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Vergara IH, Geber MA, Moeller DA, Eckhart VM. Population histories of variable reproductive success and low winter precipitation correlate with risk-averse seed germination in a mediterranean-climate winter annual. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2024:e16412. [PMID: 39328075 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
PREMISE Seed germination involves risk; post-germination conditions might not allow survival and reproduction. Variable, stressful environments favor seeds with germination that avoids risk (e.g., germination in conditions predicting success), spreads risk (e.g., dormancy), or escapes risk (e.g., rapid germination). Germination studies often investigate trait correlations with climate features linked to variation in post-germination reproductive success. Rarely are long-term records of population reproductive success available. METHODS Supported by demographic and climate monitoring, we analyzed germination in the California winter-annual Clarkia xantiana subsp. xantiana. Sowing seeds of 10 populations across controlled levels of water potential and temperature, we estimated temperature-specific base water potential for 20% germination, germination time weighted by water potential above base (hydrotime), and a dormancy index (frequency of viable, ungerminated seeds). Mixed-effects models analyzed responses to (1) temperature, (2) discrete variation in reproductive success (presence or absence of years with zero seed production by a population), and (3) climate covariates, mean winter precipitation and coefficient of variation (CV) of spring precipitation. For six populations, records enabled analysis with a continuous metric of variable reproduction, the CV of per-capita reproductive success. RESULTS Populations with more variable reproductive success had higher base water potential and dormancy. Higher base water potential and faster germination occurred at warmer experimental temperatures and in seeds of populations with wetter winters. CONCLUSIONS Geographic variation in seed germination in this species suggests local adaptation to demographic risk and rainfall. High base water potential and dormancy may concentrate germination in years likely to allow reproduction, while spreading risk among years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella H Vergara
- Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA, USA
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Olivette, MO, USA
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2
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Branch HA, Moxley DR, Angert AL. Regional differences in leaf evolution facilitate photosynthesis following severe drought. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:2457-2469. [PMID: 39021265 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19963] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Characterizing physiological and anatomical changes that underlie rapid evolution following climatic perturbation can broaden our understanding of how climate change is affecting biodiversity. It can also provide evidence of cryptic adaptation despite stasis at higher levels of biological organization. Here, we compared evolutionary changes in populations of Mimulus cardinalis from historically different climates in the north and south of the species' range following an exceptional drought. We grew seeds produced from predrought ancestral plants alongside peak-drought descendants in a common glasshouse and exposed them to wet and dry conditions. Before the drought, northern ancestral populations expressed traits contributing to drought escape, while southern ancestral populations expressed drought avoidance. Following the drought, both regions evolved to reduce water loss and maintain photosynthesis in dry treatments (drought avoidance), but via different anatomical alterations in stomata, trichomes, and palisade mesophyll. Additionally, southern populations lost the ability to take advantage of wet conditions. These results reveal rapid evolution towards drought avoidance at an anatomical level following an exceptional drought, but suggest that differences in the mechanisms between regions incur different trade-offs. This sheds light on the importance of characterizing underlying mechanisms for downstream life-history and macromorphological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley A Branch
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Biodiversity Research Centre and Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Dylan R Moxley
- Biodiversity Research Centre and Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Amy L Angert
- Biodiversity Research Centre and Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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3
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Amos CH, Richardson BA, Barga S, Kilkenny FF, Kasten Dumroese R. Annual-perennial lifespan variation in Chaenactis douglasii suggests a drought escape strategy in warm-arid environments. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2024:e16391. [PMID: 39126164 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
PREMISE Intraspecific variation in drought resistance traits, such as drought escape, appear to be frequent within wild, ruderal forb species. Understanding how these traits are arrayed across the landscape, particularly in association with climate, is critical to developing forbs for wildland restoration programs. Use of forbs is requisite for maintaining biological diversity and ecological services. METHODS Using 6074 greenhouse-grown Chaenactis douglasii seedlings from 95 wild, seed-sourced populations across the western United States, we recorded bolting phenology and estimated genome size using flow cytometry. Mixed-effects regression models were used to assess whether climate of seed origin was predictive for bolting phenology and genome size. RESULTS Variation in bolting, reflecting an annual vs. perennial lifespan in this species, was observed in 8.7% of the plants, with bolting plants disproportionately occurring in locations with warm, arid climates. Populations with increasing heat and aridity were positively correlated with observed bolting (r = 0.61, p < 0.0001). About one-third (22%) of the total (61%) lifespan variation was attributed to seed source climate and annual heat moisture index, a measure of aridity. Genome size had no significant effect on bolting. Projected climate modeling for mid-century (2041-2070) supports an increasing occurrence of annual lifespan. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses support a drought escape, bet-hedging strategy in C. douglasii. Populations exposed to greater aridity exhibited a higher proportion of individuals with an annual lifespan. Drought escape leading to an annual lifespan can affect how seeds are propagated and deployed for climate-informed restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron H Amos
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Moscow, Idaho
| | | | - Sarah Barga
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Cedar City, Utah
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Nagy DU, Thoma AE, Al-Gharaibeh M, Callaway RM, Flory SL, Frazee LJ, Hartmann M, Hensen I, Jandová K, Khasa DP, Lekberg Y, Pal RW, Samartza I, Shah MA, Sheng M, Slate M, Stein C, Tsunoda T, Rosche C. Among-population variation in drought responses is consistent across life stages but not between native and non-native ranges. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 243:922-935. [PMID: 38859570 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19895] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how widespread species adapt to variation in abiotic conditions across their ranges is fundamental to ecology. Insight may come from studying how among-population variation (APV) in the common garden corresponds with the environmental conditions of source populations. However, there are no such studies comparing native vs non-native populations across multiple life stages. We examined APV in the performance and functional traits of 59 Conyza canadensis populations, in response to drought, across large aridity gradients in the native (North America) and non-native (Eurasia) ranges in three experiments. Our treatment (dry vs wet) was applied at the recruitment, juvenile, and adult life stages. We found contrasting patterns of APV in drought responses between the two ranges. In the native range, plant performance was less reduced by drought in populations from xeric than mesic habitats, but such relationship was not apparent for non-native populations. These range-specific patterns were consistent across the life stages. The weak adaptive responses of non-native populations indicate that they can become highly abundant even without complete local adaptation to abiotic environments and suggest that long-established invaders may still be evolving to the abiotic environment. These findings may explain lag times in invasions and raise concern about future expansions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dávid U Nagy
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, 06108, Germany
| | - Arpad E Thoma
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, 06108, Germany
| | - Mohammad Al-Gharaibeh
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Ragan M Callaway
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - S Luke Flory
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Lauren J Frazee
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | | | - Isabell Hensen
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, 06108, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Kateřina Jandová
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, CZ-12801, Czech Republic
| | - Damase P Khasa
- Centre for Forest Research and Institute for Integrative and Systems Biology, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, G1V0A6, Canada
| | - Ylva Lekberg
- MPG Ranch Missoula, Florence, MT, 59833, USA
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Robert W Pal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Montana Technological University, Butte, MT, 59701, USA
| | - Ioulietta Samartza
- School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thessaloniki, 57001, Greece
| | - Manzoor A Shah
- Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, 190006, India
| | - Min Sheng
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Mandy Slate
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Claudia Stein
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL, 36124, USA
| | - Tomonori Tsunoda
- Bioscience and Biotechnology, Fukui Prefectural University, Fukui, 910-1195, Japan
| | - Christoph Rosche
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, 06108, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
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5
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Wan JSH, Bonser SP, Pang CK, Fazlioglu F, Rutherford S. Adaptive responses to living in stressful habitats: Do invasive and native plant populations use different strategies? Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14419. [PMID: 38613177 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Plants inhabit stressful environments characterized by a variety of stressors, including mine sites, mountains, deserts, and high latitudes. Populations from stressful and reference (non-stressful) sites often have performance differences. However, while invasive and native species may respond differently to stressful environments, there is limited understanding of the patterns in reaction norms of populations from these sites. Here, we use phylogenetically controlled meta-analysis to assess the performance of populations under stress and non-stress conditions. We ask whether stress populations of natives and invasives differ in the magnitude of lowered performance under non-stress conditions and if they vary in the degree of performance advantage under stress. We also assessed whether these distinctions differ with stress intensity. Our findings revealed that natives not only have greater adaptive advantages but also more performance reductions than invasives. Populations from very stressful sites had more efficient adaptations, and performance costs increased with stress intensity in natives only. Overall, the results support the notion that adaptation is frequently costless. Reproductive output was most closely associated with adaptive costs and benefits. Our study characterized the adaptive strategies used by invasive and native plants under stressful conditions, thereby providing important insights into the limitations of adaptation to extreme sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin S H Wan
- Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Australian Institute of Botanic Science, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephen P Bonser
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Clara K Pang
- PlantClinic, Australian Institute of Botanical Science, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Susan Rutherford
- Center for Sustainable Environmental and Ecosystem Research, Department of Environmental Science, College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Department of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Kean University, Union, New Jersey, USA
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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Li Y, Mo YX, Cui HL, Zhang YJ, Dossa GGO, Tan ZH, Song L. Intraspecific plasticity and co-variation of leaf traits facilitate Ficus tinctoria to acclimate hemiepiphytic and terrestrial habitats. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 44:tpae007. [PMID: 38198737 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpae007] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Despite intensive studies on plant functional traits, the intraspecific variation and their co-variation at the multi-scale remains poorly studied, which holds the potential to unveil plant responses to changing environmental conditions. In this study, intraspecific variations of 16 leaf functional traits of a common fig species, Ficus tinctoria G. Frost., were investigated in relation to different scales: habitat types (hemiepiphytic and terrestrial), growth stages (small, medium and large) and tree crown positions (upper, middle and lower) in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Remarkable intraspecific variation was observed in leaf functional traits, which was mainly influenced by tree crown position, growth stage and their interaction. Stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) and leaf area (LA) showed large variations, while stable carbon isotope (δ13C), stomata width and leaf water content showed relatively small variations, suggesting that light- and nitrogen-use strategies of F. tinctoria were plastic, while the water-use strategies have relatively low plasticity. The crown layers are formed with the growth of figs, and leaves in the lower crown increase their chlorophyll concentration and LA to improve the light energy conversion efficiency and the ability to capture weak light. Meanwhile, leaves in the upper crown increase the water-use efficiency to maintain their carbon assimilation. Moreover, hemiepiphytic medium (transitional stage) and large (free-standing stage) figs exhibited more significant trait differentiation (chlorophyll concentration, δ13C, stomata density, etc.) within the crown positions, and stronger trait co-variation compared with their terrestrial counterparts. This pattern demonstrates their acclimation to the changing microhabitats formed by their hemiepiphytic life history. Our study emphasizes the importance of multi-scaled intraspecific variation and co-variation in trait-based strategies of hemiepiphyte and terrestrial F. tinctoria, which facilitate them to cope with different environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650504, China
- T-STAR Core Team, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Yu-Xuan Mo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- T-STAR Core Team, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hong-Li Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- Chinese Felid Conservation Alliance, Beijing 101121, China
| | - Yong-Jiang Zhang
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Gbadamassi G O Dossa
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Zheng-Hong Tan
- School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan 650504, China
| | - Liang Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
- T-STAR Core Team, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
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7
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Krintza N, Dener E, Seifan M. Stress Induces Trait Variability across Multiple Spatial Scales in the Arid Annual Plant Anastatica hierochuntica. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:256. [PMID: 38256809 PMCID: PMC10820187 DOI: 10.3390/plants13020256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Variations in plant characteristics in response to habitat heterogeneity can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms governing plant responses to environmental conditions. In this study, we investigated the role of environmental factors associated with arid conditions in shaping the phenotypic responses of an arid annual plant, Anastatica hierochuntica, across several populations found along an aridity gradient and across multiple spatial scales. Utilizing both field surveys and a net house experiment, we assessed the effects of environmental factors on trait variability within and between populations. The results indicated a significant convergence in plant height due to site aridity, reflecting growth potential based on abiotic resources. Convergence was also observed in the plant's electrolyte leakage with aridity and in plant height concerning soil salinity at specific sites. Phenotypic plasticity was pivotal in maintaining trait variability, with plant height plasticity increasing with soil salinity, SLA plasticity decreasing with aridity, and leaf number plasticity rising with aridity. In conclusion, our findings underscore the adaptive significance of phenotypic variability, especially plasticity, in arid conditions. Notably, trait variability and plasticity did not consistently diminish in stressful settings, emphasizing the adaptive value of flexible responses in such environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nir Krintza
- Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel;
| | - Efrat Dener
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environment and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel;
| | - Merav Seifan
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environment and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel;
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8
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Zhang Z, Wang X, Guo S, Li Z, He M, Zhang Y, Li G, Han X, Yang G. Divergent patterns and drivers of leaf functional traits of Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus tabulaeformis plantations along a precipitation gradient in the Loess plateau, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119318. [PMID: 37857219 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Changes in precipitation patterns in arid and semi-arid regions can reshape plant functional traits and significantly affect ecosystem functions. However, the synchronous responses of leaf economical, anatomical, photosynthetic, and biochemical traits to precipitation changes and their driving factors have rarely been investigated, which hinders our understanding of plants' ecological adaptation strategies to drought tolerance in arid areas. Therefore, the leaf traits of two typical plantations (Robinia pseudoacacia, RP and Pinus tabulaeformis, PT) along the precipitation gradient in the Loess Plateau, including economical, anatomical, photosynthetic, and biochemical traits, were investigated in this study. The results show that the leaf photosynthetic traits of RP and PT increase along the precipitation gradient, whereas leaf biochemical traits decrease. The anatomical traits of PT decrease with increasing precipitation, whereas no significant variation was observed for RP. Random Forest analysis show that LNC, LDMC, Chl, and PRO are leaf traits that significantly vary with the precipitation gradient in both plantations. Correlation analysis reveals that the traits coordination of RP is better than that of PT. The LMG model was used to determine driving factors. The results suggest that MAP explains the variation of PT leaf traits better (30.38%-36.78%), whereas SCH and SPH contribute more to the variation of RP leaf traits (20.88%-41.76%). In addition, the piecewise Structural Equation Model shows that the climate and soil physical and chemical properties directly affect the selected leaf functional traits of RP, whereas only the soil chemical properties directly affect the selected leaf functional traits of PT. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of the ecological adaptation of plants to environmental gradients and highlight that correlations among leaf traits should be considered when predicting plant adaptation strategies under future global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjiao Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xing Wang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Shujuan Guo
- A School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, PR China.
| | - Zhenxia Li
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Mengfan He
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yunlong Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Guixing Li
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xinhui Han
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Gaihe Yang
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Circular Agriculture, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
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9
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Christie K, Pierson NR, Holeski LM, Lowry DB. Resurrected seeds from herbarium specimens reveal rapid evolution of drought resistance in a selfing annual. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16265. [PMID: 38102863 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Increased aridity and drought associated with climate change are exerting unprecedented selection pressures on plant populations. Whether populations can rapidly adapt, and which life history traits might confer increased fitness under drought, remain outstanding questions. METHODS We utilized a resurrection ecology approach, leveraging dormant seeds from herbarium collections to assess whether populations of Plantago patagonica from the semi-arid Colorado Plateau have rapidly evolved in response to approximately ten years of intense drought in the region. We quantified multiple traits associated with drought escape and drought resistance and assessed the survival of ancestors and descendants under simulated drought. RESULTS Descendant populations displayed a significant shift in resource allocation, in which they invested less in reproductive tissues and relatively more in both above- and below-ground vegetative tissues. Plants with greater leaf biomass survived longer under terminal drought; moreover, even after accounting for the effect of increased leaf biomass, descendant seedlings survived drought longer than their ancestors. CONCLUSIONS Our results document rapid adaptive evolution in response to climate change in a selfing annual and suggest that shifts in tissue allocation strategies may underlie adaptive responses to drought in arid or semi-arid environments. This work also illustrates a novel approach, documenting that under specific circumstances, seeds from herbarium specimens may provide an untapped source of dormant propagules for future resurrection experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Christie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
| | - Natalie R Pierson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Liza M Holeski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
- Center for Adaptive Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - David B Lowry
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
- Plant Resilience Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
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10
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Poyatos C, Sacristán-Bajo S, Tabarés P, Prieto-Benítez S, Teso MLR, Torres E, Morente-López J, Lara-Romero C, Iriondo JM, Fernández AG. Differential patterns of within- and between-population genetically based trait variation in Lupinus angustifolius. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2023; 132:541-552. [PMID: 37647862 PMCID: PMC10667004 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad123] [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: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Within-population genetic and phenotypic variation play a key role in the development of adaptive responses to environmental change. Between-population variation is also an essential element in assessing the evolutionary potential of species in response to changes in environmental conditions. In this context, common garden experiments are a useful tool to separate the genetic and environmental components of phenotypic variation. We aimed to assess within- and between-population phenotypic variation of Lupinus angustifolius L. in terms of its evolutionary potential to adapt to ongoing climate change. METHODS We evaluated populations' phenotypic variation of foliar, phenological and reproductive traits with a common garden experiment. Patterns of functional trait variation were assessed with (1) mixed model analyses and coefficients of variation (CVs) with confidence intervals, (2) principal component analyses (PCAs) and (3) correlations between pairs of traits. Analyses were performed at the population level (four populations) and at the latitude level (grouping pairs of populations located in two latitudinal ranges). KEY RESULTS Phenotypic variation had a significant genetic component associated with a latitudinal pattern. (1) Mixed models found lower specific leaf area, advanced flowering phenology and lower seed production of heavier seeds in southern populations, whereas CV analyses showed lower within-latitude variation especially in phenological and reproductive traits in southern populations. (2) PCAs showed a clearer differentiation of phenotypic variation between latitudes than between populations. (3) Correlation analyses showed a greater number of significant correlations between traits in southern populations (25 vs. 13). CONCLUSIONS Between-population phenotypic variation was determined by contrasting temperature and drought at different latitude and elevation. Southern populations had differential trait values compatible with adaptations to high temperatures and drought. Moreover, they had lower within-population variation and a greater number of trait correlations probably as a result of these limiting conditions, making them more vulnerable to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Poyatos
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Sacristán-Bajo
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Tabarés
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - María Luisa Rubio Teso
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Torres
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Av. Puerta de Hierro 2-4, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Morente-López
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
- Grupo de Ecología y Evolución en Islas, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 3, 38206, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Carlos Lara-Romero
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - José María Iriondo
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo García- Fernández
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos-ESCET, Tulipán s/n. 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
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11
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Iozia LM, Varone L. Tackling local ecological homogeneity: Finding intraspecific trait variability in local populations of Mediterranean plants. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10550. [PMID: 37732284 PMCID: PMC10507572 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10550] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Local homogeneity, in ecology, is the often undisclosed assumption that variability within populations is negligible or mostly distributed evenly. In large areas, this can lead to the aggregation of different populations without regard for their unique needs and characteristics, such as drought sensitivity and functional trait distributions. Here, we discuss whether this assumption can be justified, and we hypothesize that discerning the source of variation between plasticity and adaptation could be a feasible approach to formulate an informed decision. We test this hypothesis on plants, resorting to a common garden experiment to determine the source of variation of several plant functional traits at a local scale (~60 km) of three wild species: Quercus ilex, Pistacia lentiscus, and Cistus salviifolius. Individuals of each species were sourced from three key sites chosen along a local aridity gradient. Our approach led to the rejection of the local homogeneity assumption for Q. ilex and C. salviifolius at this scale due to the adaptive divergence observed among neighboring populations. This case study provides evidence that addressing local homogeneity can highlight diverging populations in a relatively simple way. We conclude that gathering empirical evidence on intraspecific variability is a feasible approach that can provide researchers with solid bases to decide whether to adopt the local homogeneity assumption or not.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Varone
- Department of Environmental BiologySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
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12
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Atamian HS, Funk JL. Physiological and transcriptomic responses of two Artemisia californica populations to drought: implications for restoring drought-resilient native communities. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
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13
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Aspinwall MJ, Blackman CJ, Maier C, Tjoelker MG, Rymer PD, Creek D, Chieppa J, Griffin-Nolan RJ, Tissue DT. Aridity drives clinal patterns in leaf traits and responsiveness to precipitation in a broadly distributed Australian tree species. PLANT-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2023; 4:70-85. [PMID: 37288162 PMCID: PMC10243541 DOI: 10.1002/pei3.10102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Aridity shapes species distributions and plant growth and function worldwide. Yet, plant traits often show complex relationships with aridity, challenging our understanding of aridity as a driver of evolutionary adaptation. We grew nine genotypes of Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. camaldulensis sourced from an aridity gradient together in the field for ~650 days under low and high precipitation treatments. Eucalyptus camaldulesis is considered a phreatophyte (deep-rooted species that utilizes groundwater), so we hypothesized that genotypes from more arid environments would show lower aboveground productivity, higher leaf gas-exchange rates, and greater tolerance/avoidance of dry surface soils (indicated by lower responsiveness) than genotypes from less arid environments. Aridity predicted genotype responses to precipitation, with more arid genotypes showing lower responsiveness to reduced precipitation and dry surface conditions than less arid genotypes. Under low precipitation, genotype net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance increased with home-climate aridity. Across treatments, genotype intrinsic water-use efficiency and osmotic potential declined with increasing aridity while photosynthetic capacity (Rubisco carboxylation and RuBP regeneration) increased with aridity. The observed clinal patterns indicate that E. camaldulensis genotypes from extremely arid environments possess a unique strategy defined by lower responsiveness to dry surface soils, low water-use efficiency, and high photosynthetic capacity. This strategy could be underpinned by deep rooting and could be adaptive under arid conditions where heat avoidance is critical and water demand is high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Aspinwall
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
- College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
- Formation Environmental LLC Sacramento California USA
| | - Chris J Blackman
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania Hobart Australia
| | - Chelsea Maier
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
| | - Mark G Tjoelker
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
| | - Paul D Rymer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
| | - Danielle Creek
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Ås Norway
| | - Jeff Chieppa
- College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
| | | | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
- Global Centre for Land Based Innovation Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
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14
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Tortorelli CM, Kim JB, Vaillant NM, Riley K, Dye A, Nietupski TC, Vogler KC, Lemons R, Day M, Krawchuk MA, Kerns BK. Feeding the fire: Annual grass invasion facilitates modeled fire spread across Inland Northwest forest‐mosaic landscapes. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Claire M. Tortorelli
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - John B. Kim
- Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Nicole M. Vaillant
- USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Wildland Fire Management Research, Development and Application Bend Oregon USA
| | - Karin Riley
- Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory Missoula Montana USA
| | - Alex Dye
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Portland Oregon USA
| | - Ty C. Nietupski
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Portland Oregon USA
| | | | - Rebecca Lemons
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Michelle Day
- USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Meg A. Krawchuk
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Becky K. Kerns
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Portland Oregon USA
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15
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Kou X, Han W, Kang J. Responses of root system architecture to water stress at multiple levels: A meta-analysis of trials under controlled conditions. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1085409. [PMID: 36570905 PMCID: PMC9780461 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1085409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Plants are exposed to increasingly severe drought events and roots play vital roles in maintaining plant survival, growth, and reproduction. A large body of literature has investigated the adaptive responses of root traits in various plants to water stress and these studies have been reviewed in certain groups of plant species at a certain scale. Nevertheless, these responses have not been synthesized at multiple levels. This paper screened over 2000 literatures for studies of typical root traits including root growth angle, root depth, root length, root diameter, root dry weight, root-to-shoot ratio, root hair length and density and integrates their drought responses at genetic and morphological scales. The genes, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and hormones that are involved in the regulation of drought response of the root traits were summarized. We then statistically analyzed the drought responses of root traits and discussed the underlying mechanisms. Moreover, we highlighted the drought response of 1-D and 2-D root length density (RLD) distribution in the soil profile. This paper will provide a framework for an integrated understanding of root adaptive responses to water deficit at multiple scales and such insights may provide a basis for selection and breeding of drought tolerant crop lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Kou
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weihua Han
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Kang
- Interdisciplinary Plant Group, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
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16
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Xu GQ, Kandlikar GS, Vaz MC. Evolutionary lability underlies drought adaptation of Australian shrubs along aridity gradients. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:949531. [PMID: 36275606 PMCID: PMC9585297 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.949531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Leaf drought tolerance traits influence plant survival in water deficit conditions, and these traits are influenced by both the plant's evolutionary history and the environment in which the plant is currently growing. However, due to the substantial phenotypic plasticity in leaf traits, we still do not know to what degree variation in leaf traits is governed by species' phylogenetic history or by their environment. To explore this question, we re-examined a drought tolerance dataset from 37 native Australian shrub species with varying climate origins growing in a common garden located in Melbourne, Australia. We previously measured seven leaf morphophysiological traits, and here, we estimated how phylogenetically conserved these traits are. We quantified phylogeny and the strength of correlation between the morphological traits and physiological traits before and after accounting for shared phylogenetic history. We also evaluated the relationship between species' leaf traits and the climate of their native ranges. We present three main findings: (a) most leaf drought tolerance traits had weak phylogenetic signals, which is consistent with the convergent evolution of these traits. (b) There is weak but consistent coordination between distinct leaf drought tolerance traits, which can be masked due to species' phylogenetic histories. (c) Leaf drought tolerance traits show strong correlations with the climate of species' origins, and this relationship is only weakly impacted by phylogenetic signals. Therefore, the role of phylogeny on the coordination among leaf functional traits and their links to climate were limited. A better understanding of trait-environment relationships might be more pivotal than understanding the evolution of these traits for improving the predictions of species' response to climate change-type drought, especially for shrub species that span substantial aridity gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Qing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Gaurav S. Kandlikar
- Division of Biological Sciences and Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Marcel C. Vaz
- Wilkes University, Institute for Environmental Science and Sustainability, Wilkes-Barre, PA, United States
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17
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Christie K, Pierson NR, Lowry DB, Holeski LM. Local adaptation of seed and seedling traits along a natural aridity gradient may both predict and constrain adaptive responses to climate change. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:1529-1544. [PMID: 36129014 PMCID: PMC9828382 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Variation in seed and seedling traits underlies how plants interact with their environment during establishment, a crucial life history stage. We quantified genetic-based variation in seed and seedling traits in populations of the annual plant Plantago patagonica across a natural aridity gradient, leveraging natural intraspecific variation to predict how populations might evolve in response to increasing aridity associated with climate change in the Southwestern U.S. METHODS We quantified seed size, seed size variation, germination timing, and specific leaf area in a greenhouse common garden, and related these traits to the climates of source populations. We then conducted a terminal drought experiment to determine which traits were most predictive of survival under early-season drought. RESULTS All traits showed evidence of clinal variation-seed size decreased, germination timing accelerated, and specific leaf area increased with increasing aridity. Populations with more variable historical precipitation regimes showed greater variation in seed size, suggestive of past selection shaping a diversified bet-hedging strategy mediated by seed size. Seedling height, achieved via larger seeds or earlier germination, was a significant predictor of survival under drought. CONCLUSIONS We documented substantial interspecific trait variation as well as clinal variation in several important seed and seedling traits, yet these slopes were often opposite to predictions for how individual traits might confer drought tolerance. This work shows that plant populations may adapt to increasing aridity via correlated trait responses associated with alternative life history strategies, but that trade-offs might constrain adaptive responses in individual traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Christie
- Department of Biological SciencesNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, Arizona86011USA
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast Lansing, Michigan48824USA
| | - Natalie R. Pierson
- Department of Biological SciencesNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, Arizona86011USA
| | - David B. Lowry
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast Lansing, Michigan48824USA
| | - Liza M. Holeski
- Department of Biological SciencesNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, Arizona86011USA
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18
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Del Vecchio S, Sharma SK, Pavan M, Acosta ATR, Bacchetta G, de Bello F, Isermann M, Michalet R, Buffa G. Within-species variation of seed traits of dune engineering species across a European climatic gradient. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:978205. [PMID: 36035686 PMCID: PMC9403325 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.978205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Within-species variation is a key component of biodiversity and linking it to climatic gradients may significantly improve our understanding of ecological processes. High variability can be expected in plant traits, but it is unclear to which extent it varies across populations under different climatic conditions. Here, we investigated seed trait variability and its environmental dependency across a latitudinal gradient of two widely distributed dune-engineering species (Thinopyrum junceum and Calamagrostis arenaria). Seed germination responses against temperature and seed mass were compared within and among six populations exposed to a gradient of temperature and precipitation regimes (Spiekeroog, DE; Bordeaux, FR; Valencia, ES; Cagliari, IT, Rome, IT; Venice, IT). Seed germination showed opposite trends in response to temperature experienced during emergence in both species: with some expectation, in populations exposed to severe winters, seed germination was warm-cued, whereas in populations from warm sites with dry summer, seed germination was cold-cued. In C. arenaria, variability in seed germination responses disappeared once the seed coat was incised. Seed mass from sites with low precipitation was smaller than that from sites with higher precipitation and was better explained by rainfall continentality than by aridity in summer. Within-population variability in seed germination accounted for 5 to 54%, while for seed mass it was lower than 40%. Seed trait variability can be considerable both within- and among-populations even at broad spatial scale. The variability may be hardly predictable since it only partially correlated with the analyzed climatic variables, and with expectation based on the climatic features of the seed site of origin. Considering seed traits variability in the analysis of ecological processes at both within- and among-population levels may help elucidate unclear patterns of species dynamics, thereby contributing to plan adequate measures to counteract biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Del Vecchio
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
| | - Shivam Kumar Sharma
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Mario Pavan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
| | | | - Gianluigi Bacchetta
- Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR), Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus (HBK), University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Francesco de Bello
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CSIC-UV-GV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Maike Isermann
- Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park Authority, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | | | - Gabriella Buffa
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
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19
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Henschel JM, Dantas EFO, Soares VDA, Santos SKD, Santos LWOD, Dias TJ, Batista DS. Salicylic acid mitigates the effects of mild drought stress on radish ( Raphanus sativus) growth. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2022; 49:822-831. [PMID: 35697057 DOI: 10.1071/fp22040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Water deficit is the most critical factor limiting plant growth and production and salicylic acid (SA) has potential for stress mitigation in plants; therefore, we evaluated the effect of SA on radish (Raphanus sativus L.) growth and ecophysiology under water deficit. Plants were sprayed with SA (100μM) or water (control), and irrigated at 80% (W80), 60% (W60), 40% (W40), and 20% (W20) of field capacity. The SA treatments and drought stress started 7days after sowing and lasted until the end of the cycle (30days after sowing). The morphophysiological analyses showed that radish plants had impaired growth at the lower water supply levels, but the treatment with SA reversed these growth restraints under moderate stress, leading to increases in shoot mass at W40 and storage root mass at W60 and W40. SA treatment also reversed the reduction of storage root volume at W60. The tendency of water deficit to increase F O and reduce F V /F M suggests possible damage to the photosystem II of drought-stressed plants. The parameters of gas exchange and photosynthetic pigments showed maintained photosynthetic efficiency, but total photosynthesis decreased due the lower shoot dry mass. Overall, exogenously applied SA reversed the growth restraints at W60 and W40, which revealed that SA was effective in mitigating the effects of moderate water deficit on biomass accumulation and partitioning in radish plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Maciel Henschel
- Department of Agriculture, Federal University of Paraíba, Bananeiras, PB 58220-000, Brazil; and Graduate Program in Agronomy (PPGA), Federal University of Paraíba, Areia, PB 58397-000, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Thiago Jardelino Dias
- Department of Agriculture, Federal University of Paraíba, Bananeiras, PB 58220-000, Brazil; and Graduate Program in Agronomy (PPGA), Federal University of Paraíba, Areia, PB 58397-000, Brazil
| | - Diego Silva Batista
- Department of Agriculture, Federal University of Paraíba, Bananeiras, PB 58220-000, Brazil; and Graduate Program in Agronomy (PPGA), Federal University of Paraíba, Areia, PB 58397-000, Brazil
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20
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Harenčár JG, Ávila‐Lovera E, Goldsmith GR, Chen GF, Kay KM. Flexible drought deciduousness in a neotropical understory herb. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:1262-1272. [PMID: 35862815 PMCID: PMC9545341 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Adaptive divergence across environmental gradients is a key driver of speciation. Precipitation seasonality gradients are common in the tropics, yet drought adaptation is nearly unexplored in neotropical understory herbs. Here, we examined two recently diverged neotropical spiral gingers, one adapted to seasonal drought and one reliant on perennial water, to uncover the basis of drought adaptation. METHODS We combined ecophysiological trait measurements in the field and greenhouse with experimental and observational assessments of real-time drought response to determine how Costus villosissimus (Costaceae) differs from C. allenii to achieve drought adaptation. RESULTS We found that drought-adapted C. villosissimus has several characteristics indicating flexible dehydration avoidance via semi-drought-deciduousness and a fast economic strategy. Although the two species do not differ in water-use efficiency, C. villosissimus has a more rapid growth rate, lower leaf mass per area, lower stem density, higher leaf nitrogen, and a strong trend of greater light-saturated photosynthetic rates. These fast economic strategy traits align with both field-based observations and experimental dry-down results. During drought, C. villosissimus displays facultative drought-deciduousness, losing lower leaves during the dry season and rapidly growing new leaves in the wet season. CONCLUSIONS We revealed a drought adaptation strategy that has not, to our knowledge, previously been documented in tropical herbs. This divergent drought adaptation evolved recently and is an important component of reproductive isolation between C. villosissimus and C. allenii, indicating that adaptive shifts to survive seasonal drought may be an underappreciated axis of neotropical understory plant diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia G. Harenčár
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCA95060USA
| | - Eleinis Ávila‐Lovera
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteApartado Postal 0843‐03092Panamá, República de Panamá
- Schmid College of Science and TechnologyChapman UniversityOrangeCA92866USA
| | | | - Grace F. Chen
- Department of BiologyEast Carolina UniversityGreenvilleNC27858USA
| | - Kathleen M. Kay
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCA95060USA
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21
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Blanco‐Sánchez M, Ramos‐Muñoz M, Pías B, Ramírez‐Valiente JA, Díaz‐Guerra L, Escudero A, Matesanz S. Natural selection favours drought escape and an acquisitive resource‐use strategy in semiarid Mediterranean shrubs. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Blanco‐Sánchez
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles Spain
| | - Marina Ramos‐Muñoz
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles Spain
| | - Beatriz Pías
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. C/José Antonio Nováis 2, 28040 Madrid Spain
| | - José Alberto Ramírez‐Valiente
- Department of Forest Ecology & Genetics, Forest Research Center (INIA, CSIC), Ctra. de La Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid Spain
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications, CREAF, Edifici C Campus de Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona Spain
| | - Laura Díaz‐Guerra
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences University of Girona. Campus Montilivi C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany i Farnés 69 Girona Spain
- BETA Technological Center University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia. Futurlab ‐ Can Baumann Vic Barcelona Spain
| | - Adrián Escudero
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles Spain
| | - Silvia Matesanz
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles Spain
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22
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Li YP, Feng YL, Li WT, Tomlinson K, Liao ZY, Zheng YL, Zhang JL. Leaf trait association in relation to herbivore defense, drought resistance, and economics in a tropical invasive plant. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:910-921. [PMID: 35471767 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Exploring how functional traits vary and covary is important to understand plant responses to environmental change. However, we have limited understanding of the ways multiple functional traits vary and covary within invasive species. METHODS We measured 12 leaf traits of an invasive plant Chromolaena odorata, associated with plant or leaf economics, herbivore defense, and drought resistance on 10 introduced populations from Asia and 12 native populations from South and Central America, selected across a broad range of climatic conditions, and grown in a common garden. RESULTS Species' range and climatic conditions influenced leaf traits, but trait variation across climate space differed between the introduced and native ranges. Traits that confer defense against herbivores and drought resistance were associated with economic strategy, but the patterns differed by range. Plants from introduced populations that were at the fast-return end of the spectrum (high photosynthetic capacity) had high physical defense traits (high trichome density), whereas plants from native populations that were at the fast-return end of the spectrum had high drought escape traits (early leaf senescence and high percentage of withered shoots). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that invasive plants can rapidly adapt to novel environmental conditions. Chromolaena odorata showed multiple different functional trait covariation patterns and clines in the native and introduced ranges. Our results emphasize that interaction between multiple traits or functions should be considered when investigating the adaptive evolution of invasive plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Ping Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Yu-Long Feng
- Liaoning Key Laboratory for Biological Invasions and Global Changes, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110866, China
| | - Wei-Tao Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Kyle Tomlinson
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Liao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Yu-Long Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Jiao-Lin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China
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Luong JC, Loik ME. Adjustments in physiological and morphological traits suggest drought-induced competitive release of some California plants. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8773. [PMID: 35386876 PMCID: PMC8975776 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Drought and competition affect how morphological and physiological traits are expressed in plants. California plants were previously found to respond less negatively to resource limitation compared to invasive counterparts. In a glasshouse in Santa Cruz, CA, USA, we exposed five native California C3 grassland species to episodic drought and competition (via five locally invasive species). We hypothesized that leaf morphology would be more affected by competition, and leaf photosynthetic gas exchange more so by drought, consistent with optimal partitioning and environmental filter theories. We expected that traits would exhibit trade-offs along a spectrum for resource conservatism versus acquisition. Bromus carinatus had greater photosynthetic recovery, while Diplacus aurantiacus had lower percent loss of net assimilation (PLA) and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) during drought and competition simultaneously compared to just drought. Stipa pulchra and Sidalcea malviflora gas exchange was unaffected by drought, and leaf morphology exhibited drought-related adjustments. Lupinus nanus exhibited trait adjustments for competition but not drought. Functional traits sorted onto two principal components related to trade-offs for resource conservatism versus acquisition, and for above- versus belowground allocation. In summary, morphological traits were affected by competition and drought, whereas physiological traits, like leaf gas exchange, were primarily affected by drought. The grassland plants we studied showed diverse responses to drought and competition with trait trade-offs related to resource conservatism versus acquisition, and for above- versus belowground allocation consistent with optimal partitioning and environmental filter theories. Diplacus aurantiacus experienced competitive release based on greater iWUE and lower PLA when facing drought and competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin C. Luong
- Environmental Studies DepartmentUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCaliforniaUSA
| | - Michael E. Loik
- Environmental Studies DepartmentUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCaliforniaUSA
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24
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Luong JC. Non‐periodic grassland restoration management can promote native woody shrub encroachment. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13650] [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)
- Justin C. Luong
- Department of Environmental Studies University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street Santa Cruz California 95064 USA
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25
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Westerband AC, Funk JL, Barton KE. Intraspecific trait variation in plants: a renewed focus on its role in ecological processes. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 127:397-410. [PMID: 33507251 PMCID: PMC7988520 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Investigating the causes and consequences of intraspecific trait variation (ITV) in plants is not novel, as it has long been recognized that such variation shapes biotic and abiotic interactions. While evolutionary and population biology have extensively investigated ITV, only in the last 10 years has interest in ITV surged within community and comparative ecology. SCOPE Despite this recent interest, still lacking are thorough descriptions of ITV's extent, the spatial and temporal structure of ITV, and stronger connections between ITV and community and ecosystem properties. Our primary aim in this review is to synthesize the recent literature and ask: (1) How extensive is intraspecific variation in traits across scales, and what underlying mechanisms drive this variation? (2) How does this variation impact higher-order ecological processes (e.g. population dynamics, community assembly, invasion, ecosystem productivity)? (3) What are the consequences of ignoring ITV and how can these be mitigated? and (4) What are the most pressing research questions, and how can current practices be modified to suit our research needs? Our secondary aim is to target diverse and underrepresented traits and plant organs, including anatomy, wood, roots, hydraulics, reproduction and secondary chemistry. In addressing these aims, we showcase papers from the Special Issue. CONCLUSIONS Plant ITV plays a key role in determining individual and population performance, species interactions, community structure and assembly, and ecosystem properties. Its extent varies widely across species, traits and environments, and it remains difficult to develop a predictive model for ITV that is broadly applicable. Systematically characterizing the sources (e.g. ontogeny, population differences) of ITV will be a vital step forward towards identifying generalities and the underlying mechanisms that shape ITV. While the use of species means to link traits to higher-order processes may be appropriate in many cases, such approaches can obscure potentially meaningful variation. We urge the reporting of individual replicates and population means in online data repositories, a greater consideration of the mechanisms that enhance and constrain ITV's extent, and studies that span sub-disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Westerband
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - J L Funk
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - K E Barton
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
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26
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Funk JL, Larson JE, Ricks-Oddie J. Plant traits are differentially linked to performance in a semiarid ecosystem. Ecology 2021; 102:e03318. [PMID: 33630332 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A central principle in trait-based ecology is that trait variation has an adaptive value. However, uncertainty over which plant traits influence individual performance across environmental gradients may limit our ability to use traits to infer ecological processes at larger scales. To better understand which traits are linked to performance under different precipitation regimes, we measured above- and belowground traits, growth, and reproductive allocation for four annual and four perennial species from a coastal sage scrub community in California under conditions of 50%, 100%, and 150% ambient precipitation. Across water treatments, annual species displayed morphological trait values consistent with high rates of resource acquisition (e.g., low leaf mass per area, low root tissue density, high specific root length), and aboveground measures of resource acquisition (including photosynthetic rate and leaf N concentration) were positively associated with plant performance (reproductive allocation). Results from a structural equation model demonstrated that leaf traits explained 38% of the variation in reproductive allocation across the water gradient in annual species, while root traits accounted for only 6%. Although roots play a critical role in water uptake, more work is needed to understand the mechanisms by which root trait variation can influence performance in water-limited environments. Perennial species showed lower trait plasticity than annuals across the water gradient and were more variable as a group in terms of trait-performance relationships, indicating that species rely on different functional strategies to respond to drought. Our finding that species identity drives much of the variation in trait values and trait-performance relationships across a water gradient may simplify efforts to model ecological processes, such as productivity, that are potentially influenced by environmentally induced shifts in trait values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Funk
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, 92866, USA.,Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - Julie E Larson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
| | - Joni Ricks-Oddie
- Center for Statistical Consulting, University of California, Irvine, California, 92797, USA.,Institute for Clinical and Translation Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California, 92797, USA
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