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Interspecific variations in responses of Festuca rubra and Trifolium pratense to a severe clipping under environmental changes

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Abstract

Understanding and predicting possible responses of grassland species to global change is of important meaning for adapting grassland management to a changed and changing environment. A laboratory clipping experiment was conducted to examine the interspecific responses in an ecological context of competition and environmental changes. Festuca rubra and Trifolium pratense, either in monoculture or two- and three-species mixtures, were grown in three environmental combinations (ambient and increased temperature, repetitive N supply, and simulated acid rain), respectively. After a growth time of three months, plants were clipped at the height of 1.0 cm above soil surface. Plant height and aboveground biomass prior clipping, and survival rate and regrowth (height and biomass) after clipping were analyzed. F. rubra and T. pratense responded differently in compensatory growth and competition intensity to environmental change and co-existing species. The differences in their physiological and ecological traits may account for species-dependent responses. The present study emphasizes that predicting the plant assemblage response in the face of global change requires in understanding the integrating effects of abiotic and biotic factors.

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Abbreviations

MonoF/MonoT:

Monoculture of Festuca rubra or Trifolium pratense

MixFT:

Mixed culture of F. rubra and T. pratense

MixFTO:

Mixed culture of F. rubra, T. pratense, and Oenothera biennis

MixFTH:

Mixed culture of F. rubra, T. pratense and Hieracium pilosella

T0N0W6.0 :

ambient temperature + no additional N applied + watering at pH6.0

T+N+W6.0 :

increased temperature + N-addition + watering at pH6.0

T+N+W4.0 :

increased temperature + N-addition + watering at pH 4.0

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Junyan Zhang, Genwei Cheng & Mai-He Li

  2. Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zuercherstrasse 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

    Feihai Yu, Norbert Kräuchi & Mai-He Li

  3. Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada

    Junyan Zhang

  4. Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China

    Feihai Yu

  5. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Junyan Zhang

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  1. Junyan Zhang
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  2. Genwei Cheng
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  5. Mai-He Li
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Correspondence to Mai-He Li.

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Zhang, J., Cheng, G., Yu, F. et al. Interspecific variations in responses of Festuca rubra and Trifolium pratense to a severe clipping under environmental changes. Biologia 64, 292–298 (2009). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-009-0058-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-009-0058-y

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