Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances
Fabaceae species play a key role in ecosystem functioning through their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen via their symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. To increase benefits of using Fabaceae in agricultural systems, it is necessary to find ways to evaluate species or genotypes having potential ada...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpls.2015.00063/full |
| _version_ | 1819107433382936576 |
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| author | Florian eFort Florian eFort Claire eJouany Claire eJouany Pablo eCruz Pablo eCruz |
| author_facet | Florian eFort Florian eFort Claire eJouany Claire eJouany Pablo eCruz Pablo eCruz |
| author_sort | Florian eFort |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fabaceae species play a key role in ecosystem functioning through their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen via their symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. To increase benefits of using Fabaceae in agricultural systems, it is necessary to find ways to evaluate species or genotypes having potential adaptations to sub-optimal growth conditions. We evaluated the relevance of phylogenetic distance, absolute trait distance and hierarchical trait distance for comparing the adaptation of 13 grassland Fabaceae species to different habitats, i.e. ecological niches. We measured a wide range of functional traits (root traits, leaf traits and whole plant traits) in these species. Species phylogenetic and ecological distances were assessed from a species-level phylogenetic tree and species’ ecological indicator values, respectively. We demonstrated that differences in ecological niches between grassland Fabaceae species were related more to their hierarchical trait distances than to their phylogenetic distances. We showed that grassland Fabaceae functional traits tend to converge among species with the same ecological requirements. Species with acquisitive root strategies (thin roots, shallow root systems) are competitive species adapted to non-stressful meadows, while conservative ones (coarse roots, deep root systems) are able to tolerate stressful continental climates. In contrast, acquisitive species appeared to be able to tolerate low soil-P availability, while conservative ones need high P availability. Finally we highlight that traits converge along the ecological gradient, providing the assumption that species with similar root-trait values are better able to coexist, regardless of their phylogenetic distance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T02:53:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0d51b4a115d24366884daa43c036a16e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T02:53:57Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-0d51b4a115d24366884daa43c036a16e2022-12-21T18:41:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2015-02-01610.3389/fpls.2015.00063125493Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distancesFlorian eFort0Florian eFort1Claire eJouany2Claire eJouany3Pablo eCruz4Pablo eCruz5Montpellier SupAgroUniversité de ToulouseINRAUniversité de ToulouseINRAUniversité de ToulouseFabaceae species play a key role in ecosystem functioning through their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen via their symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. To increase benefits of using Fabaceae in agricultural systems, it is necessary to find ways to evaluate species or genotypes having potential adaptations to sub-optimal growth conditions. We evaluated the relevance of phylogenetic distance, absolute trait distance and hierarchical trait distance for comparing the adaptation of 13 grassland Fabaceae species to different habitats, i.e. ecological niches. We measured a wide range of functional traits (root traits, leaf traits and whole plant traits) in these species. Species phylogenetic and ecological distances were assessed from a species-level phylogenetic tree and species’ ecological indicator values, respectively. We demonstrated that differences in ecological niches between grassland Fabaceae species were related more to their hierarchical trait distances than to their phylogenetic distances. We showed that grassland Fabaceae functional traits tend to converge among species with the same ecological requirements. Species with acquisitive root strategies (thin roots, shallow root systems) are competitive species adapted to non-stressful meadows, while conservative ones (coarse roots, deep root systems) are able to tolerate stressful continental climates. In contrast, acquisitive species appeared to be able to tolerate low soil-P availability, while conservative ones need high P availability. Finally we highlight that traits converge along the ecological gradient, providing the assumption that species with similar root-trait values are better able to coexist, regardless of their phylogenetic distance.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpls.2015.00063/fullspecific root lengthroot depthroot functional traitNodule biomassEllenberg indicatorMycorrhizal rate |
| spellingShingle | Florian eFort Florian eFort Claire eJouany Claire eJouany Pablo eCruz Pablo eCruz Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances Frontiers in Plant Science specific root length root depth root functional trait Nodule biomass Ellenberg indicator Mycorrhizal rate |
| title | Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances |
| title_full | Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances |
| title_fullStr | Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances |
| title_short | Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances |
| title_sort | hierarchical traits distances explain grassland fabaceae species ecological niches distances |
| topic | specific root length root depth root functional trait Nodule biomass Ellenberg indicator Mycorrhizal rate |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpls.2015.00063/full |
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