scholarly journals Flowers increase ecosystem biodiversity in Midwestern prairies

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Michael Goodman ◽  
Diane M Debinski ◽  
Nicholas J Lyon
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Vegetation Height ◽  
South Central ◽  
Flowering Plant Species

Loss of biodiversity due to anthropogenic factors, such as climate change and habitat conversion or loss, is among the largest problems affecting many native ecosystems today. Declines in plant diversity can often have detrimental effects on other forms of biodiversity through cascading trophic systems and negatively impact large-scale ecosystem processes. This is particularly relevant in grassland ecosystems, where in undisturbed systems grasses, forbs, and legumes coexist in diverse communities. Previous studies have explored the hypothesis that loss of plant species negatively impacts biodiversity of other trophic groups and can diminish whole ecosystem functions. In this study we tested how flowering plant species richness influenced arthropod order richness on eight sites in the Grand River Grasslands of south central Iowa, and whether that relationship depended on the vegetation height at which arthropods were sampled. We hypothesized that (1) flowering plant species richness would positively affect arthropod order richness, and that (2) a greater number of arthropod orders would be found 2 centimeters above the ground (hereafter “low”) than 1 meter above the ground (hereafter “high”) at given equal flowering plant species richness. With greater richness of flowering plant species, it is likely that this variety of vegetation supplies a greater amount of habitat available for arthropod communities. Counter to our expectations, flowering plant species richness was not significantly correlated with total arthropod order richness (p = 0.0785). However, richness of “low” arthropod order did increase with an increase in nectar richness (p = 0.0463). Further research including all plant species (rather than merely nectar producing species) and identifying arthropods to a finer taxonomic level may provide more conclusive results supporting our hypotheses. Results of such studies would contribute to the success of biodiversity conservation efforts that focus on bottom-up management practices that can enhance ecosystem functioning at higher trophic levels.

The Effects of Integrated Vegetation Management on Richness of Native Compatible Flowering Plants and abundance of Noncompatible Tree Species on a Right-of-Way in Central Pennsylvania, USA

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 395-401
Author(s):  
Carolyn Mahan ◽  
Bradley Ross ◽  
Richard Yahner
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Vegetation Management ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Right Of Way ◽  
Central Pennsylvania ◽  
Herbicide Mixtures ◽  
Flowering Plant Species

We examined the effects of integrated vegetation management (IVM) and nonselective mechanical removal techniques (hand cutting and mowing) on the richness and abundance of native compatible flowering plants and noncompatible trees on an electric transmission line right-of-way in central Pennsylvania, USA. Our study focused on native flowering plants to help determine how different vegetation management techniques may affect native wildlife communities. We found no correlation between amount of herbicide applied and native flowering plant species richness or tree abundance. We found that the richness of native flowering plants did not differ between plots treated with an IVM herbicide approach and those that were mechanically treated (t = 1.06, df = 1, p = 0.31). However, mechanically treated plots had significantly higher abundance of trees than IVM plots (t = 3.10, df = 1, p = 0.009). We found that plots that were treated with herbicide mixtures that contained glyphosate in 2012 had lower native flowering plant species richness in 2016 than those treated with herbicide mixtures that did not contain glyphosate (t = −2.44, df = 1, p = 0.04). Our study indicates that long-term IVM approaches support native flowering plant species richness while limiting tree abundance under electric transmission line right-of-way. However, further study is needed to determine if the herbicide type and method (selective versus broadcast) of application affects species richness of native flowering plant communities.

scholarly journals Context-dependency in biodiversity-multifunctionality relationships is driven by nitrogen availability and plant functional composition

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noémie A. Pichon ◽  
Seraina L. Cappelli ◽  
Santiago Soliveres ◽  
Tosca Mannall ◽  
Thu Zar Nwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Context Dependency ◽  
Composition Gradient ◽  
Nitrogen Enrichment ◽  
Functional Composition

SummaryThe ability of an ecosystem to deliver multiple functions at high levels (multifunctionality) typically increases with biodiversity but there is substantial variation in the strength and direction of biodiversity effects, suggesting context-dependency. However, the drivers of this context dependency have not been identified and understood in comparative meta-analyses or experimental studies. To determine how different factors modulate the effect of diversity on multifunctionality, we conducted a large grassland experiment with 216 communities, crossing a manipulation of plant species richness (1-20 species) with manipulations of resource availability (nitrogen enrichment), plant functional composition (gradient in mean specific leaf area [SLA] to manipulate abundances of fast vs. slow species), plant functional diversity (variance in SLA) and enemy abundance (fungal pathogen removal). We measured ten functions, above and belowground, related to productivity, nutrient cycling and energy transfer between trophic levels, and calculated multifunctionality. Plant species richness and functional diversity both increased multifunctionality, but their effects were context dependent. Species richness increased multifunctionality, but only when communities were assembled with fast growing (high SLA) species. This was because slow species were more redundant in their functional effects, whereas fast species tended to promote different functions. Functional diversity also increased multifunctionality but this effect was dampened by nitrogen enrichment, however, unfertilised, functionally diverse communities still delivered more functions than low diversity, fertilised communities. Our study suggests that a shift towards exploitative communities will not only alter ecosystem functioning but also the strength of biodiversity-functioning relationships, which highlights the potentially complex effects of global change on multifunctionality.

scholarly journals Microclimatic effects on alpine plant and flower visitor communities and their interactions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa-Maria Ohler ◽  
Martin Lechleitner ◽  
Robert R. Junker
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Plant Insect Interactions ◽  
Insect Interactions ◽  
Flower Visiting ◽  
Flowering Plant Species

AbstractHigh-alpine ecosystems are commonly assumed to be particularly endangered by climate warming. Recent research, however, suggests that the heterogeneous topography of alpine landscapes provide microclimatic niches for alpine plants, which may buffer negative effects. Whether the microclimatic heterogeneity also affects higher trophic levels remains unknown. This study shows that the variation in mean seasonal soil temperature within a single alpine pasture is within the same range as in plots differing in nearly 500 m in elevation. This pronounced heterogeneity affected the spatial distribution of plant cover, richness of flowering plant species and plant species composition. These microclimatic effects on plant communities also affected richness of flower visiting insects and the frequency and structure of plant-insect interactions suggesting an effect of microclimate also on higher trophic levels. Our results may stimulate a re-evaluation of the consequences of climate warming on ecosystems that may compensate warming by microclimatic refuges.

Small areas of wildflower grassland in urban areas support significant species richness and abundance of pollinating insects

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-119
Author(s):  
Louise Hutchinson ◽  
John Norrey ◽  
Alex Lockton ◽  
Emma Coulthard
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Solitary Bees ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Urban Green Spaces ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
Pollinating Insects

1. Diversity of invertebrate pollinators is essential in supporting flowering plant species richness, including agricultural crops. In the UK, losses are reported for bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths. Urban green spaces are essential refugia for these groups, and restoration of these areas can improve pollinator diversity through improved floral resources.<br/> 2. Our research aimed to compare two differently managed areas of urban amenity grassland for their insect pollinators, with transect surveys of butterflies, bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies.<br/> 3. Our results revealed that even in an urban matrix, a small area of wildflower meadow had significantly higher insect abundance and species richness than a comparable amenity grassland. Both abundance and species richness of pollinating insects was positively related to floral species richness.<br/> 4. The wildflower grassland supported a number of notable solitary bee species and numerous hoverflies, although visitation by solitary bees was confined to only a small number of flowering plants, exhibiting visitation specialisation; however many of these plant species were not visited by other taxa.

Plant species richness responses to management practices in chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) forests and coppice stands in the Cévennes mountains (southern France)

2000 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-154
Author(s):  
Hélène Gondard ◽  
James Aronson ◽  
Michel Grandjanny ◽  
Édouard Le Floc'h ◽  
Alain Renaux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Castanea Sativa ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Southern France ◽  
Castanea Sativa Mill

Plant species richness sustains higher trophic levels of soil nematode communities after consecutive environmental perturbations

Oecologia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 184 (3) ◽  
pp. 715-728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Cesarz ◽  
Marcel Ciobanu ◽  
Alexandra J. Wright ◽  
Anne Ebeling ◽  
Anja Vogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Nematode Communities ◽  
Environmental Perturbations ◽  
Soil Nematode Communities

scholarly journals Ongoing decline in insect-pollinated plants across Danish grasslands

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bodil K. Ehlers ◽  
Thomas Bataillon ◽  
Christian F. Damgaard
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Pollinator Decline ◽  
Data Points ◽  
Flowering Plant Species ◽  
Few Data

Loss of habitat, eutrophication and reduced grazing intensity are known drivers of landscape-level changes in plant species composition; however, consequences of the massive decline in insect abundance are still to be understood. Pollinator decline can reduce seed set in plants relying on insects for successful reproduction. This may result in a reduced recruitment of insect-pollinated plant species with associated changes in species composition. So far, large-scale studies addressing this issue have relied on few data points—typically consisting of ‘historic’ records of numbers of insect-pollinated plants compared to present-day records. Such comparisons can provide information as to whether the diversity of insect-pollinated plants has changed, but not whether the process is still ongoing. Here, we use nationwide monitoring data of plant species richness in Danish grasslands from the period 2004–2014, covering 244 grassland sites and encompassing more than 790 flowering plant species. We show an ongoing decrease in insect-pollinated, but not wind-pollinated, plant species across different habitat types. In both dry calcareous and Nardus grasslands, loss of insect-pollinated plants was greatest at sites with low grazing intensity. However, insect-pollinated plants also declined from sites with higher grazing intensity, and plants requiring more specialized insect pollination tended to decline most. In addition to changes in plant diversity driven by land-use intensification, loss of pollinators may also play a role in reducing the richness of insect-pollinated plants. Ongoing reduction in floral richness could further increase the threat to insects relying on these plants as a food source.

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