Heterogeneous environments shape invader impacts: integrating environmental, structural and functional effects by isoscapes and remote sensing

Hellmann C, Große-Stoltenberg A, Thiele J, Oldeland J, Werner C

Abstract

Spatial heterogeneity of ecosystems crucially influences plant performance, while in return plant feedbacks on their environment may increase heterogeneous patterns. This is of particular relevance for exotic plant invaders that transform native ecosystems, yet, approaches integrating geospatial information of environmental heterogeneity and plant-plant interaction are lacking. Here, we combined remotely sensed information of site topography and vegetation cover with a functional tracer of the N cycle, δ15N. Based on the case study of the invasion of an N2-fixing acacia in a nutrient-poor dune ecosystem, we present the first model that can successfully predict (R2 = 0.6) small-scale spatial variation of foliar δ15N in a non-fixing native species from observed geospatial data. Thereby, the generalized additive mixed model revealed modulating effects of heterogeneous environments on invader impacts. Hence, linking remote sensing techniques with tracers of biological processes will advance our understanding of the dynamics and functioning of spatially structured heterogeneous systems from small to large spatial scales.