Summary 1 The stress‐gradient hypothesis (SGH) predicts that the frequency of facilitative
and competitive interactions will vary inversely across abiotic stress gradients, with …

Most ecologists are not card-carrying members of either individualistic or interdependent
guilds, but our perception of plant community organization, and the way we conduct …

Cushion-forming plant species are found in alpine and polar environments around the
world. They modify the microclimate, thereby facilitating other plant species. Similar to the …

In alpine habitats, positive interactions among plants tend to increase with elevation as a
result of altitudinal increase in environmental harshness. However, in mountains located in …

Summary 1 Using meta‐analysis, Maestre et al.(2005, Journal of Ecology, 93, 748–757)
recently rejected the predictions of the stress‐gradient hypothesis for arid and semi‐arid …

Although the consequences of facilitation at individual and population levels are well known,
the community‐level consequences of these processes have received much less attention …

Cushion plants are one of the most common growth forms in alpine habitats. Their low
stature, dense canopy, and compact form allow them to decouple their microclimate from the …

Altitudinal gradients provide a useful space‐for‐time substitution to examine the capacity for
plant competition and facilitation to mediate responses to climate change. Decomposing net …

As a group, alpine plants stand among the least well studied organisms of terrestrial
ecosystems today. Misconceptions about poor biodiversity, small number of individuals per …

Positive interactions among native plant species are common in alpine habitats, particularly
those where one species (nurse plant) generates microclimatic conditions that are more …