Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/ele.12250
Document Shareable Link
Title (Primary) Staged invasions across disparate grasslands: effects of seed provenance, consumers and disturbance on productivity and species richness
Author Maron, J.L.; Auge, H. ORCID logo ; Pearson, D.E.; Korell, L.; Hensen, I.; Suding, K.N.; Stein, C.
Source Titel Ecology Letters
Year 2014
Department BZF; iDiv
Volume 17
Issue 4
Page From 499
Page To 507
Language englisch
Keywords Community assembly; exotic species; grasslands; invasion; local filters; plant competition; plant productivity; small mammals; species richness
UFZ wide themes RU1;
Abstract Exotic plant invasions are thought to alter productivity and species richness, yet these patterns
are typically correlative. Few studies have experimentally invaded sites and asked how addition of
novel species influences ecosystem function and community structure and examined the role of
competitors and/or consumers in mediating these patterns. We invaded disturbed and undisturbed
subplots in and out of rodent exclosures with seeds of native or exotic species in grasslands in
Montana, California and Germany. Seed addition enhanced aboveground biomass and species
richness compared with no-seeds-added controls, with exotics having disproportionate effects on
productivity compared with natives. Disturbance enhanced the effects of seed addition on productivity
and species richness, whereas rodents reduced productivity, but only in Germany and
California. Our results demonstrate that experimental introduction of novel species can alter
ecosystem function and community structure, but that local filters such as competition and herbivory
influence the magnitude of these impacts.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=14438
Maron, J.L., Auge, H., Pearson, D.E., Korell, L., Hensen, I., Suding, K.N., Stein, C. (2014):
Staged invasions across disparate grasslands: effects of seed provenance, consumers and disturbance on productivity and species richness
Ecol. Lett. 17 (4), 499 - 507 10.1111/ele.12250