Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Human effects on long-distance wind dispersal and colonization by grassland plants

Publication ,  Journal Article
Soons, MB; Nathan, R; Katul, GG
Published in: Ecology
January 1, 2004

Human effects on plant colonization capacity have not been studied mechanistically because a crucial component of colonization capacity, long-distance seed dispersal, could not be quantified. Now, development of mechanistic models has progressed sufficiently to estimate long-distance seed dispersal by wind. We used a recently developed mechanistic dispersal model to quantify seed dispersal by wind in grasslands for three important human effects on natural systems: habitat fragmentation, eutrophication, and an increase in extreme wind velocity events due to climate change. We combined the dispersal data with data on seed production and germination ability to estimate effects on colonization capacity. Habitat fragmentation decreases the number and size of populations. This does not affect the populations' seed dispersal ability, but it reduces the number and germinability of produced seeds, and hence the colonization capacity. Site eutrophication strongly reduces seed dispersal distances, but in some species it also increases seed production and germinability. Thus, long-distance colonization decreases, but short-distance colonization may increase. Wind velocity is the key determinant of dispersal distances. An increase in extreme winds increases long-distance dispersal and long-distance colonization capacity. However, increases in extreme winds predicted for climate change scenarios are not sufficient to compensate the reductions in long-distance colonization due to habitat fragmentation or eutrophication.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Ecology

DOI

ISSN

0012-9658

Publication Date

January 1, 2004

Volume

85

Issue

11

Start / End Page

3069 / 3079

Related Subject Headings

  • Ecology
  • 4102 Ecological applications
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0501 Ecological Applications
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Soons, M. B., Nathan, R., & Katul, G. G. (2004). Human effects on long-distance wind dispersal and colonization by grassland plants. Ecology, 85(11), 3069–3079. https://doi.org/10.1890/03-0398
Soons, M. B., R. Nathan, and G. G. Katul. “Human effects on long-distance wind dispersal and colonization by grassland plants.” Ecology 85, no. 11 (January 1, 2004): 3069–79. https://doi.org/10.1890/03-0398.
Soons MB, Nathan R, Katul GG. Human effects on long-distance wind dispersal and colonization by grassland plants. Ecology. 2004 Jan 1;85(11):3069–79.
Soons, M. B., et al. “Human effects on long-distance wind dispersal and colonization by grassland plants.” Ecology, vol. 85, no. 11, Jan. 2004, pp. 3069–79. Scopus, doi:10.1890/03-0398.
Soons MB, Nathan R, Katul GG. Human effects on long-distance wind dispersal and colonization by grassland plants. Ecology. 2004 Jan 1;85(11):3069–3079.
Journal cover image

Published In

Ecology

DOI

ISSN

0012-9658

Publication Date

January 1, 2004

Volume

85

Issue

11

Start / End Page

3069 / 3079

Related Subject Headings

  • Ecology
  • 4102 Ecological applications
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 0603 Evolutionary Biology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0501 Ecological Applications