Experimental evidence of reduced diversity of seedlings due to climate modification in a Mediterranean-type community
We are still lacking in experimental evidence of the effects of climate change on the richness of plant species under field conditions. We report a decrease in the species richness of recruited seedlings in a Mediterranean shrubland in experimentally induced drought and warming over 4 consecutive ye...
| Autores: | , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2004 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Repositorio: | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ddd.uab.cat:80985 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/80985 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2004.00725.x |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Climate warming Drought Global change Mediterranean ecosystems Seedling dynamics Species diversity Species recruitment Escalfament del clima Sequera Canvi global Ecosistemes mediterranis Dinàmica de les plàntules Diversitat d'espècies Recompte d'espècies Calentamiento del clima Sequía Cambio global Ecosistemas mediterráneos Dinámica de las plántulas Diversidad de especies Recuento de especies |
| Sumario: | We are still lacking in experimental evidence of the effects of climate change on the richness of plant species under field conditions. We report a decrease in the species richness of recruited seedlings in a Mediterranean shrubland in experimentally induced drought and warming over 4 consecutive years. Drought decreased the number of emerging seedlings and their respective species richness. Warming also decreased seedling species richness, but it did not affect the number of emerging seedlings. Species that produce fewer recruits are more likely to disappear in drier or warmer scenarios. However, when the effect of induced climate treatment was greatest, the more abundant species in control stands were not necessarily the ones least affected by treatment; in other words, species-idiosyncratic responses may occur. These results show that demographic processes are sensitive to minor climate changes, with probable consequences on the diversity and structure of the future plant communities. |
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