Biology subjects

Bongers, F. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Bongers, F. J..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Tree species and genetic diversity increase productivity via functional diversity and trophic feedbacks

Addressing global biodiversity loss requires an expanded focus on multiple dimensions of biodiversity. While most studies have focused on the consequences of plant interspecific diversity, our mechanistic understanding of how the diversity within a given plant species (genetic diversity) affects plant productivity remains limited. Here, we use a tree species x genetic diversity experiment to disentangle the effects of species diversity and genetic diversity, and how they are related to tree functional diversity and trophic feedbacks. Tree species as well as genetic diversity increased tree productivity via increased tree functional diversity, reduced soil fungal diversity and marginally reduced herbivory. The effect of tree genetic diversity on productivity was partly different between tree species monocultures and mixtures: the functional diversity effect resulting from tree genetic diversity was only found in tree species monocultures, but the trophic feedbacks via herbivory were similar in species monocultures and mixtures. Given the complexity of interactions between tree species and genetic diversity, tree functional diversity and trophic feedbacks on productivity, we suggest that both tree species and genetic diversity should be considered in reforestation.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

Hydraulic diversity stabilizes productivity in a large-scale subtropical tree biodiversity experiment

Extreme climatic events threaten forests and their climate mitigation potential globally. Understanding the drivers promoting ecosystem stability is therefore considered crucial to mitigate adverse climate change effects on forests. Here, we use structural equation models to explain how tree species richness, asynchronous species dynamics and diversity in hydraulic traits affect the stability of forest productivity along an experimentally manipulated biodiversity gradient ranging from 1 to 24 tree species. Tree species richness improved stability by increasing species asynchrony. That is, at higher species richness, inter-annual variation in productivity among tree species buffered the community against stress-related productivity declines. This effect was mediated by the diversity of species hydraulic traits regarding drought tolerance and stomatal control, but not by the community-weighted means of these traits. The identified mechanisms by which tree species richness stabilizes forest productivity emphasize the importance of hydraulically diverse, mixed-species forests to adapt to climate change.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2019

Reducing shade avoidance can improve Arabidopsis canopy performance against competitors

The loss of crop yield due to weeds is an urgent agricultural problem. Although herbicides are an effective way to control weeds, more sustainable solutions for weed management are desirable. It has been proposed that crop plants can communally suppress weeds by shading them out. Shade avoidance responses, such as upward leaf movement (hyponasty) and stem or petiole elongation, enhance light capture of individual plants, increasing their individual fitness. The shading capacity of the entire crop community might, however, be more effective if aspects of shade avoidance are suppressed. Testing this hypothesis in crops is hampered by the lack of well-characterized mutants. We therefore investigated if Arabidopsis competitive performance at the community level against invading competitors is affected by the ability to display shade avoidance. We tested two mutants: pif4pif5 that has mildly reduced petiole elongation and hyponasty and pif7 with normal elongation but absent hyponasty in response to shade. Although pif4pif5 performed similar to wildtype, we found that pif7 showed significantly increased canopy biomass and suppression of invading competitors as compared to its wildtype. Our data thus show that modifying specific shade avoidance aspects has potential for plant community performance. This may help to suppress weeds in crop stands.\n\nHighlightHyponastic response in canopies facilitates light penetration and weed growth. Inhibition of this response to neighbors increased canopy biomass, canopy closure and suppression of competitors.

plant biology↗