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Complex interactions between a legume and two grasses in a subalpine meadow.

Charles Marty1, André Pornon, Nathalie Escaravage

  • 1Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS-UMR 5174, Université Paul Sabatier 31062, Toulouse cedex 4, France.

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Plant interactions are complex, with outcomes varying by environment. Legumes like Trifolium alpinum benefit grasses such as Festuca eskia more than Nardus stricta due to species-specific nitrogen transfer.

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Area of Science:

  • Plant Ecology
  • Plant-Soil Interactions
  • Biogeochemistry

Background:

  • Plant interactions involve complex positive and negative dynamics influenced by environmental factors.
  • Trifolium alpinum (legume) is frequently associated with Festuca eskia (grass) over Nardus stricta in Pyrenean subalpine meadows, suggesting differential nitrogen utilization from N(2) fixation.
  • Understanding these species-specific interactions is crucial for plant community dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interactions between a legume (Trifolium alpinum) and two grasses (Festuca eskia, Nardus stricta) in subalpine meadows.
  • To quantify nitrogen (N) transfer from the legume to the grasses under different community compositions.
  • To determine the species-specific mechanisms driving these plant interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Field studies were conducted to observe plant biomass and N content in monocultures and mixtures.
  • Greenhouse experiments utilized (15)N labeling to trace nitrogen transfer from Trifolium alpinum to Festuca eskia and Nardus stricta.
  • Leaf labeling with (15)N-NH(4)(+) was employed to assess direct nitrogen pathways between species.

Main Results:

  • Trifolium alpinum significantly increased the biomass and N content of grasses in some mixtures.
  • Festuca eskia benefited from Trifolium alpinum presence, but this benefit decreased with increasing legume abundance.
  • Higher (15)N transfer was observed from Trifolium alpinum to Festuca eskia compared to Nardus stricta, indicating a more direct N pathway.

Conclusions:

  • Plant interactions, particularly nitrogen transfer from legumes to grasses, are highly species-specific.
  • The directness of nitrogen pathways significantly influences which non-fixing plants benefit from N-fixing partners.
  • Environmental context and the specific plant assemblage composition determine the net outcome of plant interactions.