Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory?
Background and Aims Understanding processes and mechanisms governing changes in plant species along primary successions has been of major importance in ecology. However, to date hardly any studies have focused on the complete life cycle of species along a successional gradient, comparing pioneer, ea...
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fthighwire:oai:open-archive.highwire.org:annbot:103/7/1129 2023-05-15T18:01:41+02:00 Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? Marcante, Silvia Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, Brigitta 2009-05-01 00:00:00.0 text/html http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/103/7/1129 https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 en eng Oxford University Press http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/103/7/1129 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 Copyright (C) 2009, Oxford University Press ORIGINAL ARTICLES TEXT 2009 fthighwire https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 2015-02-28T20:05:00Z Background and Aims Understanding processes and mechanisms governing changes in plant species along primary successions has been of major importance in ecology. However, to date hardly any studies have focused on the complete life cycle of species along a successional gradient, comparing pioneer, early and late-successional species. In this study it is hypothesized that pioneer species should initially have a population growth rate, λ , greater than one with high fecundity rates, and declining growth rates when they are replaced by late-successional species. Populations of late-successional species should also start, at the mid-successional stage (when pioneer species are declining), with growth rates greater than one and arrive at rates equal to one at the late successional stage, mainly due to higher survival rates that allow these species to persist for a long time. Methods The demography of pioneer- ( Saxifraga aizoides ), early ( Artemisia genipi ) and late-successional species ( Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpicola ) was investigated together with that of a ubiquitous species ( Poa alpina ) along the Rotmoos glacier foreland (2300–2400 m a.s.l., Central Alps, Austria) over 3 years. A matrix modelling approach was used to compare the main demographic parameters. Elasticity values were plotted in a demographic triangle using fecundity, individual growth and survival as vital rates contributing to the population growth rates. Key Results The results largely confirmed the predictions for population growth rates during succession. However, high survival rates of larger adults characterized all species, regardless of where they were growing along the succession. At the pioneer site, high mortality rates of seedlings, plantlets and young individuals were recorded. Fecundity was found to be of minor relevance everywhere, but it was nevertheless sufficient to increase or maintain the population sizes. Conclusions Demographically, all the species over all sites behaved like late-successional or climax species in ... Text Poa alpina Saxifraga aizoides HighWire Press (Stanford University) Annals of Botany 103 7 1129 1143 |
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ORIGINAL ARTICLES Marcante, Silvia Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, Brigitta Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
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ORIGINAL ARTICLES |
description |
Background and Aims Understanding processes and mechanisms governing changes in plant species along primary successions has been of major importance in ecology. However, to date hardly any studies have focused on the complete life cycle of species along a successional gradient, comparing pioneer, early and late-successional species. In this study it is hypothesized that pioneer species should initially have a population growth rate, λ , greater than one with high fecundity rates, and declining growth rates when they are replaced by late-successional species. Populations of late-successional species should also start, at the mid-successional stage (when pioneer species are declining), with growth rates greater than one and arrive at rates equal to one at the late successional stage, mainly due to higher survival rates that allow these species to persist for a long time. Methods The demography of pioneer- ( Saxifraga aizoides ), early ( Artemisia genipi ) and late-successional species ( Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpicola ) was investigated together with that of a ubiquitous species ( Poa alpina ) along the Rotmoos glacier foreland (2300–2400 m a.s.l., Central Alps, Austria) over 3 years. A matrix modelling approach was used to compare the main demographic parameters. Elasticity values were plotted in a demographic triangle using fecundity, individual growth and survival as vital rates contributing to the population growth rates. Key Results The results largely confirmed the predictions for population growth rates during succession. However, high survival rates of larger adults characterized all species, regardless of where they were growing along the succession. At the pioneer site, high mortality rates of seedlings, plantlets and young individuals were recorded. Fecundity was found to be of minor relevance everywhere, but it was nevertheless sufficient to increase or maintain the population sizes. Conclusions Demographically, all the species over all sites behaved like late-successional or climax species in ... |
format |
Text |
author |
Marcante, Silvia Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, Brigitta |
author_facet |
Marcante, Silvia Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, Brigitta |
author_sort |
Marcante, Silvia |
title |
Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
title_short |
Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
title_full |
Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
title_fullStr |
Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
title_sort |
population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
publisher |
Oxford University Press |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/103/7/1129 https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 |
genre |
Poa alpina Saxifraga aizoides |
genre_facet |
Poa alpina Saxifraga aizoides |
op_relation |
http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/103/7/1129 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 |
op_rights |
Copyright (C) 2009, Oxford University Press |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 |
container_title |
Annals of Botany |
container_volume |
103 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
1129 |
op_container_end_page |
1143 |
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1766171180863062016 |