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van Mantgem PJ, Milano ER, Dudney J, Nesmith JCB, Vandergast AG, Zald HSJ. Growth, drought response, and climate-associated genomic structure in whitebark pine in the Sierra Nevada of California. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10072. [PMID: 37206686 PMCID: PMC10191741 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.) has experienced rapid population declines and is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the United States. Whitebark pine in the Sierra Nevada of California represents the southernmost end of the species' distribution and, like other portions of its range, faces threats from an introduced pathogen, native bark beetles, and a rapidly warming climate. Beyond these chronic stressors, there is also concern about how this species will respond to acute stressors, such as drought. We present patterns of stem growth from 766 large (average diameter at breast height >25 cm), disease-free whitebark pine across the Sierra Nevada before and during a recent period of drought. We contextualize growth patterns using population genomic diversity and structure from a subset of 327 trees. Sampled whitebark pine generally had positive to neutral stem growth trends from 1970 to 2011, which was positively correlated with minimum temperature and precipitation. Indices of stem growth during drought years (2012 to 2015) relative to a predrought interval were mostly positive to neutral at our sampled sites. Individual tree growth response phenotypes appeared to be linked to genotypic variation in climate-associated loci, suggesting that some genotypes can take better advantage of local climatic conditions than others. We speculate that reduced snowpack during the 2012 to 2015 drought years may have lengthened the growing season while retaining sufficient moisture to maintain growth at most study sites. Growth responses may differ under future warming, however, particularly if drought severity increases and modifies interactions with pests and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth R. Milano
- U.S. Geological SurveyWestern Ecological Research CenterSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
- Present address:
USDA Forest ServiceRocky Mountain Research StationMoscowIdahoUSA
| | - Joan Dudney
- Environmental Studies ProgramUC Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & ManagementUC BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Amy G. Vandergast
- U.S. Geological SurveyWestern Ecological Research CenterSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Harold S. J. Zald
- USDA Forest ServicePacific Northwest Research StationCorvallisOregonUSA
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2
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Young DJN, Slaton MR, Koltunov A. Temperature is positively associated with tree mortality in California subalpine forests containing whitebark pine. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Derek J. N. Young
- Department of Plant Sciences University of California Davis California USA
| | - Michèle R. Slaton
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Remote Sensing Lab McClellan California USA
| | - Alexander Koltunov
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Remote Sensing Lab McClellan California USA
- Center for Spatial Technologies and Remote Sensing (CSTARS), Department of Land, Air and Water Resources University of California Davis California USA
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3
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Constitutive and Induced Defenses in Long-lived Pines Do Not Trade Off but Are Influenced by Climate. J Chem Ecol 2022; 48:746-760. [PMID: 35982356 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-022-01377-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Plants resist herbivores and pathogens by using constitutive (baseline) and inducible (change in defense after an attack) defenses. Inducibility has long been predicted to trade off with constitutive defense, reflecting the economic use of resources. However, empirical evidence for such tradeoffs is variable, and we still lack understanding about when and where defense trade-offs occur. We tested for tradeoffs between constitutive and induced defenses in natural populations of three species of long-lived pines (Pinus balfouriana, P. flexilis, P. longaeva) that differ greatly in constitutive defense and resistance to mountain pine beetle (MPB, Dendroctonus ponderosae). We also assessed how climate influenced constitutive and inducible defenses. At seven high-elevation sites in the western U.S., we simulated MPB attack to induce defenses and measured concentrations of terpene-based phloem defenses on days 0, 15, and 30. Constitutive and induced defenses did not trade off among or within species. Simulated MPB attack induced large increases in defense concentrations in all species independent of constitutive levels. MPB and its symbiotic fungi typically kill trees and thus could be selective forces maintaining strong inducibility within and among species. The contrasting constitutive concentrations in these species could be driven by the adaptation for specializing in harsh, high-elevation environments (e.g., P. balfouriana and P. longaeva) or by competition (e.g., P. flexilis), though these hypotheses have not been empirically examined. Climate influenced defenses, with the greatest concentrations of constitutive and induced defenses occurring at the coldest and driest sites. The interactions between climate and defenses have implications for these species under climate change.
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Balantic C, Adams A, Gross S, Mazur R, Sawyer S, Tucker J, Vernon M, Mengelt C, Morales J, Thorne JH, Brown TM, Athearn N, Morelli TL. Toward climate change refugia conservation at an ecoregion scale. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cathleen Balantic
- Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst Massachusetts USA
| | - Andrea Adams
- Earth Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Shana Gross
- Ecology Program USDA Forest Service, Region 5 South Lake Tahoe California USA
| | - Rachel Mazur
- Division of Resources Management and Science Yosemite National Park El Portal California USA
| | - Sarah Sawyer
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Vallejo California USA
| | - Jody Tucker
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Vallejo California USA
| | - Marian Vernon
- Point Blue Conservation Science Petaluma California USA
| | - Claudia Mengelt
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Science Applications Sacramento California USA
| | - Jennifer Morales
- Climate Change Program California Department of Water Resources Fresno California USA
| | - James H. Thorne
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis California USA
| | - Timothy M. Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Nicole Athearn
- Division of Resources Management and Science National Park Service El Portal California USA
| | - Toni Lyn Morelli
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst Massachusetts USA
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Jules ES, van Mantgem PJ, Iberle BG, Nesmith JCB, Rochefort RM. Whitebark Pine in the National Parks of the Pacific States: An Assessment of Population Vulnerability. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.3955/046.094.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erik S. Jules
- Humboldt State University, 1 Harpst Street, Arcata, California 95521
| | - Phillip J. van Mantgem
- US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, 1655 Heindon Road, Arcata, California 95521
| | | | - Jonathan C. B. Nesmith
- National Park Service, Sierra Nevada Network, 47050 Generals Highway, Three Rivers, California, 93271
| | - Regina M. Rochefort
- North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 810 State Route 20, Sedro-Woolley, Washington 98284
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Ray C, Rochefort RM, Ransom JI, Nesmith JCB, Haultain SA, Schaming TD, Boetsch JR, Holmgren ML, Wilkerson RL, Siegel RB. Assessing trends and vulnerabilities in the mutualism between whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) in national parks of the Sierra-Cascade region. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227161. [PMID: 33052936 PMCID: PMC7556478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.), a keystone species of many high-elevation ecosystems in western North America, depends on Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana Wilson), a seed-caching bird with an affinity for whitebark seeds. To the extent that this dependence is mutual, declines in whitebark seed production could cause declines in nutcracker abundance. Whitebark pine is in decline across much of its range due to interacting stressors, including the non-native pathogen white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola J. C. Fisch.). We used avian point-count data and tree surveys from four national park units to investigate whether trends in whitebark pine can explain trends in Clark’s nutcracker. Spatial trends were modeled using recent data from two parks, while temporal trends were modeled using longer time-series of nutcracker and whitebark data from two additional parks. To assess the potential dependence of nutcrackers on whitebark, we linked a model of nutcracker density (accounting for detection probability) with a model of whitebark trends, using a Bayesian framework to translate uncertainty in whitebark metrics to uncertainty in nutcracker density. In Mount Rainier National Park, temporal models showed dramatic declines in nutcracker density concurrent with significant increases in whitebark crown mortality and trees infected with white pine blister rust. However, nutcrackers did not trend with whitebark metrics in North Cascades National Park Service Complex. In spatial models of data from Yosemite National Park and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, nutcracker density varied not only with local cover of whitebark but also with elevation and, in Sequoia-Kings Canyon, with cover of another species of white pine. Our results add support for the hypothesis that the mutualism between whitebark pine and Clark’s nutcracker is vulnerable to disruption by blister rust, and our approach integrates data across monitoring programs to explore trends in species interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Ray
- The Institute for Bird Populations, Petaluma, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Regina M. Rochefort
- North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Sedro-Woolley, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jason I. Ransom
- North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Sedro-Woolley, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jonathan C. B. Nesmith
- National Park Service, Sierra Nevada Network, Three Rivers, California, United States of America
| | - Sylvia A. Haultain
- National Park Service, Sierra Nevada Network, Three Rivers, California, United States of America
| | - Taza D. Schaming
- Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, Jackson, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - John R. Boetsch
- National Park Service, North Coast and Cascades Network, Port Angeles, Washington, United States of America
| | - Mandy L. Holmgren
- The Institute for Bird Populations, Petaluma, California, United States of America
| | - Robert L. Wilkerson
- The Institute for Bird Populations, Petaluma, California, United States of America
| | - Rodney B. Siegel
- The Institute for Bird Populations, Petaluma, California, United States of America
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Dudney JC, Nesmith JCB, Cahill MC, Cribbs JE, Duriscoe DM, Das AJ, Stephenson NL, Battles JJ. Compounding effects of white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle, and fire threaten four white pine species. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joan C. Dudney
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management University of California at Berkeley Berkeley California 94720 USA
| | - Jonathan C. B. Nesmith
- Sierra Nevada Network Inventory & Monitoring Program National Park Service Three Rivers California 93271 USA
| | | | - Jennifer E. Cribbs
- Sierra Nevada Network Inventory & Monitoring Program National Park Service Three Rivers California 93271 USA
| | | | - Adrian J. Das
- Western Ecological Research Center U.S. Geological Survey Three Rivers California 93271 USA
| | - Nathan L. Stephenson
- Western Ecological Research Center U.S. Geological Survey Three Rivers California 93271 USA
| | - John J. Battles
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management University of California at Berkeley Berkeley California 94720 USA
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Weiss M, Sniezko RA, Puiu D, Crepeau MW, Stevens K, Salzberg SL, Langley CH, Neale DB, De La Torre AR. Genomic basis of white pine blister rust quantitative disease resistance and its relationship with qualitative resistance. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 104:365-376. [PMID: 32654344 PMCID: PMC10773528 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The genomic architecture and molecular mechanisms controlling variation in quantitative disease resistance loci are not well understood in plant species and have been barely studied in long-generation trees. Quantitative trait loci mapping and genome-wide association studies were combined to test a large single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) set for association with quantitative and qualitative white pine blister rust resistance in sugar pine. In the absence of a chromosome-scale reference genome, a high-density consensus linkage map was generated to obtain locations for associated SNPs. Newly discovered associations for white pine blister rust quantitative disease resistance included 453 SNPs involved in wide biological functions, including genes associated with disease resistance and others involved in morphological and developmental processes. In addition, NBS-LRR pathogen recognition genes were found to be involved in quantitative disease resistance, suggesting these newly reported genes are qualitative genes with partial resistance, they are the result of defeated qualitative resistance due to avirulent races, or they have epistatic effects on qualitative disease resistance genes. This study is a step forward in our understanding of the complex genomic architecture of quantitative disease resistance in long-generation trees, and constitutes the first step towards marker-assisted disease resistance breeding in white pine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Weiss
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E.
Pine Knoll, Flagstaff, AZ 86011
| | - Richard A. Sniezko
- Dorena Genetic Resource Center, USDA Forest Service,
Cottage-Grove, OR 97424
| | - Daniela Puiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and
Biostatistics and Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3100
Wyman Park Dr., Wyman Park Building Room S220, Baltimore, MD 21211
| | - Marc W. Crepeau
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of
California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Kristian Stevens
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of
California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Steven L. Salzberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and
Biostatistics and Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3100
Wyman Park Dr., Wyman Park Building Room S220, Baltimore, MD 21211
- Departments of Computer Science and Biostatistics, Johns
Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Charles H. Langley
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of
California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - David B. Neale
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of
California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Amanda R. De La Torre
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E.
Pine Knoll, Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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9
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Survival of Whitebark Pine Seedlings Grown from Direct Seeding: Implications for Regeneration and Restoration under Climate Change. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10080677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Whitebark pine populations are declining nearly range-wide, primarily from the exotic fungal pathogen that causes white pine blister rust (WPBR). Climate change is expected to exacerbate these declines by decreasing climatically suitable areas. Planting WPBR-resistant seedlings is a key restoration action, but it is costly, time consuming, and labor intensive. Direct seeding—sowing seeds rather than planting seedlings—may reduce costs and open remote areas to restoration; however, its efficacy remains largely unexplored. In this case study, we estimated the annual survival rates (ASR) of seedlings grown from directly sown seeds, and the effect of elevation zone and microsite type on survival. For five years we monitored 184 caches containing one or more seedlings within one study area in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Seed caches were originally stratified between subalpine forest and treeline and among three microsite types defined by a nurse object: Rocks, trees, and no object. To estimate ASR, we selected the most parsimonious model of a set using AICc. ASR was best described by elevation zone and year and ranged from 0.571 to 0.992. The odds of seedling survival were 2.62 times higher at treeline than in subalpine forest and were 4.6 to 36.2 times higher in 2016–2018 than 2014. We estimated the probability that a whitebark pine seed cache would contain one or more living seedlings six years after sowing to be 0.175 and 0.0584 for treeline and subalpine caches, respectively. We estimated that 1410 and 4229 caches ha−1 would need to be sown at treeline and in subalpine forest, respectively, to attain target restoration densities of 247 established trees ha−1. Our findings, although based on one study area, suggest that climate change may be increasing treeline regeneration, and that direct seeding may be a viable restoration option and climate change mitigation tool for whitebark pine.
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