SPECIES-DIVERSITY PATTERNS IN MEDITERRANEAN GRASSLANDS

被引：95
作者：
MONTALVO, J
CASADO, MA
LEVASSOR, C
PINEDA, FD
机构：
[1] Departamento Interunix'ersitarlo de Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid
[2] Departamento Interunix'ersitarlo de Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Madrid
来源：
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE | 1993年 / 4卷 / 02期
关键词：
COMPETITION; DISTURBANCE; ELEVATION; ENCLOSURE EXPERIMENT; FEEDBACK REGULATION; GRAZING; HERBIVORY; RECOVERY; SEASONALITY;
D O I：
10.2307/3236107
中图分类号：
Q94 [植物学];
学科分类号：
071001 ;
摘要：
A field experiment involving herbivore exclusion, ploughing, and the combination of both was carried out over a period of 4 - 5 yr in Mediterranean grasslands located along an elevational gradient. The empirical results provide a general hierarchical framework for understanding patterns of plant species diversity in these grasslands. In grazed grasslands, plant species density decreased as altitude increased, and this pattern was maintained through time. The reduced seasonality along the climatic gradient is suggested as the extrinsic, indirect control factor. Ploughing caused species loss, but after 4 yr the original diversity was recovered in most grasslands. Our hypothesis is that a negative feedback mechanism regulates species increase towards a characteristic level. A trend of species density reduction was observed in ungrazed grasslands. Plant-herbivore interaction is considered to be essential for maintaining species diversity in grazed grasslands and for the recovery of diversity in mechanically disturbed grasslands.
引用
收藏
页码：213 / 222
页数：10
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