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60 results for “native grasses”
Vegetation survey (BACI and Paired-plots) from arid central Australia for impacts of buffel grass on resident native plant communities
<p>The data set accompanies the accepted paper in Ecosphere. The data set includes two experimental appraoches to assess the spread and impacts of buffel grass, Cenchrus cilairis, in the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of arid central Australia: a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) experiment over 25 years at 15 sites (surveyed in 1994-95 and 2018-19), and a spatially paired-plot (randomised-block) experiment at 18 sites (surveyed in 2018-19). Both experiments spanned two geographic regions (~ 300 km apart) and multiple vegetation communities amongst flat plains and rocky hills landforms. Each experimental design has a plant species data set, and a data set that includes site variables and summed relative cover of plant functional groups. Data collection methodology is described in the accompanying paper, and summarised here.</p> <p>Each site was one hectare in size. The ecological data was collected in accordance with standard biological survey methods in South Australia (Heard and Channon 1997), including recording of plant species and cover abundance, life form, height class and habitat variables including percent bare earth, litter, rock/strew and soil type (clay percent). Fire history for the previous 25 years was also available from fire scar mapping. Species cover-abundance was estimated in the field using a modified Braun-Blanquet scale and later converted to a raw continuous variable based on the mid-point of the cover class: 1% (1-10 plants, <5% cover); 2% (sparsely present, <5% cover; 3% (plentiful but <5% cover); 15% (5 to 25% cover class); 37% (25 to 50% cover class); 63% (50 to 75% cover class). Buffel grass was recorded on the same scale. Plant species were vouchered and identification checked post-field by the South Australian Hebarium. Plant taxonomy reflects current names (as of 2015) in the Biological Databases of South Australia and taxonomy was aligned between the 1990s and 2020s decades. Recently some species have been split into multiple species (e.g. <em>Acacia aneura</em>, Mulga) but this latest taxonomy was not adopted to retain taxonomic alignment within the dataset. The raw mid-point percent cover was converted to relative percent cover by dividing each species’ (or groups’) raw cover by the summed cover of all species at that site (including buffel grass + understorey + overstorey species). Classification of plants into functional groups was based on field assessed (1) height class + (2) life form, and literature-derived (3) life strategy (perennial or annual) + (4) Native status to South Australia. Height classes were grouped into overstorey (>1m in height) and understorey (≤1m). Summed relative cover for each functional group per site is included in the site and cover data sets to facilitate modelling of cover with site variables. The plant species data sets is the full list of species and cover abundance recorded at each site which can be used for analysis of community composition, diversity, turnover or individual species change. Sensitive species (one species in this dataset) has had the coordinates denatured by 10km due according to the requirements of the Biological Database of South Australia for sensitive species. All coordinates provided in MGA 52 Eastings and Northings (UTM, Australian National Grid). </p> <p>The authors wish to acknowledge Traditional Owners and Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands Organisation who gave permission for collaboration, data collection, photographs and reporting on and about their Traditional Lands. Data is jointly the Intellectual Property of Aṉangu as the Traditional Owners and the author team, and approval has been granted for research and publication use with appropriate acknowledgment of Aṉangu and the author team. The 1990s baseline data is also the Intellectual Property of the South Australian Government and is made publicly available under a licencing agreement with the Biological Databases of South Australia (licence number 2412). Many people assisted in the field during the 1990s and 2020s vegetation surveys and are wholly acknowledged. APY Land Management, Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board, Central Land Council, Ten Deserts Project, Charles Darwin University, South Australian Department for Environment and Water, State Herbarium of South Australia, Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, Jill Landsberg Trust and Ecological Society of Australia all provided either funding and/or in-kind support of the project. Study conducted with APY Executive Board approval, South Australian Scientific Permit Q26782 and Northern Territory Wildlife Permit 63104. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>
Invasive grass litter suppresses a native grass species and promotes disease
Plant litter can alter ecosystems and promote plant invasions by altering resource availability, depositing phytotoxins, and transmitting microorganisms to living plants. Transmission of microorganisms from invasive plant litter to live plants may gain importance as invasive plants, which often escape pathogens upon introduction to a new range, acquire new pathogens over time. It is unclear, however, if invasive plant litter affects native plant communities by promoting disease. Microstegium vimineum is an invasive grass that suppresses native populations, in part through litter production, and has acquired new fungal leaf spot diseases since its introduction to the United States. In a greenhouse experiment, we evaluated how M. vimineum litter and its pathogens mediated competition with the native grass Elymus virginicus. Microstegium vimineum litter promoted disease on E. virginicus and suppressed establishment and biomass of both species. Litter had stronger negative effects on E. virginicus than M. vimineum, increasing the relative biomass of M. vimineum. Live plant competition reduced biomass of both species and live M. vimineum increased disease incidence on E. virginicus. Altogether, invasive grass litter suppressed both species, ultimately favoring the invasive species in competition, and increased disease incidence on the native species.
Invasive buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) increases water stress and reduces growth of native foothills palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) seedlings in pot experiments
Although buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) invasions on several continents have significant ecological impacts, little information is available on its effect on seedling emergence and establishment of native vegetation. In highly impacted areas of the Sonoran Desert of North America, perennial plants are particularly vulnerable during their seedling stage. We studied the impact of buffel grass on the emergence, survival, and water stress in the seedlings of a locally dominant native tree, the foothills palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), using two pot experiments. In the first experiment, we compared the germination, growth, and survival of concentric rings of palo verde seedlings around mature individuals of buffel grass, a native shrub of a similar diameter and height to buffel grass, or in a pot with bare soil. In the second experiment, we compared the competitive effects of buffel grass seedlings on palo verde seedlings with the effects of conspecific seedlings, again using germination, growth, and survival as metrics. We followed up both experiments by quantifying the ratio of stable carbon isotopes in the tissues of the palo verde seedlings, which can be an indicator of water stress. We found evidence of relatively greater water stress in palo verde seedlings grown with buffel grass seedlings in pots than those grown with no competitor, and reduced survival of palo verde seedlings when grown with mature buffel grass. Our results highlight the need for more manipulative studies of density to improve mechanistic understanding of population dynamics, and to forecast how populations and communities will respond in the long term to perturbations such as invasion.
Native seedlings recorded on field plots with and without invasive buffel grass during the monsoon season of 2013 near Tucson, Arizona, USA
Although buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) invasions on several continents have significant ecological impacts, little information is available on its effect on seedling emergence and establishment of native vegetation. In highly impacted areas of the Sonoran Desert of North America, perennial plants are particularly vulnerable during their seedling stage. We studied the impact of buffel grass on the emergence and early survival of native seedlings in a field experiment. We marked out 2m x 2m field plots at three locations near Tucson, Arizona, with and without buffel grass. We removed the buffel grass from half of those with the invasion, and censused and marked native perennial seedlings that emerged in each plot for ten weeks during July-September (monsoon season) of 2013. Emergence and survival of native perennials in the field were both significantly higher where mature buffel grass was removed or had never invaded than where it remained. Our results highlight the need for more manipulative studies of density to improve mechanistic understanding of population dynamics, and to forecast how populations and communities will respond in the long term to perturbations such as invasion.
Emerging fungal pathogen of an invasive grass: Implications for competition with native plant species
This data package includes data and code from an experiment testing the effects of a leaf spot fungal infection and competition from the invasive (to the U.S.) grass Microstegium vimineum on the performance of three native grass species: Dichanthelium clandestinum, Elymus virginicus, and Eragrostis spectabilis. The experiment was performed between June and September of 2019 in a greenhouse on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, FL, USA. The leaf spot infection is caused by the fungal pathogen Bipolaris gigantea, which has recently emerged on populations of M. vimineum in the U.S. We tested the hypothesis that infection of B. gigantea would both directly and indirectly affect the native grass species by measuring the change in biomass of each species with and without pathogen inoculation (direct effects) and by measuring the effect of pathogen inoculation on M. vimineum competition through changes in native grass biomass across a density gradient of M. vimneum (indirect effects). The code includes statistical analyses and figures. The code was run using R (version 4.0.1).
Pollen morphometric data and phytolith counts and frequencies of native grasses of the Falkland Islands
<p><strong>Groff et al. phytolith count freq.csv</strong> is a dataset of the raw counts and cumulative frequencies of phytolith shape/texture classifications for nine native grass species from the Falkland Islands. Grass species include <strong>xyz. </strong>and 42 phytoliths were classified by counting at least 300 phytoliths. </p> <p><strong>Groff et al. pollen morphometrics.csv</strong> is a dataset of the raw measurements of pollen grains from eight native grass species from the Falkland Islands. Measurements (in µm) include the polar axis, equatorial axis, annulus diameter, pore diameter (col B), annulus diameter (col C), polar axis (col D), equatorial axis (col E), and the respective transformed data (cols F-I) and the six possible ratios of measurements (cols J-O).</p>
When the neighborhood matters: contextual selection on seedling traits in native and non-native California grasses
<p>Plants interact extensively with their neighbors, but the evolutionary consequences of variation in neighbor identity are not well understood. Seedling traits are likely to experience selection that depends on the identity of neighbors because they influence competitive outcomes. To explore this, we evaluated selection on seed mass and emergence time in two California grasses, the native perennial <em>Stipa pulchra</em> and the non-native annual <em>Bromus diandrus</em>, in the field with six other native and non-native neighbor grasses in individual and mixed species treatments. We also <span>quantified characteristics of each neighbor treatment to further investigate factors influencing their effects on fitness and phenotypic selection. Selection favored larger seeds in both focal species and this</span> was largely independent of neighbor identity. Selection generally favored earlier emergence in both focal species, but neighbor identity influenced the strength and direction of selection on emergence time in <em>S. pulchra</em> but not <em>B. diandrus</em>. Greater light interception, higher soil moisture, and greater productivity of neighbors was associated with more intense selection for earlier emergence and larger seeds. Our findings suggest that changes in plant community composition can alter patterns of selection in seedling traits, and that these effects can be associated with measurable characteristics of the community.</p>
Data from: Long-term changes in soil carbon and nitrogen fractions in switchgrass, native grasses, and no-till corn bioenergy production systems
<p>Cellulosic bioenergy is a primary land-based climate mitigation strategy, with soil carbon (C) storage and nitrogen (N) conservation as important mitigation elements. Here, we present 13 years of soil C and N change under three cellulosic cropping systems: monoculture switchgrass (<em>Panicum virgatum</em> L.), a five native grasses polyculture, and no-till corn (<em>Zea mays</em> L.). Soil C and N fractions were measured four times over 12 years. Bulk soil C in the 0–25 cm depth at the end of the study period ranged from 28.4 (± 1.4 se) Mg C ha<sup>−1</sup> in no-till corn, to 30.8 (± 1.4) Mg C ha<sup>−1</sup> in switchgrass, and to 34.8 (± 1.4) Mg C ha<sup>−1</sup> in native grasses. Mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) ranged from 60% to 90% and particulate organic matter (POM) from 10% to 40% of total soil C. Over 12 years, total C as well as both C fractions persisted under no-till corn and switchgrass and increased under native grasses. In contrast, POM N stocks decreased 33% to 45% across systems, whereas MAOM N decreased by less than 13% and only in no-till corn. Declining POM N stocks likely reflect pre-establishment land use, which included alfalfa and manure in earlier rotations. Root production and large soil aggregate formation explained 69% (p < 0.001) and 36% (p = 0.024) of total soil C change, respectively, and 60% (p = 0.020) and 41% (p = 0.023) of soil N change, demonstrating the importance of belowground productivity and soil aggregates for producing and protecting soil C and conserving soil N. Differences between switchgrass and native grasses also indicate a dependence on plant diversity. Soil C and N benefits of bioenergy crops depend strongly on root productivity and pre-establishment land use.</p>
Data from: Long-term changes in soil carbon and nitrogen fractions in switchgrass, native grasses, and no-till corn bioenergy production systems
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When the neighborhood matters: contextual selection on seedling traits in native and non-native California grasses
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Data from: A growth-defense trade-off is general across native and exotic grasses
High-resource environments typically favor quick-growing, poorly-defended plants, while resource-poor environments typically favor slow-growing, well-defended plants. The prevailing hypothesis explaining this pattern states that, as resource availability increases, well-defended, slow-growing species are replaced by poorly defended, fast-growing species. A second hypothesis states that greater resource availability increases allocation to growth at the expense of defense, within species. Regardless of mechanism, if exotic species are released from enemies relative to natives, shifts in allocation to growth and defense both within and among species could differ by geographic provenance. To test whether resource availability alters growth or defense, within and among species, and whether any such effects differ between natives and exotics, we manipulated soil nutrient supply and access of aboveground insect herbivores and fungal pathogens under field conditions to individuals of six native and six exotic grass species that co-occurred in a North Carolina old field. The prevailing hypothesis' prediction—that species-level enemy impact increases with species' nutrient responsiveness—was confirmed. Moreover, this relationship did not differ between native and exotic species. The second hypothesis' prediction—that individual-level enemy impact increases with nutrient supply, after accounting for species-level variation in performance—was not supported. Together, these results support the idea, across native and exotic species, that plant species turnover is the primary mechanism underlying effects of nutrient enrichment on allocation to growth and defense in plant communities.
Data from: Effects of native bryophytes on exotic grass invasion across an environmental gradient
Understanding the role that native biodiversity plays in controlling exotic species invasion is a critical goal in ecology. In terrestrial plant communities, most research has focused on the effects of native vascular plants on invasion by exotic vascular plants. However, in many ecosystems, native bryophytes and other non-vascular plants are common and can affect the establishment, survival and growth of vascular plants. A more complete picture of how native biodiversity affects exotic plant invasion, demands that more studies measure the effects of native bryophytes on exotic vascular plants. Moreover, there is growing realization that the effects of native species on invaders can range from negative to positive and that a complete picture of interactions between native and exotic plants requires measuring interactions in multiple environments. We used both observational and experimental studies to quantify the effects of native moss on two exotic annual grass species along a 200-m environmental gradient in a coastal dune in northern California. We found the effects of bryophytes to be species-specific and to vary with environmental context. Bryophytes facilitated the survival of one exotic grass species at both ends of the environmental gradient. For the other exotic grass species, bryophytes reduced survival at one end of the environmental gradient and had no effect at the other end. Our findings provide an important test of the effects of native bryophytes on exotic vascular plant invasion, and importantly show that these effects can vary dramatically even across local environmental gradients.
Data for: Invasion by an exotic grass species homogenises native freshwater plant communities
<p>A growing body of evidence has shown that biological invasions cause shifts in species composition of communities in space and time. Although biological invasions are considered a major driver of biotic homogenisation worldwide, most previous studies are conducted at small spatial scales and over short time periods, which may have underestimated the impacts of exotic species on native communities.</p> <p>Using a unique dataset of aquatic plants sampled in 235 sites over 12 years (2007–2010 and 2015–2019) in a large reservoir (Itaipu Reservoir; 1,350 km²), we analyzed how the invasion of a non-native grass (<em>Urochloa arrecta</em>) affects the species richness, ecological uniqueness (i.e., local contribution to beta diversity – LCBD) and temporal β–diversity of native plant communities.</p> <p>From 3,934 surveyed plant communities, <em>U. arrecta</em> was recorded in 2,888 samples and it was absent from 1,046 samples. Overall, species richness and ecological uniqueness of native plant communities were markedly lower in sites invaded than non-invaded by <em>U. arrecta</em>. From 2007 to 2019, the ecological uniqueness of native plants was 60% lower in the invaded than non-invaded sites. Whereas in invaded sites the species loss was the dominant mechanism driving native communities over time, in non–invaded sites the gain of new native species was the primary mechanism underlying community trajectories. Moreover, comparing native plant communities before and after the invasion of <em>U. arrecta</em>, species richness, ecological uniqueness and species gains of native plant communities decreased, whereas species losses increased after the invasion of <em>U. arrecta</em>. Finally, the positive relationship between native biodiversity and precipitation was stronger in sites non-invaded than invaded by <em>U. arrecta</em>.</p> <p>Synthesis: Our findings provide comprehensive evidence that an invasive plant is decreasing the spatial and temporal β–diversity of native plant communities through declining species richness, rather than simply correlating with them. This suggests that<em> U. arrecta</em> is driving native plants to become less diverse and homogeneous after the invasion, both spatially and temporally. Our findings illustrate that at broad scales, aquatic plant communities may become increasingly homogeneous with the increasing number of biological invasion events taking place worldwide. </p>
Does the effect of flowering time on biomass allocation across latitude differ between invasive and native salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora?
<p><span>Parallel latitudinal clines in flowering time have been documented in both the invasive and native ranges of plants. Furthermore, flowering time has been found to affect biomass at maturity. Therefore, understanding how these flowering times affect biomass accumulation across latitude is essential to understanding plant adaptations and distributions. </span><span>We investigated and compared trends in first flowering day (FFD), aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB) and BGB:AGB ratio of the salt marsh grass <em>Spartina alterniflora</em> along latitudinal gradients from the invasive (China, 19-40<sup>o</sup> N) and native range (United States, 27-43<sup>o</sup> N) in a greenhouse common garden experiment, and tested whether FFD would drive these divergences between invasive and native ranges. </span><span>The invasive populations produced more (~20%, ~19%) AGB and BGB than native populations, but there were no significant differences in the FFD and BGB:AGB ratio. We found significant parallel latitudinal clines in FFD in both invasive and native ranges. In addition, the BGB:AGB ratio was negatively correlated with the FFD in both the invasive and native ranges but non-significant in invasive populations. In contrast, AGB and BGB increased with latitude in the invasive range, but declined with latitude in the native range. Most interestingly, we found AGB and BGB positively correlated with the FFD in the native range, but no significant relationships in the invasive range. </span>Our results indirectly support the evolution of increased competitive ability hypothesis (EICA) that <em>S. alterniflora</em> has evolved to produce greater AGB and BGB in China, and climatic conditions in the native might select for a flowering and allocation pattern is maintained in the invasive range. Our results also suggest that invasive <em>S. alterniflora</em> in China is not constrained by the trade-off of earlier flowering with smaller size, and that flowering time has played an important role on biomass allocation across latitude.</p>
Does the effect of flowering time on biomass allocation across latitude differ between invasive and native salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora?
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Data from: Grass invasion and drought interact to alter the diversity and structure of native plant communities
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Plant functional traits of 337 native Texas grasses
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Data from: A growth-defense trade-off is general across native and exotic grasses
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Data for: Invasion by an exotic grass species homogenises native freshwater plant communities
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Shrunk coexistence: Cattle exclusion and nutrient addition intensify competition between native and exotic grasses with low phenological overlap
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