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, e...
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Oxford University Press
2009
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Online Access: | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=386 https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 |
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ftufz:oai:ufz.de:386 2023-12-10T09:53:07+01:00 Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? Marcante, S. Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, B. 2009-03-08 application/pdf https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=386 https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 en eng Oxford University Press Annals of Botany 103 (7);; 1129 - 1143 https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=386 https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ISSN: 0305-7364 Demography elasticity glacier foreland matrix model population growth primary succession strategy Saxifraga aizoides Artemisia genipi Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpicola Poa alpina info:eu-repo/semantics/article https://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text 2009 ftufz https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 2023-11-12T23:27:12Z 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, , 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 (Artemisiagenipi) 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 secondary ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Poa alpina Saxifraga aizoides UFZ - Publication Index (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research) Annals of Botany 103 7 1129 1143 |
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Open Polar |
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UFZ - Publication Index (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research) |
op_collection_id |
ftufz |
language |
English |
topic |
Demography elasticity glacier foreland matrix model population growth primary succession strategy Saxifraga aizoides Artemisia genipi Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpicola Poa alpina |
spellingShingle |
Demography elasticity glacier foreland matrix model population growth primary succession strategy Saxifraga aizoides Artemisia genipi Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpicola Poa alpina Marcante, S. Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, B. Population dynamics along a primary succession gradient: do alpine species fit into demographic succession theory? |
topic_facet |
Demography elasticity glacier foreland matrix model population growth primary succession strategy Saxifraga aizoides Artemisia genipi Anthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpicola Poa alpina |
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, , 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 (Artemisiagenipi) 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 secondary ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Marcante, S. Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, B. |
author_facet |
Marcante, S. Winkler, Eckart Erschbamer, B. |
author_sort |
Marcante, S. |
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 |
https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=386 https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 |
genre |
Poa alpina Saxifraga aizoides |
genre_facet |
Poa alpina Saxifraga aizoides |
op_source |
ISSN: 0305-7364 |
op_relation |
https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=386 https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcp047 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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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1784899668127252480 |