Tree cover at fine and coarse spatial grains interacts with shade tolerance to shape plant species distributions across the Alps

Nieto‐Lugilde, Diego; Lenoir, Jonathan; Abdulhak, Sylvain; Aeschimann, David; Dullinger, Stefan; Gégout, Jean‐Claude; Guisan, Antoine; Pauli, Harald; Renaud, Julien; Theurillat, Jean‐Paul; Thuiller, Wilfried; Es, Jérémie Van; Vittoz, Pascal; Willner, Wolfgang; Wohlgemuth, Thomas; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; Svenning, Jens‐Christian

doi:10.1111/ecog.00954

Cited by 44 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…We infer that reduced basal area favors the establishment of species that are otherwise excluded by competition. Other studies have described a similar relation between high tree cover, competition for light, and elevation range limits in shrub and nonwoody plant species at temperate (Nieto‐Lugilde et al, ) and tropical ecosystems (Johansson et al, ). These studies found that reductions in tree cover helped shrub species to expand their range to lower elevations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Disturbance and the elevation ranges of woody plant species in the mountains of Costa Rica

Mazón

Klanderud

Finegan

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Aim To understand how disturbance—here defined as a transient reduction in competition—can shape plant distributions along elevation gradients. Theory suggests that disturbance may increase elevation ranges, especially at the lower range limits, through reduced competitive exclusion. Nevertheless, to date this relationship remains unclear. Location Mountains of Costa Rica. Methods We compared the elevation range of woody stems over 10 cm dbh (“trees”) observed in plots along two transects spanning a range of elevations in secondary (regrowth) and old‐growth forest (409 and 249 species, respectively). We also estimated these elevation ranges using nationwide data. In addition, we examined the influence of stem size and plot scale basal area (as a measure of competition) on species elevation range limits in the two gradients. Results In general, tree species ranges increased with elevation. Species in the secondary forest had broader elevation ranges (100–318 m broader than species in the old‐growth forest; Wilcoxon: p‐value <.001). Also, in the secondary transect, individuals with greater diameters had broader elevation ranges than those observed as smaller trees (137 m broader; Kruskal–Wallis: p‐value = .03). The lower range limit of species occurred more frequently in plots with lower (vs. higher) basal area than expected by chance in both forest types. We also observed higher elevation upper limits in old growth, but not in secondary forests, with lower (vs. higher) basal area. Main conclusion Disturbance relaxes the constraints imposed by competition and extends effective elevation ranges of species, particularly those in secondary forest, to warmer and cooler climates (minimum increase equivalent to about 0.6–1.4°C). Thus, suitable disturbance may assist species persistence under climate change. We believe this is the first study indicating a consistent relation between disturbance and woody plant species distributions along elevation gradients.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Disturbance and the elevation ranges of woody plant species in the mountains of Costa Rica

Mazón

Klanderud

Finegan

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Thus, the radiation variables should first be incorporated into SDMs, seasonal variations should be accounted for and the effects of canopy and cloud cover should be included when studying understorey vegetation (Nieto‐Lugilde et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, as mentioned before, the use of solar radiation as a predictor can lead to misleading interpretations, as its impact on plants might strongly depend on season, canopy structure and cloud cover. Thus, the radiation variables should first be incorporated into SDMs, seasonal variations should be accounted for and the effects of canopy and cloud cover should be included when studying understorey vegetation (Nieto-Lugilde et al 2015).…”

Section: Lightmentioning

confidence: 99%

What we use is not what we know: environmental predictors in plant distribution models

Mod

Scherrer

Luoto

et al. 2016

J Vegetation Science

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194

198

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Aims The choice of environmental predictor variables in correlative models of plant species distributions (hereafter SDMs) is crucial to ensure predictive accuracy and model realism, as highlighted in multiple earlier studies. Because variable selection is directly related to a model's capacity to capture important species' environmental requirements, one would expect an explicit prior consideration of all ecophysiologically meaningful variables. For plants, these include temperature, water, soil nutrients, light, and in some cases, disturbances and biotic interactions. However, the set of predictors used in published correlative plant SDM studies varies considerably. No comprehensive review exists of what environmental predictors are meaningful, available (or missing) and used in practice to predict plant distributions. Contributing to answer these questions is the aim of this review. Methods We carried out an extensive, systematic review of recently published plant SDM studies (years 2010–2015; n = 200) to determine the predictors used (and not used) in the models. We additionally conducted an in‐depth review of SDM studies in selected journals to identify temporal trends in the use of predictors (years 2000–2015; n = 40). Results A large majority of plant SDM studies neglected several ecophysiologically meaningful environmental variables, and the number of relevant predictors used in models has stagnated or even declined over the last 15 yr. Conclusions Neglecting ecophysiologically meaningful predictors can result in incomplete niche quantification and can thus limit the predictive power of plant SDMs. Some of these missing predictors are already available spatially or may soon become available (e.g. soil moisture). However, others are not yet easily obtainable across whole study extents (e.g. soil pH and nutrients), and their development should receive increased attention. We conclude that more effort should be made to build ecologically more sound plant SDMs. This requires a more thorough rationale for the choice of environmental predictors needed to meet the study goal, and the development of missing ones. The latter calls for increased collaborative effort between ecological and geo‐environmental sciences.

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“…In particular, interspecific differences in the ability to compete for light and in shade tolerance are considered key determinants of forest stand structure and dynamics. Microclimatic effects generated by the forest canopy buffer macroclimatic changes, and create "climatic lags" that help to maintain understorey biodiversity (De Frenne et al 2013;Nieto-Lugilde et al 2014).…”

Section: Ontogenetic Effects: Shade Tolerance From Seedlings To Adultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shedding light on shade: ecological perspectives of understorey plant life

Valladares

Laanisto

Niinemets

et al. 2016

Plant Ecology & Diversity

230

174

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Shade, in ecological sense, is not merely a lack of light, but a multi-faceted phenomenon that creates new and complex settings for community and ecosystem dynamics. Tolerating shade therefore affects plants' ability to cope with other stressors, and also shape its interactions with surrounding organisms. The aim of this broad review was to map our current knowledge about how shade affects plants, plant communities and ecosystems -to gather together knowledge of what we know, but also to point out what we do not yet know. This review covers the following topics: the nature of shade, and ecological and physiological complexities related to growing under a canopy; plants' capability of tolerating other stress factors while living under a shade -resource trade-offs and polytolerance of abiotic stress; ontogenetic effects of shade tolerance; coexistence patterns under the canopy -how shade determines the forest structure and diversity; shade-induced abiotic dynamics in understorey vegetation, including changing patterns of irradiance, temperature and humidity under the canopy; shade-driven plant-plant and plant-animal interactions -how shade mediates facilitation and stress, and how it creates differentiated environment for different herbivores and pollinators, including the role of volatile organic compounds. We also discuss the ways how vegetation in understorey environments will be affected by climate change, as shade might play a significant role in mitigating negative effects of climate change. Our review shows that living under a shade affects biotic and abiotic stress tolerance of plants, it also influences the outcomes of both symbiotic and competitive plant-plant and plant-animal interactions in a complex and dynamic manner. The current knowledge of shade-related mechanisms is rather ample, however there is much room for progress in integrating different implications of the multifaceted nature of shade into consistent and integral understanding how communities and ecosystems function.

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Tree cover at fine and coarse spatial grains interacts with shade tolerance to shape plant species distributions across the Alps

Cited by 44 publications

References 77 publications

Disturbance and the elevation ranges of woody plant species in the mountains of Costa Rica

Disturbance and the elevation ranges of woody plant species in the mountains of Costa Rica

What we use is not what we know: environmental predictors in plant distribution models

Shedding light on shade: ecological perspectives of understorey plant life

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