The effects of soil warming on plant recruitment |
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Authors: | Lindsey J. Thompson Shahid Naeem |
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Affiliation: | (1) Imperial College at Silwood Park, NERC Centre for Population Biology, SL5 7PY Ascot, Berks, UK;(2) Present address: Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, 100 Ecology Building, 1987 Upper Burford Circle, 55108 St Paul, MN, USA |
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Abstract: | We demonstrate, using a simple field experiment, that soil warming is sufficient, independent of other cues, to potentially alter the recruitment of Betula pendula seedlings. This study suggests that changing temperature, and correlated changes in edaphic factors, can alter patterns in plant recruitment via differential effects on seed dormancy. Increased soil temperatures (of less than 5 °C) throughout the year led to a significant increase in the number of birch seedlings that emerged from soil samples collected in the spring. No concomitant changes in the emergence of other species was observed. Such temperature induced changes in seedbank dynamics and their subsequent effects on the competitive interactions within a plant community suggest far reaching ecological consequences of current increases in global temperature. |
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Keywords: | Betula pendula community composition seedbank soil warming |
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