Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Significance of Legumes for the Distribution of Plant Species in Grassland Ecosystems at Different Altitudes in the Alps

  • Published:
Plant Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The composition of plant species in grassland communities is determined in part by negative and positive interactions among neighbouring plants; such interactions could be dispersal or – in the case of legumes – symbiotic N2 fixation or resource acquisition. We hypothesised that small scale distribution of plant species may be in part affected by (i) the plant's narrow dispersal in the close neighbourhood, (ii) by the N input into the soil through symbiotic N2 fixation by legumes, and (iii) by small scale heterogeneity of N availability in the soil. To address these hypotheses, in four species-rich semi-natural and natural grasslands along an altitudinal gradient from 900 to 2100 m a.s.l., the association of species that grew within a radius of 5 cm of selected plant species (central plant, CP) was studied. The distribution of the plant species within the plant community was not random and the species composition that grew within a radius of 5 cm of a CP varied with altitude. The strength of the association between a CP and its neighbouring species decreased with increasing altitude. The 5 cm radius was most dominated by individuals of the same species as the CP, suggesting that narrow dispersal (either through seeds or through vegetative propagates) may be most important for the species composition within the sward. δ15N values of non leguminous species growing near legumes compared to non leguminous species that grew far from legumes indicate that N from symbiotic N2 fixation may be another factor influencing the association of plant species. Effects of small scale heterogeneity in apparent N availability in the soil were detected to be the least important for the species composition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • M.D. Bertness R.M. Callaway (1994) ArticleTitlePositive interactions in communities Trend Ecol. Evol. 9 191–193 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0169-5347(94)90087-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B.C. Boller J. Nösberger (1988) ArticleTitleInfluence of dissimilarities in temporal and spatial N-uptake pattern on 15N-based estimates of fixation and transfer of N in ryegrass-clover mixtures Plant Soil 112 167–175 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02139992

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.J. Cabin D.L. Marshall (2000) ArticleTitleThe demographic role of seed banks. I. Spatial and temporal comparisons of below- and above-ground populations of the desert mustard Lesquerella fendleri J. Ecol. 88 283–292 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2745.2000.00443.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.M. Callaway (1995) ArticleTitlePositive interactions among plants Bot. Rev. 61 306–349

    Google Scholar 

  • F.S. Chapin SuffixIII L.R. Walker C.L. Fastie L.C. Sharman (1994) ArticleTitleMechanism of primary succession following deglaciation at Glacier Bay, Alaska Ecol. Monogr. 64 149–175

    Google Scholar 

  • A.M. Domenach A. Corman (1984) ArticleTitleDinitrogen fixation by field grown soybeans, statistical analyses of variations in delta 15N and proposed sampling procedure Plant Soil 78 301–313

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Fransen H. de Kroon F. Berendse (2001) ArticleTitleSoil nutrient heterogeneity alters competition between two perennial grass species Ecology 82 2534–2546

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Franz (1987) ArticleTitleÖkologie des hochalpinen Raumes in den Alpen Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Ökologie 15 11–18

    Google Scholar 

  • C.H. Gimingham (1978) ArticleTitle Callunaits associated species, some aspects of coexistence in communities Vegetatio 36 179–186

    Google Scholar 

  • S.D. Hacker S.D. Gaines (1997) ArticleTitleSome implications of direct positive interaction for community species diversity Ecology 78 1990–2003

    Google Scholar 

  • U.A. Hartwig (1998) ArticleTitleThe regulation of symbiotic N2 fixation, a conceptual model of N feedback from the ecosystem to the gene expression level Perspect. Plant Ecol. Evol. Syst. 1 92–120 Occurrence Handle10.1078/1433-8319-00054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. Hebeisen A. Lüscher S. Zanetti B.U. Fischer U.A. Hartwig M. Frehner G.R. Hendrey H. Blum J. Nösberger (1997) ArticleTitleGrowth response of Trifolium repens L. and Lolium perenne L. as monocultures and bi-species mixture to free air CO2 enrichment and management Glob. Change Biol. 3 149–160 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2486.1997.00073.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H.E. Hess E. Landolt R. Hirzel (1984) Bestimmungsschlüssel zur Flora der Schweiz und angrenzender Gebiete EditionNumber2 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel und Stuttgart 657

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Hogh-Jensen J.K. Schjoerring (1994) ArticleTitleMeasurement of biological dinitrogen fixation in grasslandComparison of the enriched 15N dilution and the natural abundance methods at different nitrogen application rates and defoliation frequencies Plant Soil 166 153–163 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00008328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • K.A. Jacot A. Lüscher J. Nösberger U.A. Hartwig (2000a) ArticleTitleSymbiotic N2 fixation of various legume species along an altitudinal gradient in the Swiss Alps Soil Biol. Biochem. 32 1043–1052 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0038-0717(00)00012-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • K.A. Jacot Lüscher J. Nösberger U.A. Hartwig (2000b) ArticleTitleThe relative contribution of symbiotic N2 fixation and other nitrogen sources to grassland ecosystems along an altitudinal gradient in the Alps Plant Soil 225 201–211 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1026524212074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • K.A.I. Kershaw (1958) ArticleTitleAn investigation of the structure of a grassland community J. Ecol. 46 571

    Google Scholar 

  • K.A.I. Kershaw (1959) ArticleTitleAn investigation of the structure of a grassland community J. Ecol. 47 31–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Z. Kikvidze (1993) ArticleTitlePlant Species associations in alpine-subnival vegetation patches in the Central Caucasus J. Veget. Sci. 4 297–302

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Landolt (1977) ArticleTitleÖkologische Zeigerwerte zur Schweizer Flora Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der Eidgenössischen Techischen HochschuleStiftung Rübel, Zürich 64 83–169

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Lawrence R. Schoenike A. Quispel G. Bond (1967) ArticleTitleThe role of Dryas drummondi in vegetation development following ice regression at Glacier Bay, Alaskawith special reference to its nitrogen fixation by root nodules J. Ecol. 55 793–813

    Google Scholar 

  • S.F. Ledgard M.B. Peoples (1988) Measurement of nitrogen fixation in the field J.R. Wilson (Eds) Advances in Nitrogen Cycling in Agricultural Ecosystems Wallingford Cab Int UK 351–367

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Lüscher J. Connolly P. Jacquard (1992) ArticleTitleNeighbour specificity between Lolium perenne Trifolium repens from a natural pasture Oecologia 91 404–409 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00317630

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Lüscher P. Jacquard (1991) ArticleTitleCoevolution between interspecific plant competitors? Trend Ecol. Evol. 6 355–358 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0169-5347(91)90225-M

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • W.F. Morris D.M. Wood (1989) ArticleTitleThe role of lupine in succession on Mount St. Helens, facilitation or inhibition? Ecology 70 697–703

    Google Scholar 

  • M.B. Peoples A.W. Faizah B. Rerkasem D.F. Herridge (1989) Methods for evaluating nitrogen fixation by nodulated legumes in the field ACIAR Canberra 72

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Seresinhe U.A. Hartwig W. Kessler J. Nösberger (1994) ArticleTitleSymbiotic nitrogen fixation of white clover in a mixed sward is not limited by height of repeated cutting J. Agron. Crop Sci. 172 1009–1014

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Shearer D.H. Kohl (1986) ArticleTitleN2 fixation in field settings, estimations based on natural abundance Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 13 699–744

    Google Scholar 

  • J.F. Soussana M. Lafarga (1998) ArticleTitleCompetition for resources between neighbouring species and patch scale vegetation dynamics in temperate grasslands Annales de Zootechnie 47 371–382

    Google Scholar 

  • B.D. Thomas W.D. Bowman (1998) ArticleTitleInfluence of N2-fixing Trifolium on plant species composition and biomass production in alpine tundra Oecologia 115 26–31 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s004420050487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. Turkington J.L. Harper (1979a) ArticleTitleThe growthdistribution and neighbour relationships of Trifolium repens in a permanent pastureI Ordination pattern and contact J. Ecol. 67 201–218

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Turkington J.L. Harper (1979b) ArticleTitleThe growthdistribution and neighbour relationships of Trifolium repens in a permanent pastureII Inter- and intra-specific contact J. Ecol. 67 218–230

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Turkington J.L. Harper O. de Jong L.W. Aarssen (1985) ArticleTitleA reanalysis of interspecific association in an old pasture J. Ecol. 73 123–131

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Turkington (1989) ArticleTitleThe growthdistribution and neighbour relationships of Trifolium repens in a permanent pastureV The coevolution of competitors J. Ecol. 77 717–733

    Google Scholar 

  • P.M. Vitousek R.W. Howarth (1991) ArticleTitleNitrogen limitation on land and in the seahow can it occur? Biogeochemistry 13 87–115 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00002772

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D.A. Wedin D. Tilman (1990) ArticleTitleSpecies effect on nitrogen cycling, a test with perennial grasses Oecologia 84 433–441

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Zanetti U.A. Hartwig C. van Kessel A. Lüscher T. Hebeisen M. Frehner B.U. Fischer G.R. Hendrey H. Blum J. Nösberger (1997) ArticleTitleDoes nitrogen restrict the CO2 response of fertile grassland lacking legumes? Oecologia 112 17–25 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s004420050278

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Plant Sciences, 8092, Zurich, ETH-Zurich, Switzerland

    Katja A. Jacot, Andreas Lüscher, Josef Nösberger & Ueli A. Hartwig

  2. Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture, 8046, Zurich, Reckenholz, Switzerland

    Katja A. Jacot, Andreas Lüscher & Matthias Suter

  3. Academia Engiadina, 7503, Samedan, Switzerland

    Ueli A. Hartwig

Authors
  1. Katja A. Jacot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andreas Lüscher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Matthias Suter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Josef Nösberger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ueli A. Hartwig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ueli A. Hartwig.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jacot, K., Lüscher, A., Suter, M. et al. Significance of Legumes for the Distribution of Plant Species in Grassland Ecosystems at Different Altitudes in the Alps. Plant Ecol 180, 1–12 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-004-7810-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-004-7810-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation