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Barman M, Tenhaken R, Dötterl S. Negative and sex-specific effects of drought on flower production, resources and pollinator visitation, but not on floral scent in monoecious Cucurbita pepo. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 39117354 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The globally changing climatic condition is increasing the incidences of drought in several parts of the world. This is predicted and already shown to not only impact plant growth and flower development, but also plant-pollinator interactions and the pollination success of entomophilous plants. However, there is a large gap in our understanding of how drought affects the different flowers and pollen transfer among flowers in sexually polymorphic species. Here, we evaluated in monoecious Styrian oil pumpkin, and separately for female and male flowers, the responses of drought stress on flower production, petal size, nectar, floral scent and visitation by bumblebee pollinators. Drought stress adversely affected all floral traits studied, except floral scent. Although both flower sexes were adversely affected by drought stress, the effects were more severe on female flowers, with most of the female flowers even aborted before opening. The drought had negative effects on floral visitation by the pollinators, which generally preferred female flowers. Overall, our study highlights that the two flower sexes of a monoecious plant species are differently affected by drought stress and calls for further investigations to better understand the cues used by the pollinators to discriminate against male flowers and against flowers of drought-stressed plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Barman
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, Salzburg, 5020, Austria
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, Großbeeren, 14979, Germany
| | - Raimund Tenhaken
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, Salzburg, 5020, Austria
| | - Stefan Dötterl
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, Salzburg, 5020, Austria
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2
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Hederström V, Ekroos J, Friberg M, Krausl T, Opedal ØH, Persson AS, Petrén H, Quan Y, Smith HG, Clough Y. Pollinator-mediated effects of landscape-scale land use on grassland plant community composition and ecosystem functioning - seven hypotheses. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:675-698. [PMID: 38118437 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Environmental change is disrupting mutualisms between organisms worldwide. Reported declines in insect populations and changes in pollinator community compositions in response to land use and other environmental drivers have put the spotlight on the need to conserve pollinators. While this is often motivated by their role in supporting crop yields, the role of pollinators for reproduction and resulting taxonomic and functional assembly in wild plant communities has received less attention. Recent findings suggest that observed and experimental gradients in pollinator availability can affect plant community composition, but we know little about when such shifts are to be expected, or the impact they have on ecosystem functioning. Correlations between plant traits related to pollination and plant traits related to other important ecosystem functions, such as productivity, nitrogen uptake or palatability to herbivores, lead us to expect non-random shifts in ecosystem functioning in response to changes in pollinator communities. At the same time, ecological and evolutionary processes may counteract these effects of pollinator declines, limiting changes in plant community composition, and in ecosystem functioning. Despite calls to investigate community- and ecosystem-level impacts of reduced pollination, the study of pollinator effects on plants has largely been confined to impacts on plant individuals or single-species populations. With this review we aim to break new ground by bringing together aspects of landscape ecology, ecological and evolutionary plant-insect interactions, and biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research, to generate new ideas and hypotheses about the ecosystem-level consequences of pollinator declines in response to land-use change, using grasslands as a focal system. Based on an integrated set of seven hypotheses, we call for more research investigating the putative pollinator-mediated links between landscape-scale land use and ecosystem functioning. In particular, future research should use combinations of experimental and observational approaches to assess the effects of changes in pollinator communities over multiple years and across species on plant communities and on trait distributions both within and among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Hederström
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Johan Ekroos
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Magne Friberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Theresia Krausl
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Øystein H Opedal
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Anna S Persson
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Hampus Petrén
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Yuanyuan Quan
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Henrik G Smith
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
| | - Yann Clough
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, 223 62, Sweden
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3
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Gomes SSL, Lopes JML, de Matos EM, Cabral EG, Azevedo ALS, Machado MA, de Campos JMS, Neto LM, Viccini LF. Phenotypic variation seems not to be associated with the genetic profile in Zygopetalum (Orchidaceae): a case study of a high-elevation rocky complex. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:582. [PMID: 38678168 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09528-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hybridization associated with polyploidy studies is rare in the tropics. The genus Zygopetalum (Orchidaceae) was investigated here as a case study of Neotropical plants. In the rocky highlands of the Ibitipoca State Park (ISP), southeast Brazil, individuals with intermediate colors and forms between the species Z. maculatum and Z. triste were commonly identified. METHODS AND RESULTS Chromosomal analysis and DNA quantity showed a uniform population. Regardless of the aspects related to the color and shape of floral structures, all individuals showed 2n = 96 chromosomes and an average of 14.05 pg of DNA. Irregularities in meiosis associated with chromosome number and C value suggest the occurrence of polyploidy. The genetic distance estimated using ISSR molecular markers revealed the existence of genetic variability not related to morphological clusters. Morphometric measurements of the flower pieces revealed that Z. maculatum shows higher variation than Z. triste although lacking a defined circumscription. CONCLUSION The observed variation can be explained by the polyploid and phenotypic plasticity resulting from the interaction of the genotypes with the heterogeneous environments observed in this habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaiany Sabrina Lopes Gomes
- Biology Department/Genetic and Biotechnology Lab, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Juliana Mainenti Leal Lopes
- Biology Department/Genetic and Biotechnology Lab, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Elyabe Monteiro de Matos
- Biology Department/Genetic and Biotechnology Lab, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Elisa Guimarães Cabral
- Biology Department/Genetic and Biotechnology Lab, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Luiz Menini Neto
- Botany Department, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Lyderson Facio Viccini
- Biology Department/Genetic and Biotechnology Lab, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36036-900, Brazil.
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4
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Buonaiuto DM, Davies TJ, Collins SC, Wolkovich EM. Ecological drivers of flower-leaf sequences: aridity and proxies for pollinator attraction select for flowering-first in the American plums. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 38561636 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Across temperate forests, many tree species produce flowers before their leaves emerge. This flower-leaf phenological sequence, known as hysteranthy, is generally described as an adaptation for wind pollination. However, this explanation does not address why hysteranthy is also common in biotically pollinated taxa. We quantified flower-leaf sequence variation in the American plums (Prunus, subg. Prunus sect. Prunocerasus), a clade of insect-pollinated trees, using herbaria specimens and Bayesian hierarchical modeling. We tested two common, but rarely interrogated hypotheses - that hysteranthy confers aridity tolerance and/or pollinator visibility - by modeling the associations between hysteranthy and related traits. To understand how these phenology-trait associations were sensitive to taxonomic scale and flower-leaf sequence classification, we then extended these analyses to all Prunus species in North America. Our findings across two taxonomic levels support the hypotheses that hysteranthy may help temporally partition hydraulic demand to reduce water stress and increase pollinator visibility - thereby reducing selective pressure on inflorescence size. Our results provide foundational insights into the evolution of flower-leaf sequences in the genus Prunus, with implications for understanding these patterns in biotically pollinated plants in general. Our approach suggests a path to advance these hypotheses to other clades, but teasing out drivers fully will require new experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Buonaiuto
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
- Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02131, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - T J Davies
- Forest & Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - S C Collins
- Forest & Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - E M Wolkovich
- Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02131, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Forest & Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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5
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Ke Y, Zhang FP, Zhang YB, Li W, Wang Q, Yang D, Zhang JL, Cao KF. Convergent relationships between flower economics and hydraulic traits across aquatic and terrestrial herbaceous plants. PLANT DIVERSITY 2023; 45:601-610. [PMID: 37936818 PMCID: PMC10625894 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2023.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining open flowers is critical for successful pollination and depends on long-term water and carbon balance. Yet the relationship between how flower hydraulic traits are coordinated in different habitats is poorly understood. Here, we hypothesize that the coordination and trade-offs between floral hydraulics and economics traits are independent of environmental conditions. To test this hypothesis, we investigated a total of 27 flower economics and hydraulic traits in six aquatic and six terrestrial herbaceous species grown in a tropical botanical garden. We found that although there were a few significant differences, most flower hydraulics and economics traits did not differ significantly between aquatic and terrestrial herbaceous plants. Both flower mass per area and floral longevity were significantly positively correlated with the time required for drying full-hydrated flowers to 70% relative water content. Flower dry matter content was strongly and positively related to drought tolerance of the flowers as indicated by flower water potential at the turgor loss point. In addition, there was a trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and the construction cost of a flower across species. Our results show that flowers of aquatic and terrestrial plants follow the same economics spectrum pattern. These results suggest a convergent flower economics design across terrestrial and aquatic plants, providing new insights into the mechanisms by which floral organs adapt to aquatic and terrestrial habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Ke
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Feng-Ping Zhang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Yun-Bing Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Li
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Puer University, Puer, Yunnan 665000, China
| | - Qin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Da Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Jiao-Lin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Kun-Fang Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi University, Daxuedong Road 100, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
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6
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Roddy AB, Guilliams CM, Fine PVA, Mambelli S, Dawson TE, Simonin KA. Flowers are leakier than leaves but cheaper to build. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 239:2076-2082. [PMID: 37366068 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam B Roddy
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, 33199, FL, USA
| | | | - Paul V A Fine
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, 94720, CA, USA
| | - Stefania Mambelli
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, 94720, CA, USA
| | - Todd E Dawson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, 94720, CA, USA
| | - Kevin A Simonin
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, 94132, CA, USA
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7
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An YD, Roddy AB, Zhang TH, Jiang GF. Hydraulic differences between flowers and leaves are driven primarily by pressure-volume traits and water loss. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1130724. [PMID: 37324689 PMCID: PMC10264769 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1130724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Flowers are critical for successful reproduction and have been a major axis of diversification among angiosperms. As the frequency and severity of droughts are increasing globally, maintaining water balance of flowers is crucial for food security and other ecosystem services that rely on flowering. Yet remarkably little is known about the hydraulic strategies of flowers. We characterized hydraulic strategies of leaves and flowers of ten species by combining anatomical observations using light and scanning electron microscopy with measurements of hydraulic physiology (minimum diffusive conductance (g min) and pressure-volume (PV) curves parameters). We predicted that flowers would exhibit higher g min and higher hydraulic capacitance than leaves, which would be associated with differences in intervessel pit traits because of their different hydraulic strategies. We found that, compared to leaves, flowers exhibited: 1) higher g min, which was associated with higher hydraulic capacitance (C T); 2) lower variation in intervessel pit traits and differences in pit membrane area and pit aperture shape; and 3) independent coordination between intervessel pit traits and other anatomical and physiological traits; 4) independent evolution of most traits in flowers and leaves, resulting in 5) large differences in the regions of multivariate trait space occupied by flowers and leaves. Furthermore, across organs intervessel pit trait variation was orthogonal to variation in other anatomical and physiological traits, suggesting that pit traits represent an independent axis of variation that have as yet been unquantified in flowers. These results suggest that flowers, employ a drought-avoidant strategy of maintaining high capacitance that compensates for their higher g min to prevent excessive declines in water potentials. This drought-avoidant strategy may have relaxed selection on intervessel pit traits and allowed them to vary independently from other anatomical and physiological traits. Furthermore, the independent evolution of floral and foliar anatomical and physiological traits highlights their modular development despite being borne from the same apical meristem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Dong An
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Adam B. Roddy
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Tian-Hao Zhang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Guo-Feng Jiang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, and State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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8
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Feng C, Zou S, Zhang J. Genetic architecture of microhabitat adaptation traits in a pair of sympatric Primulina species. BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2023.2176169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Feng
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of ex situ Plant Conservation and Utilization, Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, PR China
| | - Shuaiyu Zou
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of ex situ Plant Conservation and Utilization, Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, PR China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of ex situ Plant Conservation and Utilization, Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, PR China
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9
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De Diego FC, Robbiati FO, Gaitán JJ, Fortunato RH. Morphological and distributional patterns of native and invasive Trifolium (Papilionoideae, Leguminosae) species in southern South America. SYST BIODIVERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2022.2126022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Carlos De Diego
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, (C1033AAJ) CABA, Argentina
- Instituto de Recursos Biológicos, CIRN, INTA, Nicolás Repetto y de Los Reseros s/n°, Hurlingham, 1686, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Informática y Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Universidad de Morón, Cabildo 134, Morón 1708, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico Omar Robbiati
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, Córdoba, X5000JJC, Prov. Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Juan José Gaitán
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, (C1033AAJ) CABA, Argentina
- Instituto de Suelos, CIRN, INTA, Nicolás Repetto y de Los Reseros s/n°, Hurlingham, 1686, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján, 6700, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Renée Hersilia Fortunato
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, (C1033AAJ) CABA, Argentina
- Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Informática y Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Universidad de Morón, Cabildo 134, Morón 1708, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Botánica Darwinion (CONICET/ANCEFN), Labardén 200, Acassuso, 1641, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Camelo-Júnior AE, Ferreira AWC, Andrade IM, Mayo SJ, Nollet F, Silva JL, Barros MC, Fraga E, Pessoa EM. Species delimitation in the Trichocentrum cepula (Oncidiinae, Orchidaceae) complex: a multidisciplinary approach. SYST BIODIVERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2022.2099478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio E. Camelo-Júnior
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade, Ambiente e Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, Campus Caxias, 65.604-380, Caxias, Maranhão, Brazil
| | | | - Ivanilza M. Andrade
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia, Biotec, Campus de Parnaíba, Universidade Federal do Delta do Piauí, Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Simon J. Mayo
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3AE, Surrey, UK
| | - Felipe Nollet
- Departamento de Biologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Dois Irmãos, Recife, 52171–900, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - José L. Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal da Paraíba Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Campus II, Areia, 58397-000, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Maria C. Barros
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade, Ambiente e Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, Campus Caxias, 65.604-380, Caxias, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Elmary Fraga
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade, Ambiente e Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, Campus Caxias, 65.604-380, Caxias, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Edlley M. Pessoa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade, Ambiente e Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, Campus Caxias, 65.604-380, Caxias, Maranhão, Brazil
- Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, 78060-900, Mato Grosso, Brazil
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11
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Ulrich W, Kusumoto B, Shiono T, Fuji A, Kubota Y. Latitudinal gradients of reproductive traits in Japanese woody plants. Ecol Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Werner Ulrich
- Department of Ecology and Biogeography Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń Poland
| | | | - Takayuki Shiono
- Faculty of Science University of the Ryukyus Nishihara Japan
| | - Akinori Fuji
- Faculty of Science University of the Ryukyus Nishihara Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kubota
- Faculty of Science University of the Ryukyus Nishihara Japan
- Marine and Terrestrial Field Ecology, Tropical Biosphere Research Center University of the Ryukyus Nishihara Japan
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12
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Todesco M, Bercovich N, Kim A, Imerovski I, Owens GL, Dorado Ruiz Ó, Holalu SV, Madilao LL, Jahani M, Légaré JS, Blackman BK, Rieseberg LH. Genetic basis and dual adaptive role of floral pigmentation in sunflowers. eLife 2022; 11:72072. [PMID: 35040432 PMCID: PMC8765750 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in floral displays, both between and within species, has been long known to be shaped by the mutualistic interactions that plants establish with their pollinators. However, increasing evidence suggests that abiotic selection pressures influence floral diversity as well. Here, we analyse the genetic and environmental factors that underlie patterns of floral pigmentation in wild sunflowers. While sunflower inflorescences appear invariably yellow to the human eye, they display extreme diversity for patterns of ultraviolet pigmentation, which are visible to most pollinators. We show that this diversity is largely controlled by cis-regulatory variation affecting a single MYB transcription factor, HaMYB111, through accumulation of ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing flavonol glycosides in ligules (the ‘petals’ of sunflower inflorescences). Different patterns of ultraviolet pigments in flowers are strongly correlated with pollinator preferences. Furthermore, variation for floral ultraviolet patterns is associated with environmental variables, especially relative humidity, across populations of wild sunflowers. Ligules with larger ultraviolet patterns, which are found in drier environments, show increased resistance to desiccation, suggesting a role in reducing water loss. The dual role of floral UV patterns in pollinator attraction and abiotic response reveals the complex adaptive balance underlying the evolution of floral traits. Flowers are an important part of how many plants reproduce. Their distinctive colours, shapes and patterns attract specific pollinators, but they can also help to protect the plant from predators and environmental stresses. Many flowers contain pigments that absorb ultraviolet (UV) light to display distinct UV patterns – although invisible to the human eye, most pollinators are able to see them. For example, when seen in UV, sunflowers feature a ‘bullseye’ with a dark centre surrounded by a reflective outer ring. The sizes and thicknesses of these rings vary a lot within and between flower species, and so far, it has been unclear what causes this variation and how it affects the plants. To find out more, Todesco et al. studied the UV patterns in various wild sunflowers across North America by considering the ecology and molecular biology of different plants. This revealed great variation between the UV patterns of the different sunflower populations. Moreover, Todesco et al. found that a gene called HaMYB111 is responsible for the diverse UV patterns in the sunflowers. This gene controls how plants make chemicals called flavonols that absorb UV light. Flavonols also help to protect plants from damage caused by droughts and extreme temperatures. Todesco et al. showed that plants with larger bullseyes had more flavonols, attracted more pollinators, and were better at conserving water. Accordingly, these plants were found in drier locations. This study suggests that, at least in sunflowers, UV patterns help both to attract pollinators and to control water loss. These insights could help to improve pollination – and consequently yield – in cultivated plants, and to develop plants with better resistance to extreme weather. This work also highlights the importance of combining biology on small and large scales to understand complex processes, such as adaptation and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Todesco
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | - Natalia Bercovich
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | - Amy Kim
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | - Ivana Imerovski
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | - Gregory L Owens
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria
| | - Óscar Dorado Ruiz
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | | | - Lufiani L Madilao
- Michael Smith Laboratory and Wine Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | - Mojtaba Jahani
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | - Jean-Sébastien Légaré
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
| | | | - Loren H Rieseberg
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
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13
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McMann N, Peichel A, Savage JA. Early spring flowers rely on xylem hydration but are not limited by stem xylem conductivity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:838-850. [PMID: 34618926 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many woody plants produce large floral displays early in the spring when xylem transport can be variable and often reduced. To determine whether stem hydraulics impact floral water use, we quantified floral transpiration and tested whether it was correlated with stem xylem conductivity in five temperate woody species that flower before producing leaves. We measured inflorescence gas exchange, examined the relationship between diffusive conductance and inflorescence morphology, and estimated the amount of water supplied to an inflorescence by the phloem. We also tested for correlation between transpiration and native stem xylem conductivity for branches with leaves and branches with flowers. The flowers of our study species obtain most of their water from the xylem. Diffusive conductance was higher in small inflorescences, but water content and daily transpiration rates were greater for larger inflorescences. We found no correlation between floral transpiration per branch and stem xylem conductivity within species. The data suggest that inflorescence water loss during anthesis is not limited by the xylem in our study species. We highlight the impact of floral morphology on hydraulic traits and encourage exploration into temporal shifts in floral hydration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie McMann
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, 207 Swenson Science Building, 1035 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Alexander Peichel
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, 207 Swenson Science Building, 1035 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
| | - Jessica A Savage
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, 207 Swenson Science Building, 1035 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA
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14
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Feng JQ, Zhang FP, Huang JL, Hu H, Zhang SB. Allometry Between Vegetative and Reproductive Traits in Orchids. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:728843. [PMID: 34721458 PMCID: PMC8548613 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.728843] [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: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In flowering plants, inflorescence characteristics influence both seed set and pollen contribution, while inflorescence and peduncle size can be correlated with biomass allocation to reproductive organs. Peduncles also play a role in water and nutrient supply of flowers, and mechanical support. However, it is currently unclear whether inflorescence size is correlated with peduncle size. Here, we tested whether orchids with large diameter peduncles bear more and larger flowers than those with smaller peduncles by analyzing 10 traits of inflorescence, flower, and leaf in 26 species. Peduncle diameters were positively correlated with inflorescence length and total floral area, indicating that species with larger peduncles tended to have larger inflorescences and larger flowers. We also found strongly positive correlation between inflorescence length and leaf area, and between total floral area and total leaf area, which suggested that reproductive organs may be allometrically coordinated with vegetative organs. However, neither flower number nor floral dry mass per unit area were correlated with leaf number or leaf dry mass per unit area, implying that the function between leaf and flower was uncoupled. Our findings provided a new insight for understanding the evolution of orchids, and for horticulturalists interested in improving floral and inflorescence traits in orchids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Qiu Feng
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feng-Ping Zhang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Dai and Yi Medicines, College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
| | | | - Hong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Shi-Bao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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15
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Harrap MJM, Hempel de Ibarra N, Knowles HD, Whitney HM, Rands SA. Bumblebees can detect floral humidity. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb240861. [PMID: 34161560 PMCID: PMC8246344 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.240861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Floral humidity, a region of elevated humidity in the headspace of the flower, occurs in many plant species and may add to their multimodal floral displays. So far, the ability to detect and respond to floral humidity cues has been only established for hawkmoths when they locate and extract nectar while hovering in front of some moth-pollinated flowers. To test whether floral humidity can be used by other more widespread generalist pollinators, we designed artificial flowers that presented biologically relevant levels of humidity similar to those shown by flowering plants. Bumblebees showed a spontaneous preference for flowers that produced higher floral humidity. Furthermore, learning experiments showed that bumblebees are able to use differences in floral humidity to distinguish between rewarding and non-rewarding flowers. Our results indicate that bumblebees are sensitive to different levels of floral humidity. In this way floral humidity can add to the information provided by flowers and could impact pollinator behaviour more significantly than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. M. Harrap
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Natalie Hempel de Ibarra
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Henry D. Knowles
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- Natural Resources Wales, Maes Newydd, Llandarcy, Neath Port Talbot, SA10 6JQ, UK
| | - Heather M. Whitney
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Sean A. Rands
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
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16
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Roddy AB, Martínez-Perez C, Teixido AL, Cornelissen TG, Olson ME, Oliveira RS, Silveira FAO. Towards the flower economics spectrum. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:665-672. [PMID: 32697862 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how floral traits affect reproduction is key for understanding genetic diversity, speciation, and trait evolution in the face of global changes and pollinator decline. However, there has not yet been a unified framework to characterize the major trade-offs and axes of floral trait variation. Here, we propose the development of a floral economics spectrum (FES) that incorporates the multiple pathways by which floral traits can be shaped by multiple agents of selection acting on multiple flower functions. For example, while pollinator-mediated selection has been considered the primary factor affecting flower evolution, selection by nonpollinator agents can reinforce or oppose pollinator selection, and, therefore, affect floral trait variation. In addition to pollinators, the FES should consider nonpollinator biotic agents and floral physiological costs, broadening the drivers of floral traits beyond pollinators. We discuss how coordinated evolution and trade-offs among floral traits and between floral and vegetative traits may influence the distribution of floral traits across biomes and lineages, thereby influencing organismal evolution and community assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam B Roddy
- School of the Environment, Yale University, 370 Prospect St, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Cecilia Martínez-Perez
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito s/n de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Alberto L Teixido
- Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, 78060-634, Brazil
| | - Tatiana G Cornelissen
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Mark E Olson
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito s/n de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Rafael S Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Fernando A O Silveira
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
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17
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Gómez JM, Perfectti F, Armas C, Narbona E, González-Megías A, Navarro L, DeSoto L, Torices R. Within-individual phenotypic plasticity in flowers fosters pollination niche shift. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4019. [PMID: 32782255 PMCID: PMC7419554 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17875-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a genotype of producing different phenotypes when exposed to different environments, may impact ecological interactions. We study here how within-individual plasticity in Moricandia arvensis flowers modifies its pollination niche. During spring, this plant produces large, cross-shaped, UV-reflecting lilac flowers attracting mostly long-tongued large bees. However, unlike most co-occurring species, M. arvensis keeps flowering during the hot, dry summer due to its plasticity in key vegetative traits. Changes in temperature and photoperiod in summer trigger changes in gene expression and the production of small, rounded, UV-absorbing white flowers that attract a different assemblage of generalist pollinators. This shift in pollination niche potentially allows successful reproduction in harsh conditions, facilitating M. arvensis to face anthropogenic perturbations and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Gómez
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain.
- Research Unit Modeling Nature, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Francisco Perfectti
- Research Unit Modeling Nature, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Cristina Armas
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain.
| | - Eduardo Narbona
- Departamento de Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Bioquímica, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Adela González-Megías
- Research Unit Modeling Nature, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Luis Navarro
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ciencias del Suelo, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Lucía DeSoto
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - Rubén Torices
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain
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18
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Bourbia I, Carins-Murphy MR, Gracie A, Brodribb TJ. Xylem cavitation isolates leaky flowers during water stress in pyrethrum. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 227:146-155. [PMID: 32130731 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Flowers underpin plant evolution, genetic legacy and global food supply. They are exposed to similar evaporative conditions as leaves, yet floral physiology is a product of different selective forces. We used Tanacetum cinerariifolium, a perennial daisy, to examine the response of flowers to whole-plant water stress, determining if flowers constitute a liability during drought, and how this species has adapted to minimize risk associated with reproduction. We determined the relative transpiration cost of flowers and leaves and confirmed that flowers in this species are xylem-hydrated. The relative water stress tolerance of leaves and flowers then was compared using xylem vulnerability measurements linked with observed tissue damage during an acute drought treatment. Flowers were a major source of water loss during drought but the xylem supplying them was much more vulnerable to cavitation than leaves. This xylem vulnerability segmentation was confirmed by observations that most flowers died whereas leaves were minimally affected during drought. Early cavitation and hydraulic isolation of flowers during drought benefits the plant by slowing the dehydration of perennial vegetative organs and delaying systemic xylem damage. Our results highlight the need to understand flower xylem vulnerability as a means of predicting plant reproductive failure under future drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Bourbia
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas., 7001, Australia
| | - Madeline R Carins-Murphy
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas., 7001, Australia
| | - Alistair Gracie
- Tasmania Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54, Hobart, Tas., 7001, Australia
| | - Timothy J Brodribb
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas., 7001, Australia
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19
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Lambrecht SC, Gujral AK, Renshaw LJ, Rosengreen LT. Evolutionary and plastic changes in a native annual plant after a historic drought. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:4570-4582. [PMID: 32551044 PMCID: PMC7297769 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe droughts are forecast to increase with global change. Approaches that enable the study of contemporary evolution, such as resurrection studies, are valuable for providing insights into the responses of populations to global change. In this study, we used a resurrection approach to study the evolution of the California native Leptosiphon bicolor (true babystars, Polemoniaceae) across populations differing in precipitation in response to the state's recent prolonged drought (2011-2017). In the Mediterranean climate region in which L. bicolor grows, this historic drought effectively shortened its growing season. We used seeds collected both before and after this drought from three populations found along a moisture availability gradient to assess contemporary evolution in a common garden greenhouse study. We coupled this with a drought experiment to examine plasticity. We found evolution toward earlier flowering after the historic drought in the wettest of the three populations, while plasticity to experimental drought was observed across all three. We also observed trade-offs associated with earlier flowering. In the driest population, plants that flowered earlier had lower intrinsic water-use efficiency than those flowering later, which was an expected pattern. Unexpectedly, earlier flowering plants had larger flowers. Two populations exhibited evolution and plasticity toward smaller flowers with drought. The third exhibited evolution toward larger flowers, but displayed no plasticity. Our results provide valuable insights into differences among native plant populations in response to drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan C. Lambrecht
- Department of Biological SciencesSan Jose State UniversitySan JoseCalifornia
| | - Anjum K. Gujral
- Department of Biological SciencesSan Jose State UniversitySan JoseCalifornia
| | - Lani J. Renshaw
- Department of Biological SciencesSan Jose State UniversitySan JoseCalifornia
| | - Lars T. Rosengreen
- Department of Biological SciencesSan Jose State UniversitySan JoseCalifornia
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20
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Newman E, Anderson B. Character displacement drives floral variation in Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) communities. Evolution 2020; 74:283-296. [PMID: 31883274 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between plant community members are an underexplored driver of angiosperm floral variation. We investigate character displacement as a potential contributor to floral variation in Pelargonium communities. Pelargoniums all place pollen on the ventral sides of their pollinators, potentially leading to interspecific pollen transfer (IPT) in sympatry. We show that the positions of pollen placement and receipt are determined by anther and style exsertion lengths. Using field experiments, we demonstrate that heterospecific species experience higher IPT if they have similar style lengths than when they have greater style length differences. Using crosses, we show that IPT has negative consequences on seed set. In combination, these results suggest that character displacement in style length is likely to reduce IPT and increase female fitness in sympatry. Patterns of style length variation across 29 different Pelargonium communities suggest that character displacement has occurred in multiple communities. Furthermore, analyses using a wide-ranging species pair show that style lengths are more different between sympatric populations than they are between allopatric populations. In addition to pollinators as agents of floral divergence, this study suggests that variation in Pelargonium community structure has driven style length variation through character displacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Newman
- Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
| | - Bruce Anderson
- Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa
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21
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Soteras F, Rubini Pisano MA, Bariles JB, Moré M, Cocucci AA. Phenotypic selection mosaic for flower length influenced by geographically varying hawkmoth pollinator proboscis length and abiotic environment. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:985-998. [PMID: 31514238 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biotic and abiotic context may affect the intensity of interspecific interactions and subsequently drive locally particular phenotypic selection patterns on interacting traits. We evaluated the geographical variation of matching traits of the brush-type flowers of Caesalpinia gilliesii and of the proboscis length of its guild of hawkmoth pollinators, as well as their relationship with environmental variables. We assessed the geographical variation of interacting traits (style and filament vs mean proboscis length of the guild of hawkmoths) across seven populations and estimated phenotypic selection on the plant side. Interacting traits showed similar relationships with environmental variables. Phenotypic selection on the plant side was influenced by proboscis length and by environmental conditions. Mean proboscis length of the guild was shorter than previously recorded for the same study area, thus probably shifting the selective optima of flower length. We observed two presumptive coevolutionary cold spots where one-sided negative directional selection is acting on style length. The lack of selection on the pollinator side should be further confirmed. We provided joint evidence, mostly lacking, about the geographical variation of selective pressures on the plant side associated with both proboscis length and abiotic conditions. We suggest that recent environmental change may be shifting floral length optima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Soteras
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Biología Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Malén Aluhé Rubini Pisano
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Biología Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Julieta Belén Bariles
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Biología Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marcela Moré
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Biología Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Andrea Arístides Cocucci
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva y Biología Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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22
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Teixido AL, Leite-Santos VB, Paiva ÉAS, Silveira FAO. Water-use strategies in flowers from a neotropical savanna under contrasting environmental conditions during flowering. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2019; 144:283-291. [PMID: 31593901 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Flowers require high amounts of water, which ultimately may compromise pollinator attractiveness under water limitation. Water-use and -conservation strategies in leaves from hot and dry ecosystems are well documented, yet little is known about mechanisms of water allocation in flowers, particularly in tropical savanna ecosystems. We evaluated traits related to corolla water status in two Kielmeyera species that differ in flowering phenology and flower size: larger-flowered K. regalis blooms during the rainy summer and smaller-flowered K. coriacea blooms during the dry winter. To test the hypothesis that water demand in corollas increases with increasing vapor pressure deficit (VPD), we analyzed interspecific differences in corolla stomatal conductance and density, water content, and fresh and dry mass per unit area. We also performed hand-pollination and pollinator-exclusion experiments to determine variation in floral longevity. Corolla transpiration rates were higher in K. coriacea (157 vs 95 g·H2O·m-2·h-1 for K. coriacea and K. regalis, respectively), and increased with VPD in both species. Stomatal density was 25-fold higher in K. coriacea, and corolla fresh and dry mass per unit of area were 47% and 21% higher, respectively, in K. coriacea, due to thick pectin-rich cell walls. The high pectin content increases water content in corollas of K. coriacea. Regardless of pollination, flowers lasted one day in K. coriacea and three in K. regalis. Our study suggests structure-function relationships of floral traits with flowering season, and that K. coriacea displays small and short-lived corollas with high water content to buffer the high evaporative demand during the dry period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto L Teixido
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, E-31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Victor B Leite-Santos
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, E-31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Élder A S Paiva
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, E-31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernando A O Silveira
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, E-31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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23
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Ibáñez I, Acharya K, Juno E, Karounos C, Lee BR, McCollum C, Schaffer-Morrison S, Tourville J. Forest resilience under global environmental change: Do we have the information we need? A systematic review. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222207. [PMID: 31513607 PMCID: PMC6742408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The capacity of forests to recover after disturbance, i.e., their resilience, determines their ability to persist and function over time. Many variables, natural and managerial, affect forest resilience. Thus, understanding their effects is critical for the development of sound forest conservation and management strategies, especially in the context of ongoing global environmental changes. We conducted a representative review, meta-analysis, of the forest literature in this topic (search terms “forest AND resilience”). We aimed to identify natural conditions that promote or jeopardize resilience, assess the efficacy of post-disturbance management practices on forest recovery, and evaluate forest resilience under current environmental changes. We surveyed more than 2,500 articles and selected the 156 studies (724 observations) that compared and quantified forest recovery after disturbance under different contexts. Context of recovery included: resource gradients (moisture and fertility), post-disturbance biomass reduction treatments, species richness gradients, incidence of a second disturbance, and disturbance severity. Metrics of recovery varied from individual tree growth and reproduction, to population abundance, to species richness and cover. Analyses show management practices only favored recovery through increased reproduction (seed production) and abundance of recruitment stages. Higher moisture conditions favored recovery, particularly in dry temperate regions; and in boreal forests, this positive effect increased with regional humidity. Biomass reduction treatments were only effective in increasing resilience after a drought. Early recruiting plant stages benefited from increased severity, while disturbance severity was associated with lower recovery of remaining adult trees. This quantitative review provides insight into the natural conditions and management practices under which forest resilience is enhanced and highlights conditions that could jeopardize future resilience. We also identified important knowledge gaps, such as the role of diversity in determining forest resilience and the lack of data in many regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Ibáñez
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kirk Acharya
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Edith Juno
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Christopher Karounos
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Benjamin R. Lee
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Caleb McCollum
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Samuel Schaffer-Morrison
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jordon Tourville
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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24
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Roddy AB, Jiang GF, Cao K, Simonin KA, Brodersen CR. Hydraulic traits are more diverse in flowers than in leaves. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 223:193-203. [PMID: 30767230 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining water balance has been a critical constraint shaping the evolution of leaf form and function. However, flowers, which are heterotrophic and relatively short-lived, may not be constrained by the same physiological and developmental factors. We measured physiological parameters derived from pressure-volume curves for leaves and flowers of 22 species to characterize the diversity of hydraulic traits in flowers and to determine whether flowers are governed by the same constraints as leaves. Compared with leaves, flowers had high saturated water content, which was a strong predictor of hydraulic capacitance in both leaves and flowers. Principal component analysis revealed that flowers occupied a different region of multivariate trait space than leaves and that hydraulic traits are more diverse in flowers than in leaves. Without needing to maintain high rates of transpiration, flowers rely on other hydraulic traits, such as high hydraulic capacitance, to maintain turgor pressure. As a result, instead of employing a metabolically expensive but durable carbon (C)-based skeleton, flowers may rely predominantly on a metabolically cheaper, hydrostatic skeleton to keep their structures on display for pollinators, which has important implications for both the costs of reproduction and the biomechanical performance of flowers, particularly during drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam B Roddy
- School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Guo-Feng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agrobioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China
| | - Kunfang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agrobioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530004, China
| | - Kevin A Simonin
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | - Craig R Brodersen
- School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
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25
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Souza ML, Duarte AA, Lovato MB, Fagundes M, Valladares F, Lemos-Filho JP. Climatic factors shaping intraspecific leaf trait variation of a neotropical tree along a rainfall gradient. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208512. [PMID: 30521598 PMCID: PMC6283565 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific trait variation has been singled out as an important mechanism by which individuals can cope with environmental variations and avoid local extinctions. Here we evaluate variation in metamer traits (i.e., traits associated with internodes, petioles and their corresponding leaves) and parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence within and among populations of a neotropical tree, Copaifera langsdorffii. We also evaluated phenotypic plasticity in natural settings comparing traits between shade and sun-exposed metamers. We selected six populations along a climatic gradient ranging from semi-arid to humid and representing three different biomes (Caatinga, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest). Local climatic conditions significantly affected the morphological and physiological traits of populations. Trait variation among populations was explained mainly by aridity index and evapotranspiration. Individuals from drier regions had lower specific leaf area (SLA), lower investment in leaf area per total dry mass of metamer (LARm), lower specific petiole length (SPL) and lower potential quantum yield (Fv/Fm, only for sun-exposed metamers). Populations from locations with greater environmental heterogeneity (interannual variation) had greater plasticity in response to light for Fv/Fm and electron transport rate (ETR) and morphological traits related to the hydraulic and biomechanical aspects of the leaves (petiole length, internode length and SPL). High intraspecific variation in metamer traits in C. langsdorffii coupled with its ability to modify these traits in response to different climate conditions can explain the success of the species over a range of different habitats and represent important factors for the persistence of this species in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus L Souza
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ICB-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Alexandre A Duarte
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ICB-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Maria B Lovato
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ICB-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcilio Fagundes
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, CCBS-UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Brazil
| | - Fernando Valladares
- LINCGlobal Departamento de Biogeografía y Cambio Global, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Biología y Geología ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Jose P Lemos-Filho
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ICB-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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26
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Gleason SM. A blooming interest in the hydraulic traits of flowers. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2018; 41:2247-2249. [PMID: 29785768 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This article comments on: Water relations of Calycanthus flowers: Hydraulic conductance, capacitance, and embolism resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Gleason
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Water Management and Systems Research Unit, Fort Collins, Colorado
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27
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Roddy AB, Simonin KA, McCulloh KA, Brodersen CR, Dawson TE. Water relations of Calycanthus flowers: Hydraulic conductance, capacitance, and embolism resistance. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2018; 41:2250-2262. [PMID: 29603273 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
For most angiosperms, producing and maintaining flowers is critical to sexual reproduction, yet little is known about the physiological processes involved in maintaining flowers throughout anthesis. Among extant species, flowers of the genus Calycanthus have the highest hydraulic conductance and vein densities of species measured to date, yet they can wilt by late morning under hot conditions. Here, we combine diurnal measurements of gas exchange and water potential, pressure-volume relations, functional responses of gas exchange, and characterization of embolism formation using high resolution X-ray computed microtomography to determine drought responses of Calycanthus flowers. Transpiration from flowers frequently exceeded transpiration from leaves, and flowers were unable to limit transpiration under conditions of high vapour pressure deficit. As a result, they rely heavily on hydraulic capacitance to prevent water potential declines. Despite having high water potentials at turgor loss, flowers were very resistant to embolism formation, with no embolism apparent until tepal water potentials had declined to -2 MPa. Although Calycanthus flowers remain connected to the stem xylem and have high hydraulic capacitance, their inability to curtail transpiration leads to turgor loss. These results suggest that extreme climate events may cause flower failure, potentially preventing successful reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam B Roddy
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Kevin A Simonin
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | | | - Craig R Brodersen
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Todd E Dawson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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28
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Xu J, Chai Y, Wang M, Dang H, Guo Y, Chen Y, Zhang C, Li T, Zhang L, Yue M. Shifts in Plant Community Assembly Processes across Growth Forms along a Habitat Severity Gradient: A Test of the Plant Functional Trait Approach. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:180. [PMID: 29497437 PMCID: PMC5818416 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Species respond to changes in their environments. A core goal in ecology is to understand the process of plant community assembly in response to a changing climate. Examining the performance of functional traits and trait-based assembly patterns across species among different growth forms is a useful way to explore the assembly process. In this study, we constructed a habitat severity gradient including several environment factors along a 2300 m wide elevational range at Taibai Mountain, central China. Then we assessed the shift on functional trait values and community assembly patterns along this gradient across species among different growth forms. We found that (1) although habitat-severity values closely covaried with elevation in this study, an examined communities along a habitat severity gradient might reveal community dynamics and species responses under future climate change. (2) the occurrence of trait values along the habitat severity gradient across different growth forms were similar, whereas the assembly pattern of herbaceous species was inconsistent with the community and woody species. (3) the trait-trait relationships of herbaceous species were dissimilar to those of the community and woody species. These results suggest that (1) community would re-assemble along habitat severity gradient through environmental filtering, regardless of any growth forms and that (2) different growth forms' species exhibiting similar trait values' shift but different trait-trait relationship by different trait combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yongfu Chai
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Mao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- College of Grassland and Environment Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi, China
| | - Han Dang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yaoxin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chenguang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lixia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ming Yue
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
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29
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Liu H, Xu QY, Lundgren MR, Ye Q. Different water relations between flowering and leaf periods: a case study in flower-before-leaf-emergence Magnolia species. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2017; 44:1098-1110. [PMID: 32480636 DOI: 10.1071/fp16429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The differing water relations between flowers and leaves on a plant reflect the lack of co-ordination between reproductive and vegetative organs during the evolution of angiosperm species. The amount of water that flowers consume has been reported to vary across species, and compared with studies of leaves, accurate measurements of flower water relations at the branch level are lacking. Further, the mechanisms by which flowers regulate their hydraulic function and structure to maintain water balance remain unclear. To explore the ecophysiological basis underpinning the differences between flowers and leaves, we measured hydraulic and morphological traits and monitored sap flow in flowers and leaves from the same branches of two Magnoliaceae species that flower before leaf emergence (Magnolia denudata Desr. and Magnolia soulangeana Soul.-Bod.). Sap flux density (JS) of flowers was 22% and 55% of that predicted for leaves in M. denudata and M. soulangeana respectively. JS of flowers commenced before predawn and ceased early in the afternoon, reflecting their night-time flowering pattern and a dramatic decrease of JS with increasing vapour pressure deficit (D) under the high light of midday. Relative to leaves, tepals were thicker and more hydrated, and had bigger but scarcer stomata, leading to lower stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (E), less negative water potential (Ψtepal) and lower hydraulic conductance. This study revealed different hydraulic patterns in the flowers and leaves of the two Magnolia species. Although flowers consumed less than half the water that leaves did, they used different strategies to maintain sufficiently high Ψ to sustain hydraulic safety. Magnolia flowers retained more hydrated tepals by exhibiting less water loss than leaves via lower hydraulic conductance. In contrast, Magnolia leaves maintained high transpiration rates through efficient stomatal responses to environmental changes compared with flowers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xingke Road 723, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Qiu-Yuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xingke Road 723, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Marjorie R Lundgren
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Qing Ye
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xingke Road 723, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510650, China
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30
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Brock MT, Winkelman RL, Rubin MJ, Edwards CE, Ewers BE, Weinig C. Allocation to male vs female floral function varies by currency and responds differentially to density and moisture stress. Heredity (Edinb) 2017; 119:349-359. [PMID: 28767102 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2017.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Allocation of finite resources to separate reproductive functions is predicted to vary across environments and affect fitness. Biomass is the most commonly measured allocation currency; however, in comparison with nutrients it may be less limited and express different environmental and evolutionary responses. Here, we measured carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and biomass allocation among floral whorls in recombinant inbred lines of Brassica rapa in multiple environments to characterize the genetic architecture of floral allocation, including its sensitivity to environmental heterogeneity and to choice of currency. Mass, carbon, and nitrogen allocation to female whorls (pistils and sepals) decreased under high density, whereas nitrogen allocation to male organs (stamens) decreased under drought. Phosphorus allocation decreased by half in pistils under drought, while stamen phosphorus was unaffected by environment. While the contents of each currency were positively correlated among whorls, selection to improve fitness through female (or male) function typically favored increased allocation to pistils (or stamens) but decreased allocation to other whorls. Finally, genomic regions underlying correlations among allocation metrics were mapped, and loci related to nitrogen uptake and floral organ development were located within mapped quantitative trait loci. Our candidate gene identification suggests that nutrient uptake may be a limiting step in maintaining male allocation. Taken together, allocation to male vs female function is sensitive to distinct environmental stresses, and the choice of currency affects the interpretation of floral allocation responses to the environment. Further, genetic correlations may counter the evolution of allocation patterns that optimize fitness through female or male function.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Brock
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - R L Winkelman
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - M J Rubin
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.,Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - C E Edwards
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.,Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - B E Ewers
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.,Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - C Weinig
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.,Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
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31
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Kamath A, Levin RA, Miller JS. Floral size and shape evolution following the transition to gender dimorphism. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2017; 104:451-460. [PMID: 28298376 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1600442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Floral morphology is expected to evolve following the transition from cosexuality to gender dimorphism in plants, as selection through male and female function becomes dissociated. Specifically, male-biased dimorphism in flower size can arise through selection for larger flowers through male function, selection for smaller flowers through female function, or both. The evolutionary pathway to floral dimorphism can be most effectively reconstructed in species with intraspecific variation in sexual system. We examined the evolution of flower size and shape in Lycium californicum, whose populations are either gender dimorphic with male and female plants, or cosexual with hermaphroditic plants. METHODS Floral morphology was characterized in populations spanning the species' complete range. For a subset of the range where cosexual and dimorphic populations are in close proximity, we compared the size and shape of flowers from female and male plants in dimorphic populations to hermaphrodites in cosexual populations, accounting for variation associated with abiotic environmental conditions. KEY RESULTS The magnitude of flower size dimorphism varied across dimorphic populations. After controlling for environmental variation across cosexual and dimorphic populations, flowers on males were larger than flowers on females and hermaphrodites, whereas flower size did not differ between females and hermaphrodites. Flower shape differences were associated with mating type, sexual system, and environmental variation. CONCLUSIONS While abiotic environmental gradients shape both overall flower size and shape, male-biased flower size dimorphism in L. californicum appears to arise through selection for larger flowers in males but not smaller flowers in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambika Kamath
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002 USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 USA
| | - Rachel A Levin
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002 USA
| | - Jill S Miller
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002 USA
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32
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Borges RM, Somanathan H, Kelber A. Patterns and Processes in Nocturnal and Crepuscular Pollination Services. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2016; 91:389-418. [DOI: 10.1086/689481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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33
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Xie L, Guo H, Ma C. Alterations in flowering strategies and sexual allocation of Caragana stenophylla along a climatic aridity gradient. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33602. [PMID: 27628093 PMCID: PMC5024338 DOI: 10.1038/srep33602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant can alter reproductive strategies for adaptation to different environments. However, alterations in flowering strategies and sexual allocation for the same species growing in different environments still remain unclear. We examined the sexual reproduction parameters of Caragana stenophylla across four climatic zones from semi-arid, arid, very arid, to intensively arid zones in the Inner Mongolia Steppe, China. Under the relatively favorable climatic conditions of semi-arid zone, C. stenophylla took a K-strategy for flowering (fewer but bigger flowers, and higher seed set). In contrast, under the harsher climatic conditions of intensively arid zone, C. stenophylla took an r-strategy for flowering (more but smaller flowers, and lower seed set). In arid and very arid zones, C. stenophylla exhibited intermediate flowering strategies between K- and r-strategies. In semi-arid, arid and very arid zones, sexual allocation and sexual allocation efficiency (SAE) of C. stenophylla were high, and the population recruitment might be mainly through sexual reproduction; in intensively arid zone, however, sexual allocation and SAE were very low, seed production was very limited, and clonal reproduction might compensate for the decrease in sexual reproduction. Our results suggested that C. stenophylla adapted to the climatic aridity gradient by alterations in flowering strategies and reproductive allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Xie
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Hongyu Guo
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Chengcang Ma
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Animal and Plant Resistance, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China
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34
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Vamosi JC, Armbruster WS, Renner SS. Evolutionary ecology of specialization: insights from phylogenetic analysis. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:rspb.2014.2004. [PMID: 25274367 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In this Special feature, we assemble studies that illustrate phylogenetic approaches to studying salient questions regarding the effect of specialization on lineage diversification. The studies use an array of techniques involving a wide-ranging collection of biological systems (plants, butterflies, fish and amphibians are all represented). Their results reveal that macroevolutionary examination of specialization provides insight into the patterns of trade-offs in specialized systems; in particular, the genetic mechanisms of trade-offs appear to extend to very different aspects of life history in different groups. In turn, because a species may be a specialist from one perspective and a generalist in others, these trade-offs influence whether we perceive specialization to have effects on the evolutionary success of a lineage when we examine specialization only along a single axis. Finally, how geographical range influences speciation and extinction of specialist lineages remains a question offering much potential for further insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana C Vamosi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2L 0Z3
| | - W Scott Armbruster
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99709, USA Department of Biology, NTNU, Trondheim 7491, Norway
| | - Susanne S Renner
- Systematic Botany and Mycology, Department of Biology, University of Munich (LMU), Munich 80638, Germany
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35
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Díaz-Barradas MC, Zunzunegui M, Collantes M, Álvarez-Cansino L, García Novo F. Gender-related traits in the dioecious shrub Empetrum rubrum in two plant communities in the Magellanic steppe. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2014.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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36
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Nagano Y, Abe K, Kitazawa T, Hattori M, Hirao AS, Itino T. Changes in pollinator fauna affect altitudinal variation of floral size in a bumblebee-pollinated herb. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:3395-407. [PMID: 25535556 PMCID: PMC4228614 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Revised: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Geographic trait variations are often caused by locally different selection regimes. As a steep environmental cline along altitude strongly influences adaptive traits, mountain ecosystems are ideal for exploring adaptive differentiation over short distances. We investigated altitudinal floral size variation of Campanula punctata var. hondoensis in 12 populations in three mountain regions of central Japan to test whether the altitudinal floral size variation was correlated with the size of the local bumblebee pollinator and to assess whether floral size was selected for by pollinator size. We found apparent geographic variations in pollinator assemblages along altitude, which consequently produced a geographic change in pollinator size. Similarly, we found altitudinal changes in floral size, which proved to be correlated with the local pollinator size, but not with altitude itself. Furthermore, pollen removal from flower styles onto bees (plant's male fitness) was strongly influenced by the size match between flower style length and pollinator mouthpart length. These results strongly suggest that C. punctata floral size is under pollinator-mediated selection and that a geographic mosaic of locally adapted C. punctata exists at fine spatial scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Nagano
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Kota Abe
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Kitazawa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Hattori
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Akira S Hirao
- Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University of TsukubaUeda, Nagano, 386–2201, Japan
| | - Takao Itino
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan
- Institute of Mountain Science, Shinshu University3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan
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37
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Armbruster WS. Floral specialization and angiosperm diversity: phenotypic divergence, fitness trade-offs and realized pollination accuracy. AOB PLANTS 2014; 6:plu003. [PMID: 24790124 PMCID: PMC4038416 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plu003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 01/05/2014] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Plant reproduction by means of flowers has long been thought to promote the success and diversification of angiosperms. It remains unclear, however, how this success has come about. Do flowers, and their capacity to have specialized functions, increase speciation rates or decrease extinction rates? Is floral specialization fundamental or incidental to the diversification? Some studies suggest that the conclusions we draw about the role of flowers in the diversification and increased phenotypic disparity (phenotypic diversity) of angiosperms depends on the system. For orchids, for example, specialized pollination may have increased speciation rates, in part because in most orchids pollen is packed in discrete units so that pollination is precise enough to contribute to reproductive isolation. In most plants, however, granular pollen results in low realized pollination precision, and thus key innovations involving flowers more likely reflect reduced extinction rates combined with opportunities for evolution of greater phenotypic disparity (phenotypic diversity) and occupation of new niches. Understanding the causes and consequences of the evolution of specialized flowers requires knowledge of both the selective regimes and the potential fitness trade-offs in using more than one pollinator functional group. The study of floral function and flowering-plant diversification remains a vibrant evolutionary field. Application of new methods, from measuring natural selection to estimating speciation rates, holds much promise for improving our understanding of the relationship between floral specialization and evolutionary success.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. Scott Armbruster
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, USA
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim N-7491, Norway
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38
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Historical and ecological divergence among populations of Monttea chilensis (Plantaginaceae), an endemic endangered shrub bordering the Atacama Desert, Chile. Evol Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-014-9694-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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39
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Cosacov A, Cocucci AA, Sérsic AN. Geographical differentiation in floral traits across the distribution range of the Patagonian oil-secreting Calceolaria polyrhiza: do pollinators matter? ANNALS OF BOTANY 2014; 113:251-66. [PMID: 24252281 PMCID: PMC3890392 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mct239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/30/2013] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The underlying evolutionary processes of pollinator-driven floral diversification are still poorly understood. According to the Grant-Stebbins model speciation begins with adaptive local differentiation in the response to spatial heterogeneity in pollinators. Although this crucial process links the micro- and macroevolution of floral adaptation, it has received little attention. In this study geographical phenotypic variation was investigated in Patagonian Calceolaria polyrhiza and its pollinators, two oil-collecting bee species that differ in body size and geographical distribution. METHODS Patterns of phenotypic variation were examined together with their relationships with pollinators and abiotic factors. Six floral and seven vegetative traits were measured in 45 populations distributed across the entire species range. Climatic and edaphic parameters were determined for 25 selected sites, 2-16 bees per site of the most frequent pollinator species were captured, and a critical flower-bee mechanical fitting trait involved in effective pollination was measured. Geographical patterns of phenotypic and environmental variation were examined using uni- and multivariate analyses. Decoupled geographical variation between corolla area and floral traits related to the mechanical fit of pollinators was explored using a Mantel test. KEY RESULTS The body length of pollinators and the floral traits related to mechanical fit were strongly correlated with each other. Geographical variation of the mechanical-fit-related traits was decoupled from variation in corolla size; the latter had a geographical pattern consistent with that of the vegetative traits and was mainly affected by climatic gradients. CONCLUSIONS The results are consistent with pollinators playing a key role in shaping floral phenotype at a geographical scale and promoting the differentiation of two floral ecotypes. The relationship between the critical floral-fit-related trait and bee length remained significant even in models that included various environmental variables and an allometric predictor (corolla area). The abiotic environment also has an important role, mainly affecting floral size. Decoupled geographical variation between floral mechanical-fit-related traits and floral size would represent a strategy to maintain plant-pollinator phenotypic matching in this environmentally heterogeneous area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cosacov
- For correspondence. Present address: Edificio de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Ciudad Universitaria, CC 495, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina. E-mail
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Roddy AB, Guilliams CM, Lilittham T, Farmer J, Wormser V, Pham T, Fine PVA, Feild TS, Dawson TE. Uncorrelated evolution of leaf and petal venation patterns across the angiosperm phylogeny. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2013; 64:4081-8. [PMID: 23963676 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ert247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Early angiosperm evolution, beginning approximately 140 million years ago, saw many innovations that enabled flowering plants to alter ecosystems globally. These included the development of novel, flower-based pollinator attraction mechanisms and the development of increased water transport capacity in stems and leaves. Vein length per area (VLA) of leaves increased nearly threefold in the first 30-40 million years of angiosperm evolution, increasing the capacity for transpiration and photosynthesis. In contrast to leaves, high water transport capacities in flowers may not be an advantage because flowers do not typically contribute to plant carbon gain. Although flowers of extant basal angiosperms are hydrated by the xylem, flowers of more recently derived lineages may be hydrated predominantly by the phloem. In the present study, we measured leaf and flower VLA for a phylogenetically diverse sample of 132 species from 52 angiosperm families to ask (i) whether flowers have lower VLA than leaves, (ii) whether flowers of basal angiosperm lineages have higher VLA than more recently derived lineages because of differences between xylem and phloem hydration, and (iii) whether flower and leaf VLA evolved independently. It was found that floral structures had lower VLA than leaves, but basal angiosperm flowers did not have higher VLA than more derived lineages. Furthermore, the independent evolution of leaf and petal VLA suggested that these organs may be developmentally modular. Unlike leaves, which have experienced strong selection for increased water transport capacity, flowers may have been shielded from such selective pressures by different developmental processes controlling VLA throughout the plant bauplan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam B Roddy
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
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Edwards CE, Ewers BE, McClung CR, Lou P, Weinig C. Quantitative variation in water-use efficiency across water regimes and its relationship with circadian, vegetative, reproductive, and leaf gas-exchange traits. MOLECULAR PLANT 2012; 5:653-68. [PMID: 22319207 DOI: 10.1093/mp/sss004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Drought limits light harvesting, resulting in lower plant growth and reproduction. One trait important for plant drought response is water-use efficiency (WUE). We investigated (1) how the joint genetic architecture of WUE, reproductive characters, and vegetative traits changed across drought and well-watered conditions, (2) whether traits with distinct developmental bases (e.g. leaf gas exchange versus reproduction) differed in the environmental sensitivity of their genetic architecture, and (3) whether quantitative variation in circadian period was related to drought response in Brassica rapa. Overall, WUE increased in drought, primarily because stomatal conductance, and thus water loss, declined more than carbon fixation. Genotypes with the highest WUE in drought expressed the lowest WUE in well-watered conditions, and had the largest vegetative and floral organs in both treatments. Thus, large changes in WUE enabled some genotypes to approach vegetative and reproductive trait optima across environments. The genetic architecture differed for gas-exchange and vegetative traits across drought and well-watered conditions, but not for floral traits. Correlations between circadian and leaf gas-exchange traits were significant but did not vary across treatments, indicating that circadian period affects physiological function regardless of water availability. These results suggest that WUE is important for drought tolerance in Brassica rapa and that artificial selection for increased WUE in drought will not result in maladaptive expression of other traits that are correlated with WUE.
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Jordan CY, Otto SP. FUNCTIONAL PLEIOTROPY AND MATING SYSTEM EVOLUTION IN PLANTS: FREQUENCY-INDEPENDENT MATING. Evolution 2012; 66:957-72. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01513.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Zywiec M, Delibes M, Fedriani JM. Microgeographical, inter-individual, and intra-individual variation in the flower characters of Iberian pear Pyrus bourgaeana (Rosaceae). Oecologia 2011; 169:713-22. [PMID: 22200854 PMCID: PMC3375002 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2232-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2011] [Accepted: 12/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Flower characteristics have been traditionally considered relatively constant within species. However, there are an increasing number of examples of variation in flower characteristics. In this study, we examined the variation in attracting and rewarding flower characters at several ecological levels in a metapopulation of Pyrus bourgaeana in the Doñana area (SW Spain). We answered the following questions: what are the variances of morphological and nectar characters of flowers? How important are intra-individual and inter-individual variance in flower characters? Are there microgeographical differences in flower characters? And if so, are they consistent between years? In 2008 and 2009, we sampled flowers of 72 trees from five localities. For six flower morphological and two nectar characteristics, we calculated coefficients of variation (CV). The partitioning of total variation among-localities, among-individuals, and within-individuals was estimated. To analyze differences among localities and their consistency between years, we conducted generalized linear mixed models. The CVs of nectar characters were always higher than those of morphological characters. As expected, inter-individual variation was the main source of variation of flower morphology, but nectar characters had significant variation at both intra- and inter-individual levels. For most floral traits, there were no differences among localities. Our study documents that variation is a scale-dependent phenomenon and that it is essential to consider intra- and inter-individual variance when investigating the causes and consequences of variation. It also shows that single year studies of floral characters should be viewed with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Zywiec
- Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland.
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Lambrecht SC, Santiago LS, DeVan CM, Cervera JC, Stripe CM, Buckingham LA, Pasquini SC. Plant water status and hydraulic conductance during flowering in the southern California coastal sage shrub Salvia mellifera (Lamiaceae). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2011; 98:1286-92. [PMID: 21788533 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1000514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Plant water status during flowering is important for plant reproduction, but the physiology of floral water use is not well understood. We investigated plant water status in relation to leaf and floral physiology in naturally occurring individuals of a semiarid shrub, Salvia mellifera E. Greene. METHODS We measured stomatal (g(s)) and corolla (g(c)) conductance to water vapor, transpiration from leaves (E(leaf)) and corollas (E(corolla)), leaf-specific hydraulic conductance (K(H)), bulk shoot water potential (Ψ(shoot)), and shoot water content on irrigated and control plants to analyze whether water was limiting to leaf and floral water use. KEY RESULTS Experimental irrigation caused a 203% increase in soil moisture content, a 20% increase in predawn Ψ(shoot), a 29% increase in midday Ψ(shoot), and a 92% increase in K(H). Floral and leaf gas exchange did not respond significantly to water addition, indicating that rates were at seasonal maxima and not limited by water availability. Total daily water use by corollas was ∼20% of total shoot water use. There were no significant differences in total daily shoot water use with water addition. Mean shoot water content (5.07 g) was close to mean daily shoot water use (6.71 g), indicating that the equivalent of total shoot water content turned over every 0.76 d. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that although irrigation improved whole-plant hydraulic conductance, gas exchange was not limited by water availability. Additionally, the high water use of flowers in this species might limit future flowering and reproductive success during dry years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan C Lambrecht
- Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, San Jose, California 95192, USA
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Cuevas E, López S. Sex Ratio and Sex-specific Latitudinal Variation in Floral Characteristics of Gynodioecious Kallstroemia grandiflora (Zygophyllaceae) in Mexico. Biotropica 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2010.00692.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Pélabon C, Armbruster WS, Hansen TF. Experimental evidence for the Berg hypothesis: vegetative traits are more sensitive than pollination traits to environmental variation. Funct Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01770.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Pélabon
- Department of Biology, Centre for Conservation Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - W. Scott Armbruster
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
- School of Biological Sciences, King Henry Building, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, USA
| | - Thomas F. Hansen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
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Halpern SL, Adler LS, Wink M. Leaf herbivory and drought stress affect floral attractive and defensive traits in Nicotiana quadrivalvis. Oecologia 2010; 163:961-71. [PMID: 20461411 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1651-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2009] [Accepted: 04/20/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Adaptive phenotypic plasticity allows sessile organisms such as plants to match trait expression to the particular environment they experience. Plasticity may be limited, however, by resources in the environment, by responses to prior environmental cues, or by previous interactions with other species, such as competition or herbivory. Thus, understanding the expression of plastic traits and their effects on plant performance requires evaluating trait expression in complex environments, rather than across levels of a single variable. In this study, we tested the independent and combined effects of two components of a plant's environment, herbivory and water availability, on the expression of attractive and defensive traits in Nicotiana quadrivalvis in the greenhouse. Damage and drought did not affect leaf nicotine concentrations but had additive and non-additive effects on floral attractive and defensive traits. Plants in the high water treatment produced larger flowers with more nectar than in the low water treatment. Leaf damage induced greater nectar volumes in the high water treatment only, suggesting that low water limited plastic responses to herbivore damage. Leaf damage also tended to induce higher nicotine concentrations in nectar, consistent with other studies showing that leaf damage can induce floral defenses. Our results suggest that there are separate and synergistic effects of leaf herbivory and drought on floral trait expression, and thus plasticity in response to complex environments may influence plant fitness via effects on floral visitation and defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey L Halpern
- Biology Department, Pacific University, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA.
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Hulshof CM, Swenson NG. Variation in leaf functional trait values within and across individuals and species: an example from a Costa Rican dry forest. Funct Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2009.01614.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Van Etten ML, Chang SM. Effects of environmental heterogeneity on the distribution of sexes within and among populations in a gynodioecious species, Geranium maculatum. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2009; 183:649-660. [PMID: 19659586 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02940.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Populations containing both females and hermaphrodites (dimorphic) are generally found in drier sites than those with only hermaphrodites (monomorphic). The sex-differential plasticity hypothesis (SDP) suggests that this is caused by hermaphrodites reducing allocation to seeds in harsh environments, allowing female establishment. We proposed that a similar process could explain sex distribution within populations. We compared light availability and soil moisture between sites of three monomorphic and three dimorphic populations of Geranium maculatum and between microsites occupied by females and hermaphrodites within populations. We also correlated seed production in dimorphic populations with environmental measures. We found that dimorphic and monomorphic populations occurred in sites with similar soil moisture but within two dimorphic populations females occurred in drier microsites than hermaphrodites, as predicted by the SDP hypothesis. Contrary to the predictions, hermaphrodites' seed production was not influenced by the environment. Rather, females' seed production was correlated with environmental conditions in two populations, although the direction of the correlation differed between populations. Our results suggest that in this species, the SDP hypothesis does not explain sex distribution among or within populations. However, microsite environments may influence the distribution of sexes within a population and potentially aid in maintaining gynodioecy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Van Etten
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Shu-Mei Chang
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Brock MT, Stinchcombe JR, Weinig C. Indirect effects of FRIGIDA: floral trait (co)variances are altered by seasonally variable abiotic factors associated with flowering time. J Evol Biol 2009; 22:1826-38. [PMID: 19583697 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01794.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive timing is a critical life-history event that could influence the (co)variation of traits developing later in ontogeny by regulating exposure to seasonally variable factors. In a field experiment with Arabidopsis thaliana, we explore whether allelic variation at a flowering-time gene of major effect (FRIGIDA) affects (co)variation of floral traits by regulating exposure to photoperiod, temperature, and moisture levels. We detect a positive latitudinal cline in floral organ size among plants with putatively functional FRI alleles. Statistically controlling for bolting day removes the cline, suggesting that seasonal abiotic variation affects floral morphology. Both photoperiod and precipitation at bolting correlate positively with the length of petals, stamens, and pistils. Additionally, floral (co)variances differ significantly across FRI backgrounds, such that the sign of some floral-trait correlations reverses. Subsequent experimental manipulations of photoperiod and water availability demonstrate direct effects of these abiotic factors on floral traits. In sum, these results highlight how the timing of life-history events can affect the expression of traits developing later in ontogeny, and provide some of the first empirical evidence for the effects of major genes on evolutionary potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Brock
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
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