1
|
Wu Y, Ge Y, Hu H, Stidham TA, Li Z, Bailleul AM, Zhou Z. Intra-gastric phytoliths provide evidence for folivory in basal avialans of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4558. [PMID: 37507397 PMCID: PMC10382595 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40311-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiosperms became the dominant plant group in early to middle Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems, coincident with the timing of the earliest pulse of bird diversification. While living birds and angiosperms exhibit strong interactions across pollination/nectivory, seed dispersal/frugivory, and folivory, documentation of the evolutionary origins and construction of that ecological complexity remains scarce in the Mesozoic. Through the first study of preserved in situ dietary derived phytoliths in a nearly complete skeleton of the early diverging avialan clade Jeholornithidae, we provide direct dietary evidence that Jeholornis consumed leaves likely from the magnoliid angiosperm clade, and these results lend further support for early ecological connections among the earliest birds and angiosperms. The broad diet of the early diverging avialan Jeholornis including at least fruits and leaves marks a clear transition in the early evolution of birds in the establishment of an arboreal (angiosperm) herbivore niche in the Early Cretaceous occupied largely by birds today. Morphometric reanalysis of the lower jaw of Jeholornis further supports a generalized morphology shared with other herbivorous birds, including an extant avian folivore, the hoatzin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xi-zhi-men-wai Street, 100044, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Ge
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xi-zhi-men-wai Street, 100044, Beijing, China
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Han Hu
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Thomas A Stidham
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xi-zhi-men-wai Street, 100044, Beijing, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xi-zhi-men-wai Street, 100044, Beijing, China.
| | - Alida M Bailleul
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xi-zhi-men-wai Street, 100044, Beijing, China
| | - Zhonghe Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xi-zhi-men-wai Street, 100044, Beijing, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Han L, Zhao Y, Zhao M, Sun J, Sun B, Wang X. New Fossil Evidence Suggests That Angiosperms Flourished in the Middle Jurassic. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030819. [PMID: 36983974 PMCID: PMC10059865 DOI: 10.3390/life13030819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Angiosperms are a group of plants with the highest rate of evolution, the largest number of species, the widest distribution and the strongest adaptability. Needless to say, angiosperms are the most important group for the humans. The studies on the origin, evolution and systematics of angiosperms have been the major challenges in plant sciences. However, the origin and early history of angiosperms remains poorly understood and controversial among paleobotanists. Some paleobotanists insist that there were no angiosperms in the pre-Cretaceous age. However, this conclusion is facing increasing challenges from fossil evidence, especially Early Jurassic Nanjinganthus, which is based on over two hundred specimens of fossil flowers. Studying more fossil plants is the only reliable way to elucidate the origin and early evolution of angiosperms. Here, we document a new species of angiosperms, Qingganninginfructus formosa gen. et sp. nov, and provide the first detailed three-dimensional morphology of Qingganninginfructus gen. nov from the Middle Jurassic of Northwest China. A Micro-CT examination shows that the best-preserved fossil infructescence has eleven samaroid fruits, each with a single basal ovule. Since these fossils are distinct in morphology and organization from all organs of known gymnosperms and angiosperms (the latter are defined by their enclosed ovules), we interpret Qingganninginfructus as a new genus of angiosperms including a new species, Q. formosa gen. et sp. nov., and an unspecified species from the Middle Jurassic of Northwest China. The discovery of this new genus of angiosperms from the Middle Jurassic, in addition to the existing records, undermines the "no angiosperms until the Cretaceous" stereotype and updates the perspective on the origin and early history of angiosperms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Han
- Key Laboratory of Minerals Resources in Western China (Gansu Province), School of Earth Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ya Zhao
- Ningxia Geological Museum, 301 Eastern People's Square Street, Yinchuan 750000, China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Ningxia Geological Museum, 301 Eastern People's Square Street, Yinchuan 750000, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Early Life and Environments, State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Bainian Sun
- Key Laboratory of Minerals Resources in Western China (Gansu Province), School of Earth Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang X, Song Z, Guo L, Wang J, Ni Y, Li Z, Hao Q, Li Q, Wu L, Kuang W, Liu Y, Ran X, Singh BP, Hartley IP, Wang H. Specific PhytOC fractions in rice straw and consequent implications for potential of phytolith carbon sequestration in global paddy fields. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159229. [PMID: 36208770 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159229] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Phytoliths are silica biomineralization products within plants and have been considered as a promising material to sequester carbon (C). However, there is considerable uncertainty and controversy regarding the C content in phytoliths due to the lack of detailed information on variation of C under different extraction procedures. Herein, we established a series of batch digestion experimental procedures coupled with analyses of phytoliths using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy to divide phytoliths into three fractions. We then reported an approach for standardizing across hundreds of values found in the literature. Combining this standardized approach with C contents in phytoliths extracted from different digestion degrees, we revaluated the potential production rates of phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC) input globally in rice paddy fields. The results showed that the C content in recovered phytoliths exhibited a significantly fitting exponential relationship (p < 0.01) with digestion degrees and decreased from 30 to 75 g kg-1 under moderate digestion to <5 g kg-1 under over digestion. On a global scale, the production of total PhytOC in the world paddy fields reached up to (2.71 ± 0.85) × 106 t year-1. Therein, the contribution of sub-stable PhytOC fraction, stable PhytOC fraction, and recalcitrant PhytOC fraction was 63 %, 28 %, and 9 %, respectively. Our results imply that the estimation of phytolith C sequestration potential across the global paddy fields is associated with specific PhytOC fractions. Therefore, further determining the storage time limits of these specific PhytOC fractions after returning to soil will be vital for predicting terrestrial biogeochemical C sequestration potentials of phytoliths.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Guizhou Karst Environmental Ecosystems Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhaoliang Song
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Laodong Guo
- School of Freshwater Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 East Greenfield Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA
| | - Jingxu Wang
- Institute of Geography, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yilun Ni
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Guizhou Karst Environmental Ecosystems Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zimin Li
- Soil Science and Environment Geochemistry, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Croix du Sud 2/L7.05.10, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Qian Hao
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Lele Wu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Wei Kuang
- Hunan Rice Research Institute, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Hunan Rice Research Institute, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Xiangbin Ran
- Research Center for Marine Ecology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, No. 6, Xianxialing Road, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Bhupinder Pal Singh
- University of New England, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
| | - Iain P Hartley
- Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Rennes Drive, Exeter EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Hailong Wang
- School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China; School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fu Q, Hou Y, Yin P, Diez JB, Pole M, García-Ávila M, Wang X. Micro-CT results exhibit ovules enclosed in the ovaries of Nanjinganthus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:426. [PMID: 36624144 PMCID: PMC9829905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27334-0] [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: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The Early Jurassic angiosperm Nanjinganthus has triggered a heated debate among botanists, partially due to the fact that the enclosed ovules were visible to naked eyes only when the ovary is broken but not visible when the closed ovary is intact. Although traditional technologies cannot confirm the existence of ovules in a closed ovary, newly available Micro-CT can non-destructively reveal internal features of fossil plants. Here, we performed Micro-CT observations on three dimensionally preserved coalified compressions of Nanjinganthus. Our outcomes corroborate the conclusion given by Fu et al., namely, that Nanjinganthus is an Early Jurassic angiosperm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Fu
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008 China
| | - Yemao Hou
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044 China
| | - Pengfei Yin
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044 China
| | - José Bienvenido Diez
- grid.6312.60000 0001 2097 6738Departamento de Xeociencias Mariñas e Ordenación do Territorio, Universidade de Vigo, 36200 Vigo, Spain ,grid.6312.60000 0001 2097 6738Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo (CIM-UVIGO), 36200 Vigo, Spain
| | - Mike Pole
- Queensland Herbarium, Mount Coot-Tha Road, Toowong, QLD 4066 Australia
| | - Manuel García-Ávila
- grid.6312.60000 0001 2097 6738Departamento de Xeociencias Mariñas e Ordenación do Territorio, Universidade de Vigo, 36200 Vigo, Spain ,grid.6312.60000 0001 2097 6738Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo (CIM-UVIGO), 36200 Vigo, Spain
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zuo S, Yadala R, Yang F, Talbert P, Fuchs J, Schubert V, Ahmadli U, Rutten T, Pecinka A, Lysak MA, Lermontova I. Recurrent Plant-Specific Duplications of KNL2 and Its Conserved Function as a Kinetochore Assembly Factor. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msac123. [PMID: 35671323 PMCID: PMC9210943 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
KINETOCHORE NULL2 (KNL2) plays key role in the recognition of centromeres and new CENH3 deposition. To gain insight into the origin and diversification of the KNL2 gene, we reconstructed its evolutionary history in the plant kingdom. Our results indicate that the KNL2 gene in plants underwent three independent ancient duplications in ferns, grasses and eudicots. Additionally, we demonstrated that previously unclassified KNL2 genes could be divided into two clades αKNL2 and βKNL2 in eudicots and γKNL2 and δKNL2 in grasses, respectively. KNL2s of all clades encode the conserved SANTA domain, but only the αKNL2 and γKNL2 groups additionally encode the CENPC-k motif. In the more numerous eudicot sequences, signatures of positive selection were found in both αKNL2 and βKNL2 clades, suggesting recent or ongoing adaptation. The confirmed centromeric localization of βKNL2 and mutant analysis suggests that it participates in loading of new CENH3, similarly to αKNL2. A high rate of seed abortion was found in heterozygous βKNL2 plants and the germinated homozygous mutants did not develop beyond the seedling stage. Taken together, our study provides a new understanding of the evolutionary diversification of the plant kinetochore assembly gene KNL2, and suggests that the plant-specific duplicated KNL2 genes are involved in centromere and/or kinetochore assembly for preserving genome stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zuo
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ramakrishna Yadala
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Fen Yang
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad Sci, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Paul Talbert
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Joerg Fuchs
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Veit Schubert
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Ulkar Ahmadli
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Twan Rutten
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Ales Pecinka
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad Sci, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Martin A Lysak
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Inna Lermontova
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Huang W, Zhang L, Columbus JT, Hu Y, Zhao Y, Tang L, Guo Z, Chen W, McKain M, Bartlett M, Huang CH, Li DZ, Ge S, Ma H. A well-supported nuclear phylogeny of Poaceae and implications for the evolution of C 4 photosynthesis. MOLECULAR PLANT 2022; 15:755-777. [PMID: 35093593 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2022.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Poaceae (the grasses) includes rice, maize, wheat, and other crops, and is the most economically important angiosperm family. Poaceae is also one of the largest plant families, consisting of over 11 000 species with a global distribution that contributes to diverse ecosystems. Poaceae species are classified into 12 subfamilies, with generally strong phylogenetic support for their monophyly. However, many relationships within subfamilies, among tribes and/or subtribes, remain uncertain. To better resolve the Poaceae phylogeny, we generated 342 transcriptomic and seven genomic datasets; these were combined with other genomic and transcriptomic datasets to provide sequences for 357 Poaceae species in 231 genera, representing 45 tribes and all 12 subfamilies. Over 1200 low-copy nuclear genes were retrieved from these datasets, with several subsets obtained using additional criteria, and used for coalescent analyses to reconstruct a Poaceae phylogeny. Our results strongly support the monophyly of 11 subfamilies; however, the subfamily Puelioideae was separated into two non-sister clades, one for each of the two previously defined tribes, supporting a hypothesis that places each tribe in a separate subfamily. Molecular clock analyses estimated the crown age of Poaceae to be ∼101 million years old. Ancestral character reconstruction of C3/C4 photosynthesis supports the hypothesis of multiple independent origins of C4 photosynthesis. These origins are further supported by phylogenetic analysis of the ppc gene family that encodes the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, which suggests that members of three paralogous subclades (ppc-aL1a, ppc-aL1b, and ppc-B2) were recruited as functional C4ppc genes. This study provides valuable resources and a robust phylogenetic framework for evolutionary analyses of the grass family.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weichen Huang
- Department of Biology, 510 Mueller Laboratory, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA
| | - Lin Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences and Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - J Travis Columbus
- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden and Claremont Graduate University, 1500 North College Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Biology, 510 Mueller Laboratory, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA
| | - Yiyong Zhao
- Department of Biology, 510 Mueller Laboratory, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences and Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Lin Tang
- Department of Biology, 510 Mueller Laboratory, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA; College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Zhenhua Guo
- Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201 China
| | - Wenli Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Michael McKain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 411 Mary Harmon Bryant Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Madelaine Bartlett
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 611 North Pleasant Street, 221 Morrill 3, Amherst, MA 01003 USA
| | - Chien-Hsun Huang
- Department of Biology, 510 Mueller Laboratory, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences and Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201 China
| | - Song Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Hong Ma
- Department of Biology, 510 Mueller Laboratory, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang L, Zhu X, Zhao Y, Guo J, Zhang T, Huang W, Huang J, Hu Y, Huang CH, Ma H. Phylotranscriptomics Resolves the Phylogeny of Pooideae and Uncovers Factors for Their Adaptive Evolution. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6521033. [PMID: 35134207 PMCID: PMC8844509 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptation to cool climates has occurred several times in different angiosperm groups. Among them, Pooideae, the largest grass subfamily with ∼3,900 species including wheat and barley, have successfully occupied many temperate regions and play a prominent role in temperate ecosystems. To investigate possible factors contributing to Pooideae adaptive evolution to cooling climates, we performed phylogenetic reconstruction using five gene sets (with 1,234 nuclear genes and their subsets) from 157 transcriptomes/genomes representing all 15 tribes and 24 of 26 subtribes. Our phylogeny supports the monophyly of all tribes (except Diarrheneae) and all subtribes with at least two species, with strongly supported resolution of their relationships. Molecular dating suggests that Pooideae originated in the late Cretaceous, with subsequent divergences under cooling conditions first among many tribes from the early middle to late Eocene and again among genera in the middle Miocene and later periods. We identified a cluster of gene duplications (CGD5) shared by the core Pooideae (with 80% Pooideae species) near the Eocene–Oligocene transition, coinciding with the transition from closed to open habitat and an upshift of diversification rate. Molecular evolutionary analyses homologs of CBF for cold resistance uncovered tandem duplications during the core Pooideae history, dramatically increasing their copy number and possibly promoting adaptation to cold habitats. Moreover, duplication of AP1/FUL-like genes before the Pooideae origin might have facilitated the regulation of the vernalization pathway under cold environments. These and other results provide new insights into factors that likely have contributed to the successful adaptation of Pooideae members to temperate regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xinxin Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, 464000, China
| | - Yiyong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jing Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Taikui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Weichen Huang
- Department of Biology, the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Jie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Biology, the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Chien-Hsun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Institute of Biodiversity Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Hong Ma
- Department of Biology, the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ma PF, Liu YL, Jin GH, Liu JX, Wu H, He J, Guo ZH, Li DZ. The Pharus latifolius genome bridges the gap of early grass evolution. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:846-864. [PMID: 33630094 PMCID: PMC8226297 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The grass family (Poaceae) includes all commercial cereal crops and is a major contributor to biomass in various terrestrial ecosystems. The ancestry of all grass genomes includes a shared whole-genome duplication (WGD), named rho (ρ) WGD, but the evolutionary significance of ρ-WGD remains elusive. We sequenced the genome of Pharus latifolius, a grass species (producing a true spikelet) in the subfamily Pharoideae, a sister lineage to the core Poaceae including the (Panicoideae, Arundinoideae, Chloridoideae, Micrairoideae, Aristidoideae, and Danthonioideae (PACMAD) and Bambusoideae, Oryzoideae, and Pooideae (BOP) clades. Our results indicate that the P. latifolius genome has evolved slowly relative to cereal grass genomes, as reflected by moderate rates of molecular evolution, limited chromosome rearrangements and a low rate of gene loss for duplicated genes. We show that the ρ-WGD event occurred approximately 98.2 million years ago (Ma) in a common ancestor of the Pharoideae and the PACMAD and BOP grasses. This was followed by contrasting patterns of diploidization in the Pharus and core Poaceae lineages. The presence of two FRIZZY PANICLE-like genes in P. latifolius, and duplicated MADS-box genes, support the hypothesis that the ρ-WGD may have played a role in the origin and functional diversification of the spikelet, an adaptation in grasses related directly to cereal yields. The P. latifolius genome sheds light on the origin and early evolution of grasses underpinning the biology and breeding of cereals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Fei Ma
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Yun-Long Liu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Gui-Hua Jin
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Jing-Xia Liu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Hong Wu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Jun He
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Guo
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
- Author for correspondence: (D.-Z.L)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gallaher TJ, Akbar SZ, Klahs PC, Marvet CR, Senske AM, Clark LG, Strömberg CAE. 3D shape analysis of grass silica short cell phytoliths: a new method for fossil classification and analysis of shape evolution. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 228:376-392. [PMID: 32446281 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fossil grass silica short cell phytoliths (GSSCP) have been used to reconstruct the biogeography of Poaceae, untangle crop domestication history and detect past vegetation shifts. These inferences depend on accurately identifying the clade to which the fossils belong. Patterns of GSSCP shape and size variation across the family have not been established and current classification methods are subjective or based on a 2D view that ignores important 3D shape variation. Focusing on Poaceae subfamilies Anomochlooideae, Pharoideae, Pueliodieae, Bambusoideae and Oryzoideae, we observed in situ GSSCP to establish their orientation and imaged isolated GSSCP using confocal microscopy to produce 3D models. 3D geometric morphometrics was used to analyze GSSCP shape and size. Classification models were applied to GSSCP from Eocene sediments from Nebraska, USA, and Anatolia, Turkey. There were significant shape differences between nearly all recognized GSSCP morphotypes and between clades with shared morphotypes. Most of the Eocene GSSCP were classified as woody bamboos with some distinctive Nebraska GSSCP classified as herbaceous bamboos. 3D morphometrics hold great promise for GSSCP classification. It accounts for the complete GSSCP shape, automates size measurements and accommodates the complete range of morphotypes within a single analytical framework.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Gallaher
- University of Washington Biology Department, Life Sciences Building, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
- Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St, Honolulu, HI, 96817, USA
| | - Sultan Z Akbar
- University of Washington Biology Department, Life Sciences Building, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Phillip C Klahs
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, 251 Bessey Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Claire R Marvet
- University of Washington Biology Department, Life Sciences Building, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Ashly M Senske
- Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, 106 Horticulture Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Lynn G Clark
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, 251 Bessey Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Caroline A E Strömberg
- University of Washington Biology Department, Life Sciences Building, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, 4300 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bailleul AM, O'Connor J, Li Z, Wu Q, Zhao T, Martinez Monleon MA, Wang M, Zheng X. Confirmation of ovarian follicles in an enantiornithine (Aves) from the Jehol biota using soft tissue analyses. Commun Biol 2020; 3:399. [PMID: 32724075 PMCID: PMC7387556 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01131-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The remains of ovarian follicles reported in nine specimens of basal birds represents one of the most remarkable examples of soft-tissue preservation in the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. This discovery was immediately contested and the structures alternatively interpreted as ingested seeds. Fragments of the purported follicles preserved in an enantiornithine (STM10-12) were extracted and subjected to multiple high-resolution analyses. The structures in STM10-12 possess the histological and histochemical characteristics of smooth muscles fibers intertwined together with collagen fibers, resembling the contractile structure in the perifollicular membrane (PFM) of living birds. Fossilized blood vessels, very abundant in extant PFMs, are also preserved. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy shows the preserved tissues primarily underwent alumino-silicification, with minor mineralization via iron oxides. No evidence of plant tissue was found. These results confirm the original interpretation as follicles within the left ovary, supporting the interpretation that the right ovary was functionally lost early in avian evolution. Bailleul et al. employ histology, histochemistry and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy to confirm the presence of disputed ovarian follicles in a specimen of fossil Cretaceous bird. These findings have implications for the evolution of the avian breeding system seen in birds today.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alida M Bailleul
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, 100044, Beijing, China.
| | - Jingmai O'Connor
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, 100044, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, 100044, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, 100044, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Min Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100044, Beijing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, 100044, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoting Zheng
- Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, 276005, Linyi City, Shandong, China.,Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, 273300, Linyi City, Shandong, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Silicon and Plant-Animal Interactions: Towards an Evolutionary Framework. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9040430. [PMID: 32244583 PMCID: PMC7238073 DOI: 10.3390/plants9040430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Herbivory is fundamental in ecology, being a major driver of ecosystem structure and functioning. Plant Si and phytoliths play a significant antiherbivory role, the understanding of which and of its evolutionary context will increase our understanding of this phenomenon, its origins, and its significance for past, extant, and future ecosystems. To achieve this goal, we need a superdisciplinary evolutionary framework connecting the role of Si in plant–herbivore interactions, in global processes, and in plant and herbivore evolution. To do this properly, we should acknowledge and incorporate into our work some basic facts that are too often overlooked. First, there is great taxonomic variance both in plant Si contents, forms, and roles, but also in herbivore responses, dietary preferences, and in fossil evidence. Second, species and their traits, as well as whole ecosystems, should be seen in the context of their entire evolutionary history and may therefore reflect not only adaptations to extant selective factors but also anachronistic traits. Third, evolutionary history and evolutionary transitions are complex, resulting in true and apparent asynchronisms. Fourth, evolution and ecology are multiscalar, in which various phenomena and processes act at various scales. Taking these issues into consideration will improve our ability to develop this needed theoretical framework and will bring us closer to gaining a more complete understanding of one of the most exciting and elusive phenomena in plant biology and ecology.
Collapse
|
12
|
Gallaher TJ, Adams DC, Attigala L, Burke SV, Craine JM, Duvall MR, Klahs PC, Sherratt E, Wysocki WP, Clark LG. Leaf shape and size track habitat transitions across forest-grassland boundaries in the grass family (Poaceae). Evolution 2019; 73:927-946. [PMID: 30874302 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Grass leaf shape is a strong indicator of their habitat with linear leaves predominating in open areas and ovate leaves distinguishing forest-associated grasses. This pattern among extant species suggests that ancestral shifts between forest and open habitats may have coincided with changes in leaf shape or size. We tested relationships between habitat, climate, photosynthetic pathway, and leaf shape and size in a phylogenetic framework to evaluate drivers of leaf shape and size variation over the evolutionary history of the family. We also estimated the ancestral habitat of Poaceae and tested whether forest margins served as transitional zones for shifts between forests and grasslands. We found that grass leaf shape is converging toward different shape optima in the forest understory, forest margins, and open habitats. Leaf size also varies with habitat. Grasses have smaller leaves in open and drier areas, and in areas with high solar irradiance. Direct transitions between linear and ovate leaves are rare as are direct shifts between forest and open habitats. The most likely ancestral habitat of the family was the forest understory and forest margins along with an intermediate leaf shape served as important transitional habitat and morphology, respectively, for subsequent shifts across forest-grassland biome boundaries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Gallaher
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195
| | - Dean C Adams
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011
| | - Lakshmi Attigala
- Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011
| | - Sean V Burke
- Center for Data Intensive Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60615
| | | | - Melvin R Duvall
- Plant Molecular and Bioinformatics Center/Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, 60115
| | - Phillip C Klahs
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011
| | - Emma Sherratt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - William P Wysocki
- Center for Data Intensive Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60615
| | - Lynn G Clark
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gordon IJ, Prins HHT, Mallon J, Puk LD, Miranda EBP, Starling-Manne C, van der Wal R, Moore B, Foley W, Lush L, Maestri R, Matsuda I, Clauss M. The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing in Other Vertebrate Taxa. THE ECOLOGY OF BROWSING AND GRAZING II 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-25865-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
|
14
|
Fu Q, Diez JB, Pole M, García Ávila M, Liu ZJ, Chu H, Hou Y, Yin P, Zhang GQ, Du K, Wang X. An unexpected noncarpellate epigynous flower from the Jurassic of China. eLife 2018; 7:38827. [PMID: 30558712 PMCID: PMC6298773 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin of angiosperms has been a long-standing botanical debate. The great diversity of angiosperms in the Early Cretaceous makes the Jurassic a promising period in which to anticipate the origins of the angiosperms. Here, based on observations of 264 specimens of 198 individual flowers preserved on 34 slabs in various states and orientations, from the South Xiangshan Formation (Early Jurassic) of China, we describe a fossil flower, Nanjinganthus dendrostyla gen. et sp. nov.. The large number of specimens and various preservations allow for an evidence-based reconstruction of the flower. From the evidence of the combination of an invaginated receptacle and ovarian roof, we infer that the seeds of Nanjinganthus were completely enclosed. Evidence of an actinomorphic flower with a dendroid style, cup-form receptacle, and angiospermy, is consistent with Nanjinganthus being a bona fide angiosperm from the Jurassic, an inference that we hope will re-invigorate research into angiosperm origins. From oranges to apples, flowering plants produce most of the fruits and vegetables that we can see on display in a supermarket. While we may take little notice of the poppy fields and plum blossoms around us, how flowers came to be has been an intensely debated mystery. The current understanding, which is mainly based on previously available fossils, is that flowers appeared about 125 million years ago in the Cretaceous, an era during which many insects such as bees also emerged. But not everybody agrees that this is the case. Genetic analyses, for example, suggest that flowering plants are much more ancient. Another intriguing element is that flowers seemed to have arisen during the Cretaceous ‘out of nowhere’. Fossils are essential to help settle the debate but it takes diligence and luck to find something as fragile as a flower preserved in rocks for millions of years. In addition, digging out what could look like a bloom is not enough. It is only if the ovules (the cells that will become seeds when fertilized) of the plant are completely enclosed inside the ovary before pollination that researchers can definitely say that they have found a ‘true’ flower. Now, Fu et al. describe over 200 specimens of a new fossil flower that presents this characteristic, as well as other distinctive features such as petals and sepals – the leaf-like parts that protect a flower bud. Called Nanjinganthus, the plant dates back to more than 174 million years ago, making it the oldest known record of a ‘true’ flower by almost 50 million years. Contrary to mainstream belief, this would place the apparition of flowering plants to the Early Jurassic, the period that saw dinosaurs dominating the planet. This discovery may reshape our current understanding of the evolution of flowers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Fu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Economic Stratigraphy and Paleogeography, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Mike Pole
- Queensland Herbarium, Brisbane Botanical Gardens Mt Coot-tha, Toowong, Australia
| | - Manuel García Ávila
- Departamento de Geociencias, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain.,Facultade de Bioloxía, Asociación Paleontolóxica Galega, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Zhong-Jian Liu
- State Forestry Administration Key Laboratory of Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hang Chu
- Tianjin Center, China Geological Survey, Tianjin, China
| | - Yemao Hou
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pengfei Yin
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guo-Qiang Zhang
- State Forestry Administration Key Laboratory of Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Kaihe Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Supramolecular Medicinal Materials and Applications, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Economic Stratigraphy and Paleogeography, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Phytolith assemblage analysis for the identification of rice paddy. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10932. [PMID: 30026554 PMCID: PMC6053388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29172-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The rice arable system is of importance to both society and the environment. The emergence of rice paddies was a crucial step in the transition from pre-domestic cultivation to systematic land use and management. However, many aspects of the formation of rice farming systems remain unclear. An important reason is the lack of reliable methods for identifying early rice paddies. One possible means of remedying this knowledge deficit is through analysis of phytolith assemblages, which are closely related to their parent plant communities. In this study, phytolith assemblages from 27 surface soil samples from wild rice fields, 91 surface soil samples from modern rice paddies, and 50 soil samples from non-rice fields were analysed to establish a discriminant function. This discriminant function enabled classification of 89.3% of the samples into appropriate groups. Further, the results suggested that phytolith assemblages can be used to identify rice fields and differentiate between wild rice fields and domesticated rice fields. The method was demonstrated to be an effective way of utilising the large amounts of unidentifiable phytoliths discovered at archaeological sites to provide a modern analogue that may be a valuable key to unlocking the past.
Collapse
|
16
|
A grazing Gomphotherium in Middle Miocene Central Asia, 10 million years prior to the origin of the Elephantidae. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7640. [PMID: 29769581 PMCID: PMC5956065 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25909-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Feeding preference of fossil herbivorous mammals, concerning the coevolution of mammalian and floral ecosystems, has become of key research interest. In this paper, phytoliths in dental calculus from two gomphotheriid proboscideans of the middle Miocene Junggar Basin, Central Asia, have been identified, suggesting that Gomphotherium connexum was a mixed feeder, while the phytoliths from G. steinheimense indicates grazing preference. This is the earliest-known proboscidean with a predominantly grazing habit. These results are further confirmed by microwear and isotope analyses. Pollen record reveals an open steppic environment with few trees, indicating an early aridity phase in the Asian interior during the Mid-Miocene Climate Optimum, which might urge a diet remodeling of G. steinheimense. Morphological and cladistic analyses show that G. steinheimense comprises the sister taxon of tetralophodont gomphotheres, which were believed to be the general ancestral stock of derived "true elephantids"; whereas G. connexum represents a more conservative lineage in both feeding behavior and tooth morphology, which subsequently became completely extinct. Therefore, grazing by G. steinheimense may have acted as a behavior preadaptive for aridity, and allowing its lineage evolving new morphological features for surviving later in time. This study displays an interesting example of behavioral adaptation prior to morphological modification.
Collapse
|