科研之友
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摘要
Community assembly filters, which in theory determine the suite of species that arrive at and establish in a community, have tremendous conceptual relevance to restoration. However, the concept has remained largely theoretical, with a paucity of empirical tests. As such, the applicability of assembly filters theory to ecological restoration remains incompletely known. We tested the relative strengths of dispersal and establishment filters by comparing the plant species composition, measured by species' presence/absence, in 29 restored prairies with the seed mixes used to restore each prairie. We found that both establishment and dispersal filters limited prairie similarity to the seed mix. Sown species responded differentially to filters, with a few species limited only by dispersal (seed density), many others limited only by establishment conditions (i.e. organic matter and sand content of soils, land use history, and fire frequency), and others limited by both dispersal and establishment filters. A few species, typically those sown most often, were not restricted by dispersal or establishment filters, likely because they were sown in high enough densities and all sites had suitable environmental conditions. Finally, one group of species established poorly, but we could not attribute this to either dispersal or establishment filters. This information can help land managers select species likely to establish in restorations when sown at sufficient densities. These results illustrate that dispersal and establishment filters limit the establishment of species in restored communities and these filters are species-dependent. Identifying the most limiting filter(s) for species will inform strategies to increase their establishment success.
- 出版日期2015-11
