36003
2012
2012
eng
1037
1046
10
5
109
article
Oxford Univ. Press
Oxford
1
--
--
--
The response of forest plant regeneration to temperature variation along a latitudinal gradient
The response of forest herb regeneration from seed to temperature variations across latitudes was experimentally assessed in order to forecast the likely response of understorey community dynamics to climate warming.
Seeds of two characteristic forest plants (Anemone nemorosa and Milium effusum) were collected in natural populations along a latitudinal gradient from northern France to northern Sweden and exposed to three temperature regimes in growth chambers (first experiment). To test the importance of local adaptation, reciprocal transplants were also made of adult individuals that originated from the same populations in three common gardens located in southern, central and northern sites along the same gradient, and the resulting seeds were germinated (second experiment). Seedling establishment was quantified by measuring the timing and percentage of seedling emergence, and seedling biomass in both experiments.
Spring warming increased emergence rates and seedling growth in the early-flowering forb A. nemorosa. Seedlings of the summer-flowering grass M. effusum originating from northern populations responded more strongly in terms of biomass growth to temperature than southern populations. The above-ground biomass of the seedlings of both species decreased with increasing latitude of origin, irrespective of whether seeds were collected from natural populations or from the common gardens. The emergence percentage decreased with increasing home-away distance in seeds from the transplant experiment, suggesting that the maternal plants were locally adapted.
Decreasing seedling emergence and growth were found from the centre to the northern edge of the distribution range for both species. Stronger responses to temperature variation in seedling growth of the grass M. effusum in the north may offer a way to cope with environmental change. The results further suggest that climate warming might differentially affect seedling establishment of understorey plants across their distribution range and thus alter future understorey plant dynamics.
Annals of botany
10.1093/aob/mcs015
0305-7364
wos:2011-2013
WOS:000301971900020
De Frenne, P (reprint author), State Ghent Univ, Lab Forestry, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, BE-9090 Melle Gontrode, Belgium., Pieter.DeFrenne@UGent.be
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO); Kempe Foundation; Petra and Karl
Erik Hedborg Foundation; EU [Fp6 506004]
Pieter De Frenne
Bente J. Graae
Jörg Brunet
Anna Shevtsova
An De Schrijver
Olivier Chabrerie
Sara A. O. Cousins
Guillaume Decocq
Martin Diekmann
Martin Hermy
Thilo Heinken
Annette Kolb
Christer Nilsson
Sharon Stanton
Kris Verheyen
eng
uncontrolled
Anemone nemorosa
eng
uncontrolled
climate change
eng
uncontrolled
common garden
eng
uncontrolled
growth chambers
eng
uncontrolled
latitudinal gradient
eng
uncontrolled
local adaptation
eng
uncontrolled
Milium effusum
eng
uncontrolled
plant regeneration
eng
uncontrolled
range edges
eng
uncontrolled
recruitment
eng
uncontrolled
seedling establishment
eng
uncontrolled
temperature
Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
Referiert
36595
2011
2011
eng
3240
3253
14
10
17
article
Wiley-Blackwell
Hoboken
1
--
--
--
Temperature effects on forest herbs assessed by warming and transplant experiments along a latitudinal gradient
Slow-colonizing forest understorey plants are probably not able to rapidly adjust their distribution range following large-scale climate change. Therefore, the acclimation potential to climate change within their actual occupied habitats will likely be key for their short-and long-term persistence. We combined transplant experiments along a latitudinal gradient with open-top chambers to assess the effects of temperature on phenology, growth and reproductive performance of multiple populations of slow-colonizing understorey plants, using the spring flowering geophytic forb Anemone nemorosa and the early summer flowering grass Milium effusum as study species. In both species, emergence time and start of flowering clearly advanced with increasing temperatures. Vegetative growth (plant height, aboveground biomass) and reproductive success (seed mass, seed germination and germinable seed output) of A. nemorosa benefited from higher temperatures. Climate warming may thus increase future competitive ability and colonization rates of this species. Apart from the effects on phenology, growth and reproductive performance of M. effusum generally decreased when transplanted southwards (e. g., plant size and number of individuals decreased towards the south) and was probably more limited by light availability in the south. Specific leaf area of both species increased when transplanted southwards, but decreased with open-top chamber installation in A. nemorosa. In general, individuals of both species transplanted at the home site performed best, suggesting local adaptation. We conclude that contrasting understorey plants may display divergent plasticity in response to changing temperatures which may alter future understorey community dynamics.
Global change biology
10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02449.x
1354-1013
wos:2011-2013
WOS:000294571700019
De Frenne, P (reprint author), Univ Ghent, Lab Forestry, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, BE-9090 Melle Gontrode, Belgium., Pieter.DeFrenne@UGent.be
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO); Kempe Foundation; Petra and Karl
Erik Hedborg Foundation; EU [Fp6 506004]; Ghent University; Institute
for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders
(IWT-Vlaanderen)
Pieter De Frenne
Jorg Brunet
Anna Shevtsova
Annette Kolb
Bente J. Graae
Olivier Chabrerie
Sara Ao Cousins
Guillaume Decocq
An De Schrijver
Martin Diekmann
Robert Gruwez
Thilo Heinken
Martin Hermy
Christer Nilsson
Sharon Stanton
Wesley Tack
Justin Willaert
Kris Verheyen
eng
uncontrolled
climate change
eng
uncontrolled
common garden experiment
eng
uncontrolled
forest understorey
eng
uncontrolled
latitude
eng
uncontrolled
local adaptation
eng
uncontrolled
open-top chambers
eng
uncontrolled
phenotypic plasticity
eng
uncontrolled
pot experiment
Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
Referiert
39402
2015
2015
eng
52
62
11
1
17
article
Wiley-Blackwell
Hoboken
1
--
--
--
Interacting effects of warming and drought on regeneration and early growth of Acer pseudoplatanus and A. platanoides
Climate change is acting on several aspects of plant life cycles, including the sexual reproductive stage, which is considered amongst the most sensitive life-cycle phases. In temperate forests, it is expected that climate change will lead to a compositional change in community structure due to changes in the dominance of currently more abundant forest tree species. Increasing our understanding of the effects of climate change on currently secondary tree species recruitment is therefore important to better understand and forecast population and community dynamics in forests. Here, we analyse the interactive effects of rising temperatures and soil moisture reduction on germination, seedling survival and early growth of two important secondary European tree species, Acer pseudoplatanus and A.platanoides. Additionally, we analyse the effect of the temperature experienced by the mother tree during seed production by collecting seeds of both species along a 2200-km long latitudinal gradient. For most of the responses, A.platanoides showed higher sensitivity to the treatments applied, and especially to its joint manipulation, which for some variables resulted in additive effects while for others only partial compensation. In both species, germination and survival decreased with rising temperatures and/or soil moisture reduction while early growth decreased with declining soil moisture content. We conclude that although A.platanoides germination and survival were more affected after the applied treatments, its initial higher germination and larger seedlings might allow this species to be relatively more successful than A.pseudoplatanus in the face of climate change.
Plant biology
10.1111/plb.12177
24750437
1435-8603
1438-8677
wos:2015
WOS:000347707900007
Caron, MM (reprint author), Univ Ghent, Forest & Nat Lab, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, B-9090 Melle, Belgium., MariaMercedes.Caron@UGent.be
Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO); Erasmus Mundus through the EuroTango
project; FWO
Maria Mercedes Caron
Pieter De Frenne
J. Brunet
Olivier Chabrerie
S. A. O. Cousins
L. De Backer
G. Decocq
M. Diekmann
Thilo Heinken
A. Kolb
T. Naaf
J. Plue
Federico Selvi
G. R. Strimbeck
Monika Wulf
Kris Verheyen
eng
uncontrolled
Acer platanoides
eng
uncontrolled
Acer pseudoplatanus
eng
uncontrolled
climate change
eng
uncontrolled
drought
eng
uncontrolled
reproduction
eng
uncontrolled
seed
eng
uncontrolled
temperature
Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
Referiert