Defining functional groups and their vulnerability to the edge effect in a peri-urban forest in Mexico City

SUMMARYThe expansion of human settlements and primary-sector activities (agriculture and forestry) has resulted in the fragmentation of forests, but the impacts of this are still poorly understood. We examined the effect of patch size on the presence of plant functional groups along an edge–interior gradient. Plant species were classified based on a two-way indicator species analysis in order to determine their establishment thresholds and vulnerability along the gradient, while detrended correspondence analyses and canonical correspondence analyses were performed to identify environmental gradients related to vegetation distribution. Two groups of plant species were recognized in all patch sizes: one commonly found towards the edge and the other in the interior zone. The incidence of these groups was correlated with environmental factors associated with the edge–interior gradient, mainly with humidity, soil moisture and light (canopy opening and global site factor) in the edge zone and with litter cover, depth of litter, slope and soil and air temperature in the interior zone. Identifying the species’ threshold responses to fragmentation is key, as they provide tools to prevent the potential local extinction of species.

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Effects of plant functional groups and plant species on soil microbial composition in a Inner Mongolian grassland

Biodiversity Science ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1003.2012.07160 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 59-65

Author(s):

Chen Ying ◽

Li Xiaoxiao ◽

Ying Jiaoyan ◽

Liang Cunzhu ◽

Bai Yongfei

Keyword(s):

Functional Groups ◽

Plant Species ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Mongolian Grassland ◽

Soil Microbial Composition

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Dynamics of plant functional groups composition along environmental gradients in the typical area of Yi-Luo River watershed

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ◽

10.5897/ajb11.1667 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 10 (65) ◽

pp. 14485-14492 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Liao Bing Hua ◽

Ding Sheng Yan ◽

Liang Guo Fu ◽

Guo Yi Li ◽

Tian Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Groups ◽

Environmental Gradients ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

River Watershed

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Effects of High Impact Grazing on Species Diversity and Plant Functional Groups in Grasslands of Northern Argentina

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10093153 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 3153

Author(s):

Ditmar Kurtz ◽

Marcus Giese ◽

Folkard Asch ◽

Saskia Windisch ◽

María Goldfarb

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Functional Groups ◽

Plant Species ◽

High Impact ◽

Sustainable Land Use ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Seasonal Effects ◽

Plant Species Composition ◽

Wiener Diversity Index ◽

The Impact

High impact grazing (HIG) was proposed as a management option to reduce standing dead biomass in Northern Argentinean (Chaco) rangelands. However, the effects of HIG on grassland diversity and shifts in plant functional groups are largely unknown but essential to assess the sustainability of the impact. During a two-year grazing experiment, HIG was applied every month to analyze the seasonal effects on plant species composition and plant functional groups. The results indicate that irrespective of the season in which HIG was applied, the diversity parameters were not negatively affected. Species richness, the Shannon–Wiener diversity index and the Shannon’s equitability index did not differ from the control site within a 12-month period after HIG. While plant functional groups of dicotyledonous and annual species could not benefit from the HIG disturbance, C3-, C4-monocotyledonous and perennials increased their absolute and relative green cover. Our results suggest that HIG, if not applied in shorter frequencies than a year, neither alters diversity nor shifts the plant species composition of the grassland plant community, but instead it promotes previously established rather competitive species. HIG could therefore contribute as an alternative management practice to the sustainable land use intensification of the “Gran Chaco” grassland ecosystem and even counteract the encroachment of “low value” species.

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Effects of environmental conditions and space on species turnover for three plant functional groups in Brazilian savannas

Journal of Plant Ecology ◽

10.1093/jpe/rty054 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1047-1058 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hélio Menegat ◽

Divino Vicente Silvério ◽

Henrique A Mews ◽

Guarino R Colli ◽

Ana Clara Abadia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Groups ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Environmental Gradients ◽

Species Turnover ◽

Geographic Distance ◽

Floristic Composition ◽

Environmental Variation ◽

Variance Partitioning ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Palm Species

Abstract Aims Different plant functional groups display diverging responses to the same environmental gradients. Here, we assess the effects of environmental and spatial predictors on species turnover of three functional groups of Brazilian savannas (Cerrado) plants—trees, palms and lianas—across the transition zone between the Cerrado and Amazon biomes in central Brazil. Methods We used edaphic, climatic and plant composition data from nine one-hectare plots to assess the effects of the environment and space on species turnover using a Redundancy Analysis and Generalized Dissimilarity Modeling (GDM), associated with variance partitioning. Important Findings We recorded 167 tree species, 5 palms and 4 liana species. Environmental variation was most important in explaining species turnover, relative to geographic distance, but the best predictors differed between functional groups: geographic distance and silt for lianas; silt for palms; geographic distance, temperature and elevation for trees. Geographic distances alone exerted little influence over species turnover for the three functional groups. The pure environmental variation explained most of the liana and palm turnover, while tree turnover was largely explained by the shared spatial and environmental contribution. The effects of geographic distance upon species turnover leveled off at about 300 km for trees, and 200 km for lianas, whereas they were unimportant for palm species turnover. Our results indicate that environmental factors that determine floristic composition and species turnover differ substantially between plant functional groups in savannas. Therefore, we recommend that studies that aim to investigate the role of environmental conditions in determining plant species turnover should examine plant functional groups separately.

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Natural revegetation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil in semi-arid grasslands

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b03-138 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 82 (1) ◽

pp. 22-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Diana Bizecki Robson ◽

J Diane Knight ◽

Richard E Farrell ◽

James J Germida

Keyword(s):

Functional Groups ◽

Plant Species ◽

Contaminated Soils ◽

Oil Spills ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Perennial Grasses ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Litter Cover ◽

The Impact

One way to identify hydrocarbon-tolerant plant species for reclamation is to sample vegetation at contaminated sites allowed to recover naturally. We compared vegetation and soils of 14 hydrocarbon-contaminated plots in southern Saskatchewan to those of nearby uncontaminated plots to determine the impact on plant communities and soil properties. Contaminated plots had less vegetation and litter cover than uncontaminated plots, and significantly higher soil carbon to nitrogen ratios, pH, and hydrocarbon concentration, and lower nitrogen and phosphorus. Although species richness was not significantly different, Shannon's diversity was lower on contaminated plots. Mean compositional similarity of the plots, measured using Jaccard's index, was only 31%, and cover similarity, measured using Spatz's index, was only 22%. Vegetation composition differences occurred because mycorrhizal, woody and vegetatively reproducing species, and species using birds or unassisted means for seed dispersal were significantly less common on contaminated than uncontaminated plots. Self-pollinated species were significantly more common on contaminated plots. The most abundant species on contaminated soils were the annual forb Kochia scoparia and the native perennial grasses Hordeum jubatum, Distichlis stricta, Agropyron smithii, Agropyron trachycaulum, and Poa canbyi. This research shows that some plant species and functional groups are tolerant of the altered soil conditions at hydrocarbon-contaminated sites.Key words: functional groups, oil spills, phytoremediation, reclamation, succession, vegetation recovery.

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