@article {KNZ001611, title = {No effect of seed source on multiple aspects of ecosystem functioning during ecological restoration: cultivars compared to local ecotypes of dominant grasses}, journal = {Evolutionary Applications}, volume = {7}, year = {2014}, pages = {323 -335}, abstract = {

Genetic principles underlie recommendations to use local seed, but a paucity of information exists on the genetic distinction and ecological consequences of using different seed sources in restorations. We established a field experiment to test whether cultivars and local ecotypes of dominant prairie grasses were genetically distinct and differentially influenced ecosystem functioning. Whole plots were assigned to cultivar and local ecotype grass sources. Three subplots within each whole plot were seeded to unique pools of subordinate species. The cultivar of the increasingly dominant grass, Sorghastrum nutans, was genetically different than the local ecotype, but genetic diversity was similar between the two sources. There were no differences in aboveground net primary production, soil carbon accrual, and net nitrogen mineralization rate in soil between the grass sources. Comparable productivity of the grass sources among the species pools for four years shows functional equivalence in terms of biomass production. Subordinate species comprised over half the aboveground productivity, which may have diluted the potential for documented trait differences between the grass sources to influence ecosystem processes. Regionally developed cultivars may be a suitable alternative to local ecotypes for restoration in fragmented landscapes with limited gene flow between natural and restored prairie and negligible recruitment by seed.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, genetic diversity, genetic structure, grassland, prairie, propagule, soil}, doi = {10.1111/eva.12124}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eva.12124}, author = {S.G. Baer and D.J. Gibson and Benscoter, A.M. and Reed, L.K. and Campbell, R.E. and Klopf, R.P. and Willand, J.E. and Wodika, B.R.} } @article {KNZ001565, title = {Limited effects of dominant species population source on community composition during community assembly}, journal = {Journal of Vegetation Science}, volume = {24}, year = {2013}, pages = {429 -440}, abstract = {

Question To what extent do dominant species population sources and subordinate species pools affect diversity and composition of an assembling grassland community? Location Illinois, USA. Methods Percentage cover of all species were recorded annually in 36 1-m2 quadrats assigned to a factorial combination of dominant species population source (functionally distinct cultivar or non-cultivar seed source) and designed species pool (three levels varying in species identity, but with equal functional group representation and richness) during the first 4 yr of community assembly in an experimental grassland restoration. Results Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that individual species abundance, life form and community composition differed significantly among designed species pools, but were not strongly affected by population source of the dominant species (cultivar or non-cultivar). There were fewer C4 species in cultivar plots but only in one of three designed species pools during one of 4 yr of community assembly. The number of legume and forb species was higher in cultivar plots, but also only in one of the 4 yr of study. Other changes in species richness and abundance were solely related to successional change. Conclusions Non-dominant species introduced to restore plant communities strongly affects plant community composition, and composition can show fidelity to designed species pools. Only marginal or temporary effects of dominant species seed source were observed in the assembling plant community. Thus, we found no strong evidence that the source of dominant species, in this case cultivars compared to local ecotypes, has consequences for community assembly in the early stages of restoration (1\–4 yr). The absence of a strong dominant species source effect may be exacerbated by the assembly of diverse plant communities, resulting in a stronger effect of subordinate species seed mixture in restoration.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Community assembly, dominant species, Extended phenotype, grassland, restoration, Seed pool, tallgrass prairie}, doi = {10.1111/j.1654-1103.2012.01475.x}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2012.01475.x}, author = {D.J. Gibson and S.G. Baer and Klopf, R.P. and Reed, L.K. and Wodika, B.R. and Willand, J.E.} } @article {KNZ001562, title = {Temporal dynamics of plant community regeneration sources during tallgrass prairie restoration}, journal = {Plant Ecology}, volume = {214}, year = {2013}, pages = {1169 -1180}, abstract = {

Ecological restoration aims to augment and steer the composition and contribution of propagules for community regeneration in degraded environments. We quantified patterns in the abundance, richness, and diversity of seed and bud banks across an 11-year chronosequence of restored prairies and in prairie remnants to elucidate the degree to which the germinable seed bank, emerged seedlings, belowground buds, and emerged ramets were related to community regeneration. There were no directional patterns in the abundance, richness, or diversity of the germinable seed bank across the chronosequence. Emerged seedling abundance of sown species decreased during restoration. Richness and diversity of all emerged seedlings and non-sown emerged seedling species decreased across the chronosequence. Conversely, abundance and richness of belowground buds increased with restoration age and belowground bud diversity of sown species increased across the chronosequence. Numbers of emerged ramets also increased across the chronosequence and was driven primarily by the number of graminoid ramets. There were no temporal changes in abundance and richness of sown and non-sown emerged ramets, but diversity of sown emerged ramets increased across the chronosequence. This study demonstrates that after initial seeding, plant community structure in restored prairies increasingly reflects the composition of the bud bank.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, chronosequence, Community assembly, diversity, Propagules, Species richness}, doi = {10.1007/s11258-013-0241-7}, url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007\%2Fs11258-013-0241-7}, author = {Willand, J.E. and S.G. Baer and D.J. Gibson and Klopf, R.P.} }