Community EcologyCommunity assembly in a warmer world
In progress
Question
How does the order in which species arrive shape the trajectory of a community, and how to climate change and species invasions alter these dynamics?
Project Summary
When a plant community develops anew (community assembly) the order in which species arrive can shape what that community will ultimately look like. In general, arriving early can be beneficial, but who arrives first and how helpful that is can be driven by both the climate, and the origin of the species (whether it is native or not). The Stuble is currently working to understand how nonnative species and warming temperatures interact to shape community assembly dynamics in our natural areas. Specifically, we’re exploring whether warming will speed up how quickly nonnative plants arrive at a site, and whether these changes will increase the abundance of nonnative species. We’re also exploring how these dynamics can be used during restoration to help create and maintain healthy and resilient ecosystems.
Keywords
climate change, invasion, community assembly
Team
Select Publications
- Outside the envelope: rare events disrupt the relationship between climate factors and species interactions
- Priority Treatment Leaves Grassland Restoration Vulnerable to Invasion
- Year effects: Interannual variation as a driver of community assembly dynamics
- Using priority effects to manipulate competitive relationships in restoration
Here’s more to explore
Landscape plant breeding
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Rhododendron collection curation
Rhododendrons have a storied history, both locally and across the world, and they have thrilled gardeners for centuries. The genus contains roughly one thousand wild-occurring species, and man-made selections number... more
The perks of genome size in a rapidly changing world
Polyploidy, or whole genome duplication of an organism or cell, exists in all eukaryotes. Not only does polyploidy exist in fungi, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and humans (e.g. cancer cells),... more
Pollinators mediate microbiome assembly in flowers
Microbiomes can profoundly influence plant fitness in natural and agricultural settings. Relative to rhizosphere (root) and phyllosphere (leaf), the anthosphere (floral) microbiome is least well studied but has the most... more
Harnessing microbiomes for disease resistance
Plants are associated with numerous microorganisms in the wild. Some of these microorganisms are beneficial but others, such as pathogens, can be harmful to plants. Thus, maintaining a healthy microbiome... more
Emerging threats of nanoparticles to plants and microbiomes
Engineered nanomaterials released from industrial, agricultural, biomedical, and domestic applications are emerging environmental threats to the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Anthropocene. While nanoparticles are known to influence plant... more
Forest management and restoration
We are exploring best practices in forest management in northeast Ohio, and beyond. Since 2018, scientists and conservation staff at the Holden Arboretum have partnered with area scientists and land... more
Global warming shifts plant phenology
We are exploring how spring phenologies are shifting with the changing climate in the Holden Arboretum’s Bole Woods. In this citizen science project, volunteers have been monitoring spring leaf out... more
Invasive plant species
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is a conifer species native to the Eastern United States, where this attractive tree has long-been a popular choice for landscaping. But out West in... more
Physiology of urban and rural trees in NE Ohio
As urban areas expand, native forest fragments are becoming surrounded by pavement and cement, exposing them to higher temperatures, elevated CO2, higher light availability and pollution. We rely on urban... more
Local adaptation to climate in Rhododendron minus
Plant species are distinct types which we recognize by their unique leaf and flower traits, but how do different species evolve? One way this can occur is when populations of... more
Leaf and flower heat tolerance of cold hardy Rhododendron species
While Rhododendron are well-adapted to cold climates, owing to changes in climate, heat stress is becoming a major factor limiting Rhododendron production. The way plants allocate resources, i.e. the economics... more
