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Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands

Nicolas Gross, Luca Borger Orcid Logo, Sara I Soriano-Morales, Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet, José L Quero, Miguel García-Gómez, Enrique Valencia-Gómez, Fernando T Maestre, Susan Schwinning

Journal of Ecology, Volume: 101, Issue: 3, Pages: 637 - 649

Swansea University Author: Luca Borger Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1111/1365-2745.12063

Abstract

1. Habitat filtering (HF, trait convergence) and niche differentiation (ND, trait divergence) are known to impact plant community structure. Both processes integrate individual responses to the abiotic environment and biotic interactions. Thus, it is difficult to clearly identify the underlying abio...

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Published in: Journal of Ecology
Published: 2013
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa16630
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fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2021-09-07T17:52:25.2976892</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>16630</id><entry>2013-12-14</entry><title>Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>8416d0ffc3cccdad6e6d67a455e7c4a2</sid><ORCID>0000-0001-8763-5997</ORCID><firstname>Luca</firstname><surname>Borger</surname><name>Luca Borger</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2013-12-14</date><deptcode>SBI</deptcode><abstract>1. Habitat filtering (HF, trait convergence) and niche differentiation (ND, trait divergence) are known to impact plant community structure. Both processes integrate individual responses to the abiotic environment and biotic interactions. Thus, it is difficult to clearly identify the underlying abiotic and biotic factors that ultimately impact community structure by looking at community-level patterns of trait divergence or convergence alone. 2. We used a functional trait-based and multi-scale approach to assess how biotic interactions and aridity determine the functional structure of semi-arid shrublands sampled along a large aridity gradient in Spain. At the regional scale, we investigated functional differences among species (axes of specialization) to identify important traits for community assembly. At the community scale, we evaluated the relative impact of HF and ND on community structure using a null model approach. Finally, at the plant neighbourhood scale, we evaluated the impact of biotic interactions on community structure by investigating the spatial patterns of trait aggregation. 3. The shrub species surveyed can be separated along four axes of specialization based on their aboveground architecture and leaf morphology. Our community-scale analysis suggested that the functional structure of semi-arid communities was clearly non-random, HF and ND acting independently on different traits to determine community structure along the aridity gradient. At the plant neighborhood scale, the spatial distribution of species was also clearly not random, suggesting that competition and facilitation impacted the observed changes in the functional diversity of shrubland communities along the aridity gradient. 4. Synthesis: Our results demonstrated that HF and ND acted simultaneously on independent traits to jointly determine community structure. Most importantly, our multi-scale approach suggested that competition and facilitation interplayed with aridity to determine this structure. Competition appeared to be constant along the aridity gradient, and explained the high functional diversity observed in semi-arid shrublands. Facilitation affected subordinate and rare species and thus may act to enhance the biodiversity of these ecosystems. Finally, the framework employed in our study allows moving forward from the examination of patterns to the development of mechanistic trait-based approaches to study plant community assembly.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Journal of Ecology</journal><volume>101</volume><journalNumber>3</journalNumber><paginationStart>637</paginationStart><paginationEnd>649</paginationEnd><publisher/><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic/><keywords>aridity, community assembly, competition, determinants of plant community diversityand structure, facilitation, habitat</keywords><publishedDay>1</publishedDay><publishedMonth>5</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2013</publishedYear><publishedDate>2013-05-01</publishedDate><doi>10.1111/1365-2745.12063</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Biosciences</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>SBI</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm/><lastEdited>2021-09-07T17:52:25.2976892</lastEdited><Created>2013-12-14T01:42:28.4569186</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Science and Engineering</level><level id="2">School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Nicolas</firstname><surname>Gross</surname><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Luca</firstname><surname>Borger</surname><orcid>0000-0001-8763-5997</orcid><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Sara I</firstname><surname>Soriano-Morales</surname><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Yoann Le</firstname><surname>Bagousse-Pinguet</surname><order>4</order></author><author><firstname>Jos&#xE9; L</firstname><surname>Quero</surname><order>5</order></author><author><firstname>Miguel</firstname><surname>Garc&#xED;a-G&#xF3;mez</surname><order>6</order></author><author><firstname>Enrique</firstname><surname>Valencia-G&#xF3;mez</surname><order>7</order></author><author><firstname>Fernando T</firstname><surname>Maestre</surname><order>8</order></author><author><firstname>Susan</firstname><surname>Schwinning</surname><order>9</order></author></authors><documents/><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2021-09-07T17:52:25.2976892 v2 16630 2013-12-14 Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands 8416d0ffc3cccdad6e6d67a455e7c4a2 0000-0001-8763-5997 Luca Borger Luca Borger true false 2013-12-14 SBI 1. Habitat filtering (HF, trait convergence) and niche differentiation (ND, trait divergence) are known to impact plant community structure. Both processes integrate individual responses to the abiotic environment and biotic interactions. Thus, it is difficult to clearly identify the underlying abiotic and biotic factors that ultimately impact community structure by looking at community-level patterns of trait divergence or convergence alone. 2. We used a functional trait-based and multi-scale approach to assess how biotic interactions and aridity determine the functional structure of semi-arid shrublands sampled along a large aridity gradient in Spain. At the regional scale, we investigated functional differences among species (axes of specialization) to identify important traits for community assembly. At the community scale, we evaluated the relative impact of HF and ND on community structure using a null model approach. Finally, at the plant neighbourhood scale, we evaluated the impact of biotic interactions on community structure by investigating the spatial patterns of trait aggregation. 3. The shrub species surveyed can be separated along four axes of specialization based on their aboveground architecture and leaf morphology. Our community-scale analysis suggested that the functional structure of semi-arid communities was clearly non-random, HF and ND acting independently on different traits to determine community structure along the aridity gradient. At the plant neighborhood scale, the spatial distribution of species was also clearly not random, suggesting that competition and facilitation impacted the observed changes in the functional diversity of shrubland communities along the aridity gradient. 4. Synthesis: Our results demonstrated that HF and ND acted simultaneously on independent traits to jointly determine community structure. Most importantly, our multi-scale approach suggested that competition and facilitation interplayed with aridity to determine this structure. Competition appeared to be constant along the aridity gradient, and explained the high functional diversity observed in semi-arid shrublands. Facilitation affected subordinate and rare species and thus may act to enhance the biodiversity of these ecosystems. Finally, the framework employed in our study allows moving forward from the examination of patterns to the development of mechanistic trait-based approaches to study plant community assembly. Journal Article Journal of Ecology 101 3 637 649 aridity, community assembly, competition, determinants of plant community diversityand structure, facilitation, habitat 1 5 2013 2013-05-01 10.1111/1365-2745.12063 COLLEGE NANME Biosciences COLLEGE CODE SBI Swansea University 2021-09-07T17:52:25.2976892 2013-12-14T01:42:28.4569186 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences Nicolas Gross 1 Luca Borger 0000-0001-8763-5997 2 Sara I Soriano-Morales 3 Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet 4 José L Quero 5 Miguel García-Gómez 6 Enrique Valencia-Gómez 7 Fernando T Maestre 8 Susan Schwinning 9
title Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands
spellingShingle Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands
Luca Borger
title_short Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands
title_full Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands
title_fullStr Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands
title_full_unstemmed Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands
title_sort Uncovering multiscale effects of aridity and biotic interactions on the functional structure of Mediterranean shrublands
author_id_str_mv 8416d0ffc3cccdad6e6d67a455e7c4a2
author_id_fullname_str_mv 8416d0ffc3cccdad6e6d67a455e7c4a2_***_Luca Borger
author Luca Borger
author2 Nicolas Gross
Luca Borger
Sara I Soriano-Morales
Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet
José L Quero
Miguel García-Gómez
Enrique Valencia-Gómez
Fernando T Maestre
Susan Schwinning
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Ecology
container_volume 101
container_issue 3
container_start_page 637
publishDate 2013
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.1111/1365-2745.12063
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description 1. Habitat filtering (HF, trait convergence) and niche differentiation (ND, trait divergence) are known to impact plant community structure. Both processes integrate individual responses to the abiotic environment and biotic interactions. Thus, it is difficult to clearly identify the underlying abiotic and biotic factors that ultimately impact community structure by looking at community-level patterns of trait divergence or convergence alone. 2. We used a functional trait-based and multi-scale approach to assess how biotic interactions and aridity determine the functional structure of semi-arid shrublands sampled along a large aridity gradient in Spain. At the regional scale, we investigated functional differences among species (axes of specialization) to identify important traits for community assembly. At the community scale, we evaluated the relative impact of HF and ND on community structure using a null model approach. Finally, at the plant neighbourhood scale, we evaluated the impact of biotic interactions on community structure by investigating the spatial patterns of trait aggregation. 3. The shrub species surveyed can be separated along four axes of specialization based on their aboveground architecture and leaf morphology. Our community-scale analysis suggested that the functional structure of semi-arid communities was clearly non-random, HF and ND acting independently on different traits to determine community structure along the aridity gradient. At the plant neighborhood scale, the spatial distribution of species was also clearly not random, suggesting that competition and facilitation impacted the observed changes in the functional diversity of shrubland communities along the aridity gradient. 4. Synthesis: Our results demonstrated that HF and ND acted simultaneously on independent traits to jointly determine community structure. Most importantly, our multi-scale approach suggested that competition and facilitation interplayed with aridity to determine this structure. Competition appeared to be constant along the aridity gradient, and explained the high functional diversity observed in semi-arid shrublands. Facilitation affected subordinate and rare species and thus may act to enhance the biodiversity of these ecosystems. Finally, the framework employed in our study allows moving forward from the examination of patterns to the development of mechanistic trait-based approaches to study plant community assembly.
published_date 2013-05-01T03:19:01Z
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score 11.013731

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