Ecological memory of recurrent drought modifies soil processes via changes in soil microbial community

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Sept. 6, 2021

Climate change is altering the frequency and severity of drought events. Recent evidence indicates that may produce legacy effects on soil microbial communities. However, it unclear whether precedent events lead to ecological memory formation, i.e., capacity past influence current ecosystem response trajectories. Here, we utilize a long-term field experiment in mountain grassland central Austria with an experimental layout comparing 10 years recurrent single event ambient conditions. We show droughts increase dissimilarity communities compared control events, enhance multifunctionality during (calculated via measurements potential enzymatic activities, nutrients, biomass stoichiometry belowground net primary productivity). Our results indicate community composition changes concert its functioning, consequences for processes. The formation under resilience functioning against future

Language: Английский

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Drought legacies and ecosystem responses to subsequent drought

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 28(17), P. 5086 - 5103

Published: May 24, 2022

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of droughts. These events, which can cause significant perturbations terrestrial ecosystems potentially long-term impacts on ecosystem structure functioning after drought has subsided are often called 'drought legacies'. While immediate effects have been comparatively well characterized, our broader understanding legacies just emerging. Drought relate all aspects functioning, involving changes at species community scale as alterations soil properties. This consequences for responses subsequent drought. Here, we synthesize current knowledge underlying mechanisms. We highlight relevance legacy duration different processes using examples carbon cycling composition. present hypotheses characterizing how intrinsic (i.e. biotic abiotic properties processes) extrinsic timing, severity, frequency) factors could alter resilience trajectories under scenarios recurrent events. propose ways improving their implications needed assess longer-term droughts functioning.

Language: Английский

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Trait-based approaches to global change ecology: moving from description to prediction

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 289(1971)

Published: March 16, 2022

Trait-based approaches are increasingly recognized as a tool for understanding ecosystem re-assembly and function under intensifying global change. Here we synthesize trait-based research globally (

Language: Английский

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Addressing grand ecological challenges in aquatic ecosystems: how can mesocosms be used to advance solutions?

Oikos, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 11, 2025

Rapid and drastic anthropogenic impacts are affecting global biogeochemical processes driving biodiversity loss across Earth's ecosystems. In aquatic ecosystems, species distributions shifting, abundances of many have declined dramatically, threatened with extinction. addition to diversity, the ecosystem functions, services on which humans depend also being heavily impacted. Addressing these challenges not only requires direct action mitigate environmental but innovative approaches identify, quantify treat their effects in environment. Mesocosms valuable tools for achieving goals as they provide controlled environments evaluating stressors testing novel mitigation measures at multiple levels biological organisation. Here, we summarise discussions from a survey marine freshwater researchers who use mesocosm systems synthesise opportunities limitations advancing solutions grand ecological While most research utilising ecology has focused quantifying threats, there is largely unexplored potential using them test solutions. To overcome spatio‐temporal constraints, scale up size time‐scales studies, or alternatively, outcomes habitat‐scale restoration smaller scale. Enhancing connectivity future studies can help limitation isolation an important aspect recovery. Conducting ‘metacosm' studies: coordinated, distributed experiments spanning wide climatic gradients more regression‐based experimental designs tackle challenge context dependent results. Finally, collaboration theoretical, applied ecologists biogeochemists engineers technological developers will be necessary develop required advance human activities vulnerable

Language: Английский

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Rapid deforestation of a coastal landscape driven by sea‐level rise and extreme events

Ecological Applications, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 31(5)

Published: April 5, 2021

Climate change is driving ecological shifts in coastal regions of the world, where low topographic relief makes ecosystems particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise, salinization, storm surge, and other effects global climate change. The consequences rising water tables salinity can penetrate well inland, lead dramatic changes freshwater forested wetlands dominated by tree species with salt tolerance. resulting loss forests could have significant implications carbon cycle. We quantified rates vegetation including land loss, forest shrubland expansion North Carolina's largest wildlife refuge over 35 yr. Despite its protected status, absence any active management, 32% (31,600 hectares) area has changed landcover classification during study period. A total 1,151 hectares was lost sea ~19,300 habitat converted or marsh habitat. As much as 11% all cover transitioned a unique type-"ghost forest"-characterized standing dead trees fallen trunks. formation this ghost transition state peaked prominently between 2011 2012, following Hurricane Irene 5-yr drought, 4,500 ± 990 forming that year alone. This first attempt map quantify using remote sensing. Forest losses were greatest eastern portion closest Croatan Pamlico Sounds, but also occurred further inland low-elevation areas alongside major canals. These unprecedented deforestation due may become status quo for worldwide, wetland function, habitat, cycling.

Language: Английский

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Predicting Plant-Soil Feedback in the Field: Meta-Analysis Reveals That Competition and Environmental Stress Differentially Influence PSF

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

Published: June 30, 2020

Past research on plant-soil feedbacks (PSF), largely undertaken in highly controlled greenhouse conditions, has established that plant species differentially alter abiotic and biotic soil conditions turn affect growth of other conspecific heterospecific individuals soil. Yet, whether under reflect natural environments where plants are exposed to a range pressures is still unresolved. To address how environmental context affects PSF, we conducted meta-analysis previously published studies examined responses multiple forms competition, stress, disturbance across various PSF methodology. We asked the following questions: 1) Can direction and/or strength PSF? 2) Do particular types or more than others? 3) methods conducting (i.e., vs. field experiments source inoculum conditioning from greenhouse) disturbance, their interactions? discovered four patterns may be predictive what future realistic might reveal. First, relatively little known about responds stress compared plant-plant competition. Second, specific competition enhanced negative effects microbes growth, stressors positive growth. Third, can change responses. And, fourth, phase With detail shown, these results confirm writ large experiments. These data should aid theory predictions for conservation restoration applications by showing relative importance over time. Lastly, demonstrate variation experimental interpretation conclusions studies.

Language: Английский

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Nitrogen enrichment alters multiple dimensions of grassland functional stability via changing compositional stability

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 25(12), P. 2713 - 2725

Published: Oct. 28, 2022

Abstract Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment is known to alter the composition and functioning of plant communities. However, how influences multiple dimensions community‐ ecosystem‐level stability remains poorly understood. Using data from a nitrogen (N) phosphorus (P) addition experiment in temperate semi‐arid grassland that experienced natural drought, we show N enrichment, not P decreased functional compositional temporal stability, resistance recovery but increased resilience. Compositional species asynchrony, rather than diversity, were identified as key determinants all except for recovery. Whereas was decoupled recovery, altered other primarily through changing their corresponding dimensions. Our findings highlight need examine ecological at community level more mechanistic understanding ecosystem dynamics face environmental change.

Language: Английский

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Life history mediates the trade‐offs among different components of demographic resilience

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 25(6), P. 1566 - 1579

Published: March 25, 2022

Accelerating rates of biodiversity loss underscore the need to understand how species achieve resilience-the ability resist and recover from a/biotic disturbances. Yet, factors determining resilience remain poorly understood, due disagreements on its definition lack large-scale analyses. Here, we investigate life history 910 natural populations animals plants predicts their intrinsic be resilient. We show that demographic can achieved through different combinations compensation, resistance recovery after a disturbance. demonstrate these components are highly correlated with traits related species' pace reproductive strategy. Species longer generation times require post-disturbance, whilst those greater capacity have compensation. Our findings highlight key role resilience, improving our predict cope disturbance regimes.

Language: Английский

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Spatial asynchrony matters more than alpha stability in stabilizing ecosystem productivity in a large temperate forest region

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 31(6), P. 1133 - 1146

Published: March 13, 2022

Abstract Aim Understanding the biodiversity–stability relationship has become a central issue in ecology and conservation biology. Although stabilizing effects of tree species diversity on ecosystem productivity are well recorded small local communities, they remain poorly understood across scales (from to larger spatial scales). This study evaluates from large temperate forest region, considering range environmental conditions heterogeneity. Location North‐eastern China ( c . 700,000 km 2 ). Time period 2005–2017. Major taxa studied Woody plants. Methods We define stability as temporal invariability biomass productivity. Regional metacommunities representing were developed by aggregating multiple sets field plots. Simple regression analysis was used test relationships metacommunities. Piecewise structural equation modelling then disentangle abiotic variables at scales. Multiple mixed‐effects models determine relative contribution individual predictive Results found that (alpha diversity) positively related communities stability), whereas turnover space (beta asynchronous dynamics among (spatial asynchrony), regardless whether factors considered or not. also heterogeneity affected The effect asynchrony gamma greater than alpha stability. Main conclusions Our results imply is key maintaining within region. suggest diverse forests heterogeneous landscapes should be sustained buffer negative climate change degradation.

Language: Английский

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Biotic responses to climate extremes in terrestrial ecosystems

iScience, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 25(7), P. 104559 - 104559

Published: June 9, 2022

Anthropogenic climate change is increasing the incidence of extremes. Consequences extremes on biodiversity can be highly detrimental, yet few studies also suggest beneficial effects certain organisms. To obtain a general understanding ecological responses to extremes, we present review how 16 major taxonomic/functional groups (including microorganisms, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates) respond during extreme drought, precipitation, temperature. Most negatively events, whereas such as mosses, legumes, trees, vertebrate predators most We further highlight that recovery after challenging predict purely based or immediately By accounting for characteristics recovering species, resource availability, species interactions with neighboring competitors facilitators, mutualists, enemies, outline conceptual framework better in terrestrial ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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