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Itoh H, Yamashita H, Wada KC, Yonemaru JI. Real-time emulation of future global warming reveals realistic impacts on the phenological response and quality deterioration in rice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316497121. [PMID: 38739807 PMCID: PMC11126993 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316497121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Decreased production of crops due to climate change has been predicted scientifically. While climate-resilient crops are necessary to ensure food security and support sustainable agriculture, predicting crop growth under future global warming is challenging. Therefore, we aimed to assess the impact of realistic global warming conditions on rice cultivation. We developed a crop evaluation platform, the agro-environment (AE) emulator, which generates diverse environments by implementing the complexity of natural environmental fluctuations in customized, fully artificial lighting growth chambers. We confirmed that the environmental responsiveness of rice obtained in the fluctuation of artificial environments is similar to those exhibited in natural environments by validating our AE emulator using publicly available meteorological data from multiple years at the same location and multiple locations in the same year. Based on the representative concentration pathway, real-time emulation of severe global warming unveiled dramatic advances in the rice life cycle, accompanied by a 35% decrease in grain yield and an 85% increase in quality deterioration, which is higher than the recently reported projections. The transcriptome dynamism showed that increasing temperature and CO2 concentrations synergistically changed the expression of various genes and strengthened the induction of flowering, heat stress adaptation, and CO2 response genes. The predicted severe global warming greatly alters rice environmental adaptability and negatively impacts rice production. Our findings offer innovative applications of artificial environments and insights for enhancing varietal potential and cultivation methods in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironori Itoh
- Breeding Big Data Management and Utilization Group, Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-8518, Japan
| | - Hiroto Yamashita
- Breeding Big Data Management and Utilization Group, Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-8518, Japan
| | - Kaede C. Wada
- Breeding Big Data Management and Utilization Group, Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-8518, Japan
- Incubation Laboratory, Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-0856, Japan
| | - Jun-ichi Yonemaru
- Incubation Laboratory, Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-0856, Japan
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2
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Heinen R, Sanchez-Mahecha O, Martijn Bezemer T, Dominoni DM, Knappe C, Kollmann J, Kopatsch A, Pfeiffer ZA, Schloter M, Sturm S, Schnitzler JP, Corina Vlot A, Weisser WW. Part-night exposure to artificial light at night has more detrimental effects on aphid colonies than fully lit nights. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220357. [PMID: 37899021 PMCID: PMC10613545 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) threatens natural ecosystems globally. While ALAN research is increasing, little is known about how ALAN affects plants and interactions with other organisms. We explored the effects of ALAN on plant defence and plant-insect interactions using barley (Hordeum vulgare) and the English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae). Plants were exposed to 'full' or 'part' nights of 15-20 lux ALAN, or no ALAN 'control' nights, to test the effects of ALAN on plant growth and defence. Although plant growth was only minimally affected by ALAN, aphid colony growth and aphid maturation were reduced significantly by ALAN treatments. Importantly, we found strong differences between full-night and part-night ALAN treatments. Contrary to our expectations, part ALAN had stronger negative effects on aphid colony growth than full ALAN. Defence-associated gene expression was affected in some cases by ALAN, but also positively correlated with aphid colony size, suggesting that the effects of ALAN on plant defences are indirect, and regulated via direct disruption of aphid colonies rather than via ALAN-induced upregulation of defences. Mitigating ecological side effects of ALAN is a complex problem, as reducing exposure to ALAN increased its negative impact on insect herbivores. This article is part of the theme issue 'Light pollution in complex ecological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Heinen
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Oriana Sanchez-Mahecha
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - T. Martijn Bezemer
- Institute of Biology, Section Plant Ecology and Phytochemistry, Leiden University, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Davide M. Dominoni
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, Scotland
| | - Claudia Knappe
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Kollmann
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, 8534 Freising, Germany
| | - Anton Kopatsch
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmhotz, Munich, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Zoë A. Pfeiffer
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Chair of Soil Science, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmhotz, Munich, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sarah Sturm
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Jörg-Peter Schnitzler
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmhotz, Munich, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - A. Corina Vlot
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chair of Crop Plant Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health, University of Bayreuth, D-95447, Kulmbach, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W. Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich School of Life Sciences, 85354 Freising, Germany
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Forey O, Sauze J, Piel C, Gritti ES, Devidal S, Faez A, Ravel O, Nahmani J, Rouch L, Blouin M, Pérès G, Capowiez Y, Roy J, Milcu A. Earthworms do not increase greenhouse gas emissions (CO 2 and N 2O) in an ecotron experiment simulating a three-crop rotation system. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21920. [PMID: 38081907 PMCID: PMC10713613 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48765-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Earthworms are known to stimulate soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but the majority of previous studies have used simplified model systems or lacked continuous high-frequency measurements. To address this, we conducted a 2-year study using large lysimeters (5 m2 area and 1.5 m soil depth) in an ecotron facility, continuously measuring ecosystem-level CO2, N2O, and H2O fluxes. We investigated the impact of endogeic and anecic earthworms on GHG emissions and ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE) in a simulated agricultural setting. Although we observed transient stimulations of carbon fluxes in the presence of earthworms, cumulative fluxes over the study indicated no significant increase in CO2 emissions. Endogeic earthworms reduced N2O emissions during the wheat culture (- 44.6%), but this effect was not sustained throughout the experiment. No consistent effects on ecosystem evapotranspiration or WUE were found. Our study suggests that earthworms do not significantly contribute to GHG emissions over a two-year period in experimental conditions that mimic an agricultural setting. These findings highlight the need for realistic experiments and continuous GHG measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oswaldo Forey
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Joana Sauze
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Clément Piel
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Emmanuel S Gritti
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Sébastien Devidal
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Abdelaziz Faez
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Olivier Ravel
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Johanne Nahmani
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293, Montpellier, France
| | - Laly Rouch
- Agroécologie, Institut Agro, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Manuel Blouin
- Agroécologie, Institut Agro, INRAE, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Guénola Pérès
- UMR SAS INRAE Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, 65 Rue de Saint Brieuc, 35042, Rennes Cedex 10, France
| | - Yvan Capowiez
- INRAE, UMR 1114 EMMAH, INRAE/Université d'Avignon, Site Agroparc, 84914, Avignon Cedex 09, France
| | - Jacques Roy
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France
| | - Alexandru Milcu
- Montpellier European Ecotron, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, 34980, Montferrier-Sur-Lez, France.
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293, Montpellier, France.
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Symeonidou E, Halley JM. Unavoidable Extinctions in Ecosystems of Extreme Isolation. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:951-958. [PMID: 37578453 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Future systems of extreme isolation, including initiatives in space exploration, may require the services of onboard ecosystems. Biosphere 2, which ran between 1991 and 1993, aspired to mimic the earthly ecosystem and assess the ability of humans and other species to survive in a fully enclosed space. In this study, the data for plant species survival in the tropical rainforest sector from the first 2-year mission were studied through the prism of the neutral theory of biodiversity (NTB), which predicts how closed communities develop and how they lose species due to random demographic effects. Biosphere-2 lost species faster than a neutral process would predict. The specific reasons have been well documented, but the integrated approach of NTB offers new insights. It predicts that a closed ecological community must lose species and there is a specific time frame for this. To test it properly, the operation time of Biosphere-2 should have been at least 30 times greater. The new insights that NTB brings to the story of Biosphere 2 could be important for microcosm studies in general. A similar analysis suggests that the operation and testing time of other simulated ecosystems should also be increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eftychia Symeonidou
- Centre for ExoLife Sciences, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - John Maxwell Halley
- Laboratory of Ecology, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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Marx V. Soil researchers dig deeper into dirt's complexity. Nat Methods 2023; 20:1131-1134. [PMID: 37525020 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-01962-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
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Rojas-Botero S, Teixeira LH, Kollmann J. Low precipitation due to climate change consistently reduces multifunctionality of urban grasslands in mesocosms. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0275044. [PMID: 36735650 PMCID: PMC9897532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Urban grasslands are crucial for biodiversity and ecosystem services in cities, while little is known about their multifunctionality under climate change. Thus, we investigated the effects of simulated climate change, i.e., increased [CO2] and temperature, and reduced precipitation, on individual functions and overall multifunctionality in mesocosm grasslands sown with forbs and grasses in four different proportions aiming at mimicking road verge grassland patches. Climate change scenarios RCP2.6 (control) and RCP8.5 (worst-case) were simulated in walk-in climate chambers of an ecotron facility, and watering was manipulated for normal vs. reduced precipitation. We measured eight indicator variables of ecosystem functions based on below- and aboveground characteristics. The young grassland communities responded to higher [CO2] and warmer conditions with increased vegetation cover, height, flower production, and soil respiration. Lower precipitation affected carbon cycling in the ecosystem by reducing biomass production and soil respiration. In turn, the water regulation capacity of the grasslands depended on precipitation interacting with climate change scenario, given the enhanced water efficiency resulting from increased [CO2] under RCP8.5. Multifunctionality was negatively affected by reduced precipitation, especially under RCP2.6. Trade-offs arose among single functions that performed best in either grass- or forb-dominated grasslands. Grasslands with an even ratio of plant functional types coped better with climate change and thus are good options for increasing the benefits of urban green infrastructure. Overall, the study provides experimental evidence of the effects of climate change on the functionality of urban ecosystems. Designing the composition of urban grasslands based on ecological theory may increase their resilience to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Rojas-Botero
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Leonardo H. Teixeira
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Johannes Kollmann
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Ås, Norway
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7
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Pollastri S, Velikova V, Castaldini M, Fineschi S, Ghirardo A, Renaut J, Schnitzler JP, Sergeant K, Winkler JB, Zorzan S, Loreto F. Isoprene-Emitting Tobacco Plants Are Less Affected by Moderate Water Deficit under Future Climate Change Scenario and Show Adjustments of Stress-Related Proteins in Actual Climate. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:333. [PMID: 36679046 PMCID: PMC9862500 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Isoprene-emitting plants are better protected against thermal and oxidative stresses, which is a desirable trait in a climate-changing (drier and warmer) world. Here we compared the ecophysiological performances of transgenic isoprene-emitting and wild-type non-emitting tobacco plants during water stress and after re-watering in actual environmental conditions (400 ppm of CO2 and 28 °C of average daily temperature) and in a future climate scenario (600 ppm of CO2 and 32 °C of average daily temperature). Furthermore, we intended to complement the present knowledge on the mechanisms involved in isoprene-induced resistance to water deficit stress by examining the proteome of transgenic isoprene-emitting and wild-type non-emitting tobacco plants during water stress and after re-watering in actual climate. Isoprene emitters maintained higher photosynthesis and electron transport rates under moderate stress in future climate conditions. However, physiological resistance to water stress in the isoprene-emitting plants was not as marked as expected in actual climate conditions, perhaps because the stress developed rapidly. In actual climate, isoprene emission capacity affected the tobacco proteomic profile, in particular by upregulating proteins associated with stress protection. Our results strengthen the hypothesis that isoprene biosynthesis is related to metabolic changes at the gene and protein levels involved in the activation of general stress defensive mechanisms of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Pollastri
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Violeta Velikova
- Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
- Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Maurizio Castaldini
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Center for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Lanciola 12/A, 50125 Cascine del Riccio, Florence, Italy
| | - Silvia Fineschi
- Institute of Heritage Science-CNR (ISPC), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Andrea Ghirardo
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jenny Renaut
- GreenTech Innovation Centre, Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Scienceand Technology (LIST), L-4362 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jörg-Peter Schnitzler
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Kjell Sergeant
- GreenTech Innovation Centre, Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Scienceand Technology (LIST), L-4362 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jana Barbro Winkler
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Simone Zorzan
- GreenTech Innovation Centre, Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Scienceand Technology (LIST), L-4362 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Francesco Loreto
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Naples, Italy
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Kalbfuß N, Strohmayr A, Kegel M, Le L, Grosse-Holz F, Brunschweiger B, Stöckl K, Wiese C, Franke C, Schiestl C, Prem S, Sha S, Franz-Oberdorf K, Hafermann J, Thiemé M, Facher E, Palubicki W, Bolle C, Assaad FF. A role for brassinosteroid signalling in decision-making processes in the Arabidopsis seedling. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010541. [PMID: 36508461 PMCID: PMC9779667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants often adapt to adverse conditions via differential growth, whereby limited resources are discriminately allocated to optimize the growth of one organ at the expense of another. Little is known about the decision-making processes that underly differential growth. In this study, we developed a screen to identify decision making mutants by deploying two tools that have been used in decision theory: a well-defined yet limited budget, as well as conflict-of-interest scenarios. A forward genetic screen that combined light and water withdrawal was carried out. This identified BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 2 (BIN2) alleles as decision mutants with "confused" phenotypes. An assessment of organ and cell length suggested that hypocotyl elongation occurred predominantly via cellular elongation. In contrast, root growth appeared to be regulated by a combination of cell division and cell elongation or exit from the meristem. Gain- or loss- of function bin2 mutants were most severely impaired in their ability to adjust cell geometry in the hypocotyl or cell elongation as a function of distance from the quiescent centre in the root tips. This study describes a novel paradigm for root growth under limiting conditions, which depends not only on hypocotyl-versus-root trade-offs in the allocation of limited resources, but also on an ability to deploy different strategies for root growth in response to multiple stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Kalbfuß
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Alexander Strohmayr
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Marcel Kegel
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Lien Le
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | | | | | - Katharina Stöckl
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Christian Wiese
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Carina Franke
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Caroline Schiestl
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Sophia Prem
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Shuyao Sha
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | | | - Juliane Hafermann
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Marc Thiemé
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | - Eva Facher
- Systematic Botany and Mycology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Wojciech Palubicki
- Mathematics and Computer Science, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Polen
| | - Cordelia Bolle
- Plant Molecular Biology (Botany), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Farhah F. Assaad
- Botany, School of Life Sciences, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
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Abstract
Soil matrix properties influence microbial behaviors that underlie nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas production, and soil formation. However, the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of soils makes it challenging to untangle the effects of different matrix properties on microbial behaviors. To address this challenge, we developed a tunable artificial soil recipe and used these materials to study the abiotic mechanisms driving soil microbial growth and communication. When we used standardized matrices with varying textures to culture gas-reporting biosensors, we found that a Gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli) grew best in synthetic silt soils, remaining active over a wide range of soil matric potentials, while a Gram-positive bacterium (Bacillus subtilis) preferred sandy soils, sporulating at low water potentials. Soil texture, mineralogy, and alkalinity all attenuated the bioavailability of an acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signaling molecule that controls community-level microbial behaviors. Texture controlled the timing of AHL sensing, while AHL bioavailability was decreased ~105-fold by mineralogy and ~103-fold by alkalinity. Finally, we built artificial soils with a range of complexities that converge on the properties of one Mollisol. As artificial soil complexity increased to more closely resemble the Mollisol, microbial behaviors approached those occurring in the natural soil, with the notable exception of organic matter. IMPORTANCE Understanding environmental controls on soil microbes is difficult because many abiotic parameters vary simultaneously and uncontrollably when different natural soils are compared, preventing mechanistic determination of any individual soil parameter's effect on microbial behaviors. We describe how soil texture, mineralogy, pH, and organic matter content can be varied individually within artificial soils to study their effects on soil microbes. Using microbial biosensors that report by producing a rare indicator gas, we identify soil properties that control microbial growth and attenuate the bioavailability of a diffusible chemical used to control community-level behaviors. We find that artificial soils differentially affect signal bioavailability and the growth of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) microbes. These artificial soils are useful for studying the mechanisms that underlie soil controls on microbial fitness, signaling, and gene transfer.
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Salvatori N, Alberti G, Muller O, Peressotti A. Does Fluctuating Light Affect Crop Yield? A Focus on the Dynamic Photosynthesis of Two Soybean Varieties. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:862275. [PMID: 35557734 PMCID: PMC9085482 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.862275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In natural environments, plants are exposed to variable light conditions, but photosynthesis has been mainly studied at steady state and this might overestimate carbon (C) uptake at the canopy scale. To better elucidate the role of light fluctuations on canopy photosynthesis, we investigated how the chlorophyll content, and therefore the different absorbance of light, would affect the quantum yield in fluctuating light conditions. For this purpose, we grew a commercial variety (Eiko) and a chlorophyll deficient mutant (MinnGold) either in fluctuating (F) or non-fluctuating (NF) light conditions with sinusoidal changes in irradiance. Two different light treatments were also applied: a low light treatment (LL; max 650 μmol m-2 s-1) and a high light treatment (HL; max 1,000 μmol m-2 s-1). Canopy gas exchanges were continuously measured throughout the experiment. We found no differences in C uptake in LL treatment, either under F or NF. Light fluctuations were instead detrimental for the chlorophyll deficient mutant in HL conditions only, while the green variety seemed to be well-adapted to them. Varieties adapted to fluctuating light might be identified to target the molecular mechanisms responsible for such adaptations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Salvatori
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental, and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Giorgio Alberti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental, and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy
| | - Onno Muller
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Alessandro Peressotti
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental, and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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11
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Yang Y, Hillebrand H, Lagisz M, Cleasby I, Nakagawa S. Low statistical power and overestimated anthropogenic impacts, exacerbated by publication bias, dominate field studies in global change biology. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:969-989. [PMID: 34736291 PMCID: PMC9299651 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Field studies are essential to reliably quantify ecological responses to global change because they are exposed to realistic climate manipulations. Yet such studies are limited in replicates, resulting in less power and, therefore, potentially unreliable effect estimates. Furthermore, while manipulative field experiments are assumed to be more powerful than non-manipulative observations, it has rarely been scrutinized using extensive data. Here, using 3847 field experiments that were designed to estimate the effect of environmental stressors on ecosystems, we systematically quantified their statistical power and magnitude (Type M) and sign (Type S) errors. Our investigations focused upon the reliability of field experiments to assess the effect of stressors on both ecosystem's response magnitude and variability. When controlling for publication bias, single experiments were underpowered to detect response magnitude (median power: 18%-38% depending on effect sizes). Single experiments also had much lower power to detect response variability (6%-12% depending on effect sizes) than response magnitude. Such underpowered studies could exaggerate estimates of response magnitude by 2-3 times (Type M errors) and variability by 4-10 times. Type S errors were comparatively rare. These observations indicate that low power, coupled with publication bias, inflates the estimates of anthropogenic impacts. Importantly, we found that meta-analyses largely mitigated the issues of low power and exaggerated effect size estimates. Rather surprisingly, manipulative experiments and non-manipulative observations had very similar results in terms of their power, Type M and S errors. Therefore, the previous assumption about the superiority of manipulative experiments in terms of power is overstated. These results call for highly powered field studies to reliably inform theory building and policymaking, via more collaboration and team science, and large-scale ecosystem facilities. Future studies also require transparent reporting and open science practices to approach reproducible and reliable empirical work and evidence synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yefeng Yang
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Biosystems EngineeringZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public HealthJockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life SciencesCity University of Hong KongHong KongChina
| | - Helmut Hillebrand
- Plankton Ecology LabInstitute for Chemistry and Biology of Marine Environments (ICBM)Carl‐von‐Ossietzky University OldenburgOldenburgGermany
- Helmholtz‐Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB)OldenburgGermany
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz‐Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)BremerhavenGermany
| | - Malgorzata Lagisz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Ian Cleasby
- RSPB Centre for Conservation ScienceNorth Scotland Regional OfficeInvernessUK
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexandra Weigelt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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13
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Jákli B, Meier R, Gelhardt U, Bliss M, Grünhage L, Baumgarten M. Regionalized dynamic climate series for ecological climate impact research in modern controlled environment facilities. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17364-17380. [PMID: 34938514 PMCID: PMC8668799 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern controlled environment facilities (CEFs) enable the simulation of dynamic microclimates in controlled ecological experiments through their technical ability to precisely control multiple environmental parameters. However, few CEF studies exploit the technical possibilities of their facilities, as climate change treatments are frequently applied by static manipulation of an inadequate number of climate change drivers, ignoring intra-annual variability and covariation of multiple meteorological variables. We present a method for generating regionalized climate series in high temporal resolution that was developed to force the TUMmesa Model EcoSystem Analyzer with dynamic climate simulations. The climate series represent annual cycles for a reference period (1987-2016) and the climate change scenarios RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 (2071-2100) regionalized for a climate station situated in a forested region of the German Spessart mountains. Based on the EURO-CORDEX and ReKliEs-DE model ensembles, typical annual courses of daily resolved climatologies for the reference period and the RCP scenarios were calculated from multimodel means of temperature (ta), relative humidity (rh), global radiation (Rg), air pressure (P), and ground-level ozone and complemented by CO2. To account for intra-annual variation and the covariability of multiple climate variables, daily values were substituted by hourly resolved data resampled from the historical record. The resulting present climate Test Reference Year (TRY) well represented a possible annual cycle within the reference period, and expected shifts in future mean values (e.g., higher ta) were reproduced within the RCP TRYs. The TRYs were executed in eight climate chambers of the TUMmesa facility and-accounting for the technical boundaries of the facility-reproduced with high precision. Especially, as an alternative to CEF simulations that reproduce mere day/night cycles and static manipulations of climate change drivers, the method presented here proved well suited for simulating regionalized and highly dynamic annual cycles for ecological CEF studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bálint Jákli
- Land Surface‐Atmosphere InteractionsTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Roman Meier
- Interdepartmental research facility TUMmesaTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | | | - Margaret Bliss
- Land Surface‐Atmosphere InteractionsTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Ludger Grünhage
- Department of Plant EcologyJustus‐Liebig‐Universität GiessenGießenGermany
| | - Manuela Baumgarten
- Land Surface‐Atmosphere InteractionsTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
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Schmidt A, Hines J, Türke M, Buscot F, Schädler M, Weigelt A, Gebler A, Klotz S, Liu T, Reth S, Trogisch S, Roy J, Wirth C, Eisenhauer N. The iDiv Ecotron-A flexible research platform for multitrophic biodiversity research. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:15174-15190. [PMID: 34765169 PMCID: PMC8571575 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Across the globe, ecological communities are confronted with multiple global environmental change drivers, and they are responding in complex ways ranging from behavioral, physiological, and morphological changes within populations to changes in community composition and food web structure with consequences for ecosystem functioning. A better understanding of global change-induced alterations of multitrophic biodiversity and the ecosystem-level responses in terrestrial ecosystems requires holistic and integrative experimental approaches to manipulate and study complex communities and processes above and below the ground. We argue that mesocosm experiments fill a critical gap in this context, especially when based on ecological theory and coupled with microcosm experiments, field experiments, and observational studies of macroecological patterns. We describe the design and specifications of a novel terrestrial mesocosm facility, the iDiv Ecotron. It was developed to allow the setup and maintenance of complex communities and the manipulation of several abiotic factors in a near-natural way, while simultaneously measuring multiple ecosystem functions. To demonstrate the capabilities of the facility, we provide a case study. This study shows that changes in aboveground multitrophic interactions caused by decreased predator densities can have cascading effects on the composition of belowground communities. The iDiv Ecotrons technical features, which allow for the assembly of an endless spectrum of ecosystem components, create the opportunity for collaboration among researchers with an equally broad spectrum of expertise. In the last part, we outline some of such components that will be implemented in future ecological experiments to be realized in the iDiv Ecotron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Schmidt
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZHalle (Saale)Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Jes Hines
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Manfred Türke
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - François Buscot
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZHalle (Saale)Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Martin Schädler
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZHalle (Saale)Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Alexandra Weigelt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Alban Gebler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Stefan Klotz
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Tao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded EcosystemsSouth China Botanical GardenChinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Sascha Reth
- Umwelt‐Geräte‐Technik GmbH – UGTMünchebergGermany
| | - Stefan Trogisch
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Martin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Jacques Roy
- French National Centre for Scientific Research – CNRSParisFrance
| | - Christian Wirth
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
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15
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Mortimer JC, Gilliham M. SpaceHort: redesigning plants to support space exploration and on-earth sustainability. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 73:246-252. [PMID: 34563931 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Crewed missions to Mars are planned within the next twenty years. Production of food and materials in situ will eventually be necessary for mission success. This will require the development of crops which can thrive in environments we can sustain in Space. Here, we discuss the challenges we must solve to provide adequate nutrition to support long term Space habitation. Further, we propose that plants are an ideal biomanufacturing platform for producing pharmaceuticals and biomaterials on demand. Designing Space plants requires advances in our ability to engineer plant biology in a predictive manner. Parallel development of suitable tightly controlled growth environments, including extensive monitoring and sensing, will also be a key enabler. Collectively, such research promises to deliver solutions for progressing sustainable closed environment agriculture on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny C Mortimer
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA, Australia; Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
| | - Matthew Gilliham
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA, Australia.
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Rojas-Botero S, Kollmann J, Teixeira LH. Competitive trait hierarchies of native communities and invasive propagule pressure consistently predict invasion success during grassland establishment. Biol Invasions 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-021-02630-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AbstractInvasive non-native plants challenge ecosystems restoration, and understanding the factors that determine the establishment of invasive plants is crucial to improve restoration outcomes. However, the drivers of invasibility of plant communities are not sufficiently clear, and combined effects are not understood. Therefore, we investigated the contribution of the main drivers of invasion success during early phases of restoration, i.e., biotic resistance, invasive propagule pressure, and environmental fluctuations. We compared the contribution of these drivers in a series of mesocosms experiments using designed grasslands as a model system, and Solidago gigantea as invasive model species. Two grassland communities were designed according to competitive trait hierarchies with different sowing patterns, reflecting variation in biotic resistance. We then manipulated invader propagule pressure and applied different scenarios of environmental fluctuation, i.e., flood, heat, and N fertilization. Invasive biomass was considered as proxy for invasion success, while native biomass represented restoration success. There were consistent effects of biotic resistance to S. gigantea invasion via competitive trait hierarchies in the three experiments. Communities dominated by species with high-competition traits were more resistant regardless of environmental fluctuation. Clumped seeding of the native community reduced invasibility, whereas high non-native propagule density increased invasion. The effects of environmental fluctuation were less consistent and context-dependent, thus playing a secondary role when compared to biotic drivers of invasion. Restoration initiatives on grasslands impacted by invasive plants should consider biotic resistance of the restored community as a key driver and the importance of controlling further arrivals of invasive species during community assembly.
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Yao L, van de Zedde R, Kowalchuk G. Recent developments and potential of robotics in plant eco-phenotyping. Emerg Top Life Sci 2021; 5:289-300. [PMID: 34013965 PMCID: PMC8166337 DOI: 10.1042/etls20200275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Automated acquisition of plant eco-phenotypic information can serve as a decision-making basis for precision agricultural management and can also provide detailed insights into plant growth status, pest management, water and fertilizer management for plant breeders and plant physiologists. Because the microscopic components and macroscopic morphology of plants will be affected by the ecological environment, research on plant eco-phenotyping is more meaningful than the study of single-plant phenotyping. To achieve high-throughput acquisition of phenotyping information, the combination of high-precision sensors and intelligent robotic platforms have become an emerging research focus. Robotic platforms and automated systems are the important carriers of phenotyping monitoring sensors that enable large-scale screening. Through the diverse design and flexible systems, an efficient operation can be achieved across a range of experimental and field platforms. The combination of robot technology and plant phenotyping monitoring tools provides the data to inform novel artificial intelligence (AI) approaches that will provide steppingstones for new research breakthroughs. Therefore, this article introduces robotics and eco-phenotyping and examines research significant to this novel domain of plant eco-phenotyping. Given the monitoring scenarios of phenotyping information at different scales, the used intelligent robot technology, efficient automation platform, and advanced sensor equipment are summarized in detail. We further discuss the challenges posed to current research as well as the future developmental trends in the application of robot technology and plant eco-phenotyping. These include the use of collected data for AI applications and high-bandwidth data transfer, and large well-structured (meta) data storage approaches in plant sciences and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Yao
- Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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18
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Protein expression plasticity contributes to heat and drought tolerance of date palm. Oecologia 2021; 197:903-919. [PMID: 33880635 PMCID: PMC8591023 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04907-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of warming and drought periods around the globe, currently representing a threat to many plant species. Understanding the resistance and resilience of plants to climate change is, therefore, urgently needed. As date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) evolved adaptation mechanisms to a xeric environment and can tolerate large diurnal and seasonal temperature fluctuations, we studied the protein expression changes in leaves, volatile organic compound emissions, and photosynthesis in response to variable growth temperatures and soil water deprivation. Plants were grown under controlled environmental conditions of simulated Saudi Arabian summer and winter climates challenged with drought stress. We show that date palm is able to counteract the harsh conditions of the Arabian Peninsula by adjusting the abundances of proteins related to the photosynthetic machinery, abiotic stress and secondary metabolism. Under summer climate and water deprivation, these adjustments included efficient protein expression response mediated by heat shock proteins and the antioxidant system to counteract reactive oxygen species formation. Proteins related to secondary metabolism were downregulated, except for the P. dactylifera isoprene synthase (PdIspS), which was strongly upregulated in response to summer climate and drought. This study reports, for the first time, the identification and functional characterization of the gene encoding for PdIspS, allowing future analysis of isoprene functions in date palm under extreme environments. Overall, the current study shows that reprogramming of the leaf protein profiles confers the date palm heat- and drought tolerance. We conclude that the protein plasticity of date palm is an important mechanism of molecular adaptation to environmental fluctuations.
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