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Liu X, Zhou S, Hu J, Zou X, Tie L, Li Y, Cui X, Huang C, Sardans J, Peñuelas J. Variations and trade-offs in leaf and culm functional traits among 77 woody bamboo species. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:387. [PMID: 38724946 PMCID: PMC11084126 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05108-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Woody bamboos are the only diverse large perennial grasses in mesic-wet forests and are widely distributed in the understory and canopy. The functional trait variations and trade-offs in this taxon remain unclear due to woody bamboo syndromes (represented by lignified culm of composed internodes and nodes). Here, we examined the effects of heritable legacy and occurrence site climates on functional trait variations in leaf and culm across 77 woody bamboo species in a common garden. We explored the trade-offs among leaf functional traits, the connection between leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) concentrations and functional niche traits, and the correlation of functional traits between leaves and culms. RESULTS The Bayesian mixed models reveal that the combined effects of heritable legacy (phylogenetic distances and other evolutionary processes) and occurrence site climates accounted for 55.10-90.89% of the total variation among species for each studied trait. The standardized major axis analysis identified trade-offs among leaf functional traits in woody bamboo consistent with the global leaf economics spectrum; however, compared to non-bamboo species, the woody bamboo exhibited lower leaf mass per area but higher N, P concentrations and assimilation, dark respiration rates. The canonical correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation (ρ = 0.57, P-value < 0.001) between leaf N, P concentrations and morphophysiology traits. The phylogenetic principal components and trait network analyses indicated that leaf and culm traits were clustered separately, with leaf assimilation and respiration rates associated with culm ground diameter. CONCLUSION Our study confirms the applicability of the leaf economics spectrum and the biogeochemical niche in woody bamboo taxa, improves the understanding of woody bamboo leaf and culm functional trait variations and trade-offs, and broadens the taxonomic units considered in plant functional trait studies, which contributes to our comprehensive understanding of terrestrial forest ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Liu
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River & Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, SICAU, Chengdu, 611130, China
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, 08193, Spain
- Global Ecology Unit, CSIC, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia, 08193, Spain
| | - Shixing Zhou
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River & Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, SICAU, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Junxi Hu
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River & Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, SICAU, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Xingcheng Zou
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River & Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, SICAU, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Liehua Tie
- Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain of Guizhou Province, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Ying Li
- College of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Xinglei Cui
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River & Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, SICAU, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Congde Huang
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River & Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, SICAU, Chengdu, 611130, China.
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, 08193, Spain
- Global Ecology Unit, CSIC, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia, 08193, Spain
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, 08193, Spain
- Global Ecology Unit, CSIC, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia, 08193, Spain
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Mu Z, Asensio D, Sardans J, Ogaya R, Llusià J, Filella I, Liu L, Wang X, Peñuelas J. Chronic drought alters extractable concentrations of mineral elements in Mediterranean forest soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167062. [PMID: 37709077 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Soil mineral elements play a crucial role in ecosystem productivity and pollution dynamics. Climate models project an increase in drought severity in the Mediterranean Basin in the coming decades, which could lead to changes in the composition and concentrations of mineral elements in soils. These changes can have significant impacts on the fundamental processes of plant-soil cycles. While previous studies have predominantly focused on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, there is a notable lack of research on the biogeochemical responses of other mineral elements to increasing drought. In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic drought (15 years of experimental rainfall exclusion) and seasonal drought (summer period) on the extractable soil concentrations of 17 mineral elements (arsenic (As), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), sulphur (S), strontium (Sr), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn)) in a Mediterranean holm oak forest. We also explored the potential biotic and abiotic mechanisms underlying the changes in extractable elemental concentrations under chronic drought conditions. Our findings reveal that soil elemental concentrations varied significantly due to seasonal changes and chronic drought, with soil microclimate, biological activity, and organic matter being the main drivers of this variability. Levels of soil water content primarily explained the observed variations in soil elemental concentrations. Most of the mineral elements (13 out of 17) exhibited higher concentrations during winter-spring (wet seasons) compared to summer-autumn (dry seasons). The chronic drought treatment resulted in K limitation, increasing vegetation vulnerability to drought stress. Conversely, the accumulation of S in soils due to drought may intensify the risk of S losses from the plant-soil system. Under drought conditions, certain trace elements (particularly Mn, V, and Cd) exhibited increased extractability, posing potential risks to plant health and the exportation of these elements into continental waters. Overall, our results suggest that alterations in mineral element concentrations under future drier conditions could promote ecosystem degradation and pollution dispersion in the Mediterranean Basin. Understanding and predicting these changes are essential for effective ecosystem management and mitigating the potential negative impacts on plant health and water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaobin Mu
- CSIC, Global Ecology CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Dolores Asensio
- CSIC, Global Ecology CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano 39100, Italy.
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Romà Ogaya
- CSIC, Global Ecology CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Joan Llusià
- CSIC, Global Ecology CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Iolanda Filella
- CSIC, Global Ecology CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Lei Liu
- Institute of Ecology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Agricultural Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Xinming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Valles, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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Azad MS, Mollick AS, Setu FA, Islam Khan MN, Kamruzzaman M. Stand structure, tree species diversity and leaf morphological plasticity in Xylocarpus mekongensis Pierre among salinity zones in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. JOURNAL OF ASIA-PACIFIC BIODIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.japb.2022.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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Watkinson AD, Naeth MA, Pruss SD. Nutrient loading
Artemisia cana
seedlings in greenhouse increases nitrogen tissue content and post‐outplanting survival. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Autumn D. Watkinson
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta 751 General Services Building, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - M. Anne Naeth
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta 751 General Services Building, Edmonton AB T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - Shelley D. Pruss
- Species Conservation, Conservation Programs Branch Parks Canada, Government of Canada Elk Island National Park, 1‐54401 Range Road 203, Fort Saskatchewan AB T8L 0V3 Canada
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Effects of Large-Scale Nitrogen Fertilization on Insect–Plant Interactions in the Canopy of Tall Alder Trees with N2-Fixing Traits in a Cool Temperate Forest. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12020210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition is expected to influence forests. The effects of large-scale N fertilization on canopy layer insect–plant interactions in stands of tall, atmospheric nitrogen (N2)-fixing tree species have never been assessed. We conducted a large-scale fertilization experiment (100 kg N ha−1 year−1 applied to approximately 9 ha) over three years (2012–2014) in a cool temperate forest in northern Japan. Our goal was to evaluate relational responses between alder (Alnus hirsuta [Turcz.]) and their insect herbivores to N deposition. Specifically, we assessed leaf traits (N concentration, C:N ratio, condensed tannin concentration, and leaf mass per unit area (LMA)) and herbivory by three feeding guilds (leaf damage by chewers and the densities of gallers and miners) between the fertilized site and an unfertilized control. Fertilization led to increased galler density in spring 2013 and increased leaf damage by chewers in late summer 2014. For leaf traits, the LMA decreased in spring 2013 and late summer 2014, and the C:N ratio decreased in late summer 2013. The N and condensed tannin concentrations remained unchanged throughout the study period. There was a negative correlation between LMA and leaf damage by chewers, but LMA was not correlated with galler density. These results show that large-scale N fertilization had a positive plant-mediated (i.e., indirect) effect on leaf damage by chewers via a decrease in LMA in the canopy layer. Changes in physical defenses in canopy leaves may be a mechanism by which N fertilization affects the herbivory in tall N2-fixing trees.
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Khan MNI, Khatun S, Azad MS, Mollick AS. Leaf morphological and anatomical plasticity in Sundri (Heritiera fomes Buch.-Ham.) along different canopy light and salinity zones in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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Coconut Coir as a Sustainable Nursery Growing Media for Seedling Production of the Ecologically Diverse Quercus Species. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11050522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Peat, a non-sustainable resource, is still predominately used in forest nurseries. Coconut coir might provide an alternative, renewable, and reliable growing media but few studies have evaluated this media type in forest nurseries. We assessed the influence of pure coir, in combination with various fertilization regimes, on the growth and physiology of three ecologically diverse Quercus species seedlings (Q. robur, Q. pubescens, and Q. ilex) during nursery cultivation. Seedlings were grown using peat and pure coir in combination with three fertilization treatments (standard, K-enriched, and P-enriched). Data were collected for: (1) growth and physiological traits; (2) detailed above- and below-ground morphological traits by destructive analysis; and (3) NPK content in leaves, shoot and roots, and in the growing media, following cultivation. Peat and coir in combination with the various fertilization treatments affected above- and below-ground morphology and, to a lesser extent, the physiological traits of Quercus seedlings. Large effects of the substrate occurred for most morphological variables, with peat being more effective than coir in all studied species. Fertilization also produced significant differences. The effect of K-enriched fertilization on plant growth was clear across the three species and the two growing media. P-enriched fertilization in peat was the only combination that promoted a higher amount of this element in the tissues at the end of cultivation. Despite their smaller size, seedlings produced in coir were compatible with standard Quercus forest stocktype size, and showed a proportionally higher root system development and fibrosity. Our results suggest that coir can be used as an alternative substrate to grow Quercus species seedlings, and that fertilization can offset coir deficiencies in chemical properties. As several functional traits drive planting performance under varying environmental conditions. according to the Target Plant Concept, coir might thus serve as an acceptable material for seedling cultivation in some cases.
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Arena ME, Pastur GM, Lencinas MV, Soler R, Bustamante G. Changes in the leaf nutrient and pigment contents of Berberis microphylla G. Forst. in relation to irradiance and fertilization. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03264. [PMID: 31993526 PMCID: PMC6976938 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Berberis microphylla G. Forst. commonly named calafate, is a Patagonian shrub that grows in humid areas of the steppe, coastal thickets, edges and gaps of Nothofagus forests or along streams and rivers, with small purple berries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in leaf nutrient (carbon, nitrogen, carbon:nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) and pigment contents (chlorophyll a and b, chlorophyll a:b ratio and carotenoids) of B. microphylla plants growing under different irradiances (low = 24%, medium = 57%, and high = 100% of the natural irradiance) and fertilization levels (0 = 0.00 g, 1 = 3.36 g, and 2 = 6.72 g per plant) during two growing seasons (2008-2009, 2009-2010). Also, we explored the relationships of these variables with anthocyanin, as well as with total phenol fruit contents. The fertilization has been highlighted, particularly in the content of foliar nutrients, where nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents were highest with fertilization level 2 (2.0%, 0.1%, and 0.6%, respectively), while carbon:nitrogen ratio (37.5) was maximum on fertilization level 0. Irradiance has greatly affected the content of foliar pigments. Thus, chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids were highest under low irradiance (0.4, 0.1 and 0.2 mmol/m2, respectively), while chlorophyll a:b ratio was maximum under medium and high irradiance conditions (3.1). In addition, the quantity of fruit secondary metabolite (anthocyanin and phenol) could be estimated using carbon and potassium leaf contents and chlorophyll a and b contents. On the other hand, the annual climatic variability between 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 mainly affected the variables on nutrient and pigment contents, likely evidencing the influence of two distinct climate periods, El Niño/La Niña phenomena, respectively. The changes observed in the leaf nutrient and pigment contents of B. microphylla could be related to the acclimation capacity of B. microphylla shrubs to changes in environmental conditions via arrangements in leaf composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam E. Arena
- Universidad de Morón, CONICET, Laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal, Machado 914 Lab. 501, Morón (B1708EOH), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermo Martínez Pastur
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales, Houssay 200, Ushuaia (9410), Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
| | - María Vanessa Lencinas
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales, Houssay 200, Ushuaia (9410), Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
| | - Rosina Soler
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales, Houssay 200, Ushuaia (9410), Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
| | - Gimena Bustamante
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales, Houssay 200, Ushuaia (9410), Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
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Balao F, Paun O, Alonso C. Uncovering the contribution of epigenetics to plant phenotypic variation in Mediterranean ecosystems. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2018. [PMID: 28637098 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic signals can affect plant phenotype and fitness and be stably inherited across multiple generations. Epigenetic regulation plays a key role in the mechanisms of plant response to the environment, without altering DNA sequence. As plants cannot adapt behaviourally or migrate instantly, such dynamic epigenetic responses may be particularly crucial for survival of plants within changing and challenging environments, such as the Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems (MTEs). These ecosystems suffer recurrent stressful events (warm and dry summers with associated fire regimes) that have selected for plants with similar phenotypic complex traits, resulting in similar vegetation growth forms. However, the potential role of epigenetics in plant adaptation to recurrent stressful environments such as the MTEs has generally been ignored. To understand the full spectrum of adaptive processes in such contexts, it is imperative to prompt study of the causes and consequences of epigenetic variation in natural populations. With this purpose, we review here current knowledge on epigenetic variation in natural populations and the genetic and epigenetic basis of some key traits for plants in the MTEs, namely those traits involved in adaptation to drought, fire and oligotrophic soils. We conclude there is still much to be learned about 'plant epigenetics in the wild' and, thus, we propose future research steps in the study of natural epigenetic variation of key traits in the MTEs at different scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Balao
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - O Paun
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - C Alonso
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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Santiso X, Retuerto R. Low among-provenance differences in structural and functional plasticity in response to nutrients in saplings of the circum-Mediterranean tree Arbutus unedo L. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 35:1118-1128. [PMID: 26377872 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpv081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean region is an area of special interest for conservation where the incidence of multiple drivers of global change is expected to increase. One of the factors predicted to change is soil-nutrient availability, an essential factor for plant growth. Thus, study of the effects of variation in this parameter is especially relevant in species with a circum-Mediterranean distribution, such as Arbutus unedo L., in which the different provenances grow in different habitats, which must differ in nutritional conditions. We aimed to determine the effect of provenance on plasticity, to establish whether structural and morphological traits differ in the level of plasticity and to assess how nutrients affect the photosynthetic light response. In a common garden experiment, we studied seven provenances from the circum-Mediterranean range of A. unedo and established two nutrient treatments (low and high nutrient availability). We measured physiological and structural traits in 1-year-old sapling and determined a phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) to quantify the level of plasticity, whereas the radiation effects were tested by construction and analysis of light response curves. Interestingly, provenance did not explain a significant amount of variance, but the plasticity was four times higher for the structural traits than for the physiological traits. Therefore, the plasticity to nutrient availability will not favour or prevent the expansion or contraction of the range of any of these provenances of A. unedo. Furthermore, the structural plasticity demonstrated the ability of the strawberry tree to optimize resource allocation, whereas the physiology remained stable, thus avoiding extra expenditure. The study findings also suggest that increased availability of nutrients would improve the performance of the species during the Mediterranean summer, characterized by high irradiance. These abilities will be key to the survival of saplings of the species under the future scenario of changes in nutrient availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Santiso
- Área de Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Campus Vida, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rubén Retuerto
- Área de Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Campus Vida, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Niinemets U. Is there a species spectrum within the world-wide leaf economics spectrum? Major variations in leaf functional traits in the Mediterranean sclerophyll Quercus ilex. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2015; 205:79-96. [PMID: 25580487 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The leaf economics spectrum is a general concept describing coordinated variation in foliage structural, chemical and physiological traits across resource gradients. Yet, within this concept,the role of within-species variation, including ecotypic and plastic variation components, has been largely neglected. This study hypothesized that there is a within-species economics spectrum within the general spectrum in the evergreen sclerophyll Quercus ilex which dominates low resource ecosystems over an exceptionally wide range. An extensive database of foliage traits covering the full species range was constructed, and improved filtering algorithms were developed. Standardized data filtering was deemed absolutely essential as additional variation sources can result in trait variation of 10–300%,blurring the broad relationships. Strong trait variation, c. two-fold for most traits to up to almost an order of magnitude, was uncovered.Although the Q. ilex spectrum is part of the general spectrum, within-species trait and climatic relationships in this species partly differed from the overall spectrum. Contrary to world-wide trends, Q. ilex does not necessarily have a low nitrogen content per mass and can increase photosynthetic capacity with increasing foliage robustness. This study argues that the within-species economics spectrum needs to be considered in regional- to biome-level analyses.
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Sardans J, Rivas-Ubach A, Estiarte M, Ogaya R, Peñuelas J. Field-simulated droughts affect elemental leaf stoichiometry in Mediterranean forests and shrublands. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2013.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Sardans J, Peñuelas J. Plant-soil interactions in Mediterranean forest and shrublands: impacts of climatic change. PLANT AND SOIL 2013; 365:1-33. [PMID: 31031420 PMCID: PMC6485496 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-013-1591-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the Mediterranean climate, plants have evolved under conditions of low soil-water and nutrient availabilities and have acquired a series of adaptive traits that, in turn exert strong feedback on soil fertility, structure, and protection. As a result, plant-soil systems constitute complex interactive webs where these adaptive traits allow plants to maximize the use of scarce resources. SCOPE It is necessary to review the current bibliography to highlight the most know characteristic mechanisms underlying Mediterranean plant-soil feed-backs and identify the processes that merit further research in order to reach an understanding of the plant-soil feed-backs and its capacity to cope with future global change scenarios. In this review, we characterize the functional and structural plant-soil relationships and feedbacks in Mediterranean regions. We thereafter discuss the effects of global change drivers on these complex interactions between plants and soil. CONCLUSIONS The large plant diversity that characterizes Mediterranean ecosystems is associated to the success of coexisting species in avoiding competition for soil resources by differential exploitation in space (soil layers) and time (year and daily). Among plant and soil traits, high foliar nutrient re-translocation and large contents of recalcitrant compounds reduce nutrient cycling. Meanwhile increased allocation of resources to roots and soil enzymes help to protect against soil erosion and to improve soil fertility and capacity to retain water. The long-term evolutionary adaptation to drought of Mediterranean plants allows them to cope with moderate increases of drought without significant losses of production and survival in some species. However, other species have proved to be more sensitive decreasing their growth and increasing their mortality under moderate rising of drought. All these increases contribute to species composition shifts. Moreover, in more xeric sites, the desertification resulting from synergic interactions among some related process such as drought increases, torrential rainfall increases and human driven disturbances is an increasing concern. A research priority now is to discern the effects of long-term increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, warming, and drought on soil fertility and water availability and on the structure of soil communities (e.g. shifts from bacteria to fungi) and on patching vegetation and root-water uplift (from soil to plant and from soil deep layers to soil superficial layers) roles in desertification.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sardans
- CSIC Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB. 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallés. Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallés. Catalonia, Spain
| | - J Peñuelas
- CSIC Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CEAB-UAB. 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallés. Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallés. Catalonia, Spain
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Wu TG, Yu MK, Geoff Wang G, Dong Y, Cheng XR. Leaf nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry across forty-two woody species in Southeast China. BIOCHEM SYST ECOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2012.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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von Wettberg EJB, Stinchcombe JR, Schmitt J. Early developmental responses to seedling environment modulate later plasticity to light spectral quality. PLoS One 2012; 7:e34121. [PMID: 22479538 PMCID: PMC3316606 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Correlations between developmentally plastic traits may constrain the joint evolution of traits. In plants, both seedling de-etiolation and shade avoidance elongation responses to crowding and foliage shade are mediated by partially overlapping developmental pathways, suggesting the possibility of pleiotropic constraints. To test for such constraints, we exposed inbred lines of Impatiens capensis to factorial combinations of leaf litter (which affects de-etiolation) and simulated foliage shade (which affects phytochrome-mediated shade avoidance). Increased elongation of hypocotyls caused by leaf litter phenotypically enhanced subsequent elongation of the first internode in response to low red∶far red (R∶FR). Trait expression was correlated across litter and shade conditions, suggesting that phenotypic effects of early plasticity on later plasticity may affect variation in elongation traits available to selection in different light environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J B von Wettberg
- Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America.
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Warren CR. How does P affect photosynthesis and metabolite profiles of Eucalyptus globulus? TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2011; 31:727-39. [PMID: 21849592 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpr064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) has multiple effects on plant metabolism, but there are many unresolved questions especially for evergreen trees. For example, we do not know the general effects of P on metabolism, or if P affects photosynthesis via the internal conductance to CO(2) transfer from sub-stomatal cavities to chloroplast or amounts of Rubisco. This study investigates how P deficiency affects seedlings of the evergreen tree Eucalyptus globulus grown for 2.5 months with four nutrient solutions differing in P concentration. To determine why photosynthesis was affected by P supply, Rubisco was quantified by capillary electrophoresis, internal conductance was quantified from gas exchange and carbon isotope discrimination, and biochemical parameters of photosynthesis were estimated from A/C(c) responses. Additional insights into the effect of P on metabolism were provided by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolite profiling. Larger concentrations of P in the nutrient solution led to significantly faster rates of photosynthesis. There was no evidence that stomatal or internal conductances contributed to the effect of P supply on photosynthesis. The increase in photosynthesis with P supply was correlated with V(cmax), and amounts of P, phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate (6-P). Phosphorous supply affected approximately one-third of the 90 aqueous metabolites quantified by GC-MS, but the effect size was generally smaller than reported for experiments on herbaceous species. Phosphorus deficiency decreased concentrations of phosphate, glucose 6-P and fructose 6-P more than it decreased photosynthesis, suggesting faster turnover of smaller pools of phosphate and phosphorylated intermediates. The effect of P supply on most amino acids was small, with the exception of arginine and glutamine, which increased dramatically under P deficiency. P deficiency had small or non-significant effects on carbohydrates and organic acids of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The small effect of P on carbohydrates, organic acids and (most) amino acids likely reflects a functional homeostasis among C metabolism (glycolysis, TCA and pentose P cycles), rates of photosynthesis and growth. The strong functional homeostasis in E. globulus may reflect a conservative, long-term growth and metabolic strategy of evergreen trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles R Warren
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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González AL, Fariña JM, Pinto R, Pérez C, Weathers KC, Armesto JJ, Marquet PA. Bromeliad growth and stoichiometry: responses to atmospheric nutrient supply in fog-dependent ecosystems of the hyper-arid Atacama Desert, Chile. Oecologia 2011; 167:835-45. [PMID: 21660582 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2032-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2009] [Accepted: 05/16/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (C, N, P) stoichiometry influences the growth of plants and nutrient cycling within ecosystems. Indeed, elemental ratios are used as an index for functional differences between plants and their responses to natural or anthropogenic variations in nutrient supply. We investigated the variation in growth and elemental content of the rootless terrestrial bromeliad Tillandsia landbeckii, which obtains its moisture, and likely its nutrients, from coastal fogs in the Atacama Desert. We assessed (1) how fog nutrient supply influences plant growth and stoichiometry and (2) the response of plant growth and stoichiometry to variations in nutrient supply by using reciprocal transplants. We hypothesized that T. landbeckii should exhibit physiological and biochemical plastic responses commensurate with nutrient supply from atmospheric deposition. In the case of the Atacama Desert, nutrient supply from fog is variable over space and time, which suggests a relatively high variation in the growth and elemental content of atmospheric bromeliads. We found that the nutrient content of T. landbeckii showed high spatio-temporal variability, driven partially by fog nutrient deposition but also by plant growth rates. Reciprocal transplant experiments showed that transplanted individuals converged to similar nutrient content, growth rates, and leaf production of resident plants at each site, reflecting local nutrient availability. Although plant nutrient content did not exactly match the relative supply of N and P, our results suggest that atmospheric nutrient supply is a dominant driver of plant growth and stoichiometry. In fact, our results indicate that N uptake by T. landbeckii plants depends more on N supplied by fog, whereas P uptake is mainly regulated by within-plant nutrient demand for growth. Overall, these findings indicate that variation in fog nutrient supply exerts a strong control over growth and nutrient dynamics of atmospheric plants, which are ubiquitous across fog-dominated ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica L González
- Departamento de Ecología, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity (CASEB), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Sardans J, Peñuelas J, Lope-Piedrafita S. Changes in water content and distribution in Quercus ilex leaves during progressive drought assessed by in vivo 1H magnetic resonance imaging. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2010; 10:188. [PMID: 20735815 PMCID: PMC2956538 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-10-188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2009] [Accepted: 08/24/2010] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drought is a common stressor in many regions of the world and current climatic global circulation models predict further increases in warming and drought in the coming decades in several of these regions, such as the Mediterranean basin. The changes in leaf water content, distribution and dynamics in plant tissues under different soil water availabilities are not well known. In order to fill this gap, in the present report we describe our study withholding the irrigation of the seedlings of Quercus ilex, the dominant tree species in the evergreen forests of many areas of the Mediterranean Basin. We have monitored the gradual changes in water content in the different leaf areas, in vivo and non-invasively, by 1H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using proton density weighted (rhow) images and spin-spin relaxation time (T2) maps. RESULTS Rhow images showed that the distal leaf area lost water faster than the basal area and that after four weeks of similar losses, the water reduction was greater in leaf veins than in leaf parenchyma areas and also in distal than in basal leaf area. There was a similar tendency in all different areas and tissues, of increasing T2 values during the drought period. This indicates an increase in the dynamics of free water, suggesting a decrease of cell membranes permeability. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate a non homogeneous leaf response to stress with a differentiated capacity to mobilize water between its different parts and tissues. This study shows that the MRI technique can be a useful tool to follow non-intrusively the in vivo water content changes in the different parts of the leaves during drought stress. It opens up new possibilities to better characterize the associated physiological changes and provides important information about the different responses of the different leaf areas what should be taken into account when conducting physiological and metabolic drought stress studies in different parts of the leaves during drought stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Sardans
- Unitat d'Ecofisiologia i Canvi Global CSIC-CEAB-CREAF, CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- Unitat d'Ecofisiologia i Canvi Global CSIC-CEAB-CREAF, CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Silvia Lope-Piedrafita
- Servei de Ressonància Magnètica Nuclear, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
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Anten NPR, von Wettberg EJ, Pawlowski M, Huber H. Interactive Effects of Spectral Shading and Mechanical Stress on the Expression and Costs of Shade Avoidance. Am Nat 2009; 173:241-55. [PMID: 19140769 DOI: 10.1086/595761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niels P R Anten
- Section of Plant Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 800.84, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Sardans J, Peñuelas J, Prieto P, Estiarte M. Changes in Ca, Fe, Mg, Mo, Na, and S content in a Mediterranean shrubland under warming and drought. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008jg000795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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SARDANS J, PEÑUELAS J. Drought changes phosphorus and potassium accumulation patterns in an evergreen Mediterranean forest. Funct Ecol 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01247.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Nicotra AB, Hermes JP, Jones CS, Schlichting CD. Geographic variation and plasticity to water and nutrients in Pelargonium australe. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2007; 176:136-149. [PMID: 17803645 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02157.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Here, patterns of phenotypic plasticity and trait integration of leaf characteristics in six geographically discrete populations of the perennial herb Pelargonium australe were compared. It was hypothesized that populations would show local adaptation in trait means, but similar patterns of plasticity and trait integration. Further, it was questioned whether phenotypic plasticity was positively correlated with environmental heterogeneity and whether plasticity for water-use traits in particular was adaptive. Seedlings were grown in a glasshouse at six combinations of water and nutrient availability. Leaf anatomical, morphological and gas exchange traits were measured. High amounts of plasticity in leaf traits were found in response to changes in growth conditions and there was evidence of local adaptation among the populations. While there were significant correlations between plasticity and environmental heterogeneity, not all were positive. Notably, patterns of plasticity and trait integration varied significantly among populations. Despite that variation, some of the observed plasticity was adaptive: fitness was correlated with conservative water use when water was limiting. Pelargonium arrived in Australia approximately 5 million yr ago. It is concluded here that high amounts of plasticity, in some cases adaptive, and weak integration among traits may be key to the spread and success of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne B Nicotra
- School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Jacob P Hermes
- School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Cynthia S Jones
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, Unit 3043, Storrs, CT 06269-3043, USA
| | - Carl D Schlichting
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, Unit 3043, Storrs, CT 06269-3043, USA
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