Institut für Landschafts- und Pflanzenökologie

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Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology
(2025) Gould, Elliot; Berauer, Bernd J.; Ernst, Ulrich Rainer; Zitomer, Rachel A.; Gould, Elliot; School of Agriculture Food and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, 3010, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Fraser, Hannah S.; School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, 3010, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Parker, Timothy H.; Department of Biology, Whitman College, 345 Boyer Ave, 99362, Walla Walla, WA, USA; Nakagawa, Shinichi; School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Griffith, Simon C.; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, 2109, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Vesk, Peter A.; School of Agriculture Food and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, 3010, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Fidler, Fiona; School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, 3010, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Hamilton, Daniel G.; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 750 Collins Street, 3008, Docklands, VIC, Australia; Abbey-Lee, Robin N.; Länsstyrelsen Östergötland, Östgötagatan 3, 58186, Linköping, Sweden; Abbott, Jessica K.; Biology Department, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 22362, Lund, Sweden; Aguirre, Luis A.; Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, 1 Campus Center Way, 01003, Amherst, MA, USA; Alcaraz, Carles; Marine and Continental Waters, IRTA, Carretera Poble Nou Km 5.5, 43540 La Ràpita, Catalonia, Spain; Aloni, Irith; Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.Box 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel; Altschul, Drew; Department of Psychology, The University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, EH9 1HB, Edinburgh, UK; Arekar, Kunal; Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Science, 560012, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India; Atkins, Jeff W.; Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, PO Box 700, 29809, New Ellenton, SC, USA; Atkinson, Joe; Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114-116, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark; Baker, Christopher M.; School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, 3052, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Barrett, Meghan; Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, 420 University Blvd, 46202, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Bell, Kristian; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, 3125, Burwood, VIC, Australia; Bello, Suleiman Kehinde; Department of Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, 80200, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Beltrán, Iván; Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 205ACR Culloden Road, 2113, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia; Berauer, Bernd J.; Department of Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology, Ottilie-Zeller-Weg, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany; Bertram, Michael Grant; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, SE-907 36, Umeå, Sweden; Billman, Peter D.; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 N. Eagleville Rd, 06226, Storrs, CT, USA; Blake, Charlie K.; STEM Center, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 1 Hairpin Dr, 62026, Edwardsville, IL, USA; Blake, Shannon; University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Bliard, Louis; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland; Bonisoli-Alquati, Andrea; Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, USA; Bonnet, Timothée; Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, Université de la Rochelle - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 405 route de Prissé la Charrière, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France; Bordes, Camille Nina Marion; Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 529000, Israel; Bose, Aneesh P. H.; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, SE-907 36, Umeå, Sweden; Botterill-James, Thomas; School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, TAS, Private Bag 55, 7001, Hobart, Australia; Boyd, Melissa Anna; Whitebark Institute, 3399 Main Street, Suite W5, 93546, Mammoth Lakes, CA, USA; Boyle, Sarah A.; Department of Biology, Rhodes College, 2000 N. 38112, Parkway, Memphis, TN, USA; Bradfer-Lawrence, Tom; Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, 2 Lochside View, EH12 9DH, Edinburgh, UK; Bradham, Jennifer; Environmental Studies, Wofford College, 429 N. Church St, 29303, Spartanburg, SC, USA; Brand, Jack A.; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, SE-907 36, Umeå, Sweden; Brengdahl, Martin I.; IFM Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden; Bulla, Martin; Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Praha - Suchdol, Czech Republic; Bussière, Luc; Biological and Environmental Sciences & Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 7B, SE-413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden; Camerlenghi, Ettore; School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Rainforest Walk 25, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Campbell, Sara E.; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, 569 Dabney Hall, 37996, Knoxville, TN, USA; Campos, Leonardo L. F.; Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, UFSC, Campus Universitário - Córrego Grande Florianópolis – SC; CEP, 88040-900, Florianópolis, Brazil; Caravaggi, Anthony; School of Biological and Forensic Sciences, University of South Wales, The Alfred Russel Wallace Building, 9 Graig Fach, CF37 4BB, Glyntaff, Pontypridd, UK; Cardoso, Pedro; Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) &, CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal; Carroll, Charles J. W.; Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, 1472 Campus Delivery, 80523-1472, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Catanach, Therese A.; Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 19096, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chen, Xuan; Salisbury University, 1101 Camden Ave, 21801, Biology, Salisbury, MD, USA; Chik, Heung Ying Janet; Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, Netherlands; Choy, Emily Sarah; Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 4K1, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Christie, Alec Philip; Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, CB2 3EJ, Cambridge, UK; Chuang, Angela; Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, 700 Experiment Station Rd, 33850, Lake Alfred, FL, USA; Chunco, Amanda J.; Environmental Studies, Elon University, McMichael Science Building, 2625 Campus Box, 27244, Elon, NC, USA; Clark, Bethany L.; BirdLife International, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, CB2 3QZ, Cambridge, UK; Contina, Andrea; School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, One West University Boulevard, 78520, Brownsville, TX, USA; Covernton, Garth A.; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, M5S 3B2, Toronto, ON, Canada; Cox, Murray P.; Department of Statistics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Cressman, Kimberly A.; LLC, Catbird Stats, PO Box 2018, 39553, Gautier, MS, USA; Crotti, Marco; School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK; Crouch, Connor Davidson; School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E Pine Knoll Dr. 86001, Flagstaff, AZ, USA; D’Amelio, Pietro B.; Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319, Seewiesen, Oberbayern, Germany; de Sousa, Alexandra Allison; School of Sciences: Center for Health and Cognition, Bath Spa University, BA2 9BN, Newton Park, Bath, UK; Döbert, Timm Fabian; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, T6G 2R3, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Dobler, Ralph; Applied Zoology, Zellescher Weg 20b, 01217, Dresden, TUDresden, Germany; Dobson, Adam J.; School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8Qq, Glasgow, UK; Doherty, Tim S.; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, 2006, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Drobniak, Szymon Marian; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Krakow, Poland; Duffy, Alexandra Grace; Biology Department, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, USA; Duncan, Alison B.; Institute of Evolutionary Sciences Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France; Dunn, Robert P.; Baruch Marine Field Laboratory, University of South Carolina, 2306 Crabhaul Rd, 29440, Georgetown, SC, USA; Dunning, Jamie; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Buckhurst road, SL5 7PY, Berkshire, UK; Dutta, Trishna; European Forest Institute, Platz d. Vereinten Nationen 7, 53113, Bonn, Germany; Eberhart-Hertel, Luke; Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard-Gwinner Str. 7, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany; Elmore, Jared Alan; Forestry and Environmental Conservation, National Bobwhite and Grassland Initiative, Clemson University, 243 Lehotsky Hall, 29634, Clemson, SC, USA; Elsherif, Mahmoud Medhat; Department of Psychology and Vision Science, University of Birmingham, 52 Pritchatts Road. Edgbaston, B15 2TT, Baily Thomas GrantBirmingham, UK; English, Holly M.; School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Belfield, Ireland; Ensminger, David C.; Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, 129 S 10th Street, 95112, San Jose, CA, USA; Ernst, Ulrich Rainer; Apicultural State Institute, University of Hohenheim, Erna-Hruschka-Weg 6, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany; Ferguson, Stephen M.; Department of Biology, St. Norbert College, 100 Grant St, 54115, De Pere, WI, USA; Fernandez-Juricic, Esteban; Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 W. State Street, 47907, West Lafayette, IN, USA; Ferreira-Arruda, Thalita; Biodiversity, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Macroecology & BiogeographyBüsgenweg 1, 37077, Göttingen, Germany; Fieberg, John; Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 135 Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, 55108, St. Paul, MN, USA; Finch, Elizabeth A.; CABI, Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey, UK; Fiorenza, Evan A.; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, 321 Steinhaus Hall, 92697, IrvineIrvine, CA, USA; Fisher, David N.; School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, King Street, AB244FX, Aberdeen, UK; Fontaine, Amélie; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Rd, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Montreal, QC, Canada; Forstmeier, Wolfgang; Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard-Gwinner Str. 7, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany; Fourcade, Yoan; Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences (iEES), Univ. Paris-Est Creteil, 61 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France; Frank, Graham S.; Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 321 Richardson Hall, 97331, Corvallis, OR, USA; Freund, Cathryn A.; Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, 27109, Winston Salem, NC, USA; Fuentes-Lillo, Eduardo; Laboratorio de Invasiones Biológicas (LIB), Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Victoria 631, Concepción, Chile; Gandy, Sara L.; Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK; Gannon, Dustin G.; Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 97333, Corvallis, OR, USA; García-Cervigón, Ana I.; Biodiversity and Conservation Area, Rey Juan Carlos University, C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain; Garretson, Alexis C.; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Ave #813, 02111, Boston, MA, USA; Ge, Xuezhen; Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, N1G 2W1, Guelph, ON, Canada; Geary, William L.; School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus), Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Géron, Charly; CNRS, University of Rennes, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes, France; Gilles, Marc; Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; Girndt, Antje; Fakultät für Biologie, Arbeitsgruppe Evolutionsbiologie, Universität Bielefeld, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; Gliksman, Daniel; Chair of Meteorology, Institute for Hydrology and Meteorology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Technische Universität Dresden, Pienner Str. 23, 01737, Tharandt, Germany; Goldspiel, Harrison B.; Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, 5755 Nutting Hall, Room 210, 04469-5755, Orono, ME, USA; Gomes, Dylan G. E.; Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 W University Dr, 83725, Boise, ID, USA; Good, Megan Kate; School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, 3010, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Goslee, Sarah C.; Pastures Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA-ARS PSWMRU, Bldg. 3702 Curtin Road, 16802, University Park, PA, USA; Gosnell, J. Stephen; Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College, City University of New York, 17 Lexington Avenue, 10010, New York, NY, USA; Grames, Eliza M.; Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, 13902, Binghamton, NY, USA; Gratton, Paolo; Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Via Cracovia, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy; Grebe, Nicholas M.; Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, 1085 S. University Ave, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Greenler, Skye M.; College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, 97333, Corvallis, OR, USA; Griffioen, Maaike; University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, België, Belgium; Griffith, Daniel M.; Earth & Environmental Sciences, Wesleyan University, 45 Wyllys Ave, 06459, Middletown, CT, USA; Griffith, Frances J.; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, 389 Whitney Ave, 06511, New Haven, CT, USA; Grossman, Jake J.; Biology Department and Environmental Studies Department, St. Olaf College, 1520 St Olaf Ave, 55057, Northfield, MN, USA; Güncan, Ali; Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ordu University, Ordu University, 52200, Altinordu/Ordu, Turkey; Haesen, Stef; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001, Leuven, Belgium; Hagan, James G.; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden; Hager, Heather A.; Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave West, N2L 3C5, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; Harris, Jonathan Philo; Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, 2310 Pammel Dr, 50011, Ames, IA, USA; Harrison, Natasha Dean; School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; Hasnain, Sarah Syedia; Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Dumlupınar Bulvarı No: 1, 06800, Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey; Havird, Justin Chase; Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin,2415 Speedway #C0930, Austin, TX, USA; Heaton, Andrew J.; Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 6005 Bayou Heron Rd, 39562, Moss Point, MS, USA; Herrera-Chaustre, María Laura; Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 # 18A-12, Bogotá, Colombia; Howard, Tanner J.; School of Agriculture Food and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, 3010, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Hsu, Bin-Yan; Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turun Yliopisto, FI-20014, Turku, Finland; Iannarilli, Fabiola; Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 135 Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, 55108, St. Paul, MN, USA; Iranzo, Esperanza C.; Instituto de Ciencia Animal. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja s/n, Valdivia, Chile; Iverson, Erik N. K.; Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway #C0930, 78712, Austin, Texas, USA; Jimoh, Saheed Olaide; Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 82071, Laramie, WY, USA; Johnson, Douglas H.; Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 135 Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, 55108, St. Paul, MN, USA; Johnsson, Martin; Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7023, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Jorna, Jesse; Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University, 84602, Provo, UT, USA; Jucker, Tommaso; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TQ, Bristol, UK; Jung, Martin; International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, A-2361, Laxenburg, Austria; Kačergytė, Ineta; Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Ulls Väg 16, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Kaltz, Oliver; Université de Montpellier, ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, 34000, Montpellier, IRD, France; Ke, Alison; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave, 95616, DavisDavis, CA, USA; Kelly, Clint D.; Département des Sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, H2X 1Y4, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Keogan, Katharine; Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, EH9 3JW, Edinburgh, UK; Keppeler, Friedrich Wolfgang; Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 680 N Park St, 53706, Madison, WI, USA; Killion, Alexander K.; Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, 165 Prospect St, 06511, New Haven, CT, USA; Kim, Dongmin; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Ecology Building, 1987 Upper Buford Cir, 55108, St. PaulSt Paul, MN, USA; Kochan, David P.; Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st St, 33181, North Miami, FL, USA; Korsten, Peter; Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3DA, Penglais, Aberystwyth, UK; Kothari, Shan; Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, 4101, H1X 2B2, Sherbrooke St E, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Kuppler, Jonas; Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany; Kusch, Jillian M.; Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 45 Arctic Ave, A1C5S7, St John’s NL, Canada; Lagisz, Malgorzata; Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, High Street 2052, Kensington, NSW, Australia; Lalla, Kristen Marianne; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Rd, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Montreal, QC, Canada; Larkin, Daniel J.; Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 135 Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, 55108, St. Paul, MN, USA; Larson, Courtney L.; The Nature Conservancy, 258 Main Street, 82520, Lander, WY, USA; Lauck, Katherine S.; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave, 95616, DavisDavis, CA, USA; Lauterbur, M. Elise; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1041 E Lowell St, 85721, Tucson, AZ, USA; Law, Alan; Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Cottrell Building, FK9 4LA, Stirling, UK; Léandri-Breton, Don-Jean; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Rd, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Montreal, QC, Canada; Lembrechts, Jonas J.; Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; L’Herpiniere, Kiara; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, 2109, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Lievens, Eva J. P.; Aquatic Ecology and Evolution Group, Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz, Mainaustraße 252, 78464, Konstanz, Germany; de Lima, Daniela Oliveira; Campus Cerro Largo, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Rua Jacob Haupenthal, 158097900-000, Cerro Largo, RS, CEP, Brazil; Lindsay, Shane; School of Psychology and Social Work, University of Hull, Cottingham Rd, HU6 7RX, Hull, UK; Luquet, Martin; UMR 1224, ECOBIOP, Université de Pau et des Pays de l′Adour, 173 Route de Saint-Jean-de-Luz, 64310, Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, France; MacLeod, Ross; School of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, L3 3AF, Liverpool, UK; Macphie, Kirsty H.; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, The University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Charlotte Auerbach Road, EH9 3FL, Edinburgh, UK; Magellan, Kit; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Mair, Magdalena M.; Statistical Ecotoxicology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany; Malm, Lisa E.; Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Linnaeus väg 6, 907 36, Umeå, Sweden; Mammola, Stefano; Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 28922, Corso Tonolli 50, Verbania, Italy; Mandeville, Caitlin P.; Department of Natural History, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 1, 7034, Trondheim, Norway; Manhart, Michael; Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 679 Hoes Lane West, 08854, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Manrique-Garzon, Laura Milena; Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 Nº 18A - 12, 111711, Bogotá, Bogotá D. C, Colombia; Mäntylä, Elina; Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turun Yliopisto, FI-20014, Turku, Finland; Marchand, Philippe; Institut de recherche sur les forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 445 Boulevard de l’Université, J9X 5E4, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada; Marshall, Benjamin Michael; Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Cottrell Building, FK9 4LA, Stirling, UK; Martin, Charles A.; Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boulevard des Forges, G8Z 4M3, Trois-Rivières (Québec), Canada; Martin, Dominic Andreas; Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland; Martin, Jake Mitchell; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, SE-907 36, Umeå, Sweden; Martinig, April Robin; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia; McCallum, Erin S.; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, SE-907 36, Umeå, Sweden; McCauley, Mark; Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, 9505 N Ocean Shore Blvd, St. Augustine, 32080, Gainesville, FL, USA; McNew, Sabrina M.; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1041 E Lowell St, 85721, Tucson, AZ, USA; Meiners, Scott J.; Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Avenue, 61920, Charleston, IL, USA; Merkling, Thomas; Centre d’Investigations Clinique Plurithématique - Institut Lorrain du Coeur et des Vaisseaux, Université de Lorraine, Inserm1433 CIC-P CHRU de Nancy, bâtiment Louis Mathieu - 5, rue du Morvan - 54500, Vandoeuvre-les-nancy, France; Michelangeli, Marcus; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd 17, SE-907 36, Umeå, Sweden; Moiron, Maria; Evolutionary biology department, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; Moreira, Bruno; Department of Ecology and global change, Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CIDE-CSIC/UV/GV), Carretera CV-315 km 10,7, 46113, Moncada (Valencia), Spain; Mortensen, Jennifer; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 850 W. Dickson Street SCEN601, 72701, Fayetteville, AR, USA; Mos, Benjamin; School of the Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland, 4072, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Muraina, Taofeek Olatunbosun; Department of Animal Health and Production, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora 201103, Oyo State, Nigeria; Murphy, Penelope Wrenn; Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, 53706, Madison, WI, USA; Nelli, Luca; School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK; Niemelä, Petri; Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland; Nightingale, Josh; South Iceland Research Centre, University of Iceland, Lindarbraut 4, 840, Laugarvatn, Iceland; Nilsonne, Gustav; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 9, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden; Nolazco, Sergio; School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Rainforest Walk 25, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Nooten, Sabine S.; Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Biocenter-Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany; Novotny, Jessie Lanterman; Hiram College, 11700 Dean St, 44234, Biology, Hiram, OH, USA; Olin, Agnes Birgitta; Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Almas allé 5, 756 51, Uppsala, Sweden; Organ, Chris L.; Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, 59717, Bozeman, MT, USA; Ostevik, Kate L.; Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, 900 University Ave, 92521, RiversideRiverside, CA, USA; Palacio, Facundo Xavier; Sección Ornitología, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosqur s/n, La Plata, B1900FWA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Paquet, Matthieu; Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Ulls Väg 16, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Parker, Darren James; Bangor University, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, LL57 2UW, Bangor, UK; Pascall, David J.; MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, East Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, CB2 0SR, Cambridge, UK; Pasquarella, Valerie J.; Harvard Forest, Harvard University, 324 N Main St, 01366, Petersham, MA, USA; Paterson, John Harold; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden; Payo-Payo, Ana; Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C. de José Antonio Novais, 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain; Pedersen, Karen Marie; Biology Department, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany; Perez, Grégoire; UMR 1309, ASTRE, CIRAD, Campus international de Baillarguet, 34398, Montpellier, France; Perry, Kayla I.; Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 1680 Madison Ave, 44691, Wooster, OH, USA; Pottier, Patrice; Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, High Street 2052, Kensington, NSW, Australia; Proulx, Michael J.; Department of Psychology, University of Bath, 10 West, BA2 7AY, Bath, UK; Proulx, Raphaël; Chaire de recherche en intégrité écologique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 Boul. Des Forges, G8Z 4M3, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada; Pruett, Jessica L; Mississippi Based RESTORE Act Center of Excellence, University of Southern Mississippi, 703 E. Beach Drive, 39564, Ocean Springs, MS, USA; Ramananjato, Veronarindra; Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Valley Life Science Building 5075, 94720, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA, USA; Randimbiarison, Finaritra Tolotra; Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Faculté des Sciences, Université d’Antananarivo, Mention Zoologie et Biodiversié Animale, Université d’Antananarivo, BP 906, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Razafindratsima, Onja H.; Department of Integrative Biology, Valley Life Sciences Building 3140, University of California, University of California Berkeley, 94720, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA, USA; Rennison, Diana J.; Department of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, 92093, La Jolla, CA, USA; Riva, Federico; Institute for Environmental Sciences, VU Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1111, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Riyahi, Sepand; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1 (UBB), 1030, Wien, Austria; Roast, Michael James; Konrad Lorenz Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstrasse 1A, 1160, Vienna, Austria; Rocha, Felipe Pereira; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China; Roche, Dominique G.; Institut de biologie, Université de Neuchâtel, Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Román-Palacios, Cristian; School of Information, University of Arizona, 1103 E. 2nd St, 85721, Tucson, AZ, USA; Rosenberg, Michael S.; Center for Biological Data Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842030, 1000 W. Cary St, 23284-2030, Richmond, VA, USA; Ross, Jessica; University of Wisconsin, 1525 Observatory Dr. Madison, 53706, Madison, WI, USA; Rowland, Freya E.; School of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, 06511, New Haven, CT, USA; Rugemalila, Deusdedith; Institute of the Environment, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st St, 33181, North Miami, FL, USA; Russell, Avery L.; Department of Biology, Missouri State University, 910 S John Q Hammons Pkwy, 65897, Springfield, MO, USA; Ruuskanen, Suvi; Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Survontie 9C, 40500, Jyväskylä, Finland; Saccone, Patrick; Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, OeAW (Austrian Academy of Sciences), GLORIA, Silbergasse 30/3, A-1190, Wien, Austria; Sadeh, Asaf; Department of Natural Resources, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization (Volcani Institute), POB 1021, 3009500, Ramat Yishay, Israel; Salazar, Stephen M.; Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; Sales, Kris; Office for National Statistics, Segensworth Rd, PO15 5RR, Titchfield, Fareham, UK; Salmón, Pablo; Institute of Avian Research “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany; Sánchez-Tójar, Alfredo; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, North Rhine-Westphalia, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; Santos, Leticia Pereira; Ecology Department, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Av. Esperança, Campus Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil; Santostefano, Francesca; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, TR10 9FE, Penryn, Cornwall, UK; Schilling, Hayden T.; New South Wales, Department of Primary Industries Fisheries, Locked Bag 1, 2315, Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia; Schmidt, Marcus; Research Data Management, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany; Schmoll, Tim; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, North Rhine-Westphalia, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany; Schneider, Adam C.; Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1725 State St, 54601, La Crosse, WI, USA; Schrock, Allie E.; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Dr, 27708, Durham, NC, USA; Schroeder, Julia; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Buckhurst road, SL5 7PY, Berkshire, UK; Schtickzelle, Nicolas; Earth and Life Institute, Ecology and Biodiversity, UCLouvain, Croix du Sud 4, L7.07.04, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; Schultz, Nick L.; Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University Australia, 3350, Mt Helen, VIC, Australia; Scott, Drew A.; United States, Department of Agriculture- Agricultural Research Service, 1701 10th Ave SW, 58554, Mandan, ND, USA; Scroggie, Michael Peter; Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, 123 Brown Street, 3084, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Shapiro, Julie Teresa; Epidemiology and Surveillance Support Unit, University of Lyon - French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), 31 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69007, Lyon, France; Sharma, Nitika; Center for Impact, UCLA Anderson, University of California, 110 Westwood Plaza, Gold Hall, Suite B.201L, 90095-1481, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA, USA; Shearer, Caroline L.; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, 130 Science Dr, 27708, Durham, NC, USA; Simón, Diego; Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay; Sitvarin, Michael I.; Washington, USA; Skupien, Fabrício Luiz; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP, Brazil; Slinn, Heather Lea; Vive Crop Protection, 6275 Northam Drive, Suite 1, L4V 1Y8, Mississauga, ON, Canada; Smith, Grania Polly; University of Cambridge, Trinity Ln, The Old Schools, CB2 1TN, Cambridge, UK; Smith, Jeremy A.; British Trust for Ornithology, BTO, The Nunnery, IP24 2PU, Thetford, Norfolk, UK; Sollmann, Rahel; Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, 97333, Corvallis, OR, USA; Whitney, Kaitlin Stack; Technology & Society Department, Rochester Institute of Technology, 7 Lomb Memorial Drive, 14623, Rochester, NY, USA; Still, Shannon Michael; Nomad Ecology, 822 Main Street, 94553, Martinez, CA, USA; Stuber, Erica F.; Wildland Resources Department, Utah State University, 5200 Old Main Hill, 84322, Logan, UT, USA; Sutton, Guy F.; Center for Biological Control, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, 1 Lower University Road, Barratt Complex, Biological Sciences BuildingEastern Cape, Makhanda, South Africa; Swallow, Ben; School of Mathematics and Statistics and Centre for Research in Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, Buchanan Gardens, KY16 9LZ, St Andrews, Scotland, UK; Taff, Conor Claverie; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, 215 Tower Road, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA; Takola, Elina; Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany; Tanentzap, Andrew J.; Ecosystems and Global Change Group, School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Road, K0L 2V0, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada; Tarjuelo, Rocío; Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible (iuFOR), Universidad de Valladolid, Av. Madrid 44, 34071, Palencia, Spain; Telford, Richard J.; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Postboks, 7803, N-5020, Bergen, Norway; Thawley, Christopher J.; Department of Biological Science, University of Rhode Island, 9 East Alumni Ave, 02881, Kingston, RI, USA; Thierry, Hugo; Department of Geography, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Street West, H3A 0B9, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Thomson, Jacqueline; Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, N1G 2W1, Guelph, ON, Canada; Tidau, Svenja; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, PL4 8AA, Plymouth, Devon, UK; Tompkins, Emily M.; Biology Department, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Rd. 27109, Winston Salem, NC, USA; Tortorelli, Claire Marie; Plant Sciences, University of California, 1 Shields Ave, 95616, DavisDavis, CA, USA; Trlica, Andrew; College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Jordan Hall, 2800 Faucette Dr, 27607, Raleigh, NC, USA; Turnell, Biz R.; Institute of Zoology, Technische Universität Dresden, Zellescher Weg 20b, 01217, Dresden, Germany; Urban, Lara; Helmholtz AI, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany; Van de Vondel, Stijn; Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; van der Wal, Jessica Eva Megan; FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, Cape Town, South Africa; Van Eeckhoven, Jens; Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, UK; van Oordt, Francis; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Rd, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Montreal, QC, Canada; Vanderwel, K. 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Although variation in effect sizes and predicted values among studies of similar phenomena is inevitable, such variation far exceeds what might be produced by sampling error alone. One possible explanation for variation among results is differences among researchers in the decisions they make regarding statistical analyses. A growing array of studies has explored this analytical variability in different fields and has found substantial variability among results despite analysts having the same data and research question. Many of these studies have been in the social sciences, but one small “many analyst” study found similar variability in ecology. We expanded the scope of this prior work by implementing a large-scale empirical exploration of the variation in effect sizes and model predictions generated by the analytical decisions of different researchers in ecology and evolutionary biology. We used two unpublished datasets, one from evolutionary ecology (blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus , to compare sibling number and nestling growth) and one from conservation ecology ( Eucalyptus , to compare grass cover and tree seedling recruitment). The project leaders recruited 174 analyst teams, comprising 246 analysts, to investigate the answers to prespecified research questions. Analyses conducted by these teams yielded 141 usable effects (compatible with our meta-analyses and with all necessary information provided) for the blue tit dataset, and 85 usable effects for the Eucalyptus dataset. We found substantial heterogeneity among results for both datasets, although the patterns of variation differed between them. For the blue tit analyses, the average effect was convincingly negative, with less growth for nestlings living with more siblings, but there was near continuous variation in effect size from large negative effects to effects near zero, and even effects crossing the traditional threshold of statistical significance in the opposite direction. In contrast, the average relationship between grass cover and Eucalyptus seedling number was only slightly negative and not convincingly different from zero, and most effects ranged from weakly negative to weakly positive, with about a third of effects crossing the traditional threshold of significance in one direction or the other. However, there were also several striking outliers in the Eucalyptus dataset, with effects far from zero. For both datasets, we found substantial variation in the variable selection and random effects structures among analyses, as well as in the ratings of the analytical methods by peer reviewers, but we found no strong relationship between any of these and deviation from the meta-analytic mean. In other words, analyses with results that were far from the mean were no more or less likely to have dissimilar variable sets, use random effects in their models, or receive poor peer reviews than those analyses that found results that were close to the mean. The existence of substantial variability among analysis outcomes raises important questions about how ecologists and evolutionary biologists should interpret published results, and how they should conduct analyses in the future.
Automatic classification of submerged macrophytes at Lake Constance using laser bathymetry point clouds
(2024) Wagner, Nike; Franke, Gunnar; Schmieder, Klaus; Mandlburger, Gottfried; Wagner, Nike; Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, 1040 Vienna, Austria;; Franke, Gunnar; Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology (320), University of Hohenheim, Ottilie-Zeller-Weg 2, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (G.F.); (K.S.); Schmieder, Klaus; Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology (320), University of Hohenheim, Ottilie-Zeller-Weg 2, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (G.F.); (K.S.); Mandlburger, Gottfried; Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, 1040 Vienna, Austria;; Stateczny, Andrzej
Submerged aquatic vegetation, also referred to as submerged macrophytes, provides important habitats and serves as a significant ecological indicator for assessing the condition of water bodies and for gaining insights into the impacts of climate change. In this study, we introduce a novel approach for the classification of submerged vegetation captured with bathymetric LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) as a basis for monitoring their state and change, and we validated the results against established monitoring techniques. Employing full-waveform airborne laser scanning, which is routinely used for topographic mapping and forestry applications on dry land, we extended its application to the detection of underwater vegetation in Lake Constance. The primary focus of this research lies in the automatic classification of bathymetric 3D LiDAR point clouds using a decision-based approach, distinguishing the three vegetation classes, (i) Low Vegetation, (ii) High Vegetation, and (iii) Vegetation Canopy, based on their height and other properties like local point density. The results reveal detailed 3D representations of submerged vegetation, enabling the identification of vegetation structures and the inference of vegetation types with reference to pre-existing knowledge. While the results within the training areas demonstrate high precision and alignment with the comparison data, the findings in independent test areas exhibit certain deficiencies that are likely addressable through corrective measures in the future.
Seed dispersal by wind decreases when plants are water‐stressed, potentially counteracting species coexistence and niche evolution
(2021) Zhu, Jinlei; Lukić, Nataša; Rajtschan, Verena; Walter, Julia; Schurr, Frank M.
Hydrology is a major environmental factor determining plant fitness, and hydrological niche segregation (HNS) has been widely used to explain species coexistence. Nevertheless, the distribution of plant species along hydrological gradients does not only depend on their hydrological niches but also depend on their seed dispersal, with dispersal either weakening or reinforcing the effects of HNS on coexistence. However, it is poorly understood how seed dispersal responds to hydrological conditions. To close this gap, we conducted a common‐garden experiment exposing five wind‐dispersed plant species (Bellis perennis, Chenopodium album, Crepis sancta, Hypochaeris glabra, and Hypochaeris radicata) to different hydrological conditions. We quantified the effects of hydrological conditions on seed production and dispersal traits, and simulated seed dispersal distances with a mechanistic dispersal model. We found species‐specific responses of seed production, seed dispersal traits, and predicted dispersal distances to hydrological conditions. Despite these species‐specific responses, there was a general positive relationship between seed production and dispersal distance: Plants growing in favorable hydrological conditions not only produce more seeds but also disperse them over longer distances. This arises mostly because plants growing in favorable environments grow taller and thus disperse their seeds over longer distances. We postulate that the positive relationship between seed production and dispersal may reduce the concentration of each species to the environments favorable for it, thus counteracting species coexistence. Moreover, the resulting asymmetrical gene flow from favorable to stressful habitats may slow down the microevolution of hydrological niches, causing evolutionary niche conservatism. Accounting for context‐dependent seed dispersal should thus improve ecological and evolutionary models for the spatial dynamics of plant populations and communities.
Quantifying patch‐specific seed dispersal and local population dynamics to estimate population spread of an endangered plant species
(2021) Zhu, Jinlei; Hrušková, Karolína; Pánková, Hana; Münzbergová, Zuzana
Aim: Habitat loss and fragmentation impose high extinction risk upon endangered plant species globally. For many endangered plant species, as the remnant habitats become smaller and more fragmented, it is vital to estimate the population spread rate of small patches in order to effectively manage and preserve them for potential future range expansion. However, population spread rate has rarely been quantified at the patch level to inform conservation strategies and management decisions. To close this gap, we quantify the patch-specific seed dispersal and local population dynamics of Minuartia smejkalii, which is a critically endangered plant species endemic in the Czech Republic and is of urgent conservation concern. Location: Želivka and Hrnčíře, Czechia. Methods: We conducted demographic analyses using population projection matrices with long-term demographic data and used an analytic mechanistic dispersal model to simulate seed dispersal. We then used information on local population dynamics and seed dispersal to estimate the population spread rate and compared the relative contributions of seed dispersal and population growth rate to the population spread rate. Results: We found that although both seed dispersal and population growth rate in M. smejkalii were critically limited, the population spread rate depended more strongly on the maximal dispersal distance than on the population growth rate. Main conclusions We recommend conservationists to largely increase the dispersal distance of M. smejkalii. Generally, efforts made to increase seed dispersal ability could largely raise efficiency and effectiveness of conservation actions for critically endangered plant species.
Cd and Zn concentrations in soil and silage maize following the addition of P fertilizer
(2021) Niño-Savala, Andrea Giovanna; Weishaar, Benedikt; Franzaring, Jürgen; Liu, Xuejun; Fangmeier, Andreas
Studies of soil Cd and Zn are often performed on sites that are contaminated or have deficient Zn conditions. Soil characteristics and crop management could impact the soil mobility and uptake of Cd and Zn, even when considering unpolluted Cd soils and adequate soil Zn levels. The concentrations of these two metals were assessed in soil and silage maize under five P fertilization treatments at two growth stages under low Cd and sufficient Zn conditions. Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise linear regressions were calculated to investigate the soil characteristics influencing the bioavailable metal fraction in soil and the metal concentration in silage maize. P treatments did not impact Cd accumulation in maize; however, the Zn uptake was affected by P placement at the leaf development stage. From early development to maturity, the Cd level in maize decreased to 10% of the initial uptake, while the Zn level decreased to 50% of the initial uptake. This reduction in both metals may be attributed to a dilution effect derived from high biomass production. Silage maize could alleviate the initial Cd uptake while diminishing the depressant effect of P fertilizer on Zn concentration. Further research is required to understand the effect of P fertilizer on Cd uptake and its relation to Zn under field conditions at early and mature stages.
Effects of land-use intensity on functional community composition and nutrient dynamics in grassland
(2024) Walter, Julia; Thumm, Ulrich; Buchmann, Carsten M.; Heinonen-Tanski, Helvi
Land-use intensity drives productivity and ecosystem functions in grassland. The effects of long-term land-use intensification on plant functional community composition and its direct and indirect linkages to processes of nutrient cycling are largely unknown. We manipulated mowing frequency and nitrogen inputs in an experiment in temperate grassland over ten years. We assessed changes in species composition and calculated functional diversity (FDis) and community weighted mean (CWM) traits of specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and leaf and root nitrogen of the plant community, using species-specific trait values derived from databases. We assessed above- and belowground decomposition and soil respiration. Plant diversity strongly decreased with increasing land-use intensity. CWM leaf nitrogen and SLA decreased, while CWM LDMC increased with land-use intensification, which could be linked to an increased proportion of graminoid species. Belowground processes were largely unaffected by land-use intensity. Land use affected aboveground litter composition directly and indirectly via community composition. Mowing frequency, and not a land-use index combining mowing frequency and fertilization, explained most of the variation in litter decomposition. Our results show that land-use intensification not only reduces plant diversity, but that these changes also affect nutrient dynamics.
Improving measurements of the falling trajectory and terminal velocity of wind‐dispersed seeds
(2022) Zhu, Jinlei; Buchmann, Carsten M.; Schurr, Frank M.
Seed dispersal by wind is one of the most important dispersal mechanisms in plants. The key seed trait affecting seed dispersal by wind is the effective terminal velocity (hereafter “terminal velocity”, Vt), the maximum falling speed of a seed in still air. Accurate estimates of Vt are crucial for predicting intra‐ and interspecific variation in seed dispersal ability. However, existing methods produce biased estimates of Vt for slow‐ or fast‐falling seeds, fragile seeds, and seeds with complex falling trajectories. We present a new video‐based method that estimates the falling trajectory and Vt of wind‐dispersed seeds. The design involves a mirror that enables a camera to simultaneously record a falling seed from two perspectives. Automated image analysis then determines three‐dimensional seed trajectories at high temporal resolution. To these trajectories, we fit a physical model of free fall with air resistance to estimate Vt. We validated this method by comparing the estimated Vt of spheres of different diameters and materials to theoretical expectations and by comparing the estimated Vt of seeds to measurements in a vertical wind tunnel. Vt estimates closely match theoretical expectations for spheres and vertical wind tunnel measurements for seeds. However, our Vt estimates for fast‐falling seeds are markedly higher than those in an existing trait database. This discrepancy seems to arise because previous estimates inadequately accounted for seed acceleration. The presented method yields accurate, efficient, and affordable estimates of the three‐dimensional falling trajectory and terminal velocity for a wide range of seed types. The method should thus advance the understanding and prediction of wind‐driven seed dispersal.
Simulating the spread and establishment of alien species along aquatic and terrestrial transport networks: A multi‐pathway and high‐resolution approach
(2022) Bagnara, Maurizio; Nowak, Larissa; Boehmer, Hans Juergen; Schöll, Franz; Schurr, Frank M.; Seebens, Hanno
The introduction and further spread of many alien species have been a result of trade and transport. Consequently, alien species are often found close to traffic infrastructure and urban areas. To contain and manage the spread of alien species, it is essential to identify and predict major routes of spread, which cannot be obtained by applying common modelling approaches such as species distribution models. Here, we present a new model called CASPIAN to simulate the dispersal of alien species along traffic infrastructure and the establishment of populations along these routes. The model simulates simultaneous spread of species of up to eight different modes of transport along roads, railways and waterways. We calibrated and validated the model using two species that spread within Germany as case studies: the terrestrial plant Senecio inaequidens and the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea, and performed a shortest path analysis to quantify the relative importance of individual routes for spread. The application of the model yielded detailed predictions of dispersal and establishment for >600,000 segments of the traffic network throughout Germany. Once calibrated, the model captured the general spread dynamics of the two species with higher accuracy for the freshwater environment due to the higher quality of data available for the aquatic species. The quantification of spread routes using the shortest path analysis revealed a clear backbone of major routes of spread, which varied depending on the type of traffic network and the starting points considered. Major routes of spread aligned with high traffic intensities, but high traffic per se did not necessarily result in high spread intensities. Synthesis and application. By simulating the spreading dynamics of alien species along transport networks across multiple pathways, CASPIAN enables the identification of major spread routes along different dispersal pathways and quantification of their relative importance, which helps prioritising pathways of introduction as required by international biodiversity goals such as the CBD Aichi targets.
Floral visitation to alien plants is non‐linearly related to their phylogenetic and floral similarity to native plants
(2022) Razanajatovo, Mialy; Rakoto Joseph, Felana; Rajaonarivelo Andrianina, Princy; van Kleunen, Mark
Biological invasions are key to understanding ecological processes that determine the formation of novel interactions. Alien species can negatively impact floral visitation to native species, but native species may also facilitate early establishment of closely related alien species by providing a preadapted pollinator community. We tested whether floral visitation to alien species depended on phylogenetic relatedness and floral similarity to native species. In a field experiment, we simulated the early stages of an invasion by adding potted alien plants into co‐flowering native communities. We paired each alien plant with a host native plant, and recorded floral visitation to them for 3,068 hr (totalling 84,814 visits). We used 34 alien and 20 native species in 151 species combinations. We tested whether the number of floral visits to alien plants, the proportion of visits to alien plant relative to visits to both alien and native plants, and the similarity in flower visitor compositions of alien and native plants depended on phylogenetic and floral trait distances between alien and native species. Floral visitation to alien species was highest when they had intermediate floral trait distances to native species, and either low or high phylogenetic distances. Alien species received more similar flower‐visitor groups to natives when they had low phylogenetic and either low or high floral trait distances to native species. Co‐flowering native species may facilitate floral visitation to closely related alien species, and distantly related alien plants seem to avoid competition for flower visitors with native plants. Alien species with similar floral traits to natives compete with them for flower visitors, and alien species with dissimilar floral traits may not share flower visitors with native species. Alien species with intermediate floral trait distances to natives are most likely to receive flower visitors, as they are not too dissimilar and may still share flower visitors with native species, but not too similar to compete for flower visitors with them. The non‐linear patterns between floral visitation and similarity of the alien and native species suggest that an interplay of facilitation and competition simultaneously drives the formation of novel plant‐pollinator interactions.
Effect of rhizome severing on survival and growth of rhizomatous herb Phragmites communis is regulated by sand burial depth
(2022) Zhai, Shanshan; Qian, Jianqiang; Ma, Qun; Liu, Zhimin; Ba, Chaoqun; Xin, Zhiming; Tian, Liang; Zong, Lu; Liang, Wei; Zhu, Jinlei
Rhizome fragmentation and sand burial are common phenomena in rhizomatous clonal plants. These traits serve as an adaptive strategy for survival in stressful environments. Thus far, some studies have been carried out on the effects of rhizome fragmentation and sand burial, but how the interaction between rhizome fragmentation and sand burial affects the growth and reproduction of rhizomatous clonal plants is unclear. We investigated the effect of the burial depth and rhizome fragment size on the survival and growth of the rhizomatous herb Phragmites communis using 288 clonal fragments (6 burial depths × 8 clonal fragment sizes × 6 replicates) in a field rhizome severing experiment. The ramet survival of the rhizomatous species significantly increased with the sand burial depth and clonal fragment size (p < 0.01), and the effects of the clonal fragment size on ramet survival depended on the sand burial depth. Sand burial enhanced both the vertical and horizontal biomass (p < 0.05), while the clonal fragment size affected the vertical biomass rather than the horizontal biomass. Sand burial facilitated the vertical growth of ramets (p < 0.05) while the number of newly produced ramets firstly increased and then decreased with the increasing clonal fragment size, and the maximal value appeared in four clonal fragments under a heavy sand burial depth. There is an interaction between the burial depth and rhizome fragment size in the growth of rhizome herbaceous plants. The population growth increases in the increase of sand burial depth, and reaches the maximum under severe sand burial and moderate rhizome fragmentation.
Agrivoltaics: The environmental impacts of combining food crop cultivation and solar energy generation
(2023) Wagner, Moritz; Lask, Jan; Kiesel, Andreas; Lewandowski, Iris; Weselek, Axel; Högy, Petra; Trommsdorff, Max; Schnaiker, Marc-André; Bauerle, Andrea
The demand for food and renewable energy is increasing significantly, whereas the availability of land for agricultural use is declining. Agrivoltaic systems (AVS), which combine agricultural production with solar energy generation on the same area, are a promising opportunity with the potential to satisfy this demand while avoiding land-use conflicts. In the current study, a Consequential Life-Cycle Assessment (CLCA) was conducted to holistically assess the environmental consequences arising from a shift from single-use agriculture to AVS in Germany. The results of the study show that the environmental consequences of the installation of overhead AVS on agricultural land are positive and reduce the impacts in 15 of the 16 analysed impact categories especially for climate change, eutrophication and fossil resource use, as well as in the single score assessment, mainly due to the substitution of the marginal energy mix. It was demonstrated that, under certain conditions, AVS can contribute to the extension of renewable energy production resources without reducing food production resources. These include maintaining the agricultural yields underneath the photovoltaic (PV) modules, seeking synergies between solar energy generation and crop production and minimising the loss of good agricultural land.
Editorial: Seed behavior in response to extreme environments
(2023) Zhu, Jinlei; Wang, Lei
Agrivoltaic system impacts on microclimate and yield of different crops within an organic crop rotation in a temperate climate
(2021) Weselek, Axel; Bauerle, Andrea; Hartung, Jens; Zikeli, Sabine; Lewandowski, Iris; Högy, Petra
Agrivoltaic (AV) systems integrate the production of agricultural crops and electric power on the same land area through the installation of solar panels several meters above the soil surface. It has been demonstrated that AV can increase land productivity and contribute to the expansion of renewable energy production. Its utilization is expected to affect crop production by altering microclimatic conditions but has so far hardly been investigated. The present study aimed to determine for the first time how changes in microclimatic conditions through AV affect selected agricultural crops within an organic crop rotation. For this purpose, an AV research plant was installed near Lake Constance in south-west Germany in 2016. A field experiment was established with four crops (celeriac, winter wheat, potato and grass-clover) cultivated both underneath the AV system and on an adjacent reference site without solar panels. Microclimatic parameters, crop development and harvestable yields were monitored in 2017 and 2018. Overall, an alteration in microclimatic conditions and crop production under AV was confirmed. Photosynthetic active radiation was on average reduced by about 30% under AV. During summertime, soil temperature was decreased under AV in both years. Furthermore, reduced soil moisture and air temperatures as well as an altered rain distribution have been found under AV. In both years, plant height of all crops was increased under AV. In 2017 and 2018, yield ranges of the crops cultivated under AV compared to the reference site were −19 to +3% for winter wheat, −20 to +11% for potato and −8 to −5% for grass-clover. In the hot, dry summer 2018, crop yields of winter wheat and potato were increased by AV by 2.7% and 11%, respectively. These findings show that yield reductions under AV are likely, but under hot and dry weather conditions, growing conditions can become favorable.
Constant hydraulic supply and ABA dynamics facilitate the trade-offs in water and carbon
(2023) Abdalla, Mohanned; Schweiger, Andreas H.; Berauer, Bernd J.; McAdam, Scott A. M.; Ahmed, Mutez Ali
Carbon-water trade-offs in plants are adjusted through stomatal regulation. Stomatal opening enables carbon uptake and plant growth, whereas plants circumvent drought by closing stomata. The specific effects of leaf position and age on stomatal behavior remain largely unknown, especially under edaphic and atmospheric drought. Here, we compared stomatal conductance (gs) across the canopy of tomato during soil drying. We measured gas exchange, foliage ABA level and soil-plant hydraulics under increasing vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Our results indicate a strong effect of canopy position on stomatal behavior, especially under hydrated soil conditions and relatively low VPD. In wet soil (soil water potential > -50 kPa), upper canopy leaves had the highest gs (0.727 ± 0.154 mol m-2 s-1) and assimilation rate (A; 23.4 ± 3.9 µmol m-2 s-1) compared to the leaves at a medium height of the canopy (gs: 0.159 ± 0.060 mol m2 s-1; A: 15.9 ± 3.8 µmol m-2 s-1). Under increasing VPD (from 1.8 to 2.6 kPa), gs, A and transpiration were initially impacted by leaf position rather than leaf age. However, under high VPD (2.6 kPa), age effect outweighed position effect. The soil-leaf hydraulic conductance was similar in all leaves. Foliage ABA levels increased with rising VPD in mature leaves at medium height (217.56 ± 85 ng g-1 FW) compared to upper canopy leaves (85.36 ± 34 ng g-1 FW). Under soil drought (< -50 kPa), stomata closed in all leaves resulting in no differences in gs across the canopy. We conclude that constant hydraulic supply and ABA dynamics facilitate preferential stomatal behavior and carbon-water trade-offs across the canopy. These findings are fundamental in understanding variations within the canopy, which helps in engineering future crops, especially in the face of climate change.
Mineral-solubilizing bacteria-mediated enzymatic regulation and nutrient acquisition benefit cotton’s (Gossypium hirsutum L.) vegetative and reproductive growth
(2023) Ahmad, Iqra; Ahmad, Maqshoof; Bushra,; Hussain, Azhar; Mumtaz, Muhammad Zahid; Najm-ul-Seher,; Abbasi, Ghulam Hassan; Nazli, Farheen; Pataczek, Lisa; Ali, Hayssam M.
Many farmers’ incomes in developing countries depend on the cultivation of major crops grown in arid and semi-arid regions. The agricultural productivity of arid and semi-arid areas primarily relies on chemical fertilizers. The effectiveness of chemical fertilizers needs to improve by integration with other sources of nutrients. Plant growth-promoting bacteria can solubilize nutrients, increase plant nutrient uptake, and supplement chemical fertilizers. A pot experiment evaluated the promising plant growth-promoting bacterial strain’s effectiveness in promoting cotton growth, antioxidant enzymes, yield, and nutrient uptake. Two phosphate solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis IA6 and Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7) and two zinc solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus sp. IA7 and Bacillus aryabhattai IA20) were coated on cotton seeds in a single as well as co-inoculation treatments. These treatments were compared with uninoculated controls in the presence and absence of recommended chemical fertilizer doses. The results showed the co-inoculation combination of Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7 and Bacillus aryabhattai IA20 significantly increased the number of bolls, seed cotton yield, lint yield, and antioxidants activities, including superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase. Co-inoculation combination of Bacillus subtilis IA6 and Bacillus sp. IA16 promoted growth attributes, including shoot length, root length, shoot fresh weight, and root fresh weight. This co-inoculation combination also increased soil nutrient content. At the same time, Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7 + Bacillus aryabhattai IA20 increased nutrient uptake by plant shoots and roots compared.
Nitrogen dynamics of grassland soils with differing habitat quality: high temporal resolution captures the details
(2023) Kukowski, Sina; Ruser, Reiner; Piepho, Hans‐Peter; Gayler, Sebastian; Streck, Thilo
Excessive nitrogen (N) input is one of the major threats for species‐rich grasslands. The ongoing deterioration of habitat quality highlights the necessity to further investigate underlying N turnover processes. Our objectives were (1) to quantify gross and net rates of mineral N production (mineralization and nitrification) and consumption in seminatural grasslands in southwest Germany, with excellent or poor habitat quality, (2) to monitor the temporal variability of these processes, and (3) to investigate differences between calcareous and decalcified soils. In 2016 and 2017, gross N turnover rates were measured using the 15N pool dilution technique in situ on four Arrhenatherion meadows in biweekly cycles between May and November. Simultaneously, net rates of mineralization and nitrification, soil temperature, and moisture were measured. The vegetation was mapped, and basic soil properties were determined. The calcareous soils showed higher gross nitrification rates compared with gross mineralization. In contrast, nitrification was inhibited in the decalcified soils, most likely due to the low pH, and mineralization was the dominant process. Both mineralization and nitrification were characterized by high temporal variability (especially the former) and short residence times of N in the corresponding pools (<2 days) at all sites. This illustrates that high temporal resolution is necessary during the growing season to detect N mineralization patterns and capture variability. Parallel determination of net N turnover rates showed almost no variability, highlighting that net rates are not suitable for drawing conclusions about actual gross turnover rates. During the growing season, the data show no clear relationship between soil temperature/soil moisture and gross N turnover rates. For future experiments, recording of microbial biomass, dissolved organic matter, and root N uptake should be considered.
Effects of biotic interactions on plant fecundity depend on spatial and functional structure of communities and time since disturbance
(2022) Walter, Hanna E.; Pagel, Jörn; Cooksley, Huw; Neu, Alexander; Schleuning, Matthias; Schurr, Frank M.
Biotic interactions in plant communities affect individual fitness and community dynamics. Interactions between plants vary in space, over time and with organisational complexity. Yet it is challenging to quantify temporal, spatial and functional determinants of different types of interactions between long‐lived perennial plant species and their effect on lifetime fecundity. We studied how plant–plant, pollinator‐ and seed predator‐mediated interactions affect year‐to‐year variation in three fecundity components (cone production, seed set and seed survival) during post‐fire recovery. Age‐stratified data on the three fecundity components were collected in 19 even‐aged communities comprising 20 serotinous Protea shrub species in the South African Fynbos. We analyse data on these fecundity components with neighbourhood models to infer the sign and strength of interactions throughout post‐disturbance recovery, the neighbour plant traits that shape them and the spatial scale at which interactions take place. For each fecundity component, these models describe how neighbourhood effects change over time and with spatial distance between plants. We then predicted neighbourhood effects on individual fecundity components and cumulative reproductive output at different post‐fire stand ages for each focal plant. Competitive effects on cone production and seed set increased with post‐fire stand age as biomass and floral resources for pollinators build up. In contrast, neighbourhood effects on seed survival were weak throughout post‐disturbance recovery. Plant–plant interactions were shaped by neighbour traits related to resource acquisition, whereas animal‐mediated interactions depended on neighbour traits related to resource availability for pollinators and seed predators. The spatial scale of the interactions increased from plant–plant over predator‐mediated to pollinator‐mediated interactions. The joint effect of these interactions on cumulative reproductive output caused the proportion of focal plants experiencing competition to increase with time since fire. Synthesis. We show that temporal changes in biotic interactions throughout post‐disturbance recovery of perennial plant communities depend on functional traits and can be integrated into neighbourhood effects on lifetime fecundity. Studying the temporal, spatial and functional determinants of neighbourhood effects on lifetime fecundity is important for predicting not only individual plant fitness but also population and community dynamics in changing environments.
Interactions between protea plants and their animal mutualists and antagonists are structured more by energetic than morphological trait matching
(2022) Neu, Alexander; Cooksley, Huw; Esler, Karen J.; Pauw, Anton; Roets, Francois; Schurr, Frank M.; Schleuning, Matthias
Traits mediate mutualistic and antagonistic interactions between plants and animals, and should thus be useful for predicting trophic species interactions. Studies to date have examined the importance of morphological trait matching for plant–animal interactions, but have rarely explored the extent to which these interactions are shaped by matching between energetic provisions of plants and energetic demands of animals. We tested whether energetic and/or morphological trait matching shapes interactions between Protea plant species and their interacting animal mutualists and antagonists in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. We recorded interactions between 22 Protea species, pollinating insects and vertebrates as well as seed predators (endophagous insect larvae in protea cones) at 21 study sites. To relate species interactions to matching trait pairs, we measured key morphological traits (shape and size of flower heads and seed cones, and mouth part length as well as body length) and quantified the animals' energetic demands (metabolic rate) together with the plants' energetic provisions (nectar sugar amount, seed‐to‐cone mass ratio). We calculated log ratios of both energetic and morphological traits between animals and plants as predictor variables for the number of observed interactions between Protea species and their animal interaction partners. For both mutualistic and antagonistic interactions, we found significant effects of morphological and energetic trait ratios on the interactions between plants and animals. Trait ratios accounted for 11% to 22% of variation in species interactions. Consistent with energetic trait matching, we found a hump‐shaped relationship between interaction frequency and log ratios of energetic traits of animals and plants, indicating that interactions were most frequent at intermediate log ratios between energetic demand and provision. Effects of morphological trait ratios on interactions were statistically supported in most cases, but were variable in the magnitude and shape of the predicted relationships. Across animal taxa and interaction types, energetic traits had more consistent effects on interactions between plants and animals than morphological traits. This suggests that energy can function as an important interaction currency and facilitate the understanding and prediction of trophic species interactions.
Agrivoltaics mitigate drought effects in winter wheat
(2023) Pataczek, Lisa; Weselek, Axel; Bauerle, Andrea; Högy, Petra; Lewandowski, Iris; Zikeli, Sabine; Schweiger, Andreas
Climate change is expected to decrease water availability in many agricultural production areas around the globe. At the same time renewable energy concepts such as agrivoltaics (AV) are necessary to manage the energy transition. Several studies showed that evapotranspiration can be reduced in AV systems, resulting in increased water availability for crops. However, effects on crop performance and productivity remain unclear to date. Carbon‐13 isotopic composition (δ13C and discrimination against carbon‐13) can be used as a proxy for the effects of water availability on plant performance, integrating crop responses over the entire growing season. The aim of this study was to assess these effects via carbon isotopic composition in grains, as well as grain yield of winter wheat in an AV system in southwest Germany. Crops were cultivated over four seasons from 2016–2020 in the AV system and on an unshaded adjacent reference (REF) site. Across all seasons, average grain yield did not significantly differ between AV and REF (4.7 vs 5.2 t ha−1), with higher interannual yield stability in the AV system. However, δ13C as well as carbon‐13 isotope discrimination differed significantly across the seasons by 1‰ (AV: −29.0‰ vs REF: −28.0‰ and AV: 21.6‰ vs REF: 20.6‰) between the AV system and the REF site. These drought mitigation effects as indicated by the results of this study will become crucial for the resilience of agricultural production in the near future when drought events will become significantly more frequent and severe.
Functional traits shape plant–plant interactions and recruitment in a hotspot of woody plant diversity
(2023) Cooksley, Huw; Dreyling, Lukas; Esler, Karen J.; Griebenow, Stian; Neumann, Günter; Valentine, Alex; Schleuning, Matthias; Schurr, Frank M.
Understanding and predicting recruitment in species‐rich plant communities requires identifying functional determinants of both density‐independent performance and interactions. In a common‐garden field experiment with 25 species of the woody plant genus Protea, we varied the initial spatial and taxonomic arrangement of seedlings and followed their survival and growth during recruitment. Neighbourhood models quantified how six key functional traits affect density‐independent performance, interaction effects and responses. Trait‐based neighbourhood models accurately predicted individual survival and growth from the initial spatial and functional composition of species‐rich experimental communities. Functional variation among species caused substantial variation in density‐independent survival and growth that was not correlated with interaction effects and responses. Interactions were spatially restricted but had important, predominantly competitive, effects on recruitment. Traits increasing the acquisition of limiting resources (water for survival and soil P for growth) mediated trade‐offs between interaction effects and responses. Moreover, resprouting species had higher survival but reduced growth, likely reinforcing the survival–growth trade‐off in adult plants. Resource acquisition of juvenile plants shapes Protea community dynamics with acquisitive species with strong competitive effects suffering more from competition. Together with functional determinants of density‐independent performance, this makes recruitment remarkably predictable, which is critical for efficient restoration and near‐term ecological forecasts of species‐rich communities.

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