Abstract
Climate models predict increased frequency and severity of drought events. At an Irish and Swiss site, experimental summer droughts were applied over two successive years to grassland plots sown with one, two or four grassland species with contrasting functional traits. Mean yield and plot-to-plot variance of yield were measured across harvests during drought and after a subsequent post-drought recovery period. At both sites, there was a positive relationship between species richness and yield. Under rainfed control conditions, mean yields of four-species communities were 32% (Wexford, Ireland) and 51% (Zürich, Switzerland) higher than in monocultures. This positive relationship was also evident under drought, despite significant average yield reductions (-27% at Wexford; -21% at Zürich). Four-species communities had lower plot-to-plot variance of yield compared to monoculture or two-species communities under both rainfed and drought conditions, which demonstrates higher yield stability in four-species communities. At the Swiss but not the Irish site, a high degree of species asynchrony could be identified as a mechanism underlying increased temporal stability in four-species communities. These results indicate the high potential of multi-species grasslands as an adaptation strategy against drought events and help achieve sustainable intensification under both unperturbed and perturbed environmental conditions.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Species richness was positively related to yield at both sites.
Verbatim
e0“At both sites, there was a positive relationship between species richness and yield”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
Four-species communities yielded 32% more than monocultures at Wexford, Ireland.
Verbatim
e0“Under rainfed control conditions, mean yields of four-species communities were 32% (Wexford, Ireland) and 51% (Zürich, Switzerland) higher than in monocultures”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
Four-species communities yielded 51% more than monocultures at Zürich, Switzerland.
Verbatim
e0“Under rainfed control conditions, mean yields of four-species communities were 32% (Wexford, Ireland) and 51% (Zürich, Switzerland) higher than in monocultures”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
The richness-yield relationship persisted under drought.
Verbatim
e0“This positive relationship was also evident under drought”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought reduced average yield by -27% at Wexford.
Verbatim
e0“despite significant average yield reductions (-27% at Wexford; -21% at Zürich)”
e1“This positive relationship was also evident under drought”
e2“Under rainfed control conditions, mean yields of four-species communities were 32% (Wexford, Ireland) and 51% (Zürich, Switzerland) higher than in monocultures”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
Drought reduced average yield by -21% at Zürich.
Verbatim
e0“despite significant average yield reductions (-27% at Wexford; -21% at Zürich)”
e1“This positive relationship was also evident under drought”
e2“Under rainfed control conditions, mean yields of four-species communities were 32% (Wexford, Ireland) and 51% (Zürich, Switzerland) higher than in monocultures”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
Four-species communities had lower yield variance.
Verbatim
e0“Four-species communities had lower plot-to-plot variance of yield compared to monoculture or two-species communities under both rainfed and drought conditions”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
Species asynchrony may underlie higher temporal stability at the Swiss site.
Verbatim
e0“At the Swiss but not the Irish site, a high degree of species asynchrony could be identified as a mechanism underlying increased temporal stability in four-species communities”
t1“grassland species”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose multispecies grasslands for drought adaptation.
Verbatim
e0“These results indicate the high potential of multi-species grasslands as an adaptation strategy against drought events and help achieve sustainable intensification under both unperturbed and perturbed environmental conditions”