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Yu F, Zhang M, Yang Y, Wang Y, Yi X. Seed size and dispersal mode select mast seeding in perennial plants. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 39048928 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12874] [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] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Reproduction by perennial plants varies from being relatively constant over years to the production of massive and synchronous seed crops at irregular intervals, a reproductive strategy called mast seeding. The sources of interspecific differences in the extent of interannual variation in seed production are largely unknown. We conducted a global meta-analysis of animal-dispersed species to quantify how the interannual variability in seed crops produced by plants can be explained by the seed mass, dispersal mode, phylogeny, and climate. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the interannual variations in seed production and seed mass tended to be similar in related species due to their shared evolution. The interannual variation in seed production was 1.22 times higher in synzoochorous species dispersed by scatter-hoarders compared with endozoochorous species dispersed by frugivores. Furthermore, the production of small seeds was associated with higher interannual variation in seed production, although synzoochorous species produced larger seeds than endozoochorous species. Precipitation rather than temperature had a significant positive effect on the interannual variation in seed production. The seed mass and dispersal mode contributed more to the interannual variation in seed production than phylogeny, climate, and fruit type. Our findings support a long-standing hypothesis that interspecific variation in the masting intensity is largely shaped by interactions between plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Henan Dabieshan National Field Observation and Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yueqin Yang
- College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Xianfeng Yi
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
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2
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Qin H, Yi X. Mast seeding is stronger in taller plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1382824. [PMID: 39045592 PMCID: PMC11264343 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1382824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Two economies of scale, predator satiation and pollination efficiency, have been proposed to explain the evolutionary mechanisms of mast seeding adopted by some long-lived plants. Plant height is strongly selected by pollination vectors and may also provide economies of scale; however, it remains unknown whether there is a close relationship between adult plant height and mast seeding intensity. Methods Here, we analyzed mast seeding intensity of 158 plant species to test if adult plant height can select for mast seeding. Results We show that mast seeding intensities are higher in taller plant species irrespective of phylogeny, life form, pollination vector, and type of Spermatophytes. We also show that anemophily rather than entomophily selects for taller plant species and higher mast seeding intensities. Discussion The linear correlations and evolutionary links between adult plant height and mast seeding intensity provide evidence that mast seeding could have evolved as an adaptation to taller strategy of perennial plant species.
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Pesendorfer MB, Ascoli D, Bogdziewicz M, Hacket-Pain A, Pearse IS, Vacchiano G. The ecology and evolution of synchronized reproduction in long-lived plants. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200369. [PMID: 34657462 PMCID: PMC8520778 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Populations of many long-lived plants exhibit spatially synchronized seed production that varies extensively over time, so that seed production in some years is much higher than on average, while in others, it is much lower or absent. This phenomenon termed masting or mast seeding has important consequences for plant reproductive success, ecosystem dynamics and plant-human interactions. Inspired by recent advances in the field, this special issue presents a series of articles that advance the current understanding of the ecology and evolution of masting. To provide a broad overview, we reflect on the state-of-the-art of masting research in terms of underlying proximate mechanisms, ontogeny, adaptations, phylogeny and applications to conservation. While the mechanistic drivers and fitness consequences of masting have received most attention, the evolutionary history, ontogenetic trajectory and applications to plant-human interactions are poorly understood. With increased availability of long-term datasets across broader geographical and taxonomic scales, as well as advances in molecular approaches, we expect that many mysteries of masting will be solved soon. The increased understanding of this global phenomenon will provide the foundation for predictive modelling of seed crops, which will improve our ability to manage forests and agricultural fruit and nut crops in the Anthropocene. This article is part of the theme issue 'The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario B. Pesendorfer
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, A-1180 Vienna, Austria
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - Davide Ascoli
- Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Michał Bogdziewicz
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-712 Poznań, Poland
- INRAE, LESSEM, University Grenoble Alpes, 38400 Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
| | - Andrew Hacket-Pain
- Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Ian S. Pearse
- Fort Collins Science Center, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Giorgio Vacchiano
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Satake A, Kelly D. Studying the genetic basis of masting. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20210116. [PMID: 34657458 PMCID: PMC8520782 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying mast seeding have traditionally been studied by collecting long-term observational data on seed crops and correlating seedfall with environmental variables. Significant progress in ecological genomics will improve our understanding of the evolution of masting by clarifying the genetic basis of masting traits and the role of natural selection in shaping those traits. Here, we summarize three important aspects in studying the evolution of masting at the genetic level: which traits govern masting, whether those traits are genetically regulated, and which taxa show wide variation in these traits. We then introduce recent studies on the molecular mechanisms of masting. Those studies measure seasonal changes in gene expression in natural conditions to quantify how multiple environmental factors combine to regulate floral initiation, which in many masting plant species is the single largest contributor to among-year variation in seed crops. We show that Fagaceae offers exceptional opportunities for evolutionary investigations because of its diversity at both the phenotypic and genetic levels and existing documented genome sequences. This article is part of the theme issue 'The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Satake
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Dave Kelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
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5
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Dale EE, Foest JJ, Hacket-Pain A, Bogdziewicz M, Tanentzap AJ. Macroevolutionary consequences of mast seeding. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200372. [PMID: 34657467 PMCID: PMC8520783 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Masting characterizes large, intermittent and highly synchronous seeding events among individual plants and is found throughout the plant Tree of Life (ToL). Although masting can increase plant fitness, little is known about whether it results in evolutionary changes across entire clades, such as by promoting speciation or enhanced trait selection. Here, we tested if masting has macroevolutionary consequences by combining the largest existing dataset of population-level reproductive time series and time-calibrated phylogenetic tree of vascular plants. We found that the coefficient of variation (CVp) of reproductive output for 307 species covaried with evolutionary history, and more so within clades than expected by random. Speciation rates estimated at the species level were highest at intermediate values of CVp and regional-scale synchrony (Sr) in seed production, that is, there were unimodal correlations. There was no support for monotonic correlations between either CVp or Sr and rates of speciation or seed size evolution. These results were robust to different sampling decisions, and we found little bias in our dataset compared with the wider plant ToL. While masting is often adaptive and encompasses a rich diversity of reproductive behaviours, we suggest it may have few consequences beyond the species level. This article is part of the theme issue 'The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther E. Dale
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Jessie J. Foest
- Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Andrew Hacket-Pain
- Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Michał Bogdziewicz
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznań 61-614, Poland
- INRAE, LESSEM, University Grenoble Alpes, Saint-Martin-d'Heres, France
| | - Andrew J. Tanentzap
- Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
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6
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Bogdziewicz M, Szymkowiak J, Tanentzap AJ, Calama R, Marino S, Steele MA, Seget B, Piechnik Ł, Żywiec M. Seed predation selects for reproductive variability and synchrony in perennial plants. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:2357-2364. [PMID: 32744333 PMCID: PMC7891628 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Annually variable and synchronous seed production by plant populations, or masting, is a widespread reproductive strategy in long-lived plants. Masting is thought to be selectively beneficial because interannual variability and synchrony increase the fitness of plants through economies of scale that decrease the cost of reproduction per surviving offspring. Predator satiation is believed to be a key economy of scale, but whether it can drive phenotypic evolution for masting in plants has been rarely explored. We used data from seven plant species (Quercus humilis, Quercus ilex, Quercus rubra, Quercus alba, Quercus montana, Sorbus aucuparia and Pinus pinea) to determine whether predispersal seed predation selects for plant phenotypes that mast. Predation selected for interannual variability in Mediterranean oaks (Q. humilis and Q. ilex), for synchrony in Q. rubra, and for both interannual variability and reproductive synchrony in S. aucuparia and P. pinea. Predation never selected for negative temporal autocorrelation of seed production. Predation by invertebrates appears to select for only some aspects of masting, most importantly high coefficient of variation, supporting individual-level benefits of the population-level phenomenon of mast seeding. Determining the selective benefits of masting is complex because of interactions with other seed predators, which may impose contradictory selective pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Bogdziewicz
- Department of Systematic ZoologyFaculty of BiologyAdam Mickiewicz UniversityUl. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6Poznań61‐614Poland
| | - Jakub Szymkowiak
- Population Ecology LabFaculty of BiologyAdam Mickiewicz UniversityUl. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6Poznań61‐614Poland
| | - Andrew J. Tanentzap
- Ecosystems and Global Change GroupDepartment of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeDowning StreetCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
| | - Rafael Calama
- Department of Forest Dynamics and ManagementINIA‐CIFORCtra A Coruña km 7.5Madrid28040Spain
| | - Shealyn Marino
- Department of BiologyWilkes UniversityWilkes‐BarrePA18766USA
| | | | - Barbara Seget
- Władysław Szafer Institute of BotanyPolish Academy of SciencesLubicz 46Kraków31‐512Poland
| | - Łukasz Piechnik
- Władysław Szafer Institute of BotanyPolish Academy of SciencesLubicz 46Kraków31‐512Poland
| | - Magdalena Żywiec
- Władysław Szafer Institute of BotanyPolish Academy of SciencesLubicz 46Kraków31‐512Poland
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7
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Pearse IS, LaMontagne JM, Lordon M, Hipp AL, Koenig WD. Biogeography and phylogeny of masting: do global patterns fit functional hypotheses? THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 227:1557-1567. [PMID: 32315447 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Interannual variability of seed crops (CVp) has profound consequences for plant populations and food webs, where high CVp is termed 'masting'. Here we ask: is global variation in CVp better predicted by plant or habitat differences consistent with adaptive economies of scale, in which flower and seed benefits increase disproportionately during mast years; or by passive mechanisms, in which seed production responds to variation in resource availability associated with climate variability? To address this question, we compiled a dataset for phylogenetic comparative analysis of long-term fruit/seed production for plants comprising 920 time series spanning 311 plant species. Factors associated with both adaptive benefits of CVp (wind pollination and seed dispersal) and climatic variability (variability of summer precipitation) were among the best predictors of global variation in CVp. We observed a hump-shaped relationship between CVp and latitude and intermediate phylogenetic and geographic signals in CVp. CVp is patterned nonrandomly across the globe and over the plant tree of life, where high CVp is associated with species benefiting from economies of scale of seed or flower production and with species that experience variable rainfall over summer months when seeds usually mature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian S Pearse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, 2150 Centre Ave #C, Ft Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Jalene M LaMontagne
- Department of Biological Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA
| | - Michael Lordon
- Department of Biological Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA
| | | | - Walter D Koenig
- Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
- Hastings Reservation, University of California Berkeley, Carmel Valley, CA, 93924, USA
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Bogdziewicz M, Kelly D, Tanentzap AJ, Thomas PA, Lageard JGA, Hacket-Pain A. Climate Change Strengthens Selection for Mast Seeding in European Beech. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3477-3483.e2. [PMID: 32649915 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is altering patterns of seed production worldwide [1-4], but the potential for evolutionary responses to these changes is poorly understood. Masting (synchronous, annually variable seed production by plant populations) is selectively beneficial through economies of scale that decrease the cost of reproduction per surviving offspring [5-7]. Masting is particularly widespread in temperate trees [8, 9] impacting food webs, macronutrient cycling, carbon storage, and human disease risk [10-12], so understanding its response to climate change is important. Here, we analyze inter-individual variability in plant reproductive patterns and two economies of scale-predator satiation and pollination efficiency-and document how natural selection acting upon them favors masting. Four decades of observations for European beech (Fagus sylvatica) show that predator satiation and pollination efficiency select for individuals with higher inter-annual variability of reproduction and higher reproductive synchrony between individuals. This result confirms the long-standing theory that masting, a population-level phenomenon, is generated by selection on individuals. Furthermore, recent climate-driven increases in mean seed production have increased selection pressure from seed predators but not from pollination efficiency. Natural selection is thus acting to restore the fitness benefits of masting, which have previously decreased under a warming climate [13]. However, selection will likely take far longer (centuries) than climate warming (decades), so in the short-term, tree reproduction will be reduced because masting has become less effective at satiating seed predators. Over the long-term, evolutionary responses to climate change could potentially increase inter-annual variability of seed production of masting species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Bogdziewicz
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umutlowska 89, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; CREAF, Universitat de Autonoma Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Dave Kelly
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Andrew J Tanentzap
- Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing St., Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Peter A Thomas
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Jonathan G A Lageard
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
| | - Andrew Hacket-Pain
- Department of Geography and Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZT, UK
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9
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Bogdziewicz M, Ascoli D, Hacket‐Pain A, Koenig WD, Pearse I, Pesendorfer M, Satake A, Thomas P, Vacchiano G, Wohlgemuth T, Tanentzap A. From theory to experiments for testing the proximate mechanisms of mast seeding: an agenda for an experimental ecology. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:210-220. [PMID: 31858712 PMCID: PMC6973031 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Highly variable and synchronised production of seeds by plant populations, known as masting, is implicated in many important ecological processes, but how it arises remains poorly understood. The lack of experimental studies prevents underlying mechanisms from being explicitly tested, and thereby precludes meaningful predictions on the consequences of changing environments for plant reproductive patterns and global vegetation dynamics. Here we review the most relevant proximate drivers of masting and outline a research agenda that takes the biology of masting from a largely observational field of ecology to one rooted in mechanistic understanding. We divide the experimental framework into three main processes: resource dynamics, pollen limitation and genetic and hormonal regulation, and illustrate how specific predictions about proximate mechanisms can be tested, highlighting the few successful experiments as examples. We envision that the experiments we outline will deliver new insights into how and why masting patterns might respond to a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Bogdziewicz
- Department of Systematic ZoologyFaculty of BiologyAdam Mickiewicz University in PoznańUmutlowska 8961‐614PoznańPoland
| | - Davide Ascoli
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food SciencesUniversity of Turin10095 GrugliascoTorinoItaly
| | - Andrew Hacket‐Pain
- Department of Geography and PlanningSchool of Environmental SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Ian Pearse
- Fort Collins Science Center U.S. Geological SurveyFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Mario Pesendorfer
- Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNY14850USA
- Institute of Forest EcologyDepartment of Forest and Soil SciencesUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Akiko Satake
- Department of BiologyFaculty of ScienceKyushu University819‐0395FukuokaJapan
| | - Peter Thomas
- School of Life SciencesKeele UniversityStaffordshireST5 5BGUK
| | | | - Thomas Wohlgemuth
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLForest Dynamics, Zürcherstrasse 111CH‐8903BirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | - Andrew Tanentzap
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeDowning StCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
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Bogdziewicz M, Żywiec M, Espelta JM, Fernández-Martinez M, Calama R, Ledwoń M, McIntire E, Crone EE. Environmental Veto Synchronizes Mast Seeding in Four Contrasting Tree Species. Am Nat 2019; 194:246-259. [PMID: 31318289 DOI: 10.1086/704111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Synchronized and variable reproduction by perennial plants, called mast seeding, is a major reproductive strategy of trees. The need to accumulate sufficient resources after depletion following fruiting (resource budget), the efficiency of mass flowering for outcross pollination (pollen coupling), or the external factors preventing reproduction (environmental veto) could all synchronize masting. We used seed production data for four species (Quercus ilex, Quercus humilis, Sorbus aucuparia, and Pinus albicaulis) to parametrize resource budget models of masting. Based on species life-history characteristics, we hypothesized that pollen coupling should synchronize reproduction in S. aucuparia and P. albicaulis, while in Q. ilex and Q. humilis, environmental veto should be a major factor. Pollen coupling was stronger in S. aucuparia and P. albicaulis than in oaks, while veto was more frequent in the latter. Yet in all species, costs of reproduction were too small to impose a replenishment period. A synchronous environmental veto, in the presence of environmental stochasticity, was sufficient to produce observed variability and synchrony in reproduction. In the past, vetoes like frost events that prevent reproduction have been perceived as negative for plants. In fact, they could be selectively favored as a way to create mast seeding.
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