DOI: 10.5061/dryad.d83md
title: Data from: Contrasting habitat and landscape effects on the fitness of a long-lived grassland plant under forest encroachment: do they provide evidence for extinction debt?

description: 1. Habitat loss, fragmentation and transformation threaten the persistence
 of many species worldwide. Population and individual fitness are often
 compromised in small, degraded and isolated habitats, but extinction can
 be a slow process and extinction debts are common. 2. Long-lived species
 are prone to persist as remnant populations in low quality habitats for a
 long time, but the population and individual-level mechanisms of
 extinction debt remain poorly explored so far. 3. We here investigate the
 mechanisms involved in the long-term persistence of the common grassland
 specialist, long-lived, clonal plant Aphyllanthes monspeliensis L.
 (Asparagaceae). after forest encroachment into semi-natural Mediterranean
 calcareous grasslands in Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula). For this
 purpose we assess vegetative (aboveground and belowground) and
 reproductive plant performance indicators and their habitat and landscape
 (current and historical) drivers. 4. We confirm the existence of an
 extinction debt for this species, since current plant frequency is related
 to historical but not current connectivity, and we also find a positive
 effect of historical connectivity on seed set. In addition, current tree
 cover negatively affects individual size and aboveground/belowground
 biomass ratio, and biotic soil acidification leads to a reduction in the
 flowering probability of individuals and stems. 5. However, we also find
 that current connectivity negatively affects flowering and that tree cover
 enhances seed set. The forestation process, thus, also exerts a positive
 effect on some fitness traits, probably by providing a moister
 environment. 6. Synthesis. Habitat loss and deterioration result in a
 decreased vegetative performance of Aphyllanthes monspeliensis, a
 grassland specialist, but show contrasting effects on its reproductive
 performance. However, further forest encroachment would increase light
 competition and soil acidification, threatening its persistence and
 promoting the payment of the extinction debt if no conservation measures
 are taken.
description: READMEData package overview
 including contents, variable names and descriptions, and contact
 information.Bagaria_JECOL_2017_Site_level_dataData regarding Aphyllanthes monspeliensis frequency and flowering frequency in 19 sites, and site characteristics. Part of this data was collected in the field and part obtained using Geographical Information Systems.Bagaria_JECOL_2017_Individual_level_dataData regarding Aphyllanthes monspeliensis individual plants' vegetative and reproductive performance in 19 sites, and site and local-habitat characteristics. Part of this data was collected in the field and part obtained using Geographical Information Systems.Bagaria_JECOL_2017_Belowground_individual_level_dataData regarding Aphyllanthes monspeliensis belowground individual plant performance in 6 sites, and local-habitat characteristics. Part of this data was measured in the laboratory and part obtained using Geographical Information Systems.Bagaria_JECOL_2017_Precipitation_dataLate-spring and summer precipitation (May, June and July) in the study area, from a meteorological station in the area.