1
|
Lovell RSL, Collins S, Martin SH, Pigot AL, Phillimore AB. Space-for-time substitutions in climate change ecology and evolution. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:2243-2270. [PMID: 37558208 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
In an epoch of rapid environmental change, understanding and predicting how biodiversity will respond to a changing climate is an urgent challenge. Since we seldom have sufficient long-term biological data to use the past to anticipate the future, spatial climate-biotic relationships are often used as a proxy for predicting biotic responses to climate change over time. These 'space-for-time substitutions' (SFTS) have become near ubiquitous in global change biology, but with different subfields largely developing methods in isolation. We review how climate-focussed SFTS are used in four subfields of ecology and evolution, each focussed on a different type of biotic variable - population phenotypes, population genotypes, species' distributions, and ecological communities. We then examine the similarities and differences between subfields in terms of methods, limitations and opportunities. While SFTS are used for a wide range of applications, two main approaches are applied across the four subfields: spatial in situ gradient methods and transplant experiments. We find that SFTS methods share common limitations relating to (i) the causality of identified spatial climate-biotic relationships and (ii) the transferability of these relationships, i.e. whether climate-biotic relationships observed over space are equivalent to those occurring over time. Moreover, despite widespread application of SFTS in climate change research, key assumptions remain largely untested. We highlight opportunities to enhance the robustness of SFTS by addressing key assumptions and limitations, with a particular emphasis on where approaches could be shared between the four subfields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S L Lovell
- Ashworth Laboratories, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Sinead Collins
- Ashworth Laboratories, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Simon H Martin
- Ashworth Laboratories, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Alex L Pigot
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Albert B Phillimore
- Ashworth Laboratories, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu Y, Fan B, Gong Z, He L, Chen L, Ren A, Zhao N, Gao Y. Intraspecific trait variation and adaptability of Stipa krylovii: Insight from a common garden experiment with two soil moisture treatments. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:ECE310457. [PMID: 37664491 PMCID: PMC10468992 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding patterns of intraspecific trait variation can help us understand plant adaptability to environmental changes. To explore the underlying adaptation mechanisms of zonal plant species, we selected seven populations of Stipa krylovii, a dominant species in the Inner Mongolia Steppe of China, and evaluated the effects of phenotypic plasticity and genetic differentiation, the effects of climate variables on population trait differentiation, and traits coordinated patterns under each soil moisture treatment. We selected seeds from seven populations of S. krylovii in the Inner Mongolia Steppe, China, and carried out a soil moisture (2) × population origin (7) common garden experiment at Tianjin City, China, and measured ten plant traits of S. krylovii. General linear analyses were used to analyze how soil moisture and population origin affected each trait variation, Mantel tests were used to analyze population trait differentiation-geographic distance (or climatic difference) relationships, regression analyses were used to evaluate trait-climatic variable relationships, and plant trait networks (PTNs) were used to evaluate traits coordinated patterns. Both soil moisture and population origin showed significant effects on most of traits. Aboveground biomass, root-shoot ratio, leaf width, specific leaf area, and leaf nitrogen (N) content were significantly correlated with climate variables under the control condition. Specific leaf area and leaf N content were significantly correlated with climate variables under the drought condition. By PTNs, the hub trait(s) was plant height under the control condition and were aboveground biomass, root length, and specific leaf area under the drought condition. This study indicates that both phenotypic plasticity and genetic differentiation can significantly affect the adaptability of S. krylovii. In addition, soil moisture treatments show significant effects on trait-climate relationships and traits coordinated patterns. These findings provide new insights into the adaptive mechanisms of zonal species in the semiarid grassland region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Liu
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Baijie Fan
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Ziqing Gong
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Luoyang He
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Anzhi Ren
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Nianxi Zhao
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Yubao Gao
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, College of Life ScienceNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kou X, Liu H, Chen H, Xu Z, Yu X, Cao X, Liu D, Wen L, Zhuo Y, Wang L. Multifunctionality and maintenance mechanism of wetland ecosystems in the littoral zone of the northern semi-arid region lake driven by environmental factors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 870:161956. [PMID: 36737024 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality (BEMF) has become an ecological research hot spot in recent years. Changes in biodiversity are non-randomly distributed in space and time in natural ecosystems, and the BEMF relationship is affected by a combination of biotic and abiotic factors. These complex, uncertain relationships are affected by research scale and quantification and measurement indicators. This paper took the Daihai littoral zone wetlands in Inner Mongolia as the research object to reveal the dynamic succession of wetland vegetation and ecosystem function change characteristics and processes during the shrinkage of the lake. The main findings were as follows: the combined effect of aboveground (species and functions) and belowground (bacteria and fungi) diversity was greater than the effect of single components on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) (R2 = 80.00 %). Soil salinity (EC) had a direct negative effect on EMF (λ = -0.22), and soil moisture (SM) had a direct positive effect on EMF (λ = 0.19). The results of the hierarchical partitioning analysis showed that plant species richness (Margalef index) was the ideal indicator to explain the EMF and C, N, and P cycling functions in littoral zone wetlands with explanations of 12.25 %, 7.31 %, 7.83 %, and 5.33 %, respectively. The EMF and C and P cycles were mainly affected by bacterial diversity, and the N cycle was mainly affected by fungal abundance in belowground biodiversity. Margalef index and sand content affected EMF through cascading effects of multiple nutrients (FDis, CWMRV, CWMLCC, and bacterial and fungal abundance and diversity) in littoral zone wetlands. This paper provides a reference for exploring the multifunctionality maintenance mechanisms of natural littoral zone wetland ecosystems in the context of global change, and it also provides important theoretical support and basic data for the implementation of ecological restoration in Daihai lake.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Kou
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Huamin Liu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Han Chen
- School of Business Administration and Humanities, Mongolian University of Science & Technology, Ulaanbaatar 46/520, Mongolia
| | - Zhichao Xu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Xiaowen Yu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Xiaoai Cao
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Dongwei Liu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Lu Wen
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Yi Zhuo
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Lixin Wang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security (Jointly Supported by the Ministry of Education of China and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), Hohhot 010021, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau, Hohhot 010021, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Winchell KM, Aviles‐Rodriguez KJ, Carlen EJ, Miles LS, Charmantier A, De León LF, Gotanda KM, Rivkin LR, Szulkin M, Verrelli BC. Moving past the challenges and misconceptions in urban adaptation research. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9552. [PMID: 36425909 PMCID: PMC9679025 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the field of urban evolutionary ecology has recently expanded, much progress has been made in identifying adaptations that arise as a result of selective pressures within these unique environments. However, as studies within urban environments have rapidly increased, researchers have recognized that there are challenges and opportunities in characterizing urban adaptation. Some of these challenges are a consequence of increased direct and indirect human influence, which compounds long-recognized issues with research on adaptive evolution more generally. In this perspective, we discuss several common research challenges to urban adaptation related to (1) methodological approaches, (2) trait-environment relationships and the natural history of organisms, (3) agents and targets of selection, and (4) habitat heterogeneity. Ignoring these challenges may lead to misconceptions and further impede our ability to draw conclusions regarding evolutionary and ecological processes in urban environments. Our goal is to first shed light on the conceptual challenges of conducting urban adaptation research to help avoid the propagation of these misconceptions. We further summarize potential strategies to move forward productively to construct a more comprehensive picture of urban adaptation, and discuss how urban environments also offer unique opportunities and applications for adaptation research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin M. Winchell
- Department of BiologyNew York UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Kevin J. Aviles‐Rodriguez
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of BiologyFordham UniversityBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Elizabeth J. Carlen
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of BiologyFordham UniversityBronxNew YorkUSA
- Living Earth CollaborativeWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Lindsay S. Miles
- Center for Biological Data ScienceVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Anne Charmantier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et EvolutiveUniversité de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Luis F. De León
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kiyoko M. Gotanda
- Department of BiologyUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
- Department of Biological SciencesBrock UniversitySt. Catharine'sOntarioCanada
| | - L. Ruth Rivkin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada
- Centre for Urban EnvironmentsUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New TechnologiesUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- Center for Biological Data ScienceVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li TX, Shen-Tu XL, Xu L, Zhang WJ, Duan JP, Song YB, Dong M. Intraspecific and sex-dependent variation of leaf traits along altitude gradient in the endangered dioecious tree Taxus fuana Nan Li & R.R. Mill. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:996750. [PMID: 36325570 PMCID: PMC9618961 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.996750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant intraspecific trait variation (ITV) including sex-dependent differences are matters of many ecological consequences, from individual to ecosystem, especially in endangered and rare species. Taxus fuana is an endangered dioecious species with small and isolated populations endemic to the Himalayas region. Little is known about its trait variation between sexes, and among populations. In this study, 18 leaf traits from 179 reproductive trees (males and females) along the altitude (2600-3200m a.s.l.) of the T. fuana populations distributed in Gyirong County, Tibet, China, were measured. ITV and sources of variation in leaf traits were assessed. The relationship between leaf traits of males and females and altitude was analyzed separately. Variations in leaf traits of T. fuana ranged from 3.1% to 24.2%, with the smallest in leaf carbon content and the largest in leaf thickness to area ratio. On average 78.13% of the variation in leaf traits was from within populations and 21.87% among populations. The trends in leaf width, leaf nitrogen to phosphorus ratio, leaf carbon to nitrogen ratio, leaf carbon isotope ratio, and leaf nitrogen isotope ratio in relation to altitude were the same for males and females. Leaf length to width ratio varied significantly with altitude only in males, while leaf phosphorus content, leaf nitrogen content, and leaf carbon to phosphorus ratio varied significantly with altitude only in females. The correlation coefficients of most leaf traits of females with altitude were larger than that of males. In the relationship between leaf traits, there was a high similarity among males and females, but the altitude accounted for more explanation in females than in males. Our results suggested that the variation in leaf traits of T. fuana was small and did not dominate the interspecific competition in the local communities. Adaptation to the altitude gradient of T. fuana might be through altering nutrient storage processes and water use efficiency. Adaptation of male and female T. fuana to environmental changes showed differences, where the males were more tolerant and the females responded greatly to altitude. The differences in adaptation strategies between male and female T. fuana may be detrimental to the maintenance of their populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ming Dong
- *Correspondence: Yao-Bin Song, ; Ming Dong,
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Guo A, Zuo X, Zhang S, Hu Y, Yue P, Lv P, Li X, Zhao S, Yu Q. Contrasting effects of plant inter- and intraspecific variation on community trait responses to nitrogen addition and drought in typical and meadow steppes. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:90. [PMID: 35232383 PMCID: PMC8886796 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03486-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inter- and intraspecific variation in plant traits play an important role in grassland community assembly under global change scenarios. However, explorations of how these variations contribute to the responses of community traits to nitrogen (N) addition and drought in different grassland types are lacking. We measured the plant height, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf N content (LNC) and the ratio of leaf carbon (C) to leaf N (C:N) in a typical and a meadow steppe after three years of N addition, drought and their interaction. We determined the community-weighted means (CWMs) of the six traits to quantify the relative contribution of inter- and intraspecific variation to the responses of community traits to N addition and drought in the two steppes. RESULTS The communities in the two steppes responded to N addition and the interaction by increasing the CWM of LNC and decreasing C:N. The community in the meadow steppe responded to drought through increased CWM of LNC and reduced C:N. Significant differences were observed in SLA, LDMC, LNC and C:N between the two steppes under different treatments. The SLA and LNC of the community in the meadow steppe were greater than those of the typical steppe, and the LDMC and C:N exhibited the opposite results. Moreover, variation in community traits in the typical steppe in response to N addition and drought was caused by intraspecific variation. In contrast, the shifts in community traits in the meadow steppe in response to N addition and drought were influenced by both inter- and intraspecific variation. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that intraspecific variation contributed more to community functional shifts in the typical steppe than in the meadow steppe. Intraspecific variation should be considered to understand better and predict the response of typical steppe communities to global changes. The minor effects of interspecific variation on meadow steppe communities in response to environmental changes also should not be neglected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aixia Guo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Senxi Zhang
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ya Hu
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Peng Lv
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shenglong Zhao
- Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 10008, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang S, Feng WW, Liu MC, Huang K, Arnold PA, Nicotra AB, Feng YL. Inherent conflicts between reaction norm slope and plasticity indices when comparing plasticity: a conceptual framework and empirical test. Oecologia 2022; 198:593-603. [PMID: 35129681 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05122-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity index (PI), the slope of reaction norm (K) and relative distances plasticity index (RDPI), the most commonly used estimators, have occasionally been found to generate different plasticity rankings between groups (species, populations, cultivars or genotypes). However, no effort has been made to determine how frequent this incongruence is, and the factors that influence the occurrence of the incongruence. To address these problems, we first proposed a conceptual framework and then tested the framework (its predictions) by reanalyzing 1248 sets of published data. Our framework reveals inherent conflicts between K and PI or RDPI when comparing plasticity between two groups, and the frequency of these conflicts increases with increasing inter-group initial trait difference and/or K values of the groups compared. More importantly, the estimators also affect the magnitude of the inter-group plasticity differences even when they do not change groups' plasticity rankings. The above-mentioned effects of plasticity estimators were confirmed by our empirical test using data from the literature, and the conflicts occur in 203 (16%) of the 1248 comparisons between K and indices, indicating that a considerable proportion of the comparative conclusions on plasticity in literature are estimator-dependent. The frequency of the conflicts is influenced by phylogenetic relatedness of the groups compared, being lower when comparing within relative to between species, but not by specific types of environments, traits and species. Our study indicates that care is needed to select estimator when comparing groups' plasticity, and that the conclusions in relevant literature should be treated with great caution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Wang
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Wei-Wei Feng
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Ming-Chao Liu
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Kai Huang
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Pieter A Arnold
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Adrienne B Nicotra
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Yu-Long Feng
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hattich GSI, Listmann L, Govaert L, Pansch C, Reusch TBH, Matthiessen B. Experimentally decomposing phytoplankton community change into ecological and evolutionary contributions. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giannina S. I. Hattich
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Experimental Ecology‐Foodwebs Kiel Germany
- Environmental and Marine Biology Åbo Akademi University Åbo Finland
| | - Luisa Listmann
- Marine Evolutionary Ecology GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Kiel Germany
- Institut für Marine Ökosystem‐ und Fischereiwissenschaften University of Hamburg Hamburg Germany
| | - Lynn Govaert
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zürich Switzerland
- Department of Aquatic Ecology Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- URPP Global Change and Biodiversity University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Leibniz Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
| | - Christian Pansch
- Environmental and Marine Biology Åbo Akademi University Åbo Finland
| | - Thorsten B. H. Reusch
- Marine Evolutionary Ecology GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Kiel Germany
| | - Birte Matthiessen
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Experimental Ecology‐Foodwebs Kiel Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Govaert L, De Meester L, Rousseaux S, Declerck SAJ, Pantel JH. Measuring the contribution of evolution to community trait structure in freshwater zooplankton. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lynn Govaert
- Leibniz Inst. für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dept of Aquatic Ecology Dübendorf Switzerland
- URPP Global Change and Biodiversity, Univ. of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Luc De Meester
- Leibniz Inst. für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Inst. of Biology, Freie Univ. Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Sarah Rousseaux
- Leibniz Inst. für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Natuurinvest, Maatschappelijke zetel Brussel, Herman Teirlinckgebouw Brussel Belgium
| | - Steven A. J. Declerck
- Leibniz Inst. für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Dept of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Jelena H. Pantel
- Leibniz Inst. für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Dept of Computer Science, Mathematics and Environmental Science, The American Univ. of Paris Paris France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Huang C, Xu Y, Zang R. Variation Patterns of Functional Trait Moments Along Geographical Gradients and Their Environmental Determinants in the Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaved Forests. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:686965. [PMID: 34322143 PMCID: PMC8311185 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.686965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how environmental change alters the composition of plant assemblages is a major challenge in the face of global climate change. Researches accounting for site-specific trait values within forest communities help bridge plant economics theory and functional biogeography to better evaluate and predict relationships between environment and ecosystem functioning. Here, by measuring six functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration, leaf nitrogen/phosphorus, wood density) for 292 woody plant species (48,680 individuals) from 250 established permanent forest dynamics plots in five locations across the subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests (SEBLF) in China, we quantified functional compositions of communities by calculating four trait moments, i.e., community-weighted mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis. The geographical (latitudinal, longitudinal, and elevational) patterns of functional trait moments and their environmental drivers were examined. Results showed that functional trait moments shifted significantly along the geographical gradients, and trait moments varied in different ways across different gradients. Plants generally showed coordinated trait shifts toward more conservative growth strategies (lower specific leaf area, leaf N and P concentration while higher leaf nitrogen/phosphorus and wood density) along increasing latitude and longitude. However, trends opposite to the latitudinal and longitudinal patterns appeared in trait mean values along elevation. The three sets of environmental variables (climate, soil and topography) explained 35.0-69.0%, 21.0-56.0%, 14.0-31.0%, and 16.0-30.0% of the variations in mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis across the six functional traits, respectively. Patterns of shifts in functional trait moments along geographical gradients in the subtropical region were mainly determined by the joint effects of climatic and edaphic conditions. Climate regimes, especially climate variability, were the strongest driving force, followed by soil nutrients, while topography played the least role. Moreover, the relationship of variance, skewness and kurtosis with climate and their geographical patterns suggested that rare phenotypes at edges of trait space were selected in harsher environments. Our study suggested that environmental filtering (especially climate variability) was the dominant process of functional assembly for forest communities in the subtropical region along geographical gradients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caishuang Huang
- Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Xu
- Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Runguo Zang
- Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tusifujiang Y, Zhang X, Gong L. The relative contribution of intraspecific variation and species turnover to the community-level foliar stoichiometric characteristics in different soil moisture and salinity habitats. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246672. [PMID: 33596232 PMCID: PMC7888666 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trait-based approaches have been used to demonstrate the responses of plant functional traits to environmental change may manifest both among- and/or within-species. However, how community-level foliar stoichiometric characteristic variations respond to aridity and salinity is still not well-known. METHODS We calculated community weighted means (CWMs) and non-weighted means (CMs) of foliar C, N, and P concentrations (and their ratios) in a dryland plant community respond to high (HSW) and low soil moisture and salinity (LSW). Based on a sum of squares decomposition method, we determined the relative contributions of intraspecific variation and species turnover in both HSW and LSW habitats. RESULTS The CWMs of foliar C, C:N and C:P, and CM of N in the HSW habitat were significantly greater than those in the LSW habitat. The trait variations in two habitats were mainly driven by intraspecific variation, and its contribution to trait variation mostly declined with the decrease of soil moisture and salinity. The CWMs of foliar C-related stoichiometric characteristics were mainly dominated by species turnover in both habitats. Moreover, the contribution of species turnover to C and C:P variations showed an increasing trend in the LSW habitat. For CWMs, negative covariations between intraspecific variation and turnover occurred in HSW and positive covariations (except N:P) occurred in LSW; however, CMs were generally positively correlated in both habitats. CONCLUSIONS The intraspecific variation declined as drought stress intensified, which indicates that the adaptability of desert plants declined when the stress changed from salinity to aridity. The total variation of C-related traits in both habitats were mainly dominated by species turnover. These findings highlight the importance of intraspecific variation in driving desert plant response of community functional composition to salt stress, and the joint role of intraspecific variation and species turnover in resisting drought stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yelike Tusifujiang
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China.,Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Xueni Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China.,Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Lu Gong
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China.,Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Symons CC, Schulhof MA, Cavalheri HB, Shurin JB. Legacy effects of fish but not elevation influence lake ecosystem response to environmental change. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:662-672. [PMID: 33251623 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
How communities reorganize during climate change depends on the distribution of diversity within ecosystems and across landscapes. Understanding how environmental and evolutionary history constrain community resilience is critical to predicting shifts in future ecosystem function. The goal of our study was to understand how communities with different histories respond to environmental change with regard to shifts in elevation (temperature, nutrients) and introduced predators. We hypothesized that community responses to the environment would differ in ways consistent with local adaptation and initial trait structure. We transplanted plankton communities from lakes at different elevations with and without fish in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California to mesocosms at different elevations with and without fish. We examined the relative importance of the historical and experimental environment on functional (size structure, effects on lower trophic levels), community (zooplankton composition, abundance and biomass) and population (individual species abundance and biomass) responses. Communities originating from different elevations produced similar biomass at each elevation despite differences in species composition; that is, the experimental elevation, but not the elevation of origin, had a strong effect on biomass. Conversely, we detected a legacy effect of predators on plankton in the fishless environment. Daphnia pulicaria that historically coexisted with fish reached greater biomass under fishless conditions than those from fishless lakes, resulting in greater zooplankton community biomass and larger average size. Therefore, trait variation among lake populations determined the top-down effects of fish predators. In contrast, phenotypic plasticity and local diversity were sufficient to maintain food web structure in response to changing environmental conditions associated with elevation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Celia C Symons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ecology Behavior and Evolution Section, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marika A Schulhof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ecology Behavior and Evolution Section, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hamanda B Cavalheri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ecology Behavior and Evolution Section, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan B Shurin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ecology Behavior and Evolution Section, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Blondeel H, Perring MP, De Lombaerde E, Depauw L, Landuyt D, Govaert S, Maes SL, Vangansbeke P, De Frenne P, Verheyen K. Individualistic responses of forest herb traits to environmental change. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:601-614. [PMID: 32109335 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Intraspecific trait variation (ITV; i.e. variability in mean and/or distribution of plant attribute values within species) can occur in response to multiple drivers. Environmental change and land-use legacies could directly alter trait values within species but could also affect them indirectly through changes in vegetation cover. Increasing variability in environmental conditions could lead to more ITV, but responses might differ among species. Disentangling these drivers on ITV is necessary to accurately predict plant community responses to global change. We planted herb communities into forest soils with and without a recent history of agriculture. Soils were collected across temperate European regions, while the 15 selected herb species had different colonizing abilities and affinities to forest habitat. These mesocosms (384) were exposed to two-level full-factorial treatments of warming, nitrogen addition and illumination. We measured plant height and specific leaf area (SLA). For the majority of species, mean plant height increased as vegetation cover increased in response to light addition, warming and agricultural legacy. The coefficient of variation (CV) for height was larger in fast-colonizing species. Mean SLA for vernal species increased with warming, while light addition generally decreased mean SLA for shade-tolerant species. Interactions between treatments were not important predictors. Environmental change treatments influenced ITV, either via increasing vegetation cover or by affecting trait values directly. Species' ITV was individualistic, i.e. species responded to different single resource and condition manipulations that benefited their growth in the short term. These individual responses could be important for altered community organization after a prolonged period.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Blondeel
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - M P Perring
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
- Ecosystem Restoration and Intervention Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - E De Lombaerde
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - L Depauw
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - D Landuyt
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - S Govaert
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - S L Maes
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - P Vangansbeke
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - P De Frenne
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - K Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Campus Gontrode, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Niu K, Zhang S, Lechowicz MJ. Harsh environmental regimes increase the functional significance of intraspecific variation in plant communities. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kechang Niu
- Department of Ecology School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing China
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
| | - Shiting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro‐Ecosystems School of Life Science Lanzhou University Lanzhou China
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Blondeel H, Perring MP, Depauw L, De Lombaerde E, Landuyt D, De Frenne P, Verheyen K. Light and warming drive forest understorey community development in different environments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1681-1696. [PMID: 31811690 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Plant community composition and functional traits respond to chronic drivers such as climate change and nitrogen (N) deposition. In contrast, pulse disturbances from ecosystem management can additionally change resources and conditions. Community responses to combined environmental changes may further depend on land-use legacies. Disentangling the relative importance of these global change drivers is necessary to improve predictions of future plant communities. We performed a multifactor global change experiment to disentangle drivers of herbaceous plant community trajectories in a temperate deciduous forest. Communities of five species, assembled from a pool of 15 forest herb species with varying ecological strategies, were grown in 384 mesocosms on soils from ancient forest (forested at least since 1850) and postagricultural forest (forested since 1950) collected across Europe. Mesocosms were exposed to two-level full-factorial treatments of warming, light addition (representing changing forest management) and N enrichment. We measured plant height, specific leaf area (SLA) and species cover over the course of three growing seasons. Increasing light availability followed by warming reordered the species towards a taller herb community, with limited effects of N enrichment or the forest land-use history. Two-way interactions between treatments and incorporating intraspecific trait variation (ITV) did not yield additional inference on community height change. Contrastingly, community SLA differed when considering ITV along with species reordering, which highlights ITV's importance for understanding leaf morphology responses to nutrient enrichment in dark conditions. Contrary to our expectations, we found limited evidence of land-use legacies affecting community responses to environmental changes, perhaps because dispersal limitation was removed in the experimental design. These findings can improve predictions of community functional trait responses to global changes by acknowledging ITV, and subtle changes in light availability. Adaptive forest management to impending global change could benefit the restoration and conservation of understorey plant communities by reducing the light availability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haben Blondeel
- Forest & Nature Lab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Michael P Perring
- Forest & Nature Lab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
- Ecosystem Restoration and Intervention Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Leen Depauw
- Forest & Nature Lab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Emiel De Lombaerde
- Forest & Nature Lab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Dries Landuyt
- Forest & Nature Lab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Pieter De Frenne
- Forest & Nature Lab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Li H, Li X, Zhou X. Trait means predict performance under water limitation better than plasticity for seedlings of Poaceae species on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2944-2955. [PMID: 32211167 PMCID: PMC7083665 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Water availability may be altered by changes in precipitation under global climate change in alpine areas. Trait means and plasticity are important for plants in response to a changing environment. In an examination of alpine plant responses to changed water availability, and for determination of how trait means and plasticity predict the performance (e.g., biomass) of these species, seeds of ten Poaceae species from the eastern Tibetan Plateau were sown and grown in a manipulated environment during a growing season in which rainfall was removed and other climate conditions remained unchanged. Growth and leaf traits of these species were measured. We found significant effects of moderate water stress on the seedling biomass of these species; however, the responses of these species to changed water condition were strongly dependent on species identity. For example, the biomass of some species significantly decreased under moderate drought, whereas that of others were either significantly increased or unaffected. This pattern was also observed for growth and leaf traits. Overall, the alpine Poaceae species showed low plasticity of traits in response to water availability relative to reports from other areas. Notably, the results show that trait means were better correlated with the productivity than with the plasticity of traits; thus, we argue that the trait means were better predictors of performance than plasticity for alpine Poaceae species. Poaceae species in alpine areas are important for forage production and for water catchment health worldwide, and these species may face water shortage because of current and future climate change. Understanding the response of alpine Poaceae species to water availability would facilitate our ability to predict the impacts of climate change on the alpine vegetation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Honglin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and AgricultureQinghai UniversityXiningChina
| | - Xilai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and AgricultureQinghai UniversityXiningChina
- College of Agriculture and Animal HusbandryQinghai UniversityXiningChina
| | - Xiaolong Zhou
- Institute of Arid Ecology and EnvironmentXinjiang UniversityUrumqiChina
- Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of the Ministry of EducationXinjiang UniversityUrumqiChina
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Buzatti RSDO, Pfeilsticker TR, Muniz AC, Ellis VA, de Souza RP, Lemos-Filho JP, Lovato MB. Disentangling the Environmental Factors That Shape Genetic and Phenotypic Leaf Trait Variation in the Tree Qualea grandiflora Across the Brazilian Savanna. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:1580. [PMID: 31850045 PMCID: PMC6900740 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the environmental factors that shape intraspecific genetic and phenotypic diversity of species can provide insights into the processes that generate and maintain divergence in highly diverse biomes such as the savannas of the Neotropics. Here, we sampled Qualea grandiflora, the most widely distributed tree species in the Cerrado, a large Neotropical savanna. We analyzed genetic variation with microsatellite markers in 23 populations (418 individuals) and phenotypic variation of 10 metamer traits (internode, petiole and corresponding leaf lamina) in 36 populations (744 individuals). To evaluate the role of geography, soil, climate, and wind speed in shaping the divergence of genetic and phenotypic traits among populations, we used Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling. We also used multiple regressions to further investigate the contributions of those environmental factors on leaf trait diversity. We found high genetic diversity, which was geographically structured. Geographic distance was the main factor shaping genetic divergence in Qualea grandiflora, reflecting isolation by distance. Genetic structure was more related to past climatic changes than to the current climate. We also found high metamer trait variation, which seemed largely influenced by precipitation, soil bulk density and wind speed during the period of metamer development. The high degree of metamer trait variation seems to be due to both, phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation to different environmental conditions, and may explain the success of the species in occupying all the Cerrado biome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renata Santiago de Oliveira Buzatti
- Laboratório de Genética de Populações, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Thais Ribeiro Pfeilsticker
- Laboratório de Genética de Populações, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - André Carneiro Muniz
- Laboratório de Genética de Populações, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Vincenzo A. Ellis
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Renan Pedra de Souza
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Bioestatística e Epidemiologia Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - José Pires Lemos-Filho
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal, Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Maria Bernadete Lovato
- Laboratório de Genética de Populações, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Catullo RA, Llewelyn J, Phillips BL, Moritz CC. The Potential for Rapid Evolution under Anthropogenic Climate Change. Curr Biol 2019; 29:R996-R1007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
19
|
Midolo G, De Frenne P, Hölzel N, Wellstein C. Global patterns of intraspecific leaf trait responses to elevation. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:2485-2498. [PMID: 31056841 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Elevational gradients are often used to quantify how traits of plant species respond to abiotic and biotic environmental variations. Yet, such analyses are frequently restricted spatially and applied along single slopes or mountain ranges. Since we know little on the response of intraspecific leaf traits to elevation across the globe, we here perform a global meta-analysis of leaf traits in 109 plant species located in 4 continents and reported in 71 studies published between 1983 and 2018. We quantified the intraspecific change in seven morpho-ecophysiological leaf traits along global elevational gradients: specific leaf area (SLA), leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf area (LA), nitrogen concentration per unit of area (Narea), nitrogen concentration per unit mass (Nmass), phosphorous concentration per unit mass (Pmass) and carbon isotope composition (δ13 C). We found LMA, Narea, Nmass and δ13 C to significantly increase and SLA to decrease with increasing elevation. Conversely, LA and Pmass showed no significant pattern with elevation worldwide. We found significantly larger increase in Narea, Nmass, Pmass and δ13 C with elevation in warmer regions. Larger responses to increasing elevation were apparent for SLA of herbaceous compared to woody species, but not for the other traits. Finally, we also detected evidences of covariation across morphological and physiological traits within the same elevational gradient. In sum, we demonstrate that there are common cross-species patterns of intraspecific leaf trait variation across elevational gradients worldwide. Irrespective of whether such variation is genetically determined via local adaptation or attributed to phenotypic plasticity, the leaf trait patterns quantified here suggest that plant species are adapted to live on a range of temperature conditions. Since the distribution of mountain biota is predominantly shifting upslope in response to changes in environmental conditions, our results are important to further our understanding of how plants species of mountain ecosystems adapt to global environmental change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Midolo
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Pieter De Frenne
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Norbert Hölzel
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Camilla Wellstein
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chen H, Huang Y, He K, Qi Y, Li E, Jiang Z, Sheng Z, Li X. Temporal intraspecific trait variability drives responses of functional diversity to interannual aridity variation in grasslands. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:5731-5742. [PMID: 31160994 PMCID: PMC6540671 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Interannual climate variation alters functional diversity through intraspecific trait variability and species turnover. We examined these diversity elements in three types of grasslands in northern China, including two temperate steppes and an alpine meadow. We evaluated the differences in community-weighted means (CWM) of plant traits and functional dispersion (FDis) between 2 years with contrasting aridity in the growing season. Four traits were measured: specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC), and the maximum plant height (H). CWM for SLA of the alpine meadow increased in the dry year while that of the temperate steppe in Qinghai showed opposing trends. CWM of LDMC in two temperate steppes became higher and CWM of LNC in all grasslands became lower in the dry year. Compared with the wet year, FDis of LDMC in the alpine meadow and FDis of LNC in the temperate steppe in Qinghai decreased in the dry year. FDis of H was higher in the dry year for two temperate steppes. Only in the temperate steppe in Qinghai did the multi-FDis of all traits experience a significant increase in the dry year. Most of the changes in CWM and FDis between 2 years were explained by intraspecific trait variation rather than shifts in species composition. This study highlights that temporal intraspecific trait variation contributes to functional responses to environmental changes. Our results also suggest it would be necessary to consider habitat types when modeling ecosystem responses to climate changes, as different grasslands showed different response patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Chen
- Faculty of Geographical Science, State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural ResourcesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yongmei Huang
- Faculty of Geographical Science, State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural ResourcesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Kejian He
- School of Resource Environment and Earth ScienceYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Yu Qi
- Inner Mongolia Environment Sciences AcademyHohhotChina
| | - Engui Li
- Faculty of Geographical Science, State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural ResourcesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Zhiyun Jiang
- School of GeographySouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhilu Sheng
- Faculty of Geographical Science, State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural ResourcesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Faculty of Geographical Science, State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, School of Natural ResourcesBeijing Normal UniversityBeijingChina
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Henn JJ, Buzzard V, Enquist BJ, Halbritter AH, Klanderud K, Maitner BS, Michaletz ST, Pötsch C, Seltzer L, Telford RJ, Yang Y, Zhang L, Vandvik V. Intraspecific Trait Variation and Phenotypic Plasticity Mediate Alpine Plant Species Response to Climate Change. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1548. [PMID: 30483276 PMCID: PMC6243391 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In a rapidly changing climate, alpine plants may persist by adapting to new conditions. However, the rate at which the climate is changing might exceed the rate of adaptation through evolutionary processes in long-lived plants. Persistence may depend on phenotypic plasticity in morphology and physiology. Here we investigated patterns of leaf trait variation including leaf area, leaf thickness, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nutrients (C, N, P) and isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) across an elevation gradient on Gongga Mountain, Sichuan Province, China. We quantified inter- and intra-specific trait variation and the plasticity in leaf traits of selected species to experimental warming and cooling by using a reciprocal transplantation approach. We found substantial phenotypic plasticity in most functional traits where δ15N, leaf area, and leaf P showed greatest plasticity. These traits did not correspond with traits with the largest amount of intraspecific variation. Plasticity in leaf functional traits tended to enable plant populations to shift their trait values toward the mean values of a transplanted plants' destination community, but only if that population started with very different trait values. These results suggest that leaf trait plasticity is an important mechanism for enabling plants to persist within communities and to better tolerate changing environmental conditions under climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J. Henn
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Vanessa Buzzard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Brian J. Enquist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Aud H. Halbritter
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kari Klanderud
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Brian S. Maitner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Sean T. Michaletz
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
| | - Christine Pötsch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Lorah Seltzer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Richard J. Telford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Yan Yang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (CAS), Chengdu, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (CAS), Chengdu, China
| | - Vigdis Vandvik
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|