Journal article
A size-gradient hypothesis for alpine treeline ecotones
Journal of mountain science = 山地科学学报（英文版）, Vol.13(7), pp.1154-1161
07/2016
DOI: 10.1007/s11629-016-3984-5
Abstract
Research on the stress gradient hypothesis recognizes that positive（i.e. facilitative） and negative（i.e. competitive） plant interactions change in intensity and effect relative to abiotic stress experienced on a gradient. Motivated by observations of alpine treeline ecotones, we suggest that this switch in interaction could operate along a gradient of relative size of individual plants. We propose that as neighbors increase in size relative to a focal plant they improve the environment for that plant up to a critical point. After this critical point is surpassed, however, increasing relative size of neighbors will degrade the environment such that the net interaction intensity becomes negative. We developed a conceptual（not site or species specific） individual based model to simulate a single species with recruitment, growth, and mortality dependent on the environment mediated by the relative size of neighbors. Growth and size form a feedback. Simulation results show that the size gradient model produces metrics similar to that of a stress gradient model. Visualizations reveal that the size gradient model produces spatial patterns that are similar to the complex ones observed at alpine treelines. Size-mediated interaction could be a mechanism of the stress gradient hypothesis or it could operate independent of abiotic stress.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A size-gradient hypothesis for alpine treeline ecotones
- Creators
- George P Malanson - University of Iowa, Geographical and Sustainability SciencesLynn M Resler - Virginia Tech
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of mountain science = 山地科学学报（英文版）, Vol.13(7), pp.1154-1161
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11629-016-3984-5
- ISSN
- 1672-6316
- eISSN
- 1993-0321
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/2016
- Academic Unit
- Geographical and Sustainability Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9983737100202771
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