Nutrient conservation strategies in native Andean‐Patagonian forests

Abstract. Nutrient conservation in vegetation affects rates of litter decomposition and soil nutrient availability. Although resorption has been traditionally considered one of the most important plant strategies to conserve nutrients in temperate forests, long leaf life‐span and low nutrient requirements have been postulated as better indicators. We aimed at identifying nutrient conservation strategies within characteristic functional groups of NW Patagonian forests on Andisols. We analysed C‐, N‐, P‐, K‐ and lignin‐concentrations in mature and senescent leaves of ten native woody species within the functional groups: broad‐leaved deciduous species, broad‐leaved evergreens and conifers. We also examined mycorrhizal associations in all species. Nutrient concentration in mature leaves and N‐ resorption were higher in broad‐leaved deciduous species than in the other two functional groups. Conifers had low mature leaf nutrient concentrations, low N‐resorption and high lignin/N ratios in senescent leaves. P‐ and K‐resorptions did not differ among functional groups. Broad‐leaved evergreens exhibited a species‐dependent response. Nitrogen in mature leaves was positively correlated with both N resorption and soil N‐fertility. Despite the high P‐retention capacity of Andisols, N appeared to be the more limiting nutrient, with most species being proficient in resorbing N but not P. The presence of endomycorrhizae in all conifers and the broad‐leaved evergreen Maytenus boaria, ectomycorrhizae in all Nothofagus species (four deciduous, one evergreen), and cluster roots in the broad‐leaved evergreen Lomatia hirsuta, would be possibly explaining why P is less limiting than N in these forests.     

M(en)TORship lessons on life and death by the integrated stress response

Cells employ pro-survival and pro-adaptive pathways to cope with different forms of environmental stress. When stress is excessive, and the damage caused by it is unsustainable, cells engage pro-death pathways, which are in place to protect the host from the deleterious effects of harmed cells. Two important pathways that determine the balance between survival and death of stressed cells are the integrated stress response (ISR) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), both of which converge at the level of mRNA translation. The two pathways have established avenues of communication to control their activity and determine the fate of stressed cells in a context-dependent manner. The functional interplay between the ISR and mTOR may have significant ramifications in the development and treatment of human diseases such as diabetes, neurodegeneration and cancer.     

The effects of manipulation of sedimentary iron and organic matter on sediment biogeochemistry and seagrasses in a subtropical carbonate environment

The microbial metabolism of organic matter (OM) in seagrass beds can create sulfidic conditions detrimental to seagrass growth; iron (Fe) potentially has ameliorating effects through titration of the sulfides and the precipitation of iron-sulfide minerals into the sediment. In this study, the biogeochemical effects of Fe availability and its interplay with sulfur and OM on sulfide toxicity, phosphorous (P) availability, seagrass growth and community structure were tested. The availability of Fe and OM was manipulated in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment arranged in a Latin square, with four replicates per treatment. The treatments included the addition of Fe, the addition of OM, the addition of both Fe and OM as well as no addition. The experiment was conducted in an oligotrophic, iron-deficient seagrass bed. Fe had an 84.5% retention efficiency in the sediments with the concentration of Fe increasing in the seagrass leaves over the course of the experiment. Porewater chemistry was significantly altered with a dramatic decrease in sulfide levels in Fe addition plots while sulfide levels increased in the OM addition treatments. Phosphorus increased in seagrass leaves collected in the Fe addition plots. Decreased sulfide stress was evidenced by heavier δ³⁴S in leaves and rhizomes from plots to which Fe was added. The OM addition negatively affected seagrass growth but increased P availability; the reduced sulfide stress in Fe added plots resulted in elevated productivity. Fe availability may be an important determinant of the impact that OM has on seagrass vitality in carbonate sediments vegetated with seagrasses.     

Recurrent Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha (Bacillariophyceae) and Alexandrium insuetum (Dinophyceae) winter blooms induced by agricultural runoff

A winter bloom dominated by Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha Lundholm, Moestrup et Hasle (Bacillariophyceae), a potential domoic acid producer, is reported for the first time in the Aegean Sea, Greece, in a semi-enclosed embayment (Kalloni Gulf) surrounded by agricultural land and drained by intermittent rivers. Abundances of this species in the inner part of the Gulf during February were extremely high (max 1.1 × 10⁷ cells l⁻¹). The species Alexandrium insuetum Balech (Dinophyceae) was also found in considerable cell numbers (max 1.4 × 10⁵ cells l⁻¹) during the bloom and reached up to 40% of the total biovolume. This study demonstrates an evident cause and effect relationship between nutrient inflows originating from agricultural activities in the watershed and the development of a potential HAB. The massive bloom formation was observed soon after an episodic rainfall event during the fertilizer application period (December to February). A bloom was also observed the following year, but it was less pronounced due to the fact that rainfalls were more evenly spaced in time and were of moderate intensity.     

Wildcat population density in NE Portugal: A regional stronghold for a nationally threatened felid

Population density data on depleted and endangered wildlife species are essential to assure their effective management and, ultimately, conservation. The European wildcat is an elusive and threatened species inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula, with fragmented populations and living in low densities. We fitted spatial capture–recapture models on camera-trap data, to provide the first estimate of wildcat density for Portugal and assess the most influential drivers determining it. The study was implemented in Montesinho Natural Park (NE Portugal), where we identified nine individuals, over a total effort of 3,477 trap-nights. The mean density estimate was 0.032 ± 0.012 wildcat/km², and density tended to increase with distance to humanized areas, often linked to lower human disturbance and domestic cat presence, with forest and herbaceous vegetation cover and with European rabbit abundance. Although, this density estimate is within the range of values estimated for protected areas elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula, our estimates are low at the European level. When put in context, our results highlight that European wildcats may be living in low population densities across the Iberian Mediterranean biogeographic region. No phenotypic domestic or hybrid cats were detected, suggesting potentially low admixture rates between the two species, although genetic sampling would be required to corroborate this assertion. We provide evidence that Montesinho Natural Park may be a suitable area to host a healthy wildcat population, and thus be an important protected area in this species' conservation context.     

Development of an epiphyte indicator of nutrient enrichment: A critical evaluation of observational and experimental studies

An extensive review of the literature describing epiphytes on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), especially seagrasses, was conducted in order to evaluate the evidence for response of epiphyte metrics to increased nutrients. Evidence from field observational studies, together with laboratory and field mesocosm experiments, was assembled from the literature and evaluated for a hypothesized positive response to nutrient addition. There was general consistency in the results to confirm that elevated nutrients tended to increase the load of epiphytes on the surface of SAV, in the absence of other limiting factors. In spite of multiple sources of uncontrolled variation, positive relationships of epiphyte load to nutrient concentration or load (either nitrogen or phosphorus) often were observed along strong anthropogenic or natural nutrient gradients in coastal regions. Such response patterns may only be evident for parts of the year. Results from both mesocosm and field experiments also generally support the increase of epiphytes with increased nutrients, although outcomes from field experiments tended to be more variable. Relatively few studies with nutrient addition in mesocosms have been done with tropical or subtropical species, and more such controlled experiments would be helpful. Experimental duration influenced results, with more positive responses of epiphytes to nutrients at shorter durations in mesocosm experiments versus more positive responses at longer durations in field experiments. In the field, response of epiphyte biomass to nutrient additions was independent of climate zone. Mesograzer activity was a critical covariate for epiphyte response under experimental nutrient elevation, but the epiphyte response was highly dependent on factors such as grazer identity and density, as well as nutrient and ambient light levels. The balance of evidence suggests that epiphytes on SAV will be a useful indicator of persistent nutrient enhancement in many situations. Careful selection of appropriate temporal and spatial constraints for data collection, and concurrent evaluation of confounding factors will help increase the signal to noise ratio for this indicator.     

Effect of nutrient level on competition intensity in the field for three coexisting grass species

A field experiment encompassing both neighbour- and nutrient-manipulations was conducted in a nutrient-impoverished old-field habitat to investigate how the intensity of plant competition was affected by soil nutrient level. Three perennial grasses were used as target species: Agropyron repens, Poa pratensis and Phleum pratense. Neighbour manipulations involved the removal (through herbicide application) of all neighbouring vegetation within a 20 cm or 40 cm radius around target plants. Target performance was measured under five levels of added nutrients (N-P-K) in both the neighbour-removal plots and in non-removal (control) plots. Both neighbour and nutrient manipulations had a highly significant effect on both biomass and tiller production but the interaction between these treatments was generally insignificant. Below-ground/above-ground biomass quotient was affected only by neighbour manipulations and was greatest in the control plots (with no neighbours removed) for all three species. The suppressive effect of neighbours was not markedly affected by nutrient level. However, yield suppression showed a significant decreasing trend with increasing nutrient level for biomass production in Agropyron and an increasing trend for tiller production in Phleum. For Poa, there was no trend in the intensity of competition across nutrient level. The results suggest that the general intensity of competition within this community neither increases nor decreases with increasing nutrient level. Rather, coexisting species appear to respond individually in terms of the intensity of competition that they experience. These results conflict with predictions from the triangular C-S-R model of plant strategies. However, they are consistent with a recently modified ‘habitat templet’ model for vegetation.     

The “ricochet effect” and prey capture in colonial spiders

Summary Increased prey capture efficiency in colonial spiders is a consequence of the ricochet effect, as prey are captured after they bounce off several webs in succession. In this study, the prey capture of three species of colonial spiders in the genus Metepeira from Mexico are compared. These species, from different habitats, show varying levels of social organization (group size and withingroup spacing) that affect prey capture from ricochets. Metepeira sp. a (a presumed new species tentatively named atascadero) from desert grassland habitats, occur solitarily or in small groups, and gain little from prey ricochets: prey capture rates are low and variance in prey captured/spider is high. M. spinipes, from mesic agricultural sites, occur in groups of 10–150, and show a ricochet effect resulting in more and larger prey, and reduced variance in capture rate. M. incrassata, from tropical rainforest/agricultural sites, occur in large colonies of hundreds to thousands of individuals, and show a similar ricochet effect. The ricochet effect does not influence taxonomic composition of prey in either M. atascadero or M. spinipes, but does in tropical M. incrassata. This result, however, is primarily due to the capacity of certain taxa (eg., Lepidoptera), more common in the tropics, to escape more easily from spider webs. A comparison of prey capture efficiency of colonial M. incrassata with that of solitary M. atascadero shows that the ricochet effect provides an increase in efficiency across all size classes of prey.     

The effect of water and nitrogen amendments on photosynthesis,leaf demography,and resource-use efficiency in Larrea tridentata,a desert evergreen shrub

Summary In the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico, both water and nitrogen limit the primary productivity of Larrea tridentata, a xerophytic evergreen shrub. Net photosynthesis was positively correlated to leaf N, but only in plants that received supplemental water. Nutrient-use efficiency, defined as photosynthetic carbon gain per unit N invested in leaf tissue, declined with increasing leaf N. However, water-use efficiency, defined as the ratio of photosynthesis to transpiration, increased with increasing leaf N, and thus these two measures of resource-use efficiency were inversely correlated. Resorption efficiency was not significantly altered over the nutrient gradient, nor was it affected by irrigation treatments. Leaf longevity decreased significantly with fertilization although the absolute magnitude of this decrease was fairly small, in part due to a large background of insect-induced mortality. Age-specific gas exchange measurements support the hypothesis that leaf aging represents a redistribution of resources, rather than actual deterioration or declining resource-use efficiency.     

Time-courses of size-fractionated phosphate uptake: are larger cells better competitors for pulses of phosphate than smaller cells?

Summary Time-course experiments of phosphate uptake by size-fractionated phytoplankton were conducted in oligotrophic Kennedy and Sproat Lakes. The objective was to determine if large phytoplankton obtained more phosphate than smaller cells, when the nutrient was present at higher concentrations. Studies at Kennedy Lake revealed that uptake rates in the 0.2–3.0 m fraction were very sensitive to the time they were exposed to elevated concentrations; rates determined over the 60–120 min interval were less than 30% of those recorded over the 0–60 min interval. In contrast, there was little difference in uptake rates over these intervals for cells>3.0 m. At Sproat Lake phosphate incorporation into the two size fractions was followed after the aerial fertilization of the lake with inorganic nutrients. Following nutrient addition the proportion of phosphate entering the>3.0 m size fraction increased from ca. 35% to ca. 85%. Despite these observations, it is doubtful that larger cells are able to sequester enough phosphate from pulses to realize the same specific growth rates as their smaller counterparts.