Can bryophyte groups increase functional resolution in tundra ecosystems?

• Published in: Arctic Science
• Main Authors: Lett, Signe, Jónsdóttir, Ingibjörg, Becker-Scarpitta, Antoine, Christiansen, Casper, During, Heinjo, Ekelund, Flemming, Henry, Gregory H.R., Lang, Simone, Michelsen, Anders, Rousk, Kathrin, Alatalo, Juha, Betway, Katlyn, Rui, Sara, Callaghan, Terry, Carbognani, Michele, Cooper, Elisabeth, Cornelissen, J. Hans C., Dorrepaal, Ellen, Egelkraut, Dagmar, Elumeeva, Tatiana, Haugum, Siri, Hollister, Robert, Jägerbrand, Annika, Keuper, Frida, Klanderud, Kari, Lévesque, Esther, Liu, Xin, May, Jeremy, Michel, Pascale, Mörsdorf, Martin, Petraglia, Alessandro, Rixen, Christian, Robroek, Bjorn J.M., Rzepczynska, Agnieszka, Soudzilovskaia, Nadejda, Tolvanen, Anne, Vandvik, Vigdis, Volkov, Igor, Volkova, Irina, Zuijlen, Kristel Van
• Other Authors: BioEcoAgro - UMR transfrontalière INRAE 1158, Université d'Artois (UA)-Université de Liège-Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV)-Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale (ULCO)-Université de Lille-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-JUNIA (JUNIA), Université catholique de Lille (UCL)-Université catholique de Lille (UCL), BioEcoAgro - Equipe 2 - Integrated functioning of the soil-plant system and exchanges between the ecosystem and the hydrosphere and the atmosphere, Université catholique de Lille (UCL)-Université catholique de Lille (UCL)-Université d'Artois (UA)-Université de Liège-Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV)-Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale (ULCO)-Université de Lille-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-JUNIA (JUNIA)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2022
• Subjects: [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Arctic; Tundra
• Online Access: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04312090; https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2020-0057

International audience The relative contribution of bryophytes to plant diversity, primary productivity, and ecosystem functioning increases towards colder climates. Bryophytes respond to environmental changes at the species level, but because bryophyte species are relatively difficult to identify, they are often lumped into one functional group. Consequently, bryophyte function remains poorly resolved. Here, we explore how higher resolution of bryophyte functional diversity can be encouraged and implemented in tundra ecological studies. We briefly review previous bryophyte functional classifications and the roles of bryophytes in tundra ecosystems and their susceptibility to environmental change. Based on shoot morphology and colony organization, we then propose twelve easily distinguishable bryophyte functional groups. To illustrate how bryophyte functional groups can help elucidate variation in bryophyte effects and responses, we compiled existing data on water holding capacity, a key bryophyte trait. Although plant functional groups can mask potentially high interspecific and intraspecific variability, we found better separation of bryophyte functional group means compared with previous grouping systems regarding water holding capacity. This suggests that our bryophyte functional groups truly represent variation in the functional roles of bryophytes in tundra ecosystems. Lastly, we provide recommendations to improve the monitoring of bryophyte community changes in tundra study sites.