Fitness among population sources of a dominant species (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) used in prairie restoration<sup>1</sup>

Gibson, David J.; Sendor, Garrett; Donatelli, Juliette; Baer, Sara G.; Johnson, Loretta C.

doi:10.3159/torrey-d-12-00063.1

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…We hypothesize that ecotypes from a much drier region might not persist with local ecotypes from the mesic environment in mixed plantings, but growth is not the only determinant of population persistence. Fitness has been shown to vary significantly among the source populations within each of the ecotypes planted in the southern Illinois common garden (Gibson et al 2013). Knowledge of fitness and competitive outcomes in intraspecific mixtures could be used to enhance survival of the dry-adapted ecotype in a mesic environment.…”

Section: Implications and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of ecotypic variation and the environment on biomass and nitrogen in a dominant prairie grass

Mendola

Baer

Johnson

et al. 2015

Ecology

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Abstract. Knowledge of the relative strength of evolution and the environment on a phenotype is required to predict species responses to environmental change and decide where to source plant material for ecological restoration. This information is critically needed for dominant species that largely determine the productivity of the central U.S. grassland. We established a reciprocal common garden experiment across a longitudinal gradient to test whether ecotypic variation interacts with the environment to affect growth and nitrogen (N) storage in a dominant grass. We predicted plant growth would increase from west to east, corresponding with increasing precipitation, but differentially among ecotypes due to local adaptation in all ecotypes and a greater range of growth response in ecotypes originating from west to east. We quantified aboveground biomass, root biomass, belowground net primary production (BNPP), root C:N ratio, and N storage in roots of three ecotypes of Andropogon gerardii collected from and reciprocally planted in central Kansas, eastern Kansas, and southern Illinois. Only the ecotype from the most mesic region (southern Illinois) exhibited more growth from west to east. There was evidence for local adaptation in the southern Illinois ecotype by means of the local vs. foreign contrast within a site and the home vs. away contrast when growth in southern Illinois was compared to the most distant site in central Kansas. Root biomass of the eastern Kansas ecotype was higher at home than at either away site. The ecotype from the driest region, central Kansas, exhibited the least response across the environmental gradient, resulting in a positive relationship between the range of biomass response and precipitation in ecotype region of origin. Across all sites, ecotypes varied in root C:N ratio (highest in the driest-origin ecotype) and N storage in roots (highest in the most mesic-origin ecotype). The low and limited range of biomass, higher C:N ratio of roots, and lower N storage in the central Kansas ecotype relative to the southern Illinois ecotype suggests that introducing ecotypes of A. gerardii from much drier regions into highly mesic prairie would reduce productivity and alter belowground ecosystem processes under a wide range of conditions.

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Section: Implications and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of ecotypic variation and the environment on biomass and nitrogen in a dominant prairie grass

Mendola

Baer

Johnson

et al. 2015

Ecology

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“…These ecotypic differences among populations of both A. gerardii and S. nutans correspond to variations in performance and fecundity (McMillan , Gibson et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…) and phenotypic (Gibson et al. , Olsen et al. ) differences between regional sources of these dominant grass species are widespread, it is still unclear if: (1) regional ecotypes of dominant grasses Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans differentially affect the assembling plant community, (2) how simulated drier climates would change the interaction of dominant grass ecotypes and the assembling community, and (3) if the use of high genotypic diversity of the dominant grass species in restoration plantings affects establishment and diversity of the plant community.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant community response to regional sources of dominant grasses in grasslands restored across a longitudinal gradient

et al. 2016

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Restorations in the light of climate change will need to take into account whether or not sources of the dominant plants are adapted to the future conditions at a site. In addition, the effect of these dominants, especially if sourced from outside the local area, on the assembling plant community needs assessment. We investigated how different ecotypes of the tallgrass prairie dominants Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans affect assembling prairie communities. Four reciprocal common garden experiments were established across a longitudinal climate gradient characterized by a decrease in aridity in western Kansas (COLBY), central Kansas (HAYS), eastern Kansas (MANHATTAN), and southern Illinois (CARBONDALE). At each site, plots were seeded with ecotypes of A. gerardii and S. nutans sourced from central Kansas (CKS), eastern Kansas (EKS), southern Illinois (SIL), or a mix of all three regional ecotypes (MIX). All plots were also seeded with the same suite of seven subordinate species. Species composition was measured during the fourth year of restoration. The greatest variation between communities occurred at HAYS and CARBONDALE between plots seeded with CKS and SIL ecotypes. At these sites, plots seeded with the local source had the lowest diversity and cover of nondominant species. Compositional variation between plots seeded with different dominant grass ecotypes was found exclusively at CARBONDALE between CKS and SIL plots. Differences between locally seeded plots and plots seeded with a MIX of dominant grass ecotypes were contingent upon site. At CARBONDALE, MIX seeded plots had higher diversity than SIL ecotype plots. Our results indicate that across a wide geographic precipitation gradient, limited but important differences in community assembly occur in restorations established with different ecotypes of the dominant grasses. However, our results also support the use of mixtures of nonlocal ecotypes of dominant grasses in restorations without risk to the assembling plant community. Future studies need to determine the potential for out‐breeding effects among seed sources in mixed stands.

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“…Ecotypic variation in A. gerardii was originally described across the north-south gradient of the Great Plains (McMillan 1956(McMillan , 1959. More recently, variation in morphology, physiology, productivity, nutrient content and cellulosic energy has been attributed to the occurrence of regional ecotypes of A. gerardii across a 1200 km east-west gradient, corresponding to a steep decrease in precipitation and an increase in aridity from southern Illinois to Kansas (Gan et al 2012;Gibson et al 2013;Olsen et al 2013;Caudle et al 2014;Gray et al 2014;Zhang et al 2014a,b;Mendola et al 2015). However, variation in forage nutrient value of these naturally developed ecotypes of A. gerardii across this precipitation gradient is not known.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecotypic variation in forage nutrient value of a dominant prairie grass across a precipitation gradient

et al. 2016

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Ecotypic variation in forage nutrient value of a dominant grassland species, Andropogon gerardii Vitman (big bluestem), was quantified across a longitudinal precipitation gradient of the US Great Plains. Ecotypic variation of A. gerardii has been documented across this gradient, but the extent to which forage nutrient value differs among ecotypes is poorly known. Seven indicators of forage nutrient value (neutral detergent fiber [NDF], acid detergent fiber [ADF], in‐vitro dry matter digestibility [IVDMD], crude protein [CP], crude fat [CF], ash content) and relative feed value [RFV] were examined in 12 populations representing four ecotypes corresponding with distinct climate regions: eastern Colorado, central Kansas, eastern Kansas and southern Illinois. Vegetative material of A. gerardii was collected from each population in July 2010. A greenhouse study tested the effect of watering regime on seedlings of the ecotypes from three of the precipitation regions grown under controlled conditions. Forage nutrient value indicators nitrogen and CP increased, and ADF decreased east to west, while IVDMD decreased across the gradient corresponding with less annual precipitation. The greenhouse experiment showed that sampling before and after water treatment affected forage nutrient value measurements, with the exception of NDF and CF. Nutrient value was most related to soil moisture and phenology, with smaller differences among ecotypes. Nutrient value of populations from the southern Illinois ecotype changed the least in response to variation in soil moisture. The southern Illinois ecotype will likely maintain forge nutrient value under variable precipitation projected to occur with climate change better than the ecotypes from more westerly parts of the range of A. gerardii.

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Fitness among population sources of a dominant species (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) used in prairie restoration¹

Cited by 12 publications

References 37 publications

The role of ecotypic variation and the environment on biomass and nitrogen in a dominant prairie grass

The role of ecotypic variation and the environment on biomass and nitrogen in a dominant prairie grass

Plant community response to regional sources of dominant grasses in grasslands restored across a longitudinal gradient

Ecotypic variation in forage nutrient value of a dominant prairie grass across a precipitation gradient

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Fitness among population sources of a dominant species (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) used in prairie restoration1

Cited by 12 publications

References 37 publications

The role of ecotypic variation and the environment on biomass and nitrogen in a dominant prairie grass

The role of ecotypic variation and the environment on biomass and nitrogen in a dominant prairie grass

Plant community response to regional sources of dominant grasses in grasslands restored across a longitudinal gradient

Ecotypic variation in forage nutrient value of a dominant prairie grass across a precipitation gradient

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Fitness among population sources of a dominant species (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) used in prairie restoration¹