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Katz O, Puppe D, Kaczorek D, Prakash NB, Schaller J. Silicon in the Soil-Plant Continuum: Intricate Feedback Mechanisms within Ecosystems. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:652. [PMID: 33808069 PMCID: PMC8066056 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Plants' ability to take up silicon from the soil, accumulate it within their tissues and then reincorporate it into the soil through litter creates an intricate network of feedback mechanisms in ecosystems. Here, we provide a concise review of silicon's roles in soil chemistry and physics and in plant physiology and ecology, focusing on the processes that form these feedback mechanisms. Through this review and analysis, we demonstrate how this feedback network drives ecosystem processes and affects ecosystem functioning. Consequently, we show that Si uptake and accumulation by plants is involved in several ecosystem services like soil appropriation, biomass supply, and carbon sequestration. Considering the demand for food of an increasing global population and the challenges of climate change, a detailed understanding of the underlying processes of these ecosystem services is of prime importance. Silicon and its role in ecosystem functioning and services thus should be the main focus of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofir Katz
- Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Mt. Masada, Tamar Regional Council, 86910 Tamar, Israel
- Eilat Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Hatmarim Blv, 8855630 Eilat, Israel
| | - Daniel Puppe
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374 Müncheberg, Germany; (D.P.); (D.K.); (J.S.)
| | - Danuta Kaczorek
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374 Müncheberg, Germany; (D.P.); (D.K.); (J.S.)
- Department of Soil Environment Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), 02776 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Nagabovanalli B. Prakash
- Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore 560065, India;
| | - Jörg Schaller
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374 Müncheberg, Germany; (D.P.); (D.K.); (J.S.)
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Brightly WH, Hartley SE, Osborne CP, Simpson KJ, Strömberg CAE. High silicon concentrations in grasses are linked to environmental conditions and not associated with C 4 photosynthesis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:7128-7143. [PMID: 32897634 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The uptake and deposition of silicon (Si) as silica phytoliths is common among land plants and is associated with a variety of functions. Among these, herbivore defense has received significant attention, particularly with regard to grasses and grasslands. Grasses are well known for their high silica content, a trait which has important implications ranging from defense to global Si cycling. Here, we test the classic hypothesis that C4 grasses evolved stronger mechanical defenses than C3 grasses through increased phytolith deposition, in response to extensive ungulate herbivory ("C4 -grazer hypothesis"). Despite mixed support, this hypothesis has received broad attention, even outside the realm of plant biology. Because C3 and C4 grasses typically dominate in different climates, with the latter more abundant in hot, dry regions, we also investigated the effects of water availability and temperature on Si deposition. We compiled a large dataset of grasses grown under controlled environmental conditions. Using phylogenetically informed generalized linear mixed models and character evolution models, we evaluated whether photosynthetic pathway or growth condition influenced Si concentration. We found that C4 grasses did not show consistently elevated Si concentrations compared with C3 grasses. High temperature treatments were associated with increased concentration, especially in taxa adapted to warm regions. Although the effect was less pronounced, reduced water treatment also promoted silica deposition, with slightly stronger response in dry habitat species. The evidence presented here rejects the "C4 -grazer hypothesis." Instead, we propose that the tendency for C4 grasses to outcompete C3 species under hot, dry conditions explains previous observations supporting this hypothesis. These findings also suggest a mechanism via which anthropogenic climate change may influence silica deposition in grasses and, by extension, alter the important ecological and geochemical processes it affects.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H Brightly
- Department of Biology and the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sue E Hartley
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Colin P Osborne
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Kimberley J Simpson
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Caroline A E Strömberg
- Department of Biology and the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Quigley KM, Griffith DM, Donati GL, Anderson TM. Soil nutrients and precipitation are major drivers of global patterns of grass leaf silicification. Ecology 2020; 101:e03006. [PMID: 32020594 PMCID: PMC7317429 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Grasses accumulate high concentrations of silicon (Si) in their tissues, with potential benefits including herbivore defense, improved water balance, and reduced leaf construction costs. Although Si is one of the most widely varying leaf constituents among individuals, species, and ecosystems, the environmental forces driving this variation remain elusive and understudied. To understand relationships between environmental factors and grass Si accumulation better, we analyzed foliar chemistry of grasses from 17 globally distributed sites where nutrient inputs and grazing were manipulated. These sites span natural gradients in temperature, precipitation, and underlying soil properties, which allowed us to assess the relative importance of soil moisture and nutrients across variation in climate. Foliar Si concentration did not respond to large mammalian grazer exclusion, but significant variation in herbivore abundance among sites may have precluded the observation of defoliation effects at these sites. However, nutrient addition consistently reduced leaf Si, especially at sites with low soil nitrogen prior to nutrient addition. Additionally, a leaf‐level trade‐off between Si and carbon (C) existed that was stronger at arid sites than mesic sites. Our results suggest soil nutrient limitation favors investment in Si over C‐based leaf construction, and that fixing C is especially costly relative to assimilating Si when water is limiting. Our results demonstrate the importance of soil nutrients and precipitation as key drivers of global grass silicification patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Quigley
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27109, USA
| | - Daniel M Griffith
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27109, USA
| | - George L Donati
- Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27109, USA
| | - T Michael Anderson
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27109, USA
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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.
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Nawaz MA, Zakharenko AM, Zemchenko IV, Haider MS, Ali MA, Imtiaz M, Chung G, Tsatsakis A, Sun S, Golokhvast KS. Phytolith Formation in Plants: From Soil to Cell. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 8:E249. [PMID: 31357485 PMCID: PMC6724085 DOI: 10.3390/plants8080249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Silica is deposited extra- and intracellularly in plants in solid form, as phytoliths. Phytoliths have emerged as accepted taxonomic tools and proxies for reconstructing ancient flora, agricultural economies, environment, and climate. The discovery of silicon transporter genes has aided in the understanding of the mechanism of silicon transport and deposition within the plant body and reconstructing plant phylogeny that is based on the ability of plants to accumulate silica. However, a precise understanding of the process of silica deposition and the formation of phytoliths is still an enigma and the information regarding the proteins that are involved in plant biosilicification is still scarce. With the observation of various shapes and morphologies of phytoliths, it is essential to understand which factors control this mechanism. During the last two decades, significant research has been done in this regard and silicon research has expanded as an Earth-life science superdiscipline. We review and integrate the recent knowledge and concepts on the uptake and transport of silica and its deposition as phytoliths in plants. We also discuss how different factors define the shape, size, and chemistry of the phytoliths and how biosilicification evolved in plants. The role of channel-type and efflux silicon transporters, proline-rich proteins, and siliplant1 protein in transport and deposition of silica is presented. The role of phytoliths against biotic and abiotic stress, as mechanical barriers, and their use as taxonomic tools and proxies, is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Amjad Nawaz
- Education and Scientific Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950 Vladivostok, Russia
| | | | | | - Muhammad Sajjad Haider
- Department of Forestry, College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, 40100 Sargodha, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Amjad Ali
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture, 38040 Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Center of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology (CABB), University of Agriculture, 38040 Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Imtiaz
- Soil and Environmental Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, 38040 Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Gyuhwa Chung
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, 59626 Yeosu-Si, Korea
| | - Aristides Tsatsakis
- Department of Toxicology and Forensics, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion GR-71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Sangmi Sun
- Department of Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, 59626 Yeosu-Si, Korea.
| | - Kirill Sergeyevich Golokhvast
- Education and Scientific Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950 Vladivostok, Russia.
- Pacific Geographical Institute, FEB RAS, 7 Radio street, Vladivostok 690014, Russia.
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Johnson SN, Ryalls JMW, Barton CVM, Tjoelker MG, Wright IJ, Moore BD. Climate warming and plant biomechanical defences: Silicon addition contributes to herbivore suppression in a pasture grass. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott N. Johnson
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - James M. W. Ryalls
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Craig V. M. Barton
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Mark G. Tjoelker
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Ian J. Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Ben D. Moore
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Sydney New South Wales Australia
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Katz O. Plant Silicon and Phytolith Research and the Earth-Life Superdiscipline. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1281. [PMID: 30233622 PMCID: PMC6134949 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
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Frew A, Weston LA, Reynolds OL, Gurr GM. The role of silicon in plant biology: a paradigm shift in research approach. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2018; 121:1265-1273. [PMID: 29438453 PMCID: PMC6007437 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcy009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Silicon (Si) is known to have numerous beneficial effects on plants, alleviating diverse forms of abiotic and biotic stress. Research on this topic has accelerated in recent years and revealed multiple effects of Si in a range of plant species. Available information regarding the impact of Si on plant defence, growth and development is fragmented, discipline-specific, and usually focused on downstream, distal phenomena rather than underlying effects. Accordingly, there is a growing need for studies that address fundamental metabolic and regulatory processes, thereby allowing greater unification and focus of current research across disciplines. SCOPE AND CONCLUSIONS Silicon is often regarded as a plant nutritional 'non-entity'. A suite of factors associated with Si have been recently identified, relating to plant chemistry, physiology, gene regulation and interactions with other organisms. Research to date has typically focused on the impact of Si application upon plant stress responses. However, the fundamental, underlying mechanisms that account for the manifold effects of Si in plant biology remain undefined. Here, the known effects of Si in higher plants relating to alleviation of both abiotic and biotic stress are briefly reviewed and the potential importance of Si in plant primary metabolism is discussed, highlighting the need for a unifying research framework targeting common underlying mechanisms. The traditional approach of discipline-specific work on single stressors in individual plant species is currently inadequate. Thus, a holistic and comparative approach is proposed to assess the mode of action of Si between plant trait types (e.g. C3, C4 and CAM; Si accumulators and non-accumulators) and between biotic and abiotic stressors (pathogens, herbivores, drought, salt), considering potential pathways (i.e. primary metabolic processes) highlighted by recent empirical evidence. Utilizing genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic approaches in such comparative studies will pave the way for unification of the field and a deeper understanding of the role of Si in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Frew
- School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
- For correspondence. E-mail
| | - Leslie A Weston
- School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Olivia L Reynolds
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
- Biosecurity and Food Safety, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Narellan, New South Wales, Australia
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Geoff M Gurr
- Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
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Simpson KJ, Wade RN, Rees M, Osborne CP, Hartley SE. Still armed after domestication? Impacts of domestication and agronomic selection on silicon defences in cereals. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark Rees
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Colin P. Osborne
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of Sheffield Sheffield UK
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Johnson SN, Hartley SE, Ryalls JMW, Frew A, DeGabriel JL, Duncan M, Gherlenda AN. Silicon‐induced root nodulation and synthesis of essential amino acids in a legume is associated with higher herbivore abundance. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott N. Johnson
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW2751 Australia
| | - Susan E. Hartley
- York Environment and Sustainability Institute Department of Biology University of York YorkYO10 5DD UK
| | - James M. W. Ryalls
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW2751 Australia
| | - Adam Frew
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW2751 Australia
| | - Jane L. DeGabriel
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW2751 Australia
| | - Michael Duncan
- School of Science and Health Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW2751 Australia
| | - Andrew N. Gherlenda
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW2751 Australia
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Cooke J, DeGabriel JL, Hartley SE. The functional ecology of plant silicon: geoscience to genes. Funct Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Cooke
- Department of Earth, Environment and Ecosystems The Open University Walton Hall Milton Keynes MK7 6AA UK
| | - Jane L. DeGabriel
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith New South Wales 2751 Australia
| | - Susan E. Hartley
- Department of Biology York Environmental Sustainability Institute University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD UK
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E. Hartley
- Department of Biology York Environmental Sustainability Institute University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD UK
| | - Jane L. DeGabriel
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith New South Wales2751 Australia
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Calandra I, Zub K, Szafrańska PA, Zalewski A, Merceron G. Silicon-based plant defences, tooth wear and voles. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:501-7. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.134890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Plant–herbivore interactions are hypothesized to drive vole population cycles through the grazing-induced production of phytoliths in leaves. Phytoliths act as mechanical defences because they deter herbivory and lower growth rates in mammals. However, how phytoliths impair herbivore performance is still unknown. Here, we tested whether the amount of phytoliths changes tooth wear patterns. If confirmed, abrasion from phytoliths could play a role in population crashes. We applied dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) to laboratory and wild voles. Lab voles were fed two pelleted diets with differing amounts of silicon, which produced similar dental textures. This was most probably due to the loss of food mechanical properties through pelletization and/or the small difference in silicon concentration between diets. Wild voles were trapped in Poland during spring and summer, and every year across a population cycle. In spring, voles feed on silica-rich monocotyledons, while in the summer they also include silica-depleted dicotyledons. This was reflected in the results; the amount of silica therefore leaves a traceable record in the dental microwear texture of voles. Furthermore, voles from different phases of population cycles have different microwear textures. We tentatively propose that these differences result from grazing-induced phytolith concentrations. We hypothesize that the high amount of phytoliths in response to intense grazing in peak years may result in malocclusion and other dental abnormalities, which would explain how these silicon-based plant defences help provoke population crashes. DMTA could then be used to reconstruct vole population dynamics using teeth from pellets or palaeontological material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Calandra
- GEGENAA – EA 3795, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Karol Zub
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 17-230 Białowiez˙a, Poland
| | | | - Andrzej Zalewski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 17-230 Białowiez˙a, Poland
| | - Gildas Merceron
- iPHEP UMR 7262, CNRS & Université de Poitiers, 86073 Poitiers, France
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Calandra
- GEGENAA - EA 3795; Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne; CREA - 2 esplanade Roland Garros 51100 Reims France
| | - Gildas Merceron
- iPHEP UMR 7262; CNRS & Université de Poitiers; Bat. B35 - TSA-51106, 6 rue M. Brunet 86073 Poitiers France
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Deshmukh
- Département de phytologie Université Laval Quebec QCG1V 0A6 Canada
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