166059 20260223150115.0 doi 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2018.09.003 sideral 147077 ART-2018-147077 eng Foronda, Ana The role of nurse shrubs on the spatial patterning of plant establishment in semi-arid gypsum plant communities 2018 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted Plants may depend on nurse plants to establish and survive on gypsum environments, which are stressful for plant life. Shrubs may act as nurse plants by ameliorating micro-environmental conditions in their local vicinity. Despite its importance, the role of nurse shrubs on the spatial patterning of plant establishment remains largely unknown in gypsum communities. Our aim was to understand the patterns of plant establishment and to identify key nurse species in facilitating plant establishment and structuring plant diversity at community level in these environments. We set an observational study in two gypsum plant communities of NE Spain to assess the microsites where seedlings germinate. Also, we assessed the role of six dominant shrubs (gypsophytes and gypsovags), in spatially structuring plant diversity by assessing species-area relationships in their local vicinity to identify key nurse species. To assess the potential amelioration of micro-environmental conditions associated to shrubs, we analyzed physical-chemical soil properties under shrub canopies compared to open areas. Most plants were spatially associated with adult shrubs. Gypsophytes accumulated more diversity than gypsovags, despite both showing ameliorated conditions under canopy compared to open areas. In conclusion, gypsophyte shrubs play key roles in the structure of gypsum plant communities by facilitating plant establishment. info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/BES-2013-063852 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/CGL2012-37508 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/CGL2016-80783-R info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by-nc-nd https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.es 1.825 2018 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES 157 / 250 = 0.628 2018 Q3 T2 ECOLOGY 97 / 164 = 0.591 2018 Q3 T2 0.772 2018 Earth-Surface Processes 2018 Q2 Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics 2018 Q2 Ecology 2018 Q2 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion Pueyo, Yolanda (orcid)0000-0001-6970-7790 Arroyo, Antonio I. Saiz, Hugo Giner, María de la Luz López Alados, Concepción (orcid)0000-0002-6227-861X 160 (2018), 82-90 J. arid environ. Journal of Arid Environments 0140-1963 1807623 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/166059/files/texto_completo.pdf Postprint 2179200 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/166059/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Postprint oai:zaguan.unizar.es:166059 articulos driver 2026-02-23-14:58:23 ARTICLE