragmented landscapes. Here, we examine area and edge effects and their interaction, on ensembles of arthropods associated to native vegetation in a fragmented Chaco Serrano forest. We analyzed family richness and community composition of herbivores, predators, and parasitoids on three native plant species in 12 fragments of varying size and at edge/interior positions. We also looked for indicator families by using Indicator Species Analysis. Loss of family richness with the reduction of forest fragment area was observed for the three functional groups, with similar magnitude. Herbivores were richer at the edges without interaction between edge and area effects, whereas predators were not affected by edge/interior position and parasitoid richness showed an interaction between area and position, with a steeper area slope at the edges. Family composition of herbivore, predator, and parasitoid assemblages was also affected by forest area and/or edge/interior situation. We found three indicator families for large remnants and five for edges. Our results support the key role of forest area for conservation of arthropods taxonomic and functional diversity in a highly threatened region, and emphasize the need to understand the interactions between area and edge effects on such diversity.     

大别山南坡森林植物群落物种多样性及其与海拔因子的关系

大别山地区植物资源丰富,区系组成复杂且起源古老,为连接华东、华北和华中三大植物区系的纽带,也是我国重要的生物多样性保护和水源涵养生态功能区。采用样方法,在大别山南坡的多枝尖、庵基坪和麒麟沟3个地区,沿着不同海拔高度选取了具有代表性的森林植物群落进行研究,从不同植物群落类型和层次的物种多样性、均匀度和丰富度及其与海拔因子的关系等方面,对大别山南坡的森林植物群落物种多样性进行综合分析。结果表明:1. 共记录有植物108科270属449种,划分为20个森林植物群落类型;2. 森林植物群落各层次物种丰富度表现为草本>乔木>灌木;Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Simpson多样性指数呈现出乔木>灌木>草本;Pielou均匀度指数变化较为复杂;3. 森林植物群落各层次的物种丰富度随海拔升高而下降;Shannon-Wiener指数和Simpson指数也表现为随着海拔升高而下降,但草本层在1400m之后有上升的趋势。Pielou指数在乔木层中表现为随着海拔的升高而下降,在草本层中表现为先下降后出现上升,在灌木层中则随着海拔的升高而上升,但其波动更为剧烈。本研究对大别山南坡森林植被大范围的采样观测研究,能够全面的展现大别山南坡森林植物的种类分布、空间组成等整体概况及其与海拔因子的关系,能为以后大别山南坡生物多样性的保护提供较为全面真实的数据,从而为大别山地区生物多样性的保护和可持续利用提供理论依据和实践意义。     

喀斯特森林不同演替阶段植物群落物种多样性、功能性状、化学计量及其关联

探讨森林植物群落物种多样性、功能性状与化学计量特征及其内在关联,有助于构建结构-性状-功能的研究脉络,深入理解生态系统的过程与功能,为群落结构优化配置和调控提供科学依据。以贵州喀斯特高原峡谷区森林草灌、灌木、灌乔和乔木4个演替阶段的植物群落为对象,通过群落学调查和植物功能性状、生态化学计量测度,研究其物种多样性、功能性状和化学计量特征及其互作关系。结果表明:(1)乔木阶段的Shannon-Wiener指数与Pielou均匀度指数均为最高,依次达8.62、2.41,表明伴随着群落演替,物种分布的均匀程度增加。(2)植物群落物种多样性指数之间仅Margalef丰富度指数与Simpson优势度指数未呈显著相关(-0.644),其余均为显著或极显著相关关系,表明物种多样性指数之间存在较强的促进或抑制作用。(3)叶片厚度与其余指标,以及群落物种多样性指数与功能性状、化学计量之间均未呈显著相关,比叶面积(SLA)仅与土壤N∶P呈显著正相关(0.742),表明群落物种多样性、功能性状和生态化学计量特征之间的相关性较弱。(4)SLA为灌木阶段的272.13 cm2/g为最大,δ13C值在演替后期略高,草灌、灌木阶段倾向于受N、P共同限制,说明随演替进展,植物的适应策略和资源利用对策等均发生了一定的调整,表明植物和环境之间存在较强的协变关系。(5)该区森林培育时,应构建完整的乔木、灌木和草本层片,提高生态系统对养分矿化、转化和循环等的自调控能力。     

Biotic and abiotic constraints to a plant invasion in vegetation communities of Tierra del Fuego

The biotic resistance theory relates invader success to species richness, and predicts that, as species richness increases, invasibility decreases. The relationship between invader success and richness, however, seems to be positive at large scales of analysis, determined by abiotic constraints, and it is to be expected that it is negative at small scales, because of biotic interactions. Moreover, the negative relationship at small scales would be stronger within species of the same functional group, because of having similar resource exploitation mechanisms. We studied the relationship between the cover of a worldwide invader of grasslands, Hieracium pilosella L., and species richness, species diversity and the cover of different growth forms at two different levels of analysis in 128 sites during the initial invasion process in the Fuegian steppe, Southern Patagonia, Argentina. At regional level, the invader was positively correlated to total (r = 0.28, P = 0.003), exotic (r = 0.273, P = 0.004), and native species richness (r = 0.210, P = 0.026), and to species diversity (r = 0.193, P = 0.041). At community level, we found only a weak negative correlation between H. pilosella and total richness (r = ?0.426, P = 0.079) and diversity (r = ?0.658, P = 0.063). The relationship between the invader and other species of the same growth form was positive both at regional (r = 0.484, P < 0.001) and community (r = 0.593, P = 0.012) levels. Consequently, in the period of establishment and initial expansion of this exotic species, our results support the idea that invader success is related to abiotic factors at large scales of analysis. Also, we observed a possible sign of biotic constraint at community level, although this was not related to the abundance of species of the same growth form.     

Functional traits reveal environmental constraints on amphibian community assembly in a subtropical dry forest

The relationships between functional traits and environmental gradients are useful to identify different community assembly processes. In this work, we used an approach based on functional traits to analyse if changes in hydroperiod and tree covers of ponds are relevant for local amphibian community assembly processes. Ephemeral ponds with low vegetation cover are expected to impose constraints on different species with particular trait combinations and, therefore, to exhibit communities with lower functional diversity than more stable ponds with greater tree cover. Sampling was conducted in 39 temporary ponds located along vegetation and hydroperiod gradients in the most arid portion of the Chaco ecoregion. Seven functional traits were measured in each species present in the regional pool. Associations between these traits and environmental gradients were detected using multivariate ordination techniques and permutation test (RLQ and fourth‐corner analyses respectively). Functional diversity indices were then calculated and related to variations in the environmental gradients. The results obtained allowed us to identify different sets of traits associated with hydroperiod and tree cover, suggesting that these environmental variables are relevant for structuring amphibian communities according to interspecific variations in functional traits from both, larval and adult stages. Contrary to our expectations, communities associated with more stable ponds and with greater tree cover exhibited lower functional diversity than expected by chance (and were the ponds with highest species richness). This result indicates that the reduction in relative importance of environmental restrictions imposed by a very short hydroperiod and the lack of tree cover, favours different species of the regional pool that are similar in several functional traits. Accordingly, communities associated with stable ponds with high tree cover exhibited high functional redundancy.     

广西大石围天坑群不同植物群落的特征

大石围天坑群孕育了极为丰富的植物多样性资源。为进一步了解大石围天坑群植物群落特征, 该文在天坑不同位置(坑口、坑腰、坑底)以及坑外共布设25个样地, 采用样方法进行调查, 共鉴定出269种维管植物, 隶属于89科176属, 群落物种组成数量较多的科主要有樟科、蔷薇科、荨麻科等。群落成层现象明显, 各层优势种分布较为均匀, 其中乔木层优势种主要有香木莲(Manglietia aromatica)、南酸枣(Choerospondias axillaris)、掌叶木(Handeliodendron bodinieri)等, 灌木层优势种有异叶梁王茶(Metapanax davidii)、滇鼠刺(Itea yunnanensis)等, 草本层以楼梯草属(Elatostema)占优势。群落季相明显, 以常绿、落叶阔叶混交林为主, 底部有常绿阔叶林分布, 坑口边缘小面积分布有落叶阔叶林; 群落生活型谱: 高位芽植物为55.76%, 地上芽植物为29.74%, 地面芽植物为6.69%, 隐芽植物为5.21%, 一年生植物为2.60%。该文分析了天坑植物群落类型、组成、结构等特征。     

Early subtropical forest growth is driven by community mean trait values and functional diversity rather than the abiotic environment

While functional diversity (FD) has been shown to be positively related to a number of ecosystem functions including biomass production, it may have a much less pronounced effect than that of environmental factors or species‐specific properties. Leaf and wood traits can be considered particularly relevant to tree growth, as they reflect a trade‐off between resources invested into growth and persistence. Our study focussed on the degree to which early forest growth was driven by FD, the environment (11 variables characterizing abiotic habitat conditions), and community‐weighted mean (CWM) values of species traits in the context of a large‐scale tree diversity experiment (BEF‐China). Growth rates of trees with respect to crown diameter were aggregated across 231 plots (hosting between one and 23 tree species) and related to environmental variables, FD, and CWM, the latter two of which were based on 41 plant functional traits. The effects of each of the three predictor groups were analyzed separately by mixed model optimization and jointly by variance partitioning. Numerous single traits predicted plot‐level tree growth, both in the models based on CWMs and FD, but none of the environmental variables was able to predict tree growth. In the best models, environment and FD explained only 4 and 31% of variation in crown growth rates, respectively, while CWM trait values explained 42%. In total, the best models accounted for 51% of crown growth. The marginal role of the selected environmental variables was unexpected, given the high topographic heterogeneity and large size of the experiment, as was the significant impact of FD, demonstrating that positive diversity effects already occur during the early stages in tree plantations.     

Lignin characteristics in soil profiles in different plant communities in a subtropical mixed forest

Aims Lignin is generally considered as an important indicator of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and dynamics. To evaluate the effects of plant communities and soil depth on soil lignin is critical to better understand forest carbon cycling.Methods We compared lignin content and chemical signature in three soil depths of four major plant communities in a subtropical forest, which located in the north part of Wuling Mountains, China. Lignin was measured using CuO oxidation method.Important findings Both lignin content and its biochemical signature in plant litter varied among communities. However, these differences were mostly no longer exist in the upper soil layers. Lignin chemistry in soils inherited some of the biochemical signature of lignin in litter, but in a diminished magnitude. These results suggest that different plant communities had similar decomposition process with varying rates, caused diminished differences in lignin content and its biochemical signature. Lignin content decreased with soil depth, but the biochemical signature of lignin was not significantly different among soil layers for all communities, which suggests that vertical movement of lignin within the soil profile is very likely a key process causing this similar biochemical signature. These results emphasized the important roles of lignin inputs and soil eluviation in shaping lignin characteristics and distribution in forest soils, which pinpoint the urgent need to consider hydrological processes in studying forest soil carbon cycling.