scholarly journals Fire characteristics and environmental conditions shape plant communities via regeneration strategy

Ecography ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 1464-1474
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Day ◽  
Alison L. White ◽  
Jill F. Johnstone ◽  
Geneviève É. Degré‐Timmons ◽  
Steven G. Cumming ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Regeneration Strategy ◽  
Fire Characteristics

scholarly journals Fire characteristics and environmental conditions shape plant communities via regeneration strategy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Day ◽  
AL White ◽  
JF Johnstone ◽  
G Degré-Timmons ◽  
SG Cumming ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Plant Regeneration ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Regeneration Strategy ◽  
Regeneration Strategies ◽  
Understory Plant ◽  
Fire Characteristics ◽  
Mature Stands

© 2020 The Authors. Ecography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic Society Oikos Climate change is altering disturbance regimes outside historical norms, which can impact biodiversity by selecting for plants with particular traits. The relative impact of disturbance characteristics on plant traits and community structure may be mediated by environmental gradients. We aimed to understand how wildfire impacted understory plant communities and plant regeneration strategies along gradients of environmental conditions and wildfire characteristics in boreal forests. We established 207 plots (60 m2) in recently burned stands and 133 plots in mature stands with no recent fire history in comparable gradients of stand type, site moisture (drainage) and soil organic layer (SOL) depth in two ecozones in Canada's Northwest Territories. At each plot, we recorded all vascular plant taxa in the understory and measured the regeneration strategy (seeder, resprouter, survivor) in burned plots, along with seedbed conditions (mineral soil and bryophyte cover). Dispersal, longevity and growth form traits were determined for each taxon. Fire characteristics measured included proportion of pre-fire SOL combusted (fire severity), date of burn (fire seasonality) and pre-fire stand age (time following fire). Results showed understory community composition was altered by fire. However, burned and mature stands had similar plant communities in wet sites with deep SOL. In the burned plots, regeneration strategies were determined by fire severity, drainage and pre- and post-fire SOL depth. Resprouters were more common in wet sites with deeper SOL and lower fire severity, while seeders were associated with drier sites with thinner SOL and greater fire severity. This led to drier burned stands being compositionally different from their mature counterparts and seedbed conditions were important. Our study highlights the importance of environment–wildfire interactions in shaping plant regeneration strategies and patterns of understory plant community structure across landscapes, and the overriding importance of SOL depth and site drainage in mediating fire severity, plant regeneration and community structure.

scholarly journals Fire characteristics and environmental conditions shape plant communities via regeneration strategy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Day ◽  
AL White ◽  
JF Johnstone ◽  
G Degré-Timmons ◽  
SG Cumming ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Plant Regeneration ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Regeneration Strategy ◽  
Regeneration Strategies ◽  
Understory Plant ◽  
Fire Characteristics ◽  
Mature Stands

© 2020 The Authors. Ecography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic Society Oikos Climate change is altering disturbance regimes outside historical norms, which can impact biodiversity by selecting for plants with particular traits. The relative impact of disturbance characteristics on plant traits and community structure may be mediated by environmental gradients. We aimed to understand how wildfire impacted understory plant communities and plant regeneration strategies along gradients of environmental conditions and wildfire characteristics in boreal forests. We established 207 plots (60 m2) in recently burned stands and 133 plots in mature stands with no recent fire history in comparable gradients of stand type, site moisture (drainage) and soil organic layer (SOL) depth in two ecozones in Canada's Northwest Territories. At each plot, we recorded all vascular plant taxa in the understory and measured the regeneration strategy (seeder, resprouter, survivor) in burned plots, along with seedbed conditions (mineral soil and bryophyte cover). Dispersal, longevity and growth form traits were determined for each taxon. Fire characteristics measured included proportion of pre-fire SOL combusted (fire severity), date of burn (fire seasonality) and pre-fire stand age (time following fire). Results showed understory community composition was altered by fire. However, burned and mature stands had similar plant communities in wet sites with deep SOL. In the burned plots, regeneration strategies were determined by fire severity, drainage and pre- and post-fire SOL depth. Resprouters were more common in wet sites with deeper SOL and lower fire severity, while seeders were associated with drier sites with thinner SOL and greater fire severity. This led to drier burned stands being compositionally different from their mature counterparts and seedbed conditions were important. Our study highlights the importance of environment–wildfire interactions in shaping plant regeneration strategies and patterns of understory plant community structure across landscapes, and the overriding importance of SOL depth and site drainage in mediating fire severity, plant regeneration and community structure.

scholarly journals Fire characteristics and environmental conditions shape plant communities via regeneration strategy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Day ◽  
AL White ◽  
JF Johnstone ◽  
G Degré-Timmons ◽  
SG Cumming ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Plant Regeneration ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Regeneration Strategy ◽  
Regeneration Strategies ◽  
Understory Plant ◽  
Fire Characteristics ◽  
Mature Stands

© 2020 The Authors. Ecography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic Society Oikos Climate change is altering disturbance regimes outside historical norms, which can impact biodiversity by selecting for plants with particular traits. The relative impact of disturbance characteristics on plant traits and community structure may be mediated by environmental gradients. We aimed to understand how wildfire impacted understory plant communities and plant regeneration strategies along gradients of environmental conditions and wildfire characteristics in boreal forests. We established 207 plots (60 m2) in recently burned stands and 133 plots in mature stands with no recent fire history in comparable gradients of stand type, site moisture (drainage) and soil organic layer (SOL) depth in two ecozones in Canada's Northwest Territories. At each plot, we recorded all vascular plant taxa in the understory and measured the regeneration strategy (seeder, resprouter, survivor) in burned plots, along with seedbed conditions (mineral soil and bryophyte cover). Dispersal, longevity and growth form traits were determined for each taxon. Fire characteristics measured included proportion of pre-fire SOL combusted (fire severity), date of burn (fire seasonality) and pre-fire stand age (time following fire). Results showed understory community composition was altered by fire. However, burned and mature stands had similar plant communities in wet sites with deep SOL. In the burned plots, regeneration strategies were determined by fire severity, drainage and pre- and post-fire SOL depth. Resprouters were more common in wet sites with deeper SOL and lower fire severity, while seeders were associated with drier sites with thinner SOL and greater fire severity. This led to drier burned stands being compositionally different from their mature counterparts and seedbed conditions were important. Our study highlights the importance of environment–wildfire interactions in shaping plant regeneration strategies and patterns of understory plant community structure across landscapes, and the overriding importance of SOL depth and site drainage in mediating fire severity, plant regeneration and community structure.

scholarly journals Distribution and Ecology of Clathrus archeri in Romania

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-291
Author(s):  
Cipran BÎRSAN ◽  
Ana COJOCARIU ◽  
Elena CENUŞĂ
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Hay Meadows ◽  
Eastern Carpathians ◽  
Distribution And Ecology

Although Clathrus archeri is a widely spread species in the Western Europe, in Romania it is considered a rare species, identified from only eight sites. In July 2013, it was found in two new sites from Gurghiu and Bârgău Mountains, in the Romanian Eastern Carpathians. This paper presents a detailed description of the new recorded specimens and of the habitat where this fungus was found. Plant communities where Clathrus archeri was recorded belong to the “mountain hay meadows” habitat type (Festuco rubrae - Agrostietum capillaris community). Taking into consideration the previous published data, the comparison with other habitats types in which this species occurs suggests that Clathrus archeri has no special preferences for certain environmental conditions.

scholarly journals The phytosociology and syntaxonomy of relatively low-altitude areas in the North-eastern Mountain Sourveld, in the eastern Transvaal escarpment region

Koedoe ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
W.S. Matthews ◽  
G.J. Bredenkamp ◽  
N. Van Rooyen
Keyword(s):  
Random Sample ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Hierarchical Classification ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
The North ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Low Altitude

An analysis of the vegetation of the relatively low altitude regions of the North-eastern Mountain Sourveld of the eastern Transvaal escarpment is presented. Releves were compiled in 53 stratified random sample plots. ATWINSPAN-classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, revealed seven plant communities. In the hierarchical classification one class, one alliance, four associations, four subassociations and two valiants are recognised. Formal syntaxonomic descriptions of the syntaxa are given. All communities are related to specific environmental conditions, of which geology, aspect, altitude and rockiness of the soil surface are the most important.

scholarly journals KEANEKARAGAMAN JENIS TUMBUHAN MASA LAMPAU DI SITUS PEMUTERAN, KABUPATEN BULELENG, PROVINSI BALI (Kajian berdasarkan analisis palinology)

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-30
Author(s):  
Vita Vita
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Fossil Pollen ◽  
Plant Tolerance ◽  
The Past ◽  
Soil Sediment ◽  
The Family ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Excavation Site

A variety of plant species that exist today reflect the diversity of plant species as well as how pre-existing or in the past, the area along the environmental conditions are not much changed significantly. Plant communities in a region will illustrate the diversity of plant species tolerant to environmental conditions in the area. The power plant tolerance to different environmental factors will lead to different types of plants that live in the area By using HF method and Acetolysis, then the results of the identification of fossil pollen (pollen analysis) that has been done specifically on a sample of soil /sediment from the findings of pottery, as well as the box has been opened at the excavation site Pemuteran, Buleleng Regency, Bali Province randomly, especially in layer B in test pit 4 and 5, the types derived from fossil pollen from plants derived from plants that are useful in the family Compositae, Poaceae, Malvaceae and Papilionaceae. In addition, there is also a pollen that is not available on the site around Pemuteran, such as the family Pinaceae, Fagaceae, Daphnae, Sequoia, Geraniaceae, Cupressus.

scholarly journals Do an ecosystem engineer and environmental gradient act independently or in concert to shape juvenile plant communities? Tests with the leaf-cutter ant Atta laevigata in a Neotropical savanna

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan N Costa ◽  
Emilio M Bruna ◽  
Heraldo L Vasconcelos
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Ecosystem Engineer ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Plant Establishment ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Atta Laevigata

Background. Ecosystem Engineers are species that transform habitats in ways that influence other species. While the impacts of many engineers have been well described, our understanding of how their impact varies along environmental gradients remains limited. Although disentangling the effects of gradients and engineers on biodiversity is complicated – the gradients themselves can be altered by engineers – doing so is necessary to advance conceptual and mathematical models of ecosystem engineering. We used leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp.) to investigate the relative influence of gradients and environmental engineers on the abundance and species richness of woody plants. Methods. We conducted our research in South America's Cerrado. With a survey of plant recruits along a canopy cover gradient, and data on environmental conditions that influence plant recruitment, we fit statistical models that addressed the following questions: (1) Does A. laevigata modify the gradient in canopy cover found in our Cerrado site? (2) Do environmental conditions that influence woody plant establishment in the Cerrado vary with canopy cover or proximity to A. laevigata nests? (3) DoA. laevigata and canopy cover act independently or in concert to influence recruit abundance and species richness? Results. We found that environmental conditions previously shown to influence plant establishment in theCerradovaried in concert with canopy cover, but that ants are not modifying the cover gradient or cover over nests. However, ants are modifying other local environmental conditions, and the magnitude and spatial extent of these changes is consistent across the gradient. In contrast to prior studies, we found that ant-related factors (e.g., proximity to nests, ant changes in surface conditions), rather than canopy cover, had the strongest effect on the abundance of plant recruits. However, the diversity of plants was influenced by both the engineer and the canopy cover gradient. Discussion. Atta laevigata in the Cerrado modify local conditions in ways that have strong but spatially restricted consequences for plant communities. We hypothesize that ants indirectly reduce seedling establishment by clearing litter and reducing soil moisture, which leads to seed and seedling desiccation. Altering soil nutrients could also reduce juvenile growth and survivorship; if so these indirect negative effects of engineering could exacerbate their direct effects of harvesting plants. The effects ofAttaappear restricted to nest mounds, but they could be long-lasting because mounds persist long after a colony has died or migrated. Our results support the hypothesis that leaf-cutter ants play a dominant role in Cerrado plant demography. We suggest the ecological and economic footprint of these engineers may increase dramatically in coming decades due to the transformation of the Cerrado by human activities.

scholarly journals Do an ecosystem engineer and environmental gradient act independently or in concert to shape juvenile plant communities? Tests with the leaf-cutter ant Atta laevigata in a Neotropical savanna

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan N Costa ◽  
Emilio M Bruna ◽  
Heraldo L Vasconcelos
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Ecosystem Engineer ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Plant Establishment ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Atta Laevigata

Background. Ecosystem Engineers are species that transform habitats in ways that influence other species. While the impacts of many engineers have been well described, our understanding of how their impact varies along environmental gradients remains limited. Although disentangling the effects of gradients and engineers on biodiversity is complicated – the gradients themselves can be altered by engineers – doing so is necessary to advance conceptual and mathematical models of ecosystem engineering. We used leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp.) to investigate the relative influence of gradients and environmental engineers on the abundance and species richness of woody plants. Methods. We conducted our research in South America's Cerrado. With a survey of plant recruits along a canopy cover gradient, and data on environmental conditions that influence plant recruitment, we fit statistical models that addressed the following questions: (1) Does A. laevigata modify the gradient in canopy cover found in our Cerrado site? (2) Do environmental conditions that influence woody plant establishment in the Cerrado vary with canopy cover or proximity to A. laevigata nests? (3) DoA. laevigata and canopy cover act independently or in concert to influence recruit abundance and species richness? Results. We found that environmental conditions previously shown to influence plant establishment in theCerradovaried in concert with canopy cover, but that ants are not modifying the cover gradient or cover over nests. However, ants are modifying other local environmental conditions, and the magnitude and spatial extent of these changes is consistent across the gradient. In contrast to prior studies, we found that ant-related factors (e.g., proximity to nests, ant changes in surface conditions), rather than canopy cover, had the strongest effect on the abundance of plant recruits. However, the diversity of plants was influenced by both the engineer and the canopy cover gradient. Discussion. Atta laevigata in the Cerrado modify local conditions in ways that have strong but spatially restricted consequences for plant communities. We hypothesize that ants indirectly reduce seedling establishment by clearing litter and reducing soil moisture, which leads to seed and seedling desiccation. Altering soil nutrients could also reduce juvenile growth and survivorship; if so these indirect negative effects of engineering could exacerbate their direct effects of harvesting plants. The effects ofAttaappear restricted to nest mounds, but they could be long-lasting because mounds persist long after a colony has died or migrated. Our results support the hypothesis that leaf-cutter ants play a dominant role in Cerrado plant demography. We suggest the ecological and economic footprint of these engineers may increase dramatically in coming decades due to the transformation of the Cerrado by human activities.

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