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Performance of pollinators of the tropical bromeliad Tillandsia stricta Sol. (Bromeliaceae) in the Atlantic forest, Rio de Janeiro Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Caio C. C. Missagia, Cassio J. O. Mendes, Maria Alice S. Alves
Most bromeliad (Bromeliaceae) species have specialised flowers for specific pollinators, establishing a mutualistic relationship. However, other animals may also pollinate bromeliads, though it is ...
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Floral signals of the dimorphic oil-producing Byrsonima sericea (Malpighiaceae): is the eglandular morph deceptive? Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Nayara S. L. Albuquerque, Paulo Milet-Pinheiro, Liedson T. Carneiro, Daniela M. A. F. Navarro, Isabel C. Machado
Presence of eglandular individuals (lacking floral oil glands) within populations of several neotropical Malpighiaceae is intriguing, with ecological and evolutionary implications so far unexplored...
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Distribution of leaflet traits across different habitats: a phylogenetically controlled test using Neotropical palms Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Gabriela A. Oda, Rita C. Q. Portela, Alexandra S. Pires, William J. Baker, Thaise Emilio
Traits associated with resource acquisition and use are related to current or past environmental conditions. Consequently, similar environments are occupied by closely related lineages or by differ...
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Experimental warming outside the growing season and exclusion of grazing has a mild effect on upland grassland plant communities in the short term Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Nina Roth, Robert Baxter, Martin Furness, Adam Kimberley, Sara A. O. Cousins
Winters are expected to warm more than summers in central and northern Europe, with largely unknown effects on grassland plant communities.By studying the interactions between winter warming and su...
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Topography drives tree–habitat association and functional and phylogenetic structure in the northernmost tropical dry forest of the Americas Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Abdieel Quisehuatl-Medina, Campbell O. Webb, Moisés Méndez-Toribio, Clementina González, Stephen P. Hubbell, Leonel Lopez-Toledo
Plant species composition and structural attributes are related to physiographic factors such as slope orientation and topographic position. This relationship is accentuated with increasing seasona...
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Integrating morphology, niche modelling, and molecular data to disentangle taxonomic challenges in a species complex of Calibrachoa (Solanaceae) Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Alice Backes, Pedro H. Pezzi, Leonardo T. Gonçalves, Julián A. Greppi, Loreta B. Freitas
Plant species delimitation can be difficult when clearly visible diagnostic characteristics are lacking. Historically, phenotypic similarity has been used as a criterion to group individuals into s...
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Modelling the future distribution of rare bryophytes in Scotland: the importance of the inclusion of habitat loss Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Anna Ferretto, Peter Smith, David R. Genney, Robin Matthews, Mostafa Hadizadeh, Rob Brooker
Species distribution models (SDMs) have been widely used to predict species ranges and their future distribution under climate change scenarios, mostly using only climatic variables. An important f...
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Determinants of above-ground carbon stocks and productivity in secondary forests along a 3000-m elevation gradient in the Ecuadorian Andes Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Esteban Pinto, Francisco Cuesta, Antonella Bernardi, Mellisa Llerena-Zambrano, Álvaro J. Pérez, Masha T. van der Sande, William D. Gosling, Kevin S. Burgess
Secondary montane forests, covering 30% of forested lands in the Andes, play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of carbon release. However, the mechanisms responsible for carbon sequestration ...
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Structural diversity is a key driver of above-ground biomass in tropical forests Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Kurian Ayushi, Kanda Naveen Babu, Narayanan Ayyappan
A gamut of abiotic and biotic factors is related to the amount of above-ground biomass (AGB) produced in ecosystems. Some factors have direct and others indirect relationships with AGB. Detailed an...
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Influence of distance from conspecific and heterospecific co-flowering plants on pollination and fecundity in the nectarless orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-09 Karl J. Duffy
The relative influence of both conspecific and heterospecific plant density on the fecundity of generalist rewardless plants is unclear.To test whether distance from both conspecific and heterospec...
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The relationship between vegetation, plant functional diversity and environment on rock outcrops in the Western Ghats, India Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-17 Aboli Kulkarni, Rohan Shetti, Bhushan K. Shigwan, Vijayan Smrithy, Mandar N. Datar
Rock outcrops support specialist plant communities that are often adapted to highly seasonal climates and heterogeneous soil cover. However, the relationship between environmental parameters and pl...
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Ecohydrological niche segregation among desert shrubs in a gypsum-calcareous formation, north-western Iran Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-09-16 Alexander Rudov, Laura de la Puente, Sara Palacio, Arash Sharifi, José I. Querejeta, Juan P. Ferrio, Hossein Rahmaninia, Hossein Akhani
Xerophilic subshrubs exhibit multiple functional types and frequently show hydrological niche segregation. In the poorly studied Irano-Turanian gypsum deserts, knowledge of the ecohydrological stra...
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The invasive Tradescantia zebrina does not inhibit germination of the native Hymenaea courbaril but does modulate its growth Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-02 Maria E. N. Silva, José D. Ribeiro N., Marília B. Lion, Rosemberg F. Menezes
Invasive plant species can modify ecosystem structure and function, potentially leading to the loss of native species, environmental and biotic homogenisation, changes in nutrient cycling, impairme...
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The effects of climate change on cytotype distributions of endemic genera in the North American Coastal Plain Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Courtney H. Babin, Charles D. Bell
Approximately 33% of plant species face extinction due to climate change. Polyploidisation, a process resulting in more than two complete sets of chromosomes, may be promoted by periods of climate ...
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Edaphic ecotypic divergence in Senecio vulgaris and the evolutionary potential of predominantly self-fertilising species Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-05-26 Richard J. Abbott
There is continued interest in ecotypic divergence because it is informative of local adaptation and can be an important step in speciation.To investigate ecotypic divergence in a predominantly sel...
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South American mountain ecosystems and global change – a case study for integrating theory and field observations for land surface modelling and ecosystem management Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-05-03 Laszlo Nagy, Cleiton B. Eller, Lina M. Mercado, Francisco X. Cuesta, Luís D. Llambí, Erika Buscardo, Luiz E. O. C. Aragão, Carlos García-Núñez, Rafael S. Oliveira, Milton Barbosa, Sergio J. Ceballos, Marco Calderón-Loor, G. Wilson Fernandes, Ezequiel Aráoz, Ariadna M. Q. Muñoz, Ricardo Rozzi, Francisco Aguirre, Esteban Álvarez-Dávila, Norma Salinas, Stephen Sitch
Plot-based monitoring has yielded much information on the taxonomic diversity and carbon (C) storage in tropical lowland forests of the Amazon basin. This has resulted in an improved understanding ...
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Introduction to special issue: the ecology and evolution of plants in extreme environments Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-01-09 F. Xavier Picó, Richard J. Abbott, Luis D. Llambi, Nishanta Rajakaruna, Alexander S. T. Papadopulos, Laszlo Nagy
ABSTRACT In plant ecology, extreme environments are those that pose physiological or other limitations to plant growth, especially for non-adapted taxa. In these environments, the severity of climate conditions and/or the limitations imposed by particular soil substrates represent major selective pressures for plants, leading to the evolution of a wide array of functional traits, specific strategies
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Thermal tolerance and growth responses to in situ soil water reductions among alpine plants Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-01-03 Emma E. Sumner, Susanna E. Venn
ABSTRACT Background Changes to precipitation patterns and warming temperatures are predicted to reduce the water available to Australian alpine plants during the growing season. Soil water deficits are likely to co-occur with frost extremes that are common throughout the year and heatwaves which are increasing in severity with ongoing climate change. Aims We aimed to determine whether co-occurring
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Specific leaf area is lower on ultramafic than on neighbouring non-ultramafic soils Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2023-01-01 Thomas J. Samojedny Jr, Claudia Garnica-Díaz, Dena L. Grossenbacher, George C. Adamidis, Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos, Stefan J. Siebert, Marko J. Spasojevic, Catherine M. Hulshof, Nishanta Rajakaruna
ABSTRACT Background Specific leaf area (SLA) is a core trait within the leaf economic spectrum that describes differences in plant performance and productivity. Research on the sources of variation in the leaf economic spectrum and SLA has primarily focused on climate. Much less is known about SLA variation across unusual edaphic environments, such as on ultramafic soils. Aims To determine the role
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Habitat preference and vulnerability to drought of three Hypericum species of the páramo Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-12-12 Alejandra Ayarza-Páez, Carol X. Garzon-Lopez, Eloisa Lasso
ABSTRACT Background Páramos are tropical alpine ecosystems where climate change is expected to cause yet unknown consequences for plant growth, ecosystem structure, ecosystem function and the provision of ecosystem services. Aim To quantify the relationship between environmental factors (abiotic and biotic) and the spatial distribution of three common Hypericum species in the páramo and their physiological
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Plant affinity to extreme soils and foliar sulphur mediate species-specific responses to sheep grazing in gypsum systems Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-12-09 Andreu Cera, Gabriel Montserrat-Martí, Arantzazu L. Luzuriaga, Yolanda Pueyo, Sara Palacio
ABSTRACT Background Plants growing on extreme soils have mainly been described in relation to their adaptations to edaphic conditions, although herbivores may also be an important factor in these ecosystems. Gypsum soils occur in drylands often where livestock practices occur. However, it is unknown whether plant traits related to gypsum soil constraints are associated with resistance to herbivory
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Plant reproductive phenology along an elevation gradient in the extreme environment of the Canadian High Arctic Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-28 Zoe A. Panchen
ABSTRACT Background The extreme environment of the Canadian High-Arctic is experiencing unprecedented climate change with temperatures rising at three times the global average. There is a compelling need to understand how the phenology of Arctic plants will respond. However, long-term High-Arctic phenology monitoring is challenging due to the region’s remoteness. Aim To predict phenological responses
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Seed fungal endophytes promote the establishment of invasive Poa annua in maritime Antarctica Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-26 Gabriel I. Ballesteros, Ian S. Acuña-Rodríguez, Andrea Barrera, Pedro E. Gundel, Kevin K. Newsham, Marco A. Molina-Montenegro
ABSTRACT Background Invasive plants may displace native species. This is the case for Poa annua, the only non-native plant species successfully established in Maritime Antarctica. Nonetheless, it is uncertain which factors drive the competitive success of P. annua in the harsh environmental conditions of the region. The ability of this plant species to establish novel mutualistic interactions with
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Ecology and management of invasive plants in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions: evidence and synthesis from Macquarie Island Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-15 Brian M. Sindel, Susan C. Wilson, Brian R. Wilson, Kirsten L. Hawking, Waqas Zahid, Ali Iqbal, Laura K. Williams, Oliver G.G. Knox, Michael J. Coleman, Paul Kristiansen
ABSTRACT Background The Antarctic is an extreme environment for plants. Several invasive plant species, however, have invaded the sub-Antarctic Southern Ocean islands and increasingly threaten the vulnerability of maritime and continental Antarctica, particularly with changes in climate. Aims We provide an overview of issues to consider with regard to the impact, ecology and management of non-native
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Changes in rainfall amount and seasonality modulate taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity in a gypsophilous plant community in the Chihuahuan Desert Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-12 Alexa Vargas-Colin, Joel Flores, Rosa Romo-Campos, David Douterlungne, Laura Yáñez-Espinosa, José M. González, Arantzazu L. Luzuriaga
ABSTRACT Background Climate change is expected to alter future rainfall regime in arid zones, which may impact gypsophilous plant diversity components in the Chihuahuan Desert. Aims We investigated the effects of different rainfall timings and amounts on the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic components of a gypsophilous plant community. Methods We used soil monoliths extracted from the southern
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Plant speciation in the Namib Desert: potential origin of a widespread derivative species from a narrow endemic Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-12 Joseph J. Milton, Matthias Affenzeller, Richard J. Abbott, Hans P. Comes
ABSTRACT Background Parapatric (or ‘budding’) speciation is increasingly recognised as an important phenomenon in plant evolution but its role in extreme (e.g. desert) environments is poorly documented. Aims To test this speciation model in a hypothesised sister pair, the Southwest – North African disjunct Senecio flavus and its putative progenitor, the Namibian Desert endemic S. englerianus. Methods
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Evidence of short-term shifts in floral traits in response to nectar robbing Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-03 Júlia M. Almeida, Maria Alice S. Alves
ABSTRACT Background Nectar robbing has multiple effects on plants and pollinators, depending on the traits of a plant and its reproductive system, the behaviour of its pollinators, and the identity of the robber. Aims We aimed to evaluate temporal variation in morphological traits of robbed and intact flowers of the ornithophilous Asian basket plant, Aeschynanthus speciosus (Gesneriaceae). Methods
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Differences in plant-dispersal mechanisms between contrasting Brazilian savanna habitats Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-01 Nadjarriny Winck, Guarino R. Colli, Henrique A. Mews, Divino V. Silvério, Ana C. Abadia, José R. R. Pinto, Thiago B. Vieira, Keila N. Purificação, Eddie Lenza
ABSTRACT Background By favouring long-distance dispersal, anemochory is often associated with open and patchy habitats, whereas zoochory enables short-distance dispersal and prevails in closed and extensive habitats. Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) on shallow rocky soils (RS) have open vegetation and are patchily distributed, whereas savanna on deep soils (DS) have dense vegetation and occur in large stands
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Disturbance and biomass removal enhance population reinforcement of a plant species of European conservation concern Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-10-20 Merle Streitberger, Peter Borgmann, Marco Drung, Benedikt Wrede, Thomas Fartmann
Abstract Background Arnica montana is a threatened plant species that highly depends on species-specific conservation action. Aims We conducted three experiments in montane heathlands to quantify the role of disturbance for population reinforcement of A. montana. Methods In the first experiment, clusters of A. montana were raked to remove biomass and promote vegetative growth. In two other experiments
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Fertiliser application modulates the impact of interannual climate fluctuations and plant-to-plant interactions on the dynamics of annual species in a Mediterranean grassland Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-30 Mercedes Valerio, Antonio Gazol, María Ripollés, Ricardo Ibáñez
Abstract Background Climate and land-use changes, which include the application of various types of organic and inorganic fertilisers, have been reducing the species diversity of Mediterranean grasslands and threatening its conservation. Annual plants are one of the most diverse functional groups of species in these grasslands, despite suffering competitive pressure from perennial herbaceous and woody
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Changes in climate, grazing pressure and nutrient inputs affect the structural integrity and functioning of Andean shrublands Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-27 Diego P. Vélez-Mora, Elizabeth Gusmán, Carlos Iván Espinosa, Pedro F. Quintana-Ascencio
ABSTRACT Background Changes in climate and the intensity of agriculture expansion can alter plant population dynamics and community composition and structure of dry shrublands. Aims We tested how temperature and moisture along an elevation gradient, grazing, and nutrient addition in soil affected demographic attributes of Croton shrubs and the composition and structure of plant species in an inter-Andean
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White bark in birch species as a warning signal for bark-stripping mammals Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-08 Hamish M. Ireland, Graeme D. Ruxton
Abstract Background : Birch species such as Betula pendula have conspicuous white bark and the evolutionary drivers for this colouration remain unresolved. Aims We evaluated our hypothesis that the white bark is a visual warning signal to deter mammals from bark-stripping. Many species of deer (Cervidae) and multiple other mammals consume bark. White birch species’ bark contains betulin and other compounds
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Visual function of red staminal filaments in a bee-pollinated plant Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-07-26 Ya-Li Hu, Zhe Chen, Jian-Jun Zhao, Yang Niu, Gang Xu
ABSTRACT Background Floral colour is a primary signal in plant-pollinator interactions. Presumably because bees lack red receptors, bee-pollinated flowers are rarely red. Hypericum (Hypericaceae) is a genus, with yellow flowers and filaments, mainly pollinated by bees. However, one species, H. ascyron exhibits unique red filaments. Aims We tested whether the red filaments influence pollinator visitation
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Simulated precipitation change drives plant diversity and biomass change in the desert steppe Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-07-12 Yuehua Wang, Haigang Li, Hailian Sun, Tingting Shen, Xiaohui Song, Zhanwen Wang, Zhongwu Wang, Guodong Han
Abstract Background There is a large uncertainty regarding the direction and magnitude of projected changes in the pattern and quantity of precipitation in future climate change scenarios. As changes in precipitation are likely to greatly impact plant diversity and biomass in desert ecosystems, we undertook a water addition/exclusion experiment to quantify the responses of plant diversity and biomass
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Relict lineages with extreme ecology and physiology: metal hyperaccumulation on ultramafic substrates in New Caledonian Alseuosmineae (Asterales) Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-07-07 Karine Gotty, Gael J. Kergoat, Pierre Jouannais, Vanessa Invernon, Sylvain Merlot, Yohan Pillon
ABSTRACT Background Relict lineages are an important component of biodiversity, but it is unclear under what circumstances these groups persist. A potential example of such a group is the Alseuosmineae (Asterales) of Oceania. This clade contains the three small families – Alseuosmiaceae, Argophyllaceae and Phellinaceae. The clade has highest diversity in New Caledonia, where there are extensive ultramafic
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Quantifying cardinal temperatures and thermal time for seed germination of Papaver dubium and P. rhoeas Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-06-21 Sajedeh Golmohammadzadeh, Faezeh Zaefarian, Mohammad Rezvani, Bhagirath S. Chauhan
ABSTRACT Background Temperature plays a key role in plants distribution. Cardinal temperatures are important parameters for plant population dynamics models. Aims This study was conducted to estimate the cardinal temperatures and other parameters in relation to temperature using three non-linear regression models (segmented, dent-like and beta) to project the germination rate and temperature relation
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Functional dominance is a better predictor than functional diversity of above-ground biomass in seasonally dry tropical forests Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-06-13 Fernanda M. Gianasi, Cléber R. de Souza, Vinícius A. Maia, Nathalle C. A. Fagundes, Wilder B. da Silva, Paola F. Santos, Rubens M. dos Santos
ABSTRACT Background The mass ratio hypothesis (functional dominance) and niche complementarity hypothesis (functional diversity) are two potential approaches for making the link between biodiversity and biomass. It is yet unclear how biodiversity and biomass are related in seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) communities where there is a seasonal water limitation. Aims The objective of this study
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Factors that determine the occurrence of native and introduced Spergularia species in Mediterranean coastal ecosystems Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-05-29 F. Javier J. Nieva, Rocío Gago, M. Dolores Infante-Izquierdo, Alejandro Polo, Virgilio Hermoso, Adolfo F. Muñoz-Rodríguez
ABSTRACT Background Studies have found a close correlation between the dispersal of alien species and anthropogenic disturbance. However, in coastal Mediterranean ecosystems, the importance of human induced vs. naturally occurring habitat heterogeneity in influencing the distribution of native vs. exotic species remains poorly understood. Aims Our aim was to identify plant communities where native
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Anatomy and growth of the epiphytic cactus Epiphyllum phyllanthus under different radiation conditions Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-05-29 Maria P. B. Chaves, Bianca A. B. Silva, Heloisa F. Silvério, Flavio N. Ramos, Vinícius P. Duarte, Evaristo M. Castro, Fabricio J. Pereira
ABSTRACT Background Plants develop mechanisms that confer tolerance to sun or shade exposure and the knowledge of their responses may help to devise strategies for the conservation of natural populations and their propagation. Aims We study the effect of shading on the ecophysiology and anatomy of Epiphyllum phyllanthus to determine its plasticity and tolerance. Methods Specimens of E. phyllanthus
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Constraints, crashes and conservation: were historical African savanna elephants Loxodonta africana densities relatively high or lower than those seen in protected areas today? Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-05-28 David M. Wilkinson, Jeremy J. Midgley, Anthony B. Cunningham
ABSTRACT African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) are significant ecosystem engineers – having profound effects on the vegetation when at high population densities. To provide a context for modern conservation decisions it would be useful to know the ‘natural’ population densities prior to the arrival of firearms in Africa. Here, we use botanical and archaeological arguments to suggest a lower
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Epipelic diatom diversity as a bioindicator in River Aturukuku, Eastern Uganda Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-04-11 Hannington Ochieng, Godfrey Magezi, Willy P. Gandhi, James Okot-Okumu, Robinson Odong
ABSTRACT Background Despite their key ecological functions and application in biomonitoring, little is known about the algal flora in Uganda, especially those of lotic systems. Aim This study related the community composition of the epipelic diatoms to environmental variables to establish the influence of rural and urban activities on water quality and on the biota on spatial and seasonal scales along
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Expanding the wood anatomy economics spectrum: the correlates of vessel element lengths and pit apertures sizes in tropical forest trees Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-04-05 Marcelo dos S. Silva, Deborah M. G. Apgaua, Cássia C. S. Silva, Lazaro B. da Silva, David Y. P. Tng
ABSTRACT Background Plant functions all have an anatomical basis, but there are still major knowledge gaps in functional wood anatomy, especially of tropical trees. Aims To examine the relationships between the functional anatomy of woody tissue in poorly studied rainforest trees, focussing on anatomical traits including vessel element lengths, pit aperture dimensions, grouping indices and xylem tissue
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Genetic diversity and population structure of Salix alba across river systems in Turkey and their importance in conservation management Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-03-25 Funda Ö. Değirmenci, Asiye Çiftçi, Pelin Acar, Zeki Kaya
ABSTRACT Background Salix alba is a pioneer species of river ecosystems throughout Turkey. Its genetic diversity and population structure across these ecosystems is currently unknown. Aims We investigated genetic diversity in Turkish S. alba to assess factors likely to shape the genetic structure of the species and to assist with conservation recommendations. Methods Six hundred and forty-six individuals
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Effects of plant interactions on the populations of the endangered Fagus pashanica Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-03-24 Yu Liang, Xiao-Xi Yang, Xiao-Ya Zhang, Jin-Tun Zhang, Da-Yong Zhang, Wan-Jin Liao
ABSTRACT Background Examining the spatial patterns of species distributions and their underlying processes is important for characterising population dynamics and can provide novel insights for conservation management. However, little attention has been paid to spatial distribution patterns of endangered species. Aims We quantified the effects of plant interactions and environmental heterogeneity on
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Composition, diversity and structure of woody vegetation along a disturbance gradient in the forest corridor of the Boucle du Mouhoun, Burkina Faso Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-02-28 Lassina Sanou, Ouattara Brama, Koala Jonas, Hien Mipro, Thiombiano Adjima
ABSTRACT Background Riparian vegetation is important for the protection of water resources, to avoid erosion and sedimentation of riverbeds. Monitoring the impacts of disturbance on the dynamics of riparian vegetation can help to develop evidence-based forest management guidelines. Aims We evaluated the woody composition and structure along a disturbance gradient of a riparian forest corridor to quantify
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Out of the shadows: ecology of open ecosystems Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-02-26 William J. Bond
ABSTRACT Biomes of the world have long been assumed to be determined by climate. Major disparities, where open low biomass systems occurred in the same climate zone as closed forests have been dismissed as products of deforestation. Many of these open ecosystems of the world, have been shown to be of ancient origins, stable alternatives to forests, and typically maintained by disturbance regimes. Open
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A test of the fast–slow plant economy hypothesis in a subtropical rain forest Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-02-24 Arthur V. Rodrigues, Fábio F. Pastório, Fábio L. V. Bones, Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert, Alexander C. Vibrans, André L. de Gasper
ABSTRACT Background The fast–slow plant economy hypothesis predicts strong co-variation in key resource-use traits due to the trade-off between growth and survival of species. Accordingly, it is expected that trait variation may be reduced to a single dimension along a growth-survival gradient. However, some studies warn against such reductionism and promote investigating how a multi-dimensional trait
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Environmental heterogeneity compensates the potential homogenising effect of abandonment of grazing in a sub-Mediterranean mountain landscape Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-02-23 Alessandro Bricca, Federico M. Tardella, Arianna Ferrara, Xia Xinfang, Fabio Tolu, Andrea Catorci
ABSTRACT Background Anthropogenic mountain grasslands undergo major changes in their composition and structure after abandonment of their use as pastures or hay meadows. Distinct plant community-types may develop in habitats that differ in environmental conditions, such as soil water availability; however, few studies have addressed this issue in abandoned anthropogenic grasslands. Aims To quantify
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Patch size changes the composition of flower visitors and influences pollen flow Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-02-17 Karen C. B. S. Santos, Camila S. Souza, Rafael Arruda, Andréa C. Araujo
ABSTRACT Background The spatial structure and size of plant populations affect foraging choices of pollinators and, consequently, pollen transfer within and between populations. Aims To understand pollination patterns in relation to population size and pollinator selectivity we quantified patch size and pollen flow in natural populations of Richardia grandiflora, a neotropical perennial herb. Methods
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Flowering segregation and pollinator distinctiveness contribute to coexistence in an extremely generalist plant group Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-02-11 Rubem S. de Avila Jr, Mardiore Pinheiro
ABSTRACT Background Flowering time determines potential plant mates, and it is related to gene flow within and among plant populations arising from different selective forces and interspecific interactions between plants with similar pollination niches. However, these effects on the flowering phenology of plants with generalist pollination systems have received little attention and hence our knowledge
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Plant speciation in the Quaternary Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-01-12 Joachim W. Kadereit, Richard J. Abbott
ABSTRACT Background There are conflicting views between palaeobotanists and plant systematists/evolutionary biologists regarding the occurrence of plant speciation in the Quaternary. Palaeobotanists advocate that Quaternary speciation was rare despite opposing molecular phylogenetic evidence, the extent of which appears underappreciated. Aims To document, describe and discuss evidence for Quaternary
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Scarce fire activity in north and north-western Amazonian forests during the last 10,000 years Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-12-18 William D. Gosling, S. Yoshi Maezumi, Britte M. Heijink, Majoi N. Nascimento, Marco F. Raczka, Masha T. van der Sande, Mark B. Bush, Crystal N.H. McMichael
ABSTRACT Background Fire is known to affect forest biodiversity, carbon storage, and public health today; however, comparable fire histories from across forest regions in Amazonia are lacking. Consequently, the degree to which past fires could have preconditioned modern forest resilience to fire remains unknown. Aim We characterised the long-term (multi-millennial) fire history of forests in Amazonia
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Ecological and evolutionary distances from neighbouring plants do not influence leaf herbivory by chewing insects in a Neotropical savanna Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2022-01-29 Leandro Maracahipes, Walter S. de Araújo, Fernando L. Sobral, Leonardo L. Bergamini, Mário Almeida-Neto, Marcus V. Cianciaruso
ABSTRACT Background Coexisting plant species frequently exhibit marked differences in leaf damage caused by chewing insects. Such variation in leaf herbivory has often been attributed to interspecific differences in leaf defensive traits, leaf nutritional quality and leaf abundance. Aims We aimed to investigate the hypothesis that plants surrounded by more similar neighbours tend to exhibit higher
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Geographic distance and environmental variation drive community structure of woody plants in Neotropical seasonally dry forest fragments in the Colombian Caribbean Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-12-17 Jorge D. Mercado-Gómez, Carlos Giraldo-Sánchez, Tania Escalante
ABSTRACT Background Montes de María is the best-preserved tropical dry forest fragment in the Colombian Caribbean, making it a good model to relate environmental and geographic factors to woody plant community structure. Aims We related alpha and beta diversity of woody plant communities to geographic distance and bioclimatic factors to understand the underlying factors of community structure. Methods
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Nitrogen addition results in Medicago sativa switching nitrogen sources Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-12-29 Yinliu Wang, Muqier Hasi, Dongdong Bu, Ang Li, Jianguo Xue, Changhui Wang, Qiuying Tian, Guoxiang Niu, Qianqian Geng, Lixin Wang, Jianhui Huang
ABSTRACT Background Nitrogen (N) addition may have strong impacts on legume growth and their biological N fixation (BNF), but how legume N acquisition sources respond to N inputs have yet to be comprehensively assessed. Aims We quantified the effects of N addition on the growth and BNF of Medicago sativa and to assess the response of legume N acquisition to N addition. Methods We grew M. sativa in
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Ecology of Nepenthes clipeata on Gunung Kelam, Indonesian Borneo Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-11-27 Muhammad Mansur, Francis Q. Brearley, Philip J. Esseen, E. Johanna Rode-Margono, M. Rafi’i Ma’arif Tarigan
ABSTRACT Background Nepenthes clipeata is a Critically Endangered plant species with the population at its only location in the wild, Gunung (Mount) Kelam in Kalimantan, Indonesia, under threat – its nutrient relationships have not been studied. Aims To improve understanding of the autecology of N. clipeata by assessing the current population and providing information on its mineral nutrient relationships
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The drought‒dieback‒death conundrum in trees and forests Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-09-05 J. Julio Camarero
ABSTRACT Background: Climate warming is amplifying and exacerbating drought stress worldwide. Long-term trends of increasing evaporative demand and decreasing soil moisture availability occur superimposed on severe spells of drought. These rare, extreme droughts have triggered episodes of forest dieback that have led to reduced productivity and rising mortality rates, usually at small scales (dieback
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The relevance of the concept of potential natural vegetation in the Anthropocene Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-10-06 Imelda Somodi, Jörg Ewald, Ákos Bede-Fazekas, Zsolt Molnár
ABSTRACT Background The concept of potential natural vegetation (PNV) refers to self-sustaining mature vegetation matching the environmental conditions a site offers. Despite its widespread use, the applicability of the concept under the current level of human impacts on the environment has been criticised. Aims We re-examine the original publication of the PNV concept and its development over time
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Holocene expansion of the Caledonian pinewoods: spatial and temporal patterns at regional and landscape scales Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-10-19 Brian Huntley, Judith R.M. Allen
ABSTRACT Background To facilitate climatic change adaptation, landscape and conservation managers require understanding of spatio-temporal patterns of expansion of potential dominant species. Studying past expansions of canopy-dominant trees can contribute such understanding. Aims Test hypotheses about expansions of dominants using as a model the mid-Holocene expansion of forests dominated by Pinus
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The presence of a foreign microbial community promotes plant growth and reduces filtering of root fungi in the arctic-alpine plant Silene acaulis Plant Ecol. Divers. (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2021-07-06 Conor V. Meade, Clifton P. Bueno de Mesquita, Steven K. Schmidt, Katharine N. Suding
ABSTRACT Background Climate change is expected to drive trailing-edge range redistributions of arctic-alpine plant populations, bringing together immigrant plant ecotypes and soil microbial communities associated with already resident ecotypes. Aims The goal of the present study was to assess growth performance and plant–microbe interactions between seedlings and native and foreign microbial communities