Contrasting effects of intraspecific trait variation on trait-based niches and performance of legumes in plant mixtures

PloS One
Christiane RoscherErnst-Detlef Schulze

Abstract

Niche differentiation, assumed to be a key mechanism of species coexistence, requires that species differ in their functional traits. So far it remains unclear to which extent trait plasticity leads to niche shifts of species at higher plant diversity, thereby increasing or decreasing niche overlap between species. To analyse this question it is convenient to measure niches indirectly via the variation in resource-uptake traits rather than directly via the resources used. We provisionally call these indirectly measured niches trait-based niches. We studied shoot- and leaf-morphological characteristics in seven legume species in monoculture and multi-species mixture in experimental grassland. Legume species varied in the extent of trait variation in response to plant diversity. Trait plasticity led to significant shifts in species niches in multiple dimensions. Single-species niches in several traits associated with height growth and filling of canopy space were expanded, while other niche dimensions were compressed or did not change with plant diversity. Niche separation among legumes decreased in dimensions related to height growth and space filling, but increased in dimensions related to leaf size and morphology. The total ex...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 18, 2017·Ecology Letters·Sofia J van MoorselBernhard Schmid
Jul 25, 2019·Molecular Ecology·Sofia J van MoorselPhilippine Vergeer
Dec 25, 2019·Nature Plants·Julien MeilhacIsabelle Litrico
Jul 5, 2019·Ecology Letters·Julia Chacón-LabellaRubén Milla
Dec 15, 2017·Oecologia·Rachel M MitchellGreg M Ames
Aug 28, 2020·Oecologia·Norman W H MasonPaul Mudge
Apr 20, 2021·Frontiers in Plant Science·Julie GuiguitantHélène Marrou

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
environmental stress

Software Mentioned

R3
multcomp
Gimp2
lme4

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