Metabolomics Unravel Contrasting Effects of Biodiversity on the Performance of Individual Plant Species
نویسندگان
چکیده
In spite of evidence for positive diversity-productivity relationships increasing plant diversity has highly variable effects on the performance of individual plant species, but the mechanisms behind these differential responses are far from being understood. To gain deeper insights into the physiological responses of individual plant species to increasing plant diversity we performed systematic untargeted metabolite profiling on a number of herbs derived from a grassland biodiversity experiment (Jena Experiment). The Jena Experiment comprises plots of varying species number (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 60) and number and composition of functional groups (1 to 4; grasses, legumes, tall herbs, small herbs). In this study the metabolomes of two tall-growing herbs (legume: Medicago x varia; non-legume: Knautia arvensis) and three small-growing herbs (legume: Lotus corniculatus; non-legumes: Bellis perennis, Leontodon autumnalis) in plant communities of increasing diversity were analyzed. For metabolite profiling we combined gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) and UPLC coupled to FT-ICR-MS (LC-FT-MS) analyses from the same sample. This resulted in several thousands of detected m/z-features. ANOVA and multivariate statistical analysis revealed 139 significantly changed metabolites (30 by GC-TOF-MS and 109 by LC-FT-MS). The small-statured plants L. autumnalis, B. perennis and L. corniculatus showed metabolic response signatures to increasing plant diversity and species richness in contrast to tall-statured plants. Key-metabolites indicated C- and N-limitation for the non-leguminous small-statured species B. perennis and L. autumnalis, while the metabolic signature of the small-statured legume L. corniculatus indicated facilitation by other legumes. Thus, metabolomic analysis provided evidence for negative effects of resource competition on the investigated small-statured herbs that might mechanistically explain their decreasing performance with increasing plant diversity. In contrast, taller species often becoming dominant in mixed plant communities did not show modified metabolite profiles in response to altered resource availability with increasing plant diversity. Taken together, our study demonstrates that metabolite profiling is a strong diagnostic tool to assess individual metabolic phenotypes in response to plant diversity and ecophysiological adjustment.
منابع مشابه
Fire effects on composition, density and species diversity vegetation and soil seed bank (Case study: Kangavar rangelands)
Abstract Background and objectives: Fire as a frequent phenomenon in rangelands and because of its complicated and different effects on natural ecosystems, has great importance. Awareness of such fire effects on vegetation cover in point of rangeland management after fire is important and helps better Understanding and sustainable management of rangelands. Changing in plant structure and compo...
متن کاملIndividual and interactive effects of crop type and management on weed and seed bank composition in an organic rotation
We investigated the effects of organic and conventional pest and fertility management on weed cover and the seed bank community in an organic rotation. The study was conducted during the 4th and 5th years of an organic rotation on part of a long term organic-conventional comparison trial. Results showed that although crop type (potato vs. cabbage) in a single year significantly affected wee...
متن کاملThe effects of aspects on the plant diversity of the Hezar-Masjed Summit, Khorassan Razavi Province, Iran
The Hezar-Masjed Mountain range is one of the main highlands of the northeasten Iran. The vegetation of its upper elevations has been poorly studied. This study aimed to compare the plant biodiversity of different aspects of the Hezar-Masjed Summit. A total number of 139 random 1m2 plots were recorded from different aspects of the study area. In each plot, the abundance and canopy cover percent...
متن کاملStudy of plantation effect on richness of herbaceous in forest area using biodiversity index in north of Iran
The depletion of forest in developing countries due to extended pastures, agricultural land, fuel wood and etc. is a serious concern. Therefore planting trees for reforestation and extended forest area is a essential assignment. Forest plantation with a basic criterion affects to understory plant diversity. This effects may make some species absent or appear. The objective of this study is to a...
متن کاملThe effects of exclosure on plants in the semi-arid rangeland of North Khorasan province, Iran
Abstract Over the last fifty years, most of the semi-arid rangeland in Iran has been converted to cropland without an equivalent reduction in grazing animals. This shift has led to heavy grazing pressure on rangeland vegetation. The present study has been conducted in Sisab Research Station in the North Khorasan Province to evaluate effects of long-term grazing exclosures on biodiversity of ra...
متن کامل