Presence of a dominant native shrub is associated with minor shifts in the function and composition of grassland communities in a northern savannah.

ABSTRACT: Ecosystems are spatially heterogenous in plant community composition and function. Shrub occurrence in grasslands is a visually striking example of this, and much research has been conducted to understand the functional implications of this pattern. Within savannah ecosystems, the presence of tree and shrub overstories can have significant impacts on the understory herbaceous community. The exact outcomes, however, are likely a function of the spatial arrangement and traits of the overstory species. Here we test whether there are functional linkages between the spatial patterning of a native shrub and the standing biomass, community composition, and overall nutrient cycling of a neighbouring grassland understory communities within the Aspen Parkland of central Alberta, Canada. In a paired

SUBMITTER: Peetoom Heida I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8050699 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature