Taxonomic and functional turnover are decoupled in European peat bogs
Taxonomic and functional turnover are decoupled in European peat bogs
In peatland ecosystems, plant communities mediate a globally significant carbon store. The effects of global environmental change on plant assemblages are expected to be a factor in determining how ecosystem functions such as carbon uptake will respond. Using vegetation data from 56 Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs across Europe, we show that in these ecosystems plant species aggregate into two major clusters that are each defined by shared response to environmental conditions. Across environmental gradients, we find significant taxonomic turnover in both clusters. However, functional identity and functional redundancy of the community as a whole remain unchanged. This strongly suggests that in peat bogs, species turnover across environmental gradients is restricted to functionally similar species. Our results demonstrate that plant taxonomic and functional turnover are decoupled, which may allow these peat bogs to maintain ecosystem functioning when subject to future environmental change.
Robroek, Bjorn J.M.
06dcb269-687c-41db-ab73-f61899617f92
Jassey, Vincent E.J.
f821a8ae-2435-41e8-9c4b-ef274b176b82
Payne, Richard J.
f01c3976-57e3-4de6-9f08-86edb22919c4
Martí, Magalí
79ce5e8c-6318-467c-9800-3a69dbbbf2f2
Bragazza, Luca
a4f6e3d3-5566-4131-b8c2-83941876988a
Bleeker, Albert
b77e8023-f4f5-45a1-8cec-8f8da363ca1b
Buttler, Alexandre
82fbae10-5699-4b8a-abac-8d402481adf8
Caporn, Simon J.M.
00942352-8519-4d40-b0a5-181957b032b8
Dise, Nancy B.
936b11ac-cb70-4c07-a914-8b2dfe8f4ac2
Kattge, Jens
5384840e-4f6f-4b1d-bd0d-dc4f73453d26
Zajac, Katarzyna
90f2a04e-622d-4dfc-932c-6f995818c680
Svensson, Bo H.
2e586ec5-c911-4ba3-8554-3a396f72ac56
van Ruijven, Jasper
adba22b8-ea98-4dc6-988a-126db69126d0
Verhoeven, Jos T.A.
01861382-2154-4fce-a9bb-bcdab429d832
Robroek, Bjorn J.M.
06dcb269-687c-41db-ab73-f61899617f92
Jassey, Vincent E.J.
f821a8ae-2435-41e8-9c4b-ef274b176b82
Payne, Richard J.
f01c3976-57e3-4de6-9f08-86edb22919c4
Martí, Magalí
79ce5e8c-6318-467c-9800-3a69dbbbf2f2
Bragazza, Luca
a4f6e3d3-5566-4131-b8c2-83941876988a
Bleeker, Albert
b77e8023-f4f5-45a1-8cec-8f8da363ca1b
Buttler, Alexandre
82fbae10-5699-4b8a-abac-8d402481adf8
Caporn, Simon J.M.
00942352-8519-4d40-b0a5-181957b032b8
Dise, Nancy B.
936b11ac-cb70-4c07-a914-8b2dfe8f4ac2
Kattge, Jens
5384840e-4f6f-4b1d-bd0d-dc4f73453d26
Zajac, Katarzyna
90f2a04e-622d-4dfc-932c-6f995818c680
Svensson, Bo H.
2e586ec5-c911-4ba3-8554-3a396f72ac56
van Ruijven, Jasper
adba22b8-ea98-4dc6-988a-126db69126d0
Verhoeven, Jos T.A.
01861382-2154-4fce-a9bb-bcdab429d832
Robroek, Bjorn J.M., Jassey, Vincent E.J., Payne, Richard J., Martí, Magalí, Bragazza, Luca, Bleeker, Albert, Buttler, Alexandre, Caporn, Simon J.M., Dise, Nancy B., Kattge, Jens, Zajac, Katarzyna, Svensson, Bo H., van Ruijven, Jasper and Verhoeven, Jos T.A.
(2017)
Taxonomic and functional turnover are decoupled in European peat bogs.
Nature Communications, 8, [1161].
(doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01350-5).
Abstract
In peatland ecosystems, plant communities mediate a globally significant carbon store. The effects of global environmental change on plant assemblages are expected to be a factor in determining how ecosystem functions such as carbon uptake will respond. Using vegetation data from 56 Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs across Europe, we show that in these ecosystems plant species aggregate into two major clusters that are each defined by shared response to environmental conditions. Across environmental gradients, we find significant taxonomic turnover in both clusters. However, functional identity and functional redundancy of the community as a whole remain unchanged. This strongly suggests that in peat bogs, species turnover across environmental gradients is restricted to functionally similar species. Our results demonstrate that plant taxonomic and functional turnover are decoupled, which may allow these peat bogs to maintain ecosystem functioning when subject to future environmental change.
Text
s41467-017-01350-5
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 6 September 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 27 October 2017
Additional Information:
Acknowledgements
The BiodivERsA-PEATBOG project was funded as an ERA-net project within the
European Union’s 6th Framework Programme for Research through NWO-ALW
(832.09.003). The Dutch Foundation for the Conservation of Irish Bogs funded part of this study. We thank all agencies and landowners for peatland access, and all who assisted in the field. We are indebted to Jane Catford, Liesje Mommer, Heinjo During, Hans ter Steege and Hendrik Poorter for valuable comments. This paper is in memory of late Christian Blodau (1971–2016), an inspiring member of the PEATBOG team.
Author contributions
Conceptualization and funding acquisition: L.B., S.J.M.C, N.B.D., B.H.S. and J.T.A.V.; Floristic data collection: B.J.M.R., L.B. and S.J.M.C, with help of M.M., R.J.P., N.B.D., K.Z. and J.T.A.V.; Bioclimatic resources: B.J.M.R., A.Bl. and R.J.P.; Trait data: B.J.M.R., V.E.J.J. and J.K.; Statistical analyses: B.J.M.R. and V.E.J.J.; Writing: B.J.M.R., V.E.J.J., R.J.P, L.B., A.Bu, J.v.R., and J.T.A.V. wrote the original draft, to which all authors contributed by review and editing.
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 415277
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/415277
PURE UUID: ed9cc98a-c8da-43b0-bc69-bc90f966a33d
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 06 Nov 2017 17:30
Last modified: 15 Apr 2024 17:05
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Bjorn J.M. Robroek
Author:
Vincent E.J. Jassey
Author:
Richard J. Payne
Author:
Magalí Martí
Author:
Luca Bragazza
Author:
Albert Bleeker
Author:
Alexandre Buttler
Author:
Simon J.M. Caporn
Author:
Nancy B. Dise
Author:
Jens Kattge
Author:
Katarzyna Zajac
Author:
Bo H. Svensson
Author:
Jasper van Ruijven
Author:
Jos T.A. Verhoeven
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics