Abstract
Deserts are increasing in extent globally, but existing deserts are decreasing in health. The basic biology and ecology of foundation plant species in deserts are limited. This is a direct study that provides an estimate of the capacity for a locally dominant foundation shrub species in California to recover from damage. Desert shrubs are cleared and damaged by humans for many purposes including agriculture, oil and gas production, and sustainable energy developments; we need to know whether foundation species consistently facilitate the abundance and diversity of other plants in high‐stress ecosystems and whether they can recover. A total of 20 Ephedra californica shrubs were clipped to the ground at a single site and systematically resampled for regrowth 2 years later. These shrubs were damaged once and regrew rapidly, and relatively, larger shrubs were not more resilient. This study provides evidence for what we termed the “Groot Effect” because smaller individuals of this shrub species can recover from significant aboveground damage and continue to have positive effects on other plant species (similar to the popular culture reference to a benefactor tree species). The density of other plant species was consistently facilitated while effects on diversity varied with season. These findings confirm that E. californica is a foundation species that can be an important restoration tool within the deserts of California in spite of extreme cycles of drought and physical damage to its canopy.
Highlights
Shrubs frequently function as foundation species within desert ecosystems
Studies of canopy regrowth patterns following mechanical damage are a viable research bridge between form and function and provide evidence for a novel research gap in desert foundation species biology. The purpose of this specific study was to directly examine whether a common desert shrub species within California, Ephedra californica, can recover from mechanical damage introduced during a period of extended drought
A recovery hypothesis for potential foundation plant species is a critical precursor to understanding the role that positive interactions play in human-disturbed systems and needs to be tested in tandem with interaction studies
Summary
Shrubs frequently function as foundation species within desert ecosystems. A foundation species in ecology is defined as one with significant and often singular impacts on the structure and sometimes functioning, of an ecosystem (Angelini, Altieri, Silliman, & Bertness, 2011). Understanding the functional ecology of foundation plant species through traits such as the canopy can improve our capacity to estimate sensitivity of positive interactions to global changes including disturbance, fire, physical damage, and drought. Studies of canopy regrowth patterns following mechanical damage are a viable research bridge between form and (ecological) function and provide evidence for a novel research gap in desert foundation species biology The purpose of this specific study was to directly examine whether a common desert shrub species within California, Ephedra californica, can recover from mechanical damage introduced during a period of extended drought. It is important to explore the extent that a canopy recovers following controlled damage to understand the capacity for recovery and ecological function
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