Final answer:
Scientists found that neighboring plant species facilitate target species at low elevations and inhibit them at high elevations, suggesting that environmental conditions and interactions vary with altitude. Studies on plant populations at different elevations can reveal if differences are due to genetics or environmental adaptation.
Step-by-step explanation:
An international group of scientists has found that neighboring plant species generally facilitate the target species at low elevation sites and inhibit the target species at high elevations. This pattern may be due to various ecological processes such as competition, allelopathy, and changes in environmental conditions which affect species differently across gradients of altitude. Research like the studies mentioned, including comparisons of plant growth responses to altitude, soil pathogens, and climate changes, help us understand plant species interactions in their natural environments.
Populations of a plant species at different elevations, like those found above 2,500 meters and below 2,300 meters, when grown in similar or swapped environments, can reveal if differences are genetically based or if they are due to environmental pressures. This process can be observed over several generations to determine the degree of similarity that develops through adaptation or phenotypic plasticity. Observing responses of native and alien invasive species to climate change factors, such as warming and rainfall changes, can provide insights into the resilience of species and ecosystem dynamics.