Multidimensional trait space outlines the effects of changes in abiotic filtering on aquatic plant community from sub-Antarctic ponds

• Published in: Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics
• Main Authors: Douce, Pauline, Eymar-Dauphin, Pauline, Saiz, Hugo, Renault, David, Mermillod-Blondin, Florian, Simon, Laurent, Vallier, Félix, Bittebière, Anne‐kristel
• Other Authors: Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés (LEHNA), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État (ENTPE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Zaragoza - Universidad de Zaragoza Zaragoza, Universität Bern = University of Bern = Université de Berne (UNIBE), Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution Rennes (ECOBIO), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut Ecologie et Environnement - CNRS Ecologie et Environnement (INEE-CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes (OSUR), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut universitaire de France (IUF), Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (M.E.N.E.S.R.)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2024
• Subjects: Community assembly; Functional trait; Hypervolume; Abiotic variables; Trait variability; Productivity; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Antarc*; Antarctic
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04649253; https://hal.science/hal-04649253/document; https://hal.science/hal-04649253/file/1-s2.0-S1433831924000210-main.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2024.125798

International audience In the current context of climate changes, which causes strong habitat variation, an understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant community dynamics is crucial to predict species fates. The taking of inter- and intraspecific trait variability into account would aid the identification of these mechanisms. Recently, a method involving the calculation of hypervolumes (n-dimensional spaces of trait values) was developed for the study of plant responses to their environments. Through hypervolume comparison, we examined the effects of interannual variations in abiotic conditions on aquatic plant communities in ponds of the sub-Antarctic Iles Kerguelen. This model system is particularly relevant for the examination of the consequences of climate changes–related habitat variation, as aquatic plant communities are adapted to cold and overall stable habitat conditions and the sub-Antarctic climate is changing rapidly. We conducted field sampling over four years at three sites. For all aquatic species, we measured five foliar, shoot, and clonal traits characterizing individual growth strategies that are likely to respond to variations in abiotic conditions on 1565 ramets over the four years. We measured 10 abiotic variables to characterize the plants’ habitats every three months during the survey period. Hypervolumes were calculated for each site and year to assess variation in aquatic plant strategies at the community level. We demonstrated (i) the importance of spatiotemporal gradients of trophic status, temperature, and pH and dissolved oxygen concentration for the functional structure of aquatic plant communities; (ii) that the shape of the mean response was trait dependent, with traits related to plant metabolism (specific leaf area and specific internode mass) and three-dimensional space exploration (height and internode length) responding to the three spatiotemporal abiotic gradients; (iii) that selection pressures were especially high on aerial traits relative to clonal traits; and (iv) ...