Contrasting patterns of fine-scale herb layer species
composition in temperate forests

J 2017

Contrasting patterns of fine-scale herb layer species composition in temperate forests

CHUDOMELOVÁ, Markéta, David ZELENÝ and Ching-Feng LI

Basic information

Original name

Contrasting patterns of fine-scale herb layer species composition in temperate forests

Authors

CHUDOMELOVÁ, Markéta (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), David ZELENÝ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Ching-Feng LI (158 Taiwan)

Edition

ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Amsterdam, Elsevier, 2017, 1146-609X

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10618 Ecology

Country of publisher

Netherlands

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 1.615

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/17:00094667

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2017.02.003

UT WoS

000400717600004

Keywords in English

Spatial structures; Environmental heterogeneity; Ellenberg indicator values; Oak forest; Scalogram; Spatial eigenvector mapping

Abstract

V originále

We examined fine-scale environmental determinants and spatial structures of herb layer communities in thermophilous oak- and hornbeam dominated forests of the south-eastern part of the Czech Republic. Species composition of herb layer vegetation and environmental variables were recorded within a fixed grid of 2 × 2 m subplots regularly distributed within 1-ha quadrate plots in three forest stands. For each site, environmental models best explaining species composition were constructed using constrained ordination analysis. Spatial eigenvector mapping was used to model and account for spatial structures in community variation. Mean Ellenberg indicator values calculated for each subplot were used for ecological interpretation of spatially structured residual variation. The amount of variation explained by environmental and spatial models as well as the selection of variables with the best explanatory power differed among sites. As an important environmental factor, relative elevation was common to all three sites, while pH and canopy openness were shared by two sites. Both the environmental and community variation was mostly coarse-scaled, as well as the spatially structured portion of residual variation. When corrected for bias due to spatial autocorrelation, those environmental predictors with already weak explanatory power lost their significance. Only a weak evidence of possibly omitted environmental predictor was found for autocorrelated residuals of site models using mean Ellenberg indicator values. Community structure was codetermined by different factors at different sites. The relative importance of environmental filtering vs. spatial processes was also site specific, implying that results of fine-scale studies tend to be shaped by local conditions. Contrary to expectations based on other studies, overall dominance of spatial processes at fine scale has not been detected. Ecologists should keep this in mind when making generalizations about community dynamics.

Links

GAP505/12/1022, research and development project

Name: Beta diverzita rostlinných společenstev podél omezených ekologických gradientů

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

MUNI/A/1301/2016, interní kód MU

Name: Diverzita, dynamika a fylogenetické vztahy klíčových společenstev významných evropských biotopů (Acronym: DIDYF)

Investor: Masaryk University, Category A

Citovat

CHUDOMELOVÁ, Markéta, David ZELENÝ and Ching-Feng LI. Contrasting patterns of fine-scale herb layer species composition in temperate forests. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2017, vol. 80, April, p. 24-31. ISSN 1146-609X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2017.02.003.

@article{1375533,
   author = {Chudomelová, Markéta and Zelený, David and Li, ChingandFeng},
   article_location = {Amsterdam},
   article_number = {April},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2017.02.003},
   keywords = {Spatial structures; Environmental heterogeneity; Ellenberg indicator values; Oak forest; Scalogram; Spatial eigenvector mapping},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1146-609X},
   journal = {ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY},
   title = {Contrasting patterns of fine-scale herb layer species composition in temperate forests},
   url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1146609X1630234X},
   volume = {80},
   year = {2017}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1375533
AU  - Chudomelová, Markéta - Zelený, David - Li, Ching-Feng
PY  - 2017
TI  - Contrasting patterns of fine-scale herb layer species composition in temperate forests
JF  - ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
VL  - 80
IS  - April
SP  - 24-31
EP  - 24-31
PB  - Elsevier
SN  - 1146609X
KW  - Spatial structures
KW  - Environmental heterogeneity
KW  - Ellenberg indicator values
KW  - Oak forest
KW  - Scalogram
KW  - Spatial eigenvector mapping
UR  - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1146609X1630234X
L2  - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1146609X1630234X
N2  - We examined fine-scale environmental determinants and spatial structures of herb layer communities in thermophilous oak- and hornbeam dominated forests of the south-eastern part of the Czech Republic. Species composition of herb layer vegetation and environmental variables were recorded within a fixed grid of 2 × 2 m subplots regularly distributed within 1-ha quadrate plots in three forest stands. For each site, environmental models best explaining species composition were constructed using constrained ordination analysis. Spatial eigenvector mapping was used to model and account for spatial structures in community variation. Mean Ellenberg indicator values calculated for each subplot were used for ecological interpretation of spatially structured residual variation. The amount of variation explained by environmental and spatial models as well as the selection of variables with the best explanatory power differed among sites. As an important environmental factor, relative elevation was common to all three sites, while pH and canopy openness were shared by two sites. Both the environmental and community variation was mostly coarse-scaled, as well as the spatially structured portion of residual variation. When corrected for bias due to spatial autocorrelation, those environmental predictors with already weak explanatory power lost their significance. Only a weak evidence of possibly omitted environmental predictor was found for autocorrelated residuals of site models using mean Ellenberg indicator values. Community structure was codetermined by different factors at different sites. The relative importance of environmental filtering vs. spatial processes was also site specific, implying that results of fine-scale studies tend to be shaped by local conditions. Contrary to expectations based on other studies, overall dominance of spatial processes at fine scale has not been detected. Ecologists should keep this in mind when making generalizations about community dynamics.
ER  -

CHUDOMELOVÁ, Markéta, David ZELENÝ and Ching-Feng LI. Contrasting patterns of fine-scale herb layer species composition in temperate forests. \textit{ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY}. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2017, vol.~80, April, p.~24-31. ISSN~1146-609X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2017.02.003.

Detailed Information on Publication Record