Nutrient stoichiometry and land use rather than species richness determine plant functional diversity
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Date
2018-01
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Journal Article
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Abstract
Plant functional traits reflect individual and community ecological strategies. They
allow the detection of directional changes in community dynamics and ecosystemic
processes, being an additional tool to assess biodiversity than species richness.
Analysis of functional patterns in plant communities provides mechanistic insight into
biodiversity alterations due to anthropogenic activity. Although studies have considered
of either anthropogenic management or nutrient availability on functional traits
in temperate grasslands, studies combining effects of both drivers are scarce. Here, we
assessed the impacts of management intensity (fertilization, mowing, grazing),
nutrient
stoichiometry (C, N, P, K), and vegetation composition on community-weighted
means
(CWMs) and functional diversity (Rao’s Q) from seven plant traits in 150 grasslands in
three regions in Germany, using data of 6 years. Land use and nutrient stoichiometry
accounted for larger proportions of model variance of CWM and Rao’s Q than species
richness and productivity. Grazing affected all analyzed trait groups; fertilization and
mowing only impacted generative traits. Grazing was clearly associated with nutrient
retention strategies, that is, investing in durable structures and production of fewer,
less variable seed. Phenological variability was increased. Fertilization and mowing decreased
seed number/mass variability, indicating competition-related
effects. Impacts
of nutrient stoichiometry on trait syndromes varied. Nutrient limitation (large N:P, C:N
ratios) promoted species with conservative strategies, that is, investment in durable
plant structures rather than fast growth, fewer seed, and delayed flowering onset. In
contrast to seed mass, leaf-economics
variability was reduced under P shortage.
Species diversity was positively associated with the variability of generative traits.
Synthesis. Here, land use, nutrient availability, species richness, and plant functional
strategies have been shown to interact complexly, driving community composition,
and vegetation responses to management intensity.
We suggest that deeper understanding
of underlying mechanisms shaping community assembly and biodiversity will
require analyzing all these parameters.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
8 (1)
Pages / Article No.
601 - 616
Publisher
Wiley
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03648 - Buchmann, Nina / Buchmann, Nina