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Low‐nutrient soils, pollination and plant diversity
Author(s) -
Sinclair Steve J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1654-1103
pISSN - 1100-9233
DOI - 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2011.01371.x
Subject(s) - shrubland , pollination , ecology , soil water , pollinator , species richness , nutrient , diversity (politics) , soil nutrients , mediterranean climate , agroforestry , biology , ecosystem , environmental science , pollen , sociology , anthropology
Question Why do some shrublands growing on low‐nutrient soils have such rich floras? Location Diverse shrublands growing on low‐nutrient soils occur around the globe, with examples in the Cape region of Africa, in the Mediterranean basin and the south‐west of Australia. Methods This Forum paper discusses and evaluates an hypothesis against the evidence in previously available (but hitherto separated) publications. Results Low‐nutrient soils create an effective excess of carbon. This makes the production of carbon‐based floral rewards relatively cheap. Cheap rewards encourage the use of animal pollinators and this may lead to the generation and maintenance of elevated species‐richness in some plant groups, via a number of mechanisms. The literature is used to develop 9 testable predictions of this hypothesis. Conclusions The hypothesis discussed here is a plausible and testable explanation for the observed patterns in plant diversity. It is not, however, likely to be the only explanation, and could easily operate alongside several other mechanisms.