Abstract
The functional structures of communities respond to environmental changes by both species replacement (turnover) and within-species variation (intraspecific trait variability; ITV). Evidence is lacking on the relative importance of these two components, particularly in response to both short- and long-term environmental disturbance. We hypothesized that such short- and long-term perturbations would induce changes in community functional structure primarily via ITV and turnover, respectively. To test this we applied an experimental design across long-term mown and abandoned meadows, with each plot containing a further level of short-term management treatments: mowing, grazing and abandonment. Within each plot, species composition and trait values [height, shoot biomass, and specific leaf area (SLA)] were recorded on up to five individuals per species. Positive covariations between the contribution of species turnover and ITV occurred for height and shoot biomass in response to both short- and long-term management, indicating that species turnover and intraspecific adjustments selected for similar trait values. Positive covariations also occurred for SLA, but only in response to long-term management. The contributions of turnover and ITV changed depending on both the trait and management trajectory. As expected, communities responded to short-term disturbances mostly through changes in intraspecific trait variability, particularly for height and biomass. Interestingly, for SLA they responded to long-term disturbances by both species turnover and intraspecific adjustments. These findings highlight the importance of both ITV and species turnover in adjusting grassland functional trait response to environmental perturbation, and show that the response is trait specific and affected by disturbance regime history.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Barbora Zdvihalová, Ondřej Mudrák and Milan Kotilínek for help with sampling. The authors thank the following funding bodies: the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (14-36098G) and the Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia (GAJU 156/2013/P) (C. R. and M. V.); the Campus Hungary grant (Á. J. A.); Y. L. B. P. is supported by the project Postdoc USB (Registered No. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/30.0006) realised through the EU Education for Competitiveness Operational Programme; the project is funded by the European Social Fund and Czech state budget; the Czech Science Foundation GAČR GP14-10035P (P. B.); the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under Grant Agreement No. GA-2010-267243—PLANT FELLOWS (L. G.); the contribution of J. L. was funded by the Center of Excellence PLADIAS, GACR—14-36079G; the project was funded by the European Social Fund and the Czech state budget and by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (P505/12/1296).
Author contribution statement
Y. L. B. P., F. B., L. G., Z. H., Š. J., J. K. and J. L. designed the experimental and analytical approach; Z. H. and Š. J. obtained the data; L. G. and M. V. analysed the data; C. R. and M. V. wrote most of the first draft of the manuscript; C. R. made the language corrections; all coauthors contributed to the discussion of data analysis and results and contributed to the final writing.
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Communicated by Fernando Valladares.
M. Volf and C. Redmond contributed equally.
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Volf, M., Redmond, C., Albert, Á.J. et al. Effects of long- and short-term management on the functional structure of meadows through species turnover and intraspecific trait variability. Oecologia 180, 941–950 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-016-3548-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-016-3548-y