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Crepaz H, Quaglia E, Lombardi G, Lonati M, Rossi M, Ravetto Enri S, Dullinger S, Tappeiner U, Niedrist G. Phenological responses of alpine snowbed communities to advancing snowmelt. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11714. [PMID: 39005886 PMCID: PMC11246788 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change is leading to advanced snowmelt date in alpine regions. Consequently, alpine plant species and ecosystems experience substantial changes due to prolonged phenological seasons, while the responses, mechanisms and implications remain widely unclear. In this 3-year study, we investigated the effects of advancing snowmelt on the phenology of alpine snowbed species. We related microclimatic drivers to species and ecosystem phenology using in situ monitoring and phenocams. We further used predictive modelling to determine whether early snowmelt sites could be used as sentinels for future conditions. Temperature during the snow-free period primarily influenced flowering phenology, followed by snowmelt timing. Salix herbacea and Gnaphalium supinum showed the most opportunistic phenology, while annual Euphrasia minima struggled to complete its phenology in short growing seasons. Phenological responses varied more between years than sites, indicating potential local long-term adaptations and suggesting these species' potential to track future earlier melting dates. Phenocams captured ecosystem-level phenology (start, peak and end of phenological season) but failed to explain species-level variance. Our findings highlight species-specific responses to advancing snowmelt, with snowbed species responding highly opportunistically to changes in snowmelt timings while following species-specific developmental programs. While species from surrounding grasslands may benefit from extended growing seasons, snowbed species may become outcompeted due to internal-clock-driven, non-opportunistic senescence, despite displaying a high level of phenological plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Crepaz
- Institute for Alpine EnvironmentEurac ResearchBozenItaly
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | | | - Giampiero Lombardi
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of TorinoUniversità degli Studi di TorinoGrugliascoItaly
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future CenterPalermoItaly
| | - Michele Lonati
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of TorinoUniversità degli Studi di TorinoGrugliascoItaly
| | - Mattia Rossi
- European CommissionIspraItaly
- Institute for Earth ObservationEurac ResearchBozenItaly
| | - Simone Ravetto Enri
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of TorinoUniversità degli Studi di TorinoGrugliascoItaly
| | - Stefan Dullinger
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Ulrike Tappeiner
- Institute for Alpine EnvironmentEurac ResearchBozenItaly
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Georg Niedrist
- Institute for Alpine EnvironmentEurac ResearchBozenItaly
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2
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Danzey LM, Briceño VF, Cook AM, Nicotra AB, Peyre G, Rossetto M, Yap JYS, Leigh A. Environmental and Biogeographic Drivers behind Alpine Plant Thermal Tolerance and Genetic Variation. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1271. [PMID: 38732486 PMCID: PMC11085172 DOI: 10.3390/plants13091271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
In alpine ecosystems, elevation broadly functions as a steep thermal gradient, with plant communities exposed to regular fluctuations in hot and cold temperatures. These conditions lead to selective filtering, potentially contributing to species-level variation in thermal tolerance and population-level genetic divergence. Few studies have explored the breadth of alpine plant thermal tolerances across a thermal gradient or the underlying genetic variation thereof. We measured photosystem heat (Tcrit-hot) and cold (Tcrit-cold) thresholds of ten Australian alpine species across elevation gradients and characterised their neutral genetic variation. To reveal the biogeographical drivers of present-day genetic signatures, we also reconstructed temporal changes in habitat suitability across potential distributional ranges. We found intraspecific variation in thermal thresholds, but this was not associated with elevation, nor underpinned by genetic differentiation on a local scale. Instead, regional population differentiation and considerable homozygosity within populations may, in part, be driven by distributional contractions, long-term persistence, and migrations following habitat suitability. Our habitat suitability models suggest that cool-climate-distributed alpine plants may be threatened by a warming climate. Yet, the observed wide thermal tolerances did not reflect this vulnerability. Conservation efforts should seek to understand variations in species-level thermal tolerance across alpine microclimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Danzey
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Verónica F. Briceño
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; (V.F.B.); (A.B.N.)
| | - Alicia M. Cook
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Adrienne B. Nicotra
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; (V.F.B.); (A.B.N.)
| | - Gwendolyn Peyre
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of the Andes, Bogota 111711, Colombia;
| | - Maurizio Rossetto
- Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Australian Institute of Botanical Science, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia; (M.R.); (J.-Y.S.Y.)
- Queensland Alliance of Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jia-Yee S. Yap
- Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Australian Institute of Botanical Science, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia; (M.R.); (J.-Y.S.Y.)
- Queensland Alliance of Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Andrea Leigh
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; (V.F.B.); (A.B.N.)
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3
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Lin N, Liu Q, Landis JB, Rana HK, Li Z, Wang H, Sun H, Deng T. Staying in situ or shifting range under ongoing climate change: A case of an endemic herb in the
Himalaya‐Hengduan
Mountains across elevational gradients. DIVERS DISTRIB 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming China
- College of Life Science Henan Agricultural University Zhengzhou China
| | - Qun Liu
- School of Life Sciences Yunnan Normal University Kunming China
| | - Jacob B. Landis
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Section of Plant Biology and the L.H. Bailey Hortorium Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- BTI Computational Biology Center Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca New York USA
| | - Hum Kala Rana
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming China
| | - Zhimin Li
- School of Life Sciences Yunnan Normal University Kunming China
| | - Hengchang Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan China
| | - Hang Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming China
- Yunnan International Joint Laboratory for Biodiversity of Central Asia Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming China
| | - Tao Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming China
- Yunnan International Joint Laboratory for Biodiversity of Central Asia Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming China
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4
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Magos Brehm J, Gaisberger H, Kell S, Parra‐Quijano M, Thormann I, Dulloo ME, Maxted N. Planning complementary conservation of crop wild relative diversity in southern Africa. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hannes Gaisberger
- The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Rome Italy
- Department of Geoinformatics Paris Lodron University of Salzburg Salzburg Austria
| | - Shelagh Kell
- School of Biosciences University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
| | - Mauricio Parra‐Quijano
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Ciudad Universitaria Bogotá Colombia
| | - Imke Thormann
- The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Rome Italy
| | - Mohammad Ehsan Dulloo
- The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Rose‐Hill Mauritius
| | - Nigel Maxted
- School of Biosciences University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
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5
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Kudo G. Outcrossing syndrome in alpine plants: Implications for flowering phenology and pollination success. Ecol Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gaku Kudo
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science Hokkaido University Sapporo Japan
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6
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Falcão JCF, Carvalheiro LG, Guevara R, Lira-Noriega A. The risk of invasion by angiosperms peaks at intermediate levels of human influence. Basic Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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7
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Shay JE, Pennington LK, Mandussi Montiel-Molina JA, Toews DJ, Hendrickson BT, Sexton JP. Rules of Plant Species Ranges: Applications for Conservation Strategies. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.700962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Earth is changing rapidly and so are many plant species’ ranges. Here, we synthesize eco-evolutionary patterns found in plant range studies and how knowledge of species ranges can inform our understanding of species conservation in the face of global change. We discuss whether general biogeographic “rules” are reliable and how they can be used to develop adaptive conservation strategies of native plant species across their ranges. Rules considered include (1) factors that set species range limits and promote range shifts; (2) the impact of biotic interactions on species range limits; (3) patterns of abundance and adaptive properties across species ranges; (4) patterns of gene flow and their implications for genetic rescue, and (5) the relationship between range size and conservation risk. We conclude by summarizing and evaluating potential species range rules to inform future conservation and management decisions. We also outline areas of research to better understand the adaptive capacity of plants under environmental change and the properties that govern species ranges. We advise conservationists to extend their work to specifically consider peripheral and novel populations, with a particular emphasis on small ranges. Finally, we call for a global effort to identify, synthesize, and analyze prevailing patterns or rules in ecology to help speed conservation efforts.
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8
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Singh D, Chaudhary P, Taunk J, Singh CK, Singh D, Tomar RSS, Aski M, Konjengbam NS, Raje RS, Singh S, Sengar RS, Yadav RK, Pal M. Fab Advances in Fabaceae for Abiotic Stress Resilience: From 'Omics' to Artificial Intelligence. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10535. [PMID: 34638885 PMCID: PMC8509049 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Legumes are a better source of proteins and are richer in diverse micronutrients over the nutritional profile of widely consumed cereals. However, when exposed to a diverse range of abiotic stresses, their overall productivity and quality are hugely impacted. Our limited understanding of genetic determinants and novel variants associated with the abiotic stress response in food legume crops restricts its amelioration. Therefore, it is imperative to understand different molecular approaches in food legume crops that can be utilized in crop improvement programs to minimize the economic loss. 'Omics'-based molecular breeding provides better opportunities over conventional breeding for diversifying the natural germplasm together with improving yield and quality parameters. Due to molecular advancements, the technique is now equipped with novel 'omics' approaches such as ionomics, epigenomics, fluxomics, RNomics, glycomics, glycoproteomics, phosphoproteomics, lipidomics, regulomics, and secretomics. Pan-omics-which utilizes the molecular bases of the stress response to identify genes (genomics), mRNAs (transcriptomics), proteins (proteomics), and biomolecules (metabolomics) associated with stress regulation-has been widely used for abiotic stress amelioration in food legume crops. Integration of pan-omics with novel omics approaches will fast-track legume breeding programs. Moreover, artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms can be utilized for simulating crop yield under changing environments, which can help in predicting the genetic gain beforehand. Application of machine learning (ML) in quantitative trait loci (QTL) mining will further help in determining the genetic determinants of abiotic stress tolerance in pulses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharmendra Singh
- Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Priya Chaudhary
- Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Jyoti Taunk
- Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Chandan Kumar Singh
- Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Deepti Singh
- Department of Botany, Meerut College, Meerut 250001, India
| | - Ram Sewak Singh Tomar
- College of Horticulture and Forestry, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi 284003, India
| | - Muraleedhar Aski
- Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Noren Singh Konjengbam
- College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, Central Agricultural University, Imphal 793103, India
| | - Ranjeet Sharan Raje
- Division of Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Sanjay Singh
- ICAR- National Institute of Plant Biotechnology, LBS Centre, Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Rakesh Singh Sengar
- College of Biotechnology, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Agricultural University, Meerut 250001, India
| | - Rajendra Kumar Yadav
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur 208002, India
| | - Madan Pal
- Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
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9
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Guevara-Escudero M, Osorio AN, Cortés AJ. Integrative Pre-Breeding for Biotic Resistance in Forest Trees. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10102022. [PMID: 34685832 PMCID: PMC8541610 DOI: 10.3390/plants10102022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is unleashing novel biotic antagonistic interactions for forest trees that may jeopardize populations' persistence. Therefore, this review article envisions highlighting major opportunities from ecological evolutionary genomics to assist the identification, conservation, and breeding of biotic resistance in forest tree species. Specifically, we first discuss how assessing the genomic architecture of biotic stress resistance enables us to recognize a more polygenic nature for a trait typically regarded Mendelian, an expectation from the Fisherian runaway pathogen-host concerted arms-race evolutionary model. Secondly, we outline innovative pipelines to capture and harness natural tree pre-adaptations to biotic stresses by merging tools from the ecology, phylo-geography, and omnigenetics fields within a predictive breeding platform. Promoting integrative ecological genomic studies promises a better understanding of antagonistic co-evolutionary interactions, as well as more efficient breeding utilization of resistant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melisa Guevara-Escudero
- Department de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín 050034, Colombia; (M.G.-E.); (A.N.O.)
| | - Angy N. Osorio
- Department de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín 050034, Colombia; (M.G.-E.); (A.N.O.)
| | - Andrés J. Cortés
- Department de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín 050034, Colombia; (M.G.-E.); (A.N.O.)
- Main Address: Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria AGROSAVIA, C.I. La Selva, Km 7 Vía Rionegro, Las Palmas, Rionegro 054048, Colombia
- Correspondence:
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10
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Chacón-Moreno E, Rodríguez-Morales M, Paredes D, Suárez del Moral P, Albarrán A. Impacts of Global Change on the Spatial Dynamics of Treeline in Venezuelan Andes. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.615223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The treeline in the Andes is considered an essential ecotone between the Montane forest and Páramo. This treeline in the Venezuelan Andes corresponds with a transitional ecosystem defined as the Páramo forest. In this work, we identify and analyze the impact of climate warming and land transformation as agents altering the Páramo forest ecosystem’s spatial dynamics along the Venezuelan Andes’ altitudinal gradient. We carry out multitemporal studies of 57 years of the land transformation at different landscapes of the Cordillera de Mérida and made a detailed analysis to understand the replacement of the ecosystems potential distribution. We found that the main ecosystem transition is from Páramo to the Páramo forest and from Páramo to the Montane forest. Based on the difference between the current lower Páramo limit and the Forest upper limit for 1952, the treeline border’s displacement is 72.7 m in the 57 years of study, representing ∼12.8 m per decade. These changes are mainly driven by climate warming and are carried out through an ecological process of densification of the woody composition instead of the shrubland structure. We found that Páramo forest ecosystems practically have been replaced by the Pastures and fallow vegetation, and the Crops. We present a synthesis of the transition and displacement of the different ecosystems and vegetation types in the treeline zone. The impact of climate warming and deforestation on the Páramo forest as a representative ecosystem of the treeline shows us that this study is necessary for an integrated global change adaptation plan.
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11
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Reyes-Herrera PH, Muñoz-Baena L, Velásquez-Zapata V, Patiño L, Delgado-Paz OA, Díaz-Diez CA, Navas-Arboleda AA, Cortés AJ. Inheritance of Rootstock Effects in Avocado ( Persea americana Mill.) cv. Hass. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:555071. [PMID: 33424874 PMCID: PMC7785968 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.555071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Grafting is typically utilized to merge adapted seedling rootstocks with highly productive clonal scions. This process implies the interaction of multiple genomes to produce a unique tree phenotype. However, the interconnection of both genotypes obscures individual contributions to phenotypic variation (rootstock-mediated heritability), hampering tree breeding. Therefore, our goal was to quantify the inheritance of seedling rootstock effects on scion traits using avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cv. Hass as a model fruit tree. We characterized 240 diverse rootstocks from 8 avocado cv. Hass orchards with similar management in three regions of the province of Antioquia, northwest Andes of Colombia, using 13 microsatellite markers simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Parallel to this, we recorded 20 phenotypic traits (including morphological, biomass/reproductive, and fruit yield and quality traits) in the scions for 3 years (2015-2017). Relatedness among rootstocks was inferred through the genetic markers and inputted in a "genetic prediction" model to calculate narrow-sense heritabilities (h 2) on scion traits. We used three different randomization tests to highlight traits with consistently significant heritability estimates. This strategy allowed us to capture five traits with significant heritability values that ranged from 0.33 to 0.45 and model fits (r) that oscillated between 0.58 and 0.73 across orchards. The results showed significance in the rootstock effects for four complex harvest and quality traits (i.e., total number of fruits, number of fruits with exportation quality, and number of fruits discarded because of low weight or thrips damage), whereas the only morphological trait that had a significant heritability value was overall trunk height (an emergent property of the rootstock-scion interaction). These findings suggest the inheritance of rootstock effects, beyond root phenotype, on a surprisingly wide spectrum of scion traits in "Hass" avocado. They also reinforce the utility of polymorphic SSRs for relatedness reconstruction and genetic prediction of complex traits. This research is, up to date, the most cohesive evidence of narrow-sense inheritance of rootstock effects in a tropical fruit tree crop. Ultimately, our work highlights the importance of considering the rootstock-scion interaction to broaden the genetic basis of fruit tree breeding programs while enhancing our understanding of the consequences of grafting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula H. Reyes-Herrera
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA)—CI Tibaitatá, Mosquera, Colombia
| | - Laura Muñoz-Baena
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Valeria Velásquez-Zapata
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Interdepartmental Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Laura Patiño
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA)—CI La Selva, Rionegro, Colombia
| | - Oscar A. Delgado-Paz
- Facultad de Ingenierías, Universidad Católica de Oriente—UCO, Rionegro, Antioquia
| | - Cipriano A. Díaz-Diez
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA)—CI La Selva, Rionegro, Colombia
| | | | - Andrés J. Cortés
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA)—CI La Selva, Rionegro, Colombia
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Cortés AJ, Restrepo-Montoya M, Bedoya-Canas LE. Modern Strategies to Assess and Breed Forest Tree Adaptation to Changing Climate. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:583323. [PMID: 33193532 PMCID: PMC7609427 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.583323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Studying the genetics of adaptation to new environments in ecologically and industrially important tree species is currently a major research line in the fields of plant science and genetic improvement for tolerance to abiotic stress. Specifically, exploring the genomic basis of local adaptation is imperative for assessing the conditions under which trees will successfully adapt in situ to global climate change. However, this knowledge has scarcely been used in conservation and forest tree improvement because woody perennials face major research limitations such as their outcrossing reproductive systems, long juvenile phase, and huge genome sizes. Therefore, in this review we discuss predictive genomic approaches that promise increasing adaptive selection accuracy and shortening generation intervals. They may also assist the detection of novel allelic variants from tree germplasm, and disclose the genomic potential of adaptation to different environments. For instance, natural populations of tree species invite using tools from the population genomics field to study the signatures of local adaptation. Conventional genetic markers and whole genome sequencing both help identifying genes and markers that diverge between local populations more than expected under neutrality, and that exhibit unique signatures of diversity indicative of "selective sweeps." Ultimately, these efforts inform the conservation and breeding status capable of pivoting forest health, ecosystem services, and sustainable production. Key long-term perspectives include understanding how trees' phylogeographic history may affect the adaptive relevant genetic variation available for adaptation to environmental change. Encouraging "big data" approaches (machine learning-ML) capable of comprehensively merging heterogeneous genomic and ecological datasets is becoming imperative, too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés J. Cortés
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria AGROSAVIA, Rionegro, Colombia
- Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Manuela Restrepo-Montoya
- Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Larry E. Bedoya-Canas
- Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
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Cortés AJ, López-Hernández F, Osorio-Rodriguez D. Predicting Thermal Adaptation by Looking Into Populations' Genomic Past. Front Genet 2020; 11:564515. [PMID: 33101385 PMCID: PMC7545011 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.564515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular evolution offers an insightful theory to interpret the genomic consequences of thermal adaptation to previous events of climate change beyond range shifts. However, disentangling often mixed footprints of selective and demographic processes from those due to lineage sorting, recombination rate variation, and genomic constrains is not trivial. Therefore, here we condense current and historical population genomic tools to study thermal adaptation and outline key developments (genomic prediction, machine learning) that might assist their utilization for improving forecasts of populations' responses to thermal variation. We start by summarizing how recent thermal-driven selective and demographic responses can be inferred by coalescent methods and in turn how quantitative genetic theory offers suitable multi-trait predictions over a few generations via the breeder's equation. We later assume that enough generations have passed as to display genomic signatures of divergent selection to thermal variation and describe how these footprints can be reconstructed using genome-wide association and selection scans or, alternatively, may be used for forward prediction over multiple generations under an infinitesimal genomic prediction model. Finally, we move deeper in time to comprehend the genomic consequences of thermal shifts at an evolutionary time scale by relying on phylogeographic approaches that allow for reticulate evolution and ecological parapatric speciation, and end by envisioning the potential of modern machine learning techniques to better inform long-term predictions. We conclude that foreseeing future thermal adaptive responses requires bridging the multiple spatial scales of historical and predictive environmental change research under modern cohesive approaches such as genomic prediction and machine learning frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés J Cortés
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria AGROSAVIA, C.I. La Selva, Rionegro, Colombia.,Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Felipe López-Hernández
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria AGROSAVIA, C.I. La Selva, Rionegro, Colombia
| | - Daniela Osorio-Rodriguez
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, United States
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14
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Valencia JB, Mesa J, León JG, Madriñán S, Cortés AJ. Climate Vulnerability Assessment of the Espeletia Complex on Páramo Sky Islands in the Northern Andes. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.565708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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Sakaguchi S, Nagano AJ, Yasugi M, Kudoh H, Ishikawa N, Ito M. Genetic consequences of being a dwarf: do evolutionary changes in life-history traits influence gene flow patterns in populations of the world's smallest goldenrod? ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 126:163-177. [PMID: 32249287 PMCID: PMC7304467 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Contrasting life-history traits can evolve through generations of dwarf plant ecotypes, yet such phenotypic changes often involve decreased plant size and reproductive allocation, which can configure seed dispersal patterns and, subsequently, population demography. Therefore, evolutionary transitions to dwarfism can represent good study systems to test the roles of life-history traits in population demography by comparing genetic structure between related but phenotypically divergent ecotypes. METHODS In this study, we examined an ecotypic taxon pair of the world's smallest goldenrod (stem height 2.6 cm) in alpine habitats and its closely related lowland taxon (30-40 cm) found on Yakushima Island, Japan. Genetic variation in chloroplast DNA sequences, nuclear microsatellites and genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms were used to investigate 197 samples from 16 populations, to infer the population genetic demography and compare local genetic structure of the ecotypes. KEY RESULTS We found a pronounced level of genetic differentiation among alpine dwarf populations, which were much less geographically isolated than their lowland counterparts. In particular, several neighbouring dwarf populations (located ~500 m apart) harboured completely different sets of chloroplast haplotypes and nuclear genetic clusters. Demographic modelling revealed that the dwarf populations have not exchanged genes at significant levels after population divergence. CONCLUSIONS These lines of evidence suggest that substantial effects of genetic drift have operated on these dwarf populations. The low-growing stature and reduced fecundity (only 3.1 heads per plant) of the dwarf plants may have reduced gene flow and rare long-distance seed dispersal among habitat patches, although the effects of life-history traits require further evaluation using ecological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Sakaguchi
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-nihonmatsu-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Masaki Yasugi
- National Institute for Basic Biology, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kudoh
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Naoko Ishikawa
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Motomi Ito
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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16
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Carbognani M, Piotti A, Leonardi S, Pasini L, Spanu I, Vendramin GG, Tomaselli M, Petraglia A. Reproductive and genetic consequences of extreme isolation in Salix herbacea L. at the rear edge of its distribution. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2019; 124:849-860. [PMID: 31361802 PMCID: PMC6868362 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS At the rear edge of the distribution of species, extreme isolation and small population size influence the genetic diversity and differentiation of plant populations. This may be particularly true for Arctic-alpine species in mid-latitude mountains, but exactly how peripherality has shaped their genetic and reproductive characteristics is poorly investigated. The present study, focused on Salix herbacea, aims at providing new insights into the causes behind ongoing demographic dynamics and their consequences for peripheral populations of Arctic-alpine species. METHODS We performed a whole-population, highly detailed sampling of the only two S. herbacea populations in the northern Apennines, comparing their clonal and genetic diversity, sex ratio and spatial genetic structure with a reference population from the Alps. After inspecting ~1800 grid intersections in the three populations, 563 ramets were genotyped at 11 nuclear microsatellite markers (nSSRs). Past demography and mating patterns of Apennine populations were investigated to elucidate the possible causes of altered reproductive dynamics. KEY RESULTS Apennine populations, which experienced a Holocene bottleneck and are highly differentiated (FST = 0.15), had lower clonal and genetic diversity compared with the alpine population (RMLG = 1 and HE = 0.71), with the smaller population exhibiting the lowest diversity (RMLG = 0.03 and HE = 0.24). An unbalanced sex ratio was found in the larger (63 F:37 M) and the smaller (99 F:1 M) Apennine population. Both were characterized by the presence of extremely large clones (up to 2500 m2), which, however, did not play a dominant role in local reproductive dynamics. CONCLUSIONS Under conditions of extreme isolation and progressive size reduction, S. herbacea has experienced an alteration of genetic characteristics produced by the prevalence of clonal growth over sexual reproduction. However, our results showed that the larger Apennine population has maintained levels of sexual reproduction enough to counteract a dramatic loss of genetic and clonal diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Carbognani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - A Piotti
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - S Leonardi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - L Pasini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - I Spanu
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - G G Vendramin
- Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - M Tomaselli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - A Petraglia
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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Assmann JJ, Myers-Smith IH, Phillimore AB, Bjorkman AD, Ennos RE, Prevéy JS, Henry GHR, Schmidt NM, Hollister RD. Local snow melt and temperature-but not regional sea ice-explain variation in spring phenology in coastal Arctic tundra. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:2258-2274. [PMID: 30963662 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is undergoing dramatic environmental change with rapidly rising surface temperatures, accelerating sea ice decline and changing snow regimes, all of which influence tundra plant phenology. Despite these changes, no globally consistent direction of trends in spring phenology has been reported across the Arctic. While spring has advanced at some sites, spring has delayed or not changed at other sites, highlighting substantial unexplained variation. Here, we test the relative importance of local temperatures, local snow melt date and regional spring drop in sea ice extent as controls of variation in spring phenology across different sites and species. Trends in long-term time series of spring leaf-out and flowering (average span: 18 years) were highly variable for the 14 tundra species monitored at our four study sites on the Arctic coasts of Alaska, Canada and Greenland, ranging from advances of 10.06 days per decade to delays of 1.67 days per decade. Spring temperatures and the day of spring drop in sea ice extent advanced at all sites (average 1°C per decade and 21 days per decade, respectively), but only those sites with advances in snow melt (average 5 days advance per decade) also had advancing phenology. Variation in spring plant phenology was best explained by snow melt date (mean effect: 0.45 days advance in phenology per day advance snow melt) and, to a lesser extent, by mean spring temperature (mean effect: 2.39 days advance in phenology per °C). In contrast to previous studies examining sea ice and phenology at different spatial scales, regional spring drop in sea ice extent did not predict spring phenology for any species or site in our analysis. Our findings highlight that tundra vegetation responses to global change are more complex than a direct response to warming and emphasize the importance of snow melt as a local driver of tundra spring phenology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Anne D Bjorkman
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Janet S Prevéy
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, Department of Agriculture - Forest Service, Olympia, Washington
| | | | - Niels M Schmidt
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
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Hirao AS, Shimono Y, Narita K, Wada N, Kudo G. Ecotypic divergences of the alpine herb Potentilla matsumurae adapted to fellfield-snowbed habitats across a series of mountain sky islands. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:772-787. [PMID: 31124143 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Divergent selection due to environmental heterogeneity can lead to local adaptation. However, the ecological and evolutionary processes of local adaptation that occurs across multiple regions are often unknown. Our previous studies reported on the ecotypic divergence within a local area of variation of Potentilla matsumurae, an alpine herb adapted to the fellfield-snowbed environment. Here we investigated large-scale geographic patterns of ecotypic differentiation in this species to infer local adaptation and selective forces across multiple regions. METHODS We compiled information on the overall distributions of fellfield and snowbed habitats on the mountains in Japan across the distribution of the species. Next, we conducted common garden experiments to test the adaptive divergence of the fellfield-snowbed plants derived from multiple regions. Finally, we evaluated phylogeographic structures based on cpDNA and allozyme variations and inferred the evolutionary history of ecotype differentiation. RESULTS The mosaic distribution of the fellfield-snowbed ecotypes across isolated mountaintops constitutes indirect evidence for habitat-specific natural selection. The significant difference in survivorship between the ecotypes observed in a controlled snow environment provides more substantial evidence of local selection. Phylogeographic structures support the hypothesis that ecotypic divergence events from fellfield to snowbed populations occurred independently in at least two distinct regions. CONCLUSIONS Ecotypic divergence of P. matsumurae has occurred across a series of mountain sky islands. Local selection in snowy environments is a driving force that maintains the divergent ecotypes across multiple mountain regions and can contribute to the diversification of plants in heavy-snow regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira S Hirao
- Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
- Sugadaira Research Station, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba, Ueda, 386-2204, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Shimono
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kenji Narita
- Faculty of Education and Human Studies, Akita University, Akita, 010-8502, Japan
| | - Naoya Wada
- Center for Far Eastern Studies, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
| | - Gaku Kudo
- Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
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Liu Y, Harris AJ, Gao Q, Su X, Ren Z. A population genetics perspective on the evolutionary histories of three clonal, endemic, and dominant grass species of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Orinus (Poaceae). Ecol Evol 2019; 9:6014-6037. [PMID: 31161016 PMCID: PMC6540705 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We performed analyses of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) in order to characterize the evolutionary history of Orinus according to its population genetic structure, as well as to investigate putative hybrid origins of O. intermedius and to provide additional insights into relationships among species. The genus Orinus comprises three clonal grasses that are dominant species within xeric alpine grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Here, we used eight selectively obtained primer pairs of EcoRI/MseI to perform amplifications in 231 individuals of Orinus representing 48 populations and all three species. We compared our resulting data to genetic models of hybridization using a Bayesian algorithm within NewHybrids software. We determined that genetic variation in Orinus was 56.65% within populations while the among-species component was 30.04% using standard population genetics statistics. Nevertheless, we detected that species of Orinus were clustered into three highly distinct genetic groups corresponding to classic species identities. Our results suggest that there is some introgression among species. Thus, we tested explicit models of hybridization using a Bayesian approach within NewHybrids software. However, O. intermedius likely derives from a common ancestor with O. kokonoricus and is probably not the result of hybrid speciation between O. kokonoricus and O. thoroldii. We suspect that recent isolation of species of Orinus in allopatry via vicariance may explain the patterns in diversity that we observed, and this is corroborated by a Mantel test that showed significant positive correlation between geographic and genetic distance (r = 0.05, p < 0.05). Recent isolation may explain why Orinus differs from many other clonal species by exhibiting the highest diversity within populations rather than among them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant and Animal Resources of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau in Qinghai Province, School of Life ScienceQinghai Normal UniversityXiningChina
- Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process in Qinghai Province, School of Life ScienceQinghai Normal UniversityXiningChina
- Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of Environments and Resources in the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, School of Life ScienceQinghai Normal UniversityXiningChina
| | - AJ Harris
- Department of BiologyOberlin College and ConservatoryOberlinOhio
| | - Qingbo Gao
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Northwest Institute of Plateau BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesXiningChina
| | - Xu Su
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant and Animal Resources of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau in Qinghai Province, School of Life ScienceQinghai Normal UniversityXiningChina
- Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process in Qinghai Province, School of Life ScienceQinghai Normal UniversityXiningChina
- Key Laboratory of Education Ministry of Environments and Resources in the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, School of Life ScienceQinghai Normal UniversityXiningChina
| | - Zhumei Ren
- School of Life ScienceShanxi UniversityTaiyuanChina
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Hao L, Zhang G, Lu D, Hu J, Jia H. Analysis of the genetic diversity and population structure of Salix psammophila based on phenotypic traits and simple sequence repeat markers. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6419. [PMID: 30805247 PMCID: PMC6383557 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Salix psammophila (desert willow) is a shrub endemic to the Kubuqi Desert and the Mu Us Desert, China, that plays an important role in maintaining local ecosystems and can be used as a biomass feedstock for biofuels and bioenergy. However, the lack of information on phenotypic traits and molecular markers for this species limits the study of genetic diversity and population structure. In this study, nine phenotypic traits were analyzed to assess the morphological diversity and variation. The mean coefficient of variation of 17 populations ranged from 18.35% (branch angle (BA)) to 38.52% (leaf area (LA)). Unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean analysis of nine phenotypic traits of S. psammophila showed the same results, with the 17 populations clustering into five groups. We selected 491 genets of the 17 populations to analyze genetic diversity and population structure based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that most of the genetic variance (95%) was within populations, whereas only a small portion (5%) was among populations. Moreover, using the animal model with SSR-based relatedness estimated of S. psammophila, we found relatively moderate heritability values for phenotypic traits, suggesting that most of trait variation were caused by environmental or developmental variation. Principal coordinate and phylogenetic analyses based on SSR data revealed that populations P1, P2, P9, P16, and P17 were separated from the others. The results showed that the marginal populations located in the northeastern and southwestern had lower genetic diversity, which may be related to the direction of wind. These results provide a theoretical basis for germplasm management and genetic improvement of desert willow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Hao
- College of Forestry, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China.,Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, Hohhot, China
| | - Guosheng Zhang
- College of Forestry, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Dongye Lu
- College of Forestry, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Jianjun Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of the State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Huixia Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of the State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
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Niu Y, Yang S, Zhou J, Chu B, Ma S, Zhu H, Hua L. Vegetation distribution along mountain environmental gradient predicts shifts in plant community response to climate change in alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 650:505-514. [PMID: 30205341 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Plants are particularly sensitive to climate change in alpine ecosystem of the Tibetan Plateau. The various mountain micro-climates provide a natural gradient for space-for-time substitution research that plant responses to climate change. In this study, we surveyed the plant community in term of species composition, diversity and biomass across 189 sites on a hill of the Tibetan Plateau and analysed the individual and integrated effects of soil temperature and moisture on the plant community. The results showed that, at the quadrat scale, there were decrease in richness of 1.08 species for every 1 °C increase in soil temperature and 3.56 species for every 10% decrease in soil moisture. The integrated effects of increasing soil temperature and decreasing moisture are expected to lead to a rapid decrease in species richness. Biomass had no significant correlation with soil temperature but significantly decreased with soil moisture decreasing (p < 0.01). Biomass would decrease when soil moisture was below 20%, no matter how the change of soil temperature. We also found that gramineae and perennial forbs were sensitive to climate change. With soil temperature increased, the proportion of gramineae increased, whereas the proportion of perennial forbs decreased. The integrated effects of soil temperature increasing and moisture decreasing caused a shift from sedge-controlled to gramineae-controlled communities in alpine meadow. This study not only enhances our understanding of mountain plant community dynamics under climate change, but also predicts the shift of vegetation response to climate change on high-elevation alpine meadow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Niu
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Siwei Yang
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Jianwei Zhou
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Bin Chu
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Sujie Ma
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Huimin Zhu
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Limin Hua
- College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou 730070, China.
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Cortés AJ, Skeen P, Blair MW, Chacón-Sánchez MI. Does the Genomic Landscape of Species Divergence in Phaseolus Beans Coerce Parallel Signatures of Adaptation and Domestication? FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1816. [PMID: 30619396 PMCID: PMC6306030 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Exploring the genomic architecture of species and populations divergence aids understanding how lineages evolve and adapt, and ultimately can show the repeatability of evolutionary processes. Yet, the genomic signatures associated with divergence are still relatively unexplored, leading to a knowledge gap on whether species divergence ultimately differs in its genetic architecture from divergence at other spatial scales (i.e., populations, ecotypes). Our goal in this research was to determine whether genomic islands of speciation are more prone to harbor within-species differentiation due to genomic features, suppressed recombination, smaller effective population size or increased drift, across repeated hierarchically nested levels of divergence. We used two species of Phaseolus beans with strong genepool and population sub-structure produced by multiple independent domestications each especially in Andean and Mesoamerican / Middle American geographies. We genotyped 22,531 GBS-derived SNP markers in 209 individuals of wild and cultivated Phaseolus vulgaris and Phaseolus lunatus. We identified six regions for species-associated divergence. Out of these divergence peaks, 21% were recovered in the four within-species between-genepool comparisons and in the five within-genepool wild-cultivated comparisons (some of the latter did retrieve genuine signatures of the well described multiple domestication syndromes). However, genomic regions with overall high relative differentiation (measured by FST) coincided with regions of low SNP density and regions of elevated delta divergence between-genepools (ΔDiv), independent of the scale of divergence. The divergence in chromosome Pv10 further coincided with a between-species pericentric inversion. These convergences suggest that shared variants are being recurrently fixed at replicated regions of the genome, and in a similar manner across different hierarchically nested levels of divergence, likely as result of genomic features that make certain regions more prone to accumulate islands of speciation and within-species divergence. In summary, neighboring signatures of speciation, adaptation and domestication in Phaseolus beans are influenced by ubiquitous genomic constrains, which may continue to fortuitously shape genomic differentiation at various others scales of divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés J. Cortés
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (Agrosavia) – Centro de Investigación La Selva, Rionegro, Colombia
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Sede Medellín, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias – Departamento de Ciencias
Forestales, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Paola Skeen
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Bogotá, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias – Departamento de Agronomía, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Matthew W. Blair
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - María I. Chacón-Sánchez
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Bogotá, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias – Departamento de Agronomía, Bogotá, Colombia
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Cortés AJ, Garzón LN, Valencia JB, Madriñán S. On the Causes of Rapid Diversification in the Páramos: Isolation by Ecology and Genomic Divergence in Espeletia. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1700. [PMID: 30581444 PMCID: PMC6294130 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
How diversity arises and what is the relative role of allopatric and ecological divergence are among the most persistent questions in evolution and ecology. Here, we assessed whether ecological divergence has enhanced the diversification of the Neotropical alpine plant complex Espeletia, also known as frailejones. This genus has one of the highest diversification rates ever reported and is distributed in the world's fastest evolving biodiversity hotspot, the Páramo (Neotropical alpine grasslands at elevations of c. 2800-4700 m). Our goal was to determine whether ecology plays a role in divergence within the Espeletia complex by quantifying genome-wide patterns of ecological divergence. We characterized 162 samples of the three most common and contrasting ecotypes (distinct morphotypes occupying particular habitats) co-occurring in six localities in the northern Andes using Genotyping by Sequencing. Contrasting ecotypes were caulescent cloud forest populations, caulescent populations from wind-sheltered and well-irrigated depressions and acaulescent populations from wind-exposed drier slopes. We found high polymorphism with a total of 1,273 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that defined the relationships among nine genetic clusters. We quantified allelic associations of these markers with localities and habitats using 18 different general and mixed-effects statistical models that accounted for phylogenetic distance. Despite that these models always yielded more SNPs associated with the localities, markers associated with the habitat types were recovered too. We found strong evidence for isolation-by-distance (IBD) across populations despite rampant gene flow, as expected for plant groups with limited seed dispersal. Contrasts between populations of different habitat types showed that an isolation-by-environment (IBE) trend emerged and masked the IBD signal. Maximum likelihood estimation of the number of migrants per generation (Nem) among ecotypes confirmed the IBE pattern. This result illustrates the importance of mountains' environmental variation at a local scale in generating rapid morphological radiations and maintaining multiple adaptations in a fast-evolving ecosystem like the Páramo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés J. Cortés
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Luz N. Garzón
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Jhon B. Valencia
- Facultad de Ingeniera y Administracin, Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Palmira, Palmira, Colombia
| | - Santiago Madriñán
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Jardín Botánico de Cartagena “Guillermo Piñeres”, Turbaco, Colombia
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Cortés AJ, Blair MW. Genotyping by Sequencing and Genome-Environment Associations in Wild Common Bean Predict Widespread Divergent Adaptation to Drought. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:128. [PMID: 29515597 PMCID: PMC5826387 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Drought will reduce global crop production by >10% in 2050 substantially worsening global malnutrition. Breeding for resistance to drought will require accessing crop genetic diversity found in the wild accessions from the driest high stress ecosystems. Genome-environment associations (GEA) in crop wild relatives reveal natural adaptation, and therefore can be used to identify adaptive variation. We explored this approach in the food crop Phaseolus vulgaris L., characterizing 86 geo-referenced wild accessions using genotyping by sequencing (GBS) to discover single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The wild beans represented Mesoamerica, Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador/Northern Peru and Andean groupings. We found high polymorphism with a total of 22,845 SNPs across the 86 accessions that confirmed genetic relationships for the groups. As a second objective, we quantified allelic associations with a bioclimatic-based drought index using 10 different statistical models that accounted for population structure. Based on the optimum model, 115 SNPs in 90 regions, widespread in all 11 common bean chromosomes, were associated with the bioclimatic-based drought index. A gene coding for an ankyrin repeat-containing protein and a phototropic-responsive NPH3 gene were identified as potential candidates. Genomic windows of 1 Mb containing associated SNPs had more positive Tajima's D scores than windows without associated markers. This indicates that adaptation to drought, as estimated by bioclimatic variables, has been under natural divergent selection, suggesting that drought tolerance may be favorable under dry conditions but harmful in humid conditions. Our work exemplifies that genomic signatures of adaptation are useful for germplasm characterization, potentially enhancing future marker-assisted selection and crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés J. Cortés
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Matthew W. Blair
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, United States
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Qiong L, Zhang W, Wang H, Zeng L, Birks HJB, Zhong Y. Testing the effect of the Himalayan mountains as a physical barrier to gene flow in Hippophae tibetana Schlect. (Elaeagnaceae). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172948. [PMID: 28489850 PMCID: PMC5425012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hippophae tibetana is a small, dioecious wind-pollinated shrub endemic to the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau. It is one of the shrubs that occur at very high elevations (5250 m a.s.l.). The Himalayan mountains provides a significant geographical barrier to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, dividing the Himalayan area into two regions with Nepal to the south and Tibet to the north. There is no information on how the Himalayan mountains influence gene flow and population differentiation of alpine plants. In this study, we analyzed eight nuclear microsatellite markers and cpDNA trnT-trnF regions to test the role of the Himalayan mountains as a barrier to gene flow between populations of H. tibetana. We also examined the fine-scale genetic structure within a population of H. tibetana on the north slope of Mount (Mt.) Everest. For microsatellite analyses, a total of 241 individuals were sampled from seven populations in our study area (4 from Nepal, 3 from Tibet), including 121 individuals that were spatially mapped within a 100 m × 100 m plot. To test for seed flow, the cpDNA trnT-trnF regions of 100 individuals from 6 populations (4 from Nepal, 2 from Tibet) were also sequenced. Significant genetic differentiation was detected between the two regions by both microsatellite and cpDNA data analyses. These two datasets agree about southern and northern population differentiation, indicating that the Himalayan mountains represent a barrier to H. tibetana limiting gene flow between these two areas. At a fine scale, spatial autocorrelation analysis suggests significant genetic structure within a distance of less than 45 m, which may be attributed mainly to vegetative reproduction and habitat fragmentation, as well as limited gene flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- La Qiong
- Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Biology, Tibet University, Lhasa, China
| | - Wenju Zhang
- Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liyan Zeng
- Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - H. John B. Birks
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yang Zhong
- Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Biology, Tibet University, Lhasa, China
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Gramlich S, Hörandl E. Fitness of natural willow hybrids in a pioneer mosaic hybrid zone. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7645-7655. [PMID: 30128118 PMCID: PMC6093150 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hybrid fitness is an important parameter to predict the evolutionary consequences of a hybridization event and to characterize hybrid zones. We studied fitness parameters of F1 and later-generation hybrids between the lowland species Salix purpurea and the alpine S. helvetica that have recently emerged during colonization of an alpine glacier forefield. Fruit production (number of capsules per catkin and fruit set) did not differ between hybrids and parents, but the number of seeds per capsule of F1 hybrids was slightly lower than that of later-generation hybrids and of the parents. Germination rates and seedling growth were tested on three substrates (pH 4.5, 7.0, and 8.0). Germination rates of seeds collected from F1 hybrids were lower on acid and neutral substrates, but equal at pH 8.0 compared to all other groups, while the seeds from later-generation hybrids performed as well as the parents on all three substrates. In seedling growth, the colonizer S. purpurea performed better than all other taxa on all three substrates, while hybrids resembled the subalpine species S. helvetica. Results suggest that endogenous selection acts against F1 hybrids, but favors fitter genotypes in later-generation hybrids. Exogenous selection via soil pH appears to be weak during seedling establishment. The pioneer vegetation on the glacier forefield may offer sufficient niche space for hybrid seedlings. Owing to the relatively high fitness of the hybrids and the scattered distribution of hybrids and parental individuals on the glacier forefield, this hybrid zone can be assigned to a mosaic model, probably facilitating gene flow and introgression between the parental species. As establishment of the hybrid zone appears to be linked to a colonization process, we propose to call it a pioneer mosaic hybrid zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Gramlich
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium)Georg August University GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Elvira Hörandl
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium)Georg August University GöttingenGöttingenGermany
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Sedlacek J, Cortés AJ, Wheeler J, Bossdorf O, Hoch G, Klápště J, Lexer C, Rixen C, Wipf S, Karrenberg S, van Kleunen M. Evolutionary potential in the Alpine: trait heritabilities and performance variation of the dwarf willow Salix herbacea from different elevations and microhabitats. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:3940-52. [PMID: 27516856 PMCID: PMC4972222 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpine ecosystems are seriously threatened by climate change. One of the key mechanisms by which plants can adapt to changing environmental conditions is through evolutionary change. However, we still know little about the evolutionary potential in wild populations of long-lived alpine plants. Here, we investigated heritabilities of phenological traits, leaf size, and performance traits in natural populations of the long-lived alpine dwarf shrub Salix herbacea using relatedness estimates inferred from SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers. Salix herbacea occurs in early- and late-snowmelt microhabitats (ridges and snowbeds), and we assessed how performance consequences of phenological traits and leaf size differ between these microhabitats in order to infer potential for evolutionary responses. Salix herbacea showed low, but significant, heritabilities of leaf size, clonal and sexual reproduction, and moderate heritabilities of phenological traits. In both microhabitats, we found that larger leaves, longer intervals between snowmelt and leaf expansion, and longer GDD (growing-degree days) until leaf expansion resulted in a stronger increase in the number of stems (clonal reproduction). In snowbeds, clonal reproduction increased with a shorter GDD until flowering, while the opposite was found on ridges. Furthermore, the proportion of flowering stems increased with GDD until flowering in both microhabitats. Our results suggest that the presence of significant heritable variation in morphology and phenology might help S. herbacea to adapt to changing environmental conditions. However, it remains to be seen if the rate of such an evolutionary response can keep pace with the rapid rate of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janosch Sedlacek
- EcologyDepartment of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
| | - Andrés J. Cortés
- Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityNorbyvägen 18 D75236UppsalaSweden
- Present address: Department of Plant BiologySwedish Agricultural UniversityUndervisningsplan 7E75007UppsalaSweden
| | - Julia Wheeler
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFFlüelastrasse 117260DavosSwitzerland
- Institute of BotanyUniversity of BaselSchönbeinstrasse 64056BaselSwitzerland
- Present address: Department of Environmental ConservationUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusetts01003
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary EcologyInstitute of Evolution and EcologyAuf der Morgenstelle 5University of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
| | - Guenter Hoch
- Institute of BotanyUniversity of BaselSchönbeinstrasse 64056BaselSwitzerland
| | - Jaroslav Klápště
- Department of Forest and Conservation SciencesFaculty of ForestryUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBritish ColumbiaV6T 1Z4Canada
- Department of Genetics and Physiology of Forest TreesFaculty of Forestry and Wood SciencesCzech University of Life Sciences in PragueKamýcká 129165 21Prague 6Czech Republic
- Present address: Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd.)49 Sala StreetWhakarewarewa3046RotoruaNew Zealand
| | - Christian Lexer
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaRennweg 14A‐1030ViennaAustria
| | - Christian Rixen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFFlüelastrasse 117260DavosSwitzerland
| | - Sonja Wipf
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLFFlüelastrasse 117260DavosSwitzerland
| | - Sophie Karrenberg
- Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityNorbyvägen 18 D75236UppsalaSweden
| | - Mark van Kleunen
- EcologyDepartment of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
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Evolution in situ: hybrid origin and establishment of willows (Salix L.) on alpine glacier forefields. Heredity (Edinb) 2016; 116:531-41. [PMID: 26980342 PMCID: PMC4868266 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Little attention has been paid to the evolutionary consequences of the colonizing dynamics and succession processes following glacier retreat. Here we studied hybrid populations that have recently formed and established on glacier forefields of the European Alps owing to secondary contact of a lowland colonizer with a subalpine species. We analyzed the composition of two hybrid populations between Salix purpurea and Salix helvetica with nine microsatellite markers by using Bayesian methods (structure and NewHybrids), and simulations. We also studied niche differentiation between the hybrids and the parental species based on indicator values, soil pH and water retention potential measurements. Allelic structure of hybrids confirms the assumed parentage and in situ origin of the crosses on two independent sites within the last decades. Both hybrid populations comprised F1 and later generation hybrids (F2 and backcrosses), confirming hybrid fertility. The parental species showed significant differences in niche characteristics for temperature, soil pH, nutrients and moisture. Remarkably, the hybrids exhibited a higher tolerance to cold temperatures, nutrient-poor and acidic soils than either parent. Our results show that willow hybrids originated after glacier retreat and have established persistent populations within a few decades. One factor contributing to hybrid establishment in sympatry with their parents is their ability to occupy more extreme niches than either parental species within a mosaic-like pattern of microhabitats on the forefield. Introgression and/or transgressive segregation may have resulted in novel genotypes that are able to expand the ecological spectrum of either parent.
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Genetic structure of a montane perennial plant: the influence of landscape and flowering phenology. CONSERV GENET 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-015-0751-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Wheeler J, Schnider F, Sedlacek J, Cortés A, Wipf S, Hoch G, Rixen C. With a little help from my friends: Community facilitation increases performance in the dwarf shrub Salix herbacea. Basic Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Sedlacek J, Wheeler JA, Cortés AJ, Bossdorf O, Hoch G, Lexer C, Wipf S, Karrenberg S, van Kleunen M, Rixen C. The Response of the Alpine Dwarf Shrub Salix herbacea to Altered Snowmelt Timing: Lessons from a Multi-Site Transplant Experiment. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122395. [PMID: 25893438 PMCID: PMC4403918 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is altering spring snowmelt patterns in alpine and arctic ecosystems, and these changes may alter plant phenology, growth and reproduction. To predict how alpine plants respond to shifts in snowmelt timing, we need to understand trait plasticity, its effects on growth and reproduction, and the degree to which plants experience a home-site advantage. We tested how the common, long-lived dwarf shrub Salix herbacea responded to changing spring snowmelt time by reciprocally transplanting turfs of S. herbacea between early-exposure ridge and late-exposure snowbed microhabitats. After the transplant, we monitored phenological, morphological and fitness traits, as well as leaf damage, during two growing seasons. Salix herbacea leafed out earlier, but had a longer development time and produced smaller leaves on ridges relative to snowbeds. Longer phenological development times and smaller leaves were associated with reduced sexual reproduction on ridges. On snowbeds, larger leaves and intermediate development times were associated with increased clonal reproduction. Clonal and sexual reproduction showed no response to altered snowmelt time. We found no home-site advantage in terms of sexual and clonal reproduction. Leaf damage probability depended on snowmelt and thus exposure period, but had no short-term effect on fitness traits. We conclude that the studied populations of S. herbacea can respond to shifts in snowmelt by plastic changes in phenology and leaf size, while maintaining levels of clonal and sexual reproduction. The lack of a home-site advantage suggests that S. herbacea may not be adapted to different microhabitats. The studied populations are thus unlikely to react to climate change by rapid adaptation, but their responses will also not be constrained by small-scale local adaptation. In the short term, snowbed plants may persist due to high stem densities. However, in the long term, reduction in leaf size and flowering, a longer phenological development time and increased exposure to damage may decrease overall performance of S. herbacea under earlier snowmelt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janosch Sedlacek
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Julia A. Wheeler
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, 7260, Davos, Switzerland
- Institute of Botany, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrés J. Cortés
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Guenter Hoch
- Institute of Botany, University of Basel, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Lexer
- Unit of Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Sonja Wipf
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, 7260, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Karrenberg
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mark van Kleunen
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Christian Rixen
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, 7260, Davos, Switzerland
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Sedlacek JF, Bossdorf O, Cortés AJ, Wheeler JA, van Kleunen M. What role do plant–soil interactions play in the habitat suitability and potential range expansion of the alpine dwarf shrub Salix herbacea? Basic Appl Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2014.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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