Peter C. le Roux
A5026458914- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Plant and animal studies
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Climate change and permafrost
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Forest ecology and management
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
University of Pretoria
2016-2025
Stellenbosch University
2004-2020
University of Helsinki
2011-2016
Wageningen University & Research
2013
Uppsala University
2011
Grazing represents the most extensive use of land worldwide. Yet its impacts on ecosystem services remain uncertain because pervasive interactions between grazing pressure, climate, soil properties, and biodiversity may occur but have never been addressed simultaneously. Using a standardized survey at 98 sites across six continents, we show that soil, are critical to explain delivery fundamental drylands Increasing pressure reduced service in warmer species-poor drylands, whereas positive...
Understanding the variation in community composition and species abundances (i.e., β-diversity) is at heart of ecology. A common approach to examine β-diversity evaluate directional by measuring decay similarity among pairs communities along spatial or environmental distance. We provide first global synthesis taxonomic functional distance analysing 148 datasets comprising different types organisms environments.
Abstract Species ranges are expected to expand along their cooler boundaries in response rising temperatures associated with current global climate change. However, this ‘fingerprint’ of change is yet be assessed for an entire flora. Here, we examine patterns altitudinal range the complete native vascular flora sub‐Antarctic Marion Island. We demonstrate a rapid mean upslope expansion since 1966, 1.2 °C warming on island. The 3.4±0.8 m yr −1 (mean±SE) rate documented amongst highest...
Abstract Aim To quantify whether species distribution models ( SDMs ) can reliably forecast distributions under observed climate change. In particular, to test the predictive ability of depends on traits or inclusion land cover and soil type, distributional changes at expanding range margins be predicted accurately. Location F inland Methods Using 10‐km resolution butterfly atlas data from two periods, 1992–99 t 1 2002–09 (t 2 ), with a significant between‐period temperature increase, we...
Shifts in precipitation regimes are an inherent component of climate change, but low-energy systems often assumed to be less important than changes temperature. Because soil moisture is the hydrological variable most proximally linked plant performance during growing season arctic-alpine habitats, it may offer useful perspective on influence vegetation. Here we quantify for multiple vegetation properties at fine spatial scales, determine potential importance under changing climatic...
Abstract Questions Invasive species establish either by possessing traits, or trait trade‐offs similar to native species, suggesting pre‐adaptation local conditions; having a different suite of traits and trade‐offs, which allow them occupy unfilled niches. The differences between invasives non‐invasives can inform on confer invasibility. Here, we ask: (a) are invasive functionally species? (b) differ from non‐invasive aliens thus invasibility? (c) do results the sub‐Antarctic region, where...
Soil temperature and moisture are key determinants of abiotic biotic processes in arctic-alpine regions. They important links to understanding complex ecosystem dynamics under changing climate. The aims this study were (1) quantify fine-scale soil variation, (2) assess the influence vegetation on patterns a northern European environment. Inclusion variables significantly improved models moisture, despite (local topography properties) being most influential predictors. Temperature varied by...
Abstract Aim A common approach for prioritizing conservation is to identify concentrations (hotspots) of biodiversity. Such hotspots have traditionally been designated on the basis species‐level metrics (e.g., species richness, endemism and extinction vulnerability). These approaches do not consider phylogenetics explicitly, although phylogenetic relationships reflect ecological, evolutionary biogeographical processes by which biodiversity generated, distributed maintained. The aim this...
Summary Environmental conditions and plant size may both alter the outcome of inter‐specific plant–plant interactions, with seedlings generally facilitated more strongly than larger individuals in stressful habitats. However, combined impact environmental severity on interactions is poorly understood. Here, we tested explicitly for first time hypothesis that ontogenetic shifts are delayed under increasingly severe by examining interaction between a grass, Agrostis magellanica , cushion...
Summary Facilitative interactions are defined as positive effects of one species on another, but bidirectional feedbacks may be positive, neutral, or negative. Understanding the nature these is a fundamental prerequisite for assessment potential evolutionary consequences facilitation. In global study combining observational and experimental approaches, we quantified impact cover richness associated with alpine cushion plants reproductive traits benefactor cushions. We found decline in seed...
Summary Biotic interactions exert considerable influence on the distribution of individual species and should, thus, strongly impact communities. Implementing biotic in spatial models community assembly is therefore essential for accurately modelling assemblage properties. However, this remains a challenge due to difficulty detecting role because accurate paired environment data sets are required disentangle influences from abiotic effects. Here, we incorporate three dominant into...
Biotic interactions are known to affect the composition of species assemblages via several mechanisms, such as competition and facilitation. However, most spatial models richness do not explicitly consider inter‐specific interactions. Here, we test whether incorporating biotic into high‐resolution alters predictions hypothesised. We included key variables (cover three dominant arctic‐alpine plant species) two methodologically divergent modelling frameworks – stacked distribution (SSDM)...
Incomplete species inventories for Antarctica represent a key challenge comprehensive ecological research and conservation in the region. Additionally, data required to understand population dynamics, rates of evolution, spatial ranges, functional traits, physiological tolerances interactions, all which are fundamental disentangle different elements Antarctic biodiversity, mostly missing. However, much fauna, flora microbiota emerged ice-free land continent have an uncertain presence and/or...
Ecological theory suggests that positive plant–plant interactions can extend species distributions into areas would otherwise be unfavourable. However, few studies have tested this hypothesis, and none explicitly examined the associated prediction inter‐specific between plants may broaden altitudinal distributions. Here we test prediction, using fine‐scale distribution data for 156 bryophytes, lichens vascular spanning a 900 m elevational gradient in north‐western Finland Norway, analysed...
Abstract Question Can variation in the outcome of biotic interactions relation to environmental severity be more accurately predicted when considering multiple stress and/or disturbance variables? Location Arctic‐alpine tundra Kilpisjärvi, North Finland. Methods To test impact including variables analyses outcomes interactions, we modelled reproductive effort and cover 17 arctic‐alpine species as a function Empetrum nigrum subsp. hermaphroditum cover, geomorphological soil moisture with...
Studies of species range determinants have traditionally focused on abiotic variables (typically climatic conditions), and therefore the recent explicit consideration biotic interactions represents an important advance in field. While these studies clearly support role shaping distributions, most examine only influence a single and/or interaction, failing to account for being subject multiple concurrent interactions. By fitting distribution models (SDMs), we vertical (i.e., grazing,...
Abstract Aim The A rctic has experienced marked climatic differences between glacial and interglacial periods is now subject to a rapidly warming climate. Knowledge of the effects historical processes on current patterns diversity may aid predictions responses vegetation future climate change. We aim test whether plant species genetic are correlated with time since deglaciation at regional local scales. also investigate richness in vascular plants. Location Circumarctic. Methods investigated...