Ecological Assembly Rules and Soil Legacy Effects in the Restoration of an Invaded Plant Community

Ecological Assembly Rules and Soil Legacy Effects in the Restoration of an Invaded Plant Community PDF Author: Bridget Hilbig
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781339029092
Category : Bromegrasses
Languages : en
Pages : 117

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Book Description
Understanding the composition of ecological communities that arise from potential species pools has implications for community assembly and applications for restoration. Invasive species pose special challenges to restoration by contributing to ecosystem degradation as well as resisting restoration efforts. In the face of such challenges, understanding the complex of mechanisms working together to enable an invasive species to establish and spread may lead to better management strategies and greater restoration success. The overall objective of this dissertation is to understand mechanisms contributing to the success of a Mediterranean annual grass, Bromus diandrus, through the use of both field and greenhouse studies, and to use this understanding to inform restoration of invaded ecosystems. More specifically, I consider three potential mechanisms of invasion: 1) plant functional traits, 2) plant-soil feedback, and 3) soil legacy effects. The results of the studies of this dissertation demonstrate that multiple mechanisms of invasion promote Bromus diandrus success. First, functionally similar native plant communities did not demonstrate biotic resistance to B. diandrus invasion during restoration studies. Rather, earlier germination and larger seed mass of B. diandrus allows this invasive grass to establish even in the presence of morphologically similar native species with greater relative growth rates. Second, positive plant-soil feedback in B. diandrus attributed to the fine arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contributes to its overall success. Lastly, strong soil legacies in abandoned agriculture also contribute to B. diandrus invasion and inhibit successful reestablishment of native plants. Root fungal pathogens found in abandoned agricultural fields result in decreased biomass of some native species as well as B. diandrus . A greater understanding of the mechanisms contributing to B. diandrus invasion success suggests that restoration attempts should seed with functionally similar natives while manipulating germination cues and utilize facilitated microbial inoculations to reduce Bromus diandrus establishment. However, many mechanisms contribute to the overall success of this invasive species making it competitively superior, and eradication of B. diandrus on a large scale is unlikely.

Ecological Assembly Rules and Soil Legacy Effects in the Restoration of an Invaded Plant Community

Ecological Assembly Rules and Soil Legacy Effects in the Restoration of an Invaded Plant Community PDF Author: Bridget Hilbig
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781339029092
Category : Bromegrasses
Languages : en
Pages : 117

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Book Description
Understanding the composition of ecological communities that arise from potential species pools has implications for community assembly and applications for restoration. Invasive species pose special challenges to restoration by contributing to ecosystem degradation as well as resisting restoration efforts. In the face of such challenges, understanding the complex of mechanisms working together to enable an invasive species to establish and spread may lead to better management strategies and greater restoration success. The overall objective of this dissertation is to understand mechanisms contributing to the success of a Mediterranean annual grass, Bromus diandrus, through the use of both field and greenhouse studies, and to use this understanding to inform restoration of invaded ecosystems. More specifically, I consider three potential mechanisms of invasion: 1) plant functional traits, 2) plant-soil feedback, and 3) soil legacy effects. The results of the studies of this dissertation demonstrate that multiple mechanisms of invasion promote Bromus diandrus success. First, functionally similar native plant communities did not demonstrate biotic resistance to B. diandrus invasion during restoration studies. Rather, earlier germination and larger seed mass of B. diandrus allows this invasive grass to establish even in the presence of morphologically similar native species with greater relative growth rates. Second, positive plant-soil feedback in B. diandrus attributed to the fine arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contributes to its overall success. Lastly, strong soil legacies in abandoned agriculture also contribute to B. diandrus invasion and inhibit successful reestablishment of native plants. Root fungal pathogens found in abandoned agricultural fields result in decreased biomass of some native species as well as B. diandrus . A greater understanding of the mechanisms contributing to B. diandrus invasion success suggests that restoration attempts should seed with functionally similar natives while manipulating germination cues and utilize facilitated microbial inoculations to reduce Bromus diandrus establishment. However, many mechanisms contribute to the overall success of this invasive species making it competitively superior, and eradication of B. diandrus on a large scale is unlikely.

The Community-level and Ecosystem-level Consequences of Feedbacks Between the Soil Ecosystem and the Plant Community During Forest Understory Invasion

The Community-level and Ecosystem-level Consequences of Feedbacks Between the Soil Ecosystem and the Plant Community During Forest Understory Invasion PDF Author: Kenneth John Elgersma
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Introduced organisms
Languages : en
Pages : 167

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Book Description
This dissertation addresses the consequences of reciprocal interactions between the plant and the soil microbial communities, and how those interactions affect nutrient cycling and plant competition during exotic plant invasion. Each chapter is linked by the common theme of evaluating the importance of these feedbacks to the rate of plant invasion in the forest understory. In the first two chapters, I utilize microcosms to evaluate the importance of leaf litter inputs for plant-soil feedback. The first chapter demonstrates that leaf litter from native and exotic plants create divergent soil microbial communities, altering soil enzyme activities and nitrogen cycling, which in turn affects the growth of native and invasive plants. However, while this plant-soil interaction affects growth rate, it does not change the competitive hierarchy or the success of the invasive plant. The second chapter shows how the effect of an exotic species' leaf litter on soil microbes varies over a range of invasion severity. Using litter mixtures ranging from 0% to 100% exotic litter, I show that ecosystem-level effects of invasion on carbon and nitrogen cycling are linearly related to the exotic plant density, while community-level effects on soil microbes are non-linear and very sensitive to low levels of invasion. In the final chapters, I extend these results to examine whole-plant effects in more natural plant communities. The third chapter uses a large-scale field experiment to explore the temporal dynamics of invasion impacts. I show that the short-term impact of native and invasive plants on soil microbes is weak, while long-term effects are much stronger. However, after restoration of native plants, the legacy effect of invasion remains strong. Using experimental litter-removal, I also show that belowground plant litter more strongly influences the soil microbial community than aboveground litter. The fourth chapter examines how the diversity of the native community influences the invasion impact on soils. I show that while diversity has little direct effect, individual native plant species can influence how an exotic invasive shrub affects the soil ecosystem. Together, these results show that the importance of plant-soil feedbacks for exotic invasion is context- and scale-dependent, exhibiting nonlinear dynamics that depend on the native community and the degree of invasion, and vary in strength over time.

Assembly Rules and Restoration Ecology

Assembly Rules and Restoration Ecology PDF Author: Vicky M. Temperton
Publisher: Island Press
ISBN: 159726590X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 465

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Book Description
Understanding how ecosystems are assembled -- how the species that make up a particular biological community arrive in an area, survive, and interact with other species -- is key to successfully restoring degraded ecosystems. Yet little attention has been paid to the idea of assembly rules in ecological restoration, in both the scientific literature and in on-the-ground restoration efforts. Assembly Rules and Restoration Ecology, edited by Vicky M. Temperton, Richard J. Hobbs, Tim Nuttle, and Stefan Halle, addresses that shortcoming, offering an introduction, overview, and synthesis of the potential role of assembly rules theory in restoration ecology. It brings together information and ideas relating to ecosystem assembly in a restoration context, and includes material from a wide geographic range and a variety of perspectives. Assembly Rules and Restoration Ecology contributes new knowledge and ideas to the subjects of assembly rules and restoration ecology and represents an important summary of the current status of an emerging field. It combines theoretical and practical aspects of restoration, making it a vital compendium of information and ideas for restoration ecologists, professionals, and practitioners.

Trait-Based Plant Community Assembly, Ecological Restoration, and the Biocontrol of Invasive Exotic Plant Species

Trait-Based Plant Community Assembly, Ecological Restoration, and the Biocontrol of Invasive Exotic Plant Species PDF Author: Hui Zhang
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889745937
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 119

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Book Description


Impacts of Invasive Plants on Soil Fungi and Implications for Restoration

Impacts of Invasive Plants on Soil Fungi and Implications for Restoration PDF Author: Brooke Pickett
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Biological plant invasions impact the function and biodiversity of ecosystems across the globe by displacing native plant species and altering the physical and chemical soil environment. While much is known about direct competition between invasive and native plants, ecologists have just begun to uncover the less obvious impact of plant invasion: changes to the soil fungal community. Fungi are important to the survival of many plant species and an integral part of a healthy soil system. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are plant mutualistic symbionts that associate with many species and provide necessary services, such as increasing surface area for root water absorption and resistance to pathogens, while ectomycorrhizal fungi play an equally important role and are critical for plant nutrient acquisition in boreal and temperate forests. Invasive plants are altering the soil fungal community in ways that indirectly impact the structure of native plant communities, sometimes for years after the invasive plant has been removed from an area (i.e., legacy effects). These changes make restoration especially difficult in areas from which long-term plant invasions have been eradicated; in some cases these changes can be so severe that even with active management, they take months or decades to reverse.

Determinants of Biotic Resistance to Invasion in Plant Community Assembly

Determinants of Biotic Resistance to Invasion in Plant Community Assembly PDF Author: Chaeho Byun
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
"Biotic resistance refers to the ability of species in a resident community to restrict invasion. Biotic resistance is central to our understanding of how a community recruits/repels new species. From a practical perspective, biotic resistance is relevant to the restoration of communities and/or the management of invasive species. Fundamental ecological mechanisms regulating biotic resistance are not fully understood. This research investigates determinants of biotic resistance to invasion. Its overall objectives were to identify the characteristics of species and communities making them more or less resistant to species invasion and to quantify the contribution of other biotic and abiotic factors to the regulation of biotic resistance. I hypothesized that (1) functional group identity of wetland species would be a good predictor of their biotic resistance, while species identity effect would be redundant within functional group; (2) mixtures of species would be more invasion resistant than monocultures; (3) abiotic constraints (flooding in this case) would influence biotic resistance both through direct effect on invaders and indirect effect on resident wetland species, and (4) propagule pressure of invading species would interact with wetland plant density to influence biotic resistance. I chose an introduced lineage of Phragmites australis as a model invasive species to test biotic resistance, but used emergent functional groups of wetland species based on trait similarity to facilitate generalizations to other species. I conducted a series of rigorous community assembly experiments both in pots and in wetland to simulate a situation where P. australis seeds land on bare soil along with other wetland species, a common occurrence in the field after disturbances or wetland restoration. I used advanced statistical approaches based on diversity-interaction models to disentangle species interaction mechanisms underlying diversity effect and structural equation models to estimate effect of flooding on invasion.Strong resistance of short fast-growing annual plants to restrict P. australis emergence was one of the most consistent findings across several experiments. This result suggests priority effect as a mechanism regulating biotic resistance to prevent seed-mediated invasion of P. australis. Regarding the diversity-invasibility relationship in community assembly, combining certain functional groups in specific ratio led to complementarity diversity effect which strengthened biotic resistance. This result implies species interactions between functional groups are key mechanisms generating diversity effect. Structural equation model supported a partial mediation hypothesis in which both direct flooding effect on P. australis and indirect flooding effect on wetland plants determined invasion success. Abiotic constraint and biotic resistance worked synergistically or antagonistically in controlling invasion depending on the fitness of the wetlands species involved. Finally, propagule pressure increased invasion success up to a threshold beyond which additional P. australis seeds did not increase invasion proportionally. This threshold was controlled by the species recruitment rate (i.e., seed density) of wetland plants, decreasing with increased density of wetland plants. By embracing complex invasion processes and multiple drivers, my research not only advances our comprehension of early community assembly and response to invasion, but also proposes a useful analytical framework that I hope will inspire future investigations and experimentations in community ecology. The fields of restoration ecology and invasion ecology, in particular, are in dire need of strong quantitative evidence to support ecological management approaches. This study can be an important step toward predicting invasion risk and impact as well as designing native community assembly for invasive plant management. " --

Linking Restoration and Ecological Succession

Linking Restoration and Ecological Succession PDF Author: Lawrence R. Walker
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387353038
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 199

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Book Description
This innovative book integrates practical information from restoration projects around the world with the latest developments in successional theory. It recognizes the critical roles of disturbance ecology, landscape ecology, ecological assembly, invasion biology, ecosystem health, and historical ecology in habitat restoration. It argues that restoration within a successional context will best utilize the lessons from each of these disciplines.

Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States

Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States PDF Author: Therese M. Poland
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030453677
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 455

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Book Description
This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.

Diversity and Ecology of Invasive Plants

Diversity and Ecology of Invasive Plants PDF Author: Sudam Charan Sahu
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN: 1839683511
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 114

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Book Description
This book, Diversity and Ecology of Invasive Plants, is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of invasive species biology. The book comprises chapters authored by various researchers and edited by experts active in the field of conservation of biodiversity. All chapters are complete in itself but united under a common topic. This publication aims at providing a thorough overview of the latest research efforts by international authors on diversity, distribution, and ecological consequences of invasive species and opens new possible research paths for further developments.

The Ecology of Mycorrhizae

The Ecology of Mycorrhizae PDF Author: Michael F. Allen
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521335539
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description
A great many terrestrial plants live in close association with fungi. The features of this association, which is known as mycorrhiza, are those of a mutualistic symbiosis. Almost all plants from mycorrhizae whereby the fungus provides soil resources to the plant in exchange for energy provided by the plant. The symbiosis means greater productivity under stress for the plant and a steady energy supply for the fungus. This book addresses the diverse and complex ways in which mycorrhizae affect the mechanism for plant survival as individuals and populations, for community structure and functioning. An evolutionary/ecological approach is used to describe how and under what conditions mycorrhizal symbioses range from managing natural and agricultural lands to biotechnological processes that enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability. The Ecology of Mycorrhizae will be an invaluable book, applicable to all levels of theoretical and applied research in agronomy, botany, ecology, environmental microbiology, and plant pathology.