RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Establishment of a desert foundation species is limited by exotic plants and light but not herbivory or water
Alessandro Filazzola,
Charlotte Brown,
Michael Westphal,
Christopher J. Lortie,
Corresponding Author
Alessandro Filazzola
Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ABn, Canada
Correspondence
Alessandro Filazzola, Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3 Canada.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCharlotte Brown
Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ABn, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMichael Westphal
Central Coast Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, Marina, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristopher J. Lortie
Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorAlessandro Filazzola,
Charlotte Brown,
Michael Westphal,
Christopher J. Lortie,
Corresponding Author
Alessandro Filazzola
Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ABn, Canada
Correspondence
Alessandro Filazzola, Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3 Canada.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorCharlotte Brown
Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ABn, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMichael Westphal
Central Coast Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, Marina, California, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristopher J. Lortie
Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information
This research was funded by a NSERC DG to CJL and the Central Coast Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. York University Faculty of Graduate Studies salary also supported AF.
Abstract
Questions
The biodiversity of deserts is becoming increasingly threatened due to global change including the introduction of invasive species. Desert shrubs are foundational species that can facilitate native plant communities but can also benefit exotic species. The influence of exotic plants on the establishment of benefactors from seeds or seedlings is a critical knowledge gap. We tested if the establishment, survival, or growth of seedlings for a benefactor shrub species in California was reduced by the invasive grasses that they facilitate in the field.
Location
San Joaquin Desert, California, USA.
Methods
We conducted a field survey to determine if a native shrub, Ephedra californica, facilitated the invasive grass Bromus madritensis. Using seed collected from the field, we conducted a competition experiment on Ephedra californica, using a densities series of Bromus madritensis and under manipulated conditions of light, water, and simulated herbivory. We measured seedling establishment, survival, and biomass of Ephedra californica and Bromus madritensis.
Results
In the field, Ephedra californica facilitated Bromus madritensiswithin the shrub canopy. In the competition experiment, Bromus madritensishad consistent negative effects on Ephedra californica emergence and seedling survival at all resource and herbivory levels. The emergence and survival of Ephedra californica was reduced in low light, but none of the manipulated conditions increased the competitive effect of Bromus madritensis.
Conclusions
Reciprocal costs of facilitation by shrubs were evident in emergence and seedling survival but not in growth once established. Water, herbivory, and shade did not mitigate these costs, but also did not exacerbate competition from exotics. Direct competition with exotic plant species is the most significant impact tested here on dryland shrub species and manipulations of resources or herbivory may not effectively promote shrub recruitment. Native shrubs are well adapted to variable desert conditions and could be effective foundational species if invasive grasses are reduced.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Raw data and extracted manuscript data are available from figshare: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12551087.v1. All code and analyses used are publicly available at https://afilazzola.github.io/ephedra.GHtrials/
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| avsc12515-sup-0001-AppendixS1-S3.docxWord document, 169.4 KB |
Appendix S1. Substrate for germination of Ephedra californica Appendix S2. Shrub facilitation of Bromus madritensis Appendix S3. Pairwise comparisons of treatments on Ephedra californica |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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