Interactive effects of nitrogen deposition and climate change on a globally rare forest geophyte
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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in: Plant Biology, Jahrgang 27, Nr. 2, 03.2025, S. 297-309.
Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › begutachtet
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Interactive effects of nitrogen deposition and climate change on a globally rare forest geophyte
AU - Ohse, Bettina
AU - Jansen, Doris
AU - Härdtle, Werner
AU - Fichtner, Andreas
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Plant Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of German Society for Plant Sciences, Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.
PY - 2025/3
Y1 - 2025/3
N2 - Nitrogen (N) deposition and climate change are both known to threaten global biodiversity. However, we still have a limited understanding of how interactions between these global change drivers affect individuals and populations of specialist species, such as geophytes, within their natural habitat. We explored possible interactive effects of N, drought, and warming on population vitality (mean leaf length, leaf density, flowering probability) and morpho-physiological traits (e.g., leaf and bulb size, N allocation to leaves and bulbs) of the globally rare forest geophyte Gagea spathacea (Liliaceae) in deciduous forests of northern Germany by applying experimental N addition across a climate gradient over a 5-year period. Mean leaf growth and leaf density were not affected by N addition but were enhanced by warmer and drier conditions in the months before leaf emergence. N addition increased N allocation of individual plants towards their subterranean bulbs. Importantly, effects of N addition on morpho-physiological traits depended on warming and drought, with N-fertilized plants showing increased leaf length and decreased specific leaf and bulb N concentration after drier autumns and warmer winters. This indicates that N deposition may partially compensate for increased N demands during warming-induced growth, although this growth-promoting interaction effect is not (yet) reflected in population vitality. Our results highlight the importance of considering multiple global environmental change drivers and a whole plant perspective (above- and belowground traits) to predict long-term growth responses of (endangered) forest spring geophytes and to develop adapted long-term protection strategies.
AB - Nitrogen (N) deposition and climate change are both known to threaten global biodiversity. However, we still have a limited understanding of how interactions between these global change drivers affect individuals and populations of specialist species, such as geophytes, within their natural habitat. We explored possible interactive effects of N, drought, and warming on population vitality (mean leaf length, leaf density, flowering probability) and morpho-physiological traits (e.g., leaf and bulb size, N allocation to leaves and bulbs) of the globally rare forest geophyte Gagea spathacea (Liliaceae) in deciduous forests of northern Germany by applying experimental N addition across a climate gradient over a 5-year period. Mean leaf growth and leaf density were not affected by N addition but were enhanced by warmer and drier conditions in the months before leaf emergence. N addition increased N allocation of individual plants towards their subterranean bulbs. Importantly, effects of N addition on morpho-physiological traits depended on warming and drought, with N-fertilized plants showing increased leaf length and decreased specific leaf and bulb N concentration after drier autumns and warmer winters. This indicates that N deposition may partially compensate for increased N demands during warming-induced growth, although this growth-promoting interaction effect is not (yet) reflected in population vitality. Our results highlight the importance of considering multiple global environmental change drivers and a whole plant perspective (above- and belowground traits) to predict long-term growth responses of (endangered) forest spring geophytes and to develop adapted long-term protection strategies.
KW - Biodiversity
KW - forest herb
KW - Gagea spathacea
KW - global change
KW - interaction effects
KW - N allocation
KW - spring geophyte
KW - Biology
KW - Ecosystems Research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85212937886&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/plb.13758
DO - 10.1111/plb.13758
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 39720947
AN - SCOPUS:85212937886
VL - 27
SP - 297
EP - 309
JO - Plant Biology
JF - Plant Biology
SN - 1435-8603
IS - 2
ER -