Abstract. Herbivore damage can induce anti-herbivore traits in plants. However, there is little data regarding how these induced traits affect a plant's palatability (an important factor in determining the likelihood and magnitude of herbivore damage) across multiple generations post-induction, or whether the effect of transgenerational induction differs between generalist and specialist herbivores. Here we used palatability as a measure of the effects of transgenerational defensive induction in wild radish plants. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to determine whether generalist (slugs) and specialist (caterpillars of the white cabbage butterfly) herbivores' preference for wild radish differed depending on the number of previous generations that experienced herbivory. We found lowered palatability in plants with two or three inductions in their past in the case of generalist slugs, while palatability to a specialist herbivore was not affected by transgenerational induction. We conclude that the history of herbivory experienced by a plant's ancestors over multiple generations may play an important role in its ability to defend itself against generalist herbivores, but not against the specialists with whom they have co-evolved. Our findings suggest that the effects that multiple past inductions may have on palatability down the family line can be expected to have ecological and evolutionary implications.
{"title":"Cumulative effects of transgenerational induction on plant palatability to generalist and specialist herbivores","authors":"Isabelle P. Neylan, R. Dirzo, M. Sobral","doi":"10.5194/WE-18-41-2018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-18-41-2018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Herbivore damage can induce anti-herbivore traits in plants. However, there\u0000is little data regarding how these induced traits\u0000affect a plant's palatability (an important factor in determining the\u0000likelihood and magnitude of herbivore damage) across multiple generations\u0000post-induction, or whether the effect of transgenerational induction differs\u0000between generalist and specialist herbivores. Here we used palatability as a\u0000measure of the effects of transgenerational defensive induction in wild\u0000radish plants. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to determine whether\u0000generalist (slugs) and specialist (caterpillars of the white cabbage\u0000butterfly) herbivores' preference for wild radish differed depending on the\u0000number of previous generations that experienced herbivory. We found lowered\u0000palatability in plants with two or three inductions in their past in the case\u0000of generalist slugs, while palatability to a specialist herbivore was not\u0000affected by transgenerational induction. We conclude that the history of\u0000herbivory experienced by a plant's ancestors over multiple generations may\u0000play an important role in its ability to defend itself against generalist\u0000herbivores, but not against the specialists with whom they have co-evolved.\u0000Our findings suggest that the effects that multiple past inductions may have\u0000on palatability down the family line can be expected to have ecological and\u0000evolutionary implications.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"47 1","pages":"41-46"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2018-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89099907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Battisti, G. Fanelli, S. Bertolino, L. Luiselli, G. Amori, S. Gippoliti
Abstract. Many practices have been proposed in conservation education to facilitate a re-connection between nature and the young digital generation in anthropized contexts. In this paper we suggest that, at least in some specific circumstances (urban and suburban areas), non-native invasive species may have a paradoxical and positive impact in conservation education strategies, playing a role as an experiential tool, which represents a cultural ecosystem service, i.e. an ecosystem service that produces cultural benefits by improving pro-environmental behaviours in young people.
{"title":"Non-native invasive species as paradoxical ecosystem services in urban conservation education","authors":"C. Battisti, G. Fanelli, S. Bertolino, L. Luiselli, G. Amori, S. Gippoliti","doi":"10.5194/WE-18-37-2018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-18-37-2018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Many practices have been proposed in conservation education to facilitate\u0000a re-connection between nature and the young digital generation in\u0000anthropized contexts. In this paper we suggest that, at least in some\u0000specific circumstances (urban and suburban areas), non-native invasive\u0000species may have a paradoxical and positive impact in conservation education\u0000strategies, playing a role as an experiential tool, which represents a\u0000cultural ecosystem service, i.e. an ecosystem service that produces cultural\u0000benefits by improving pro-environmental behaviours in young people.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"25 5 1","pages":"37-40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2018-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86948360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mauro Nereu, R. Heleno, Francisco A. López-Núñez, Mário Agostinho, J. Ramos
Abstract. Management of agricultural landscapes can influence the biodiversity and the ecological services provided by these ecosystems, such as natural biological pest control. Viticulture is a very important economic activity in most countries with Mediterranean climate, often shaping their landscapes and culture. Grape production is affected by a number of pests and diseases, and farmers use prophylactic and response-driven pesticides to control these pests. Here we quantified the main biotic causes of crop losses in four grape castes, two red (Touriga Nacional and Baga) and two white (Arinto and Chardonnay), and evaluated the potential effect of native biodiversity to provide biotic resistance to pest outbreaks and grape losses. Specifically, the diversity and abundance of bird and insect communities in these vineyards were quantified and divided into functional guilds (pest, neutral or auxiliary), to test whether these natural communities hold the potential to naturally control grape pests (biotic resistance hypothesis) under normal vineyard management (including pesticide application regimes). A potential association between distance to the vineyard edge and grape losses was also evaluated. We recorded a very small proportion of grape losses (mean = 0.6 %; max = 7.5 %), with insect pests showing a preference for the castes Baga (red) and Chardonnay (white), while bird pests avoided the caste Arinto (white). Grape color did not influence losses caused by insect pests, but birds showed a preference for red castes. The caste Baga was also more vulnerable to losses caused by fungi. Despite their low impact on grape production, most insects and birds detected in the six vineyards were pests, which entails a potentially low level of biotic resistance in this highly managed agricultural ecosystem. Further research is necessary to fully evaluate the role of functional biodiversity in vineyards, particularly if alternative production processes, such as organic farming, can increase the potential of native biodiversity to protect against grape losses from pests under lower regimes of chemical spraying.
{"title":"Effects of native biodiversity on grape loss of four castes: testing the biotic resistance hypothesis","authors":"Mauro Nereu, R. Heleno, Francisco A. López-Núñez, Mário Agostinho, J. Ramos","doi":"10.5194/WE-18-15-2018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-18-15-2018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Management of agricultural landscapes can influence the biodiversity and the ecological services provided by these ecosystems, such as natural biological pest control. Viticulture is a very important economic activity in most countries with Mediterranean climate, often shaping their landscapes and culture. Grape production is affected by a number of pests and diseases, and farmers use prophylactic and response-driven pesticides to control these pests. Here we quantified the main biotic causes of crop losses in four grape castes, two red (Touriga Nacional and Baga) and two white (Arinto and Chardonnay), and evaluated the potential effect of native biodiversity to provide biotic resistance to pest outbreaks and grape losses. Specifically, the diversity and abundance of bird and insect communities in these vineyards were quantified and divided into functional guilds (pest, neutral or auxiliary), to test whether these natural communities hold the potential to naturally control grape pests (biotic resistance hypothesis) under normal vineyard management (including pesticide application regimes). A potential association between distance to the vineyard edge and grape losses was also evaluated. We recorded a very small proportion of grape losses (mean = 0.6 %; max = 7.5 %), with insect pests showing a preference for the castes Baga (red) and Chardonnay (white), while bird pests avoided the caste Arinto (white). Grape color did not influence losses caused by insect pests, but birds showed a preference for red castes. The caste Baga was also more vulnerable to losses caused by fungi. Despite their low impact on grape production, most insects and birds detected in the six vineyards were pests, which entails a potentially low level of biotic resistance in this highly managed agricultural ecosystem. Further research is necessary to fully evaluate the role of functional biodiversity in vineyards, particularly if alternative production processes, such as organic farming, can increase the potential of native biodiversity to protect against grape losses from pests under lower regimes of chemical spraying.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"63 1","pages":"15-27"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2018-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87404888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zongzheng Chai, W. Tan, Yuanyuan Li, Lan Yan, Hongbo Yuan, Zhaojun Li
Abstract. The relationship between height and diameter (H-D) is an important component in forest growth and yield models, and a better understanding of the relationship will improve forest monitoring, management, and biomass estimation. Sixteen nonlinear growth functions were fitted to H-D data for 1261 trees from a Cryptomeria fortunei plantation in the Pingba region of Guizhou Province, China. Of the 1261 trees, 80 % were randomly selected for model calibration, while the remaining trees were reserved for model validation. All models were evaluated and compared by means of multiple-model performance criteria. Although all 16 models showed a good fit to the dataset and each of them accounted for more than 75 % of the total variation in height, a large difference in asymptotic estimates was observed. The Chapman–Richards, Weibull, and Naslund models were recommended for C. fortunei plantations, due to their satisfactory height prediction and biological interpretability.
{"title":"Generalized nonlinear height–diameter models for a Cryptomeria fortunei plantation in the Pingba region of Guizhou Province, China","authors":"Zongzheng Chai, W. Tan, Yuanyuan Li, Lan Yan, Hongbo Yuan, Zhaojun Li","doi":"10.5194/WE-18-29-2018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-18-29-2018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. The relationship between height and diameter (H-D) is an important component\u0000in forest growth and yield models, and a better understanding of the\u0000relationship will improve forest monitoring, management, and biomass\u0000estimation. Sixteen nonlinear growth functions were fitted to H-D data for\u00001261 trees from a Cryptomeria fortunei plantation in the Pingba\u0000region of Guizhou Province, China. Of the 1261 trees, 80 % were randomly\u0000selected for model calibration, while the remaining trees were reserved for\u0000model validation. All models were evaluated and compared by means of\u0000multiple-model performance criteria. Although all 16 models showed a good fit\u0000to the dataset and each of them accounted for more than 75 % of the total\u0000variation in height, a large difference in asymptotic estimates was observed.\u0000The Chapman–Richards, Weibull, and Naslund models were recommended for\u0000C. fortunei plantations, due to their satisfactory height prediction\u0000and biological interpretability.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"22 2","pages":"29-35"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2018-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72479806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Gómez‐González, Maria Paniw, Kamila Antunes, F. Ojeda
Abstract. In fire-prone ecosystems, many plant species have specialized mechanisms of seed dormancy that ensure a successful recruitment after fire. A well-documented mechanism is the germination stimulated by fire-related cues, such as heat shock and smoke. However, less is known about the role of inhibitory germination signals (e.g. allelopathy) in regulating post-fire recruitment. Plant leachates derived from the unburned vegetation can enforce dormancy by means of allelopathic compounds, acting as a signal of unfavourable (highly competitive) niche for germination in pyrophyte species. Here, we assessed the separate effects of heat shock and plant leachates on seed germination of Drosophyllum lusitanicum, an endangered carnivorous plant endemic to Mediterranean fire-prone heathlands. We performed a germination experiment in which seeds were subjected to three treatments: (1) 5 min at 100 ∘ C, (2) watering with plant leachate, and (3) control. Germination rate and seed viability was determined after 63 days. Heat shock stimulated seed germination in D. lusitanicum while plant leachates had inhibitory germination effects without reducing seed viability. Thus, both positive and negative signals could be involved in its successful post-fire recruitment. Fire would break seed dormancy and stimulate seed germination of D. lusitanicum through high temperatures, but also by eliminating allelochemical compounds from the soil. These results help to understand the population dynamics patterns found for D. lusitanicum in natural populations, and highlight the role of fire in the ecology and conservation of this endangered species. Seed dormancy imposed by plant-derived leachates as an adaptive mechanism should be considered more in fire ecology theory.
{"title":"Heat shock and plant leachates regulate seed germination of the endangered carnivorous plant Drosophyllum lusitanicum","authors":"S. Gómez‐González, Maria Paniw, Kamila Antunes, F. Ojeda","doi":"10.5194/WE-18-7-2018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-18-7-2018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. In fire-prone ecosystems, many plant species have specialized\u0000mechanisms of seed dormancy that ensure a successful recruitment\u0000after fire. A well-documented mechanism is the germination\u0000stimulated by fire-related cues, such as heat shock and\u0000smoke. However, less is known about the role of inhibitory\u0000germination signals (e.g. allelopathy) in regulating post-fire\u0000recruitment. Plant leachates derived from the unburned vegetation\u0000can enforce dormancy by means of allelopathic compounds, acting as\u0000a signal of unfavourable (highly competitive) niche for germination\u0000in pyrophyte species. Here, we assessed the separate effects of heat\u0000shock and plant leachates on seed germination of\u0000Drosophyllum lusitanicum, an endangered carnivorous plant\u0000endemic to Mediterranean fire-prone heathlands. We performed\u0000a germination experiment in which seeds were subjected to three\u0000treatments: (1) 5 min at 100 ∘ C, (2) watering with\u0000plant leachate, and (3) control. Germination rate and seed\u0000viability was determined after 63 days. Heat shock stimulated seed\u0000germination in D. lusitanicum while plant leachates had\u0000inhibitory germination effects without reducing seed\u0000viability. Thus, both positive and negative signals could be\u0000involved in its successful post-fire recruitment. Fire would break\u0000seed dormancy and stimulate seed germination of\u0000D. lusitanicum through high temperatures, but also by\u0000eliminating allelochemical compounds from the soil. These results\u0000help to understand the population dynamics patterns found for\u0000D. lusitanicum in natural populations, and highlight the\u0000role of fire in the ecology and conservation of this endangered\u0000species. Seed dormancy imposed by plant-derived leachates as an\u0000adaptive mechanism should be considered more in fire ecology theory.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"68 1","pages":"7-13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2018-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86394749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. Pouteria splendens (A.DC.) Kuntze, the Chilean lucumo, is an endemic tree and the only member of the Sapotaceae family in Chile. It is considered an endangered species as a consequence of its restricted distribution and small population size. Currently, individuals of P. splendens are immersed in a heterogeneous landscape with rocky mounds and plains located in areas densely populated by humans. Natural regeneration in the species seems to be low, despite the fact that plants are able to produce fruits. The species produces brightly colored fleshy drupes. There is no information about the dispersal pattern and the fate of the seeds. In this work we investigate (i) the seed dispersal pattern and (ii) the effect of tree canopy and the presence of leaf litter on seed survival, both in rocky mounds and plains. Results indicated an extremely low distance of seed dispersal, with most of the seeds falling down under the canopy. Seed survival under the canopy without leaf litter was very low and even zero in rocky mounds. Nevertheless, the presence of leaf litter covering the seeds increased survival in both habitats. Outside the canopy, seed survival only increased in plains. We suggest that future conservation programs should focus on protecting both adult plants and leaf litter under trees.
{"title":"Leaf litter is essential for seed survival of the endemic endangered tree Pouteria splendens (Sapotaceae) from central Chile","authors":"Gastón J. Sotes, R. Bustamante, C. Henríquez","doi":"10.5194/WE-18-1-2018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-18-1-2018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Pouteria splendens (A.DC.) Kuntze, the Chilean lucumo, is\u0000an endemic tree and the only member of the Sapotaceae family in Chile. It is\u0000considered an endangered species as a consequence of its restricted\u0000distribution and small population size. Currently, individuals of\u0000P. splendens are immersed in a heterogeneous landscape with rocky\u0000mounds and plains located in areas densely populated by humans. Natural\u0000regeneration in the species seems to be low, despite the fact that plants are able to\u0000produce fruits. The species produces brightly colored fleshy drupes. There is\u0000no information about the dispersal pattern and the fate of the seeds. In this\u0000work we investigate (i) the seed dispersal pattern and (ii) the effect of\u0000tree canopy and the presence of leaf litter on seed survival, both in rocky\u0000mounds and plains. Results indicated an extremely low distance of seed\u0000dispersal, with most of the seeds falling down under the canopy. Seed survival\u0000under the canopy without leaf litter was very low and even zero in rocky\u0000mounds. Nevertheless, the presence of leaf litter covering the seeds increased\u0000survival in both habitats. Outside the canopy, seed survival only increased\u0000in plains. We suggest that future conservation programs should focus on\u0000protecting both adult plants and leaf litter under trees.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"6 1","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2018-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81269273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. Global climate change may enable invasive plant species (IPS) to invade protected areas (PAs), but plant invasion on a global scale has not yet been explicitly addressed. Here, we mapped the potential invasion pathways for IPS in PAs across the globe and explored potential factors determining the pathways of plant invasion under climate change. We used species distribution modelling to estimate the suitable habitats of 386 IPS and applied a corridor analysis to compute the potential pathways of IPS in PAs under climate change. Subsequently, we analysed the potential factors affecting the pathways in PAs. According to our results, the main potential pathways of IPS in PAs are in Europe, eastern Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa, and eastern regions of South America and are strongly influenced by changes in temperature and precipitation. Protected areas can play an important role in preventing and controlling the spread of IPS under climate change. This is due to the fact that measures are taken to monitor climate change in detail, to provide effective management near or inside PAs, and to control the introduction of IPS with a high capacity for natural dispersal. A review of conservation policies in PAs is urgently needed.
{"title":"Modelling plant invasion pathways in protected areas under climate change: implication for invasion management","authors":"Chunjing Wang, J. Wan, H. Qu, Zhi-xiang Zhang","doi":"10.5194/WE-17-69-2017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-17-69-2017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Global climate change may enable invasive plant species (IPS) to invade protected areas (PAs), but plant invasion on a global scale has not yet been explicitly addressed. Here, we mapped the potential invasion pathways for IPS in PAs across the globe and explored potential factors determining the pathways of plant invasion under climate change. We used species distribution modelling to estimate the suitable habitats of 386 IPS and applied a corridor analysis to compute the potential pathways of IPS in PAs under climate change. Subsequently, we analysed the potential factors affecting the pathways in PAs. According to our results, the main potential pathways of IPS in PAs are in Europe, eastern Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa, and eastern regions of South America and are strongly influenced by changes in temperature and precipitation. Protected areas can play an important role in preventing and controlling the spread of IPS under climate change. This is due to the fact that measures are taken to monitor climate change in detail, to provide effective management near or inside PAs, and to control the introduction of IPS with a high capacity for natural dispersal. A review of conservation policies in PAs is urgently needed.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"2 1","pages":"69-77"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2017-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89887241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. Diversification of ecology into subdisciplines that run from macroecology to landscape, community, and population ecology largely reflects its specialization on different segments of the spatial gradient over which recognizable ecological patterns and processes occur. In all these cases, the elemental units involved in the patterns and processes of interest to ecologists are individuals from the same or different species. No distinct flavor of ecology has yet emerged that focuses on patterns and processes revolving around the lowermost end of the spatial gradient, which in the case of plants corresponds to the within-individual domain. Intraindividual heterogeneity in organ traits, however, is quantitatively important and has multiple consequences for plant individuals, populations, and communities, and for animal consumers as well. This paper first provides an overview of current knowledge on plant traits that vary subindividually, the magnitude of subindividual variation, and its spatial patterning. Examples will then be presented on the consequences of subindividual variation for plants and animal consumers at individual, population, or community levels. Finally, the recently emerging links between genetics, epigenetics, subindividual variation, and population ecology will be illustrated using results on variation in seed size, a functional plant trait playing an important role in plant population dynamics. Further observational and experimental studies are needed which link ecological and phenotypic measurements of plants to their epigenetic and genetic characteristics, in order to understand the three-way relationships between subindividual variability, genetic features, and epigenetic mosaicism. Another proposed line of inquiry should focus on evaluating whether subindividual epigenetic mosaics eventually translate into epigenetically heterogeneous progeny, thus contributing to the maintenance of population and community functional diversity.
{"title":"The ecology of subindividual variability in plants: patterns, processes, and prospects","authors":"C. Herrera","doi":"10.5194/WE-17-51-2017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-17-51-2017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Diversification of ecology into subdisciplines that run from macroecology to landscape, community, and population ecology largely reflects its specialization on different segments of the spatial gradient over which recognizable ecological patterns and processes occur. In all these cases, the elemental units involved in the patterns and processes of interest to ecologists are individuals from the same or different species. No distinct flavor of ecology has yet emerged that focuses on patterns and processes revolving around the lowermost end of the spatial gradient, which in the case of plants corresponds to the within-individual domain. Intraindividual heterogeneity in organ traits, however, is quantitatively important and has multiple consequences for plant individuals, populations, and communities, and for animal consumers as well. This paper first provides an overview of current knowledge on plant traits that vary subindividually, the magnitude of subindividual variation, and its spatial patterning. Examples will then be presented on the consequences of subindividual variation for plants and animal consumers at individual, population, or community levels. Finally, the recently emerging links between genetics, epigenetics, subindividual variation, and population ecology will be illustrated using results on variation in seed size, a functional plant trait playing an important role in plant population dynamics. Further observational and experimental studies are needed which link ecological and phenotypic measurements of plants to their epigenetic and genetic characteristics, in order to understand the three-way relationships between subindividual variability, genetic features, and epigenetic mosaicism. Another proposed line of inquiry should focus on evaluating whether subindividual epigenetic mosaics eventually translate into epigenetically heterogeneous progeny, thus contributing to the maintenance of population and community functional diversity.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"18 1","pages":"51-64"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2017-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90341257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. A thriving future science community could depend on disruptive technologies to shake up outmoded academic practices.
摘要一个繁荣的未来科学界可能依赖于颠覆性技术来撼动过时的学术实践。
{"title":"Could disruptive technologies also reform academia","authors":"C. Crous","doi":"10.5194/WE-17-47-2017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-17-47-2017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. A thriving future science community could depend on disruptive technologies to shake up outmoded academic practices.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"94 1","pages":"47-50"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2017-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90618424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract. Secondary succession on arable fields is a popular system for studying processes influencing community assembly of plants. During early succession, the arrival and establishment of those propagules that can pass the environmental filters operating at a given site should be among the dominant processes leading to an initial increase in species richness. With ongoing succession, environmental filtering should decrease in relative importance compared to competitive interactions, which then should decrease species richness. Thereby, the phylogenetic structure of communities should change from random or clustered patterns during early succession to overdispersion. Disturbance is supposed to act as an additional filter, causing communities to be phylogenetically clustered. By analysing the species richness and phylogenetic structure of secondary succession in two different regions in Germany with three different disturbance levels each, we tested this general model. Although in one of the regions (Gimritz) we found the expected trajectory of species richness, phylogenetic structure did not follow the expected trend from random or clustered towards overdispersed communities. In the other region (Bayreuth), species richness did not follow the expected trajectory and phylogenetic structure remained clustered over the course of succession. A preliminary analysis of autecological characteristics of the species involved (Ellenberg indicator values) nevertheless showed clear contrasting trends. The idiosyncrasies of successional trajectories across sites might be due to the environmental context, the regional species pool as well as the legacy of former land use reflected in the seed bank.
{"title":"Species richness and phylogenetic structure in plant communities: 20 years of succession","authors":"J. Stadler, S. Klotz, R. Brandl, Sonja Knapp","doi":"10.5194/WE-17-37-2017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5194/WE-17-37-2017","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract. Secondary succession on arable fields is a popular system for studying processes influencing community assembly of plants. During early succession, the arrival and establishment of those propagules that can pass the environmental filters operating at a given site should be among the dominant processes leading to an initial increase in species richness. With ongoing succession, environmental filtering should decrease in relative importance compared to competitive interactions, which then should decrease species richness. Thereby, the phylogenetic structure of communities should change from random or clustered patterns during early succession to overdispersion. Disturbance is supposed to act as an additional filter, causing communities to be phylogenetically clustered. By analysing the species richness and phylogenetic structure of secondary succession in two different regions in Germany with three different disturbance levels each, we tested this general model. Although in one of the regions (Gimritz) we found the expected trajectory of species richness, phylogenetic structure did not follow the expected trend from random or clustered towards overdispersed communities. In the other region (Bayreuth), species richness did not follow the expected trajectory and phylogenetic structure remained clustered over the course of succession. A preliminary analysis of autecological characteristics of the species involved (Ellenberg indicator values) nevertheless showed clear contrasting trends. The idiosyncrasies of successional trajectories across sites might be due to the environmental context, the regional species pool as well as the legacy of former land use reflected in the seed bank.","PeriodicalId":54320,"journal":{"name":"Web Ecology","volume":"5 1","pages":"37-46"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2017-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73332403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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