DOI: 10.5061/dryad.sxksn033h
title: Resources do not limit compensatory response of a tallgrass prairie plant community to the loss of a dominant species

description: The effect of species loss on ecosystem productivity is determined by both
 the functional contribution of the species lost, and the response of the
 remaining species in the community. According to the mass-ratio
 hypothesis, the loss of a dominant plant species, which has a larger
 proportionate contribution to productivity, is expected to exert an
 overwhelming effect on this important ecosystem function. However, via
 competitive release, loss of a dominant species can provide the
 opportunity for other plant species to establish, thrive and become
 abundant in the community, potentially compensating for the function lost.
 Furthermore, if resource limitation is removed, then compensatory response
 of function to the loss of a dominant species should be greater and more
 rapid than if resources are more limiting. To evaluate how resources may
 limit compensation of aboveground productivity to the loss of a dominant
 plant species, we experimentally removed the C4 perennial tallgrass,
 Andropogon gerardii, from intact plant communities. We added water for
 four years, as well as nitrogen in the fourth year, to test the effect of
 resource limitation on the compensatory response. Overall, aboveground
 biomass production increased in the remaining community with both water
 and nitrogen addition. However, this increase in biomass production was
 not sufficient to fully compensate for the loss of A. gerardii, indicating
 water and nitrogen were not limiting short-term compensation in this
 community. Following the removal of the dominant species, there was a
 reordering of species abundances in the community, rather than changes in
 species richness. The C4 grass Bouteloua curtipendula was the most
 responsive species, increasing by 57.9% in abundance with water addition
 and 91.0% with both water and nitrogen addition. Despite this dramatic
 increase in abundance, its short stature and lower per capita biomass
 production prevented this species from compensating for the loss of A.
 gerardii. Our results suggest that short-term compensation after the loss
 of a dominant plant species can be hastened by increased resource
 availability, but ultimately full compensation appears to be limited by
 the presence and abundance of species in the remaining community that
 possess traits that allow them compensate for the species lost.
description: Data collected from a removal experiment of a dominant species to
 evaluate the aboveground biomass response of the remaining community in a
 native tallgrass prairie.<br> The data was collected during four
 growing seasons from 2013 to 2016.<br> Total number of stems were
 counted for each species within each plot in the spring at the beginning
 of the growing season and in the fall during the preoces of biomass
 collection.<br> Biomass data was collected from tillers clipped at
 the end of the growing season, sorted by species, dried for 48h at 60°C
 and weighed to the closest 0.01g for typical samples, and to the closest
 0.0001g for very small samples.<br> Biomass per square meter was
 calculated by extrapolating the biomass per plot (0.25m2) to
 1m2. NA entries correspond to missing values of biomass
 due to missing samples.
description: A readme file contains a metadata with an explanation of the
 variables in the dataset.  NA entries correspond to missing values of
 biomass due to missing samples. Detailled information on how the data was
 collected can be found in the associated manuscript referenced
 above.