TY  - JOUR
A1  - Heger, Tina
A1  - Bernard-Verdier, Maud
A1  - Gessler, Arthur
A1  - Greenwood, Alex D.
A1  - Grossart, Hans-Peter
A1  - Hilker, Monika
A1  - Keinath, Silvia
A1  - Kowarik, Ingo
A1  - Küffer, Christoph
A1  - Marquard, Elisabeth
A1  - Mueller, Johannes
A1  - Niemeier, Stephanie
A1  - Onandia, Gabriela
A1  - Petermann, Jana S.
A1  - Rillig, Matthias C.
A1  - Rodel, Mark-Oliver
A1  - Saul, Wolf-Christian
A1  - Schittko, Conrad
A1  - Tockner, Klement
A1  - Joshi, Jasmin Radha
A1  - Jeschke, Jonathan M.
T1  - Towards an Integrative, Eco-Evolutionary Understanding of Ecological Novelty: Studying and Communicating Interlinked Effects of Global Change
JF  - Bioscience
N2  - Global change has complex eco-evolutionary consequences for organisms and ecosystems, but related concepts (e.g., novel ecosystems) do not cover their full range. Here we propose an umbrella concept of "ecological novelty" comprising (1) a site-specific and (2) an organism-centered, eco-evolutionary perspective. Under this umbrella, complementary options for studying and communicating effects of global change on organisms, ecosystems, and landscapes can be included in a toolbox. This allows researchers to address ecological novelty from different perspectives, e.g., by defining it based on (a) categorical or continuous measures, (b) reference conditions related to sites or organisms, and (c) types of human activities. We suggest striving for a descriptive, non-normative usage of the term "ecological novelty" in science. Normative evaluations and decisions about conservation policies or management are important, but require additional societal processes and engagement with multiple stakeholders.
KW  - Anthropocene
KW  - eco-evolutionary experience
KW  - global change
KW  - novel ecosystems
KW  - shifting baselines
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz095
SN  - 0006-3568
SN  - 1525-3244
VL  - 69
IS  - 11
SP  - 888
EP  - 899
PB  - Oxford Univ. Press
CY  - Oxford
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Horn, Sebastian
A1  - Hempel, Stefan
A1  - Ristow, Michael
A1  - Rillig, Matthias C.
A1  - Kowarik, Ingo
A1  - Caruso, Tancredi
T1  - Plant community assembly at small scales: Spatial vs. environmental factors in a European grassland
JF  - Acta oecologica : international journal of ecology
N2  - Dispersal limitation and environmental conditions are crucial drivers of plant species distribution and establishment. As these factors operate at different spatial scales, we asked: Do the environmental factors known to determine community assembly at broad scales operate at fine scales (few meters)? How much do these factors account for community variation at fine scales? In which way do biotic and abiotic interactions drive changes in species composition?
 We surveyed the plant community within a dry grassland along a very steep gradient of soil characteristics like pH and nutrients. We used a spatially explicit sampling design, based on three replicated macroplots of 15 x 15, 12 x 12 and 12 x 12 m in extent. Soil samples were taken to quantify several soil properties (carbon, nitrogen, plant available phosphorus, pH, water content and dehydrogenase activity as a proxy for overall microbial activity). We performed variance partitioning to assess the effect of these variables on plant composition and statistically controlled for spatial autocorrelation via eigenvector mapping. We also applied null model analysis to test for non-random patterns in species co-occurrence using randomization schemes that account for patterns expected under species interactions.
 At a fine spatial scale, environmental factors explained 18% of variation when controlling for spatial autocorrelation in the distribution of plant species, whereas purely spatial processes accounted for 14% variation. Null model analysis showed that species spatially segregated in a non-random way and these spatial patterns could be due to a combination of environmental filtering and biotic interactions. Our grassland study suggests that environmental factors found to be directly relevant in broad scale studies are present also at small scales, but are supplemented by spatial processes and more direct interactions like competition. (C) 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
KW  - Assembly pattern
KW  - Dispersal limitation
KW  - Festuca brevipila
KW  - Niche partitioning
KW  - Null model
KW  - Plant community ecology
KW  - Variance partitioning
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2015.01.004
SN  - 1146-609X
SN  - 1873-6238
VL  - 63
SP  - 56
EP  - 62
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Paris
ER  -