首页|Degeneration of foundation cushion species induced by ecological constraints can cause massive changes in alpine plant communities

Degeneration of foundation cushion species induced by ecological constraints can cause massive changes in alpine plant communities

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Foundational cushion plants can re-organize community structures and sustain a prominent proportion of alpine biodiversity,but they are sensitive to climate change.The loss of cushion species can have broad consequences for associated biota.The potential plant community changes with the population dynamics of cushion plants remain,however,unclear.Using eight plant communities along a climatic and community successional gradient,we assessed cushion population dynamics,the underlying ecological constraints and hence associated plant community changes in alpine communities dominated by the foundational cushion plant Arenaria polytrichoides.The population dynamics of Arenaria are attributed to ecological constraints at a series of life history stages.Reproductive functions are constrained by increasing associated beneficiary plants;subsequent seedling establishment is constrained by temperature,water and light availability,extreme climate events,and interspecific competition;strong competitive exclusion may accelerate mortality and degeneration of cushion populations.Along with cushion dynamics,species composition,abundance and community structure gradually change.Once cushion plants completely degenerate,previously cushion-dominated communities shift to relatively stable communities that are overwhelmingly dominated by sedges.Climate warming may accelerate the degeneration process of A.polytrichoides.Degeneration of this foundational cushion plant will possibly induce massive changes in alpine plant communities and hence ecosystem functions in alpine ecosystems.The assessment of the population dynamics of foundation species is critical for an effective conservation of alpine biodiversity.

alpine ecosystembiodiversity changeclimate changeplant community dynamicsfoundation speciesglobal warmingpopulation dynamics

Jianguo Chen、Xufang Chen、Lishen Qian、Yazhou Zhang、Bo Li、Honghua Shi、Lu Sun、Christian Sch?b、Hang Sun

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Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia,Kunming Institute of Botany,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Kunming 650201,China

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China

College of Resources and Environment,Yunnan Agricultural University,Kunming 650500,China

Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación,Universidad Rey Juan Carlos,Móstoles 28933,Spain

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Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)Yunnan Applied Basic Research Project国家自然科学基金CAS"Light of West China"Program,the Young Academic and Technical Leader Raising Foundation of Yunnan ProvinceYunnan Innovation Team Project

2019QZKK0502202001AT07006031271552202205AC160053202305AS350004

2024

10.1007/s11427-022-2383-6

中国科学:生命科学(英文版)
中国科学院

中国科学:生命科学(英文版)

CSTPCD
影响因子：0.806
ISSN：1674-7305
年,卷(期)：2024.67(4)
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