@article{BernhardtRoemermannBaetenCravenetal.2015, author = {Bernhardt-R{\"o}mermann, Markus and Baeten, Lander and Craven, Dylan and De Frenne, Pieter and Hedl, Radim and Lenoir, Jonathan and Bert, Didier and Brunet, Jorg and Chudomelova, Marketa and Decocq, Guillaume and Dierschke, Hartmut and Dirnboeck, Thomas and D{\"o}rfler, Inken and Heinken, Thilo and Hermy, Martin and Hommel, Patrick and Jaroszewicz, Bogdan and Keczynski, Andrzej and Kelly, Daniel L. and Kirby, Keith J. and Kopecky, Martin and Macek, Martin and Malis, Frantisek and Mirtl, Michael and Mitchell, Fraser J. G. and Naaf, Tobias and Newman, Miles and Peterken, George and Petrik, Petr and Schmidt, Wolfgang and Standovar, Tibor and Toth, Zoltan and Van Calster, Hans and Verstraeten, Gorik and Vladovic, Jozef and Vild, Ondrej and Wulf, Monika and Verheyen, Kris}, title = {Drivers of temporal changes in temperate forest plant diversity vary across spatial scales}, series = {Global change biology}, volume = {21}, journal = {Global change biology}, number = {10}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1354-1013}, doi = {10.1111/gcb.12993}, pages = {3726 -- 3737}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Global biodiversity is affected by numerous environmental drivers. Yet, the extent to which global environmental changes contribute to changes in local diversity is poorly understood. We investigated biodiversity changes in a meta-analysis of 39 resurvey studies in European temperate forests (3988 vegetation records in total, 17-75years between the two surveys) by assessing the importance of (i) coarse-resolution (i.e., among sites) vs. fine-resolution (i.e., within sites) environmental differences and (ii) changing environmental conditions between surveys. Our results clarify the mechanisms underlying the direction and magnitude of local-scale biodiversity changes. While not detecting any net local diversity loss, we observed considerable among-site variation, partly explained by temporal changes in light availability (a local driver) and density of large herbivores (a regional driver). Furthermore, strong evidence was found that presurvey levels of nitrogen deposition determined subsequent diversity changes. We conclude that models forecasting future biodiversity changes should consider coarse-resolution environmental changes, account for differences in baseline environmental conditions and for local changes in fine-resolution environmental conditions.}, language = {en} } @article{CaronDeFrenneBrunetetal.2015, author = {Caron, Maria Mercedes and De Frenne, Pieter and Brunet, J{\"o}rg and Chabrerie, Olivier and Cousins, Sara A. O. and Decocq, Guillaume and Diekmann, Martin and Graae, Bente Jessen and Heinken, Thilo and Kolb, Annette and Lenoir, Jonathan and Naaf, Tobias and Plue, Jan and Selvi, Federico and Wulf, Monika and Verheyen, Kris}, title = {Divergent regeneration responses of two closely related tree species to direct abiotic and indirect biotic effects of climate change}, series = {Forest ecology and management}, volume = {342}, journal = {Forest ecology and management}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0378-1127}, doi = {10.1016/j.foreco.2015.01.003}, pages = {21 -- 29}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Changing temperature and precipitation can strongly influence plant reproduction. However, also biotic interactions might indirectly affect the reproduction and recruitment success of plants in the context of climate change. Information about the interactive effects of changes in abiotic and biotic factors is essential, but still largely lacking, to better understand the potential effects of a changing climate on plant populations. Here we analyze the regeneration from seeds of Acer platanoides and Acer pseudoplatanus, two currently secondary forest tree species from seven regions along a 2200 km-wide latitudinal gradient in Europe. We assessed the germination, seedling survival and growth during two years in a common garden experiment where temperature, precipitation and competition with the understory vegetation were manipulated. A. platanoides was more sensitive to changes in biotic conditions while A. pseudoplatanus was affected by both abiotic and biotic changes. In general, competition reduced (in A. platanoides) and warming enhanced (in A. pseudoplatanus) germination and survival, respectively. Reduced competition strongly increased the growth of A. platanoides seedlings. Seedling responses were independent of the conditions experienced by the mother tree during seed production and maturation. Our results indicate that, due to the negative effects of competition on the regeneration of A. platanoides, it is likely that under stronger competition (projected under future climatic conditions) this species will be negatively affected in terms of germination, survival and seedling biomass. Climate-change experiments including both abiotic and biotic factors constitute a key step forward to better understand the response of tree species' regeneration to climate change. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}, language = {en} } @article{PlueDeFrenneAcharyaetal.2013, author = {Plue, Jan and De Frenne, Pieter and Acharya, Kamal P. and Brunet, Jorg and Chabrerie, Olivier and Decocq, Guillaume and Diekmann, Martin and Graae, Bente J. and Heinken, Thilo and Hermy, Martin and Kolb, Annette and Lemke, Isgard and Liira, Jaan and Naaf, Tobias and Shevtsova, Anna and Verheyen, Kris and Wulf, Monika and Cousins, Sara A. O.}, title = {Climatic control of forest herb seed banks along a latitudinal gradient}, series = {Global ecology and biogeography : a journal of macroecology}, volume = {22}, journal = {Global ecology and biogeography : a journal of macroecology}, number = {10}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1466-822X}, doi = {10.1111/geb.12068}, pages = {1106 -- 1117}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Aim Seed banks are central to the regeneration strategy of many plant species. Any factor altering seed bank density thus affects plant regeneration and population dynamics. Although seed banks are dynamic entities controlled by multiple environmental drivers, climatic factors are the most comprehensive, but still poorly understood. This study investigates how climatic variation structures seed production and resulting seed bank patterns. Location Temperate forests along a 1900km latitudinal gradient in north-western (NW) Europe. Methods Seed production and seed bank density were quantified in 153 plots along the gradient for four forest herbs with different seed longevity: Geum urbanum, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis and Stachys sylvatica. We tested the importance of climatic and local environmental factors in shaping seed production and seed bank density. Results Seed production was determined by population size, and not by climatic factors. G.urbanum and M.effusum seed bank density declined with decreasing temperature (growing degree days) and/or increasing temperature range (maximum-minimum temperature). P.nemoralis and S.sylvatica seed bank density were limited by population size and not by climatic variables. Seed bank density was also influenced by other, local environmental factors such as soil pH or light availability. Different seed bank patterns emerged due to differential seed longevities. Species with long-lived seeds maintained constant seed bank densities by counteracting the reduced chance of regular years with high seed production at colder northern latitudes. Main conclusions Seed bank patterns show clear interspecific variation in response to climate across the distribution range. Not all seed banking species may be as well equipped to buffer climate change via their seed bank, notably in short-term persistent species. Since the buffering capacity of seed banks is key to species persistence, these results provide crucial information to advance climatic change predictions on range shifts, community and biodiversity responses.}, language = {en} }