@article{WeissSchalowJeltschetal.2019, author = {Weiss, Lina and Schalow, Linda and Jeltsch, Florian and Geissler, Katja}, title = {Experimental evidence for root competition effects on community evenness in one of two phytometer species}, series = {Journal of plant ecology}, volume = {12}, journal = {Journal of plant ecology}, number = {2}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {1752-9921}, doi = {10.1093/jpe/rty021}, pages = {281 -- 291}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Aims Plant-plant interactions, being positive or negative, are recognized to be key factors in structuring plant communities. However, it is thought that root competition may be less important than shoot competition due to greater size symmetry belowground. Because direct experimental tests on the importance of root competition are scarce, we aim at elucidating whether root competition may have direct or indirect effects on community structure. Indirect effects may occur by altering the overall size asymmetry of competition through root-shoot competitive interactions. Methods We used a phytometer approach to examine the effects of root, shoot and total competition intensity and importance on evenness of experimental plant communities. Thereby two different phytometer species, Festuca brevipila and Dianthus carthusianorum, were grown in small communities of six grassland species over three levels of light and water availability, interacting with neighbouring shoots, roots, both or not at all. Important Findings We found variation in community evenness to be best explained if root and shoot (but not total) competition were considered. However, the effects were species specific: in Dianthus communities increasing root competition increased plant community evenness, while in Festuca communities shoot competition was the driving force of this evenness response. Competition intensities were influenced by environmental conditions in Dianthus, but not in Festuca phytometer plants. While we found no evidence for root-shoot interactions for neither phytometer species root competition in Dianthus communities led to increased allocation to shoots, thereby increasing the potential ability to perform in size-asymmetric competition for light. Our experiment demonstrates the potential role of root competition in structuring plant communities.}, language = {en} } @article{WeissPfestorfMayetal.2014, author = {Weiss, Lina and Pfestorf, Hans and May, Felix and K{\"o}rner, Katrin and Boch, Steffen and Fischer, Markus and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Prati, Daniel and Socher, Stephanie A. and Jeltsch, Florian}, title = {Grazing response patterns indicate isolation of semi-natural European grasslands}, series = {Oikos}, volume = {123}, journal = {Oikos}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0030-1299}, doi = {10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00957.x}, pages = {599 -- 612}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Identifying drivers of species diversity is a major challenge in understanding and predicting the dynamics of species-rich semi-natural grasslands. In particular in temperate grasslands changes in land use and its consequences, i.e. increasing fragmentation, the on-going loss of habitat and the declining importance of regional processes such as seed dispersal by livestock, are considered key drivers of the diversity loss witnessed within the last decades.}, language = {en} } @article{JeltschBlaumBroseetal.2013, author = {Jeltsch, Florian and Blaum, Niels and Brose, Ulrich and Chipperfield, Joseph D. and Clough, Yann and Farwig, Nina and Geissler, Katja and Graham, Catherine H. and Grimm, Volker and Hickler, Thomas and Huth, Andreas and May, Felix and Meyer, Katrin M. and Pagel, J{\"o}rn and Reineking, Bj{\"o}rn and Rillig, Matthias C. and Shea, Katriona and Schurr, Frank Martin and Schroeder, Boris and Tielb{\"o}rger, Katja and Weiss, Lina and Wiegand, Kerstin and Wiegand, Thorsten and Wirth, Christian and Zurell, Damaris}, title = {How can we bring together empiricists and modellers in functional biodiversity research?}, series = {Basic and applied ecology : Journal of the Gesellschaft f{\"u}r {\"O}kologie}, volume = {14}, journal = {Basic and applied ecology : Journal of the Gesellschaft f{\"u}r {\"O}kologie}, number = {2}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Jena}, issn = {1439-1791}, doi = {10.1016/j.baae.2013.01.001}, pages = {93 -- 101}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Improving our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and our capacity to inform ecosystem management requires an integrated framework for functional biodiversity research (FBR). However, adequate integration among empirical approaches (monitoring and experimental) and modelling has rarely been achieved in FBR. We offer an appraisal of the issues involved and chart a course towards enhanced integration. A major element of this path is the joint orientation towards the continuous refinement of a theoretical framework for FBR that links theory testing and generalization with applied research oriented towards the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. We further emphasize existing decision-making frameworks as suitable instruments to practically merge these different aims of FBR and bring them into application. This integrated framework requires joint research planning, and should improve communication and stimulate collaboration between modellers and empiricists, thereby overcoming existing reservations and prejudices. The implementation of this integrative research agenda for FBR requires an adaptation in most national and international funding schemes in order to accommodate such joint teams and their more complex structures and data needs.}, language = {en} } @article{BergholzSittelRistowetal.2022, author = {Bergholz, Kolja and Sittel, Lara-Pauline and Ristow, Michael and Jeltsch, Florian and Weiss, Lina}, title = {Pollinator guilds respond contrastingly at different scales to landscape parameters of land-use intensity}, series = {Ecology and evolution}, volume = {12}, journal = {Ecology and evolution}, number = {3}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {2045-7758}, doi = {10.1002/ece3.8708}, pages = {11}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Land-use intensification is the main factor for the catastrophic decline of insect pollinators. However, land-use intensification includes multiple processes that act across various scales and should affect pollinator guilds differently depending on their ecology. We aimed to reveal how two main pollinator guilds, wild bees and hoverflies, respond to different land-use intensification measures, that is, arable field cover (AFC), landscape heterogeneity (LH), and functional flower composition of local plant communities as a measure of habitat quality. We sampled wild bees and hoverflies on 22 dry grassland sites within a highly intensified landscape (NE Germany) within three campaigns using pan traps. We estimated AFC and LH on consecutive radii (60-3000 m) around the dry grassland sites and estimated the local functional flower composition. Wild bee species richness and abundance was positively affected by LH and negatively by AFC at small scales (140-400 m). In contrast, hoverflies were positively affected by AFC and negatively by LH at larger scales (500-3000 m), where both landscape parameters were negatively correlated to each other. At small spatial scales, though, LH had a positive effect on hoverfly abundance. Functional flower diversity had no positive effect on pollinators, but conspicuous flowers seem to attract abundance of hoverflies. In conclusion, landscape parameters contrarily affect two pollinator guilds at different scales. The correlation of landscape parameters may influence the observed relationships between landscape parameters and pollinators. Hence, effects of land-use intensification seem to be highly landscape-specific.}, language = {en} }