Search

Emerging knowledge of plant–soil biotic interactions and the role of soil organisms in shaping the world aboveground is advancing our understanding of ecosystem function. Nematodes are the most abundant animals on Earth. They are morphologically and functionally diverse, and play key roles in ecosystem function, making them ideal for developing a trait-based understanding of adaptation to the environment and for assessing their contributions to ecosystem function. Trait-based approaches allow us to capture the functional attributes of organisms beyond their taxonomic identity, provide insights on evolutionary fitness, and make global comparisons possible. We propose the nematode economics spectrum (NES), analogous to the plant economic spectrum, which describes the tradeoffs among growth, reproduction, and survival, potentially enabling us to predict the impacts of global change on nematode ecological strategies and the associated changes in ecosystem function. Trait-based approaches are being increasingly adopted to understand species' ecological strategies and how organisms influence ecosystem function. Trait-based research on soil organisms, however, remains poorly developed compared with that for plants. The abundant and diverse soil nematodes are prime candidates to advance trait-based approaches belowground, but a unified trait framework to describe nematode ecological strategies and assess their linkages with ecosystem function is lacking. We categorized nematode traits as morphological, physiological, life history, and community clusters, and proposed the nematode economics spectrum (NES) to better understand nematode ecological strategies and their association with ecosystem function. We argue that bridging the NES and the plant economics spectrum will facilitate a more holistic understanding of ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling under global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is a severe threat for ecosystems and anthropogenic infrastructure. Glaciers are retreating rapidly due to global warming and the receding ice leaves unvegetated depositions of sediment, which are prone to mobilisation during precipitation events. Vegetation is known to serve as erosion protection, but how above- and belowground plant traits, vegetation cover and plant diversity on community level are jointly affecting erosion is unclear. Additionally, soil microbial communities may have effects on slope stability by promoting plant growth and function. We measured sediment transport on 30 plots of 2 × 3 m size on proglacial slopes of the Gepatschferner glacier (Kaunertal, Austria) over three years in a natural pristine high alpine environment. Vegetation cover, species abundances and relevant above- and belowground traits were measured for each occurring plant species on community level. Path model analysis revealed that dense and species-rich plant cover characterized by specific plant growth strategies and trait diversity was best suited to decrease erosion. Vegetation properties were also closely linked to the composition of soil microbial communities characterised by next generation amplicon sequencing, which may facilitate soil formation and further enhance the plants' soil stabilising potential. Our study illustrates that erosion control may benefit from a high vegetation cover, which is facilitated by diverse plant communities with complementary morphological traits. These vegetation properties also affect soil microbiota, but their impact on slope protection in combination with the vegetation remains to be elucidated. Our findings may inform nature-based solutions against erosion such as revegetation of alpine slopes using specific seed mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought, which is increasing in intensity and frequency with climate change, can severely affect plant growth and alter vegetation dynamics. Plants modify microbial communities in their rhizosphere, which in turn affect plant productivity and local persistence, creating so-called plant–soil feedback (PSF). As droughts impact both plant and soil microbial attributes, PSF is likely to change under and following drought events, but limited experimental tests produce widely diverging results regarding the direction and magnitude of changes. Combined evidence from a range of related research fields suggests that PSF response to drought may be predicted by plant traits, the intensity of drought, and the drought histories of both plants and microbes. Explicit inclusion of coexistence history and the local adaptation of plants and soil microbes at local and regional scales will enable more realistic predictions about the contribution of plant–microbial associations to plant community response to climate change. Plant–soil feedback (PSF) is widely recognised as a driver of plant community composition, but understanding of its response to drought remains in its infancy. Here, we provide a conceptual framework for the role of drought in PSF, considering plant traits, drought severity, and historical precipitation over ecological and evolutionary timescales. Comparing experimental studies where plants and microbes do or do not share a drought history (through co-sourcing or conditioning), we hypothesise that plants and microbes with a shared drought history experience more positive PSF under subsequent drought. To reflect real-world responses to drought, future studies need to explicitly include plant–microbial co-occurrence and potential co-adaptation and consider the precipitation history experienced by both plants and microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutualistic association between mycorrhizal fungi and plants is well known to improve plant drought resistance. However, the influence of external inoculants on the interactions between soil microbial communities and plant functional traits and how these interactions improve plant drought tolerance under drought stress remain unclear. We conducted a pot inoculation experiment to assess the effect of two inoculated fungal strains (Clitopolius hobsonii NL-19 and C. sp. HSL-YX-7-A) on morphological traits and rhizosphere fungal communities of eight Quercus species seedlings. Plant and soil fungal traits were measured 2 months after inoculation and then underwent a short-term (33 days) drought rewetting treatment. The biomass of all tree species reduced significantly under drought stress followed by rewetting (drought treatment) compared with that in the control treatment (well-watered); however, inoculated mycorrhizal fungi (drought + mycorrhizal inoculation treatment) increased the biomass of five Quercus species (growth-promoting species (GPS) exhibiting a significant increase in biomass under mycorrhizal inoculation treatment than under the uninoculated treatment during drought stress, characterized by a resource-use acquisitive strategy) and had no effect on the other three Quercus species (non-growth-promoting species (NGPS) exhibiting no significant difference in biomass between mycorrhizal inoculation and uninoculated treatments during drought stress, characterized by a resource-use conservative strategy). The leaf traits of the two species groups (GPS and NGPS) varied little among the three treatments. The values of most root traits (e.g., specific root length and root length) of GPS increased significantly under drought and drought + mycorrhizal inoculation treatments compared with those in the control, whereas relatively minor variations were observed in NGPS among the three treatments. The fungal community composition and functional groups (primary trophic modes) in the drought treatment were altered for NGPS but not for GPS; additionally, they changed in the drought + mycorrhizal inoculation treatment for GPS but not for NGPS when compared with those in the drought treatment. Furthermore, the drought tolerance of GPS was improved directly by fungal functional groups (i.e., Pathotroph-Saprotroph- Symbiotrophs proliferation) and indirectly by root traits (e.g., increased specific root length), whereas NGPS may adapt to drought stress through other pathways (e.g., physiological and biochemical regulation). Overall, drought and mycorrhizal inoculation affected the root traits and fungal community structure of Quercus seedlings, which rely on plant resource-use strategies. Our results provide new insights into the relationship between plant resource-use strategies and soil microbes for improving plant performance under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effect of mycorrhizal inoculation on six common Australian biofilter plant species using a pot experiment. We divided 120 pots planted with six common biofilter species into four treatments: control water-deficit, inoculated water-deficit, control well-watered, and inoculated well-watered. Inoculated treatments were inoculated with a commercially available blend of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi spores. While well-watered pots were watered to pot capacity daily, water-deficit pots were subjected to a simulated drought that lasted six weeks until harvesting. All plants inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi developed greater total root surface area, plant biomass, and plant relative growth rate. Which are associated with better stormwater nutrient removal. Mycorrhizal inoculation also increased the average root diameter, total length, and surface area of thick roots (diameter > 1 mm) of six species, which are essential to maintain the infiltration rates and hydraulic functions of biofilter systems. Moreover, an increase in shoot biomass following inoculation was also observed across six species, potentially contributing to higher water loss and stormwater volume reduction. Although the water-deficit condition greatly limited the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation on other morphological traits, we still observed the benefits of inoculation on total root length and surface area in well-watered J. pallidus and C. appressa. As drought stress imposes limitations on the effects of inoculation, we recommend inoculation should be carried out in advantageous times, such as during wet periods before the drought season for the optimal colonization and plant biomass and morphological responses. Additionally, selecting mycorrhizae-responsive species like C. appressa, J. pallidus, and G. sieberiana can result in favorable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traits are inherent properties of organisms, but how are they defined for organismal networks such as mycorrhizal symbioses? Mycorrhizal symbioses are complex and diverse belowground symbioses between plants and fungi that have proved challenging to fit into a unified and coherent trait framework. We propose an inclusive mycorrhizal trait framework that classifies traits as morphological, physiological, and phenological features that have functional implications for the symbiosis. We further classify mycorrhizal traits by location – plant, fungus, or the symbiosis – which highlights new questions in trait-based mycorrhizal ecology designed to charge and challenge the scientific community. This new framework is an opportunity for researchers to interrogate their data to identify novel insights and gaps in our understanding of mycorrhizal symbioses. Applying trait-based approaches to ecological research on mycorrhizal symbioses broadens ecological inferences, but there is no single unified framework to unite disparate language, terminology, and methods across the many multidisciplinary scientists studying mycorrhizas. We propose an inclusive framework for trait-based mycorrhizal ecology aimed to stimulate scientists around the world to collect and use more mycorrhizal trait data, particularly in understudied areas. This would widen our understanding regarding the ecological role of mycorrhizal symbioses at individual, species, community, and ecosystem scales. Analyzing how mycorrhizal symbioses fit within existing trait definitions highlights significant theoretical and empirical knowledge gaps, novel questions, and new research directions to improve our understanding of trait-based mycorrhizal ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which soil bioengineering preserves the ecological functions of riverbank vegetation beyond erosion control remains largely unexplored. This study compared the functional response of plant communities on soil-bioengineered riverbanks with those on natural and hard-engineered (ripraps) riverbanks across 124 sites in Quebec, Canada. We hypothesized that the Community Weighted Means (CWM) of 10 functional traits and three ecological attributes relevant in a riparian context and based on 356 plant taxa would be similar between bioengineered and natural sites, while functional diversity measured as richness (FRic) and dispersion (FDis) would be higher in bioengineered sites due to the diverse conditions (substrate, microhabitats). Contrary to expectations, we found trait-specific results. Compared to ripraps, natural sites were dominated by plants that were taller and had lighter seeds, as well as higher dispersion in specific leaf area, height, and seed mass, higher FRic, more dispersion of propagules by water and less by animals, and more plants with vegetative reproduction, shade tolerance, wetland-affinity, native, and fewer ruderal species. Bioengineered sites had intermediate mean trait values and dispersion, and only small differences among the three techniques applied (pure, keyed, and mixed) regarding the proportion of living and mineral material. Consistent with a previous study that used the same set of sites, we found higher plant cover, species richness, and diversity in natural sites compared to ripraps, with bioengineered sites falling in between the two. Bioengineering can partially reproduce natural riparian plant communities both taxonomically and functionally. Practitioners should consider functional diversity in their designs. • Bioengineering may partially restore functionality of riverbank plant communities. • Functional response of riparian vegetation to soil stabilization is trait-specific. • Riverbank stabilization should consider trait diversity as well as species identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The habitat template as the approach to design sustainable green roofs in Lima, Peru. • Some Lomas systems have similar edaphic conditions as extensive green roofs. • Lomas herb species with succulence and clonal capacity are ideal for green roofs in Lima. • Shrubs may fit better on semi-intensive green roofs due to their deep roots and erect growth. • Green roofs can function as alternative habitats for endangered Lomas species. Ongoing urbanisation and climate change threaten urban green (UG) spaces in Lima, exacerbated by conventional design and management methods. Extensive green roofs (GRs) are a promising alternative in Lima's context as they provide numerous benefits and are adapted to arid conditions. This study aimed to develop sustainable GRs in Lima by using the Lomas ecosystems as a habitat template. We analysed abiotic conditions and plant traits of Lomas communities and compared them with those of GRs. We compared species composition and edaphic properties from five Lomas around Lima with those of arid GR systems. Lomas and GR species were further classified into functional groups based on their functional traits. Amancaes, Lachay and Villa Maria del Triunfo (VMT) have soils with similar characteristics as arid GRs, and the most suited Lomas species were found there. The 'herb functional group', consisting of herbs with succulence and clonal capacity, may be suitable for GRs due to arid adaptations and creeping and clumping growth patterns. Given the endangered status of several Lomas species within this group, introducing them to GRs in Lima offers a conservation opportunity, helping their survival and establishing urban complementary habitats. Shrub species such as Heliotropium , Atriplex , Croton , and Trixis are the most frequent shrubs in Lomas and are crucial for preserving the structure and biodiversity of the ecosystem. However, the 'shrub functional group' may be better suited for semi-intensive GRs due to their deeper root systems and erect growth. The habitat template approach can aid biodiversity conservation by incorporating threatened and endemic Lomas species into GR systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Taxonomic and functional biodiversity characteristics are discussed in an integrated manner. • Evidence on relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem services in agroforestry systems is summarized. • This review has implications for ecological restoration in ecologically fragile karst desertification areas. • We provide a "peak-cluster-depression agroforestry development idea" to combat desertification. Biodiversity conservation is critical for sustaining ecosystem services (ES) and preventing ecological degradation. In ecologically fragile environments, agroforestry (AF) plays a crucial role. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of biodiversity and ES in AF systems (AF-BES) to enhance the service capacity in karst desertification areas through protection and management strategies. We conducted a systematic review to elucidate how biodiversity within AF contributes to ES. The results demonstrate that AF shows diversity and stability at the taxonomic level, aggregation and internal adaptability at the functional level, and comprehensive, persistent, and environmentally complementary service characteristics. Regarding the relationship between biodiversity and ES, taxonomic diversity is the most commonly used substitute indicator of biodiversity, and functional indicators are rarely considered. Furthermore, the relationship between cultural services and biodiversity has not yet been established, although most empirical evidence shows a linear correlation. Future research should focus on functional diversity, immaterial services, and integrated quantification methods. This work advances our understanding of AF-BES and informs global biodiversity protection efforts, providing a foundation for restoring similar fragile ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although plant clonality is an important reproductive strategy complementing seed reproduction, their interrelationship is seldom studied. We evaluated how plant clonality, together with plant economics spectrum and architectural constraints, affect the generative reproduction characteristics of co-existing grassland species. For this purpose, we collected data on seed number, seed mass and seed yield (seed mass x seed number) per shoot of 56 herbaceous species from temperate grasslands in the White Carpathian Mts. (SE Czech Republic). Clonality had a weaker effect on seed traits than leaf economics and plant architecture. Metamer size showed the strongest relationship to seed number per shoot, while leaf dry matter content and canopy height were the most important factors affecting average seed mass in the studied species. Seed yield was affected by both leaf nitrogen and metamer size but only for plants with long lived shoots (di- and polycyclic). The negative correlation between seed mass and seed number per shoot for our dataset was confirmed. Our study did not support the idea that clonality is the most important factor affecting seed production in grassland species and pointed out complex relationships of coordinated traits in coexisting species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, olive (Olea europaea L.) productivity is threatened by plant pathogens, particularly the fungus Verticillium dahliae (Vd) and the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf). Infections by these pathogens restrict water and nutrient flow through xylem, producing a similar set of symptoms that can also be confounded with water stress. Conventional in situ monitoring techniques are time consuming and expensive, necessitating the development of large-scale detection methods. Airborne hyperspectral and thermal imagery have been successfully used to detect both Xf and Vd infection symptoms independently, i.e., when only one of the two diseases is present. Nevertheless, the discrimination of Vd from Xf infections in contexts where both pathogens are present has not been addressed to date. This study proposes a three-stage machine learning algorithm to distinguish Vd infections from Xf infections, using a series of datasets from 27 olive orchards affected by Xf and Vd outbreaks in Italy and Spain between 2011 and 2017. Plant traits were derived from airborne hyperspectral and thermal imagery, including physiological indices from radiative transfer model inversion, Solar-induced Fluorescence emission (SIF @760), the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI), and a selection of narrow–band hyperspectral indices. Several distinct spectral traits successfully discriminated Xf from Vd infections. The three-stage method generated a false-positive rate of 9%, an overall accuracy (OA) of 98%, and a kappa coefficient (κ) of 0.7 when identifying Vd infections using a mixed Vd + Xf dataset. When identifying Xf infections, the false-positive rate was 4%, the OA was 92%, and κ was 0.8. These results indicate that hyperspectral and thermal traits can be used to discriminate Xf from Vd infection caused by the two xylem–limited pathogens that trigger similar visual symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foliar functional traits are essential for understanding plant adaptation strategies and ecosystem function. Due to limited in-situ observational data, there is a growing interest in upscaling these traits from field sites to regional and global levels. However, limitations persist: (1) global/national scale upscaling that relies on plant functional type (PFT) maps, environmental variables or coarse resolution multispectral images, which fail to capture local-scale trait variability; (2) airborne imaging spectroscopy that enables high-resolution and accurate mapping but is restricted to site scale and is costly; and (3) multispectral satellites like Sentinel-2 that offer global coverage but have limited spectral bands and resolution. While previous research has demonstrated the connection between traits and vegetation phenology, our study seeks to build upon this foundation by further exploring the integration of phenological information for large-scale trait prediction. We examined the integration of Sentinel-2 data with its time series (for phenology information) to map 12 foliar functional traits across 14 National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) sites in the eastern United States. Our results show that time-series Sentinel-2 models effectively capture the variance in these 12 traits (R 2 = 0.60–0.80) when compared with benchmark trait data generated by state-of-the-art airborne imaging spectroscopy. The models adequately capture considerable trait variations observed within sites and PFTs. Our approach outperforms existing methods that rely on environmental variables, or a single Sentinel-2 image as predictors across examined NEON sites in eastern United States. Interestingly, including environmental variables in our models does not significantly improve predictive power. Further analysis reveals that a 'fast-slow' principal axis predominantly explains the covariation in Enhanced Vegetation Index amplitude (a proxy for leaf longevity), leaf mass per area, and leaf nitrogen content across PFTs. This finding highlights the importance of incorporating phenological information for trait mapping and suggests a potential mechanism underlying these spectra-based models. Our proposed method, which simultaneously achieves high accuracy, large-scale scalability, and high spatial resolution, represents a promising avenue for future global trait mapping. Validation on a larger scale to fully realize its potential in addressing fundamental ecological questions will be a key future focus. • Time-series Sentinel-2 data accurately map 12 foliar traits across 14 NEON sites. • Spectra-phenology integration advances trait mapping accuracy over previous methods. • Biophysical and LES mechanism of the proposed method is consistent with literature. • Global Sentinel-2 archives enable the scalability for large-scale trait mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Alpine herbs exhibited tens of fold variations in plant surface water storage (PWS). • The correlations between PWS and plant traits were complex for predicting PWS. • Plant strategy theory clarified the multifaceted traits effects on PWS per projected area. • Expansion of competitive species in alpine meadows may intensify interception loss and exacerbate water scarcity. Rainfall interception by vegetation is essential in precipitation redistribution within ecosystems and greatly affects water services. However, the patterns of interspecies variation in plant surface water storage (PWS) remain unclear, which greatly limits our understanding of the relationship between species composition and vegetation rainfall interception. Thus, we aimed to examine whether the plant ecological strategy, which is an internal driving force and comprehensive characteristic of plant traits, can serve as a PWS predictor. The PWS of thirty-nine common plant species in natural, degraded, and restored alpine meadows within the Ruoergai wetland was compared, and the variability in PWS between these species was examined from both plant trait and ecological strategy perspectives. The results showed that PWS per plant (IWSC) ranged from 0.12 to 9.32 mL plant−1, and PWS based on projected area (PSCI) and fresh weight (PMS) ranged from 0.01 to 0.94 mm and 0.11 to 1.29 g g−1, respectively. The PSCI was comparatively lower in Cyperaceae, whereas the PMS was relatively lower in Polygonaceae, and Poaceae. The correlations between PWS and multidimensional plant traits are complex for predicting PWS but can be clarified by considering plant ecological strategies. Further regression analysis revealed that as an evolutionary representation of the crucially related plant traits, plant competition significantly positively affected both IWSC and PSCI, and stress tolerance obviously negatively affected these two parameters (P < 0.05). The correlation between plant strategy and PSCI implied that the increased dominance of competitive species in alpine meadows may intensify interception loss, thereby hindering rainfall allocation to soil and exacerbating water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aboveground biomass (AGB) production is an important ecosystem function and service, especially where livestock feeding is the main human activity. Rangeland managers mainly use grazing exclusion to improve AGB in degraded arid and semiarid rangeland. However, the mechanism by which this nature-based management practice increases AGB and how it influences the mediating effects of biodiversity on AGB remain unclear and little understood. Here, we explored the mechanisms driving AGB in North African semiarid rangeland by using a variety of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity metrics, grazing management (grazed vs. ungrazed), and soil surface components as predictors. We then compared the mediating effects of the most essential taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity measures on AGB under grazing exclusion and unrestricted grazing. We found that biodiversity contributed to up to 44% of the AGB explained variance and many attributes of plant diversity showed contrasting links to AGB. We also found that biodiversity affects AGB mainly through mass ratio (which explained more than 73% of the biotic effects on AGB) rather than complementarity. The increase in AGB under grazing exclusion was not related to an increase in species richness, but it resulted from the increasing abundance of the dominant high-functioning species. Therefore, our findings recommend the focus on dominant species when implementing grazing exclusion since they play an important role in biomass production and ecosystem functioning. [Display omitted] • Biodiversity contributed to up to 44% of the explained variance in aboveground biomass (AGB). • Many attributes of plant diversity exhibited contrasting links to AGB. • The mass ratio effect of biodiversity on AGB was greater than complementarity. • Grazing exclusion promotes AGB production by increasing the abundance of the dominant high-functioning species. • Dominant species play a key role in the functioning of arid and semiarid rangelands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Grassland restoration enhanced soil health and potential input reduction. • Perennial vegetation with conservative leaf traits moderated soil properties. • Soil properties indicated positive agroecological outcomes. • We provide mechanistic insights to achieve agroecological outcomes. Despite being cultivated with annual crops, marginal agricultural lands are usually more suitable for grasses, trees, or other perennial vegetation with persistent roots that are better adapted to unfavorable growth conditions. Replacing crops with perennial grassland vegetation (i.e., grassland restoration) on such marginal land can also contribute to realizing positive agroecological outcomes. However, while agroecological principles can guide multiple pathways and management practices, little work has explored the role of marginal agricultural land restoration in soil-based agroecological outcomes. Here we analyzed how soil properties linked with achieving three positive agroecological outcomes (enhanced soil health, higher recycling, and input reduction) are affected by marginal-land restoration and the plant traits of the established vegetation. To do this, we focused on changes in three indicators of these agroecological outcomes: active soil C (soil health), diversity of soil bacterial communities (recycling), and nutrient acquisition via total root biomass (input reduction) measured in three plant-cover types (forest, cropland, restored grassland) in 13 farms distributed in an agricultural landscape in southern Ontario, Canada. Active C and root biomass were highest in forests, intermediate in grasslands and lowest in croplands, while there were no differences in terms of soil bacterial diversity, indicating that restoring land can help achieve some positive agroecological outcomes. Using path analysis, we also found that two plant traits, leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC), were key in mediating the link between grassland restoration and agroecological outcomes. Specifically, grassland restoration helped improve indicators of soil health and input reduction via the promotion of vegetation with conservative traits (high LMA and LDMC). Our analytical approach enabled the assessment of the agroecological outcomes after implementing restoration practices, while identifying the most important mechanistic paths mediated by plant traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire influences plant survival, reproduction, and establishment. Consequently, plants exhibit fire-related traits. Grouping species with similar traits into Plant Functional Types (PFTs) enables predictions of fire–related change based on ecological mechanisms. However, if PFTs are to advance conservation decision-making, we must know if predictions are robust. We developed a PFT approach to predict how species relative abundance changes as a function of time since fire, and tested predictions empirically. First, we used trait databases and ecological knowledge to assign species into PFTs based on fire-related mechanisms. Second, we developed graphical predictions of fire-related change in relative abundance. Third, we collected data on species relative abundance at 57 sites, across an 81–year post–fire chronosequence. Finally, we tested predictions using non–linear regression models. Predictions of the direction of changes in relative abundance (increase or decrease from 0 to 81 years since fire) were correct for 18 of 24 species modelled. Predictions of the shape of changes in relative abundance were not as accurate, but still useful: 13 out of 24 species showed 'excellent' conformity with shape predictions, 7 'good' conformity, and 4 'poor'. Broader functional groupings commonly used in ecology, such as facultative resprouter, inadequately captured changes in relative abundance. An advance of this study is that the direction and trajectory of changes in species relative abundance can be predicted using deductive PFTs that represent population processes. This suggests PFTs can be used to generalize fire responses across species that share similar traits, and thus inform biodiversity conservation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant trait variability, emerging from eco-evolutionary dynamics that range from alleles to macroecological scales, is one of the most elusive, but possibly most consequential, aspects of biodiversity. Plasticity, epigenetics, and genetic diversity are major determinants of how plants will respond to climate change, yet these processes are rarely represented in current vegetation models. Here, we provide an overview of the challenges associated with understanding the causes and consequences of plant trait variability, and review current developments to include plasticity and evolutionary mechanisms in vegetation models. We also present a roadmap of research priorities to develop a next generation of vegetation models with flexible traits. Including trait variability in vegetation models is necessary to better represent biosphere responses to global change. Dynamic vegetation models are the main tools to assess climate change effects on terrestrial vegetation. Therefore, a realistic representation of biological processes in these models is of utmost importance. Intraspecific trait variability is ubiquitous in plants and, thus, the underlying processes causing it should be represented. Yet, trait variability is only used to a limited extent in current vegetation models. Empirical and theoretical studies make clear that intraspecific trait variability underpins evolutionary and plastic plant responses to environmental changes. We review progress towards 'next-generation' models that include evolutionary and plastic processes, including those explicitly representing genetic mechanisms. Modeling paradigms where plant diversity emerges mechanistically are necessary to understand both functional trade-offs (e.g., leaf and wood economics spectra) and spatial patterns of genetic and phenotypic variability as exposed by genomic and ecological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While wheat domestication is reported to influence the soil microbial community, few studies have evaluated the influence of cultivar replacement in modern breeding on both bacterial and fungal communities. Especially, few studies reported the bacterial-fungal interkingdom association by analysis of taxa co-occurrence or co-exclusion between different wheat growth stages. In this study, we selected major wheat cultivars from different decades to investigate their genetic relatedness, plant traits, soil bacterial and fungal communities in the rhizosphere and proximal root zone, and the relationships between them. Our results indicated that host selection had the greatest impact on bacterial and fungal communities compared to growth stage and sampling location (P <0.001). At flowering, the soil microbial community in the genotype group consisting of the 1950 s (W 50 s) and 1960 s (W 60 s) cultivars could be clearly distinguished from those in later genotype groups. Plant traits explained the largest source of variation in microbial β -diversity (12.8–20.6%) (P =0.01), with plant height, aboveground dry matter, leaf area per plant and specific root length being associated with the divergence in microbial composition or quantity among cultivars. The cultivar from the 1970 s (W 70 s) enriched a greater number of microbial taxa with the highest relative abundance, suggesting that old cultivar could be considered as a source of cultivar-microbe interaction. The cultivar from the 2000 s (W 00 s) enriched taxa from the bacterial genus Nocardioides and increased the fungal phylum Glomeromycota in the rhizosphere. At three growth stages, W 00 s root-zone exhibited the highest bacteria/fungi ratio (B/F) and contained more phosphorus cycle-related bacterial phoD -genes than W 50 s and W 60 s. The co-occurrence network revealed more operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from the bacterial order Rhizobiales in the largest module of W 00 s. The increased B/F ratio and the aforementioned taxa are reported to be involved in soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability, suggesting that contemporary cultivar may recruit beneficial bacteria and fungi while weaken the association with other fungi. These findings contribute to the development of microbiome-based breeding strategies for sustainable wheat farming. • Cultivar was the strongest factor shaping soil bacterial and fungal communities. • Flowering stage was the time to identify the impact of genotype on the microbiota. • Cultivar from the 1970 s enriched the most abundant taxa. • Contemporary cultivars accumulated taxa involved in soil N and P acquisition. • Divergence in microbial community were associated with the variation in plant trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Post-fire short-term vegetation dynamics showed a high species turnover. • Alien plant species with c - scores increased over time. • Short-term vegetation recovery involves species-specific strategies such as dispersal ability. • The leaf area did not show any significant pattern over time, with a slight increase observed in the short-term. Wildfire events significantly affect plant communities. Understanding the post-fire vegetation dynamics and how native and alien species interact to shape the composition and structure of the community is crucial to address conservation policy. Dispersal mechanisms and resource exploration strategies are two functional strategies which can explain variability in species response to disturbance. Here, we investigated how functional traits shape the short-term dynamic after a wildfire event in a Mediterranean pine forest. We collected plant co-occurrences and abundances in permanent plots of 100 m2 across four distinct sampling sessions (from late winter to early autumn, every 2 months). Functionally relevant traits including leaf traits and dispersal-related traits were also retrieved for the recorded species. We then derived the Grime's strategies of the recorded species from the collected leaf traits, and we computed the dispersal ability of each species as a function of the corresponding dispersal traits. To compare Grime's strategies and leaf traits across the monitoring cycles, we calculated the community weighted mean for each cycle as the average of species trait values in each plot. Further, we estimated variations in species abundances and species composition within each plot by using temporal turnover analysis, which showed a continuous post-fire increase in community-level vegetation cover and a strong compositional change driven by a spread of alien species. Associating these patterns to the recorded functional traits revealed that dispersal ability is crucial in post-fire recolonization. Moreover, ruderal species, being the most represented strategy soon after the fire, give way over time to more competitive species showing higher leaf area. Thus, short-term vegetation recovery involves different species-specific strategies that shape the ecological succession over time. Our case study highlights that knowledge about how functional traits drive plant colonization strategies is critical to assess the post-fire restoration status of Mediterranean pine forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Drought and re-flooding have interactive effects on growth and photosynthesis of Carex schmidtii. • Carex schmidtii is well-adapted to hydrological fluctuations in the early growth stage. • Carex schmidtii is sensitive to drought and re-flooding in the middle growth stage. • Re-flooding initiated in the first 60 days effectively recoveries the growth of Carex schmidtii. Drought and flood are two common stresses on the growth and photosynthesis of wetland plants. Wetland plants experience the alternating drought-flooding conditions over an irregular time-scale. In order to investigate the effects of hydrological fluctuations on plant growth and photosynthesis, we subjected Carex schmidtii (a tussock-forming species) to five alternating drought-flooding conditions: consecutive drying treatment (D), moist treatment (W) and re-flooding treatments (RT) after 30 days (DF30), 40 days (DF40) and 60 days (DF60) of drought. Results showed that both D and RT had positive or negative interactive effects on the growth and photosynthesis of C. schmidtii. D treatment increased leaf area (21.69%) and plant mass (24.40%) by the 60th day; plant height and chlorophyll content decreased by 18.03% and 17.93% compared with those obtained under W conditions, respectively. RT were found to successfully recovery plant mass, chlorophyll content and photosynthesis of C. schmidtii , whereas flooding condition inhibited plant performance in the late growth stage. DF30 conditions contributed to C. schmidtii tussocks having a rapid in response to alternating drought-flooding conditions compared to DF40 and DF60 treatments. Compared to plant traits and photosynthetic parameters in the early growth stages, C. schmidtii is much more sensitive to consecutive drying and re-flooding in the middle growth stages. Results indicated C. schmidtii to be suitably-adapted to hydrological fluctuations in the early growth stage, and RT initiated in the first 60 days can effectively recover plant growth and photosynthesis. The findings provide invaluable supporting information for the restoration and management of C. schmidtii tussocks in sedge wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Arrested succession stalls forest recovery after disturbance. • The regeneration niches and resources used of species groups were determined. • Species that promote succession are linked to soil conditions. • Species that promote arrested succession are linked to light and litter cover. • Niche concept provides insights to forest management and restoration. Arrested succession may lead to losses of productivity and biodiversity in forests after disturbance. In this condition, recalcitrant understory vegetation often dominates over long periods of time and delays forest recovery and succession. Arrested succession has been defined as a type of forest degradation because ecosystem processes and functions that underlie successional dynamics are dramatically reduced. We used the Hutchinson' niche concept to understand the relative importance of environmental variables that define niche axes of species leading to arrested succession (recalcitrant understory vegetation) and to identify a shift along niche axes that promote the successional progression of long-lived early- and late-seral tree regeneration after partial disturbance due to restoration treatments. We studied Nothofagus old-growth forests in the Chilean Andes, where after selective harvests (i.e., a partial overstory disturbance) the understory is commonly dominated by dense thickets of native bamboo (Chusquea spp.), which has been shown to arrest succession by preventing tree regeneration. To overcome this, sites are typically partially scarified (24 to 45% of the area) following harvest to control bamboo and to encourage early-seral tree regeneration. The partial overstory and ground disturbance leaves a wide array of conditions (environmental gradient) that allowed us to investigate the factors under which a given plant group may regenerate, grow, and dominate the forest. Ordination and niche modeling were used to investigate the niche breadths for bamboo and regenerating tree species, as well as the environmental niche axes at this early successional stage, i.e., eight years after disturbance. The results showed different trends in the shift of centroid and extent of realized niches among three plant groups. For instance, performance of the early-seral group was related to litter cover (–), exposed mineral soil (+) and soil water content (+), which resulted in a niche expansion. In contrast, soil water content affected bamboo (–) and may be responsible for the reduction in realized niche space. Light had less influence on defining niches for tree regeneration during early successional stages. Linking the niche concept to succession provided a simple display of multifaceted issues and thus a better understanding of underlying processes and mechanisms. It provides an example of how application of this concept can help to determine situations in which such regeneration can (or cannot) be established successfully and promote the progression of succession following disturbance. This knowledge provides important insights for designing management and restoration practices based on strong ecological foundations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We grew seven C 3 annuals at a factorial of CO 2 (160-450-750 ppm) and soil water availability (100-40-20%). • Compared to well-watered conditions the relative effect of drought was the same at all CO 2 conditions. • Across all traits measured, we found mostly additive effects of CO 2 and water. • In drought prone regions, results suggest CO 2 fertilization will not counter the effects of reduced water availability. Carbon dioxide and water are crucial resources for plant growth. With anthropogenic fossil fuel emissions, CO 2 availability is and has been increasing since the last glacial maximum. Simultaneously water availability is expected to decrease and the frequency and severity of drought episodes to increase in large parts of the world. How plants respond to these two changes will help in understanding plants' responses to climate of the future. Here we sought to understand how drought affects plant traits responses to CO 2 and whether there are trade-offs in responsiveness to low and elevated CO 2 and drought. We grew seedlings of seven C 3 annuals at past low (160 μl l−1), ambient (450 μl l−1) and elevated (750 μl l−1) CO 2. At each concentration plants were subjected to well-watered conditions (100% soil water availability, SWA), 40% SWA or 20% SWA. We measured biomass allocation, relative growth rate, tissue N concentration, and gas exchange. Compared to well-watered conditions plant size was an important element in the absolute response to SWA decrease, i.e. the smaller, slow growing species were unaffected by drought at low CO 2. Plants allocated less mass to root tissue at low CO 2 contrasting with increased root mass fraction at lower SWA at ambient CO 2. Across all traits measured, we found mostly additive effects of CO 2 and water. As due to climate change regions become more drought prone these results suggest CO 2 fertilization will not counteract the effects of reduced water availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Environmental filtering shaped plant communities in boreo-nemoral woodland. • Community traits were related to canopy composition via litter quality effects on soil. • Invasion of Picea abies in the canopy was associated with poor soil fertility. • Dispersal limitation had a weak effect on community traits. • Easily dispersed species were more common in areas with extensive agricultural land use. Abstract Knowledge of the limiting processes shaping the composition of plant communities of woodland is important in conservation of biological diversity. The aim of our study was to examine the effect of stand-level factors (soil and canopy composition, age and area) and landscape factors (fragmentation of broad-leaved forest, distance to a historical manor house, and past history) on plant community trait composition in broad-leaved forest. We hypothesized that the plant functional community is shaped by both dispersal filtering due to landscape factors and by environmental characteristics. We recorded all vascular plants, described canopy composition and estimated soil characteristics in 44 randomly chosen broad-leaved stands in Latvia. Relationships between plant community traits and potential factors were assessed using PCA and multivariate regression analysis. Interrelationship of richer topsoil fertility and admixture of broad-leaved tree species other than Q. robur was associated with greater abundance of nemoral species and hemicryptophytes. The invasion of Picea abies into the canopy was associated with poor topsoil fertility and acidified soil, likely due to poor litter quality, and with greater number of boreal species and geophytes in the herb layer. The results suggested a weak and contradictory effect of landscape structure and history on the forest plant community traits, maybe because the long-term history of afforestation around manors and spatio-temporal connectivity to ancient forests had resolved these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper introduces a modular processing chain to derive global high-resolution maps of leaf traits. In particular, we present global maps at 500 m resolution of specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content per dry mass, and leaf nitrogen/phosphorus ratio. The processing chain exploits machine learning techniques along with optical remote sensing data (MODIS/Landsat) and climate data for gap filling and up-scaling of in-situ measured leaf traits. The chain first uses random forests regression with surrogates to fill gaps in the database (> 45 % of missing entries) and maximizes the global representativeness of the trait dataset. Plant species are then aggregated to Plant Functional Types (PFTs). Next, the spatial abundance of PFTs at MODIS resolution (500 m) is calculated using Landsat data (30 m). Based on these PFT abundances, representative trait values are calculated for MODIS pixels with nearby trait data. Finally, different regression algorithms are applied to globally predict trait estimates from these MODIS pixels using remote sensing and climate data. The methods were compared in terms of precision, robustness and efficiency. The best model (random forests regression) shows good precision (normalized RMSE≤ 20 %) and goodness of fit (averaged Pearson's correlation R = 0.78) in any considered trait. Along with the estimated global maps of leaf traits, we provide associated uncertainty estimates derived from the regression models. The process chain is modular, and can easily accommodate new traits, data streams (traits databases and remote sensing data), and methods. The machine learning techniques applied allow attribution of information gain to data input and thus provide the opportunity to understand trait-environment relationships at the plant and ecosystem scales. The new data products – the gap-filled trait matrix, a global map of PFT abundance per MODIS gridcells and the high-resolution global leaf trait maps – are complementary to existing large-scale observations of the land surface and we therefore anticipate substantial contributions to advances in quantifying, understanding and prediction of the Earth system. Highlights • Presented a modular process chain for plant trait mapping including local effects • High-resolution global maps of leaf traits by fusing measured trait data, LANDSAT and MODIS • Scope for testing and parameterizing trait-enabled Earth System models • Implications for land management and Earth system science applications [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Leastcost and coordination hypotheses support species strategy and ecosystem function. • An alternative framework of classifying dynamic roles based in plant traits. • Trait variation was linked to climate within a narrow tropical climatic range. • Optimality concepts and forest dynamics may represent PFTs more faithfully in DGVMs. Abstract The conventional representation of Plant Functional Types (PFTs) in Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) is increasingly recognized as simplistic and lacking in predictive power. Key ecophysiological traits, including photosynthetic parameters, are typically assigned single values for each PFT while the substantial trait variation within PFTs is neglected. This includes continuous variation in response to environmental factors, and differences linked to spatial and temporal niche differentiation within communities. A much stronger empirical basis is required for the treatment of continuous plant functional trait variation in DGVMs. We analyse 431 sets of measurements of leaf and plant traits, including photosynthetic measurements, on evergreen angiosperm trees in tropical moist forests of Australia and China. Confining attention to tropical moist forests, our analysis identifies trait differences that are linked to vegetation dynamic roles. Coordination theory predicts that Rubisco- and electron-transport limited rates of photosynthesis are co-limiting under field conditions. The least-cost hypothesis predicts that air-to-leaf CO 2 drawdown minimizes the combined costs per unit carbon assimilation of maintaining carboxylation and transpiration capacities. Aspects of these predictions are supported for within-community trait variation linked to canopy position, just as they are for variation along spatial environmental gradients. Trait differences among plant species occupying different structural and temporal niches may provide a basis for the ecophysiological representation of vegetation dynamics in next-generation DGVMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rainfall and maximum temperature have been decreasing in some regions of Mexico • Rainfall and maximum temperature decreases are associated with different functional trait response • Center and Gulf regions forests have the highest values of SLA (resource-acquisition) • Pacific region forests showed high leaf thickness values (resource conservation) Functional traits represent the adaptive responses of plant species to climatic changes. They are an integrative marker of the general environmental conditions at a location. Testing their patterns may help to understand how the functional traits would track these environmental changes of tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs). These forests are characterized by the constant presence of clouds, and these are among the most threatened ecosystems by climate change worldwide. One of the main TMCF regions in Mexico is the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB). This region has provided refugia during past climate-change events. We identify three current regions of distribution of TMCF in TMVB, Pacific, Center and Gulf. We used 60 years of climatic information, functional traits and plants databases. We proposed the following aims: to determine whether changes in climatic variation have occurred in the TMVB and how these changes can be related to functional trait variations for dominant tree species across the three TMCF regions, and to know the potential changes as a refuge of the TMCF of the TMVB. We found different rainfall and maximum temperature patterns among and within regions. We identified that the Pacific region forests were characterized by the lowest specific leaf area (SLA), wider leaf thickness and high leaf density, which indicates resources-conservative leaf economics and tolerance to low humidity. Center and Gulf forests were distinguished by the highest SLA, less leaf thickness, and higher leaf density values, which suggests that the leaves of dominant tree species tend to be resources-acquisitive rather than conservative-resources. Finally functional traits were associated with prevailing climatic conditions and suggested that SLA, leaf thickness and leaf density are the main functional traits that could be used to relate them to regional climate. Also, Central and Gulf regions could serve as a refuge for those species of trees demanding humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mix of oilseed rape with service crops is currently considered to be an interesting way to reduce the use of external inputs by supporting the provision of ecosystem services. Our aim was to synthesize knowledge on the services provided by service crops mixed with oilseed rape, in order to inform the choice of service crops using the trait-function-service functional ecology approach. To do so, we built a simulation model of trait-function-service based on expert knowledge and the scientific literature on weed regulation, nitrogen recycling, and pest regulation, as well as the disservice related to competition. We simulated the ecosystem services and the disservice provided by 20 service crops clustered in functional groups. Our results showed that the trait values of height, dead biomass in contact with the soil, growth rate, earliness, leaf area, nitrogen fixing capacity, drought resistance and biomass production potential were the traits that were decisive for the classification of species into functional groups. The services provided differed according to the functional groups and therefore the values of their traits. Hence, some functional groups can provide multiple services while some are single service. We also showed that the level of the disservice increased when the ecosystem services provided increased. The identification of the traits of interest allows us to orient research on the assembly rules of the traits and thus the interspecific mixtures with oilseed rape most likely to provide a given ecosystem service. • Service crops associated with oilseed rape provide ecosystem services. • The level of the disservice increased when the ecosystem services provided increased. • Some species functional groups can provide multiple ecosystem services and other only one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture intensification led to the gradual destruction of semi-natural habitats and landscape simplification in the North-Western Europe. All these profound changes affected plant assemblages, especially in semi-natural ecosystems such as grasslands. They could have negative effects on the plant diversity and the related ecosystem functions, such as primary productivity. At the landscape scale this biodiversity-productivity relationship still have to be tested in real-world systems. It could have important economic implications concerning fodder production. We used a large-scale sampling design (30 landscape windows – 1 ×1 km) to quantify landscape structure variables (semi-natural habitat amounts and landscape heterogeneity), grassland plant taxonomic diversity and functional diversity calculated from multidimensional functional spaces (functional richness, evenness, dispersion), and grassland productivity (mean, temporal stability, spatial variability) derived from satellite image time-series. Taxonomic dissimilarity, functional evenness and functional dispersion of grassland plant assemblages were related to semi-natural habitat amount. Functional evenness and dispersion decreased with grassland amount whereas taxonomic dissimilarity and functional evenness increased with hedgerow amount. Only taxonomic and functional richness depended on landscape heterogeneity, and with a positive relationship. Grassland plant assemblages with a higher functional evenness presented a higher and more stable mean productivity. In addition to the direct effect of landscape heterogeneity on plant productivity, we demonstrated plant trait-mediated effect of landscape structure on mean and temporal stability of grassland productivity at the landscape scale. Landscape management, especially through the conservation of hedgerows can help maintain high and resilient production of fodder in the future as a result of their positive effects on plant functional diversity. • Landscape structure/plant diversity/productivity relationships are overlooked in grasslands. • Habitat amount and landscape heterogeneity influenced plant functional diversity. • Plant functional diversity influenced plant productivity in time and space. • Landscape modified plant productivity through both direct and indirect plant effects. • Landscape management can help maintaining high and resilient production of fodder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought-induced changes in plant traits are well-studied, e.g. building smaller and thicker leaves, reducing stomatal density or increasing root uptake. However, the extent to which these changes depend on plant-soil interactions remains unclear. Mutualistic soil microbes like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Rhizobium are known to enhance plant productivity, water and nutrient uptake and stress tolerance. Therefore, alterations in soil microbial loads are expected to affect not only plant productivity but also plant responses to drought through changing plant traits. In this study, we investigated the effects of plant-soil interactions on the productivity and traits of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) under repeated drought. We conducted a pot experiment with two treatments: water treatment (wet versus drought) and microbial reduction by soil steam sterilization (native versus sterilized soil). We found that plants in native soil showed lower productivity and plant traits associated with slow-growing strategies (i.e. small and coarse leaves, lower stomatal density and higher root mass). However, the reduction of soil microbial load by soil steam sterilization increased plant productivity under wet conditions and led to plant traits associated with fast-growing strategies. Drought in sterilized soil decreased productivity, promoted earlier wilting and resulted in the development of plant traits associated with a more slow-growing strategy. Furthermore, roots became longer and thinner and rhizobial nodulation decreased, demonstrating the reduction of mutualists. Hence, our results show that soil microbes trigger plant traits, which suggests that they play an important role in plant responses to drought, in maintaining plant productivity and in prolonging plant vitality. [Display omitted] • Soil microbes condition plant traits and productivity in red clover. • A lower microbial load promotes a fast-growing strategy and higher productivity. • Drought and a lower microbial load force plants into a slow-growing strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing and cause of megafaunal extinctions are an enduring focus of research interest and debate. Despite the developments in the analysis of coprophilous fungal spores (CFS), the proxy for reconstructing past megaherbivore changes, the environmental consequences of this fauna loss remain understudied. This is partly due to the general obscurity of such a signal in pollen records, as well as limitations in disentangling human and extinction ecological impact, and the lack of spatial information of megafauna changes in site-level sedimentary records. In Australia, the debate centres on the possibility that habitat loss through climate change, vegetation-fire change, human intervention, or a combination of these factors led to the extinction of some large animals during the Late Pleistocene. Pollen and plant isotope studies have also demonstrated that vegetation-fire responses following the Late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions were characterized by increased vegetation density and fire activity due to reduced grazing/browsing pressure. Here, we use a well-dated marine sedimentary core record from the Murray Darling Basin in southern Australia and apply palynological and functional palaeoecological approaches to reconstruct the Late Pleistocene megafaunal abundance changes, the timing and potential cause of extinction across the basin and investigate if extinction was associated with any signal of trait-based vegetation changes. We infer megafaunal abundance changes from the abundance of CFS and compare this with climatic proxies from the same core. We then link modern observations of fruit, seed and fire response traits of plant genera within the basin to the fossil pollen record to reconstruct palaeo vegetation community traits and determine if extinction was associated with any changes in plant community trait composition. Closely-spaced 14C dates obtained from planktonic foraminifera and δ18O tie points place a major decline in CFS, and thus the timing of extinction, within the basin at ∼43.3 ka. While climate-driven environmental changes largely controlled megafaunal presence, human arrival and frequent landscape burning are considered the most likely primary cause of extinction or, at the very least, megafauna decline in the Murray Darling Basin. We also found that the proposed period of megafaunal decline was also accompanied and followed by a decline in the prevalence of plants with larger seeds and fruits that were likely to have been once dispersed by megaherbivores. Our study supports the idea of a human-driven megafaunal extinction in mainland Australia and that the extinction caused changes in vegetation due to reduced plant dispersal and herbivory. However, high fire activity primarily linked to these vegetation changes was not observed, as humans were already practicing landscape burning before the period of megafaunal extinction and likely continued to do so afterward. • Dung fungi from marine core identify the timing of megafaunal extinction. • Megafaunal extinction occurred in southern Australia ∼43.5 ka. • Human pressure primarily drove extinction. • Plant trait and fossil pollen reveal vegetation changes associated with extinction. • Declines in large-seeded and fruited plants accompanied and followed extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection by the fungus Verticillium dahliae (Vd) and the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) threatens the production of olives (Olea europaea L.) and almonds (Prunus dulcis Mill.) worldwide. Producing symptoms that resemble water stress or nutrient deficiency, infection by these vascular pathogens restricts water and nutrient flow through the xylem. Hyperspectral, narrow-band multispectral, and thermal imagery acquired at a high spatial resolution can detect disease symptoms, even before they are visible, potentially allowing growers to distinguish infected plants from those affected by confounding environmental stresses. Nevertheless, operational detection of vascular disease using high-resolution commercial satellite multispectral images remains to be evaluated. Here, we assessed the capacity of high-resolution Worldview-2 and -3 multispectral imagery to detect Xf and Vd infections in olive and almond orchards in Spain, Italy, and Australia between 2011 and 2021. We compared the accuracy of detecting both pathogens using the satellite imagery with results obtained using aerial high-resolution hyperspectral and thermal imaging, with model-inverted plant traits, solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), and thermal data as a reference. Our results using spectral plant traits to examine disease progression at all stages showed that traits and their importance varied as a function of disease severity. Worldview-2 and -3 detected the disease incidence with overall accuracies ranging from 0.63 to 0.83 and kappa coefficients (κ) ranging from 0.29 to 0.68. Nevertheless, detecting the early stages of disease with multispectral satellite data yielded poorer results, with κ values of 0.22–0.45, compared with κ values of 0.3–0.69 obtained from hyperspectral data. Typical multispectral bandsets available from satellite sensors cannot measure important plant traits such as the blue index NPQI, xanthophyll proxy PRI n , SIF, and anthocyanin levels, thus explaining the poorer results obtained from multispectral satellite data for the early detection of vascular diseases. Adding a thermal-based crop water stress indicator to the satellite data improved the overall accuracies by 10–15% and increased κ by >0.2 units. This work shows that commercial multispectral high-spatial resolution imagery can be used to detect intermediate and advanced Xf and Vd infection, but that the early detection of disease symptoms requires hyperspectral and thermal data. • Detection of symptoms due to vascular pathogens was evaluated with satellite imagery. • Hyperspectral and thermal images used as benchmark to assess the detection performance. • Both spectral bandsets were accurate to detect intermediate and advanced stages of infection. • Multispectral satellite data were unable to detect early stages of infection accurately. • Combining airborne thermal with satellite data improved accuracy up to 15% & κ ≥ 0.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The space-time distribution of rainfall influenced the vegetative phenophases. • The reproductive phenophases showed few space-time variations. • Seed harvesting should be undertaken in November, before dispersal. • Plant height, associated with more developed soils, affected leaf production. • Smaller stem diameters produced a greater number of buds and flowers. The scarcity of phenological studies based on different populations of tropical forest trees limits seed management and collection for reforestation efforts. Precipitation is the primary factor driving tropical plant phenology in seasonal environments, although other environmental variables and plant traits may be associated. We examined the seasonality, synchrony, and intensities of the vegetative and reproductive phenophases of four populations of Handroanthus spongiosus , an endangered species, under similar climate regimes in a seasonally dry tropical forest, in northeastern Brazil. We expected to observe some divergence in the phenologies of the populations related to distinct functional traits selected for by differences in rainfall and soil properties. Mature trees (n = 87) were monitored during a three-year period. Seasonality was examined using circular statistics, and the influences of environmental variables on phenophases were investigated using generalized additive models. Variations in intensities and activity indices were identified among the different populations. Vegetative phenophases were seasonal, driven by precipitation and photoperiod, with leaf longevity of up to 7 months; budding peaked in February-March, while leaf fall peaked in April and October. The reproductive phenophases were found to be seasonal, during the rainy season (November to April), influenced by temperature and photoperiod. The slight divergences noted among the phenological behaviors of the populations were related to distinct functional traits (e.g., tree height, stem diameter) selected for by differences in certain environmental variables (rainfall volumes and soil properties). Given ongoing global climate changes, increases in leaf fall and reductions of flowering intensity, as verified here, will likely be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directional climate change can potentially cause a nested pattern of species occurrences as species move or go extinct. That is, species-poor communities may become a nested subset of species-rich communities. There is a precedent for understanding these patterns in the context of historical climate change but few researchers have studied these patterns in the context of recent changes to climate. Here we show the value of nestedness analyses for understanding plant community responses to reduced annual rainfall using data on seedling establishment in restored jarrah forest between the years of 1992 and 2010. Specifically, we recorded the annual seedling establishment of species assemblages in plots 15 months after restoration. We tested to what extent jarrah-forest assemblages that established in low (<1000 mm) rainfall years were nested within assemblages that established in years of moderate (1000–1200 mm) and high (>1200 mm) rainfall, and whether assemblages established following lower standard restoration practice were nested subsets of those following higher standard practices. We also tested how both types of nestedness patterns varied among trait groups defined by status (i.e., native or non-native), life-form and seed size. We found high support for species and trait assemblages that established in dry years being a nested subset of assemblages that established in years of moderate rainfall, and consistently low support for nestedness of high in low, and moderate in low, rainfall years. Nestedness patterns associated with restoration practice were as we predicted. Recruitment failure in low rainfall years was the most parsimonious explanation for nestedness patterns associated with rainfall (i.e., selective environmental tolerance). Nestedness patterns associated with restoration practice were explained by differential seed dispersal of species via topsoil and their tolerance of inferior restoration practice. Taken together, we demonstrate the application of the nestedness approach for understanding community responses to climate change in a restoration context. Indeed, generalising species responses to climate change by linking these to ecological processes and traits will help to meet the current global demand for forest restoration. Therefore, we anticipate our findings will interest practitioners working to restore the world’s forests under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetated buffer strips constitute a transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and provide several ecosystem services. Buffer strips are often applied as a mitigation measure against diffuse pollution in agricultural areas, primarily because they may retain nutrients and in this way help protect the aquatic environment. Additionally, they can improve biodiversity in an otherwise homogenous landscape and may therefore have a value in their own right. In the present study, we characterized the structural and functional features of the vegetation in Danish buffer strips using a nationwide dataset to explore: i) their floristic quality in terms of species diversity and conservation value and ii) based on their functional characteristics, their potential to retain nutrients. Moreover, we analyzed how the structural and functional characteristics varied along gradients in the environmental features of the catchment. We found that the floristic quality of the buffer vegetation was generally low, exhibiting an average of only 3.3% of the number of species of conservation interest. Instead, Danish buffer strips were dominated by widespread and productive species that are tolerant of anthropogenic impacts in the catchment. The abundance of highly productive plant species was positively related to high intensity land use, whereas the abundance of stress-tolerant plant species was positively related to low intensity land use. The high productivity of the buffer strips implies a large bio-storage potential, and these areas might therefore offer an opportunity to remove nutrients by harvesting the plant biomass. We discuss how Danish buffer strips could be exploited via appropriate management (e.g. harvesting) to maximize nutrient retention and at the same time improve floristic quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cities increasingly become the dominant settlement form across the world, it is critical to gain a deeper insight into their dynamics, in order to better direct environmental management towards enhancing urban sustainability and environmental quality. People are a key driver shaping the ecological makeup of cities, not least through landscaping actions and choices. In this study, we explore social factors shaping plant selection in Cape Town, South Africa through interviews with stakeholders responsible for managing and landscaping across three land use types: private residential gardens, public parks and open space, and conservation areas. We combine an interdisciplinary, multi-scalar framework on residential landscape dynamics and a plant traits lens to structure our approach to examining the influence of social factors on plant selection across spatial and institutional scales in the city, from a bottom-up perspective. Residents name a variety of reasons for plant selection at the household scale related to plant traits, including aesthetics, utility (e.g., food provision), environmental suitability, and personal symbolic meanings. Parks managers select for ecological suitability as well as aesthetic concerns, and conservation managers select chiefly for ecological integrity. All stakeholders describe factors at other scales (e.g., property structure, government policies) that influence their plant selection. We indicate that a complementary patchwork of private gardens and public open spaces could serve as a source of trait diversity and provide a variety of ecosystem functions and services in the urban landscape, and suggest that management and policy efforts can focus on leveraging synergies towards this end. This study contributes to a greater understanding of the social-ecological dynamics in a global south city and biodiversity hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declining near-infrared (NIR) surface reflectance between early and late summer, here termed greendown, is a common, yet poorly understood phenomena in remote sensing time series of temperate deciduous forests. As revealed by phenology analysis of Landsat satellite data, there are strong spatial patterns in the rate of greendown across temperate deciduous forest landscapes, and analyzing these patterns could help advance our understanding of surface reflectance drivers. Within an oak-hickory ( Quercus spp . – Carya spp.) forest landscape in western Maryland, USA, we tested how spatial patterns in greendown related to potential drivers at the landscape-, tree crown- and leaf-levels. We found that 50% of the spatial variability in greendown was explained by landscape variables, with greendown particularly higher in locations with higher maximum greenness, more southerly aspects, or locations with greater abundance of white oak ( Quercus alba ). The importance of species composition as a driver of greendown was supported at the tree crown level, where, relative to three other tree species, white oak exhibited the most consistent trend toward more vertical leaf angles later in the season. At the leaf level, NIR reflectance decreased in productive sites where %N increased, and δ 13 C decreased, through the season. However, among all sites, there were no consistent seasonal trends in foliar NIR reflectance, and we found no correlation among leaf-level NIR reflectance and satellite-observed greendown. Collectively, these results suggest that the spatial variability of greendown in this oak-hickory forest is most strongly controlled by an interaction of topographic and species compositional drivers operating at the landscape and tree crown levels. We found spatial analysis of greendown to be a useful approach to explore landscape-, tree crown-, and leaf-level controls on surface reflectance, and thereby help translate land surface phenology data into predictions of ecosystem structure and functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By mainly focusing on leaves and roots, functional ecology has been omitting an important dimension of plant form and function. Horizontal spacers (rooting stems and roots with adventitious shoots) have an important role in competition, multiplication, foraging, and resprouting. In this report, we provide overview of what is known about the functions of horizontal rooting stems and how such horizontal spacers affect plant performance and community functions. To date, horizontal spacers have been considered only in studies restricted to specific biomes, growth forms, or regions. Consideration of their functions in broader contexts will improve our understanding of plant strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant species are diverse in form, function and environmental response. This provides enormous potential for designing nature-based stormwater treatment technologies, such as biofiltration systems. However, species can vary dramatically in their pollutant-removal performance, particularly for nitrogen removal. Currently, there is a lack of information on how to efficiently select from the vast palette of species. This study aimed to identify plant traits beneficial to performance and create a decision-support tool to screen species for further testing. A laboratory experiment using 220 biofilter columns paired plant morphological characteristics with nitrogen removal and water loss for 20 Australian native species and two lawn grasses. Testing was undertaken during wet and dry conditions, for two biofilter designs (saturated zone and free-draining). An extensive root system and high total biomass were critical to the effective removal of total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate (NO 3 − ), driven by high nitrogen assimilation. The same characteristics were key to performance under dry conditions, and were associated with high water use for Australian native plants; linking assimilation and transpiration. The decision-support tool uses these scientific relationships and readily-available information to identify the morphology, natural distribution and stress tolerances likely to be good predictors of plant nitrogen and water uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is projected to strongly affect the hydrological cycle, altering water availability and causing successive shifts in vegetation composition and distribution. To reduce potential negative effects on vegetation, policymakers may implement hydrological climate adaptation measures, which may -in turn- require land use changes to be successful. Policy driven land use changes should therefore be taken into account when evaluating climate change and adaptation effects on the water-vegetation system, but this is rarely done. To support such policy interventions, we applied a coupled land use – hydrology – vegetation model to simulate effects of (i) climate change, (ii) socio-economic change, (iii) hydrological measures and (iv) policy driven land use change, alone and in interaction, on vegetation communities in the Netherlands. We simulated two climate scenarios for 2050 that differed in predicted temperature (+0.9 °C and +2.8 °C) and precipitation changes (groundwater recharge +4% or −14%). The associated socio-economic scenarios differed in the increase of gross margins per agricultural class. The land use changes concerned agricultural changes and development of new nature areas from agricultural land. Individually, land use changes had the biggest effect on vegetation distribution and composition, followed by the hydrological measures and climate change itself. Our results also indicate that the combination of all four factors triggered the biggest response in the extent of newly created nature areas (+6.5%) and the highest diversity in vegetation types, compared to other combinations (max. +5.4%) and separate factors. This study shows that an interdisciplinary, coupled modelling approach is essential when evaluating climate adaptation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depending on resource availability plants exhibit a specific suite of traits. At the interspecific level these traits follow the leaf economic spectrum (LES), traits related to slow turnover when resources are poor and fast turnover when resources are plentiful. Limited data shows that within species, CO 2 availability, low in the recent geologic past, high in the near future, has led to plants shifting their trait levels on the LES towards faster traits. We asked whether adjustments of physiological traits could underpin faster growth from low to high CO 2 and how these responses varied among plant functional types. We analysed the trait response of seedlings of up to 28 C3 plant species grown at low (160 ppm), near-ambient (450 ppm), and high (750 ppm) CO 2 . We measured growth, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf gas exchange, chemical composition and stomatal traits. On average photosynthesis was reduced by 59% at low CO 2 and increased by 14% at high CO 2 compared to ambient CO 2 . Respiration decreased by 21% at low CO 2 and increased by 39% at high CO 2 . Nitrogen content (N) per mass increased by 50% at low CO 2 and decreased by 9% at high CO 2 . Plants drastically increased SLA at low CO 2 so that despite lower carbon gain per area, carbon gain per unit mass was not reduced as much. Contrary to the responses to other resources, plant traits along the LES are adjusted towards the “fast” end of the spectrum (higher SLA, higher N) at low CO 2 and towards the “slow” end (lower SLA, lower N) with increasing CO 2 . For a limited number of species photosynthesis per unit mass showed the same, increase at low CO 2 . From a resource economics perspective plants thus adjust the cost for growth towards the availability of carbon and the rate of assimilation: at lower CO 2 the carbon costs decrease due to decreased respiration and lower leaf mass per area (higher SLA thinner leaves). At higher CO 2 the carbon costs increase due to increased respiration and higher leaf mass per area (lower SLA thicker leaves). This suggests that CO 2 increases from the past to the future are allowing plant species globally to combine faster growth with more robust, resource conservative leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plant resistance to hydropeaking was tested using functional trait-based indices. • Grasses resisted well hydropeaking flooding and water-level fluctuations. • Trees and shrubs may successfully cope with hydropeaking baseflow periods. • Forbs were rather vulnerable to all the hydropeaking disturbances. • Our indices may help detect suitable species to restore hydropower rivers. Hydropeaking, which refers to large and rapid flow fluctuations caused by the turning on or off of hydro-turbines to generate electricity, is a topic of growing interest due to its impact on fluvial ecosystems. To date, most hydropeaking studies have focused on the impact of this hydropower operation mode on invertebrate and fish communities, but little attention has been paid to its impact on riverine communities and how functional traits may make plants resistant to hydropeaking. We determined how a set of 32 plant functional traits are expressed in 14 riverine species, and how such expression affects their capacity to cope with common sources of hydropeaking disturbance (i.e., inundation, water stress, and rapid water fluctuations linked to up-ramping and down-ramping hydropeaking operations). We categorized species as "resistant", "partially-resistant" or "vulnerable" based on the capacity of each trait to confer resistance to hydropeaking disturbances. Two indexes (i.e., "hydropeaking plant species resistance index" (HPPR) and "hydropeaking plant community resistance" index (HPCR)) were developed to rank our species based on their tolerance to hydropeaking and to determine which were the commonest "hydropeaking-resistant" traits within the plant community. Our results evidenced that coincidences in trait expression are common between species with similar growth forms. Grasses were the most resistant to inundation and water fluctuations, whereas trees and shrubs were so to water stress. In general, forbs were rather vulnerable to all the hydropeaking disturbances. The differences observed between the resistance expected and the obtained for several plant species illustrate the importance of our approach to fine-tune the diagnostics on plant species vulnerability to hydropeaking.. We believe this initiative will help river managers to detect suitable species to restore rivers affected by hydropower production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is commonly assumed that closely related species share more similar niches than do distantly related species, thus limiting their ability to coexist and leading to patterns of phylogenetic over-dispersion. On the contrary, recent theoretical developments argue that competitive exclusion may lead to patterns of either over-dispersion, clustering or randomness, depending on the relative importance of niche differences and interspecific competitive ability differences. In this study, we utilized semi-natural grassland communities to test the hypothesis that the pattern of species relatedness generated by competitive exclusion depends on species niche differences. Instead of inferring processes from observed patterns, we experimentally manipulated grassland plots to test the effects of competitive exclusion. We compared grazed plots (in which grazing functioned as an equalizing mechanism and suppressed aboveground competition) with neighbouring plots experimentally excluded from grazing over the course of nine years (in which aboveground competition was not prevented). Weak niche differences between species allowed competitive exclusion to generate phylogenetic clustering, because phylogenetically structured plant canopy height and capacity for lateral spread conferred superior competitive ability to grasses that outcompeted species in all dicot branches. By contrast, moderate niche differences allowed competitive exclusion to result in a random pattern of phylogenetic species assembly, because species niche differences partially counterbalanced competitive exclusion by superior competitors in the grass family. We conclude that patterns of species relatedness created by competitive exclusion in Iberian Atlantic grasslands depend on species niche differences. Competitive exclusion may cause differential patterns of phylogenetic assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes Mart. Solms Pontederiaceae) mainly occurs as a free-floating aquatic plant, but can survive decreasing water levels when rooted in soil. This adaptation to seasonal fluctuations in hydrology may contribute to its invasive potential in natural and man-made water bodies, where stranded plants can take root. To understand how water hyacinth plants rooted in saturated-soil compared to floating conspecifics, we conducted a month long mesocosm growth experiment in a well fertilised outdoor pool (experiment one) comparing plant traits between treatments. Following this, we investigated the effect of water stress on the plants rooted in soil, by conducting a progressive and prolonged drought (experiment two). We simultaneously investigated the effect of nutrient depletion in the mesocosm, on both the floating plants and those in saturated-soil. Plant physiological parameters were measured on these treatments. Plants were re-watered after the drought to assess mortality at two different drought intensities. Floating plants produced a larger total leaf area compared to plants rooted in saturated-soil, however, plants in both treatments developed a similar number of leaves and ramets. Progressive drought reduced photosynthesis, which was attributed to both stomatal and metabolic limitations. Nutrient stress reduced photosynthesis more in floating plants than rooted plants, and these reductions in photosynthesis were solely attributed to metabolic limitations caused by a decreased chlorophyll content. Plants recovered from prolonged drought but not prolonged severe drought. Water-stressed water hyacinth exhibited a drought avoidance strategy, a trait which may contribute to its ability to persist in variable aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concern over global environmental change and associated uncertainty has given rise to greater emphasis on fostering resilience through forest management. We examined the impact of standard silvicultural systems (including clearcutting, shelterwood, and selection) compared with unharvested controls on tree functional identity and functional diversity in three forest types distributed across the northeastern United States. Sites included the Argonne, Bartlett, and Penobscot Experimental Forests located in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Maine, respectively. We quantified functional trait means for leaf mass per area, specific gravity, maximum height, height achieved at 20 years, seed mass, drought tolerance, shade tolerance, and flood tolerance as well as standard functional diversity measures from standing biomass reconstructed at the beginning and end of a 20-year study period using increment cores and historic inventory data. As expected, functional identity differed between harvest methods with means for plant traits associated with later stages of succession (e.g. shade tolerance) increasing in stands managed with selection systems. Opposite trends occurred with greater canopy disturbance, and functional diversity indices remained stable over time in the absence of disturbance. Estimates of functional diversity and functional identity hold promise as important approaches for evaluating outcomes of forest management, particularly as the connections among functional diversity, delivery of ecosystem services, and ecosystem resilience are further developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to investigate the functional composition of the understory of Mediterranean beech forest stands that have been managed in two different ways, namely, coppicing and tree by tree harvesting. In particular, we used a trait-based approach to characterize old coppice and high forest stands, analyzing their differences and evaluating the status of old coppices by considering their conversion towards high forest stands. The study area was the Montagne della Duchessa massif in central Italy, which lies at the center of the Apennine chain. Sixty-six plots were laid out and their species abundance and structural parameters were recorded. Data on plant traits were collected using both European databases and the literature available. Redundancy analysis was performed to assess the relationship between trait states and management, and forward selection was used to identify the structural parameters with a significant effect on trait variability. A Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test was done to assess differences in trait states between the management types. High forests proved to be more related to traits typical of mature forest conditions, while old coppices seemed not to have a clear trait association, except for some trait states related to open habitats, and showed the same “mature forest” trait composition, even if with lower abundances. This indicates that, despite the higher initial disturbance pressure, once abandoned, old coppices tend over time to evolve naturally towards mature forest functional conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban biodiversity is strongly correlated with human well-being and is quickly becoming a new research field. Most previous studies in this field focus on patterns of species richness but few consider species and trait compositions and how these are shaped by anthropogenic and environmental drivers. Such information, however, is critical for effective planning and management of urban species. We compiled published species lists from 71 Chinese university campuses. We also collected environmental data for each campus, including anthropogenic (campus age and area) and environmental variables (climate and topography), to explore the distribution patterns and the drivers of species richness, composition and traits. We found that university campuses in China maintain substantial plant diversity, including at least 1565 woody and 1614 herbaceous species. The distribution pattern of campus species richness was mostly driven by anthropogenic variables, being positively correlated with campus age and size. In contrast, campus species composition and leaf traits were mostly driven by climate variables. This was especially true for woody plants of which campus species composition and traits were more constrained by mean annual temperature than herb species. Our study provides a basic but diverse database for the selection of campus plants, which can benefit the management of urban ecosystems. Our results reveal that landscape design can influence urban species richness, species composition is still restricted by the natural environment. Hence, many endangered species can be protected in these human-friendly urban ecosystems if they have suitable traits adapted to local climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fleshy-fruited plants rely on animal frugivores to disperse their seeds, and seed removal by frugivores may leave an imprint on seedling recruitment. However, to what extent plant–frugivore interactions are related to seedling recruitment has rarely been quantified at the community level, especially in species-rich tropical forests. In this study, we tested the effect of different plant traits on fruit removal by frugivores and tested the relative importance of fruit removal, plant traits and abiotic factors for seedling recruitment. We quantified plant–frugivore interactions of 22 fleshy-fruited plant species consumed by 56 diurnal frugivore species, and counted the number of seedlings that emerged along an elevational gradient in the Colombian Andes. We measured a set of plant traits ( i.e. , crop size; fruit size; seed load and mass; fruit nutritional contents), estimated the density of adult plants and recorded relevant abiotic factors (light, temperature and humidity). We found that fruit removal by frugivores was positively associated with crop size, but negatively associated with fruit length and unrelated to seed load and fruit nutritional content. Seedling densities were positively related to the density of adult plants, seed mass and fruit removal by animals. We found no relationship between abiotic factors and seedling recruitment. Our results indicate that fruit abundance and morphology are important determinants of fruit removal and that fruit removal is positively associated with seedling recruitment accounting for effects of species abundance and plant traits. We conclude that plant traits shape fruit removal and seedling recruitment at the community level, while these two crucial processes of forest regeneration are directly linked by seed dispersal of animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green roof plants can reduce local air temperatures and heat load to a building in the summer, improving thermal comfort of residents. Little is known, however, about how different plants compare in their potential to provide these two ecosystem services. Consequently, this study investigated whether some plants can offer more potential summertime environmental cooling and substrate insulation than others. Over two summers (2012/2013), canopies of two succulent and four broad-leaved plant genotypes, with contrasting plant traits, were monitored alongside bare substrate in Reading, UK. Plants were studied outdoors within small plots (1.5 × 1.5 × 0.1 m). Continuous monitoring took place during warm days and nights and included variables (leaf surface temperatures) and fluxes (long-wave radiation, sensible heat flux and transpiration) that are indicative of cooling potential. The strength of substrate insulation was estimated by comparing the ground heat flux below the canopies to that of the bare substrate. Plant traits (leaf colour or thickness), structural parameters (height and leaf area index, LAI), radiative properties (albedo and emissivity), and stomatal conductance were also measured to help explain the differences in cooling potential among the species. Non-succulent canopies, in particular light-coloured ones, with high leaf stomatal conductance and high LAI provided maximum potential for substrate insulation and environmental cooling in hot periods, particularly compared to bare substrate and thick-leaved succulents. These results suggest that succulent plants are not best suited to provide significant summertime environmental cooling and substrate insulation and that others (e.g. Salvia and Stachys ) might be preferable where the delivery of these benefits is a priority. Our findings highlight that, in addition to survival, aesthetics and cost, the plants’ ability to deliver a range of ecosystem services should be considered in the plant selection/green roof planning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil slopes constructed in southern China are susceptible to serious erosion due to substrate characteristics and high precipitation, which is commonly mitigated by revegetation. Ferns are potentially useful for erosion control due to their dense plant cover and adaptation to slopes. However, information regarding the effectiveness of ferns in erosion control is scarce. This study assessed the erosion-reducing potential of recently planted ferns on slopes. Five native fern species of southern China, namely, Blechnum orientale , Cyclosorus parasiticus , Dicranopteris pedata , Nephrolepis auriculata and Pteris vittata , were chosen for the assessment. Each fern species was grown to reach two levels of cover (40% and 80%) in 1.0 × 0.5 m 2 soil boxes tilted to 50°, and boxes with bare soil acted as the control. The erosion control performance was tested using a rainfall simulator, which provided a rainfall intensity of 100 mm h − 1 to reflect a heavy rainstorm event. Various plant traits were examined to explore their roles in reducing erosion. The results demonstrated that both cover and plant traits have significant effects on the erosion-reducing potential of ferns. The high cover of ferns (80%) could reduce the runoff volume by 65.0% and sediment loss by 96.1% compared with the control. The leaf area index (LAI), root area ratio (RAR) and root density (RD) were highly correlated with erosion-reducing potential. Among species, N. auriculata outperformed the other species by having stronger performance of these plant traits. To confirm the results further, more field experimentation and comparisons of ferns and grasses in mitigating runoff and sediment loss on soil slopes are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of ferns in erosion control under in situ conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]