Do plant traits influence primary succession patterns for bryophytes and vascular plants? Evidence from a 33‐year chronosequence on bare chalk

Author:

Ridding Lucy E.1ORCID,Hawes Peter2,Walls Robin3,Pilkington Sharon L.4,Pywell Richard F.1ORCID,Pescott Oliver L.1ORCID

Affiliation:

1. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Wallingford Oxfordshire UK

2. Independent Ecologist Bournemouth United Kingdom

3. BSBI Vice‐County Recorder for Dorset Broadmayne UK

4. Vegetation Survey and Assessment Ltd Westbury Wiltshire UK

Abstract

Abstract During primary succession, the abundance of different species and their associated plant traits change over time. Understanding how plant traits linked to colonising and competitive abilities change through succession is important for determining whether community assembly can be predicted. Examining this across more than one taxon group can reveal if these patterns are generalisable. Here, we investigated primary succession on bare chalk for a chronosequence spanning 33 years for two different taxa, vascular plants and bryophytes. We examined how abundance changed through succession, and how this related to species' colonising and competitive abilities, using relevant plant traits for each taxa. A zero‐inflated beta regression model was used to investigate the effects of traits on both presence/absence and abundance‐when‐present of vascular plants and bryophytes. Vascular plants with a larger specific leaf area were more likely to occur later in succession. Vascular plants, which were hemicryptophytes, wind dispersing and had a lower canopy height, were more likely to increase in abundance‐when‐present during succession. Bryophytes with a larger spore diameter were more likely to occur later in succession. Shorter bryophytes with a greater frequency of sporophyte production had a higher abundance early in succession, representing their high colonising abilities. Whereas later in succession larger bryophytes, with a mat or weft life form and low sporophyte frequency were more abundant, indicating a shift towards greater competitive abilities. Synthesis. This study has revealed different patterns for vascular plants and bryophytes regarding colonisation and changes in abundance through succession, and the associated traits linked to colonising and competitive abilities. Although some traits were found to influence abundance through succession for vascular plants, these were often contrary to the expected pattern representing the change from colonising to competitive abilities, whereas for bryophytes, there was more evidence for this shift with successional age. This suggests that general theories on succession‐linked plant traits should not be relied upon in isolation for the prediction of community assembly. Context, particularly successional age in relation to the available species pool is also key.

Funder

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Natural Environment Research Council

Publisher

Wiley

Subject

Plant Science,Ecology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3