Climate variability; Dominance hypothesis; Forage production; Functional complementarity; Functional structure of communities; Grazing; Interannual variation; Nutrient and water availability; Response and effect framework
Abstract :
[en] Biomass production in grasslands, a key component of food provision for domestic herbivores, is known to depend on climate, resource availability, and on the functional characteristics of communities. However, the combined effects of these different factors remain largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to unravel the causes of variations in the standing biomass of plant communities using a long-term experiment conducted in a Mediterranean rangeland of Southern France. Two management regimes, sheep grazing and grazing associated with mineral fertilization, were applied to different areas of the study site over the past 25 years. Abiotic (temperature, available water, nutrients) and biotic (components of the functional structure communities) factors were considered to explain interannual and spatial variations in standing biomass in these rangelands.
Standing biomass was highly predictable, with the best model explaining ;80% of variations in the amount of biomass produced, but the variation explained by abiotic and biotic factors was dependent on the season and on the management regime. Abiotic factors were found to have comparable effects in both management regimes: The amount of biomass produced in the spring was limited by cold temperatures, while it was limited by water availability and high temperatures in the summer. In the fertilized community, the progressive change in the functional structure of the communities had significant effects on the amount of biomass produced: the dominance of few productive species which were functionally close led to higher peak standing biomass in spring.
Chollet, Simon; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS > Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175)
Rambal, Serge; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS > Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175)
Fayolle, Adeline ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Forêts, Nature et Paysage > Gestion des ressources forestières et des milieux naturels
Hubert, Daniel; Institut Scientifique de Recherche Agronomique - INRA > Elevage des Ruminants en Régions Chaudes
Foulquié, Didier; Institut Scientifique de Recherche Agronomique - INRA > Domaine de La Fage
Garnier, Eric; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS > Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR 5175)
Language :
English
Title :
Combined effects of climate, resource availability, and plant traits on biomass produced in a Mediterranean rangeland
Publication date :
2014
Journal title :
Ecology
ISSN :
0012-9658
Publisher :
Ecological Society of America, Washington, United States - District of Columbia
Volume :
95
Issue :
3
Pages :
737-748
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Name of the research project :
INRA-EcoGer project DivHerbe (Structure, diversité et fonctionnement : des clés multi-échelles pour la gestion des prairies permanentes)
Funders :
INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique [FR]
Commentary :
This study was partially funded by the French national INRA-EcoGer project DivHerbe (Structure, diversite´ et fonctionnement: des cle´ s multi-e´chelles pour la gestion des prairies permanentes) coordinated by Pablo Cruz (INRA Toulouse, France). We thank the technical staff of the La Fage INRA experimental station for facilities and support to carry out the field work. We also thank Olivier Gimenez, Denis Vile, and Cyrille Violle for their useful advice at different stages of the data analyses. This is a publication from the GDR 2574 ‘‘TRAITS’’ (CNRS, France).
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