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opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Watershed and fire severity are stronger determinants of soil chemistry and microbiomes than within-watershed woody encroachment in a tallgrass prairie system

Fire can impact terrestrial ecosystems by changing abiotic and biotic conditions. Short fire intervals maintain grasslands and communities adapted to frequent, low-severity fires. Shrub encroachment that follows longer fire intervals accumulates fuel and can increase fire severity. This patchily distributed biomass creates mosaics of burn severities in the landscape—pyrodiversity. Afforded by a scheduled burn of a watershed protected from fires for 27 years, we investigated effects of woody encroachment and burn severity on soil chemistry and soil-inhabiting bacteria and fungi. We compared soils before and after fire within the fire-protected, shrub-encroached watershed and soils in an adjacent, annually burned and non-encroached watershed. Organic matter and nutrients accumulated in the fire-protected watershed but responded less to woody encroachment within the encroached watershed. Bioavailable nitrogen and phosphorus and fungal and bacterial communities responded to high-severity burn regardless of encroachment. Low-severity fire effects on soil nutrients differed, increased bacterial but decreased fungal diversity and effects of woody encroachment within the encroached watershed were minimal. High-severity burns in the fire-protected watershed led to a novel soil system state distinct from non-encroached and encroached soil systems. We conclude that severe fires may open grassland restoration opportunities to manipulate soil chemistry and microbial communities in shrub-encroached habitats.

opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Differential seasonal avoidance of anthropogenic features and woody vegetation by Lesser Prairie-chickens

The influence of seasonal variation in animal behavior and the corresponding response in habitat selection is a critical component of habitat selection analyses. To examine this relationship, we conducted multi-scale analyses of Lesser Prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) habitat selection in relation to anthropogenic infrastructure associated with oil and gas development, mesquite, and trees during the spring and summer at home range and lek area scales. We tracked 159 Lesser Prairie-chickens using VHF radiotelemetry or PTT-GPS transmitters in the sand shinnery oak prairie region of eastern New Mexico, USA. We used discrete choice models and logistic regression to assess seasonal patterns of habitat selection at home range and lek area scales, respectively. The static habitat features we examined allowed us to observe differential patterns of habitat selection between the two seasons, revealing an overall increase in the degree of avoidance following the spring season. Results of our home range scale analysis indicate that utility pole density, mesquite cover and proximity, distance to active well pads, and proximity to private roads have significant negative effects on habitat selection during both seasons. Avoidance of dense utility pole areas was significantly greater during the summer. Lek area habitat selection results were similar, but differences in sensitivity to features between seasons were stronger. Avoidance of high mesquite cover and utility pole and tree densities, in particular, was significantly greater in the summer. The effects of density and cover of these features, which have previously been understudied or overlooked in Lesser Prairie-chicken research, provide critical information for future conservation practices. Furthermore, our study highlights the importance of accounting for potential seasonal patterns of their study species to best examine habitat selection.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Regeneration processes on coarse woody debris in mixed forests: do tree germinants and seedlings have species-specific responses when grown on coarse woody debris?

Tree regeneration on coarse woody debris (CWD) is considered to be one the most ecologically valuable aspects of CWD in forest systems. However, most studies have focused solely on uncovering the differences in establishment and growth on CWD (regarded as a homogeneous substrate) in comparison with the forest floor. Our study concentrates on the underlying mechanisms of germinant and seedling colonization patterns and demographic responses relative to various properties of CWD. We analysed the effects of CWD properties (decay class, form, species and diameter) on: (i) germinant and seedling annual counts; (ii) annual germinant and seedling survival; and (iii) seedling growth and height. Our study comprised three species (beech, fir and spruce) over 7-year span in two old-growth stands in the Western Carpathians, and employed generalized linear models and mixed models to test for differences between species. CWD properties affected regeneration at the germination stage. There were some demographic differences between species relative to CWD properties. Decay class had the most pronounced effect on beech, not only on its establishment but also survival and growth. Beech and spruce established and survived in higher densities on beech CWD, while their height growth was enhanced on conifer-derived CWD, particularly on spruce CWD. Stumps enhanced establishment of all species and survival of conifer seedlings. Synthesis. Our study shows that CWD properties do influence seedling establishment, growth, height distribution and survival. Moreover, there may be trade-offs between seedling growth and survival among tree species growing on different species of CWD. This highlights the need to include CWD heterogeneity as a factor that can affect the role of CWD in regeneration in forest ecosystems.

opencc-zeroJul 2022View details →

Woody encroachment of grasslands: near-surface thermal implications through the lens of an astronomical event

Temperature has long been understood as a fundamental condition that influences ecological patterns and processes. Heterogeneity in landscapes that is structured by ultimate (climate) and proximate (vegetation, topography, disturbance events, and land use) forces serve to shape thermal patterns across multiple spatio-temporal scales. Thermal landscapes of grasslands are likely shifting as woody encroachment fragments these ecosystems and studies quantifying thermal fragmentation in grassland systems resulting from woody encroachment are lacking. We utilized the August 21st, 2017 solar eclipse to mimic a rapid sunrise/sunset event across a landscape characterized as a grassland to experimentally manipulate levels of solar radiation in the system. We then quantified changes in near surface temperatures resulting from changes in solar radiation levels during the eclipse. Temperatures were monitored across three grassland pastures in central Oklahoma that were characterized by different densities (low, medium, and high) of Juniperus virginiana to understand the impact of woody encroachment on diurnal temperature patterns and thermal heterogeneity in a grassland's thermal landscape. The largest temperature range across sites that occurred during the eclipse was in the mixed grass vegetation. Similarly, the largest change in thermal heterogeneity occurred in the grassland with the lowest amount of woody encroachment. Thermal heterogeneity was lowest in the highly encroached grassland, which also experienced the lowest overall change in thermal heterogeneity during the eclipse. Time-series models suggested that solar radiation was the most influential factor in predicting changes in thermal heterogeneity as opposed to ambient temperature alone. These results suggest that highly encroached grasslands may experience lower diurnal variability of temperatures at the cost of a decrease in the overall thermal heterogeneity of that landscape. It appears that fine-scale spatio-temporal thermal variation is largely driven by solar radiation, which can be influenced by vegetation heterogeneity inherent within a landscape.

opencc-zeroJul 2022View details →

Effects of spatial distance and woody plant cover on beta diversity point to dispersal limitation as a driver of community assembly during post-fire succession in a Mediterranean shrubland

Beta diversity, and its components of turnover and nestedness, reflect the processes governing community assembly, such as dispersal limitation or biotic interactions, but it is unclear how they operate at the local scale and how their role changes along post-fire succession. Here, we analyzed the patterns of beta diversity and its components in a herbaceous plant community after fire, and in relation to dispersal ability, in Central Spain. We calculated multiple site beta diversity (βSOR) and its components of turnover (βSIM) and nestedness (βSNE) of all herbaceous plants, or grouped by dispersal syndrome (autochory, anemochory, zoochory), during the first three years after wildfire. We evaluated the relationship between pairwise beta diversity (βsor), and its components (βsim, βsne), and spatial distance or differences in woody plant cover, a proxy of biotic interactions. We found high multiple-site beta diversity dominated by the turnover component. Community dissimilarity increased with spatial distance, driven mostly by the turnover component. Species with less dispersal ability (i. e. autochory) showed a stronger spatial pattern of dissimilarity. Biotic interactions with woody plants contributed less to community dissimilarity, which tended to occur through the nestedness component. These results suggest that dispersal limitation prevails over biotic interactions with woody plants as a driver of local community assembly, even for species with high dispersal ability. These results contribute to our understanding of post-fire community assembly and vegetation dynamics.

opencc-zeroJul 2022View details →

Data from: Climatic niche lability but growth form conservatism in the African woody flora

Climatic niche evolution during the diversification of tropical plants has received little attention in Africa. To address this, we characterized the climatic niche of >4000 tropical African woody species, distinguishing two broad bioclimatic groups (forest vs. savanna) and six subgroups. We quantified niche conservatism versus lability at the genus level and for higher clades, using a molecular phylogeny of >800 genera. Although niche stasis at speciation is prevalent, numerous clades individually cover vast climatic spaces suggesting a general ease in transcending ecological limits, especially across bioclimatic subgroups. The forest biome was the main source of diversity, providing many lineages to savanna, but reverse shifts also occurred. We identified clades that diversified in savanna after shifts from forest. The forest-savanna transition was not consistently associated with a growth form change, though we found evolutionarily labile clades whose presence in forest or savanna is associated respectively with climbing or shrubby species diversification.

opencc-by-4.0Sep 2022View details →

Field measurements for estimating aboveground and woody debris biomass in Cajander larch forests of northeast Siberia

This dataset contains field measurements collected in the summer of 2019 within natural forest stands near Batamay (63.52º N, 129.42º E) and Yert (62.02º N, 125.79º E) towns, in the boreal forests of the Republic of Sakha (Russia). <ul> <li>YA2019_plots.xlsx: characteristics of the forest stands.</li> <li>YA2019_tree_transects.xlsx: field measurements collected for estimates of aboveground tree biomass.</li> <li>YA2019_fwd_transects.xlsx: field inventory of fine woody debris (FWD) using the line-intersect method.</li> <li>YA2019_fwd_specific_gravity.xlsx: raw data from the water displacement method required to derive size-class-specific values of specific gravity for FWD.</li> <li>YA2019_fwd_diameters.xlsx: field measurements of FWD diameters for determination of size-class-specific values of mean squared diameter (MSD).</li> </ul> The description of variables is provided in each excel file as a separate sheet.

opennotspecifiedSep 2022View details →

FIGURES 1–5 in Woody plant communities of southern South Africa and new distribution records for the rare dung beetle species Sarophorus punctatus Frolov & Scholtz, 2003 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

FIGURES 1–5. Sarophorus punctatus Frolov & Scholtz, 2003 (TMSA). 1, male, dorsal view; 2, female, dorsal view; 3, aedeagus, dorsal and lateral views; 4, specimen labels; 5, distribution of S. punctatus (yellow circles; circle with black point indicates type locality - "Keurboomstrand").

opencc-zeroSep 2022View details →

Soil carbon is mostly grass-derived in tropical savannas, even under woody encroachment

Tropical savannas have been increasingly targeted for carbon (C) sequestration from afforestation, assuming large gains in soil organic C (SOC) with increasing tree cover. Because savanna SOC is also derived from grasses, this assumption may not reflect real changes in SOC under afforestation, but grass contributions to SOC and changes in SOC with increasing tree cover remain poorly synthesized. Here, we combine a case study from Kruger National Park, South Africa, with data synthesized from tropical savannas globally to show that grass-derived C constitutes more than half of total SOC to a soil depth of 1-meter, even in soils directly under trees. The largest SOC concentrations were associated with the largest grass contributions (> 70% of total SOC). Regionally and across the tropics, SOC concentration was not explained by tree cover. Both SOC gain and loss were observed following increasing tree cover, and on average SOC storage within 1-meter profile only increased by a negligible and non-significant 6% (SE = 4%, n = 44). These results underscore the substantial contribution of grasses to SOC and the considerable uncertainty in SOC responses to increasing tree cover, challenging the widespread assumption that afforestation universally and substantially enhances SOC storage across tropical savannas.

opencc-zeroOct 2022View details →

Utilizing woody materials for fungal-based management of soil nitrogen pools

Application of nitrogen fertilizers to reach high crop production is common practice. However, this can come with an environmental cost, irrespectively of the synthetic or organic origin of the nitrogen fertilizer. Intensively managed soils often fail to retain excess nitrogen, which leads to contamination of ground- and surface water. Next to abiotic factors like soil texture, limited nitrogen retention is ascribed to low activity of saprotrophic fungi. It has been shown that amendment of arable soils with cellulose-rich materials can effectively stimulate resident saprotrophic fungi. The current study investigated the relationship between fungal dynamics (biomass, composition) and nitrogen immobilization-remobilization dynamics upon soil amendment with woody materials Mineral nitrogen pools, ergosterol and ITS2 amplicon sequences were analyzed during a 6-months pot experiment. Carbon-rich amendments included sawdusts of deciduous (beech, willow) and coniferous (Douglas fir, larch) tree species, beech wood chips, wheat straw and combinations of these materials. Excess nitrogen derived from addition of either mineral or organic fertilizer. Deciduous wood sawdust resulted in rapid stimulation of fungal biomass, mainly consisting of saprotrophic Sordariomycetes. This was accompanied by a reduction in the mineral N pool equivalent to 24–60 kg N ha-1 for four to over six months. The intensity of nitrogen immobilization depended on sawdust application rate and the type of fertilizer. Single amendments of coniferous sawdust and beech wood chips had minor effects, but led to prolonged nitrogen retention when combined with beech sawdust. Our conclusion is that, fungus-stimulating woody soil amendments have great potential to increase nitrogen use efficiency in arable soils.

opencc-by-4.0Apr 2024View details →

Data for "Anthropogenic linear features exhibit greater mammal activity relative to surrounding game trails in a woody savanna"

Code and data investigating mammal use of anthropogenic linear features relative to game trails in South Africa.  Article is titled "Anthropogenic linear features exhibit greater mammal activity relative to surrounding game trails in a woody savanna".

opencc-zeroMay 2024View details →

Data for: Phenotypic variation of hydraulic traits for woody species

Hydraulic traits are major determinants of plant fitness, thus exerting control over vegetation structure, function and distribution. Yet it remains unclear whether and how hydraulic traits respond to environmental stimuli (i.e., phenotypic variation of hydraulic traits; PVHT), and if the coordination between different hydraulic traits and the trait-climate relationship are affected by PVHT. Here, we synthesized data of PVHT (maximum hydraulic conductivity and water potential inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity) as well as potentially related morphological and anatomical traits (e.g. sapwood density, branch Huber value, mean and hydraulic weighted conduit diameter). We analyzed the magnitude, direction and source of variation of the plastic response, as well as the influence of environmental factors on trait coordination. Additionally, we compared the intra- and inter- specific variation between key hydraulic traits and climate metrics (mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature) at the site of growth, as well as across the population range. PVHT was highly variable in both magnitude and direction, which was contingent on the environmental factor. The variation in PVHT mainly occurred at high taxonomic levels (i.e., family and genus), whereas phenology explained little variation for PVHT. Despite the high variability, trait correlation remained robust in the presence of environmental stimuli. Moreover, trait-climate relationships differed at inter-specific and intra-specific levels. The intra-specific variation of hydraulic traits in most species showed no correlation with climate metrics compared with the high correlation of hydraulic traits with climate metrics across species. Our findings suggest that the high variability of PVHT does not affect the trait correlation which may be valuable in predicting vegetation dynamics under varying environments. The distinct trait-climate relationships highlight the need to unravel the driving force of PVHT, as well as the adaptive strategy across populations.

opencc-by-4.0Jul 2022View details →

Datasets associated with Dale et al. 2022 Diversification and trait evolution in New Zealand woody lineages across changing biomes

Biome occupancy and trait datasets for New Zealand Melicytus, Myrsine, and Pseudopanax species used in Dale et al. 2022 Diversification and trait evolution in New Zealand woody lineages across changing biomes (https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.2022.2108071). The datasets are biomes occupied, Specific Leaf Area, stem density, leaf nutrient content (N, P, K), and cold sensitivity. "dataset info.txt" outlines the variable names and their units.

opennotspecifiedAug 2018View details →

FIGURES 2–7. Habitats sampled during the study. 2 in The Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) fauna of the woody savannah belt in Mali, West Africa

FIGURES 2–7. Habitats sampled during the study. 2. Sсattered bushes on slopes of Sibi Hills. 3. Savannah with forest patсhes. 4. Colonna light trap near riverine forest. 5. Artifiсial pool near Voronina with ruderal plants on adjaсent land. 6. Bushes on sand dunes near Niger River. 7. Riverine forest in the flooded area of Niger River.

opennotspecifiedAug 2018View details →

FIGURE 23 in The Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) fauna of the woody savannah belt in Mali, West Africa

FIGURE 23. Oссurrenсe in perсentages of the 17 most сommon speсies with number of speсimens сolleсted. White bars = known pest speсies.

opennotspecifiedAug 2018View details →

FIGURES 8–22 in The Pyraloidea (Lepidoptera) fauna of the woody savannah belt in Mali, West Africa

FIGURES 8–22. Some images of Pyraloidea speсies from Mali. 8. Parapoynx fluctuosalis. 9. Cryptosana caritalis. 10. Pyrausta phoenicealis. 11. Diaphania indica. 12. Glyphodes bicolor. 13. Glyphodes onychinalis. 14. Glyphodes stolalis. 15. Haritalodes derogata. 16. Syllepte rogationis. 17. Nevrina sp. 18. Nevrina procopia (Stoll in Cramer & Stoll, 1781) from Liberia. 19. Orphanostigma abruptalis. 20. Synclera traducalis. 21. Ghesquierellana hirtusalis. 22. Ulopeza conigeralis.

FIGURE 2. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974 in New species and a new record of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from alpine New Zealand

FIGURE 2. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—gnathosoma in dorsal view, B—gnathosoma and pharyngeal pumps in ventral view, C—prodorsal setae.

FIGURE 1. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974 in New species and a new record of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from alpine New Zealand

FIGURE 1. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—dorsum of the body, B—venter of the body. Legs omitted.

FIGURE 4. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974 in New species and a new record of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from alpine New Zealand

FIGURE 4. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—right leg III in dorsal view, B—right leg IV in dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974 in New species and a new record of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from alpine New Zealand

FIGURE 3. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—right leg I in dorsal view, B—right leg II in dorsal view.