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Papers by Barbara Lopez Iglesias

Research paper thumbnail of Rasgos funcionales y su relación con el funcionamiento de las plantas

Comunicaciones presentadas en congresos nacionales Lopez-Iglesias B., Villar R., y Poorter L. (20... more Comunicaciones presentadas en congresos nacionales Lopez-Iglesias B., Villar R., y Poorter L. (2013). Rasgos funcionales como indicadores de la respuesta a la sequía en plántulas de 10 especies leñosas mediterráneas. Actas 6 º Congreso Forestal Español. Póster. Lopez-Iglesias B. and Villar R. (2012). Rasgos vegetales: causas y consecuencias sobre el funcionamiento de plantas y ecosistemas mediterráneos. Congreso Científico

Research paper thumbnail of Crecimiento de plántulas y árboles de seis especies de Quercus

Artículo publicado en Open Access bajo los términos de Creative Commons attribution Non Comercial... more Artículo publicado en Open Access bajo los términos de Creative Commons attribution Non Comercial License 3.0. MONOGRÁFICO: Ecología y gestión de las especies de Quercus ecosistemas REVISTA CIENTÍFICA DE ECOLOGÍA Y MEDIO AMBIENTE

Research paper thumbnail of Drought changes the structure and elemental composition of very fine roots in seedlings of ten woody tree species. Implications for a drier climate

Plant and Soil, 2014

Background and aims Water availability is often one of the most limiting factors for plants. Clim... more Background and aims Water availability is often one of the most limiting factors for plants. Climate change predictions for many areas suggest an intensification of water limitation. The ability of a plant to modify its root characteristics can be an important mechanism for preventing drought stress. Methods We studied the drought response of seedlings of 10 woody species and compared the biomass allocation, vertical root distribution across different root diameters, and the key traits of very fine roots (root diameter <0.5 mm) under two water regimes (no water limitation and severe drought). Results Under drought conditions, the very fine roots had a higher specific root length (SRL, root length: biomass ratio), smaller root diameter and higher root tissue mass density, as well as a lower nitrogen concentration. A higher value of the mean root plasticity index was related to higher drought resistance. A quantitative literature review showed that there was a wide variation in the effect of the drought on SRL, thus there was not a clear effect of drought on SRL. Conclusions Certain species have the necessary root traits and plasticity to survive drought. We have identified plasticity in root characteristics as a whole-plant trait which plays a significant role in separating out species into those which are vulnerable and those which are resistant to drought.

Research paper thumbnail of Functional traits predict drought performance and distribution of Mediterranean woody species

Acta Oecologica, 2014

Water availability is one of the key environmental factors that affect plant establishment and di... more Water availability is one of the key environmental factors that affect plant establishment and distribution. In many regions water availability will decline with climate change, exposing small seedlings to a greater likelihood of drought. In this study, 17 leaves, stem, root, and whole-plant traits of ten woody Mediterranean species were measured under favourable growing conditions and seedling drought survival was evaluated during a simulated dry-down episode. The aims of this study were: i) to assess drought survival of different species, ii) to analyse which functional traits predict drought survival time, and iii) to explain species distribution in the field, based on species drought survival and drought strategies. Drought survival time varied tenfold across species, from 19 to 192 days. Across species, drought survival was positively related to the rooting depth per leaf area, i.e., the ability to acquire water from deeper soil layers while reducing transpiring leaf area. Drought survival time was negatively related to species ability to grow quickly, as indicated by high relative growth and net assimilation rates. Drought survival also explained species distribution in the field. It was found that species were sorted along a continuum, ranging between two contrasting species functional extremes based on functional traits and drought performance. One extreme consisted of acquisitive fast-growing deciduous species, with thin, soft metabolically active leaves, with high resource use and vulnerability to drought. The opposite extreme consisted of conservative slow-growing evergreen species with sclerophyllous leaves, deep roots, a low transpiring area, and low water use, resulting in high drought survival and drought tolerance. The results show that these drought strategies shape species distribution in this Mediterranean area.

Research paper thumbnail of Short-term effects of litter from 21 woody species on plant growth and root development

Plant and Soil, 2014

ABSTRACT Abstract Background and aims Plant litter has an important role in terrestrial ecosystem... more ABSTRACT Abstract Background and aims Plant litter has an important role in terrestrial ecosystems (Lambers et al. 2008). Our aim was to assess the short-term effect of litter from 21 woody species (deciduous and evergreens) on plant growth and root development. Methods We conducted a short-term experiment (10 weeks) under controlled conditions adding litter from 21 woody species to pots with Dactylis glomerata (target species). We determined plant biomass and root development and related these variables to decomposition rate and litter quality. Results Litter from two species enhanced plant growth whereas litter of five species inhibited it. Considering all species in the data set, plant growth was associated to litter with high decomposition rate and high litter quality: high Ca and N concentration and low polyphenols concentration. However, excluding from the analyses the two species that increased growth, litter inhibition effect on plant growth was related to the litter-polyphenols concentration. Plants growing with nutrient-richer litter had a lower proportion of fine roots which could be related to a litter mediated increase in soil nutrient. Conclusions Enhanced plant growth or, on the contrary, plant growth inhibition could be the result of a positive or, in turn, negative balance between nutrient and polyphenols concentration in litter. Keywords Decomposition rate . Litter calcium . Litter chemical composition . Growth inhibition . Specific root length

Research paper thumbnail of Rasgos funcionales y su relación con el funcionamiento de las plantas

Comunicaciones presentadas en congresos nacionales Lopez-Iglesias B., Villar R., y Poorter L. (20... more Comunicaciones presentadas en congresos nacionales Lopez-Iglesias B., Villar R., y Poorter L. (2013). Rasgos funcionales como indicadores de la respuesta a la sequía en plántulas de 10 especies leñosas mediterráneas. Actas 6 º Congreso Forestal Español. Póster. Lopez-Iglesias B. and Villar R. (2012). Rasgos vegetales: causas y consecuencias sobre el funcionamiento de plantas y ecosistemas mediterráneos. Congreso Científico

Research paper thumbnail of Crecimiento de plántulas y árboles de seis especies de Quercus

Artículo publicado en Open Access bajo los términos de Creative Commons attribution Non Comercial... more Artículo publicado en Open Access bajo los términos de Creative Commons attribution Non Comercial License 3.0. MONOGRÁFICO: Ecología y gestión de las especies de Quercus ecosistemas REVISTA CIENTÍFICA DE ECOLOGÍA Y MEDIO AMBIENTE

Research paper thumbnail of Drought changes the structure and elemental composition of very fine roots in seedlings of ten woody tree species. Implications for a drier climate

Plant and Soil, 2014

Background and aims Water availability is often one of the most limiting factors for plants. Clim... more Background and aims Water availability is often one of the most limiting factors for plants. Climate change predictions for many areas suggest an intensification of water limitation. The ability of a plant to modify its root characteristics can be an important mechanism for preventing drought stress. Methods We studied the drought response of seedlings of 10 woody species and compared the biomass allocation, vertical root distribution across different root diameters, and the key traits of very fine roots (root diameter <0.5 mm) under two water regimes (no water limitation and severe drought). Results Under drought conditions, the very fine roots had a higher specific root length (SRL, root length: biomass ratio), smaller root diameter and higher root tissue mass density, as well as a lower nitrogen concentration. A higher value of the mean root plasticity index was related to higher drought resistance. A quantitative literature review showed that there was a wide variation in the effect of the drought on SRL, thus there was not a clear effect of drought on SRL. Conclusions Certain species have the necessary root traits and plasticity to survive drought. We have identified plasticity in root characteristics as a whole-plant trait which plays a significant role in separating out species into those which are vulnerable and those which are resistant to drought.

Research paper thumbnail of Functional traits predict drought performance and distribution of Mediterranean woody species

Acta Oecologica, 2014

Water availability is one of the key environmental factors that affect plant establishment and di... more Water availability is one of the key environmental factors that affect plant establishment and distribution. In many regions water availability will decline with climate change, exposing small seedlings to a greater likelihood of drought. In this study, 17 leaves, stem, root, and whole-plant traits of ten woody Mediterranean species were measured under favourable growing conditions and seedling drought survival was evaluated during a simulated dry-down episode. The aims of this study were: i) to assess drought survival of different species, ii) to analyse which functional traits predict drought survival time, and iii) to explain species distribution in the field, based on species drought survival and drought strategies. Drought survival time varied tenfold across species, from 19 to 192 days. Across species, drought survival was positively related to the rooting depth per leaf area, i.e., the ability to acquire water from deeper soil layers while reducing transpiring leaf area. Drought survival time was negatively related to species ability to grow quickly, as indicated by high relative growth and net assimilation rates. Drought survival also explained species distribution in the field. It was found that species were sorted along a continuum, ranging between two contrasting species functional extremes based on functional traits and drought performance. One extreme consisted of acquisitive fast-growing deciduous species, with thin, soft metabolically active leaves, with high resource use and vulnerability to drought. The opposite extreme consisted of conservative slow-growing evergreen species with sclerophyllous leaves, deep roots, a low transpiring area, and low water use, resulting in high drought survival and drought tolerance. The results show that these drought strategies shape species distribution in this Mediterranean area.

Research paper thumbnail of Short-term effects of litter from 21 woody species on plant growth and root development

Plant and Soil, 2014

ABSTRACT Abstract Background and aims Plant litter has an important role in terrestrial ecosystem... more ABSTRACT Abstract Background and aims Plant litter has an important role in terrestrial ecosystems (Lambers et al. 2008). Our aim was to assess the short-term effect of litter from 21 woody species (deciduous and evergreens) on plant growth and root development. Methods We conducted a short-term experiment (10 weeks) under controlled conditions adding litter from 21 woody species to pots with Dactylis glomerata (target species). We determined plant biomass and root development and related these variables to decomposition rate and litter quality. Results Litter from two species enhanced plant growth whereas litter of five species inhibited it. Considering all species in the data set, plant growth was associated to litter with high decomposition rate and high litter quality: high Ca and N concentration and low polyphenols concentration. However, excluding from the analyses the two species that increased growth, litter inhibition effect on plant growth was related to the litter-polyphenols concentration. Plants growing with nutrient-richer litter had a lower proportion of fine roots which could be related to a litter mediated increase in soil nutrient. Conclusions Enhanced plant growth or, on the contrary, plant growth inhibition could be the result of a positive or, in turn, negative balance between nutrient and polyphenols concentration in litter. Keywords Decomposition rate . Litter calcium . Litter chemical composition . Growth inhibition . Specific root length