Corenblit, Dov and Steiger, Johannes and Tabacchi, Eric and González, Eduardo and Planty-Tabacchi, Anne-Marie Ecosystem engineers modulate exotic invasions in riparian plant communities by modifying hydrogeomorphic connectivity. (2012) River Research and Applications, 30 (1). 45-59. ISSN 1535-1459
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(Document in English)
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rra.2618
Abstract
Patterns of native and exotic plant species richness and cover were examined in relation with ecosystem engineer effects of pioneer vegetation within the Mediterranean gravel bed river Tech, South France. The floristic composition was characterized according to two distinct vegetation types corresponding to two habitats with contrasted conditions: (i) open and exposed alluvial bars dominated by herbaceous communities; and (ii) islands and river margins disconnected from annual hydrogeomorphic disturbances and covered by woody vegetation. A significant positive correlation between exotic and native plant species richness and cover was observed for both vegetation types. However, significant differences in native and exotic species richness and cover were found between these two vegetation types. Higher values of total species richness and Shannon diversity were attained within the herbaceous vegetation type than within the woody type. These differences are most likely related to changes in local exposure to hydrogeomorphic disturbances driven by woody engineer plant species and to vegetation succession. A lower exotic species cover within the woody vegetation type than within the herbaceous type suggested an increase of resistance to invasion by exotic species during the biogeomorphic succession. The engineer effects of woody vegetation through landform construction resulted in a decrease of alpha (a) diversity at the patch scale but, in parallel, caused an increase in gamma (g) diversity at the scale of the studied river segment. Our study corroborates recent investigations that support the theory of biotic acceptance of exotic species by native species at the local scale (generally <10 m2) within heterogeneous and disturbed environments. Furthermore, we suggest that in riparian contexts such as the River Tech exotic species trapp sediment at the same time as native species and thus contribute to the increase in ecosystem resistance during the biogeomorphic succession.
Item Type: | Article |
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Additional Information: | Thanks to John Wiley and Sons editor. PDF of the article can be found at River Research and Applications website : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1535-1467 |
HAL Id: | hal-00959115 |
Audience (journal): | International peer-reviewed journal |
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Institution: | French research institutions > Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS (FRANCE) Université de Toulouse > Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse - Toulouse INP (FRANCE) Other partners > Université de Limoges - UNILIM (FRANCE) Université de Toulouse > Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier - UT3 (FRANCE) Other partners > Université Blaise Pascal - UBP (FRANCE) Other partners > Ecole nationale supérieure d'architecture de Clermont Ferrand - ENSACF (FRANCE) Other partners > Maison des Sciences de l’Homme - MSH (FRANCE) Other partners > Université Laval (CANADA) |
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Deposited On: | 14 Mar 2014 07:43 |
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