Morphological and genome-wide evidence for natural hybridisation within the genus Stipa (Poaceae)

Predicted changes in distribution and grazing value of Stipa-based plant communities across the Eurasian steppe

The Eurasian steppe is one of the world's largest continuous areas of grassland and has an important role in supporting livestock grazing, the most ubiquitous land use on Earth. However, the Eurasian steppe is under threat, from irrational grazing utilization, climate change, and resource exploitation. We used an ensemble modeling approach to predict the current and future distribution of Stipa-dominated plant communities in three important steppe subregions; the Tibetan Alpine, Central Asian, and Black Sea-Kazakhstan subregions. We combined this with an assessment of the grazing value of 22 Stipa species, the dominant grassland species in the area, to predict how grazing value might change under future climate change predictions. We found that the effects of changing climates on grazing values differed across the three subregions. Grazing values increased in the Tibetan alpine steppe and to a lesser extent in Central Asia, but there were few changes in the Black Sea-Kazakhstan subregion. The response of different species to changing climates varied with environmental variables. Finally, our trait-based assessment of Stipa species revealed variations in grazing value, and this had major effects on the overall grazing value of the region. Our results reinforce the importance of trait-based characteristics of steppe plant species, how these traits affect grazing value, and how grazing values will change across different areas of the Eurasian steppe. Our work provides valuable insights into how different species will respond to changing climates and grazing, with important implications for sustainable management of different areas of the vast Eurasian steppe ecosystem.

Insight into the phylogeny and responses of species from the genus Sergia (Campanulaceae) to the climate changes predicted for the Mountains of Central Asia (a world biodiversity hotspot)

BACKGROUND

Together with other elevated areas, the Mountains of Central Asia are significantly threatened by ongoing climate change. The presence of refuges during the glaciations makes the region extremely rich in species, especially endemic ones. However, the limited potential for colonisation of other habitats makes rocky-related species with 'island-like' distribution, particularly vulnerable to climate change. To understand the processes underlying species response to climate warming, we assessed differences in ecological niches and phylogenetic relationship of two geographically disjunctive alpine species belonging to the genus Sergia. The taxa are considered Tertiary relicts, endemic to the Tian Shan and Pamir-Alai Mountains. To illustrate range dynamics and differences in occupied niches of Sergia species, we used Ecological Niche Modelling of current and future distribution. Whereas, to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship within and between Sergia and other related Campanulaceae species from the region we used molecular data (ITS, cpDNA, DArTseq-derived SNPs).

RESULTS

The results reveal that the genus Sergia is a polyphyletic group, and its representatives differ geographically, ecologically and genetically. Both S. regelii and S. sewerzowii constitute a common clade with Asyneuma group, however, S. sewerzowii is more closely related to Campanula alberti (a species that has never previously been considered closely related to the genus Asyneuma or Sergia) than to S. regelii. Sergia sewerzowii is adapted to lower elevations with higher temperatures, while S. regelii prefers higher elevations with lower temperatures. The future distribution models demonstrate a dramatic loss of S. regelii range with a shift to suitable habitats in higher elevations, while the potential range of S. sewerzowii increases and shifts to the north.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that S. regelii and S. sewerzowii have a long and independent evolution history. Sergia regelii and S. sewerzowii significantly differ in realised niches. These differences are mirrored in the response of the studied endemics to future climate warming. As suitable habitats shrink, rapid changes in distribution can lead to species' range loss, which is also directly related to declines in genetic variability. The outcomes of this paper will help to more precisely assess the impact of climate changes on rocky-related plant species found in this world's biodiversity hotspot.

Hybridization and introgression events in cooccurring populations of closely related grasses (Poaceae: Stipa) in high mountain steppes of Central Asia

Stipa is a genus comprising ca. 150 species found in warm temperate regions of the Old World and around 30% of its representatives are of hybrid origin. In this study, using integrative taxonomy approach, we tested the hypothesis that hybridization and introgression are the explanations of the morphological intermediacy in species belonging to Stipa sect. Smirnovia, one of the species-rich sections in the mountains of Central Asia. Two novel nothospecies, S. magnifica × S. caucasica subsp. nikolai and S. lingua × S. caucasica subsp. nikolai, were identified based on a combination of morphological characters and SNPs markers. SNPs marker revealed that all S. lingua × S. caucasica samples were F1 hybrids, whereas most of S. magnifica × S. caucasica samples were backcross hybrids. Furthermore, the above mentioned hybrids exhibit transgressive morphological characters to each of their parental species. These findings have implications for understanding the process of hybridization in the genus Stipa, particularly in the sect. Smirnovia. As a taxonomic conclusion, we describe the two new nothospecies S. × muksuensis (from Tajikistan) and S. × ochyrae (from Kyrgyzstan) and present an identification key to species morphologically similar to the taxa mentioned above.

The low level of plastome differentiation observed in some lineages of Poales hinders molecular species identification

Chloroplast genomes are a source of information successfully used in various fields of plant genetics, including molecular species identification. However, recent studies indicate an extremely low level of interspecific variability in the plastomes of some taxonomic groups of plants, including the genus Stipa L., which is a representative of the grass family. In this study we aimed to analyze the level of chloroplast genome diversity within particular genera as well as the effectiveness of identifying plant species in the Poaceae family and the other representatives of Poales order. Analysis of complete plastid genome alignments created for 96 genera comprising 793 species and 1707 specimens obtained from the GenBank database allowed defining and categorizing molecular diagnostic characters distinguishing the analyzed species from the other representatives of the genus. The results also demonstrate which species do not have any species-specific mutations, thereby they cannot be identified on the basis of differences between the complete chloroplast genomes. Our research showed a huge diversity of the analyzed species in terms of the number of molecular diagnostic characters and indicated which genera pose a particular challenge in terms of molecular species identification. The results show that a very low level of genetic diversity between plastomes is not uncommon in Poales. This is the first extensive research on super-barcoding that tests this method on a large data set and illustrates its effectiveness against the background of phylogenetic relationships.

Elucidation of the evolutionary history of Stipa in China using comparative transcriptomic analysis

Phylogenetic analysis provides crucial insights into the evolutionary relationships and diversification patterns within specific taxonomic groups. In this study, we aimed to identify the phylogenetic relationships and explore the evolutionary history of Stipa using transcriptomic data. Samples of 12 Stipa species were collected from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Mongolian Plateau, where they are widely distributed, and transcriptome sequencing was performed using their fresh spikelet tissues. Using bidirectional best BLAST analysis, we identified two sets of one-to-one orthologous genes shared between Brachypodium distachyon and the 12 Stipa species (9397 and 2300 sequences, respectively), as well as 62 single-copy orthologous genes. Concatenation methods were used to construct a robust phylogenetic tree for Stipa, and molecular dating was used to estimate divergence times. Our results indicated that Stipa originated during the Pliocene. In approximately 0.8 million years, it diverged into two major clades each consisting of native species from the Mongolian Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, respectively. The evolution of Stipa was closely associated with the development of northern grassland landscapes. Important external factors such as global cooling during the Pleistocene, changes in monsoonal circulation, and tectonic movements contributed to the diversification of Stipa. This study provided a highly supported phylogenetic framework for understanding the evolution of the Stipa genus in China and insights into its diversification patterns.

Intraspecific phylogeny of a Patagonian fescue: differentiation at molecular markers and morphological traits suggests hybridization at peripheral populations

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Grasses of the Festuca genus have complex phylogenetic relations due to morphological similarities among species and interspecific hybridization processes. Within Patagonian fescues, information concerning phylogenetic relationships is very scarce. In Festuca pallescens, a widely distributed species, the high phenotypic variability and the occurrence of interspecific hybridization preclude a clear identification of the populations. Given the relevance of natural rangelands for livestock production and their high degradation due to climate change, conservation actions are needed and knowledge about genetic variation is required.

METHODS

To unravel the intraspecific phylogenetic relations and to detect genetic differences, we studied 21 populations of the species along its natural geographical distribution by coupling both molecular [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and trnL-F markers] and morpho-anatomical analyses. Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony methods were applied to assemble a phylogenetic tree, including other native species. The morphological data set was analysed by discriminant and cluster analyses.

KEY RESULTS

The combined information of the Bayesian tree (ITS marker), the geographical distribution of haplotype variants (trnL-F marker) and the morpho-anatomical traits, distinguished populations located at the margins of the distribution. Some of the variants detected were shared with other sympatric species of fescues.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest the occurrence of hybridization processes between species of the genus at peripheral sites characterized by suboptimal conditions, which might be key to the survival of these populations.

Genomic insights into genetic diversity and local adaptation of a dominant desert steppe feather grass, Stipa breviflora Griseb

Investigating the genetic mechanisms of local adaptation is critical to understanding how species adapt to heterogeneous environments. In the present study, we analyzed restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) data in order to explore genetic diversity, genetic structure, genetic differentiation, and local adaptation of Stipa breviflora. In total, 135 individual plants were sequenced and 25,786 polymorphic loci were obtained. We found low genetic diversity (He = 0.1284) within populations of S. breviflora. Four genetic clusters were identified along its distribution range. The Mantel test, partial Mantel test, and multiple matrix regression with randomization (MMRR) indicate that population differentiation was caused by both geographic distance and environmental factors. Through the F_ST outlier test and environmental association analysis (EAA), 113 candidate loci were identified as putatively adaptive loci. RPK2 and CPRF1, which are associated with meristem maintenance and light responsiveness, respectively, were annotated. To explore the effects of climatic factors on genetic differentiation and local adaptation of S. breviflora, gradient forest (GF) analysis was applied to 25,786 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 113 candidate loci, respectively. The results showed that both temperature and precipitation affected the genetic differentiation of S. breviflora, and precipitation was strongly related to local adaptation. Our study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the local adaptation of S. breviflora.

Insights into adaptive evolution of plastomes in Stipa L. (Poaceae)

BACKGROUND

The study presents results of research on the evolution of plastid genomes in Stipa L. which is a large genus of the Poaceae family, comprising species diverse in terms of geographic distribution, growing under highly variated habitat conditions. Complete plastome sequences of 43 taxa from Stipeae and Ampelodesmae tribes were analyzed for the variability of the coding regions against the background of phylogenetic relationships within the genus Stipa. The research hypothesis put forward in our research was that some of coding regions are affected by a selection pressure differentiated between individual phylogenetic lines of Stipa, potentially reducing the phylogenetic informativeness of these CDS. The study aimed to answer the question, which genes evolve in Stipa most rapidly and what kind of changes in the properties of encoded amino acids this entails. Another goal of this research was to find out whether individual genes are affected by positive selection and finally, whether selective pressure is uniform within the genus or does it vary between particular evolutionary lines within the genus.

RESULTS

Results of our study proved the presence of selective pressure in 11 genes: ccsA, matK, ndhC, ndhF, ndhK, rbcL, rpoA rpoC1, rpoC2, rps8 and rps11. For the first time the effect of positive selection on the rps8, rps11, and ndhK genes was documented in grasses. The varied pace of evolution, different intensity and effects of selective pressure have been demonstrated between particular phylogenetic lines of the genus tested.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive selection in plastid genome in Stipa mostly affects photosynthetic genes. The potential strongest adaptive pressure was observed in the rbcL gene, especially in the oldest evolutionary group comprising Central Asian high-mountain species: S. basiplumosa, S. klimesii, S. penicillata and S. purpurea, where adaptive pressure probably affected the amino acids directly related to the efficiency of CO₂ assimilation.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Stipa bungeana (Poaceae), an important forage grass in the temperate steppe of Northern China

Stipa bungeana Trin. 1833 is an important forage grass in Poaceae, widely distributed in the temperate steppe of Northern China, with strong grazing tolerance and feeding value. In this study, we performed the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of S. bungeana to explore its phylogenetic position with other Stipa. The results showed that the circular complete cp genome of S. bungeana was 137,759 bp in length, including a large single copy (LSC) of 81,652 bp, a small single copy (SSC) of 12,817 bp, and two inverted repeats (IR) of 21,645 bp. The GC content accounts for 43.71% and annotated 134 single genes, which include 87 protein-coding genes, eight rRNA genes, and 39 tRNA genes. Maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree suggested that the S. bungeana was closely related to other Stipa except for S. purpurea.

Resurrection of Stipatremula and taxonomy of the high-alpine species from the Stipapurpurea complex (Poaceae, Pooideae)

Stipapurpurea is a high-alpine species that occurs in cryophilous steppes, semi-deserts and stony slopes, from the Tian Shan and Pamirian Plateau through Qinghai-Xizang Plateau to the Himalayas and is characterised by a great morphological variability. During the revision of specimens of the taxon, we observed that the pattern of this variability is linked to the geographical distribution of the specimens. Numerical analyses (PCA and UPGMA) revealed three groups of OTUs corresponding to three morphotypes within the S.purpurea complex. A set of macro- and micromorphological characters, supported by a map of general distributional ranges, are presented to distinguish each of the three taxa within the complex and we reassess the status of Lasiagrostistremula described by Ruprecht in 1869. As a result, Stipatremula, S.purpurea and S.arenosa were distinguished within the complex. The intermediate characters of S.arenosa may suggest its putative hybrid origin (S.tremula × S.purpurea), whereas the presence of extremely long florets may be an expression of the gigas effect. We propose two new combinations (S.tremula and S.arenosa), describe a new nothospecies (S.×ladakhensis) that originated from hybridisation between S.klimesii and S.purpurea s.l. and designate the lectotype for Ptilagrostissemenovii. An identification key and detailed morphological description of species from the S.purpurea complex are also presented.

The Syngameon Enigma

Despite their evolutionary relevance, multispecies networks or syngameons are rarely reported in the literature. Discovering how syngameons form and how they are maintained can give insight into processes such as adaptive radiations, island colonizations, and the creation of new hybrid lineages. Understanding these complex hybridization networks is even more pressing with anthropogenic climate change, as syngameons may have unique synergistic properties that will allow participating species to persist. The formation of a syngameon is not insurmountable, as several ways for a syngameon to form have been proposed, depending mostly on the magnitude and frequency of gene flow events, as well as the relatedness of its participants. Episodic hybridization with small amounts of introgression may keep syngameons stable and protect their participants from any detrimental effects of gene flow. As genomic sequencing becomes cheaper and more species are included in studies, the number of known syngameons is expected to increase. Syngameons must be considered in conservation efforts as the extinction of one participating species may have detrimental effects on the survival of all other species in the network.

Evidence for extensive hybridisation and past introgression events in feather grasses using genome-wide SNP genotyping

BACKGROUND

The proper identification of feather grasses in nature is often limited due to phenotypic variability and high morphological similarity between many species. Among plausible factors influencing this issue are hybridisation and introgression recently detected in the genus. Nonetheless, to date, only a bounded set of taxa have been investigated using integrative taxonomy combining morphological and molecular data. Here, we report the first large-scale study on five feather grass species across several hybrid zones in Russia and Central Asia. In total, 302 specimens were sampled in the field and classified based on the current descriptions of these taxa. They were then genotyped with high density genome-wide markers and measured based on a set of morphological characters to delimitate species and assess levels of hybridisation and introgression. Moreover, we tested species for past introgression and estimated divergence times between them.

RESULTS

Our findings demonstrated that 250 specimens represent five distinct species: S. baicalensis, S. capillata, S. glareosa, S. grandis and S. krylovii. The remaining 52 individuals provided evidence for extensive hybridisation between S. capillata and S. baicalensis, S. capillata and S. krylovii, S. baicalensis and S. krylovii, as well as to a lesser extent between S. grandis and S. krylovii, S. grandis and S. baicalensis. We detected past reticulation events between S. baicalensis, S. krylovii, S. grandis and inferred that diversification within species S. capillata, S. baicalensis, S. krylovii and S. grandis started ca. 130-96 kya. In addition, the assessment of genetic population structure revealed signs of contemporary gene flow between populations across species from the section Leiostipa, despite significant geographical distances between some of them. Lastly, we concluded that only 5 out of 52 hybrid taxa were properly identified solely based on morphology.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the hypothesis that hybridisation is an important mechanism driving evolution in Stipa. As an outcome, this phenomenon complicates identification of hybrid taxa in the field using morphological characters alone. Thus, integrative taxonomy seems to be the only reliable way to properly resolve the phylogenetic issue of Stipa. Moreover, we believe that feather grasses may be a suitable genus to study hybridisation and introgression events in nature.

Precipitation Variability Affects Aboveground Biomass Directly and Indirectly via Plant Functional Traits in the Desert Steppe of Inner Mongolia, Northern China

Clarifying the response of community and dominance species to climate change is crucial for disentangling the mechanism of the ecosystem evolution and predicting the prospective dynamics of communities under the global climate scenario. We examined how precipitation changes affect community structure and aboveground biomass (AGB) according to manipulated precipitation experiments in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, China. Bayesian model and structural equation models (SEM) were used to test variation and causal relationship among precipitation, plant diversity, functional attributes, and AGB. The results showed that the responses of species richness, evenness, and plant community weighted means traits to precipitation changes in amount and year were significant. The SEM demonstrated that precipitation change in amount and year has a direct effect on richness, evenness, and community-weighted mean (CWM) for height, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf nitrogen content (LNC), and leaf carbon content (LCC) and AGB; there into CWM for height and LDMC had a direct positive effect on AGB; LA had a direct negative effect on AGB. Three dominant species showed diverse adaptation and resource utilization strategies in response to precipitation changes. A. polyrhizum showed an increase in height under the precipitation treatments that promoted AGB, whereas the AGB of P. harmala and S. glareosa was boosted through alterations in height and LA. Our results highlight the asynchronism of variation in community composition and structure, leaf functional traits in precipitation-AGB relationship. We proposed that altered AGB resulted from the direct and indirect effects of plant functional traits (plant height, LA, LDMC) rather than species diversity, plant functional traits are likely candidate traits, given that they are mechanistically linked to precipitation changes and affected aboveground biomass in a desert steppe.

The first draft genome of feather grasses using SMRT sequencing and its implications in molecular studies of Stipa

The Eurasian plant Stipa capillata is the most widespread species within feather grasses. Many taxa of the genus are dominants in steppe plant communities and can be used for their classification and in studies related to climate change. Moreover, some species are of economic importance mainly as fodder plants and can be used for soil remediation processes. Although large-scale molecular data has begun to appear, there is still no complete or draft genome for any Stipa species. Thus, here we present a single-molecule long-read sequencing dataset generated using the Pacific Biosciences Sequel System. A draft genome of about 1004 Mb was obtained with a contig N50 length of 351 kb. Importantly, here we report 81,224 annotated protein-coding genes, present 77,614 perfect and 58 unique imperfect SSRs, reveal the putative allopolyploid nature of S. capillata, investigate the evolutionary history of the genus, demonstrate structural heteroplasmy of the chloroplast genome and announce for the first time the mitochondrial genome in Stipa. The assembled nuclear, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes provide a significant source of genetic data for further works on phylogeny, hybridisation and population studies within Stipa and the grass family Poaceae.

Palyno-morphological characterization of selected allergenic taxa of family Poaceae from Islamabad-Pakistan using microscopic techniques

Statistics around the world show an increased risk of high allergies associated with plants. The role of allergenic pollen is now well known. The most serious allergenic diseases are asthma and rhinitis, which affect 5-30% of the population of industrialized countries. This work focuses on the exploration of allergenic grass species of Islamabad, Pakistan and use microscopic techniques to correctly identify them. This study contains 11 species of grasses which showed variations in pollen morphological features. The dominant pollen shape was prolate, prolate-spheroidal and sub oblate. The largest polar diameter was calculated for Echinochloa crus-galli (56.00 μm) while the largest equatorial diameter was found in Cenchrus ciliaris (45.00 μm). Exine ornamentation varied from Gemmate-verrucate, Scabrate-reugulate, Verrucate-reticulate, Gemmate-Scabrate, Fine-Gemmate, Gemmate-rugulate, Gemmate-reticulate, Gemmate-scabrate, Scabrate-verrucate, and Scabrate. Maximum exine thickness was found in Eleusine indica (4.90 μm) while in C. ciliaris (1.50 μm) the minimum thickness of exine was measured. In E. crus-galli (1.54 μm), the largest P to E value was measured and the smallest value was noticed in Setaria verticillata (0.86 μm). The study was performed with an aim to identify the allergenic plant species in Islamabad-Pakistan using pollen morphological studies. This study provides significant information, to arrange the pollen types within their defined classes and to discuss various pollen features for developing an allergenic pollen atlas.

De novo assembly, annotation, marker discovery, and genetic diversity of the Stipa breviflora Griseb. (Poaceae) response to grazing

Grassland is one of the most widely-distributed ecosystems on Earth and provides a variety of ecosystem services. Grasslands, however, currently suffer from severe degradation induced by human activities, overgrazing pressure and climate change. In the present study, we explored the transcriptome response of Stipa breviflora, a dominant species in the desert steppe, to grazing through transcriptome sequencing, the development of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, and analysis of genetic diversity. De novo assembly produced 111,018 unigenes, of which 88,164 (79.41%) unigenes were annotated. A total of 686 unigenes showed significantly different expression under grazing, including 304 and 382 that were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in the “alpha-linolenic acid metabolism” and “plant-pathogen interaction” pathways. Based on transcriptome sequencing data, we developed eight SSR molecular markers and investigated the genetic diversity of S. breviflora in grazed and ungrazed sites. We found that a relatively high level of S. breviflora genetic diversity occurred under grazing. The findings of genes that improve resistance to grazing are helpful for the restoration, conservation, and management of desert steppe.