Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial Retreat
ABSTRACT Accelerated glacial retreat has exposed bare substrates in polar and alpine regions, creating opportunities for investigating primary vegetation succession. Mosses are pioneer species critical for soil development, nutrient cycling, and establishment of subsequent vegetation succession. How...
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71763 |
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| author | Jie Deng Genxu Wang Shouqin Sun Wentian Xie Feng Long Zhaoyong Hu Juying Sun Xiangyang Sun Thomas H. DeLuca |
| author_facet | Jie Deng Genxu Wang Shouqin Sun Wentian Xie Feng Long Zhaoyong Hu Juying Sun Xiangyang Sun Thomas H. DeLuca |
| author_sort | Jie Deng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Accelerated glacial retreat has exposed bare substrates in polar and alpine regions, creating opportunities for investigating primary vegetation succession. Mosses are pioneer species critical for soil development, nutrient cycling, and establishment of subsequent vegetation succession. However, the dynamics of moss communities during primary succession and their responses to canopy‐mediated environmental changes are poorly known. We investigated moss bottom community dynamics along a 129‐year primary successional gradient from barren land to coniferous climax forest on a deglacial foreland in eastern Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. Additionally, we conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment and a canopy tree litter addition experiment at three succession stages with distinct canopy densities to explore the effects of shifts in canopy composition on the development of the moss bottom layer. Moss biomass and cover in the bottom layer had a nonlinear and fluctuating growth pattern across the primary successional chronosequence, in which successional stages with higher canopy density had lower moss cover and biomass. Transplantation of moss carpets from open to denser canopy stages or canopy litter additions enhanced photosynthetic rates, but suppressed N2‐fixation rates and moss growth. Variations in N2‐fixation and photosynthesis rates were related to daylight hours, relative humidity, and throughfall N levels. Changes in moss bottom layer cover and biomass over the successional chronosequence were positively related to N2‐fixation and regulated by canopy leaf litter and throughfall N inputs. Our results demonstrate a strong coupling between moss biomass and cyanobacterial N2‐fixation, alongside a decoupling of moss photosynthesis from productivity during primary succession following glacial retreat. The effects of canopy cover and composition on moss productivity, photosynthesis, and N2‐fixation rates represent a dynamic set of canopy‐bottom layer interactions that may shape the structure and function of developing subalpine forest. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0508be54d6fa44d8a2801e087b0af10a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-0508be54d6fa44d8a2801e087b0af10a2025-08-20T03:35:01ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-07-01157n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71763Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial RetreatJie Deng0Genxu Wang1Shouqin Sun2Wentian Xie3Feng Long4Zhaoyong Hu5Juying Sun6Xiangyang Sun7Thomas H. DeLuca8State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower Sichuan University Chengdu ChinaCollege of Forestry Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USAABSTRACT Accelerated glacial retreat has exposed bare substrates in polar and alpine regions, creating opportunities for investigating primary vegetation succession. Mosses are pioneer species critical for soil development, nutrient cycling, and establishment of subsequent vegetation succession. However, the dynamics of moss communities during primary succession and their responses to canopy‐mediated environmental changes are poorly known. We investigated moss bottom community dynamics along a 129‐year primary successional gradient from barren land to coniferous climax forest on a deglacial foreland in eastern Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. Additionally, we conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment and a canopy tree litter addition experiment at three succession stages with distinct canopy densities to explore the effects of shifts in canopy composition on the development of the moss bottom layer. Moss biomass and cover in the bottom layer had a nonlinear and fluctuating growth pattern across the primary successional chronosequence, in which successional stages with higher canopy density had lower moss cover and biomass. Transplantation of moss carpets from open to denser canopy stages or canopy litter additions enhanced photosynthetic rates, but suppressed N2‐fixation rates and moss growth. Variations in N2‐fixation and photosynthesis rates were related to daylight hours, relative humidity, and throughfall N levels. Changes in moss bottom layer cover and biomass over the successional chronosequence were positively related to N2‐fixation and regulated by canopy leaf litter and throughfall N inputs. Our results demonstrate a strong coupling between moss biomass and cyanobacterial N2‐fixation, alongside a decoupling of moss photosynthesis from productivity during primary succession following glacial retreat. The effects of canopy cover and composition on moss productivity, photosynthesis, and N2‐fixation rates represent a dynamic set of canopy‐bottom layer interactions that may shape the structure and function of developing subalpine forest.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71763bryophytecanopy‐bottom layer interactionsglacial primary successionleaf litterN2‐fixaitonphotosynthesis |
| spellingShingle | Jie Deng Genxu Wang Shouqin Sun Wentian Xie Feng Long Zhaoyong Hu Juying Sun Xiangyang Sun Thomas H. DeLuca Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial Retreat Ecology and Evolution bryophyte canopy‐bottom layer interactions glacial primary succession leaf litter N2‐fixaiton photosynthesis |
| title | Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial Retreat |
| title_full | Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial Retreat |
| title_fullStr | Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial Retreat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial Retreat |
| title_short | Canopy‐Mediated Dynamics of Moss Communities in Primary Succession: Coupling of N2‐Fixation and Biomass Accumulation in Subalpine Forests Following Glacial Retreat |
| title_sort | canopy mediated dynamics of moss communities in primary succession coupling of n2 fixation and biomass accumulation in subalpine forests following glacial retreat |
| topic | bryophyte canopy‐bottom layer interactions glacial primary succession leaf litter N2‐fixaiton photosynthesis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71763 |
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