scholarly journals Effects of plant diversity and structural complexity on parasitoid behaviour in a field experiment

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 748-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
OLGA KOSTENKO ◽  
MARK LAMMERS ◽  
SASKIA GROOTEMAAT ◽  
THOMAS KROON ◽  
JEFFREY A. HARVEY ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Parasitoid Behaviour

scholarly journals Effects of plant community history, soil legacy and plant diversity on soil microbial communities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc W. Schmid ◽  
Sofia J. van Moorsel ◽  
Terhi Hahl ◽  
Enrica De Luca ◽  
Gerlinde B. Deyn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Soil Microbial Diversity ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Community History ◽  
Soil Legacy ◽  
Bacterial Richness

AbstractPlant and soil microbial diversity are linked through a range of interactions, including the exchange of carbon and nutrients but also herbivory and pathogenic effects. Over time, associations between plant communities and their soil microbiota may strengthen and become more specific, resulting in stronger associations between plant and soil microbial diversity. We tested this hypothesis in a 4-year long field experiment in which we factorially combined plant community history and soil legacy with plant diversity (1, 2, 4, 8, 60 species). Plant community history and soil legacy refer to the presence (“old”) or absence (“new”) of a common history of plants and soils in 52 different plant species compositions during 8 years in a long-term biodiversity experiment in Jena, Germany. After 4 years of growth, we took soil samples in the new field experiment and determined soil bacterial and fungal composition in terms of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using 16S rRNA gene and ITS DNA sequencing. Plant community history did not affect overall soil community composition but differentially affected bacterial richness and abundances of specific bacteria taxa in association with particular plant species compositions. Soil legacy markedly increased soil bacterial richness and evenness and decreased fungal evenness. Soil fungal richness increased with plant species richness, regardless of plant community history or soil legacy, with the strongest difference between plant monocultures and mixtures. Particular plant species compositions and functional groups were associated with particular bacterial and fungal community compositions. Grasses increased and legumes decreased fungal richness and evenness. Our findings indicate that as experimental ecosystems varying in plant diversity develop over 8 years, plant species associate with specific soil microbial taxa. This can have long-lasting effects on belowground community composition in re-assembled plant communities, as reflected in strong soil legacy signals still visible after 4 years of growing new plant communities. Effects of plant community history on soil communities are subtle and may take longer to fully develop.

The effect of woody plant diversity and other stand and landscape factors on the diversity and abundance of birds using farm shelterbelts.

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
R S Bonifacio ◽  
C M Kinross ◽  
G M Gurr ◽  
H Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Crown Cover ◽  
South Wales

Shelterbelts are common features of farm landscapes that provide shelter for livestock and crops and timber but may also benefit wildlife. The importance of shelterbelt plant diversity for birds was investigated by a survey of 62 sites in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. An area search technique was used to assess bird occurrence. An all subsets and exponential regression analysis approach explored the relationships between woody plant diversity and avifauna diversity (using Hill’s diversity index), whilst seasonal variations were analysed using restricted maximum likelihood. Sixty-six bird species, including many that are woodland-dependent, representing eight foraging guilds, were observed in the shelterbelts. More species of birds occurred and at higher density in more floristically diverse shelterbelts. Other factors found to influence avifaunal use of shelterbelts were woody plant density, shelterbelt width, structural complexity, tree height, crown cover index and elevation. Seasonal analysis confirmed the importance of these independent variables but also revealed the significance of shelterbelt’s proximity to water during summer for birds using this habitat. This study shows that floristic diversity, amongst other factors, is a significant predictor of avifauna diversity in shelterbelts and suggests that shelterbelts may be designed to optimize their wildlife habitat and biodiversity conservation values.

scholarly journals Effects of cutting and sowing seeds of native species on giant ragweed invasion and plant diversity in a field experiment

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaeho Byun ◽  
Ho Choi ◽  
Hojeong Kang
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Effective Measure ◽  
Ambrosia Trifida

Abstract Background Ambrosia trifida is a highly invasive annual plant, but effective control methods have not been proposed. Among various eradication methods, cutting is a simple measure to control invasive plants, and sowing seeds of native plants may effectively increase biotic resistance to invasion. In this study, we conducted a field experiment with two treatments: cutting and sowing seeds of six native or naturalized plants. Results We found a significantly lower A. trifida abundance after cutting than in the control (77% decrease). Sowing seeds of native species did not provide any additional benefit for the control of A. trifida, but increased the importance values and diversity of other native vegetation. The abundance of A. trifida was negatively correlated with that of other plant taxa based on plant cover, biomass, and density. However, biotic resistance of sown plants was not effective to control invasion because A. trifida was so competitive. Conclusions We concluded that cutting is an effective measure to control Ambrosia trifida while sowing seeds of native plants can increase native plant diversity.

Divergent effects of elevated CO2, N fertilization, and plant diversity on soil C and N dynamics in a grassland field experiment

2005 ◽  
Vol 272 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 41-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feike A. Dijkstra ◽  
Sarah E. Hobbie ◽  
Peter B. Reich ◽  
Johannes M. H. Knops
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Elevated Co2 ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
N Dynamics ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Soil C And N ◽  
C And N ◽  
C And N Dynamics

Effects of plant species and plant diversity on soil nematodes – a field experiment on grassland run for seven years

Nematology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Björn Sohlenius ◽  
Maria Viketoft ◽  
Sven Boström
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Species Identity ◽  
Pronounced Increase ◽  
Faunal Composition ◽  
Moderate Growth ◽  
Nematode Fauna

AbstractPlant species identity and diversity may greatly influence the composition of the nematode fauna. In this study the development of the nematode fauna was followed in a field experiment on arable soil with monocultures and mixtures of several plant species. Experimental plots were sown with one, four or 12 species of grass, legumes and forbs and were sampled four times in 7 years. Nematode diversity was little influenced by plant diversity. Due to a pronounced increase of Paratylenchus projectus populations, the Shannon diversity index decreased in several treatments towards the end of the experiment. Differences in nematode faunal composition among treatments increased with time. In spite of the rather long duration of the experiment, the faunal composition did not stabilise but changed continuously. The obligate plant feeders Tylenchorhynchus dubius, T. maximus and Pratylenchus spp. occurred in higher numbers in monocultures than in mixtures of several plant species. Among the microbivores, the abundance of some bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematode taxa seemed to be directly influenced by the plant species identity. In the plots with Trifolium spp. there was an increase of rapidly growing bacterial feeders belonging to Rhabditidae and Panagrolaimidae already after the first growing season. The abundances of some bacterial-feeding nematodes were correlated to total plant production. The numbers of the omnivorous Mesodorylaimus sp. appeared to be influenced by the degree of plant coverage. The abundance of several nematode taxa appeared to be little influenced by the composition of the vegetation. The plant feeder P. projectus and the bacterial feeder Prismatolaimus sp. reacted rather slowly and a distinct increase in numbers was only seen after 7 years, when P. projectus strongly dominated the fauna in several treatments. Among the bacterial feeders, some species with moderate growth rate belonging to Cephalobidae decreased with time in several treatments.

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