Find research datasets worth reusing

Experimental manipulation of scavenger and herbivore functional role and their effects on plant communities following mass mortality events

We designed an experiment to measure the relative importance of bottom-up forces (nutrient addition) and top-down forces (impairment of obligate scavenger and herbivore functional roles) generated by experimental carrion deployment to simulate mass mortality events on the local plant community. In our experimental plots, we measured changes in plant functional groups before and for three years after experimental carrion deployment. Additionally, we monitored cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda) seedlings' growth and survival three years after being transplanted in the experimental plots.

Grazing animals have contrasting effects on foliar pathogens by changing plant community characteristics

Large herbivore grazing has substantial effects on plant community structure and ecosystem functioning, however, the impacts of grazing on plant diseases remain poorly understood. Here, we used a grazing experimentand a removal experiment manipulating plant density and litter biomass in northeast China to evaluate how large vertebrate herbivores (cattle and sheep) affect different foliar fungal diseases (biotrophs and necrotrophs). We found that cattle grazing significantly reduced pathogen load, of both biotrophs and necrotrophs, while sheep grazing increased biotrophic pathogen load, but did not affect necrotrophic pathogen load. Mechanistically, grazing effects were indirect and mediated by changing plant community characteristics. Moreover, litter biomass play an important role in affecting necrotrophs and by reducing litter build up the cattle reduced necrotrophic pathogen infection. Our results demonstrate that cattle and sheep grazing have contrasting impacts on pathogen load. This finding has important implications for improving disease management through grazing regimes in grassland systems.

opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

The structure and ecological function of the interactions between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi through multilayer networks

<ol> <li>Arbuscular mycorrhizas are one of the most frequent mutualisms in terrestrial ecosystems. Although studies on plant mutualistic interaction networks suggest that they may leave their imprint on plant community structure and dynamics, this has not been explicitly assessed. Thus, in the context of plant-fungi interactions, studies explicitly linking plant-mycorrhizal fungi interaction networks with key ecological functions of plant communities, such as recruitment, are lacking. </li> <li>In this study, we analyse, in two Mediterranean forest communities of southern Iberian Peninsula, how plant-AMF networks modulate plant-plant recruitment interaction networks. We use a new approach integrating plant-AMF and plant recruitment networks into a single multilayer structure. We also develop a new metric (Interlayer Node Neighbourhood Integration, INNI) to explore the impact of a given node on the structure across layers.</li> <li>Similarity of plant species in their AMF communities is positively related to the observed frequency of recruitment interactions in the field. Results reveal that properties of plant-AMF networks, such as plant degree and centrality, contribute to explaining properties of the plant recruitment network, such as in- and out-degree (i.e. sapling bank and canopy service) and its modular structure. However, these relationships differed between the two forest communities. Finally, we identify particular AMF that contribute to integrating the neighbourhood of recruitment interactions between plants.</li> <li>This multilayer network approach is useful to explore the role of plant-AMF interactions on recruitment, a key ecosystem function enhanced by fungi. Results provide evidence that the complex structure of plant-AMF interactions impacts functional and structurally plant-plant interactions, which in turn may potentially influence plant community dynamics, through their effects on the structure of the recruitment network.</li> </ol>

Nitrogen trade between plants that differ in their temporal demand of nutrients

Primary data and to reproduce the analyses reported in the publication:  Data S1 to S12 [Land_sp_feno2_18, Land_sp_feno2_19, Mypatches, Res2, PhenoWC2, INtran, INenrich, Npheno, Temp_var_pheno_N, land, phenoind, avgWC]. A description of each item is provided in the file Metadata_Readme.doc included in the zip.file deposited

Divergent responses of grassland productivity and plant diversity to intra-annual precipitation variability across climate regions: A global synthesis

Global warming intensifies the hydrological cycle and may result in changes in the frequency and intensity of precipitation events. Although the effects of changes in precipitation amount and inter-annual precipitation variability on terrestrial plant productivity and carbon sequestration have been well studied, how intra-annual precipitation variability affects terrestrial ecosystem function remains unclear. Here, we synthesized field manipulative experiments from 71 publications to quantify the effects of intra-annual precipitation variability increases (IPVI) on community biomass and plant diversity in grasslands worldwide. At the global scale, we found that IPVI generally increased grassland community aboveground biomass (AGB) by 6%, and decreased grass biomass and soil ammonium nitrogen by 12% and 31%, respectively. IPVI stimulated AGB, belowground biomass, and plant species richness in arid regions, but not changed them in humid regions. Changes in AGB under IPVI were related to changes in the biomass of plant functional groups, species richness, and soil moisture. Structural equation modelling demonstrated that that climate conditions (mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation) and background soil properties (soil sand content and soil organic carbon content) jointly regulated grassland AGB responses to IPVI across climate types. Synthesis: Overall, our study shows that grassland productivity and diversity may increase under IPVI in arid climates, and that humid grasslands may be highly resistant to the effects of IPVI. These findings have important implications for understanding ecosystem carbon cycling under global precipitation change scenarios.

Drought intensity alters productivity, carbon allocation, and plant nitrogen uptake in fast versus slow grassland communities

Grasslands face more frequent and extreme droughts, yet their responses to increasing drought intensity are poorly understood. Increasing drought intensity likely triggers abrupt shifts (thresholds) in grassland ecosystem functioning which can implicate recovery trajectories. Here, we determined how drought intensity affects plant productivity, and plant-soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. We exposed model grassland plant communities with contrasting resource acquisition strategies (a fast- vs a slow-strategy plant community), to a gradient of drought intensity. The drought gradient ranged from well-watered to severely water-limited conditions. We identified thresholds of plant community productivity (above-ground biomass) at peak drought and two months after re-wetting, and measured net ecosystem exchange and ecosystem respiration of carbon throughout the drought and recovery phases. At peak drought and one week after re-wetting, we traced recently acquired C from plants to the soil and into microbial biomass and fatty acids using 13C pulse labelling, and measured plant and soil N. At peak drought, slow-strategy plant communities were more drought resistant than fast-strategy communities, as the threshold in plant productivity occurred at a higher drought intensity for the slow- than the fast-strategy community. Shortly after re-wetting, microbial uptake of recent plant-assimilated C increased with increasing past drought intensity, coinciding with an increase in soil N availability and leaf N. Threshold responses to drought intensity at peak drought translated into non-linear recovery responses, with greater compensatory growth in the fast-strategy community. At peak drought, increasing drought intensity reduced C uptake and increased relative C partitioning to leaves and microbial biomass. Upon re-wetting, plant community strategy mediated drought intensity effects on plant and soil C and N dynamics and plant recovery trajectories. The fast strategy community recovered quickly, with higher leaf N than the slow community, while the slow community increased C allocation to microbial biomass. Synthesis: Our findings highlight that C and N dynamics in the plant-soil system display non-linear responses to increasing drought intensity both during and after drought, which has implications for trajectories of plant community recovery.

Data from: Community-level canopy reflectance in grazed grasslands is linked to the habitat preferences of individual plant species

Spectral remote sensing provides tools for biological monitoring and can be used to characterize habitat quality in grasslands. These data have been used to study the relationships between plant community composition and remotely sensed canopy reflectance in grazed grasslands. The study area is located on the island of Öland, Sweden, and the data were collected in grazed grasslands that represent a succession from previously arable fields to old semi-natural pastures. All included grassland sites have been assigned to three different classes of grassland age, defined by the grazing continuity in years: young (5–14 years), intermediate-aged (15–49 years), and old (>50 years). The plant community data consist of presences/absences for 100 vascular plant species in 104 (4 m × 4 m) sample plots positioned in open grassland vegetation. Information on species' habitat preferences is included and has been used to explain the associations between plant species' occurrences and the variation in community-level canopy reflectance. The remote sensing data consist of 317 hyperspectral bands in the wavelength regions 414–1322 nm, 1496–1797 nm, and 2050–2351 nm, and show the mean reflectance in each spectral band for the 104 sample plots. The main gradient in the hyperspectral data is characterized by contrasting reflectance values between bands located in the NIR spectra and bands located in the red, blue, and SWIR spectra. Grassland canopy reflectance was able to explain variation in the occurrences of individual plant species, particularly those with distinct habitat preferences. Species' habitat preferences indicated that vegetation reflectance in the red, blue, SWIR, and NIR spectra was linked to the plant-availability of mineral nitrogen. In contrast, species' phosphorus preferences showed stronger associations with reflectance in the green and red-edge spectra.

Nutrient supply and accessibility in plants: Effect of protein and carbohydrates on Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) preference and performance

In contrast to predictions from nitrogen limitation theory, recent studies have shown that herbivorous migratory insects tend to be carbohydrate (not protein) limited, likely due to increased energy demands, leading them to preferentially feed on high carbohydrate plants. However, additional factors such as mechanical and chemical defenses can also influence host plant choice and nutrient accessibility. In this study, we investigated the effects of plant protein and carbohydrate availability on plant selection and performance for a migratory generalist herbivore, the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera. We manipulated the protein and carbohydrate content of seedling wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by two means: 1) we increased the protein:carbohydrate ratio using nitrogen (N) fertilizer, 2) we sought to increase carbohydrate accessibility by grinding cell walls after drying the plants. Using a full factorial design, we ran both choice and no-choice experiments to measure preference and performance. We confirmed locust preference for plants with a lower protein-carbohydrate ratio (unfertilized plants). Unlike previous studies with mature wild grass species, we found that intact plants supported better performance than dried and ground plants, suggesting that cell wall removal may only improve performance for tougher or more carbohydrate-rich plants. These results add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that several migratory herbivorous species perform better on plants with a lower protein:carbohydrate ratio.

Data from: Phenotypic clines in herbivore resistance and reproductive traits in wild plants along an agricultural gradient

The conversion of natural landscapes to agriculture is a leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. While many studies examine how landscape modification affects species diversity, a trait-based approach can provide new insights into species responses to environmental change. Wild plants persisting in heavily modified landscapes provide a unique opportunity to examine species' responses to land use change. Trait expression within a community plays an important role in structuring species interactions, highlighting the potential implications of landscape mediated trait changes on ecosystem functioning. Here we test the effect of increasing agricultural landscape modification on defensive and reproductive traits in three commonly occurring Brassicaceae species to evaluate plant responses to landscape change. We collected seeds from populations at spatially separated sites with variation in surrounding agricultural land cover and grew them in a greenhouse common garden, measuring defensive traits through an herbivore no-choice bioassay as well as reproductive traits such as flower size and seed set. In two of the three species, plants originating from agriculturally dominant landscapes expressed a consistent reduction in flower size and herbivore leaf consumption. One species also showed reduced fitness associated with increasingly agricultural landscapes. These findings suggest that wild plants are responding to landscape modification, highlighting that species diversity alone does not fully capture the effects of land use change.

TRINITY DC 02.04.01 New RES plant investment analysis

This demo aims at testing the capacity of the Dynamic Map cluster of modules of the T-RES CONTROL CENTRE to speed-up and optimize the decision making process for selecting the optimal characteristics for a new RES installation in a given pre-defined location. This dataset contains replicable cases for the use of the product created in TRINITY, Dynamic Map. The inputs used are the following: <ul> <li>Active power</li> <li>Reactive power</li> <li>Technology case</li> <li>Asset model</li> <li>Location</li> <li>Substation</li> <li>Forecast spot prices</li> </ul>

TRINITY DC 02.03.01 New RES plant location analysis

This demo aims at testing the capacity of the Dynamic Map cluster of modules of the T-RES CONTROL CENTRE to speed-up and optimize the decision making process for selecting an optimal location for a new RES installation. This dataset contains replicable cases for the use of the product created in TRINITY, Dynamic Map. The inputs used are the following: <ul> <li>Active power</li> <li>Reactive power</li> <li>Technology case</li> <li>Asset model</li> <li>Location</li> <li>Substation</li> </ul>

Individual .ttl files of the PF 1,600 plant extracts

Each file contains the ENPKG data (.ttl) of a given plant extract.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2023View details →

Plant metabarcoding analysis in a Ptolemaic Egyptian Bes-vase

The investigation into origins and meaning of ancient religious rituals stands as a central pursuit within the fields of archaeology and anthropology. Today, we possess a wealth of well-preserved artifacts, often in their original form, that serve as compelling narratives from both cultural and material perspectives. Through the application of aDNA metabarcoding analysis, we have gained the ability to decipher those natural substances employed for ritualistic or medicinal purposes within the intricate and enigmatic religious and cultural framework of Egyptian civilization.  here we deposit the sequences obtained from 16 mg of powder material recovered from the vase was processed for nucleic acid extraction in a laboratory area dedicated to the analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA). A brand new commercial kit, Quick-DNA Plant/Seed Kits (ZymoResearch), was used to extract the DNA, which was eluted in a volume of 50 µL. To ensure there were no possible contaminations, mock extractions without samples were systematically performed. DNA amplifications were conducted in a final volume of 25 µL, using 5 µL of undiluted DNA extract as the template. The amplification mixture contained 12.5 µL of AccuStart™ II PCR ToughMix (Quantabio), 0.1 µM of each primer, and 1 Evagreen to monitor the amplification kinetics on a BIO-RAD CFX96 thermal cycler. The mixture was denatured at 94°C for 3 minutes, followed by cycles of 15 seconds at 94°C, 10 seconds at 55°C, and 20 seconds at 72°C. The P6 loop region of the trnL (UAA) intron was amplified in triplicate using the universal primers g (5′-GGGCAATCCTGAGCCAA-3′) and h (5′-CCATTGAGTCTCTGCACCTATC-3′), which were modified by the addition of an adapter sequence (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) on the 5′ ends (81). Amplicon sequencing was performed using the 2 × 150-bp paired-end method on the MiSeq platform with a MiSeq Reagent Kit v2 Nano (Illumina). The reads obtained from the sequencing were processed using the CLC Genomics Workbench software environment ver. 22.0.

Grazer host density mediates the ability of parasites to protect foundational plants from overgrazing

Like many top consumers, parasites can regulate feeding of their prey via trait-mediated means. If parasites modify the feeding behavior of ecologically important grazers, they may have cascading effects on the structure and functioning of whole plant communities. The extent to which parasites can influence plant communities in this way is largely dependent on the strength of their behavioral alteration, their prevalence in host grazers, and the density of those hosts. Recent experiments and comparative surveys in southeastern USA salt marshes revealed that common larval trematode parasites suppress the per capita grazing impacts of the marsh periwinkle (Littoraria irrorata), generating a trophic cascade that protects foundational marsh plants from drought-associated overgrazing. Here, we conducted a field manipulation wherein we modified grazer host density while holding infection prevalence constant at an ecologically relevant level (20%) to determine whether the indirect, facilitative effects of parasites on marsh plants varied with the density of grazers. We found that parasites had significant positive impacts on marsh net primary productivity at moderate densities of snails (≥50 snails/ 0.5 m2), but that the positive effects of parasites were negligible at lower densities. Our results confirm the findings of previous studies that parasites can protect marsh plants from overgrazing at sufficiently high prevalence but show that their ability to do so depends on host density.

The past, present, and future of ecogeographic isolation between closely related Aquilegia plants

Quantifying the strength of the ecogeographic barrier is an important aspect of studies of plant speciation and a practical step to understanding the evolutionary trajectory of plants under climate change. Here, we quantified the extent of ecogeographical isolation of four closely related Aquilegia species, which radiated in the Mountains of SW China and adjacent regions and often lacked intrinsic barriers. We predicted past, present and future species potential distributions using environmental niche models, then compared them to determine the degree of overlap and ecogeographic isolation. Investigated ecogeographical isolation between species pairs, we found significant ecological differentiation in all studied species pairs except A. kansuensis and A. ecalacarata. The current strengths of ecogeographic isolation are above 0.5 in most cases. Compared with current climates, most species had an expanding range in the Last Glacial Maximum, the Mid Holocene and under four future climate scenarios. Our results suggested that ecogeographic isolation contributes to the diversification and maintenance of Aquilegia species in the Mountains of northern and SW China and would act as an essential reproductive barrier in the future.

Habitat preferences and functional traits drive longevity in Himalayan high-mountain plants

Plant lifespan has important evolutionary, physiological, and ecological implications related to population persistence, community stability, and resilience to ongoing environmental change impacts. Although biologists have long been puzzled over the extraordinary variation in plant lifespan and its causes, our understanding of interspecific variability in plant lifespan and the key internal and external factors influencing longevity remains limited. Here, we demonstrate the concurrent impacts of environmental, morphological, physiological, and anatomical constraints on interspecific variation in longevity among >300 vascular dicot plant species naturally occurring at an elevation gradient (2800-6150 m) in the western Himalayas. First, we show that plant longevity (ranging from 1 to 100 years) is largely related to species' habitat preferences. Ecologically stressful habitats such as alpine and subnival host long-lived species, while productive ruderal and wetland habitats contain a higher proportion of shorter-lived species. Second, longevity is influenced by growth form with monocarpic forbs having the shortest lifespan and woody shrubs having the highest. Small-statured cushion plants with compact canopies and deep roots, most found on cold and infertile alpine and subnival soils, had a higher chance of achieving longevity. Third, plant traits reflecting plant adaptations to stress and disturbance affect interspecific differences in plant longevity. We show that longevity and growth are negatively correlated. Slow-growing species are those that have a higher chance of reaching a high age. Finally, higher longevity was associated with high leaf carbon and phosphorus, low root phosphorus and nitrogen, and with large bark-xylem ratio. Our findings suggest that plant longevity in high elevation is intricately determined by a combination of habitat preferences and growth form, as well as the plant growth rate and physiological processes.

Data from: Integrating ecological niche and hydrological connectivity models to assess the impacts of hydropower plants on an endemic and imperiled freshwater turtle

We built this dataset to assess the impacts of hydropower plants on the distribution of an endemic and imperiled freshwater turtle with very unique ecological requirements, the Williams' side-necked turtle (Phrynops williamsi). To prevent and mitigate impacts, we prioritized sites for species conservation by classifying planned HPP locations according to their predicted adverse effects on species distribution. The dataset has two files: i) species occurrence records and ii) hydropower plant data. The first dataset was fully built by the authors and the second was modified from the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL) georeferenced data system.

Data From: Laisk measurements in the non-steady-state: tests in plants exposed to warming and variable CO2 concentrations

Light respiration (RL) is an important component of plant carbon balance and a key parameter in photosynthesis models. RL is often measured using the Laisk method, a gas exchange technique that is traditionally employed under steady-state conditions. However, a non-steady-state dynamic assimilation technique (DAT) may allow for more rapid Laisk measurements. In two studies, we examined the efficacy of DAT for estimating RL and the parameter Ci* (the intercellular CO2 concentration where rubisco's oxygenation velocity is twice its carboxylation velocity), which is also derived from the Laisk technique. In the first study, we compared DAT and steady-state RL and Ci* estimates in paper birch (Betula papyrifera) growing under control and elevated temperature and CO2 concentrations. In the second, we compared DAT-estimated RL and Ci* in hybrid poplar (Populus nigra L. x P. maximowiczii A. Henry 'NM6') exposed to high or low CO2 concentration pre-treatments. The DAT and steady-state methods provided similar RL estimates in B. papyrifera, and we found little acclimation of RL to temperature or CO2; however, Ci* was higher when measured with DAT compared to steady-state methods. These Ci* differences were amplified by the high or low CO2 pre-treatments. We propose that changes in the export of glycine from photorespiration may explain these apparent differences in Ci*.

Density dependence of seed dispersal and fecundity profoundly alters the spread dynamics of plant populations

<ol> <li>Plant population spread has fundamental ecological and evolutionary importance. Both determinants of plant population spread, fecundity and dispersal, can be density-dependent, which should cause feedback between population densities and spread dynamics. Yet it is poorly understood how density-dependence affects key characteristics of spread: spread rate at which the location of the furthest forward individual moves, edge depth (the geographical area over which individuals contribute to spread) and population continuity (occupancy of the spreading population).</li> <li>We present a general modelling framework for analysing the effects of density-dependent fecundity and dispersal on population spread and parameterize this framework with experimental data from a common-garden experiment using five wind-dispersed plant species grown at different densities. </li> <li>Our model shows that density-dependent fecundity and dispersal strongly affect all three population spread characteristics for both exponential and lognormal dispersal kernels. Spread rate and edge depth are strongly correlated but show weaker correlations with population continuity. Positive density-dependence of fecundity increases all three spread characteristics. Increasingly positive density-dependence of dispersal increases spread rate and edge depth but generally decreases population continuity. Density-dependent fecundity and dispersal are largely additive in their effect on spread characteristics. For population continuity, the joint effects of density-dependent fecundity and dispersal are somewhat contingent on the dispersal kernel.</li> <li>The common-garden experiment and the experimentally parameterized mechanistic dispersal model revealed density-dependent fecundity and dispersal across study species. All study species exhibited negative density-dependent fecundity, but they differed qualitatively in the density-dependence of dispersal distance and probability of long-distance dispersal. The negative density-dependence of fecundity and dispersal found for three species reinforced each other in reducing spread rate and edge depth. The positively density-dependent dispersal found for two species markedly increased spread rate and edge depth. Population continuity was hardly affected by population density in all study species except Crepis sancta in which it was strongly reduced by negatively density-dependent fecundity.</li> <li> Synthesis. Density-dependent fecundity and seed dispersal profoundly alter population spread. In particular, positively density-dependent dispersal should promote the spread and genetic diversity of plant populations migrating under climate change but also complicate the control of invasive species.</li> </ol>

Data from: Nesting and interaction of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in herbaceous plants in the Agricultural Campus of the School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences of UNAN-Leon, Nicaragua

En este estudio se determinó la riqueza, abundancia, densidad y distribución geográfica de nidos de abejas sin aguijón en el Campus Agropecuario de la UNAN-León, de igual manera se determinó la interacción de abejas sin aguijón en plantas en floración. Asimismo, se identificaron los sustratos de anidación, se revisaron todos los árboles e infraestructura del Campus Agropecuario y se muestrearon las arvenses y arbusto en floración entre los meses de abril a octubre del 2022.