A5010371203- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Firm Innovation and Growth
- Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Global trade and economics
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Seedling growth and survival studies
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies
- Global Trade and Competitiveness
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Forest ecology and management
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Tree Root and Stability Studies
- Mediterranean and Iberian flora and fauna
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies
University of Tartu
2014-2024
Environmental Earth Sciences
2016-2019
UNSW Sydney
2016-2019
Many studies have shown plant species' dispersal distances to be strongly related life‐history traits, but how well different traits can predict is not yet known. We used cross‐validation techniques and a global data set (576 species) measure the predictive power of simple estimate maximum distances. Including syndrome (wind, animal, ant, ballistic, no special syndrome), growth form (tree, shrub, herb), seed mass, release height, terminal velocity in combinations as explanatory variables we...
Summary Dispersal is fundamental to ecological processes at all scales and levels of organization, but progress limited by a lack information about the general shape form plant dispersal kernels. We addressed this gap synthesizing empirical data describing seed fitting kernels representing major types modes. A comprehensive literature search resulted in 107 papers 168 for 144 vascular species. The covered 63 families, continents except Antarctica, broad vegetation forest, grassland,...
Summary We used a functional trait‐based approach to assess the impacts of aridity and shrub encroachment on structure Mediterranean dryland communities (functional diversity ( FD ) community‐weighted mean trait values CWM )), evaluate how these attributes ultimately affect multifunctionality (i.e. provision several ecosystem functions simultaneously). Shrub (the increase in abundance/cover shrubs) is major land cover change that taking place grasslands worldwide. Studies conducted drylands...
Among plants and vertebrates, extinction risk is universally higher for the largest species with slower paces of life.
The positive relationship between spatial environmental heterogeneity and species diversity is a widely accepted concept, generally associated with niche limitation. However, limitation cannot account for negative heterogeneity–diversity relationships (HDR) revealed in several case studies. Here we explore how HDR varies at different scales provide novel theories small-scale co-existence that explain both HDR. At large of (e.g. landscape level), communities co-exist, promoting regional pool...
Summary Trait differences among plants are expected to influence the outcome of competition; competition should be strongest between similar species (or individuals) under limiting similarity, and dissimilar within competitive hierarchies. These hypotheses often used infer dynamics from trait patterns communities. However, plant traits frequently plastic in response competition. This variation is poorly accounted for trait‐based studies community assembly. To explore relationship responses...
Abstract Although species with larger body size and slow pace of life have a higher risk extinction at global scale, it is unclear whether this trend will be consistent across biogeographic realms. Here we measure the functional diversity terrestrial freshwater vertebrates in six realms predict their future changes through scenarios mimicking gradient threatened species. We show vastly different effects extinctions on between taxonomic groups realms, ranging from almost no decline to deep...
Abstract Plant productivity varies due to environmental heterogeneity, and theory suggests that plant diversity can reduce this variation. While there is strong evidence of effects on temporal variability productivity, whether mechanism extends across space remains elusive. Here we determine the relationship between spatial in 83 grasslands, quantify effect experimentally increased heterogeneity conditions relationship. We found communities with higher species richness (alpha gamma...
Abstract How the patterns of niche occupancy vary from species‐poor to species‐rich communities is a fundamental question in ecology that has central bearing on processes drive biodiversity. As species richness increases, habitat filtering should constrain expansion total volume, while limiting similarity restrict degree overlap between species. Here, by explicitly incorporating intraspecific trait variability, we investigate relationship functional and at global scale. We assembled 21...
Temperate calcareous grasslands are characterized by high levels of species richness at small spatial scales. Nevertheless, many from a habitat‐specific regional pool may be absent local communities and represent the ‘dark diversity’ these sites. Here we investigate dry in northern Europe to determine what proportion is realized scales (i.e. how community completeness varies) which mechanisms contributing relative sizes observed dark diversity. We test whether absence particular potentially...
Summary Tall plant species disperse further distances than do short species, within and across dispersal syndromes, yet the driver underpinning this relationship is unclear. The ability of taller plants to invest more in structures may explain positive between height distance. Here, we quantify cross‐species relationships presence structures, investment Plant height, syndrome data were collated for 1613 from literature, with distance 114 species. We find that high low investment. have a...
Abstract Aim Combining different biodiversity dimensions can reveal new diversity patterns disclosing the relative roles of historical, environmental and anthropogenic factors in shaping global seed plant diversity. Location Global. Time period Present. Major taxa studied Vascular plants. Methods We collated a database encompassing taxonomic (249,000 species), functional phylogenetic information (34,694 species) plants across regions world. Species richness each region was weighted...
Species richness is influenced both by mechanisms occurring at landscape scales, such as habitat availability, and local‐scale processes, that are related to abiotic conditions plant–plant interactions. However, it rarely tested what extent local species can be explained the combined effect of factors measured multiple spatial scales. In this study, we quantified simultaneous influence historical landscape‐scale (past human population density, past availability – an index combining area...
Abstract Aims Spatial environmental heterogeneity has been considered an important co‐existence mechanism because variation enables different species to co‐occur. We predict that if functional differences are for co‐existence, then both and diversity should be positively related heterogeneity. Location Thirty three dry calcareous grassland sites in Estonia. Methods In each site, we established a transect (10.0 m × 0.1 m), consisting of 100 quadrats (10 cm 10 cm). quadrat, recorded richness...
Abstract Questions How does fine‐scale soil heterogeneity impact on co‐occurring species? Which species are advantaged in heterogeneous soils? Location Greenhouse experiment using European grassland species, University of Tartu, Estonia. Methods We grew plant assemblages consisting 15 five treatments – comprising three spatially uniform fertility levels (low, medium or high) and two conditions created checkerboard combinations low‐ high‐fertility patches at spatial scales (6.25 × 6.25 cm...
Abstract Drought is expected to increase in future climate scenarios. Although responses drought of individual functional traits are relatively well‐known, simultaneous changes across multiple response water scarcity remain poorly understood despite its importance understand alternative strategies resist drought. We grew 52 herbaceous species monocultures under and control treatments characterized the space using seven measured above‐ below‐ground traits: plant height, leaf area, specific...
Summary Niche differences among species are considered key drivers of coexistence (limiting similarity), and increased heterogeneity resources should promote diversity through niche partitioning (niche theory). Two predictions follow – co‐occurring be more different than expected by chance, especially in productive communities due to competition, increase both functional diversity. However, evidence for these plant is limited. We examined overlap traits grassland relation fertility resource...
Abstract Aim Plants that host root‐symbiotic nitrogen‐fixing bacteria have an important role in driving terrestrial ecosystem processes, but N‐fixing ability is unequally distributed among plant taxa and ecosystems. Here we explore the large‐scale distribution of species worldwide. Location Global. Time period Present. Major studied Vascular plants. Methods We estimated diversity (as Shannon entropy) relative richness (log‐ratio to non‐fixing species) for c . 7,800 km 2 hexagonal grid cells...
Abstract Invasion should decline with species richness, yet the relationship is inconsistent. Species however, a product of pool size and biotic filtering. may increase richness if large pools represent weaker environmental filters. Measuring proportion realised locally (completeness) clarify diversity‐invasion relationships by separating effects, especially species’ life‐history stage origin are accounted for. To test these relationships, we added seeds transplants 15 native alien into 29...
Differences within species (Intraspecific trait variation - ITV) contribute substantially to overall variability and environmental harshness can reduce among-species variation. While aboveground traits have received considerable attention, knowledge about ITV in fine-root how it differs from remains limited. This study examined the partitioning of 52 European herbaceous such proportions change response drought, offering valuable insights for accurate functional characterization inter-species...