“Recalcitrant understory layers” revisited: arrested succession and the long life-spans of clonal mid-successional species

Truman P. Young; Emily Peffer

doi:10.1139/x10-066

“Recalcitrant understory layers” revisited: arrested succession and the long life-spans of clonal mid-successional species

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x10-066 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 40 (6) ◽

pp. 1184-1188 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Truman P. Young ◽

Emily Peffer

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Forest Regeneration ◽

Arrested Succession ◽

Successional Species ◽

Long Life ◽

Vegetative Spread ◽

Additional Reason

In their recent review of arrested succession, Royo and Carson ( A.A. Royo and W.P. Carson. 2006. Can. J. For. Res. 36: 1345–1362 ) demonstrate that “recalcitrant understory layers” are widespread and pervasive modifiers of ecosystems and disruptors of forest regeneration. They rightly point out that many plant species associated with arrested succession are characterized by rapid vegetative spread. Extending their review, we point out that most of such species are clonal or thicket-forming and suggest that an additional reason why these plants so effectively suppress succession for extended periods is their long life-spans.

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Impact of weather on dynamics of plant functional groups in an abandoned limestone grassland

Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae ◽

10.5586/asbp.2011.038 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 80 (4) ◽

pp. 259-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zbigniew Dzwonko ◽

Stefania Loster

Keyword(s):

Functional Groups ◽

Early Summer ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Plant Functional Groups ◽

Permanent Plots ◽

Plant Groups ◽

Successional Species ◽

Abandoned Grassland ◽

Vegetative Spread ◽

Natural Grassland

We examined to what extend the rate and direction of changes in unmanaged grassland depend on fluctuations in climatic conditions. Vegetation data from permanent plots in a semi-natural grassland in southern Poland collected over 12 years were used. Relations between weather variables, time, and the cover of 41 more frequent species and 14 plant functional groups were analysed. The greatest effect on the dynamics of species and functional groups had precipitation in spring and/or early summer, particularly in the current year. The majority of plant groups were significantly affected also by the temperature in spring and early summer in one of the three previous years. During 12 years, the cover of annuals and biennials, short plants, and plants with small leaves decreased, while the cover of taller plants, plants with larger leaves, and with vegetative spread increased. The analyses suggest that these successional changes were not directly associated with climatic conditions but were affected by them indirectly through interspecific competition. The fluctuations in climatic conditions, chiefly precipitation, had a significant effect on both the composition and the rate of changes in abandoned grassland. The increase in the cover of tall perennial species with broad leaves hindered succession towards woodland despite of the presence of woods in the closed vicinity. It can be expected that during drier periods colonisation of grassland by later successional species could be easier.

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Phytotoxicity, Poison Retention, Palatability, and Acceptance of Carriers Used in Compound-1080-Foliage Baits for Control of Feral Goats.

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9910687 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 687 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

JP Parkes

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Plant Species ◽

Food Plants ◽

Carbopol Gel ◽

Long Life

Feral goats have been controlled in New Zealand by treating leaves of favoured food plants with the poison sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080) in a suitable carrier, either carbopol gel or petrolatum grease. The effect of these 2 carriers on the most suitable plant species (mahoe), their retention of 1080, their comparative palatability to goats, and the acceptance of the least palatable, petrolatum, were studied in a series of trials. Both carriers caused baited leaves to absciss, and the rate of abscission increased when 1080 was included. Toxic petrolatum was 3 times less phytotoxic than carbopol and retained 1080 for much longer (carbopol lost most of its toxin after 200 mm of rain). Abscissed petrolatum-treated leaves retained much of their toxicity for at least a year. Goats detected and, to some extent, rejected leaves of all treatments, either by not eating them or by spitting them out (particularly petrolatum-treated leaves). However, use of iophenoxic acid as a bait marker indicated that even petrolatum-treated leaves were consumed by 24 of 30 goats tested. Carbopol with 1080 is recommended for use where its distribution is sufficient to place all goats at immediate risk. Petrolatum is not recommended for general use, although it can be used in areas where a long-life bait is needed.

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Abundância, Distribuição Espacial de Ninhos de Abelhas Sem Ferrão (Apidae: Meliponini) e Espécies Vegetais Utilizadas para Nidificação em um Fragmento de Floresta Secundária em Rio Branco, Acre

EntomoBrasilis ◽

10.12741/ebrasilis.v9i3.613 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 163-168

Author(s):

Francisco Cildomar Da Silva Correia ◽

Rui Carlos Peruquetti ◽

Marcos Gonçalves Ferreira ◽

Yuri Karaccas De Carvalho

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Forest Regeneration ◽

Stingless Bees ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Fragment Size ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Forest Fragment ◽

Abundance Distribution ◽

Field Surveys ◽

Eugenia Jambolana

Foi realizado estudo de abundância e distribuição de ninhos de abelhas sem ferrão (Apidae: Meliponini) e espécies vegetais utilizadas para nidificação em um fragmento de floresta secundária em Rio Branco-Acre. Os levantamentos de campo ocorreram no mês de agosto de 2015, em uma área de floresta medindo 137 ha. Os substratos de nidificação (árvores) foram identificados e sua localização registrada por GPS, sendo também verificadas as medidas de CAP (circunferência à altura do peito) e altura da entrada dos ninhos em relação ao solo. No total, foram encontrados 25 ninhos de abelhas sem ferrão distribuídos em três gêneros, sendo Melipona eburnea Friese a espécie mais abundante (n=14), seguida por Scaptotrigona sp. (n=7), Melipona crinita Moure & Kerr (n=2)e Tetragona sp. (n=2). As espécies botânicas que mais forneceram cavidades para fundação dos ninhos foram Eugenia jambolana Lam. (Myrtaceae) com sete ninhos (28%) em um único indivíduo, seguida por Spondias lutea L. (Anacardiaceae) e Castilla ulei Warb. (Moraceae), ambas com três ninhos (12%). A densidade de ninhos foi consideravelmente baixa (0,18 ha) quando comparada com outros estudos realizados na região neotropical, o que pode estar relacionado com tamanho do fragmento e o grau de perturbação já que se caracteriza por ser uma floresta em processo de regeneração.Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Nests of Stingless Bees (Apidae: Meliponini) and Plant Species Used in the Nesting in Secondary Forest Fragment in Rio Branco-AcreAbstract. Was conducted a study of the abundance, distribution of bee nests stingless (Apidae: Meliponini) and plant species used for nesting in a fragment of secondary forest in Rio Branco-Acre. The field surveys took place in August 2015 in a forest area measuring 137 ha. The nesting substrates (trees) were identified and their location recorded by GPS, and also checked the CAP measures (circumference at breast height) and height of entry of the nests from the ground. In total, we found 25 nests of stingless bees distributed in three genera, with Melipona eburnea Friese the most abundant species (n=14), followed by Scaptotrigona sp. (n=7), Melipona crinita Moure & Kerr (n=2) and Tetragona sp. (n=2). The botanical species most provided cavities for foundation of the nests were Eugenia jambolana Lam. (Myrtaceae) with seven nests (28%) in an only individual, followed by Spondias lutea L. (Anacardiaceae) and Castilla ulei Warb. (Moraceae), both with three nests (12%). The density of nests was significantly lower (0.18/ha) when compared to other studies in the Neotropics, which may be related to fragment size and the degree of disturbance since it is characterized by being in a forest regeneration process.

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High plant diversity and slow assembly of old-growth grasslands

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1922266117 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 117 (31) ◽

pp. 18550-18556 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ashish N. Nerlekar ◽

Joseph W. Veldman

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Old Growth ◽

Large Herbivores ◽

Global Test ◽

Grassland Species ◽

Arrested Succession ◽

Grassland Conservation ◽

The Status ◽

Public Consciousness ◽

And Function

Earth’s ancient grasslands and savannas—hereafter old-growth grasslands—have long been viewed by scientists and environmental policymakers as early successional plant communities of low conservation value. Challenging this view, emerging research suggests that old-growth grasslands support substantial biodiversity and are slow to recover if destroyed by human land uses (e.g., tillage agriculture, plantation forestry). But despite growing interest in grassland conservation, there has been no global test of whether old-growth grasslands support greater plant species diversity than secondary grasslands (i.e., herbaceous communities that assemble after destruction of old-growth grasslands). Our synthesis of 31 studies, including 92 timepoints on six continents, found that secondary grasslands supported 37% fewer plant species than old-growth grasslands (log response ratio = −0.46) and that secondary grasslands typically require at least a century, and more often millennia (projected mean 1,400 y), to recover their former richness. Young (<29 y) secondary grasslands were composed of weedy species, and even as their richness increased over decades to centuries, secondary grasslands were still missing characteristic old-growth grassland species (e.g., long-lived perennials). In light of these results, the view that all grasslands are weedy communities, trapped by fire and large herbivores in a state of arrested succession, is untenable. Moving forward, we suggest that ecologists should explicitly consider grassland assembly time and endogenous disturbance regimes in studies of plant community structure and function. We encourage environmental policymakers to prioritize old-growth grassland conservation and work to elevate the status of old-growth grasslands, alongside old-growth forests, in the public consciousness.

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Artemisia halodendron litters have strong negative allelopathic effects on earlier successional plants during vegetation restoration in a semi-arid sandy dune region in China

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-6041 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zhong Du ◽

Yongqing Luo ◽

Zhiqiang Yan ◽

Xueyong Zhao ◽

Yuqiang Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Germination ◽

Plant Species ◽

Soil Seed Bank ◽

Vegetation Restoration ◽

Allelopathic Effect ◽

Successional Species ◽

Artemisia Halodendron ◽

Allelopathic Effects ◽

Arid Grasslands ◽

Semi Arid

Artemisia halodendron Turcz. ex Besser occurs following the appearance of a pioneer species, Agriophyllum squarrosum (L.) Moq., and the former &#8220;killed&#8221; and replaced the latter during the naturally vegetation succession in sandy dune regions in China. A previous study revealed that the foliage litter of A. halodendron had strong negative allelopathic effects on germination of the soil seed bank and on the seedling growth. It is unclear whether an allelopathic effect of A. halodendron litters positively or negatively affects the seed germination, leading to a progressively replacement of the plant species in sandy dune regions.We, therefore, carried out a seed germination experiment to determine the allelopathic effects of three litter types of A. halodendron (roots, foliage, and stems) on seed germination of six plant species that progressively occur along a successional gradient in the semi-arid grasslands of northeastern China.In line with our expectation, we found that the early-successional species rather than the late-successional species were negatively affected by the allelopathic effects of A. halodendron, and that the allelopathic effects on seed germination increase with increasing concentration of litter extracts, irrespective of litter types.Our study evidenced the negative allelopathic effects of A. halodendron on the species replacement and on the community composition during dune stabilization. Further studies are needed to better understand the successional process and thus to promote the vegetation restoration, as A. halodendron itself disappeared also during the process.

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