Plant diversity in the forests of Europe is not what it used to be. Rare plant species are being replaced by more common species at an alarming rate, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

Across the globe, the list of threatened plant and animal species gets longer every year. But on smaller scales, some species are thriving. Researchers wanted to figure out why some plants are becoming more abundant, while others are getting snuffed out.

Scientists surveyed changes in the abundance of 1,162 different herb-layer plant species growing among 68 temperate forest sites in Europe. The survey relied on data collected and shared by a network of forest ecologists, known as forestREplot.

"This network has the advantage that the experts on the actual locations can be asked if something is unclear, and, in this way, it differs from many other large databases," lead study author Ingmar Staude, doctoral student at the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research and the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, said in a news release.

Analysis of the forestREplot data showed species with limited geographical ranges were more vulnerable to extinction in certain forests.

"This is not so much due to the smaller population size of such plants, but rather to their ecological niche," Staude said.

Scientists hypothesized rare and declining species were more likely to be adapted to less common soil nutrients. Further analysis showed species with limited geographical ranges

were more likely to be declining in forests with excess nitrogen levels.

The numbers suggest chronic and excessive nitrogen deposition has led to a 4 percent decline in the abundance of plant species with small ranges.

In some cases, the increase in nitrogen levels has allowed rare nitrogen-loving species to thrive, but more typically, species with limited ranges are being replaced by more widespread species.

While the average biodiversity among individual forests remains relatively stable, the latest research showed plant diversity across the temperate forest biome is decreasing. The research was conducted in protected forests; biodiversity declines are likely worse in forests open to logging.

"We now have to find out whether the processes we observe in forests are similar in other biomes," said Staude.

Related Links
Forestry News - Global and Local News, Science and Application

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Bushfires burned a fifth of Australia's forest: study
Paris (AFP) Feb 24, 2020
Australia's wildfires have destroyed more than a fifth of the country's forests, making the blazes "globally unprecedented" following a years-long drought linked to climate change, researchers said Monday. Climate scientists are currently examining data from the disaster, which destroyed swathes of southeastern Australia, to determine to what extent they can be attributed to rising temperatures. In a special edition of the journal Nature Climate Change, Australian researchers examined several o ... read more