Can a trait-based multi-taxa approach improve our assessment of forest management impact on biodiversity?

Harvest impact on forest biodiversity has been widely studied, but for managers confronted with a need for integrated cross-taxa assessment, application remains a significant challenge. Using post-harvest boreal forest succession as a model system, we investigate the usefulness of a trait-based multi-taxa approach to improve our understanding of the community dynamics after disturbance. We assess the strength of response to forest harvesting and recovery patterns of four taxa with contrasting attributes (vegetation, carabids, spiders and birds) along a post-harvest chronosequence of jack pine stands in the boreal forests of Canada. We used a complementary set of functional and taxonomic diversity metrics to identify commonalities and dissimilarities in the community assembly processes and sensitivities to harvesting among taxa. Despite the overall similarity of community response for most pairs of taxa and metrics, the strength of cross-taxa congruency varied greatly among metrics, illustrating the complexity of taxa response to harvest as well as the necessity of including a variety of biodiversity metrics in impact assessments. Of the four selected taxa, spiders were found the most sensitive to harvesting, with a strong response to environmental changes after harvest and a slow community recovery process. Birds and carabids showed highly congruent response patterns, with a strong response to harvest followed by a marked recovery process. Ground vegetation was the most resilient to harvesting. We discuss the management implications of these contrasting recovery processes, outline the current limitations of this method and suggest steps toward the implementation of effective integrated multi-taxa monitoring programs.     

Variations in species and functional plant diversity along climatic and grazing gradients

Different components of biodiversity may vary independently of each other along environmental gradients giving insights into the mechanisms that regulate species coexistence. In particular, the functional diversity (FD) or the presence of rare or endemic species in natural assemblages do not necessarily increase with species diversity. We studied if different components of plant species diversity (species richness, Simpson diversity, evenness) varied similarly to FD (measured as a generalization of the Simpson index) and rarity along grazing intensity and climatic gradients. Plots under different sheep grazing regimes (high and low intensity, abandonment) were surveyed in five locations along a climatic gradient in north-eastern Spain, from semi-arid lowland to moist upland locations. Variation in species diversity, functional diversity and rarity followed different patterns. Species diversity was lowest in water-stressed environments (arid locations and southern aspects) and increased with grazing more makedly in humid locations. The FD was comparable between the most species-poor and species-rich locations and decreased with grazing in the moistest location, i.e. where species diversity markedly increased. The FD did not show a strong correlation with species richness nor with the Simpson index and less specious communities could show the highest functional diversity. The rarest species in the region were more frequently found in the abandoned areas, which held the lowest species diversity. Consequently, the mechanisms that enhance the diversity of species do not necessarily support a functional differentiation among those species or the maintenance of rare species in a region. We hypothesize that the degree of dependence of functional diversity on species diversity might be mostly related to the amplitude of the species' traits pool and on how species partition the niche space available.     

Grazing Gradient versus Restoration Succession of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. Grassland in Inner Mongolia

Grazing‐induced degradation of grasslands is the primary impediment to the socioeconomic development of Inner Mongolia. It affects the entire environment of northern China. Understanding grassland dynamics is necessary for restoration and sustainable management of these degraded ecosystems. The recovery dynamics of a degraded Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. grassland after removal of grazing was studied in comparison with its spatial variation along a grazing gradient, using its climax community as a benchmark. The species composition, diversity, and biomass of the grassland vegetation, as well as the attributes (height, density, and individual mass) of major species, were examined on the eight sites along the grazing gradient and in the recovering grassland over 11 years. The spatial pattern of grassland vegetation along the grazing gradient closely reflected its recovery trajectory over time. Both the spatial and the temporal processes exhibited the same shift in species dominance in association with grazing removal or less grazing intensity. Grassland degradation was accompanied by an increase in species density and a decrease in species size; this trend was reversed during recovery. This result suggested that the degraded grassland is highly resilient and that restoration could occur naturally by reducing or excluding grazing animals. However, some differences existed between the spatial and the temporal processes. Species richness was high on the light‐ or no‐grazing sites along the gradient, but varied little during the recovery of the degraded grassland. Species evenness was high under moderate to light grazing along the gradient and was high at the beginning of the recovery period but not at the end. Although standing biomass improved significantly during the recovery period, it did not change significantly along the grazing gradient. These observed discrepancies were related to the intrinsic difference in the spatial versus temporal processes and are discussed together with the advantage/disadvantage of the grazing gradient versus dynamic monitoring methods in grassland dynamics studies.     

Comparison of biodiversity and ground cover between a commercial rotationally grazed property and an adjacent nature reserve in semi‐arid rangeland

Continuous livestock grazing can have negative effects on biodiversity and landscape function in arid and semi‐arid rangelands. Alternative grazing management practices, such as rotational grazing, may be a viable option for broad‐scale biodiversity conservation and sustainable pastoral management. This study compared ground cover, plant species composition and floristic and functional diversity along gradients of grazing intensity between a pastoral property rotationally grazed by goats and an adjacent nature reserve (ungrazed by commercial livestock) in semi‐arid south‐eastern Australia. Understorey plant species composition differed significantly between the rotationally grazed property and the nature reserve, with a greater proportion and frequency of palatable species recorded in the nature reserve. Understorey plant species richness, diversity, functional biodiversity measures and ground cover declined with increasing grazing pressure close to water points under commercial rotational grazing management. However, at a whole‐paddock scale, there were few differences in plant biodiversity and ground cover between the rotationally grazed property and the nature reserve, despite differences in overall plant species composition. Flexible, adaptive, rotational grazing should be investigated further for its potential to achieve both socio‐economic and biodiversity conservation outcomes in semi‐arid rangelands to complement existing conservation reserves.     

The potential contribution of vegetation ecology to biodiversity research

The contribution of vegetation ecology to the study of biodiversity depends on better communication between the different research paradigms in ecology. Recent developments in vegetation theory and associated statistical modelling techniques are reviewed for their relevance to biodiversity. Species composition and collective properties such as species richness vary as a continuum in a multi-dimensional environmental space; a concept which needs to be incorporated into biodiversity studies. Different kinds of environmental gradients can be recognised and species responses to them vary. Species response curves of eucalypts to an environmental gradient of mean annual temperature have been shown to exhibit a particular pattern of skewed response curves. Generalised linear modelling (GLM) and generalised additive modelling (GAM) techniques are important tools for biodiversity studies. They have successfully distinguished the contribution of environmental (climatic) and spatial (history and species dispersal ability) variables in determining forest tree composition in New Zealand. Species richness studies are examined at global, regional and local scales. At all scales, direct and resource environmental gradients need to be incorporated into the analysis rather than indirect gradients e.g. latitude which have no direct physiological influence on biota. Evidence indicates that species richness at the regional scale is sensitive to environment, confounding current studies on local/regional species richness relationships. Plant community experiments require designs based on environmental gradients rather than dependent biological properties such as productivity or species richness to avoid confounding the biotic components. Neglect of climatic and other environmental gradients and the concentration on the collective properties of species assemblages has limited recent biodiversity studies. Conservation evaluation could benefit from greater use of the continuum concepts and statistical modelling techniques of vegetation ecology. The future development of ecology will depend on testing the different assumptions of competing research paradigms and a more inclusive synthesis of ecological theory.     

Effects of livestock breed and grazing pressure on ground‐dwelling arthropods in Cantabrian heathlands

Abstract 1. The effects of different goat breeds and grazing pressures on epigeal arachnids (Lycosidae and Opiliones) and ground beetles (Carabidae) were assessed in a heath–gorse shrubland located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Three treatments (low grazing pressure with Cashmere breed, high grazing pressure with Cashmere breed, and high grazing pressure with local Celtiberic breed) with three replicates of each treatment were allocated randomly to nine plots. 2. Arthropod fauna abundance, diversity, and species richness were estimated using pitfall trapping over 3 years (2003, 2004, and 2005). Vegetation cover, composition, and height were assessed along transects and above‐ground plant biomass was sampled in quadrats. 3. Lower grazing pressure led to lower herbaceous cover and higher heather cover than high grazing pressure. Overall, it did not enhance arthropod diversity or abundance, but the abundance and species richness of carabids, and abundance of lycosids like Pardosa pullata, were higher under high stocking rates, whereas Opiliones were favoured by the low stocking rates. Although it has been assumed that traditional breeds enhance biodiversity, the present study found no significant differences for both arthropod fauna and vegetation between the goat breeds. 4. Arthropod–vegetation relationships were examined by constrained ordination. Fauna assemblages followed a gradient from closed canopy shrubland areas, in the lowest grazing pressure, to grassier open canopy areas resulting from higher grazing pressure, revealing the importance of grazing management as a driver of arthropod community structure of the heathland.     

Declines in littoral species richness across both spatial and temporal nutrient gradients: a palaeolimnological study of two taxonomic groups

1. Using a palaeolimnological approach in shallow lakes, we quantified the species richness responses of diatoms and Cladocera to phosphorus enrichment. We also examined differences in species richness responses between littoral and pelagic assemblages of our focal communities. To address both spatial and temporal relationships, our study includes an analysis of both surface sediments from 40 lakes and of a lake sediment record spanning c. 120 years. The objective of our study was to determine whether similar species richness patterns occurred across trophic levels, as well as along spatial and temporal gradients. 2. We found that both diatom and Cladocera species richness estimates significantly declined with increasing phosphorus across space and through time. When the assemblages were subdivided according to known habitat preferences, littoral biodiversity maintained a negative trend, whereas pelagic species richness tended to show no relationship with phosphorus. 3. Negative productivity–diversity patterns have been observed across almost all palaeolimnological studies that span large productivity gradients. This congruence in patterns is most likely due to the similarity in data collection methods and in focal communities studied. The contrasting responses between littoral and pelagic assemblages may be explained by the differences in physical habitat and the pool of taxa in each of these environments. Consistent with the literature, we found statistical support for the idea that littoral diversity declines could be explained by an interaction between macrophytes and nutrients along strong trophic gradients. The general lack of a diversity response in our pelagic assemblages could be attributable to the limited pool of subfossil taxa. The response of the pelagic diatom could also be related to their broad range of nutrient tolerances. 4. The observed negative response of species richness to phosphorus enrichment, particularly in the littoral assemblages, has implications for ecosystems functioning because communities with reduced biodiversity often are less resilient to anthropogenic change.     

Patterns of plant species turnover along grazing gradients

Questions: How are plant species distributed along grazing gradients? What is the shape of species richness patterns? How can we test for the existence of potential discontinuities in species turnover pattern? Location: Semi‐deserts in the eastern Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Gobustan district. Methods: We studied the distribution of vascular plant species along transects 900‐m long, perpendicular to five farms, and estimated grazing intensity as current livestock units per distance. We modelled species response curves with Huismann–Olff–Fresco (HOF) models and calculated species turnover by accumulating the first derivatives of all response curves. To test for potential discontinuities in changes of vegetation composition along the grazing gradient, we introduce a new null model based on the individualistic continuum concept that uses permutations of the observed pattern of species responses. Results: Most species show a sigmoidal negative response to grazing intensity, while a few species respond with a unimodal pattern. The monotonic decrease in species richness with increasing grazing intensity marks a process of overgrazing that leads to the complete extirpation of plant species. Although the species turnover pattern shows a clear peak, it does not deviate significantly from the null model of individualistic continuous changes. Conclusions: Our approach offers a method for differentiating between transition zones and continuous shifts in species composition along ecological gradients. It also provides a valuable tool for rangeland management to test state‐and‐transition concepts and gives deeper insights into ecological processes affected by grazing.     

喜马拉雅山哺乳动物物种多样性垂直分布格局

生物多样性的空间分布及其相关机制一直是生态学、生物地理学和保护生物学研究的热点问题。山地生态系统生境异质性和生物多样性高, 适合研究生物多样性空间分布及其相关机制。喜马拉雅山脉位于青藏高原南缘, 是全球生态热点区域。其地形复杂, 海拔落差大(100-8,844 m), 具有明显的垂直气候带。本研究通过整合野外调查和文献资料, 系统地分析了10目23科160属313种喜马拉雅山地区哺乳动物物种多样性的垂直分布格局, 发现该区域哺乳动物总体及其子集的物种多样性垂直分布格局都为左偏倚的中峰格局, 物种多样性在海拔900-1,400 m之间最高, 不同物种子集的物种多样性垂直分布格局的模式有所不同。UPGMA聚类分析表明, 喜马拉雅山地区哺乳动物群落沿海拔梯度可以划分为5个聚类簇(海拔100-1,500 m、1,500-2,000 m、2,000-3,000 m、3,000-4,200 m以及4,200-6,000 m的地区), 大致与该地区植被的垂直带分布相吻合。喜马拉雅山地区哺乳动物物种多样性在中低海拔最为丰富, 可能跟东洋界与古北界生物群扩散后的交汇地带相关。喜马拉雅山区贯通南北的沟谷是生物扩散和迁移的通道, 沟谷内水热资源较好, 气候稳定性高, 为高山生态系统内各种生物创造了栖息条件。综上, 喜马拉雅山沟谷地区是生物多样性热点地区, 也是生物扩散和交流关键的“生态走廊”, 应加强对喜马拉雅山沟谷地区的保护, 以维系该区域较高的生物多样性。     

River fish assemblages along an elevation gradient in the eastern extremity of Europe

Studies on assemblages of freshwater fishes along elevational gradients of rivers are lacking, even in Europe. In this paper we have explored the entire range of elevational gradients existing in the European part of Russia. We analyzed how fish biodiversity (species richness, abundance, diversity indices) at 435 river sites differed by elevation. The impact of elevation on the distribution of freshwater fish species was analyzed using regression and ordination methods. For the first time for a large area of Eastern Europe, optimum points and niche breadth for fish species along altitude gradients were estimated. Our analyses showed: (1) species richness and Shannon index decreased in the upper part of the gradient; fish abundance showed a unimodal response to elevation; highest numbers were found at elevations between 250 and 500 m; (2) ordination analysis demonstrated an upstream-downstream gradient of the fish assemblages; (3) regression analysis showed significant preferences for elevation by 19 species, all of which were monotonic; (4) optimum and niche breadth (tolerance) were highly variable between species; only five species (brown trout, grayling, common minnow, bullhead and stone loach) were encountered at elevations above 650 m; and (5) in our region, the habitat of grayling was higher in the mountains, and its abundance (numbers) at extreme elevations was greater, than brown trout. These results show how fish assemblages differ with elevation. Our findings identify the data that can be used for regional environmental monitoring of the state of small rivers and for aquatic conservation.     

内蒙古典型草原物种组成和群落结构对长期放牧的响应

该文比较研究了内蒙古羊草草原和大针茅草原放牧演替系列经过20a (1985~2005年) 放牧, 利用群落组成与结构的变化分析了这两个放牧演替系列上15个植物群落的变化趋势, 并依此探讨长期放牧对草原生态系统结构和功能的影响。结果表明:在大针茅 (Stipa grandis) 牧压梯度系列上, 群落仍以大针茅群系为主, 冷蒿 (Artemisia frigida) 为建群种的群落消失;在羊草 (Leymus chinensis) 牧压梯度系列上, 羊草和冷蒿不再是建群种, 被西伯利亚羽茅 (Achnatherum sibiricum) 、大针茅、冰草 (Agropyron cristatum) 和糙隐子草 (Cleistogenes squarrosa) 所替代。综合两个牧压梯度系列的研究结果得出以下基本结论:长期过度放牧进一步加速了草原群落的退化进程, 但退化草原具有较高的恢复弹性, 控制放牧使部分群落得到一定程度的恢复。同一植物群落时间变化, 或不同演替阶段的植物群落在空间序列上的位移程度主要取决于放牧史和利用强度。过去20a中, 特别是2003年以来草原管理政策的改变并没有导致该区域草地的整体退化, 而是在一定程度上有利于草地的恢复。     

Examining variation in the leaf mass per area of dominant species across two contrasting tropical gradients in light of community assembly

Understanding variation in key functional traits across gradients in high diversity systems and the ecology of community changes along gradients in these systems is crucial in light of conservation and climate change. We examined inter‐ and intraspecific variation in leaf mass per area (LMA) of sun and shade leaves along a 3330‐m elevation gradient in Peru, and in sun leaves across a forest–savanna vegetation gradient in Brazil. We also compared LMA variance ratios (T‐statistics metrics) to null models to explore internal (i.e., abiotic) and environmental filtering on community structure along the gradients. Community‐weighted LMA increased with decreasing forest cover in Brazil, likely due to increased light availability and water stress, and increased with elevation in Peru, consistent with the leaf economic spectrum strategy expected in colder, less productive environments. A very high species turnover was observed along both environmental gradients, and consequently, the first source of variation in LMA was species turnover. Variation in LMA at the genus or family levels was greater in Peru than in Brazil. Using dominant trees to examine possible filters on community assembly, we found that in Brazil, internal filtering was strongest in the forest, while environmental filtering was observed in the dry savanna. In Peru, internal filtering was observed along 80% of the gradient, perhaps due to variation in taxa or interspecific competition. Environmental filtering was observed at cloud zone edges and in lowlands, possibly due to water and nutrient availability, respectively. These results related to variation in LMA indicate that biodiversity in species rich tropical assemblages may be structured by differential niche‐based processes. In the future, specific mechanisms generating these patterns of variation in leaf functional traits across tropical environmental gradients should be explored.     

内蒙古草原植物的生态替代及其对全球变化下草原动态的指示（英）

在内蒙古草原区,从荒漠草原带到森林草原带,沿气候干燥度变化的方向调查了119个草原样地的植被与环境特征,依此定量分析了植被—环境关系。 根据表述环境因子取样质量的环境因子墒值及环境因子与出现频率最高的50个植物种间的平均相互信息,分析了所调查30个环境因子在决定植被组成中的作用优势度。结果表明,气候因子的影响是占绝对优势的,而地形和管理因子的作用是次一级的,或是地区性的。群落的物种组成与其第一优势种关联极好,因而依群落第—优势种识别的植物群落类型是组成和结构相对稳定的群落单位。基于植物种在降水和气温梯度上最适区域的计算及依此在植物降水-气温平面上的直接排序,揭示出广泛的草原植物在气候梯度上的生态替代。这种替代,尤其是包括针茅属(Stipa)植物在内的草原优势植物的替代,导致了针茅草原的生态替代。本研究也定量刻划了内蒙古主要草原植物群落的植被特征,及其在气候、土壤和人为影响梯度上的分布幅度和生态适宜区域。草原植物种和植物群落在气候和放牧梯度上的直接排序提供了气候和土地利用变化后草原植被动态的可能图景。     

Environmental factors explaining the vegetation patterns in a temperate peatland

Although ombrotrophic temperate peatlands are important ecosystems for maintaining biodiversity in eastern North America, the environmental factors influencing their flora are only partly understood. The relationships between plant species distribution and environmental factors were thus studied within the oldest temperate peatland of Québec. Plant assemblages were identified by cluster analysis while CCA was used to related vegetation gradients to environmental factors. Five assemblages were identified; three typical of open bog and two characterized by more minerotrophic vegetation. Thicker peat deposit was encounter underlying the bog assemblages while higher water table level and percentage of free surface water distinguished the minerotrophic assemblages. Overall, the floristic patterns observed were spatially structured along the margins and the expanse. The most important environmental factors explaining this spatial gradient were the percentage of free surface water and the highest water-table level. To cite this article: S. Pellerin et al., C. R. Biologies 332 (2009).     

Vegetation and soil responses to livestock grazing in Central Asian grasslands: a review of Chinese literature

Grasslands in northern China and the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are particularly important to both ecosystem functioning and pastoral livelihoods. Although there are numerous degradation studies on the effect of livestock grazing across the region, they are largely only published in Chinese, and most focus on single sites. Based on case studies from 100 sites, covering a mean annual precipitation gradient of 95–744 mm, we present a comprehensive, internationally accessible review on the impact of livestock grazing on vegetation and soils. We compared ungrazed or slightly grazed sites with moderately and heavily grazed sites by evaluating changes in two indicator groups: vegetation (plant species richness, vegetation cover, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio) and soil (pH, bulk density, organic C, total N, total P and available P). Most indicators declined with intensified grazing, while soil pH, bulk density and belowground biomass increased. Available P showed no clear response. Variables within indicator groups were mostly linearly correlated at a given grazing intensity. Relative grazing effects on different indicators varied along specific abiotic gradients. Grazing responses of plant species richness, aboveground biomass, soil bulk density, total N and available P interacted with precipitation patterns, while grazing effects on belowground biomass were influenced by temperature. Elevation had impact on grazing responses of aboveground biomass and soil organic carbon. Complex grazing effects reflect both methodological inconsistency and ecological complexity. Further assessments should consider specific characteristics of different indicators in the context of the local environment.     

Mollusc and plant assemblages controlled by different ecological gradients at Eastern European fens

Ecological patterns of mollusc assemblages and vegetation in relation to water chemistry, water regime, nutrient availability and climate were studied in eastern Polish lowland fens. Our goal was to examine if major compositional changes differ for molluscs and vegetation under the joint influence of multiple ecological gradients. Altogether 32 fen sites were investigated in 2010–2011, and analyzed using metric multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis and generalized additive models. Two major gradients driving the differences in mollusc species composition were revealed. The main direction of compositional changes was associated with the water table gradient, governing a species turnover from inundated and strongly water-logged sites occupied mostly by aquatic mollusc species, to moderately wet sites with the predominance of fen and meadow species. The second most important gradient for molluscs was that of mineral richness. For vegetation, three major gradients explained the changes in species composition. The highest importance was assigned to the nitrogen-to-phosphorus availability gradient (defined as a shift from N-limited to P-limited vegetation), followed by the water table gradient, and the mineral richness gradient. Our results demonstrate that the impact of mineral richness gradient, which has been often reported as the major determinant of compositional changes of fen molluscs and vegetation, can be exceeded by other ecological gradients of comparable variation. We also document for the first time that the main species turnover of fen vegetation is not accompanied by the analogous change in species composition of mollusc assemblages, due to a different sensitivity of these taxa to particular environmental factors (i.e. water level dynamics and type of nutrient limitation).     

Taxonomic,functional, and phylogenetic dimensions of rodent biodiversity along an extensive tropical elevational gradient

Relationships among taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic dimensions of biodiversity provide insight about the relative contributions of ecological and evolutionary processes in structuring local assemblages. We used data for rodent species distributions from an extensive tropical elevational gradient to 1) describe elevational gradients for each of three dimensions of biodiversity, 2) evaluate the sufficiency of species richness as a surrogate for other dimensions, and 3) quantify the relative support for mechanisms that increase or decrease phylogenetic or functional dispersion. Taxonomic biodiversity was quantified by species richness, as well as by richness, evenness, diversity, dominance, and rarity at generic and familial levels. Morphological and categorical traits were used to estimate functional biodiversity, and an ultrametric mammalian supertree was used as the basis for estimating phylogenetic biodiversity. Elevational gradients of each dimension of biodiversity were strong, with significant linear and non‐linear components based on orthogonal polynomial regression. Empirical linear and non‐linear regression components were consistently different than those expected based on species richness for generic, familial, and phylogenetic biodiversity, but not for functional biodiversity. Nevertheless, the congruence of dimensions of biodiversity based on correlation analyses indicated that any one dimension is a useful surrogate for the other dimensions for rodents at Manu. Given variation in species richness, assemblages from lowland rainforests comprised more biodiversity than expected, whereas assemblages from cloud and elfin forests represented less biodiversity than expected. Warm temperatures, vertical complexity of the vegetation, and high productivity likely facilitate niche differentiation in rainforests, whereas cricetid rodents are competitively superior to other clades in the less structurally complex, less productive, and colder, high elevation habitats.     

Increasing arboreality with altitude: a novel biogeographic dimension

Biodiversity is spatially organized by climatic gradients across elevation and latitude. But do other gradients exist that might drive biogeographic patterns? Here, we show that rainforest''s vertical strata provide climatic gradients much steeper than those offered by elevation and latitude, and biodiversity of arboreal species is organized along this gradient. In Philippine and Singaporean rainforests, we demonstrate that rainforest frogs tend to shift up in the rainforest strata as altitude increases. Moreover, a Philippine-wide dataset of frog distributions shows that frog assemblages become increasingly arboreal at higher elevations. Thus, increased arboreality with elevation at broad biogeographic scales mirrors patterns we observed at local scales. Our proposed ‘arboreality hypothesis’ suggests that the ability to exploit arboreal habitats confers the potential for larger geographical distributions because species can shift their location in the rainforest strata to compensate for shifts in temperature associated with elevation and latitude. This novel finding may help explain patterns of species richness and abundance wherever vegetation produces a vertical microclimatic gradient. Our results further suggest that global warming will ‘flatten’ the biodiversity in rainforests by pushing arboreal species towards the cooler and wetter ground. This ‘flattening’ could potentially have serious impacts on forest functioning and species survival.     

The grazing fingerprint: Modelling species responses and trait patterns along grazing gradients in semi-arid Namibian rangelands

Persistence or disappearance of plants under grazing pressure has led to their categorisation as grazing increasers or decreasers. We aimed to extend this classical indicator concept in rangeland ecology by interpreting the shape of species responses and trait patterns modelled along continuous grazing gradients at different spatial scales.Taking transects of two different lengths, we recorded the cover of vascular plant species along grazing gradients in central Namibian rangelands. We used a hierarchical set of ecologically meaningful models with increasing complexity – the HOF (Huisman–Olff–Fresco) approach – to investigate species’ grazing responses, diversity parameters and pooled cover values for two traits: growth form and life cycle.Based on our modelling results, we classified species responses into eight types: no response, monotonic increasers/decreasers, threshold increasers/decreasers, symmetric unimodal responses, left skewed and right skewed unimodal responses.The most common category was that of no response (42% of the short and 79% of the long transect responses). At both scales, decreaser responses with higher grazing pressure were more frequent than increaser responses. Monotonic and threshold responses were more frequent along the short transects.Diversity parameters showed a slight but continuous decline towards higher grazing intensities. Responses of growth form and life cycle categories were mostly consistent at both scales. Trees, shrubs, dwarf shrubs, and perennials declined continuously. Woody forbs tended to show a symmetric unimodal distribution along the gradients, while herbaceous forbs and annuals showed skewed unimodal responses towards lower grazing intensities.The different grazing response types proposed in this study allow for a differentiated picture of niche patterns along grazing gradients and provide a basis to use species as indicators for a continuum of vegetation states altered by livestock impact. The general decline of plant diversity with increasing grazing intensities highlights the importance of reserves that are less impacted by grazing to support the resilience of the studied system.