| Records |
| Author |
Vleminckx, J.; Bauman, D.; Demanet, M.; Hardy, O.J.; Doucet, J.-L.; Drouet, T. |
| Title |
Past human disturbances and soil fertility both influence the distribution of light-demanding tree species in a Central African tropical forest |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Journal of Vegetation Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Veg. Sci. |
| Volume |
31 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
440-453 |
| Keywords |
light-demanding species; moist tropical forests; past human disturbances; shade-bearer species; soil charcoal abundance; soil properties; tree community assemblages; wood-specific gravity; anthropogenic effect; forest canopy; forest ecosystem; shifting cultivation; soil fertility; soil property; tree; tropical forest; Cameroon |
| Abstract |
Questions: In vast areas of Central African forests, the upper canopy is presently dominated by light-demanding tree species. Here, we confront three hypotheses to explain this dominance: (a) these species have expanded their distribution because of widespread past slash-and-burn activities, as suggested by important charcoal amounts recorded in the soils of the region; (b) their abundance is rather explained by soil properties, as this guild establishes preferentially on favourable physico-chemical conditions for rapid growth; (c) soil properties have been substantially influenced by past human disturbances and those two effects cannot be disentangled. Location: Pallisco-CIFM logging concession, southeastern Cameroon (300,000 ha). Methods: We quantified soil charcoal abundance and measured ten soil variables at the basis of 60 target trees that belonged to a list of three long-living pioneer light-demanding (LLP) and four shade-bearer (SB) species. We identified all stems with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 20 cm within a distance of 15 m around each target tree. Species were characterised by their wood-specific gravity (WSG), which reflected their light requirement. Multiple regression models were used to quantify and test the relative effects of charcoal abundance and soil variables on the mean WSG of the 60 tree communities, as well as the abundance of three guilds: LLP, SB, and non-pioneer light demanders (NPLD). Results: The mean WSG was the only response variable significantly explained by soil variables and charcoal abundance combined. It was significantly negatively associated with soil calcium and Mg content and with charcoal abundance, with soil and charcoal influencing the mean WSG independently. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that past human disturbances and soil fertility have independently promoted the establishment of light-demanding species in western Central African forests, thereby shedding light on tree community assembly rules in these ecosystems which remain considerably understudied compared to the tropical forests of other continents. © 2020 International Association for Vegetation Science |
| Address |
Forest is life, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Université de Liège – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Gembloux, Belgium |
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Wiley-Blackwell |
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11009233 (Issn) |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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970 |
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| Author |
Van Langenhove, L.; Depaepe, T.; Vicca, S.; van den Berge, J.; Stahl, C.; Courtois, E.; Weedon, J.; Urbina, I.; Grau, O.; Asensio, D.; Peñuelas, J.; Boeckx, P.; Richter, A.; Van Der Straeten, D.; Janssens, I.A. |
| Title |
Regulation of nitrogen fixation from free-living organisms in soil and leaf litter of two tropical forests of the Guiana shield |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Plant and Soil |
Abbreviated Journal |
Plant Soil |
| Volume |
450 |
Issue |
1-2 |
Pages |
93-110 |
| Keywords |
Free-living nitrogen fixation; French Guiana; Molybdenum; Nutrients; Phosphorus; Tropical forest; acetylene; leaf litter; molybdenum; nitrogen fixation; nutrient cycling; phosphorus; rainforest; reduction; soil biota; soil carbon; soil nitrogen; soil water; topographic effect; tropical forest; French Guiana |
| Abstract |
Background and aims: Biological fixation of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is the main pathway for introducing N into unmanaged ecosystems. While recent estimates suggest that free-living N fixation (FLNF) accounts for the majority of N fixed in mature tropical forests, the controls governing this process are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to quantify FLNF rates and determine its drivers in two tropical pristine forests of French Guiana. Methods: We used the acetylene reduction assay to measure FLNF rates at two sites, in two seasons and along three topographical positions, and used regression analyses to identify which edaphic explanatory variables, including carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and molybdenum (Mo) content, pH, water and available N and P, explained most of the variation in FLNF rates. Results: Overall, FLNF rates were lower than measured in tropical systems elsewhere. In soils seasonal variability was small and FLNF rates differed among topographies at only one site. Water, P and pH explained 24% of the variation. In leaf litter, FLNF rates differed seasonally, without site or topographical differences. Water, C, N and P explained 46% of the observed variation. We found no regulatory role of Mo at our sites. Conclusions: Rates of FLNF were low in primary rainforest on poor soils on the Guiana shield. Water was the most important rate-regulating factor and FLNF increased with increasing P, but decreased with increasing N. Our results support the general assumption that N fixation in tropical lowland forests is limited by P availability. © 2019, The Author(s). |
| Address |
Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, Vienna, 1090, Austria |
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Springer |
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0032079x (Issn) |
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no |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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971 |
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| Author |
Aili, S.R.; Touchard, A.; Hayward, R.; Robinson, S.D.; Pineda, S.S.; Lalagüe, H.; Mrinalini; Vetter, I.; Undheim, E.A.B.; Kini, R.M.; Escoubas, P.; Padula, M.P.; Myers, G.S.A.; Nicholson, G.M. |
| Title |
An integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals the venom complexity of the bullet ant Paraponera clavata |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Toxins |
Abbreviated Journal |
Toxins |
| Volume |
12 |
Issue |
5 |
Pages |
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| Keywords |
DRG neurons; Hyaluronidase; Neurotoxins; Paraponeritoxin; Phospholipases; Rp-Hplc; alpha latrotoxin; ant venom; arginine kinase; cathepsin; contig; defensin 2; hyaluronidase; icarapin; metalloproteinase; neurotoxin; novel toxin like protein; phospholipase; phospholipase A2; poneratoxin; proteome; serine proteinase; transcriptome; unclassified drug; amino acid sequence; ant; Article; liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry; neurotoxicity; nonhuman; Paraponera clavata; protein expression; proteomics; sequence database; tandem mass spectrometry; transcriptomics; venom gland |
| Abstract |
A critical hurdle in ant venom proteomic investigations is the lack of databases to comprehensively and specifically identify the sequence and function of venom proteins and peptides. To resolve this, we used venom gland transcriptomics to generate a sequence database that was used to assign the tandem mass spectrometry (MS) fragmentation spectra of venom peptides and proteins to specific transcripts. This was performed alongside a shotgun liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of the venom to confirm that these assigned transcripts were expressed as proteins. Through the combined transcriptomic and proteomic investigation of Paraponera clavata venom, we identified four times the number of proteins previously identified using 2D-PAGE alone. In addition to this, by mining the transcriptomic data, we identified several novel peptide sequences for future pharmacological investigations, some of which conform with inhibitor cysteine knot motifs. These types of peptides have the potential to be developed into pharmaceutical or bioinsecticide peptides. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. |
| Address |
Faculty of Science, University of Nice, Nice, 06000, France |
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| Publisher |
Mdpi Ag |
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20726651 (Issn) |
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no |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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972 |
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Nixon, S.; Agwa, A.; Robinson, S.; Walker, A.; Touchard, A.; Schroeder, C.; Vetter, I.; Kotze, A.C.; Herzig, V.; King, G.F. |
| Title |
Discovery and characterisation of novel peptides from Amazonian stinging ant venoms with antiparasitic activity |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Toxicon |
Abbreviated Journal |
Toxicon |
| Volume |
177 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
S60 |
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| Abstract |
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| Address |
The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Australia; CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australia; CNRS, UMR Ecologie des forêts de Guyane, France |
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NLM (Medline) |
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18793150 (Issn) |
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no |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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973 |
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| Author |
Gargallo-Garriga, Albert ; Sardans, Jordi ; Alrefaei, Abdulwahed Fahad ; Klem, Karel ; Fuchslueger, Lucia ; Ramirez-Rojas, Irène ; Donald, Julian ; Leroy, Celine ; Van Langenhove, Leandro ; Verbruggen, Erik ; Janssens, Ivan A. ; Urban, Otmar ; Penuelas, Josep |
| Title |
Tree Species and Epiphyte Taxa Determine the “Metabolomic niche” of Canopy Suspended Soils in a Species-Rich Lowland Tropical Rainforest |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Metabolites |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
11 |
Issue |
11 |
Pages |
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| Keywords |
Bacteria, Canopy soils, Epiphyte, French Guiana, Metabolomics |
| Abstract |
Tropical forests are biodiversity hotspots, but it is not well understood how this diversity is structured and maintained. One hypothesis rests on the generation of a range of metabolic niches, with varied composition, supporting a high species diversity. Characterizing soil metabolomes can reveal fine-scale differences in composition and potentially help explain variation across these habitats. In particular, little is known about canopy soils, which are unique habitats that are likely to be sources of additional biodiversity and biogeochemical cycling in tropical forests. We studied the effects of diverse tree species and epiphytes on soil metabolomic profiles of forest floor and canopy suspended soils in a French Guianese rainforest. We found that the metabolomic profiles of canopy suspended soils were distinct from those of forest floor soils, differing between epiphyte-associated and non-epiphyte suspended soils, and the metabolomic profiles of suspended soils varied with host tree species, regardless of association with epiphyte. Thus, tree species is a key driver of rainforest suspended soil metabolomics. We found greater abundance of metabolites in suspended soils, particularly in groups associated with plants, such as phenolic compounds, and with metabolic pathways related to amino acids, nucleotides, and energy metabolism, due to the greater relative proportion of tree and epiphyte organic material derived from litter and root exudates, indicating a strong legacy of parent biological material. Our study provides evidence for the role of tree and epiphyte species in canopy soil metabolomic composition and in maintaining the high levels of soil metabolome diversity in this tropical rainforest. It is likely that a wide array of canopy microsite-level environmental conditions, which reflect interactions between trees and epiphytes, increase the microscale diversity in suspended soil metabolomes |
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MDPI |
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no |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
Serial |
1041 |
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Birer, C.; Moreau, C.S.; Tysklind, N.; Zinger, L.; Duplais, C. |
| Title |
Disentangling the assembly mechanisms of ant cuticular bacterial communities of two Amazonian ant species sharing a common arboreal nest |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Molecular Ecology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Mol. Ecol. |
| Volume |
29 |
Issue |
7 |
Pages |
1372-1385 |
| Keywords |
ant gardens; bacterial communities; cuticular microbiome; insect cuticle; metabarcoding |
| Abstract |
Bacteria living on the cuticle of ants are generally studied for their protective role against pathogens, especially in the clade of fungus-growing ants. However, little is known regarding the diversity of cuticular bacteria in other ant host species, as well as the mechanisms leading to the composition of these communities. Here, we used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to study the influence of host species, species interactions and the pool of bacteria from the environment on the assembly of cuticular bacterial communities on two phylogenetically distant Amazonian ant species that frequently nest together inside the roots system of epiphytic plants, Camponotus femoratus and Crematogaster levior. Our results show that (a) the vast majority of the bacterial community on the cuticle is shared with the nest, suggesting that most bacteria on the cuticle are acquired through environmental acquisition, (b) 5.2% and 2.0% of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) are respectively specific to Ca. femoratus and Cr. levior, probably representing their respective core cuticular bacterial community, and (c) 3.6% of OTUs are shared between the two ant species. Additionally, mass spectrometry metabolomics analysis of metabolites on the cuticle of ants, which excludes the detection of cuticular hydrocarbons produced by the host, were conducted to evaluate correlations among bacterial OTUs and m/z ion mass. Although some positive and negative correlations are found, the cuticular chemical composition was weakly species-specific, suggesting that cuticular bacterial communities are prominently environmentally acquired. Overall, our results suggest the environment is the dominant source of bacteria found on the cuticle of ants. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd |
| Address |
Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, Paris, France |
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Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
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09621083 (Issn) |
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no |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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975 |
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| Author |
Lang, G.; Marcon, E.; Puech, F. |
| Title |
Distance-based measures of spatial concentration: introducing a relative density function |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Annals of Regional Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Ann. Reg. Sci. |
| Volume |
64 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
243-265 |
| Keywords |
Agglomeration; Aggregation; Economic geography; Point patterns; Spatial concentration; accuracy assessment; econometrics; economic activity; economic geography; industrial agglomeration; industrial location; location decision; spatial analysis; spatial distribution |
| Abstract |
For more than a decade, distance-based methods have been widely employed and constantly improved in spatial economics. These methods are a very useful tool for accurately evaluating the spatial distribution of economic activity. We introduce a new distance-based statistical measure for evaluating the spatial concentration of industries. The m function is the first relative density function to be proposed in economics. This tool supplements the typology of distance-based methods recently drawn up by Marcon and Puech (J Econ Geogr 3(4):409–428, 2003). By considering several simulated and real examples, we show the advantages and the limits of the m function for detecting spatial structures in economics. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. |
| Address |
RITM, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay and CREST, Sceaux, France |
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Springer |
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05701864 (Issn) |
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no |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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976 |
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Fortunel, C.; Stahl, C.; Heuret, P.; Nicolini, E.; Baraloto, C. |
| Title |
Disentangling the effects of environment and ontogeny on tree functional dimensions for congeneric species in tropical forests |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
New Phytologist |
Abbreviated Journal |
New Phytol. |
| Volume |
226 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
385-395 |
| Keywords |
chemistry; developmental stage; habitats; Micropholis; morphology; physiology; plant traits; seasons; developmental stage; ecosystem function; forest ecosystem; habitat selection; habitat structure; nutrient availability; ontogeny; physiological response; soil water; taxonomy; tropical forest; Amazonia |
| Abstract |
Soil water and nutrient availability are key drivers of tree species distribution and forest ecosystem functioning, with strong species differences in water and nutrient use. Despite growing evidence for intraspecific trait differences, it remains unclear under which circumstances the effects of environmental gradients trump those of ontogeny and taxonomy on important functional dimensions related to resource use, particularly in tropical forests. Here, we explore how physiological, chemical, and morphological traits related to resource use vary between life stages in four species within the genus Micropholis that is widespread in lowland Amazonia. Specifically, we evaluate how environment, developmental stage, and taxonomy contribute to single-trait variation and multidimensional functional strategies. We find that environment, developmental stage, and taxonomy differentially contribute to functional dimensions. Habitats and seasons shape physiological and chemical traits related to water and nutrient use, whereas developmental stage and taxonomic identity impact morphological traits –especially those related to the leaf economics spectrum. Our findings suggest that combining environment, ontogeny, and taxonomy allows for a better understanding of important functional dimensions in tropical trees and highlights the need for integrating tree physiological and chemical traits with classically used morphological traits to improve predictions of tropical forests’ responses to environmental change. © 2019 The Authors New Phytologist © 2019 New Phytologist Trust |
| Address |
Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33133, United States |
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Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
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0028646x (Issn) |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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977 |
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Schmitt, Sylvain ; Raevel, Valérie ; Réjou-Méchain, Maxime ; Ayyappan, Narayanan ; Balachandran, Natesan ; Barathan, Narayanan ; Rajashekar, Gopalakrishnan ; Munoz, François |
| Title |
Canopy and understorey tree guilds respond differently to the environment in an Indian rain forest |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Journal of Végétation Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
32 |
Issue |
5 |
Pages |
e13075 |
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| Abstract |
Questions Changes in the functional composition of tree communities along resource availability gradients have received attention, but it is unclear whether understorey and canopy guilds respond similarly to different light, biomechanical, and hydraulic constraints. Location An anthropically undisturbed, old-growth wet evergreen dipterocarp forest plot located in Karnataka State, India. Methods We measured leaf and wood traits of 89 tree species representing 99% of all individuals in a 10-ha permanent plot with varying topographic and canopy conditions inferred from Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data. We assigned tree species to guilds of canopy and understorey species and assessed the variation of the guild-weighted means of functional-trait values with canopy height and topography. Results The functional-trait space did not differ between canopy and understorey tree species. However, environmental filtering led to significantly different functional composition of canopy and understorey guild assemblages. Furthermore, they responded differently along environmental gradients related to water, nutrients, light, and wind exposure. For example, the canopy guild responded to wind exposure while the understorey guild did not. Conclusions The pools of understorey and canopy species are functionally similar. However, fine-scale environmental heterogeneity impacts differently on these two guilds, generating striking differences in functional composition between understorey and canopy guild assemblages. Accounting for vertical guilds improves our understanding of forest communities' assembly processes. |
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International Association for Vegetation Science |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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1038 |
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Srivastava, D.S.; Céréghino, R.; Trzcinski, M.K.; MacDonald, A.A.M.; Marino, N.A.C.; Mercado, D.A.; Leroy, C.; Corbara, B.; Romero, G.Q.; Farjalla, V.F.; Barberis, I.M.; Dézerald, O.; Hammill, E.; Atwood, T.B.; Piccoli, G.C.O.; Ospina-Bautista, F.; Carrias, J.-F.; Leal, J.S.; Montero, G.; Antiqueira, P.A.P.; Freire, R.; Realpe, E.; Amundrud, S.L.; de Omena, P.M.; Campos, A.B.A. |
| Title |
Ecological response to altered rainfall differs across the Neotropics |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2020 |
Publication |
Ecology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Ecology |
| Volume |
101 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
e02984 |
| Keywords |
contingency; distributed experiment; freshwater; global change biology; macroinvertebrates; phytotelmata; precipitation; aquatic ecosystem; climate change; climate conditions; ecosystem response; extreme event; functional group; invertebrate; Neotropical Region; rainfall; species pool; Bacteria (microorganisms); Invertebrata; rain; animal; climate change; drought; ecosystem; invertebrate; Animals; Climate Change; Droughts; Ecosystem; Invertebrates; Rain |
| Abstract |
There is growing recognition that ecosystems may be more impacted by infrequent extreme climatic events than by changes in mean climatic conditions. This has led to calls for experiments that explore the sensitivity of ecosystems over broad ranges of climatic parameter space. However, because such response surface experiments have so far been limited in geographic and biological scope, it is not clear if differences between studies reflect geographic location or the ecosystem component considered. In this study, we manipulated rainfall entering tank bromeliads in seven sites across the Neotropics, and characterized the response of the aquatic ecosystem in terms of invertebrate functional composition, biological stocks (total invertebrate biomass, bacterial density) and ecosystem fluxes (decomposition, carbon, nitrogen). Of these response types, invertebrate functional composition was the most sensitive, even though, in some sites, the species pool had a high proportion of drought-tolerant families. Total invertebrate biomass was universally insensitive to rainfall change because of statistical averaging of divergent responses between functional groups. The response of invertebrate functional composition to rain differed between geographical locations because (1) the effect of rainfall on bromeliad hydrology differed between sites, and invertebrates directly experience hydrology not rainfall and (2) the taxonomic composition of some functional groups differed between sites, and families differed in their response to bromeliad hydrology. These findings suggest that it will be difficult to establish thresholds of “safe ecosystem functioning” when ecosystem components differ in their sensitivity to climatic variables, and such thresholds may not be broadly applicable over geographic space. In particular, ecological forecast horizons for climate change may be spatially restricted in systems where habitat properties mediate climatic impacts, and those, like the tropics, with high spatial turnover in species composition. © 2020 by the Ecological Society of America |
| Address |
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Caldas, Caldas, 170001, Colombia |
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Ecological Society of America |
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00129658 (Issn) |
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EcoFoG @ webmaster @ |
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979 |
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