Dataset Information

Plant density and life history traits of Aconitum spicatum in North-central Nepal: effects of elevation and anthropogenic disturbances.

ABSTRACT: Increasing cross-border trade of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) has put heavy pressure on a considerable number of species in the Himalayas. One of the threatened species in Nepal is Aconitum spicatum. Unfortunately for this species and for many others, our knowledge on population ecology and performance across the distribution range is insufficient, hindering the formulation of species-specific management plans. We therefore studied density and population structure of A. spicatum and assessed variation in its life history traits among three populations (subalpine, lower alpine and alpine) along an elevation gradient (3,000-4,200 m a.s.l.) in Annapurna Conservation Area, north-central Nepal. The results show that human disturbances and topographic factors contributed to the variation in density and life history traits. The overall density ranged between 0.56 ± 0.09 (Mean ± SE) and 2.48 ± 0.24 plants/m2 with highest mean density in the lower alpine and lowest in the subalpine population. The subalpine population was also characterized by lower investment in reproductive structures with lowest seed mass and low seed viability and fecundity. Among the environmental variables tested, harvesting, animal droppings and fire appeared to be the most important factors affecting density of different life stages of A. spicatum. The prevailing harvesting pattern is destructive as it involves uprooting of the whole plant and this appears to be a main reason for low recruitment and reduced density of the subalpine population. The level of disturbance decreased with increasing elevation. In terms of reproductive effort, the alpine population performed best. Our results indicate that the viability of A. spicatum populations depends on controlling over-harvesting and pre-mature harvesting of tubers and protecting younger life stages from grazing, trampling and fire. We therefore recommend that when formulating management guidelines, measures aiming to mitigate such anthropogenic disturbances should be considered.

SUBMITTER: Chapagain DJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6743441 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Plant density and life history traits of Aconitum spicatum in North-central Nepal: effects of elevation and anthropogenic disturbances.

Chapagain Deep J DJ Meilby Henrik H Ghimire Suresh K SK

PeerJ 20190910

Increasing cross-border trade of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) has put heavy pressure on a considerable number of species in the Himalayas. One of the threatened species in Nepal is Aconitum spicatum. Unfortunately for this species and for many others, our knowledge on population ecology and performance across the distribution range is insufficient, hindering the formulation of species-specific management plans. We therefore studied density and population structure of A. spicatu ...[more]

PMID: 31565560

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Project description:The geographic ranges of taxa change in response to environmental conditions. Yet whether rates of range movement (biotic velocities) are phylogenetically conserved is not well known. Phylogenetic conservatism of biotic velocities could reflect similarities among related lineages in climatic tolerances and dispersal-associated traits. We assess whether late Quaternary biotic velocities were phylogenetically conserved and whether they correlate with climatic tolerances and dispersal-associated traits. We used phylogenetic regression and nonparametric correlation to evaluate associations between biotic velocities, dispersal-associated traits, and climatic tolerances for 28 woody plant genera and subgenera in North America. The velocities with which woody plant taxa shifted their core geographic range limits were positively correlated from time step to time step between 16 and 7 ka. The strength of this correlation weakened after 7 ka as the pace of climate change slowed. Dispersal-associated traits and climatic tolerances were not associated with biotic velocities. Although the biotic velocities of some genera were consistently fast and others consistently slow, biotic velocities were not phylogenetically conserved. The rapid late Quaternary range shifts of plants lacking traits that facilitate frequent long-distance dispersal has long been noted (i.e., Reid's Paradox). Our results are consistent with this paradox and show that it remains robust when phylogenetic information is taken into account. The lack of association between biotic velocities, dispersal-associated traits, and climatic tolerances may reflect several, nonmutually exclusive processes, including rare long-distance dispersal, biotic interactions, and cryptic refugia. Because late Quaternary biotic velocities were decoupled from dispersal-associated traits, trait data for genera and subgenera cannot be used to predict longer-term (millennial-scale) floristic responses to climate change.

Dataset Information

Plant density and life history traits of Aconitum spicatum in North-central Nepal: effects of elevation and anthropogenic disturbances.

Publications

Plant density and life history traits of <i>Aconitum spicatum</i> in North-central Nepal: effects of elevation and anthropogenic disturbances.

Similar Datasets

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