Tree-shrub interactions in a subtropical savanna parkland: competition or facilitation?

Abstract. Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa has played a central role in the encroachment of woody plants in southern Texas, grasslands and savannas by acting as a nurse plant for various shrubs that establish in its understory. To test for continued facilitation of established understory shrubs by Prosopis and to determine if established shrubs compete with the Prosopis nucleus, selective removal experiments were conducted and monitored over a 2–5 yr period. Short-term (1–3 days) and long-term (2 yr) growth and physiological activities (midday net photosynthesis and leaf/shoot water potential) of two common understory shrubs, Zanthoxylum fagara and Berberis trifoliolata, growing with Prosopis, were generally comparable to those of individuals occurring in clusters where Prosopis was removed. Shrubs growing with an intact Prosopis occasionally showed significantly higher leaf-[N] and pre-dawn water potentials than those in clusters lacking a live Prosopis, especially under drought conditions; however, these differences did not translate into greater midday leaf gas exchange or shoot growth. By comparison, removal of understory shrubs elicited large increases in Prosopis net photosynthesis, annual trunk growth in each of the 5 yr monitored, and seed pod production in three of the four years monitored. Seven of 26 Prosopis plants in experimental clusters with an intact understory died over a 5-yr period, compared to only two of the 26 plants in clusters with the cleared understory. Results indicate that (1) the founding overstory Prosopis plant may continue to facilitate understory shrubs following their establishment, but these beneficial effects appear to be small and transitory, and (2) the understory shrubs have a pronounced negative effect on Prosopis, such that competition between overstory and understory woody plants is strongly asymmetrical. These findings suggest that understory shrubs will likely persist despite changes in microclimate and soils (potentially) that occur after the Prosopis plant, which facilitated their ingress or establishment, has died. Soil resource depletion by shallow-rooted understory shrubs appears to be a primary factor contributing to the demise of the deeply rooted, overstory Prosopis plants, especially on upland sites with duplex soils where below-ground competition is accentuated.     

Seed Bank and Understorey Species Composition in a Semi-arid Environment: The Effect of Shrub Age and Rainfall

Understorey vegetation in patches of Retama sphaerocarpa shrubsin semi-arid environments is dependent on the overstorey shrublife history. Community structure changes with shrub age asa result of physical amelioration of environmental conditionsby the canopy and organic matter accumulation in the soil. Weinvestigated the effect of the canopy on understorey speciesdiversity in the field and its relationships with the soil seedbank under 50 shrubs from 5 to 25+ years old, and compared speciescomposition in the field in a wet and a dry year. Species compositionof the soil seed bank under R. sphaerocarpa shrubs did not differsignificantly with shrub age, but seed density increased asthe shrubs aged. In the field, community composition changedwith shrub age, increasing species richness in a process thatdepended on the amount of spring rainfall. Our results suggestthat the soil seed bank is rather uniform and that the shrubcanopy strongly selects which species appear in the understorey.There were seeds of many species present under both young andold shrubs but which only established under old shrubs. Thisshowed dispersal was not limiting species abundance and suggestedthat the canopy was an important sorting factor for speciespresent in the understorey. Less frequent species contributedthe most to patch diversity, and rainfall effectively controlledspecies emergence. Understorey community composition dependedon multiple interspecific interactions, such as facilitationby the shrub and competition from neighbours, as well as ondispersal processes. Facilitation in this environment is a keyfeature in the structuring of plant communities and in governingecosystem functioning. Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company Community structure, competition, dispersal, facilitation, species composition, rainfall variability, Retama sphaerocarpa, seed bank, semi-arid environments     

Remnant shrubs in Mediterranean semi-arid steppes: effects of shrub size, abiotic factors and species identity on understorey richness and occurrence

Isolated shrub patches are a key element for community structure and dynamics in semi-arid ecosystems, and may act as “hot spots” of understorey species diversity. Despite its importance, the relationships between shrub patch characteristics and understorey species richness, and the relative importance of these characteristics against other factors driving understorey species richness, are still poorly understood. We studied perennial species richness under the canopy of late-successional shrubs in semi-arid Stipa tenacissima steppes of SE Spain. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between shrub size and understorey richness, and to test if this relationship is modified by species identity. We also aimed to know the relative importance of shrub patch characteristics and abiotic factors as predictors of the distribution of understorey species under shrub canopies. Altitude and geographical co-ordinates were able to significantly explain the patterns of shrub occurrence and abundance in the study area. Understorey species richness was significantly related to the size of individual shrubs according to a simple power relationship for all evaluated species. Slope values of linear regressions with log-transformed data, ranging between 0.22 and 0.37, did not differ between species. Site characteristics, patch characteristics and patch species identity significantly explained the occurrence of species on patches. However, the relative importance of site characteristics was higher than that of patch characteristics and species identity in explaining these patterns. Our results agree with the general expectations of the theory of island biogeography and complement previous studies that emphasise the importance of late-successional shrubs in semi-arid Stipa steppes. Environmental management activities within these steppes should promote the conservation of remnant shrubs, as well as its introduction with restoration activities.     

Fire-mediated effects of overstorey on plant species diversity and abundance in an eastern Australian heath

Overstorey shrub species are known to influence the composition of theunderstorey in Southern Hemisphere heathlands. Overstorey densities aresusceptible to variations in fire frequency; thus, fire regimes may influenceoverstorey/understorey interactions and overall floristic composition. Wecompared patches of Banksia heath which had supported anoverstorey during a fire interval of about 30 y with patches wherethe overstorey was absent during the same period, and tested for differences inspecies composition as a function of overstorey presence. Floristic compositionvaried significantly between overstorey patches and open patches. Most specieswere less abundant in overstorey patches, however some were more abundant. Therelative abundance of species in relation to overstorey was unrelated to theirfire response, propagule longevity or propagule storage location. There wassignificantly less biomass in overstorey patches compared with open patches.Theeffect of the overstorey varied with soil moisture. In a dry area, the numberof species was lower in overstorey patches, with fewer herb and shrub speciespresent compared with open patches. Fewer species were recorded in a wetterarea, but overstorey had no effect on the number of species recorded. Reducedintensity of competition among understorey species in overstorey patches couldbe responsible for the higher abundance of some species in these patches. Wepostulate that full diversity will be maintained when the density of overstoreyshrubs fluctuates widely over a relatively short period of time. This is mostlikely when fire frequency is highly variable.     

Plant response to variations in nitrogen availability in a desert shrubland community

Spatial variations in nitrogen availability were studied in a desert community codominated byLarrea tridentata (DC.) Cov. andProsopis glandulosa Torr. Measurements of natural ¹⁵N values in tissues suggested thatProsopis obtains approximately half of its nitrogen through direct symbiotic fixation. Soils were collected under 1)Prosopis shrubs, 2)Larrea shrubs 2 m fromProsopis (LP), and 3)Larrea 2 m from otherLarrea but> 5 m from the nearestProsopis (LL).Prosopis soils showed significantly higher rates of nitrogen mineralization than LL soils in both A and B horizons. Rates of mineralization in LP soils were significantly higher than rates in LL soils only in the B horizon and were not significantly different from rates inProsopis soils. Leaf nitrogen concentrations were significantly higher in LP shrubs (2.06%) than in LL shrubs (1.78%), although ¹⁵N values did not differ between the two shrub types. Nitrogen concentrations inPerezia nana Gray, a perennial herb, were greater in plants underProsopis shrubs (2.09%) than under LP shrubs (1.93%) or LL shrubs (1.67%). Despite apparent differences in nitrogen availability, biomass ofLarrea and density ofPerezia did not differ significantly among these sites.     

Soil moisture redistribution as a mechanism of facilitation in savanna tree–shrub clusters

Plant–soil water relations were examined in the context of a selective removal study conducted in tree–shrub communities occupying different but contiguous soil types (small discrete clusters on shallow, duplex soils versus larger, extensive groves on deep, sandy soils) in a subtropical savanna parkland. We (1) tested for the occurrence of soil moisture redistribution by hydraulic lift (HL), (2) determined the influence of edaphic factors on HL, and (3) evaluated the significance of HL for overstory tree–understory shrub interactions. Diel cycling and nocturnal increases in soil water potential (Ψ_soil), characteristic signatures of HL, occurred intermittently throughout an annual growth cycle in both communities over a range of moisture levels (Ψ_soil=−0.5 to −6.0 MPa) but only when soils were distinctly stratified with depth (dry surface/wet deep soil layers). The magnitude of mean (±SE) diel fluctuations in Ψ_soil (0.19±0.01 MPa) did not differ on the two community types, though HL occurred more frequently in groves (deep soils) than clusters (shallow soils). Selective removal of either Prosopis glandulosa overstory or mixed-species shrub understory reduced the frequency of HL, indicating that Prosopis and at least one other woody species was conducting HL. For Zanthoxylum fagara, a shallow-rooted understory shrub, Prosopis removal from clusters decreased leaf water potential (Ψ_leaf) and net CO₂ exchange (A) during periods of HL. In contrast, overstory removal had neutral to positive effects on more deeply-rooted shrub species (Berberis trifoliolata and Condalia hookeri). Removal of the shrub understory in groves increased A in the overstory Prosopis. Results indicate the following: (a) HL is common but temporally dynamic in these savanna tree–shrub communities; (b) edaphic factors influencing the degree of overstory/understory development, rooting patterns and soil moisture distribution influence HL; (c) net interactions between overstory and understory elements in these woody patches can be positive, negative and neutral over an annual cycle, and (d) Prosopis-mediated HL is an important mechanism of faciliation for some, but not all, understory shrubs.     

Spatial patterns of desert annuals in relation to shrub effects on soil moisture

Questions: What are the effects of a shrub (Haloxylon ammodendron) on spatial patterns of soil moisture in different seasons? How does productivity of understorey annuals respond to these effects? Are such effects always positive for annuals under shrubs? Location: South Gurbantunggut Desert, northwest China. Methods: Using geostatistics, we explored seasonal patterns of topsoil moisture in a 12 × 9‐m plot over the growing season. To determine spatial patterns of understorey annuals in response to H. ammodendron presence, biomass of annuals was recorded in four 0.2 × 5.0‐m transects from the centre of a shrub to the space between shrubs (interspace). We also investigated vertical distribution of root biomass for annuals and soil moisture dynamics across soil profiles in shrub‐canopied areas and interspaces. Results: Topsoil moisture changed from autocorrelation in the wet spring to random structure in the dry season, while soil moisture below 20 cm was higher in shrub‐canopied areas. Across all microhabitats, soil moisture in upper soil layers was higher than in deeper soil layers during the spring wet season, but lower during summer drought. Topsoil was close to air‐dry during the dry season and developed a ‘dry sand layer’ that reduced evaporative loss of soil water from deeper layers recharged by snowmelt in spring. Aboveground biomass of understorey annuals was lowest adjacent to shrub stems and peaked at the shrub margin, forming a ‘ring’ of high herbaceous productivity surrounding individual shrubs. To acclimate to drier conditions, annuals in interspaces invested more root biomass in deeper soil with a root/shoot ratio (R/S) twice that in canopied areas. Conclusions: Positive and negative effects of shrubs on understorey plants in arid ecosystems are commonly related to nature of the environmental stress and tested species. Our results suggest there is also microhabitat‐dependence in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Soil water under H. ammodendron is seasonally enriched in topsoil and deeper layers. Understorey annuals respond to the effect of shrubs on soil water availability with lower R/S and less root biomass in deeper soil layers and develop a ‘ring’ of high productivity at the shrub patch margin where positive and negative effects of shrubs are balanced.     

Shrub facilitation drives tree establishment in a semiarid fog‐dependent ecosystem

Questions

The exceptional occurrence of tall rain forest patches on foggy coastal mountaintops, surrounded by extensive xerophytic shrublands, suggests an important role of plant–plant interactions in the origin and persistence of these patches in semi‐arid Chile. We asked whether facilitation by shrubs can explain the growth and survival of rain forest tree species, and whether shrub effects depend on the identity of the shrub species itself, the drought tolerance of the tree species and the position of shrubs in regard to wind direction.

Location

Open area–shrubland–forest matrix, Fray Jorge Forest National Park, Chile.

Methods

We recorded survival after 12 years of a ~3600 tree saplings plantation (originally ~30‐cm tall individuals) of Aextoxicon punctatum, Myrceugenia correifolia and Drimys winteri placed outside forests, beneath the shrub Baccharis vernalis, and in open (shrub‐free) areas. We assessed the effects of neighbouring shrubs and soil humidity on survival and growth along a gradient related to the direction of fog movement.

Results

B. vernalis had a clear facilitative effect on tree establishment and survival since, after ~12 years, saplings only survived beneath the shrub canopy. Long‐term survival strongly depended on tree species identity, drought tolerance and position along the soil moisture gradient, with higher survival of A. punctatum (>35%) and M. correifolia (>14%) at sites on wind‐ and fog‐exposed shrubland areas. Sites occupied by the shrub Aristeguietia salvia were unsuitable for trees, presumably due to drier conditions than under B. vernalis.

Conclusions

Interactions between shrubs and fog‐dependent tree species in dry areas revealed a strong, long‐lasting facilitation effect on planted tree's survival and growth. Shrubs acted as benefactors, providing sites suitable for tree growth. Sapling mortality in the shrubland interior was caused by lower soil moisture, the consequence of lower fog loads in the air and thus insufficient facilitation. While B. vernalis was a key ecosystem engineer (nurse) and intercepted fog water that dripped to trees planted underneath, drier sites with A. salvia were unsuitable for trees. Consequently, nurse effects related to water input are strongly site and species specific, with facilitation by shrubs providing a plausible explanation for the initiation of forest patches in this semi‐arid landscape.     

Interactive effects of grazing and shrubs on the annual plant community in semi‐arid Mediterranean shrublands

Question: We studied the interactive effects of grazing and dwarf shrub cover on the structure of a highly diverse annual plant community. Location: Mediterranean, semi‐arid shrubland in the Northern Negev desert, Israel. Methods: Variation in the biomass and plant density of annual species in the shrub and open patches was monitored during four years, inside and outside exclosures protected from sheep grazing, in two contrasting topographic sites: north and south‐facing slopes that differed in their dominant dwarf shrubs species: Sarcopoterium spinosus and Corydothymus capitatus, respectively. Results: Above‐ground biomass, density and richness of annual species were lower under the canopy of both shrub species compared to the adjacent open patches in the absence of grazing. Grazing reduced the biomass of annuals in open patches of both topographic sites, but not in the shrub patches. On the north‐facing slope, grazing also reduced plant density and richness in the open patches, but increased plant density in the shrub patches. At the species level, various response patterns to the combined effects of grazing and patch type were exhibited by different annuals. Protection against the direct impacts of grazing by shrub cover as well as species‐specific interactions between shrubs and annuals were observed. A conceptual mechanistic model explaining these interactions is proposed. Conclusion: In semi‐arid Mediterranean shrublands grazing and dwarf shrub cover interact in shaping the structure of the annual plant community through (1) direct impacts of grazing restricted to the open patches, (2) species‐specific facilitation/ interference occurring in the shrub patches and (3) subsequent further processes occurring among the interconnected shrub and open patches mediated through variation in seed flows between patches.     

Spatial segregation of plant species caused by Retama sphaerocarpa influence in a Mediterranean pasture: a perspective from the soil seed bank

Retama sphaerocarpa is a leguminous shrub whose important role in the semi-arid regions of south-eastern Spain has already been assessed: shrub canopies reduce light intensity, and thus evapotranspiration; also their extensive radical system take water and nutrients from great volumes of soil, concentrating them in the understorey. Consequently, subcanopy vegetation benefits from these facilitation processes, increasing its productivity. However, these shrublands have been rarely studied at a broader scale, i.e. as a savannah-like system composed of a variable number of shrubs scattered in a herbaceous matrix. As the microenvironmental conditions associated to the understorey are rather different from those of the open spaces among shrubs, species composition of the herbaceous matrix is expected to change accordingly. Thus, R. sphaerocarpa would be an important and still unknown source of spatial heterogeneity to the system. Our main purpose was to evaluate, through the soil seed bank, the heterogeneity in the herbaceous community induced by this shrub species. Soil samples were collected around adult shrubs from three positions relative to the canopy: near the centre of the shrubs, at the edge of the understorey, and completely outside the canopy. Floristic composition was evaluated by germination under greenhouse conditions. The results show that each position has a different floristic composition, characterised by a group of different species. The herbaceous species associated with the external position have functional traits which enable them to resist water stress and herbivore pressure, such as hairs, CAM metabolism, early flowering, horizontal growth or tiny stature. The species associated with the central position lack those traits, and are more competitive in more mesic environments, rich in nitrogen. The lowest number of seedlings and species was found in the internal position, suggesting that in our study the facilitation process may have less importance for community dynamics due to less stressful environmental conditions.     

The complex nature of headland shrub encroachment: The case of Headland Zieria (Zieria prostrata)

Headland Zieria (Zieria prostrata) is an endangered species restricted to four headlands with a potential population of 1000 individuals. The species also occurs within the endangered ecological community Themeda grassland on sea cliffs and coastal headlands in the New South Wales North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner Bioregions. Shrub encroachment of native species is perceived as a threatening process within these grasslands, and also to the unique species within them, such as Headland Zieria. Suggested management actions for the community and Headland Zieria include the removal of other shrubs by frequent fire or mechanical means. We conducted a survey and correlative analyses to test the validity of these proposed actions. We provide evidence that Headland Zieria is facilitated by a higher density of nearby shrubs which may provide protection from the elements and decrease competition from other understorey species but is eventually out competed by them when the grassland fully transitions to a Banksia shrubland. We suggest that Headland Zieria is an ecotonal specialist that may require an invasion front of shrubs and/or isolated patches. The implementation of fire and/or overstorey shrub removal may be detrimental where populations of Headland Zieria occur. Our study highlights the need to look more closely at interactions before management actions changing vegetation structure and composition are implemented.     

Responses of different herb life-history groups to a dominant shrub species along a dune stabilization gradient

Shrubs play a pivotal role in reversing desertification and in promoting ecological rehabilitation in severe environments. However, how the interactions between shrubs and their understorey species change during restoration remains unclear. Here, we report the results of an observational study conducted in the Mu Us Desert of northern China. This study explored how dune stabilization and the size of individual shrubs affect shrub–herb interactions. In particular, we aimed to determine how different life-history groups and performance indicators (e.g., biomass and richness) of subordinate species respond to shrub–herb interactions during dune stabilization. The shrub Artemisia ordosica had positive effects on understorey species in this dune system. The ability of the shrub to promote the growth of understorey species increased with dune stabilization, but decreased from small to large shrubs. This effect was due to an increase in the relative abundance and biomass of perennials and their higher sensitivity to the positive effects of the shrubs. In contrast, the ability of shrubs to improve the richness of understorey species decreased with dune stabilization, but increased from small to large shrubs. This effect occurred because perennials suffered high strain during recruitment in disturbed open patches of the semi-fixed dunes, particularly below small shrubs. Our results support the theory claiming that communities are sets of hidden interaction groups that have contrasting responses (neutral for annuals, but facilitative for perennials) to dominant neighbors in a single community, depending on their functional strategies. Furthermore, our study highlights the high efficiency of A. ordosica in facilitating ecological restoration of dry and disturbed sandy communities.     

Disappearance of overstorey and understorey litter in an open eucalypt forest

Litter accumulation dynamics and first year rates of disappearance were investigated for leaves of overstorey and understorey species in the mixed eucalypt forest in the Griffith University study area, Queensland, Australia. The average biomass of the litter layer, was 10.2 t/ha. The wood and overstorey leaf litter formed 62.7% of the accumulated litter biomass, and were spread continuously across the ground. The distribution of shrub litter was discontinuous, being concentrated in localized patches beneath individual plants. The litter bag and tethered leaf techniques were used to measure the rate of disappearance of overstorey and shrub leaves. The ‘pairedquadrat’ technique was used to measure the weight loss of the grasses. The small leaves of the dominant shrub, Pultenaea villosa Willd. disappeared most rapidly, followed by the overstorey leaves, grasses and Acacia leaves. Fragmentation by physical factors and litter fauna appeared to be the major factors responsible for the disappearance of the overstorey leaves during the first year of exposure. The data suggest that removal of leaf constituents by leaching and microbial decomposition were more important for the shrub litter than the overstorey leaves. Fractional disappearance rates (loss constants) obtained from the short term weight loss measurements, and calculated using the steady-state model of litter accumulation (k=L/X), overestimated the rate of litter disappearance and litter decomposition. For the overstorey leaves in particular, the loss constants also overestimated the rate of loss of material from the litter layer since the fragmented and consumed tissues accumulated in the fraction of comminuted fragments before moving into the humus/soil subsystem. A compartment model of the components of the litter layer in the mixed eucalypt forest is presented. It incorporates overstorey and understorey litter accession, accumulation and disappearance data. The adoption of a two dimensional decomposition/accumulation matrix is suggested as an appropriate framework within which to simulate the dynamics of the litter subsystem in mixed eucalypt forest ecosystems.     

Fire and competition in Australian heath: a conceptual model and field investigations

Abstract. We describe a model of heath vegetation, in which species were classified into five functional groups based on characteristics of their propagule pools, post-fire growth, timing and mode of reproduction and competitive status. The model assumes no recruitment without fire and a simple competitive hierarchy based on vertical stature. A critical feature of the model is an initial post-fire window of 5–6 yr in which competition from overstorey species on understorey species is reduced. Understorey functional groups differ in their ability to exploit this window. In the field, we tested five predictions derived from the model: (a) overall species richness of understorey varies inversely with overstorey density as a result of a trend in richness of woody species, but not in herbaceous species; (b) where an overstorey was present in the previous fire interval, post-fire population density is reduced in a functional group of understorey serotinous resprouting shrubs, but not in a group of understorey obligate-seeding shrubs with soil seed banks; (c) in understorey serotinous resprouting shrubs, post-fire regrowth in resprouting individuals is adversely affected by the presence of an overstorey in the preceding fire interval; (d) in understorey serotinous resprouting shrubs, levels of pre-fire propagules are lower in the presence of an overstorey, reducing the density of post-fire recruits; and (e) in understorey serotinous resprouting shrubs, recruitment relative to the pre-fire population is unaffected by overstorey species within the window of reduced competition. Of these, three tests (a,b,d) supported the model, one (e) may support the model, but the results were inconclusive and one (c) did not support the model. Limitations and further applications of the model are discussed. Our results suggest that maintenance of high densities of overstorey populations is in conflict with conservation of some understorey species. Models of the type we propose will help identify and resolve such conflicts and promote the judicious use of fire to maintain full species diversity of plant communities.     

Spatial patterns in a two-tiered semi-arid shrubland in southeastern Spain

Abstract. Single species and bivariate distribution patterns in a semi-arid shrubland in southeastern Spain, dominated by the tall leguminous shrub Retama sphaerocarpa, were investigated by second-order spatial analysis based on Ripley's K-function. Shrubs were significantly clumped because of a strong association of dwarf shrubs, mostly Artemisia barrelieri, under the canopy of Retama. Retama shrubs were randomly distributed, but when different size-classes were analysed separately, the pattern changed from significantly clumped to random and then to regular with increasing canopy diameter, suggesting increasing intraspecific competition with shrub size. Artemisia was significantly clumped at all scales because of aggregation under the canopy of large Retama shrubs. The association between the species became stronger with increasing canopy diameter of Retama shrubs, suggesting that facilitation prevailed over interspecific competition because of niche separation in different tiers, both above and below ground. Retama shrub size thus determined both the type of pattern for its own size class and tier, and the scale and intensity of the association with its understorey shrubs.     

Effects of pioneer shrubs on the recruitment of the fleshy‐fruited tree Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata in Afromontane savanna

Question: Is seedling recruitment of a fleshy‐fruited tree in degraded Afromontane savanna dependent on shelter from pioneer shrubs, and is shelter availability related to shrub traits? Location: Degraded montane savanna in northern Ethiopia (13°36′N, 39°21′E). Method: Nurse plants of Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata seedlings were recorded using T‐square plotless sampling and clustered according to shrub traits, using Ward's method after Principal Components Analysis. Facilitation was further examined through experimental planting and Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis. Results: Both in grazed and protected areas, Olea recruits were found exclusively under shrubs, primarily under Euclea racemosa although Acacia etbaica was more abundant. Olea recruitment is distributed randomly at landscape scale, but depends on shelter at patch scale. Shelter ability is related to shrub shape and species identity. Dense multi‐stemmed shrubs with a wide base and crown on a mulch‐rich mound are key recruitment foci. Euclea shrubs have these favoured traits and probably act as preferential perching sites for avian seed dispersers. Soil and organic matter accumulation under Euclea shrubs may also create favourable conditions for Olea germination and survival. Experimentally planted seedlings had a better chance for survival under Euclea. Conclusions: Olea regeneration is probably subject to both passive (disperser‐mediated) and active facilitation. Small changes of shrub traits can alter the suitability of a patch for Olea recruitment. Protection of shrubs can increase facilitation for seedlings, while pruning may reduce competition for saplings and thus enhance forest succession. Planting of raised Olea seedlings under Euclea shrubs in years with a good rainy season may further assist forest restoration.     

Disentangling direct and indirect effects of a legume shrub on its understorey community

Direct and indirect interactions among plants contribute to shape community composition through above‐ and belowground processes. However, we have not disentangled yet the direct and indirect soil and canopy effects of dominants on understorey species. We addressed this issue in a semi‐arid system from southeast Spain dominated by the legume shrub Retama sphaerocarpa. During a year with an exceptionally dry spring, we removed the shrub canopy to quantify aboveground effects and compared removed‐canopy plots to open plots between shrubs to quantify soil effects, both with and without watering. We added a grass removal treatment in order to separate direct from indirect shrub effects and quantified biomass, abundance, richness and composition of the forb functional group. With watering, changes in forb biomass were primarily driven by indirect shrub effects, with contrasting negative soil and positive aboveground indirect effects; changes in forb abundance and composition were more influenced by direct shrub soil effects with contrasting species composition between open and Retama patches. As community composition was different between open and Retama patches the indirect effects of Retama on forb species did not concern forbs from the open community but forbs from Retama patches. Indirect effects are, thus, important at the functional group level rather than at the species level. Without watering, there were no significant interactions. Changes in species richness between treatments were weak and seldom significant. We conclude that shrub effects on understorey forbs are primarily due to their influence on soil properties, directly affecting forb species composition but indirectly affecting the biomass of the forbs of the Retama patches, and only with sufficient water.     

Landscape Heterogeneity of Shrub Expansion in Arctic Alaska

The expansion of shrubs into tundra areas is a key terrestrial change underway in the Arctic in response to elevated temperatures during the twentieth century. Repeat photography permits a glimpse into greening satellite pixels, and it shows that, since 1950, some shrub patches have increased rapidly (hereafter expanding), while others have increased little or not at all (hereafter stable). We characterized and compared adjacent expanding and stable shrub patches across Arctic Alaska by sampling a wide range of physical and chemical soil and vegetation properties, including shrub growth rings. Expanding patches of Alnus viridis ssp. fruticosa (Siberian alder) contained shrub stems with thicker growth rings than in stable patches. Alder growth in expanding patches also showed strong correlation with spring and summer warming, whereas alder growth in stable patches showed little correlation with temperature. Expanding patches had different vegetation composition, deeper thaw depth, higher mean annual ground temperature, higher mean growing season temperature, lower soil moisture, less carbon in mineral soil, and lower C:N values in soils and shrub leaves. Expanding patches—higher resource environments—were associated with floodplains, stream corridors, and outcrops. Stable patches—lower resource environments—were associated with poorly drained tussock tundra. Collectively, we interpret these differences as implying that preexisting soil conditions predispose parts of the landscape to a rapid response to climate change, and we therefore expect shrub expansion to continue penetrating the landscape via dendritic floodplains, streams, and scattered rock outcrops.     

Bottom-up effects of nutrient availability on flower production, pollinator visitation, and seed output in a high-Andean shrub

Soil nutrient availability directly enhances vegetative growth, flowering, and fruiting in alpine ecosystems. However, the impacts of nutrient addition on pollinator visitation, which could affect seed output indirectly, are unknown. In a nutrient addition experiment, we tested the hypothesis that seed output in the insect-pollinated, self-incompatible shrub, Chuquiraga oppositifolia (Asteraceae) of the Andes of central Chile, is enhanced by soil nitrogen (N) availability. We aimed to monitor total shrub floral display, size of flower heads (capitula), pollinator visitation patterns, and seed output during three growing seasons on control and N addition shrubs. N addition did not augment floral display, size of capitula, pollinator visitation, or seed output during the first growing season. Seed mass and viability were 25–40% lower in fertilised shrubs. During the second growing season only 33% of the N addition shrubs flowered compared to 71% of controls, and a significant (50%) enhancement in vegetative growth occurred in fertilised shrubs. During the third growing season, floral display in N addition shrubs was more than double that of controls, received more than twice the number of insect pollinator visits, and seed output was three- to four-fold higher compared to controls. A significant (50%) enhancement in vegetative growth again occurred in N addition shrubs. Results of this study strongly suggest that soil N availability produces strong positive bottom-up effects on the reproductive output of the alpine shrub C. oppositifolia. Despite taking considerably longer to be manifest in comparison to the previously reported top-down indirect negative effects of lizard predators in the same study system, our results suggest that both bottom-up and top-down forces are important in controlling the reproductive output of an alpine shrub.     

Ecological stoichiometry explains larger-scale facilitation processes by shrubs on species coexistence among understory plants

Plant facilitation (positive plant–plant interactions) strongly influences biodiversity, structure, and dynamics in plant communities, and the topic has received considerable attention among ecologists. Most studies of facilitation processes by shrubs have been conducted at small spatial scales between shrubs and their neighboring species. Yet, we know little about whether facilitation processes by shrubs at a small scale (i.e., a patch scale) also work at a larger scale (i.e., a site scale) in terms of the maintenance of biodiversity. Here, we report that the facilitative effects of shrubs on plant diversity at a larger scale can be explained by changing ecological stoichiometry. The soil fertility showed unimodal shape along shrub cover gradient, suggesting that the facilitative effects of a shrub do not necessarily increase as the shrub develops. The unimodal shape of dependence of plant species richness on shrub cover probably was generated by the unimodal dependence of soil fertility on shrub cover. Soil nutrient enrichment by shrubs shifted low N:P ratios of plant communities with low levels of shrub cover to more balanced N:P ratios at intermediate levels of shrub cover. At the peak N:P ratio along the gradient in shrub cover, the maximum species richness and functional richness were observed, which was consistent with the unimodal relationship predicted by the resource balance hypothesis. Thus, our findings showed that facilitation processes by shrubs at a patch scale also work at a larger scale in terms of the maintenance of biodiversity. Because observed larger-scale facilitation processes are enhanced at some intermediate levels of shrub cover, this study offers practical insight into the need for management practices that allow some intermediate levels of grazing by livestock for optimizing the role of larger-scale facilitation processes in the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in arid and semi-arid rangelands.