Components of leaf‐trait variation along environmental gradients

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 228(1), P. 82 - 94

Published: March 21, 2020

Leaf area (LA), mass per (LMA), nitrogen unit (Narea ) and the leaf-internal to ambient CO2 ratio (χ) are fundamental traits for plant functional ecology vegetation modelling. Here we aimed assess how their variation, within between species, tracks environmental gradients. Measurements were made on 705 species from 116 sites a broad north-south transect tropical temperate Australia. Trait responses environment quantified using multiple regression; within- between-species compared analysis of covariance trait-gradient analysis. area, leaf economics spectrum (indexed by LMA Narea χ (from stable carbon isotope ratios) varied almost independently among species. Across sites, however, LA increased with mean growing-season temperature (mGDD0 decreased vapour pressure deficit (mVPD0 soil pH. showed reverse pattern. Climate agreed expectations based optimality principles. Within-species variability contributed < 10% geographical variation in but > 90% χ, intermediate. These findings support hypothesis that acclimation individuals, adaptation selection combine create predictable relationships environment. However, contribution acclimation/adaptation vs differs traits.

Language: Английский

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Priority Actions to Improve Provenance Decision-Making

BioScience, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 68(7), P. 510 - 516

Published: April 26, 2018

Selecting the geographic origin—the provenance—of seed is a key decision in restoration. The last decade has seen vigorous debate on whether to use local or nonlocal seed. of been preferred approach because it expected maintain adaptation and avoid deleterious population effects (e.g., maladaptation outbreeding depression). However, impacts habitat fragmentation climate change plant populations have driven local-is-best standard needs changing. This largely theoretical nature, which hampers provenance decision-making. Here, we detail cross-sector priority actions improve decision-making, including embedding trials into restoration projects; developing dynamic, evidence-based policies; establishing stronger research–practitioner collaborations facilitate adoption research outcomes. We discuss how tackle these order help satisfy sector's requirement for appropriately provenanced

Language: Английский

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The Australian SuperSite Network: A continental, long-term terrestrial ecosystem observatory

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 568, P. 1263 - 1274

Published: June 4, 2016

Language: Английский

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A Vegetation and Soil Survey Method for Surveillance Monitoring of Rangeland Environments

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 8

Published: June 16, 2020

Ecosystem surveillance monitoring is critical to managing natural resources and especially so under changing environments. Despite this importance, the design implementation of programs across large temporal spatial scales has been hampered by lack appropriately standardised methods data streams. To address gap, we outline a method based on permanent plots voucher samples suited rangeland environments around world that repeatable, cost-effective, appropriate for large-scale comparisons adaptable other global biomes. The provides comprehensive vegetation composition structure along with soil attributes relevant plant growth, delivered as combination modules can be targeted different purposes or available resources. Plots are located in stratified units, landforms climates enhance continental comparisons. Changes investigated through revisits. Vegetation measured inform composition, cover structure. Samples soils collected tracked barcode labels stored long-term subsequent analysis. Technology used accuracy field methods, including differential GPS r plot locations, instrument Leaf Area Index (LAI) measures, three dimensional photo-panoramas advanced A key feature use electronic collection delivery into publicly-accessible database. Our pragmatic, whilst still providing consistent data, information attributes. operational applied at more than 704 locations Australian rangelands part Surveillance program Terrestrial Research Network (TERN). methodology enables analyses, tested communities broadly representative globally, components being applicable Here also recommend consultative process guiding principles drove development an approach consistent, objective continental, potentially analyses were not previously possible disparate datasets.

Language: Английский

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TERN, Australia’s land observatory: addressing the global challenge of forecasting ecosystem responses to climate variability and change

Environmental Research Letters, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 14(9), P. 095004 - 095004

Published: July 19, 2019

The global challenge of understanding and forecasting ecosystem responses to climate extremes change is addressed in this review research enabled through environmental infrastructure (RI) provided by Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). Two primary climatic drivers structure function Australia are fire aridity, which Australian flora fauna have shown marked adaptability. vegetation shows resilience flooding rains, droughts heatwaves such that variability productivity has a tangible effect on the carbon cycle. Nonetheless, ecosystems could be vulnerable projected (e.g. increasing vapour pressure deficit). Refugia also change, with conditions these areas already near tipping point for community composition. Ensuring genetic diversity during directional aridity) requires proactive approaches conservation restoration projects. To address challenges, TERN provides RI at three scales observation: (i) monitoring using remote sensing techniques landscape continental scale; (ii) spatially extensive network plots; (iii) intensely measured sites collecting detailed data processes. Through partnerships international RIs, enables addresses first steps toward ecosystem–climate interactions.

Language: Английский

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Increasing aridity shapes beta diversity and the network dynamics of the belowground fungal microbiome associated with Opuntia ficus-indica

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 773, P. 145008 - 145008

Published: Feb. 8, 2021

Language: Английский

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Plant protection services mediated by extrafloral nectaries decline with aridity but are not influenced by chronic anthropogenic disturbance in Brazilian Caatinga

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 109(1), P. 260 - 272

Published: July 11, 2020

Abstract Most terrestrial species occur in human‐modified landscapes that are experiencing climate change. In addition to direct impacts on species, both anthropogenic disturbance and change can have important effects through changes interactions, including the disruption of ecological services provided by them. Here we investigate how chronic (CAD) aridity affect effectiveness plant protection ants plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). The study was conducted across 13 01‐ha plots distributed along CAD gradients Caatinga vegetation northeastern Brazil. We focused Pityrocarpa moniliformis , most abundant widely EFN‐bearing tree occurring our area, used experimental attack rates termites as a measure ant services. investigated relative roles nectar production (volume concentration) composition mediating Attack declined with increasing but were not related CAD. volume affected aridity, whereas concentration either or aridity. attendant varied Synthesis . Our findings suggest does plant‐protection mediated EFNs Brazilian Caatinga. However, ant‐protection increased this occurred rather than nectar. Such response highlights vulnerability decreased predation herbivores.

Language: Английский

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Plant and ant assemblages predicted to decouple under climate change

Diversity and Distributions, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 25(4), P. 551 - 567

Published: Dec. 11, 2018

Abstract Aim Marked differences in plant and animal responses to climate change could have a profound impact on community composition function, with implications for habitat structure resource availability fauna, the provision of faunal‐mediated ecological services flora. We examine comparative sensitivity ant assemblages climatic change, determine if we should expect breakdown loss ecosystem function under change. Location A bioclimatic gradient from temperate arid zone South Australia. Methods sampled along establish assemblage‐level spatial using ordinations, then projected assemblage future scenarios. Results recorded totals 363 227 species. Alignment between communities was high, suggesting high degree similarity structuring relation environmental variation. However, our modelling suggested that were up 7.5 times more sensitive than assemblages, forecasting very substantial decoupling these climate. Main conclusions Our results indicate reorganization be expected

Language: Английский

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Changes in Diversity and Community Composition of Root Endophytic Fungi Associated with Aristolochia chilensis along an Aridity Gradient in the Atacama Desert

Plants, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 11(11), P. 1511 - 1511

Published: June 5, 2022

Despite the widespread occurrence of fungal endophytes (FE) in plants inhabiting arid ecosystems, environmental and soil factors that modulate changes FE diversity community composition along an aridity gradient have been little explored. We studied three locations coast Atacama Desert Chile, which plant Aristolochia chilensis naturally grows, differ their from hyper-arid to semi-arid. evaluated if root-associated (frequency, richness indexes) vary as a function aridity. Additionally, we assessed whether edaphic co-varying with (soil water potential, moisture, pH nutrients) may structure communities. expected would gradually increase towards declines, those had most contrasting environments show more dissimilar found indexes were inversely related aridity, although this pattern was only partially observed for frequency diversity. among locations, availability significantly influenced across gradient. The results indicate associated A. relate differences level Overall, our findings reveal importance climate-related shaping diversity, distribution desert ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Consistent sorting but contrasting transition zones in plant communities along bioclimatic gradients

Acta Oecologica, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 95, P. 74 - 85

Published: Feb. 1, 2019

Correlations between plant species occurrences and climate are used as evidence of ecological sorting sensitivity. However, because observed patterns may be spatially historically contingent, interpretations compositional responses to spatial differences in should ideally consider past climatic fluctuations, edaphic factors, nonlinear turnover rates transition zones (ecotones) environmental geographic space. We tested whether drivers community consistent, rather than across isolated biologically contrasting (independent) ecosystems. four broad-scale transects Australia, which climatically ecologically diverse: NATT (Northern Territory); BATS (New South Wales); SWATT (Western Australia) TREND (South Australia). Generalised Dissimilarity Modelling ascertain the relative contributions space (geographic distance) variables turnover. mapped using modelled responses. Purely were estimated variance partitioning. Models explained 26–52% deviance dissimilarity. Mean annual rainfall distance most important explanatory variables, although topographic relief outranked for topographically complex transect. structure accounted only 7–12% deviance, pointing shared prevalence along structured gradients. Zones rapid bioclimatic gradients evident These transitions tended occur at arid extremes plains transitioned into topography. Responses other inconsistent among transects. Transition influenced by local topography, generally occurred within different subintervals (value ranges) The somewhat idiosyncratic suggest that assessment broadscale including change incorporate regional variation. consistently strong demonstrates a common key response moisture limitation.

Language: Английский

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