Seed dispersal by wind decreases when plants are water-stressed, potentially counteracting species coexistence and niche evolution.

ABSTRACT: Hydrology is a major environmental factor determining plant fitness, and hydrological niche segregation (HNS) has been widely used to explain species coexistence. Nevertheless, the distribution of plant species along hydrological gradients does not only depend on their hydrological niches but also depend on their seed dispersal, with dispersal either weakening or reinforcing the effects of HNS on coexistence. However, it is poorly understood how seed dispersal responds to hydrological conditions. To close this gap, we conducted a common-garden experiment exposing five wind-dispersed plant species (Bellis perennis, Chenopodium album, Crepis sancta, Hypochaeris glabra, and Hypochaeris radicata) to different hydrological conditions. We quantified the effects

SUBMITTER: Zhu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8601872 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature