Journal
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
Volume 91, Issue 6, Pages 999-1007Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2745.2003.00830.x
Keywords
community structure; diversity; grassland; oak savanna; seed limitation; species coexistence; species richness
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
1 We present results from a long-term sowing experiment conducted in nutrient-poor savanna grassland in eastern Minnesota. We examine the effects of a one-time seed addition of 23 grassland species on plant community dynamics and structure over eight growing seasons. 2 Our goals were to: (i) test the importance of seed availability in regulating plant colonization dynamics and species richness; (ii) assess both the initial effects of sowing on species diversity and community structure and whether these effects increased, persisted or dissipated over the long-term; and (iii) determine the long-term impacts of sown species on the structure and dynamics of the existing community, including effects on species diversity, the abundance of existing (non-sown) species, extinction rate and abundance hierarchy. 3 Sowing led to the successful establishment of several plant species that had not been present in the plots and to increased abundance of other species that were already present. 4 Sowing led to sustained, significant changes in community structure, including increased species richness, increased community evenness, and decreased absolute and relative abundance of non-sown species. Effects of sowing were large and significant 8 years after sowing, revealing the role of seed limitation in these grassland communities. 5 In total, the results suggest that dispersal limitations, species pools and local biotic processes interact to regulate plant community structure.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available