TY - JOUR

T1 - Priority effects caused by plant order of arrival affect below-ground productivity

AU - Weidlich, Emanuela W. A.

AU - Von Gillhaussen, Philipp

AU - Max, Johannes

AU - Delory, Benjamin

AU - Jablonowski, Nicolai D.

AU - Rascher, Uwe

AU - Temperton, Victoria Martine

PY - 2018/3/1

Y1 - 2018/3/1

N2 - Plant species that arrive first in the system can affect assembly (priority effects). However, effects of order of arrival of different plant functional groups (PFGs) on root development have not yet been investigated under field conditions. We measured standing and fine root length density in the first and third year of a grassland field experiment. We wanted to know if manipulating PFG order of arrival would affect root development, and if priority effects are modulated by soil type. Sowing legumes first created a priority effect that was found in the first and third year, with a lower standing root length density in this treatment, even though the plant community composition was different in each of the studied years. Fine root length density was not affected by order of arrival, but changed according to the soil type. Synthesis. We found strong evidence that sowing legumes first created a priority effect below-ground that was found in the first and third year of this field experiment, even though the functional group dominance was different in each of the studied years.

AB - Plant species that arrive first in the system can affect assembly (priority effects). However, effects of order of arrival of different plant functional groups (PFGs) on root development have not yet been investigated under field conditions. We measured standing and fine root length density in the first and third year of a grassland field experiment. We wanted to know if manipulating PFG order of arrival would affect root development, and if priority effects are modulated by soil type. Sowing legumes first created a priority effect that was found in the first and third year, with a lower standing root length density in this treatment, even though the plant community composition was different in each of the studied years. Fine root length density was not affected by order of arrival, but changed according to the soil type. Synthesis. We found strong evidence that sowing legumes first created a priority effect below-ground that was found in the first and third year of this field experiment, even though the functional group dominance was different in each of the studied years.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - below-ground productivity

KW - facilitation

KW - historical contingency

KW - order of arrival

KW - plant functional groups

KW - priority effects

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041964244&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/1365-2745.12829

DO - 10.1111/1365-2745.12829

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 106

SP - 774

EP - 780

JO - Journal of Ecology

JF - Journal of Ecology

SN - 0022-0477

IS - 2

ER -