unpacking net interactions for restoration & management
DESCRIPTION
The importance of basic facilitation ecology for restoration and management in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. #unpackingecology for the live tweets. Some ecological systems are very tightly packed or integrated. The packing of interactions in many systems can be anchored by basal plant species. The overarching hypothesis examined is that nurse-plants are the foundation species in dryland systems. Shrubs provide an anchor for community assembly and restoration The study of net interactions within communities is a novel opportunity for restoration. However, one answer is not enough and we must explore trophic and indirect interactions within these systems. Globally, there are studies of both mechanisms and trophic effects but limited examination of net interactions. Locally, we have established a set of experiments to explore these important concepts to provide management tools. Local management can trump global change effects in grasslands. Consequently, basal plant species can be keystone. The maintenance of contemporary biodiversity & function in drylandsTRANSCRIPT
Unpacking net interactions within communities to inform restoration & management.
@cjlortie #unpackingecology
plant communities can be very well packed
some systems even more tightly packed with basal anchors
particularly in severe environments
important for many organisms in these systems
arthropods
pollinators
small mammals
lizards
subordinate plant species
unpacking interactions
unpacking interactions = the directions
more broadly, community ecology has evolved
to incorporate more diverse sets of interactionsSotomayor & Lortie 2014
for instance, indirect interactionsSotomayor & Lortie 2014
integrated community concept
1000 studies on plant facilitation
4000 studies on plant competition
but the real evolution
integrated community concept
The sum of all direct and indirect, positive and negative influences which change in a non-proportional manner
along productivity gradients.
net interactions
keystone
module
non-keystone
module
+ -
diversity
predator
H L
use dominant plants in dryland ecosystemsFilazzola & Lortie 2014
many mechanistic pathways, many interactors
Filazzola & Lortie 2014
studied globallyFilazzola & Lortie 2014
but not to unpack interactions nor examine restoration & management
directindirect
+ -
restoration management
a
b
c
d
e
pollinators(5)
animals(20)
annuals(400)
seedbanks(25)
arthropods (5)
videosweeps
tracking/trapping exclosures
addition/removal surveys density series
addition/removal surveys seed traps
pan traps exclosures
experimentstool trophic unpacking indirect contrasts
Summing up evidence: one answer is not always enough.
Lau et al. 1998
progress to date
globally
globally
restoration & other trophic levels understudiedFilazzola & Lortie 2014
Filazzola & Lortie 2014
Filazzola & Lortie 2014
Gomez-Aparicio et al. 2004
yet there is every indication that dominants can facilitate restoration efforts in Mediterranean systems
Gomez-Aparicio 2009
yet there is also every indication that dominants can facilitate restoration in degraded ecosystems globally
Ruttan & Lortie 2014
restoration not just through abiotic amelioration butthrough consumer pressures as well
very novel opportunities to capitalize on existingdominants within ecosystems for management
progress to date
locally
directindirect
+ -
restoration management
a
b
c
d
e
pollinators(5)
animals(20)
annuals(400)
seedbanks(25)
arthropods (5)
videosweeps
tracking/trapping exclosures
addition/removal surveys density series
addition/removal surveys seed traps
pan traps exclosures
experimentstool trophic unpacking indirect contrasts
foundational research: map & describe effects.
Lortie et al. 2014 in prep
Panoche Hills Reserve Mojave National Preserve
N = 1000 topological gradient
soil moisture RDM
seedbank scat
Ephedra californica Larrea tridentata
N = 800 elevational gradient
soil moisture plants
seedbank
Lortie et al. 2014 in prep
Ephedra californica at Panoche Hills Reserve
Lortie et al. 2014 in prep
arthropods Spafford & Lortie 2013 Reid & Lortie 2012
arthropodsMolenda & Lortie 2012
arthropodsReid & Lortie 2012
differential & more rapid accumulation of species with dominants
arthropodsSpafford & Lortie 2013
different species with dominants
seeds Liczner & Lortie 2014 in prep
Kelso Dunes, Mojave
seeds 4 species
seeds
!
!Rii
Liczner & Lortie 2014 in prep
germination
50 % germination rate
seeds
Rii
Liczner & Lortie 2014 in prep
germination
!
!
annuals
shrub canopy removal to emulate human impacts on public lands
Michalet, Lortie et al 2014 in review
x
annualsMichalet, Lortie et al 2014 in review
next steps: entire shrub removal & addition track insects & animals
x
feeding trials with animal cams
animalsFilazzola, Liczner, Lamb, Westphal, & Lortie ongoing
animalsFilazzola, Liczner, Lamb, Westphal, & Lortie ongoing
pollinators Ruttan & Lortie 2014 in prep
pollinators Ruttan & Lortie 2014 in prep
magnet hypothesis
directindirect
+ -
restoration management
a
b
c
d
e
pollinators(5)
animals(20)
annuals(400)
seedbanks(25)
arthropods (5)
videosweeps
tracking/trapping exclosures
addition/removal surveys density series
addition/removal surveys seed traps
pan traps exclosures
experimentstool trophic unpacking indirect contrasts
implications
local management can trump global change effectsThebault, Lortie, et al. 2014
excellent opportunity here to merge simple facilitation ecology & restoration
many dryland systems are degraded or facing significant impacts
perhaps not to restore to former status but maintain appropriate contemporary function for biodiversity