Living close to your neighbors: the importance of both competition and facilitation in plant communities

Wright, Alexandra J.; Schnitzer, Stefan A.; Reich, Peter B.

doi:10.1890/13-1855.1

Cited by 138 publications

(138 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Similar to patterns observed in other systems (Wright et al 2014) the relative impact of lianas versus trees may shift depending on the size and vertical positioning of neighbors. Lianas may compete most intensely with multiple canopy trees (Tobin et al 2012) and in treefall gaps (Schnitzer andCarson 2000, 2010;Dalling et al 2012;Ledo and Schnitzer 2014;Schnitzer et al 2014).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Unique competitive effects of lianas and trees in a tropical forest understory

et al. 2014

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lianas and trees, though the competitive impacts varied by species, season, and size of neighbors. The removal of trees resulted in greater survival of planted seedlings compared to the removal of lianas, apparently related to a greater release from competition for light. In contrast, lianas had a species-specific negative effect on drought-tolerant Dipteryx oleifera seedlings during the dry season, potentially due to competition for water. We conclude that, at local scales, lianas and trees have unique and differential effects on understory dynamics, with lianas potentially competing more strongly during the dry season, and trees competing more strongly for light.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Unique competitive effects of lianas and trees in a tropical forest understory

et al. 2014

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“…One way that this over-riding maternal effect may increase offspring performance, however, is if it predicts competition in later stages of the life cycle, even though dispersed seeds do not yet detect competition. The effects of neighbours on plant performance are known to change over the course of an individual's lifetime (Goldberg et al, 2001;Miriti, 2006;Wright et al, 2014). In such cases, expanding the conditions that permit germination could enable seeds to germinate more quickly after dispersal.…”

Section: Potential Ecological and Evolutionary Consequences Of Maternmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting germination responses to vegetative canopies experienced in pre- vs. post-dispersal environments

Leverett

Auge

Bali

et al. 2016

Ann Bot

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Background Seeds adjust their germination based on conditions experienced before and after dispersal. Postdispersal cues are expected to be more accurate predictors of offspring environments, and thus offspring success, than pre-dispersal cues. Therefore, germination responses to conditions experienced during seed maturation may be expected to be superseded by responses to conditions experienced during seed imbibition. In taxa of disturbed habitats, neighbours frequently reduce the performance of germinants. This leads to the hypotheses that a vegetative canopy will reduce germination in such taxa, and that a vegetative canopy experienced during seed imbibition will over-ride germination responses to a canopy experienced during seed maturation, since it is a more proximal cue of immediate competition. These hypotheses were tested here in Arabidopsis thaliana.Methods Seeds were matured under a simulated canopy (green filter) or white light. Fresh (dormant) seeds were imbibed in the dark, white light or canopy at two temperatures (10 or 22 C), and germination proportions were recorded. Germination was also recorded in after-ripened (less dormant) seeds that were induced into secondary dormancy and imbibed in the dark at each temperature, either with or without brief exposure to red and far-red light.Key Results Unexpectedly, a maturation canopy expanded the conditions that elicited germination, even as seeds lost and regained dormancy. In contrast, an imbibition canopy impeded or had no effect on germination. Maturation under a canopy did not modify germination responses to red and far-red light. Seed maturation under a canopy masked genetic variation in germination.Conclusions The results challenge the hypothesis that offspring will respond more strongly to their own environment than to that of their parents. The observed relaxation of germination requirements caused by a maturation canopy could be maladaptive for offspring by disrupting germination responses to light cues after dispersal. Alternatively, reduced germination requirements could be adaptive by allowing seeds to germinate faster and reduce competition in later stages even though competition is not yet present in the seedling environment. The masking of genetic variation by maturation under a canopy, moreover, could impede evolutionary responses to selection on germination.

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“…Recently, the focus of competition as the most important plant-plant interaction has been questioned as acknowledgement of the role of positive interactions (facilitation) in influencing neighbouring plants has been established Walker 1997, Brooker et al 2008;Montgomery et al 2010, Wright et al 2014. Gaining advantages from neighbouring plants may increase growth opportunities over and above those gained through competitive superiority, particularly in highly stressful environments (stress gradient hypothesis: Bertness and Callaway 1994, Callaway and Walker 1997, Holmgren et al 1997.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gaining advantages from neighbouring plants may increase growth opportunities over and above those gained through competitive superiority, particularly in highly stressful environments (stress gradient hypothesis: Bertness and Callaway 1994, Callaway and Walker 1997, Holmgren et al 1997. Over the life of a plant, the relative strengths of competition and facilitation vary (Wright et al 2014;Paterno et al 2016) and interactions are influenced by other biotic interactions (e.g. herbivory, Hamilton III and Frank 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitation, competition and parasitic facilitation amongst invasive and native liana seedlings and a native tree seedling

French¹,

Robinson²,

Smith³

et al. 2017

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Lianas are prevalent in gaps and edges of forests where they compete intensely with trees, reducing growth and recruitment. Invasive lianas have the potential to be particularly harmful as the competitive advantage of the liana life history may be coupled with the more competitive qualities of invasiveness. However, in early stages of growth of lianas and native tree seedlings, facilitatory interactions or competitive interactions associated with soil nutrients may be more prevalent. We investigated interactions at the early stages of growth between native and invasive lianas with a common rainforest tree of temperate Australian rainforests under different light conditions. Invasive lianas, as a group, were not more competitive than native lianas in reducing growth of a native rainforest seedling. At this stage in the life cycle most lianas were as competitive as a conspecific seedling. However, one invasive liana, Anredera cordifolia, was particularly competitive and reduced biomass of tree seedlings. Light had little effect on growth of lianas nor on the impact of competition, however, specific leaf area differed between low and medium light conditions. Moderate light did improve growth in the rainforest tree seedling. When lianas were grown with a rainforest tree, three liana species overyielded, while one species was unaffected by growing with the tree seedling. Overyielding suggests a strong positive interaction with the neighbouring plant, mediated through belowground processes. We discuss the potential for these interactions to be facilitative, parasitic or competitive. We therefore show that interactions early in the life of rainforest species can be complex mixtures of interactions which are likely to influence the ability of lianas to dominate rainforests.

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Living close to your neighbors: the importance of both competition and facilitation in plant communities

Cited by 138 publications

References 55 publications

Unique competitive effects of lianas and trees in a tropical forest understory

Unique competitive effects of lianas and trees in a tropical forest understory

Contrasting germination responses to vegetative canopies experienced in pre- vs. post-dispersal environments

Facilitation, competition and parasitic facilitation amongst invasive and native liana seedlings and a native tree seedling

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