Global patterns of vascular plant alpha diversity

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 13(1)

Published: Sept. 1, 2022

Global patterns of regional (gamma) plant diversity are relatively well known, but whether these hold for local communities, and the dependence on spatial grain, remain controversial. Using data 170,272 georeferenced assemblages, we created global maps alpha (local species richness) vascular plants at three different grains, forests non-forests. We show that is consistently high across grains in some regions (for example, Andean-Amazonian foothills), 'scaling anomalies' (deviations from positive correlation) exist elsewhere, particularly Eurasian temperate with disproportionally higher fine-grained richness many African tropical coarse-grained richness. The influence climatic, topographic biogeographical variables also varies grains. Our multi-grain return a nuanced understanding biodiversity complements classic hotspots will improve predictions change effects biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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Distance decay 2.0 – A global synthesis of taxonomic and functional turnover in ecological communities

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 31(7), P. 1399 - 1421

Published: May 12, 2022

Understanding the variation in community composition and species abundances (i.e., β-diversity) is at heart of ecology. A common approach to examine β-diversity evaluate directional by measuring decay similarity among pairs communities along spatial or environmental distance. We provide first global synthesis taxonomic functional distance analysing 148 datasets comprising different types organisms environments.

Language: Английский

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Global Overview of the Application of the Braun-Blanquet Approach in Research

Forests, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(6), P. 937 - 937

Published: May 28, 2024

Environmental classifications are of paramount importance for assessing the impacts land-use changes, prioritizing conservation efforts, and developing effective management strategies to mitigate negative human activities. The aim our research was provide as complete an analysis possible studies that have been carried out using Braun-Blanquet approach. global review based on approach includes 1168 papers conducted PRISMA 2009 methodological recommendations, strict criteria selection/quality papers, modern methods data visualization VOSviewer software developed by Nees Jan van Eck Ludo Waltman (Centre Science Technology Studies (CWTS) Leiden University in Netherlands) (version 1.6.18), which ensures a representative sample, minimization subjective judgements, reliability conclusions. It noted number publications is growing exponentially. This indication scientific interest this methodology its continuous further development. Based detailed keywords, main directions challenges identified. These include improving conceptual foundations approach; improvement regional vegetation classifications, synthesizing them producing comprehensive classification large areas basis biodiversity sustainable land use; expansion geography; compilation updating databases phytosociological data; dynamics vegetation; discussion important problem continuity discreteness context ecological classifications; mapping. top 20 journals publishing most cited articles were identified, well whose high citation rate due high-quality articles. bibliographic network has shown structure relationships not constant changed significantly. authors’ publication activity showed vast majority researchers low published only one three papers. A peculiarity also emerges: if all authors concentrated Eurasia, then actively outside Eurasia. study forest should be emphasized. In case, integrated into typologies, increasing their validity environmental relevance.

Language: Английский

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Land use modulates resistance of grasslands against future climate and inter‐annual climate variability in a large field experiment

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 30(7)

Published: July 1, 2024

Climate and land-use change are key drivers of global change. Full-factorial field experiments in which both manipulated essential to understand predict their potentially interactive effects on the structure functioning grassland ecosystems. Here, we present 8 years data dynamics from Global Change Experimental Facility Central Germany. On large experimental plots, temperature seasonal patterns precipitation by superimposing regional climate model projections onto background variability. manipulation is factorially crossed with agricultural scenarios, including intensively used meadows extensively (i.e., low-intensity) pastures. Inter-annual variation during our study was high, three driest record for region. The this temporal variability far exceeded experimentally imposed plant species diversity productivity, especially grasslands sown only a few grass cultivars. These changes productivity response alterations were due immigrant replacing target forage This shift cultivars may impose additional economic costs terms decreasing value need more frequent management measures. In contrast, showed weaker responses future inter-annual variability, suggesting that these diverse resistant than used, species-poor grasslands. We therefore conclude lower intensity grasslands, associated higher diversity, can stabilize primary under

Language: Английский

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Patterns and drivers of plant diversity across Australia

Ecography, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 2022(11)

Published: Oct. 4, 2022

Biodiversity analyses across continental extents are important in providing comprehensive information on patterns and likely drivers of diversity. For vascular plants Australia, community‐level diversity have been restricted by the lack a consistent plot‐based survey dataset continent. To overcome these challenges, we collated harmonised vegetation data from major sources Australia used them as basis for modelling species richness (α‐diversity) community compositional dissimilarity (β‐diversity), standardised to 400 m 2 , with aim mapping identifying potential environmental drivers. The Australian plot (HAVPlot) includes 219 552 plots, which 115 083 analyse plant Models both explained approximately one‐third variation (D = 33.0% 32.7%, respectively). strongest predictors aspects were combination temperature precipitation, soil texture topographic heterogeneity also important. fine‐resolution (≈ 90 m) spatial predictions identify areas expected be particular importance diversity, including south‐western rainforests eastern Alps. Arid central western predicted support assemblages that less speciose or unique; however, most need additional fill spatial, taxonomic gaps HAVPlot dataset. model presented here provide new insight into enabling wide variety future research, such exploring changes abundances, linking functional traits undertaking conservation assessments selected components flora.

Language: Английский

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Plant species richness on the Tibetan Plateau: patterns and determinants

Ecography, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 2023(1)

Published: Nov. 30, 2022

Whether current hypotheses for geographic patterns of species richness (SR) have a strong explanatory power the Tibetan Plateau (TP) with extreme climatic conditions remains unclear. In comparison classic ‘water–energy dynamics hypothesis', unique climate factors (e.g. low temperature and oxygen partial pressure) on TP likely significantly affect spatial variation SR. Here, we investigate determinants SR through systematic field investigation. We systematically analyzed total 2013 plant communities covering 11 different vegetation types TP. To compare this that other sites across globe, compiled global database containing information 87 forest 3660 grassland plots. The per 400 m 2 in forests shrubs 1 alpine grasslands deserts was 62.76 (± 1.80 SE), 44.53 7.57 16.84 0.39 SE) 3.62 0.55 respectively. decreased latitude altitude, whereas showed unimodal pattern along altitudinal gradient. Unique factors, such as temperature, mean diurnal pressure, act synergistically water–energy influence Furthermore, tree lower than tropical subtropical broadleaf but higher temperate conifer forests. Alpine meadows had sites; however, desert lower. Our findings provide novel insights into mechanisms underlying diversity, especially plateaus high‐latitude regions. map km resolution important benchmarks biodiversity conservation may help to improve predictions effect change biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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Predicting the responses of European grassland communities to climate and land cover change

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 379(1902)

Published: April 7, 2024

European grasslands are among the most species-rich ecosystems on small spatial scales. However, human-induced activities like land use and climate change pose significant threats to this diversity. To explore how cover will affect biodiversity community composition in grassland ecosystems, we conducted joint species distribution models (SDMs) extensive vegetation-plot database sPlotOpen project distributions of 1178 across Europe under current conditions three future scenarios. We further compared model accuracy computational efficiency between SDMs (JSDMs) stacked SDMs, especially for rare species. Our results show that: (i) communities mountain ranges expected suffer high rates loss, while those western, northern eastern experience substantial turnover; (ii) scaling anomalies were observed predicted richness, reflecting regional differences dominant drivers assembly processes; (iii) JSDMs did not outperform predictive power but demonstrated superior fitting predicting; (iv) incorporating co-occurrence datasets improved performance predicting This article is part theme issue ‘Ecological novelty planetary stewardship: dynamics a transforming biosphere’.

Language: Английский

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Dry grasslands and thorn-cushion communities of Armenia: a first syntaxonomic classification

Vegetation Classification and Survey, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5, P. 39 - 73

Published: May 9, 2024

Aim : To provide the first syntaxonomic, plot-based classification of dry grasslands and thorn-cushion communities in Armenia. Study area Methods We sampled 111 vegetation plots (10 m 2 ) recorded environmental structural parameters. collected additional 487 relevés from surrounding countries for a broad-scale comparison. used modified TWINSPAN to derive syntaxonomic system, whose units were then compared among each other regarding species composition, structure, site conditions distribution. Results The Armenian resulted 12-cluster solution. Unsupervised dataset yielded five main groups, which high-level assignments data. assigned about half Festuco-Brometea , while remaining represented potential new class, preliminarily called “ Ziziphora tenuior-Stipa arabica grasslands”. Most syntaxa below class level are science, therefore we formal descriptions three orders ( Plantagini atratae-Bromopsietalia variegatae Onobrychido transcaucasicae-Stipetalia pulcherrimae Cousinio brachypterae-Stipetalia arabicae ), four alliances Acantholimono caryophyllacei-Stipion holosericeae Artemision fragrantis michauxii-Stipion capillatae transcaucasicae-Stipion six associations. found significant differences topographic, climatic soil characteristics, parameters, life forms distribution range types between grassland at different levels. mean richness was 47.3 (vascular plants: 46.8, bryophytes: 0.4, lichens: 0.1). Conclusions remarkable previously known described most higher all associations as science. Our study provides arguments separate both Euro-Siberian Anatolian Astragalo-Brometea . Finally, plot scale vascular plants clearly above Palaearctic average that non-vascular below, calls further biodiversity analyses. Taxonomic reference Euro+Med (2023) plants, Hodgetts et al. (2020) bryophytes, Nimis (2018) lichens except Xanthoparmelia camtschadalis (Ach.) Hale. Abbreviations EDGG = Eurasian Dry Grassland Group; DCA detrended correspondence analysis; ICPN International Code Phytosociological Nomenclature (Theurillat 2021); two-way indicator analysis.

Language: Английский

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Environmental drivers and spatial scaling of species abundance distributions in Palaearctic grassland vegetation

Ecology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 103(8)

Published: April 13, 2022

Abstract Species abundance distributions (SADs) link species richness with abundances and are an important tool in the quantitative analysis of ecological communities. Niche‐based sample‐based SAD models predict different spatial scaling properties parameters. However, empirical research on is largely missing. Here we extracted percentage cover values all occurring vascular plants as proxies their 1725 10‐m 2 plots from GrassPlot database, covering 47 regional data sets 19 grasslands other open vegetation types Palaearctic biogeographic realm. For each plot, fitted Weibull distribution, a model that able to effectively mimic like log‐series lognormal, species–log rank order distribution. We calculated skewness kurtosis linked these moments, along shape scale parameters plot climatic soil characteristics. The distribution provided excellent fits grassland plant communities identified four basic characterized by degrees dominance. Shape parameter local poorer soils were accordance distributions. Proportions subdominant tended be lower than predicted standard lognormal SAD. Successive accumulation same type yielded nonlinear moments This was independent environmental correlates geographic position. Our findings caution against simple generalizations about mechanisms generate SADs. argue grasslands, lognormal‐type SADs tend prevail within wider range conditions, including more extreme habitats such arid environments. In contrast, mainly restricted comparatively species‐rich humid fertile soils.

Language: Английский

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Scale‐Dependent Effects of Plant Diversity Drivers Across Different Grassland Habitats in Ukraine

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Understanding the factors governing grassland biodiversity across different spatial scales is crucial for effective conservation and management. However, most studies focus on single grain sizes, leaving scale‐dependent mechanisms of drivers unclear. We investigated how climate, soil properties, abiotic disturbance, land use influence plant diversity two fine in various types Ukraine. Using spatially explicit data species presence their cover, collected at smaller (10 m 2 ) larger (100 we assessed β ‐diversity—the variability between scales. analyzed whether effects ecological ‐diversity are mediated by changes evenness, density (total cover), intraspecific aggregation community. In our study, influential local both sizes were climate variables, followed humus content, litter pH. Soil primarily driven response locally rare species, while grazing common species. The strength these varied scales, affecting ‐diversity. properties influenced through total community operated via evenness aggregation. Our findings highlight that responses to factors, depend size sampled area reveal role driving fine‐scale grasslands habitat types.

Language: Английский

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