Woody Plant Encroachment into Grasslands: Spatial Patterns of Functional Group Distribution and Community Development

摘要: Woody plant encroachment into grasslands has been globally widespread. The woody species invading represent a variety of contrasting functional groups and growth forms. Are some types (PFTs) better suited to invade than others? To what extent do local patterns distribution abundance PFTs reflect intrinsic topoedaphic properties versus plant-induced changes in soil properties? We addressed these questions the Southern Great Plains, United States at subtropical grassland known have encroached upon by over past 50-100 years. A total 20 (9 tree-statured; 11 shrub-statured) were encountered along transect extending from an upland playa basin. About half encroaching plants potential N2-fixers (55% species), but they contributed only 7% 16 % basal area. Most ubiquitously distributed gradient, with varying abundances. Overstory-understory comparisons suggest that while future composition communities is likely change, PFT not. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) ordination variance partitioning (Partial CCA) indicated developing was primarily influenced landscape location variables (e.g., texture) secondarily organic carbon nitrogen content. ubiquitous suggests are generally well-suited broad range settings. However, here we examined categorical non-quantitative traits. Although exerted more control floristics grassland-to-woodland succession did modifications concentrations, latter influence productivity nutrient cycling may, longer time-frames, feed back distributions.