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Propagule abundance and richness are equivalent or higher in communities restored with local ecotypes relative to cultivars of dominant species
Author(s) -
Willand Jason E.,
Baer Sara G.,
Gibson David J.
Publication year - 2015
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/jvs.12257
Subject(s) - ecotype , species richness , biology , propagule , abundance (ecology) , population , ecology , relative species abundance , agronomy , demography , sociology
Question Does population source of dominant species influence propagule abundance and richness for ecological restoration, and are effects consistent across different species pools? Location Illinois, USA. Methods Abundance and richness of ramets, emerged seedlings, seed rain and the soil seed bank were measured in a restoration experiment consisting of a split‐plot design with population source of dominant grasses (cultivar vs local ecotype) as the whole‐plot factor and sown subordinate species (three unique pools of non‐dominant species) as the subplot factor, respectively. Different sown species pools were included to assess whether any observed differences in propagule abundance or richness between the dominant species sources was generalizable across varying interspecific interactions. Results Abundance of emerged ramets was similar between communities sown with cultivar and local ecotypes of the dominant grasses, but differed among sown species pools in prairie restored with cultivars but not with local ecotypes. Number of emerged seedlings also differed among species pools, but only in communities sown with local ecotypes of the dominant grasses. There was also higher seedling emergence in communities sown with local ecotypes relative to cultivars of the dominant grasses in one species pool. Richness of the seed rain was influenced by an interaction between dominant grass population source and sown species pool, resulting from (1) higher richness in prairie restored with local ecotypes than cultivars of the native grasses in one species pool, and (2) differences in richness among species pools that occurred only in prairie restored with the local ecotype grass source. Abundance and richness of the seed bank was not affected by dominant grass population source. Conclusions This study addressed a poorly understood potential effect of using cultivars in ecological restoration, specifically on the abundance and supply of propagules for community assembly. We found no consistent negative effect of dominant grass cultivars on propagule supply. These results suggest that if both local ecotype and cultivar sources are available for restoration, using local ecotypes could result in more seedling germination and richness in the seed rain.