TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Global Change Biology, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 26(1), С. 119 - 188

Опубликована: Дек. 31, 2019

Abstract Plant traits—the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants—determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, influence ecosystem properties their benefits detriments people. trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area research spanning from evolutionary biology, community functional ecology, biodiversity conservation, landscape management, restoration, biogeography earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, TRY database plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented coverage under an open access policy is main used by worldwide. Increasingly, also supports new frontiers trait‐based research, including identification gaps subsequent mobilization or measurement data. To support this development, article we evaluate extent compiled analyse emerging patterns representativeness. Best species achieved categorical traits—almost complete ‘plant growth form’. However, most relevant ecology vegetation modelling are characterized continuous intraspecific variation trait–environmental relationships. These have be measured on individual respective environment. Despite coverage, observe humbling lack completeness representativeness these many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing biases remains key challenge requires coordinated approach measurements. This can only collaboration with initiatives.

Язык: Английский

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Fire as a fundamental ecological process: Research advances and frontiers

Journal of Ecology, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 108(5), С. 2047 - 2069

Опубликована: Апрель 18, 2020

Abstract Fire is a powerful ecological and evolutionary force that regulates organismal traits, population sizes, species interactions, community composition, carbon nutrient cycling ecosystem function. It also presents rapidly growing societal challenge, due to both increasingly destructive wildfires fire exclusion in fire‐dependent ecosystems. As an process, integrates complex feedbacks among biological, social geophysical processes, requiring coordination across several fields scales of study. Here, we describe the diversity ways which operates as fundamental process on Earth. We explore research priorities six categories ecology: (a) characteristics regimes, (b) changing (c) effects above‐ground ecology, (d) below‐ground (e) behaviour (f) ecology modelling. identify three emergent themes: need study temporal scales, assess mechanisms underlying variety involving improve representation range modelling contexts. Synthesis : regimes our relationships with continue change, prioritizing these areas will facilitate understanding causes consequences future fires rethinking management alternatives.

Язык: Английский

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Fire as a key driver of Earth's biodiversity

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 94(6), С. 1983 - 2010

Опубликована: Июль 12, 2019

Many terrestrial ecosystems are fire prone, such that their composition and structure largely due to regime. Regions subject regular have exceptionally high levels of species richness endemism, has been proposed as a major driver diversity, within the context climate, resource availability environmental heterogeneity. However, current fire-management practices rarely take into account ecological evolutionary roles in maintaining biodiversity. Here, we focus on mechanisms enable act force promotes maintains biodiversity over numerous spatiotemporal scales. From an perspective, vegetation, topography local weather conditions during generate landscape with spatial temporal variation fire-related patches (pyrodiversity), these produce biotic heterogeneity drives across regional There few empirical tests proposition 'pyrodiversity begets biodiversity' but show should peak at moderately pyrodiversity. Overall is greatest immediately after declines monotonically time, postfire successional pathways dictated by animal habitat preferences varying lifespans among resident plants. Theory data support 'intermediate disturbance hypothesis' when mean patch diversity correlated intervals. Postfire persistence, recruitment immigration allow different life histories coexist. population turnover diversification promoting wide range adaptive responses particular regimes. Among 39 comparisons, number 26 fire-prone lineages much higher than non-fire-prone sister lineages. Fire its byproducts may direct mutagenic effects, producing novel genotypes can lead trait innovation even speciation. A paradigm shift aimed restoring biodiversity-maintaining regimes broad landscapes required research management communities. This will require ecologists other professionals spread burgeoning fire-science knowledge beyond scientific publications broader public, politicians media.

Язык: Английский

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A starting guide to root ecology: strengthening ecological concepts and standardising root classification, sampling, processing and trait measurements

New Phytologist, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 232(3), С. 973 - 1122

Опубликована: Окт. 5, 2021

Summary In the context of a recent massive increase in research on plant root functions and their impact environment, ecologists currently face many important challenges to keep generating cutting‐edge, meaningful integrated knowledge. Consideration below‐ground components ecosystem studies has been consistently called for decades, but methodology is disparate sometimes inappropriate. This handbook, based collective effort large team experts, will improve trait comparisons across integration information databases by providing standardised methods controlled vocabularies. It meant be used not only as starting point students scientists who desire working ecosystems, also experts consolidating broadening views multiple aspects ecology. Beyond classical compilation measurement protocols, we have synthesised recommendations from literature provide key background knowledge useful for: (1) defining entities giving keys dissection, classification naming beyond fine‐root vs coarse‐root approach; (2) considering specificity produce sound laboratory field data; (3) describing typical, overlooked steps studying roots (e.g. handling, cleaning storage); (4) gathering metadata necessary interpretation results reuse. Most importantly, all traits introduced with some degree ecological that foundation understanding meaning, typical use uncertainties, methodological conceptual perspectives future research. Considering this, urge readers solely extract protocol measurements this work, take moment read reflect extensive contained broader guide ecology, including sections I–VII introductions each section description. Finally, it critical understand major aim help break down barriers between subdisciplines ecology ecophysiology, broaden researchers’ study create favourable conditions inception comprehensive experiments role functioning.

Язык: Английский

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Wildfires as an ecosystem service

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 17(5), С. 289 - 295

Опубликована: Май 6, 2019

Wildfires are often perceived as destructive disturbances, but we propose that when integrating evolutionary and socioecological factors, fires in most ecosystems can be understood natural processes provide a variety of benefits to humankind. generate open habitats enable the evolution diversity shade‐intolerant plants animals have long benefited humans. There many provisioning, regulating, cultural services people obtain from wildfires, prescribed wildfire management tools for mimicking ancestral role wildfires an increasingly populated world.

Язык: Английский

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Resilience and restoration of tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and grassy woodlands

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 94(2), С. 590 - 609

Опубликована: Сен. 24, 2018

ABSTRACT Despite growing recognition of the conservation values grassy biomes, our understanding how to maintain and restore biodiverse tropical grasslands (including savannas open‐canopy woodlands) remains limited. To incorporate into large‐scale restoration efforts, we synthesised existing ecological knowledge grassland resilience approaches plant community restoration. Tropical communities are resilient to, often dependent on, endogenous disturbances with which they evolved – frequent fires native megafaunal herbivory. In stark contrast, extremely vulnerable human‐caused exogenous disturbances, particularly those that alter soils destroy belowground biomass (e.g. tillage agriculture, surface mining); after severe soil is expensive rarely achieves management targets. Where have been degraded by altered disturbance regimes fire exclusion), exotic invasions, or afforestation, efforts can recreate vegetation structure (i.e. historical tree density herbaceous ground cover), but species‐diverse communities, including endemic species, slow recover. Complicating plant‐community many invest in underground storage organs, difficult propagate re‐establish. guide decisions, draw on old‐growth concept, novel ecosystem theory regarding cover along resource gradients propose a conceptual framework classifies three broad states. These states are: (1) ancient, ecosystems), where should focus maintenance regimes; (2) hybrid grasslands, emphasise return towards state; (3) ecosystems, magnitude environmental change shift an alternative state) socioecological context preclude conditions.

Язык: Английский

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Understanding Brazil’s catastrophic fires: Causes, consequences and policy needed to prevent future tragedies

Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 19(3), С. 233 - 255

Опубликована: Июль 1, 2021

Brazil has experienced unprecedented wildfires in the last decade. Images of immense burnt areas or dead animals that failed to escape 2020 have shocked world. To prevent minimize further similar disasters we must understand factors led these catastrophic events. The causes and consequences entail complex interactions between biophysical sociocultural spheres, suitable management decisions require a sound scientific base. We present recent panorama increasing fire outbreaks Brazilian biomes, discuss contributed such fires, their impacts on environment overall for human well-being, based reviewing extensive specialist literature, authors' expert knowledge information provided by environmental managers, researchers politicians during workshop organized debate wildfire issue Brazil. Our up-to-date review is aimed at academic public, managers decision- policy-makers. First, evidence contrasting effects different ecosystems. Second, outline historic perceptions policies related use since its colonization date. Third, propose means advance prevention develop successful strategies. Finally, answer frequently asked questions clarify and/or demystify some fire-related issues not always properly addressed media.

Язык: Английский

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Towards an understanding of the evolutionary role of fire in animals

Evolutionary Ecology, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 32(2-3), С. 113 - 125

Опубликована: Янв. 15, 2018

Язык: Английский

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The ecology and significance of below-ground bud banks in plants

Annals of Botany, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 123(7), С. 1099 - 1118

Опубликована: Март 20, 2019

Abstract Background Below-ground bud banks have experienced much recent interest due to discoveries that they (1) account for the majority of seasonal population renewal in many communities, (2) are crucial regeneration following disturbance, and (3) important consequences plant dynamics ecosystem function across a number habitats. Scope This review presents an overview role renewal, examines bank life history, summarizes traits their potential ecological implications, synthesizes response highlights gaps guide future research. The characteristics history buds, including natality, dormancy, protection longevity, provide useful framework advancing our understanding banks. fate buds depends on age, size, type, location, biotic abiotic factors collectively regulate dynamics. A can demographic storage effect stabilizing dynamics, also confer resistance disturbance invasion. Regeneration capacity is determined by interactions among rates depletion dormancy (meristem limitation), resources available support process. resulting plants disturbances such as fire, herbivory anthropogenic sources determines community’s regenerative capacity. Conclusions Vegetation responses environmental change may be mediated through changes phenology. Environmental depletes or prohibits its formation likely results loss vegetation resilience species diversity. Standardization sampling, examination more ecosystems variation regimes, employment stage-structured modelling evaluation cost construction maintenance will benefit this expanding field

Язык: Английский

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Fire and tree death: understanding and improving modeling of fire-induced tree mortality

Environmental Research Letters, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 13(11), С. 113004 - 113004

Опубликована: Ноя. 15, 2018

Each year wildland fires kill and injure trees on millions of forested hectares globally, affecting plant animal biodiversity, carbon storage, hydrologic processes, ecosystem services. The underlying mechanisms fire-caused tree mortality remain poorly understood, however, limiting the ability to accurately predict develop robust modeling applications, especially under novel future climates. Virtually all post-fire prediction systems are based same empirical model described in Ryan Reinhardt (1988 Can. J. For. Res. 18 1291–7), which was developed from a limited number species, stretching assumptions beyond intended limits. We review current understanding fire-induced mortality, provide recommended standardized terminology, describe applications limitations, conclude with key knowledge gaps directions for research. suggest two-pronged approach research: (1) continued improvements evaluations models quantify uncertainty incorporate new regions species (2) acceleration basic, physiological research proximate ultimate causes processes death into models. Advances both process will allow creation hybrid that could advance how fire injures kills trees, while improving accuracy fire-driven feedbacks ecosystems landscapes, particularly conditions.

Язык: Английский

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