Response of plant functional groups within plantations and naturally regenerated forests in southern New Brunswick, Canada

We examined the composition of understory vascular plant species in managed forests to determine how life-history attributes influence plant response to disturbance. Forest types investigated were plantations on old fields (3177 years old, n = 6), plantations on cutover land (1964 years old, n = 8), young forests naturally regenerated after clear-cutting (2766 years old, n = 6), and mature natural forests with no recent harvesting activity (80100 years old, n = 6). Species were categorized by habitat preference (forest, intermediate, disturbed), growth form (12 categories), and life form (15 categories). Forest-habitat species dominated both natural stand types, whereas disturbed-habitat species dominated both plantation types. Mature natural stands contained higher frequency and cover of many herb growth forms, and cutover plantations contained higher values for shrubs. Old-field plantations contained low values for all growth forms. Two life forms, geophytes and rosette hemicryptophytes, were not well represented in either plantation type. All plant functional groups were present in each stand type, suggesting that differences among stand types occur as shifts in the relative abundances of functional groups. We hypothesize that some species may be at risk of local extirpation in plantations because of their limited growth rates and reproductive characteristics.

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Nematode communities of anthropogenous birch stands in central Finland

Nematology ◽

10.1163/156854103322683346 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 629-639 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Mika Räty ◽

Veikko Huhta

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Relative Proportion ◽

Deciduous Forests ◽

Managed Forests ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Arable Soils ◽

Nematode Communities ◽

Clear Cutting ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Spruce Stands

Abstract This study compared the nematode communities in anthropogenous birch (Betula pendula) stands of different origin with each other and with natural forests and arable soils at the same latitude in Finland and Scandinavia. Nine forest sites were investigated in central Finland: three birch stands planted ca 30 years prior to the study after the clear-cutting of spruce stands (BS), three birch stands planted ca 30 years earlier on arable soil (BF) and three natural deciduous forests (D). There were clear differences between the birch stands established after spruce forest and after arable cropping, and between these and deciduous forests, but even more between replicates of similarly managed forests. Total numbers, species diversity, and populations of most taxa and feeding groups were the lowest in BF sites. The relative proportion of bacterial feeders and omnivores was higher and that of plant feeders lower in BS than in D sites. The BS sites were relatively similar in community structure to natural deciduous forests, and BF were dissimilar to both, although one deciduous site was similar to one BF site. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination placed the three BS sites in one cluster, while the BF sites were clearly separated from these and from each other. Several environmental variables related to soil moisture and acidity contributed to explain the variation in community structure. A hypothesis is suggested that the presence of burrowing earthworms plays a role in regulating populations of nematodes.

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Mid-term changes in the physiognomy of plant communities and functional plant groups define successional pathways of mountain vegetation in the province of Córdoba (Argentina)

Folia Oecologica ◽

10.2478/foecol-2021-0002 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 9-24

Author(s):

Marcos Sebastián Karlin ◽

Sebastián Abel Arnulphi ◽

Javier Rodolfo Bernasconi Salazar

Keyword(s):

Functional Groups ◽

Plant Communities ◽

Life Forms ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Plant Interactions ◽

Two Phase ◽

Plant Groups ◽

Restoration Strategies ◽

Mountain Vegetation ◽

Successional Pathways

Abstract To identify restoration strategies over degraded semi-natural plant communities, successional pathways and their local controls should be identified. The objective of this work is to quantify the changes in the physiognomy and functional groups of plant communities in the Sierras Chicas of Córdoba along seven years. Lyapunov coefficients were calculated and arranged in two-phase diagrams, identifying different successional pathways over two soil categories and six plant communities. Du Rietz`s life forms were identified defining several plant functional groups. Results showed two successional pathways in the field of azonal soils and three in the field of intrazonal soils. Rainfall, extent of human-caused disturbances, and plant interactions are the leading causes explaining the changes in the structure of the plant communities. Fire and overgrazing retract the successions by altering the cover of plant communities and their functional groups.

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Biological soil crust communities 12–16 years after wildfires in Idaho, USA

10.5194/bg-2017-178 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Heather T. Root ◽

John C. Brinda ◽

E. Kyle Dodson

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Functional Groups ◽

Fire Severity ◽

Biological Soil Crust ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Fire Regimes ◽

Arid Ecosystems ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Soil Crust

Abstract. Changing fire regimes in western North America may impact biological soil crust (BSC) communities that influence many ecosystem functions, such as soil stability and C and N cycling. However, longer-term effects of wildfire on BSC abundance, species richness, functional groups, and ecosystem functions after wildfire (i.e. BSC resilience) is still poorly understood. We sampled BSC lichen and bryophyte communities at four sites in Idaho, USA, within foothill steppe communities that included wildfires from 12 to 16 years old. We established six plots outside each burn perimeter and compared them with six plots of varying severity within each fire perimeter at each site. BSC cover was most strongly negatively impacted by wildfire at sites that had well-developed BSC communities in adjacent unburned plots. BSC species richness was estimated to be 65 % greater in unburned plots compared with burned plots. In contrast, there was no evidence that vascular plant functional groups or fire severity (as measured by satellite metrics dNBR or RdNBR) significantly affected longer-term BSC responses. Three BSC functional groups (squamulose lichens, vagrant lichens, and tall turf mosses) exhibited a significant decrease in abundance in burned areas relative to adjacent unburned areas. The decreases in BSC cover and richness along with decreased abundance of several functional groups suggest that wildfire can negatively impact ecosystem function in these semi-arid ecosystems for at least one to two decades. This is a concern given that increased fire frequency is predicted for the region due to exotic grass invasion and climate change.

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Recovery of biological soil crust richness and cover 12–16 years after wildfires in Idaho, USA

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-14-3957-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (17) ◽

pp. 3957-3969 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Heather T. Root ◽

John C. Brinda ◽

E. Kyle Dodson

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Functional Groups ◽

Fire Severity ◽

Biological Soil Crust ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Soil Crust ◽

Differenced Normalized Burn Ratio ◽

Normalized Burn Ratio

Abstract. Changing fire regimes in western North America may impact biological soil crust (BSC) communities that influence many ecosystem functions, such as soil stability and C and N cycling. However, longer-term effects of wildfire on BSC abundance, species richness, functional groups, and ecosystem functions after wildfire (i.e., BSC resilience) are still poorly understood. We sampled BSC lichen and bryophyte communities at four sites in Idaho, USA, within foothill steppe communities that included wildfires from 12 to 16 years old. We established six plots outside each burn perimeter and compared them with six plots of varying severity within each fire perimeter at each site. BSC cover was most strongly negatively impacted by wildfire at sites that had well-developed BSC communities in adjacent unburned plots. BSC species richness was estimated to be 65 % greater in unburned plots compared with burned plots, and fire effects did not vary among sites. In contrast, there was no evidence that vascular plant functional groups or fire severity (as measured by satellite metrics differenced normalized burn ratio (dNBR) or relativized differenced normalized burn ratio (RdNBR)) significantly affected longer-term BSC responses. Three large-statured BSC functional groups that may be important in controlling wind and water erosion (squamulose lichens, vagrant lichens, and tall turf mosses) exhibited a significant decrease in abundance in burned areas relative to adjacent unburned areas. The decreases in BSC cover and richness along with decreased abundance of several functional groups suggest that wildfire can negatively impact ecosystem function in these semiarid ecosystems for at least 1 to 2 decades. This is a concern given that increased fire frequency is predicted for the region due to exotic grass invasion and climate change.

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Aspectos ecofisiológicos para la conservación de ecosistemas tropicales contrastantes

Botanical Sciences ◽

10.17129/botsci.1599 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 89

Author(s):

Aura Azócar ◽

Fermín Rada ◽

Carlos García-Nuñez

Keyword(s):

Water Stress ◽

Functional Groups ◽

Functional Group ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Life Forms ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Deciduous Tree ◽

Plant Responses ◽

Water Factor ◽

Temperature Water

<p>The identification of plant functional groups allows to evaluate plant properties as: recovering capacity, regeneration and resistence to environmental changes. It is possible to define plant functional groups in the seasonal savana and the high barren plateau taking in to account the ecophysiological plant responses to water stress and daily temperature-water rythmn, respectively. In the savana, although the wooden component is constituted by evergreen and deciduous tree species, they make only a functional group taking in to account their responses to water stress, this is similar in the herbaceous component. Results suggest that a change in environmental factors may generate a floristic replace without major changes in the system function.<br />However, in the high barren plateau, the different life forms also constitute different functional groups according to plant responses to temperature-water factor, suggesting that the substitution of any group will put in danger the preservation of this ecosystem.</p>

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