1
|
Ebrahimi A, Sugiyama A, Ayala-Jacobo L, Jacobs DF. Integrative analysis of physiology and genomics provides insights into freeze tolerance adaptations of Acacia koa along an elevational cline. Physiol Plant 2023; 175:e14098. [PMID: 38148190 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.14098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Natural selection for plant species in heterogeneous environments creates genetic variation for traits such as cold tolerance. While physiological or molecular analyses have been used to evaluate stress tolerance adaptations, combining these approaches may provide deeper insight. Acacia koa (koa) occurs from sea level to 2300 m in Hawai'i, USA. At high elevations, natural koa populations have declined due to deforestation, and freeze tolerance is a limiting factor for tree regeneration. We used physiology and molecular analyses to evaluate cold tolerance of koa populations from low (300-750 m), middle (750-1500 m), and high elevations (1500-2100 m). Half of the seedlings were cold acclimated by exposure to progressively lowered air temperatures for eight weeks (from 25.6/22.2°C to 8/4°C, day/night). Using the whole plant physiology-freezing test and koa C-repeat Binding Factor CBF genes, our results indicated that koa can be cold-acclimated when exposed to low, non-freezing temperatures. Seedlings from high elevations had consistently higher expression of Koa CBF genes associated with cold tolerance, helping to explain variation in cold-hardy phenotypes. Evaluation of the genetic background of 22 koa families across the elevations with low coverage RNA sequencing indicated that high elevation koa had relatively low values of heterozygosity, suggesting that adaptation is more likely to arise in the middle and low elevation sources. This physiology and molecular data for cold tolerance of koa across the elevation gradient of the Hawaiian Islands provides insights into natural selection processes and may help to support guidelines for conservation and seed transfer in forest restoration efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aziz Ebrahimi
- Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
| | - Anna Sugiyama
- Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
| | - Lilian Ayala-Jacobo
- Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
| | - Douglass F Jacobs
- Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Puglisi M, Sciandrello S. Bryophyte Diversity and Distribution Patterns along Elevation Gradients of the Mount Etna (Sicily), the Highest Active Volcano in Europea. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:2655. [PMID: 37514269 PMCID: PMC10383935 DOI: 10.3390/plants12142655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Mt Etna in Sicily hosts a bryophyte floristic richness of 306 taxa, corresponding to 259 mosses, 43 liverworts, and 4 hornworts. Species richness shows a hump-shaped relationship with the elevation, with a peak at 1200-1700 m a.s.l. Chorotype patterns clearly change along an altitudinal gradient, from the Mediterranean, located at 0-300 m a.s.l., to Arctic-montane and boreo-Arctic montane at 1800-2700 m a.s.l., showing a correlation with the bioclimatic belts identified for the Mt Etna. In regard to the life form pattern, the turf species are the most represented in each elevation gradient, except at 2300-2700 m a.s.l. where the tuft species are prevalent. The life strategy pattern shows the colonists as the prevailing species, featured by an increasing trend up to 2200 m of elevation; above this limit, they are exceeded by the perennial stayers. Furthermore, taking into consideration the red-listed species (at the European and/or Italian level), as well as the species of phytogeographical interest, it was possible to identify the high bryophyte conservation priority areas; these areas are located in thermo-Mediterranean and oro-Mediterranean bioclimatic belts, the latter corresponding to the oldest substrates of the volcano where some of the most interesting bryophyte glacial relicts find refuge.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Puglisi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via A. Longo 19, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Saverio Sciandrello
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via A. Longo 19, 95125 Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Dzekashu FF, Pirk CWW, Yusuf AA, Classen A, Kiatoko N, Steffan‐Dewenter I, Peters MK, Lattorff HMG. Seasonal and elevational changes of plant-pollinator interaction networks in East African mountains. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10060. [PMID: 37187966 PMCID: PMC10175727 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Across an elevation gradient, several biotic and abiotic factors influence community assemblages of interacting species leading to a shift in species distribution, functioning, and ultimately topologies of species interaction networks. However, empirical studies of climate-driven seasonal and elevational changes in plant-pollinator networks are rare, particularly in tropical ecosystems. Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspots in Kenya, East Africa. We recorded plant-bee interactions at 50 study sites between 515 and 2600 m asl for a full year, following all four major seasons in this region. We analysed elevational and seasonal network patterns using generalised additive models (GAMs) and quantified the influence of climate, floral resource availability, and bee diversity on network structures using a multimodel inference framework. We recorded 16,741 interactions among 186 bee and 314 plant species of which a majority involved interactions with honeybees. We found that nestedness and bee species specialisation of plant-bee interaction networks increased with elevation and that the relationships were consistent in the cold-dry and warm-wet seasons respectively. Link rewiring increased in the warm-wet season with elevation but remained indifferent in the cold-dry seasons. Conversely, network modularity and plant species were more specialised at lower elevations during both the cold-dry and warm-wet seasons, with higher values observed during the warm-wet seasons. We found flower and bee species diversity and abundance rather than direct effects of climate variables to best predict modularity, specialisation, and link rewiring in plant-bee-interaction networks. This study highlights changes in network architectures with elevation suggesting a potential sensitivity of plant-bee interactions with climate warming and changes in rainfall patterns along the elevation gradients of the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fairo F. Dzekashu
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)NairobiKenya
- Social Insects Research Group, Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Christian W. W. Pirk
- Social Insects Research Group, Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Abdullahi A. Yusuf
- Social Insects Research Group, Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Alice Classen
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterUniversity of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Nkoba Kiatoko
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)NairobiKenya
| | - Ingolf Steffan‐Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterUniversity of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Marcell K. Peters
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, BiocenterUniversity of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - H. Michael G. Lattorff
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)NairobiKenya
- Present address:
Department of ChemistryUniversity of NairobiNairobiKenya
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ceia-Hasse A, Boieiro M, Soares A, Antunes S, Figueiredo H, Rego C, Borges PA, Conde J, Serrano AR. Drivers of Insect Community Change along the Margins of Mountain Streams in Serra da Estrela Natural Park (Portugal). Insects 2023; 14:243. [PMID: 36975928 PMCID: PMC10058670 DOI: 10.3390/insects14030243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mountain ecosystems are important biodiversity hotspots and valuable natural laboratories to study community assembly processes. Here, we analyze the diversity patterns of butterflies and odonates in a mountainous area of high conservation value-Serra da Estrela Natural Park (Portugal)-and we assess the drivers of community change for each of the two insect groups. The butterflies and odonates were sampled along 150 m transects near the margins of three mountain streams, at three elevation levels (500, 1000, and 1500 m). We found no significant differences in odonate species richness between elevations, but marginal differences (p = 0.058) were found for butterflies due to the lower number of species at high altitudes. Both insect groups showed significant differences in beta diversity (βtotal) between elevations, with species richness differences being the most important component for odonates (βrich = 55.2%), while species replacement drove the changes between butterfly assemblages (βrepl = 60.3%). Climatic factors, particularly those depicting harsher conditions of temperature and precipitation, were the best predictors of total beta diversity (βtotal) and its components (βrich, βrepl) for the two study groups. The study of insect biodiversity patterns in mountain ecosystems and of the role played by different predictors contribute to further our understanding on the community assembly processes and may help to better predict environmental change impacts on mountain biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Ceia-Hasse
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mário Boieiro
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Angra do Heroísmo, 9700-042 Azores, Portugal
| | - Albano Soares
- Tagis—Centro de Conservação das Borboletas de Portugal, 7480-152 Avis, Portugal
| | - Sandra Antunes
- Tagis—Centro de Conservação das Borboletas de Portugal, 7480-152 Avis, Portugal
| | - Hugo Figueiredo
- Centro de Interpretação da Serra da Estrela/Município de Seia, 6270-423 Seia, Portugal
| | - Carla Rego
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paulo A.V. Borges
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Angra do Heroísmo, 9700-042 Azores, Portugal
| | - José Conde
- Centro de Interpretação da Serra da Estrela/Município de Seia, 6270-423 Seia, Portugal
| | - Artur R.M. Serrano
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li J, Guan J, Han W, Tian R, Lu B, Yu D, Zheng J. Important role of precipitation in controlling a more uniform spring phenology in the Qinba Mountains, China. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1074405. [PMID: 36844100 PMCID: PMC9945530 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1074405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Under global warming, the gradual pattern of spring phenology along elevation gradients (EG) has significantly changed. However, current knowledge on the phenomenon of a more uniform spring phenology is mainly focused on the effect of temperature and neglected precipitation. This study aimed to determine whether a more uniform spring phenology occurs along EG in the Qinba Mountains (QB) and explore the effect of precipitation on this pattern. We used Savitzky-Golay (S-G) filtering to extract the start of season (SOS) of the forest from the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) during 2001-2018 and determined the main drivers of the SOS patterns along EG by partial correlation analyses. The SOS showed a more uniform trend along EG in the QB with a rate of 0.26 ± 0.01 days 100 m-1 per decade during 2001-2018, but there were differences around 2011. A delayed SOS at low elevations was possibly due to the reduced spring precipitation (SP) and spring temperature (ST) between 2001 and 2011. Additionally, an advanced SOS at high elevations may have been caused by the increased SP and reduced winter temperature (WT). These divergent trends contributed to a significant uniform trend of SOS with a rate of 0.85 ± 0.02 days 100 m-1 per decade. Since 2011, significantly higher SP (especially at low elevations) and rising ST advanced the SOS, and the SOS at lower altitudes was more advanced than at higher altitudes, resulting in greater SOS differences along EG (0.54 ± 0.02 days 100 m-1 per decade). The SP determined the direction of the uniform trend in SOS by controlling the SOS patterns at low elevations. A more uniform SOS may have important effects on local ecosystem stability. Our findings could provide a theoretical basis for establishing ecological restoration measures in areas experiencing similar trends.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianhao Li
- College of Geography and Remote sensing Sciences, Institute of Arid Ecology and Environment, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jingyun Guan
- College of Geography and Remote sensing Sciences, Institute of Arid Ecology and Environment, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
- College of Tourism, Xinjiang University of Finance & Economics, Urumqi, China
| | - Wangqiang Han
- College of Geography and Remote sensing Sciences, Institute of Arid Ecology and Environment, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Ruikang Tian
- College of Geography and Remote sensing Sciences, Institute of Arid Ecology and Environment, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| | - Binbin Lu
- School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Danlin Yu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, United States
| | - Jianghua Zheng
- College of Geography and Remote sensing Sciences, Institute of Arid Ecology and Environment, Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Semeraro S, Kipf P, Le Bayon RC, Rasmann S. Solar radiation explains litter degradation along alpine elevation gradients better than other climatic or edaphic parameters. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1152187. [PMID: 37180240 PMCID: PMC10174231 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1152187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Organic matter (OM) decomposition has been shown to vary across ecosystems, suggesting that variation in local ecological conditions influences this process. A better understanding of the ecological factors driving OM decomposition rates will allow to better predict the effect of ecosystem changes on the carbon cycle. While temperature and humidity have been put forward as the main drivers of OM decomposition, the concomitant role of other ecosystem properties, such as soil physicochemical properties, and local microbial communities, remains to be investigated within large-scale ecological gradients. To address this gap, we measured the decomposition of a standardized OM source - green tea and rooibos tea - across 24 sites spread within a full factorial design including elevation and exposition, and across two distinct bioclimatic regions in the Swiss Alps. By analyzing OM decomposition via 19 climatic, edaphic or soil microbial activity-related variables, which strongly varied across sites, we identified solar radiation as the primary source of variation of both green and rooibos teabags decomposition rate. This study thus highlights that while most variables, such as temperature or humidity, as well as soil microbial activity, do impact decomposition process, in combination with the measured pedo-climatic niche, solar radiation, very likely by means of indirect effects, best captures variation in OM degradation. For instance, high solar radiation might favor photodegradation, in turn speeding up the decomposition activity of the local microbial communities. Future work should thus disentangle the synergistic effects of the unique local microbial community and solar radiation on OM decomposition across different habitats.
Collapse
|
7
|
Li Q, Qiu J, Liang Y, Lan G. Soil bacterial community changes along elevation gradients in karst graben basin of Yunnan-Kweichow Plateau. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1054667. [PMID: 36620048 PMCID: PMC9813600 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1054667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevation gradients could provide natural experiments to examine geomorphological influences on biota ecology and evolution, however little is known about microbial community structures with soil depths along altitudinal gradients in karst graben basin of Yunnan-Kweichow Plateau. Here, bulk soil in A layer (0 ~ 10 cm) and B layer (10 ~ 20 cm) from two transect Mounts were analyzed by using high-throughput sequencing coupled with physicochemical analysis. It was found that the top five phyla in A layer were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Verrucomicrobia, and the top five phyla in B layer were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Chloroflexi in a near-neutral environment. Edaphic parameters were different in two layers along altitudinal gradients. Besides that, soil microbial community compositions varied along altitudinal gradient, and soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) increased monotonically with increasing elevation. It was further observed that Shannon indexes with increasing altitudes in two transect Mounts decreased monotonically with significant difference (p = 0.001), however beta diversity followed U-trend with significant difference (p = 0.001). The low proportions of unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) appeared at high altitude areas which impact the widely accepted elevation Rapoport's rules. The dominant Bradyrhizobium (alphaproteobacterial OTU 1) identified at high altitudes in two layers constitutes the important group of free-living diazotrophs and could bring fixed N into soils, which simultaneously enhances SOC and TN accumulation at high altitudes (p < 0.01). Due to different responses of bacterial community to environmental changes varying with soil depths, altitudinal gradients exerted negative effects on soil bacterial communities via soil physical properties and positive effects on soil bacterial diversities via soil chemical properties in A layer, however the results in B layer were opposite. Overall, our study is the first attempt to bring a deeper understanding of soil microbial structure patterns along altitudinal gradients at karst graben basin areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Karst Ecosystem and Treatment of Rocky Desertification, MNR, Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China,*Correspondence: Qiang Li, ✉
| | - Jiangmei Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Karst Ecosystem and Treatment of Rocky Desertification, MNR, Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
| | - Yueming Liang
- Key Laboratory of Karst Ecosystem and Treatment of Rocky Desertification, MNR, Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
| | - Gaoyong Lan
- Key Laboratory of Karst Ecosystem and Treatment of Rocky Desertification, MNR, Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR & GZAR, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, China,International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Medeiros ID, Mazur E, Miadlikowska J, Flakus A, Rodriguez-Flakus P, Pardo-De la Hoz CJ, Cieślak E, Śliwa L, Lutzoni F. Turnover of Lecanoroid Mycobionts and Their Trebouxia Photobionts Along an Elevation Gradient in Bolivia Highlights the Role of Environment in Structuring the Lichen Symbiosis. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:774839. [PMID: 34987486 PMCID: PMC8721194 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.774839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Shifts in climate along elevation gradients structure mycobiont-photobiont associations in lichens. We obtained mycobiont (lecanoroid Lecanoraceae) and photobiont (Trebouxia alga) DNA sequences from 89 lichen thalli collected in Bolivia from a ca. 4,700 m elevation gradient encompassing diverse natural communities and environmental conditions. The molecular dataset included six mycobiont loci (ITS, nrLSU, mtSSU, RPB1, RPB2, and MCM7) and two photobiont loci (ITS, rbcL); we designed new primers to amplify Lecanoraceae RPB1 and RPB2 with a nested PCR approach. Mycobionts belonged to Lecanora s.lat., Bryonora, Myriolecis, Protoparmeliopsis, the "Lecanora" polytropa group, and the "L." saligna group. All of these clades except for Lecanora s.lat. occurred only at high elevation. No single species of Lecanoraceae was present along the entire elevation gradient, and individual clades were restricted to a subset of the gradient. Most Lecanoraceae samples represent species which have not previously been sequenced. Trebouxia clade C, which has not previously been recorded in association with species of Lecanoraceae, predominates at low- to mid-elevation sites. Photobionts from Trebouxia clade I occur at the upper extent of mid-elevation forest and at some open, high-elevation sites, while Trebouxia clades A and S dominate open habitats at high elevation. We did not find Trebouxia clade D. Several putative new species were found in Trebouxia clades A, C, and I. These included one putative species in clade A associated with Myriolecis species growing on limestone at high elevation and a novel lineage sister to the rest of clade C associated with Lecanora on bark in low-elevation grassland. Three different kinds of photobiont switching were observed, with certain mycobiont species associating with Trebouxia from different major clades, species within a major clade, or haplotypes within a species. Lecanoraceae mycobionts and Trebouxia photobionts exhibit species turnover along the elevation gradient, but with each partner having a different elevation threshold at which the community shifts completely. A phylogenetically defined sampling of a single diverse family of lichen-forming fungi may be sufficient to document regional patterns of Trebouxia diversity and distribution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian D. Medeiros
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Edyta Mazur
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Adam Flakus
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | | | | | - Elżbieta Cieślak
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | - Lucyna Śliwa
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | - François Lutzoni
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Luna P, Villalobos F, Escobar F, Neves FS, Dáttilo W. Global trends in the trophic specialisation of flower-visitor networks are explained by current and historical climate. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:113-124. [PMID: 34761496 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Trophic specialisation is known to vary across space, but the environmental factors explaining such variation remain elusive. Here we used a global dataset of flower-visitor networks to evaluate how trophic specialisation varies between latitudinal zones (tropical and temperate) and across elevation gradients, while considering the environmental variation inherent in these spatial gradients. Specifically, we assessed the role of current (i.e., net primary productivity, temperature, and precipitation) and historical (i.e., temperature and precipitation stability) environmental factors in structuring the trophic specialisation of floral visitors. Spatial variations in trophic specialisation were not explained by latitudinal zones or elevation. Moreover, regardless of network location on the spatial gradient, there was a tendency for higher trophic specialisation in sites with high productivity and precipitation, whereas historical temperature stability was related to lower trophic specialisation. We highlight that both energetic constraints in animal foraging imposed by climate and resource availability may drive the global variation in trophic specialisation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Luna
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Fabricio Villalobos
- Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Federico Escobar
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Frederico S Neves
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Van Nuland ME, Ware IM, Schadt CW, Yang Z, Bailey JK, Schweitzer JA. Natural soil microbiome variation affects spring foliar phenology with consequences for plant productivity and climate-driven range shifts. New Phytol 2021; 232:762-775. [PMID: 34227117 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the potential for natural soil microbial communities to predictably affect complex plant traits is an important frontier in climate change research. Plant phenology varies with environmental and genetic factors, but few studies have examined whether the soil microbiome interacts with plant population differentiation to affect phenology and ecosystem function. We compared soil microbial variation in a widespread tree species (Populus angustifolia) with different soil inoculum treatments in a common garden environment to test how the soil microbiome affects spring foliar phenology and subsequent biomass growth. We hypothesized and show that soil bacterial and fungal communities vary with tree conditioning from different populations and elevations, that this soil community variation influences patterns of foliar phenology and plant growth across populations and elevation gradients, and that transferring lower elevation plant genotypes to higher elevation soil communities delayed foliar phenology, thereby shortening the growing season and reducing annual biomass production. Our findings show the importance of plant-soil interactions that help shape the timing of tree foliar phenology and productivity. These geographic patterns in plant population × microbiome interactions also broaden our understanding of how soil communities impact plant phenotypic variation across key climate change gradients, with consequences for ecosystem functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ian M Ware
- Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Hilo, HI, 96720, USA
| | - Chris W Schadt
- Bioscience Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Zamin Yang
- Bioscience Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Joseph K Bailey
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Jennifer A Schweitzer
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Xu H, Wang H, Prentice IC, Harrison SP, Wang G, Sun X. Predictability of leaf traits with climate and elevation: a case study in Gongga Mountain, China. Tree Physiol 2021; 41:1336-1352. [PMID: 33440428 PMCID: PMC8454210 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Leaf mass per area (Ma), nitrogen content per unit leaf area (Narea), maximum carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and the ratio of leaf-internal to ambient CO2 partial pressure (χ) are important traits related to photosynthetic function, and they show systematic variation along climatic and elevational gradients. Separating the effects of air pressure and climate along elevational gradients is challenging due to the covariation of elevation, pressure and climate. However, recently developed models based on optimality theory offer an independent way to predict leaf traits and thus to separate the contributions of different controls. We apply optimality theory to predict variation in leaf traits across 18 sites in the Gongga Mountain region. We show that the models explain 59% of trait variability on average, without site- or region-specific calibration. Temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture and growing season length are all necessary to explain the observed patterns. The direct effect of air pressure is shown to have a relatively minor impact. These findings contribute to a growing body of research indicating that leaf-level traits vary with the physical environment in predictable ways, suggesting a promising direction for the improvement of terrestrial ecosystem models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- Joint Center for Global Change Studies (JCGCS), Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Han Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- Joint Center for Global Change Studies (JCGCS), Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
| | - I Colin Prentice
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Sandy P Harrison
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Sciences (SAGES), University of Reading, Reading Berkshire RG6 6AH, UK
| | - Genxu Wang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Renmin South Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Renmin South Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xiangyang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Renmin South Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610065, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Looby CI, Martin PH. Diversity and function of soil microbes on montane gradients: the state of knowledge in a changing world. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 96:5891232. [PMID: 32780840 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mountains have a long history in the study of diversity. Like macroscopic taxa, soil microbes are hypothesized to be strongly structured by montane gradients, and recently there has been important progress in understanding how microbes are shaped by these conditions. Here, we summarize this literature and synthesize patterns of microbial diversity on mountains. Unlike flora and fauna that often display a mid-elevation peak in diversity, we found a decline (34% of the time) or no trend (33%) in total microbial diversity with increasing elevation. Diversity of functional groups also varied with elevation (e.g. saprotrophic fungi declined 83% of the time). Most studies (82%) found that climate and soils (especially pH) were the primary mechanisms driving shifts in composition, and drivers differed across taxa-fungi were mostly determined by climate, while bacteria (48%) and archaea (71%) were structured primarily by soils. We hypothesize that the central role of soils-which can vary independently of other abiotic and geographic gradients-in structuring microbial communities weakens diversity patterns expected on montane gradients. Moving forward, we need improved cross-study comparability of microbial diversity indices (i.e. standardizing sequencing) and more geographic replication using experiments to broaden our knowledge of microbial biogeography on global gradients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin I Looby
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Patrick H Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Guariento E, Fiedler K. Ant Diversity and Community Composition in Alpine Tree Line Ecotones. Insects 2021; 12:219. [PMID: 33806366 DOI: 10.3390/insects12030219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Alpine grasslands are among the few terrestrial habitats not obviously dominated by ants. Yet few studies have addressed how ant communities change along tree-line ecotones on mountains. We combined five survey methods to assess ant assemblages along the tree line at five mountains in the south-central Alps of Italy. Ant species richness peaked directly at the tree line, but this was not due to a mixing of forest with grassland species. In subalpine forest and at the tree line, ant assemblages were dominated by mound-building red wood ants. Community composition and functional species traits indicated competition as a potential effect of community assembly in subalpine forest. Further, habitat features such as elevation, dwarf shrub cover, and the extent of a soil humus layer shaped species composition of ant communities around the tree line. Abstract Ants are crucial for the functioning of many terrestrial ecosystems, but detailed knowledge of their ecological role is often lacking. This is true for high mountains where a steep environmental gradient exists from mountainous forest, densely populated by ants, to grassland habitats above the tree line, harboring a sparse ant community. We assessed ant communities in and around the tree line ecotone on five slopes in the southern-central Alps, focusing on their species diversity, community composition, and functional dimensions. Species richness and functional diversity were highest directly at the ecotone. Ant community composition was shaped by elevation and shrub cover. Further, the abundance of the dominant mound-building red wood ants (Formica s. str.) influenced the community composition of the subordinate species. We conclude that over the tree line ecotone a shift in predominance from biotic limitations in the forest to abiotic filters in the alpine environment takes place.
Collapse
|
14
|
Arraiano-Castilho R, Bidartondo MI, Niskanen T, Clarkson JJ, Brunner I, Zimmermann S, Senn-Irlet B, Frey B, Peintner U, Mrak T, Suz LM. Habitat specialisation controls ectomycorrhizal fungi above the treeline in the European Alps. New Phytol 2021; 229:2901-2916. [PMID: 33107606 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Alpine habitats are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to environmental change, however, little information is known about the drivers of plant-fungal interactions in these ecosystems and their resilience to climate change. We investigated the influence of the main drivers of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal communities along elevation and environmental gradients in the alpine zone of the European Alps and measured their degree of specialisation using network analysis. We sampled ectomycorrhizas of Dryas octopetala, Bistorta vivipara and Salix herbacea, and soil fungal communities at 28 locations across five countries, from the treeline to the nival zone. We found that: (1) EM fungal community composition, but not richness, changes along elevation, (2) there is no strong evidence of host specialisation, however, EM fungal networks in the alpine zone and within these, EM fungi associated with snowbed communities, are more specialised than in other alpine habitats, (3) plant host population structure does not influence EM fungal communities, and (4) most variability in EM fungal communities is explained by fine-scale changes in edaphic properties, like soil pH and total nitrogen. The higher specialisation and narrower ecological niches of these plant-fungal interactions in snowbed habitats make these habitats particularly vulnerable to environmental change in alpine ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Arraiano-Castilho
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3DS, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Martin I Bidartondo
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3DS, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tuula Niskanen
- Identification and Naming, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3DS, UK
| | - James J Clarkson
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3DS, UK
| | - Ivano Brunner
- Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Zimmermann
- Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Senn-Irlet
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Beat Frey
- Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Peintner
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria
| | - Tanja Mrak
- Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot 2, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Laura M Suz
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3DS, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Fyllas NM, Michelaki C, Galanidis A, Evangelou E, Zaragoza-Castells J, Dimitrakopoulos PG, Tsadilas C, Arianoutsou M, Lloyd J. Functional Trait Variation Among and Within Species and Plant Functional Types in Mountainous Mediterranean Forests. Front Plant Sci 2020; 11:212. [PMID: 32194599 PMCID: PMC7065597 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Plant structural and biochemical traits are frequently used to characterise the life history of plants. Although some common patterns of trait covariation have been identified, recent studies suggest these patterns of covariation may differ with growing location and/or plant functional type (PFT). Mediterranean forest tree/shrub species are often divided into three PFTs based on their leaf habit and form, being classified as either needleleaf evergreen (Ne), broadleaf evergreen (Be), or broadleaf deciduous (Bd). Working across 61 mountainous Mediterranean forest sites of contrasting climate and soil type, we sampled and analysed 626 individuals in order to evaluate differences in key foliage trait covariation as modulated by growing conditions both within and between the Ne, Be, and Bd functional types. We found significant differences between PFTs for most traits. When considered across PFTs and by ignoring intraspecific variation, three independent functional dimensions supporting the Leaf-Height-Seed framework were identified. Some traits illustrated a common scaling relationship across and within PFTs, but others scaled differently when considered across PFTs or even within PFTs. For most traits much of the observed variation was attributable to PFT identity and not to growing location, although for some traits there was a strong environmental component and considerable intraspecific and residual variation. Nevertheless, environmental conditions as related to water availability during the dry season and to a smaller extend to soil nutrient status and soil texture, clearly influenced trait values. When compared across species, about half of the trait-environment relationships were species-specific. Our study highlights the importance of the ecological scale within which trait covariation is considered and suggests that at regional to local scales, common trait-by-trait scaling relationships should be treated with caution. PFT definitions by themselves can potentially be an important predictor variable when inferring one trait from another. These findings have important implications for local scale dynamic vegetation models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos M Fyllas
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Chrysanthi Michelaki
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Alexandros Galanidis
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Eleftherios Evangelou
- Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation "Demeter", Larisa, Greece
| | | | | | - Christos Tsadilas
- Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation "Demeter", Larisa, Greece
| | - Margarita Arianoutsou
- Department of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Jon Lloyd
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Panthi S, Fan ZX, van der Sleen P, Zuidema PA. Long-term physiological and growth responses of Himalayan fir to environmental change are mediated by mean climate. Glob Chang Biol 2020; 26:1778-1794. [PMID: 31696994 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
High-elevation forests are experiencing high rates of warming, in combination with CO2 rise and (sometimes) drying trends. In these montane systems, the effects of environmental changes on tree growth are also modified by elevation itself, thus complicating our ability to predict effects of future climate change. Tree-ring analysis along an elevation gradient allows quantifying effects of gradual and annual environmental changes. Here, we study long-term physiological (ratio of internal to ambient CO2 , i.e., Ci /Ca and intrinsic water-use efficiency, iWUE) and growth responses (tree-ring width) of Himalayan fir (Abies spectabilis) trees in response to warming, drying, and CO2 rise. Our study was conducted along elevational gradients in a dry and a wet region in the central Himalaya. We combined dendrochronology and stable carbon isotopes (δ13 C) to quantify long-term trends in Ci /Ca ratio and iWUE (δ13 C-derived), growth (mixed-effects models), and evaluate climate sensitivity (correlations). We found that iWUE increased over time at all elevations, with stronger increase in the dry region. Climate-growth relations showed growth-limiting effects of spring moisture (dry region) and summer temperature (wet region), and negative effects of temperature (dry region). We found negative growth trends at lower elevations (dry and wet regions), suggesting that continental-scale warming and regional drying reduced tree growth. This interpretation is supported by δ13 C-derived long-term physiological responses, which are consistent with responses to reduced moisture and increased vapor pressure deficit. At high elevations (wet region), we found positive growth trends, suggesting that warming has favored tree growth in regions where temperature most strongly limits growth. At lower elevations (dry and wet regions), the positive effects of CO2 rise did not mitigate the negative effects of warming and drying on tree growth. Our results raise concerns on the productivity of Himalayan fir forests at low and middle (<3,300 m) elevations as climate change progresses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shankar Panthi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, China
- Center for Plant Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, China
| | - Ze-Xin Fan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, China
- Center for Plant Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, China
- Ailaoshan Station of Subtropical Forest Ecosystem Studies, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jingdong, Yunnan, China
| | - Peter van der Sleen
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Rastatt, Germany
| | - Pieter A Zuidema
- Forest Ecology & Forest Management Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Bakhtiari M, Formenti L, Caggìa V, Glauser G, Rasmann S. Variable effects on growth and defense traits for plant ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity along elevation gradients. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:3740-3755. [PMID: 31015963 PMCID: PMC6468067 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Along ecological gradients, phenotypic differentiation can arise through natural selection on trait diversity and magnitude, and environment-driven plastic changes. The magnitude of ecotypic differentiation versus phenotypic plasticity can vary depending on the traits under study. Using reciprocal transplant-common gardens along steep elevation gradients, we evaluated patterns of ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity of several growth and defense-related traits for two coexisting but unrelated plant species, Cardamine pratensis and Plantago major. For both species, we observed ecotypic differentiation accompanied by plasticity in growth-related traits. Plants grew faster and produced more biomass when placed at low elevation. In contrast, we observed fixed ecotypic differentiation for defense and resistance traits. Generally, low-elevation ecotypes produced higher chemical defenses regardless of the growing elevation. Yet, some plasticity was observed for specific compounds, such as indole glucosinolates. The results of this study may suggest that ecotypic differentiation in defense traits is maintained by costs of chemical defense production, while plasticity in growth traits is regulated by temperature-driven growth response maximization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moe Bakhtiari
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of NeuchâtelNeuchâtelSwitzerland
| | | | - Veronica Caggìa
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of NeuchâtelNeuchâtelSwitzerland
- Institute of Plant ScienceUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Gaëtan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of NeuchâtelNeuchâtelSwitzerland
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of NeuchâtelNeuchâtelSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Reed CC, Ballantyne AP, Cooper LA, Sala A. Limited evidence for CO 2 -related growth enhancement in northern Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine populations across climate gradients. Glob Chang Biol 2018; 24:3922-3937. [PMID: 29658158 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Forests sequester large amounts of carbon annually and are integral in buffering against effects of global change. Increasing atmospheric CO2 may enhance photosynthesis and/or decrease stomatal conductance (gs ) thereby enhancing intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), having potential indirect and direct benefits to tree growth. While increasing iWUE has been observed in most trees globally, enhanced growth is not ubiquitous, possibly due to concurrent climatic constraints on growth. To investigate our incomplete understanding of interactions between climate and CO2 and their impacts on tree physiology and growth, we used an environmental gradient approach. We combined dendrochronology with carbon isotope analysis (δ13 C) to assess the covariation of basal area increment (BAI) and iWUE over time in lodgepole pine. Trees were sampled at 18 sites spanning two climatically distinct elevation transects on the lee and windward sides of the Continental Divide, encompassing the majority of lodgepole pine's northern Rocky Mountain elevational range. We analyzed BAI and iWUE from 1950 to 2015, and explored correlations with monthly climate variables. As expected, iWUE increased at all sites. However, concurrent growth trends depended on site climatic water deficit (CWD). Significant growth increases occurred only at the driest sites, where increases in iWUE were strongest, while growth decreases were greatest at sites where CWD has been historically lowest. Late summer drought of the previous year negatively affected growth across sites. These results suggest that increasing iWUE, if strong enough, may indirectly benefit growth at drier sites by effectively extending the growing season via reductions in gs . Strong growth decreases at high elevation windward sites may reflect increasing water stress as a result of decreasing snowpack, which was not offset by greater iWUE. Our results imply that increasing iWUE driven by decreasing gs may benefit tree growth in limited scenarios, having implications for future carbon uptake potential of semiarid ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte C Reed
- Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Ashley P Ballantyne
- Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Leila Annie Cooper
- Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Anna Sala
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Schuster C, Estrella N, Menzel A. Shifting and extension of phenological periods with increasing temperature along elevational transects in southern Bavaria. Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2014; 16:332-344. [PMID: 23957276 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The impact of global warming on phenology has been widely studied, and almost consistently advancing spring events have been reported. Especially in alpine regions, an extraordinary rapid warming has been observed in the last decades. However, little is known about phenological phases over the whole vegetation period at high elevations. We observed 12 phenological phases of seven tree species and measured air temperature at 42 sites along four transects of about 1000 m elevational range in the years 2010 and 2011 near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Site- and species-specific onset dates for the phenological phases were determined and related to elevation, temperature lapse rates and site-specific temperature sums. Increasing temperatures induced advanced spring and delayed autumn phases, in which both yielded similar magnitudes. Delayed leaf senescence could therefore have been underestimated until now in extending the vegetation period. Not only the vegetation period, but also phenological periods extended with increasing temperature. Moreover, sensitivity to elevation and temperature strongly depends on the specific phenological phase. Differences between species and groups of species (deciduous, evergreen, high elevation) were found in onset dates, phenological response rates and also in the effect of chilling and forcing temperatures. Increased chilling days highly reduced forcing temperature requirements for deciduous trees, but less for evergreen trees. The problem of shifted species associations and phenological mismatches due to species-specific responses to increasing temperature is a recent topic in ecological research. Therefore, we consider our findings from this novel, dense observation network in an alpine area of particular importance to deepen knowledge on phenological responses to climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Schuster
- Chair of Ecoclimatology, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Roy J, Albert CH, Ibanez S, Saccone P, Zinger L, Choler P, Clément JC, Lavergne S, Geremia RA. Microbes on the cliff: alpine cushion plants structure bacterial and fungal communities. Front Microbiol 2013; 4:64. [PMID: 23543612 PMCID: PMC3608923 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants affect the spatial distribution of soil microorganisms, but the influence of the local abiotic context is poorly documented. We investigated the effect of a single plant species, the cushion plant Silene acaulis, on habitat conditions, and microbial community. We collected soil from inside (In) and outside (Out) of the cushions on calcareous and siliceous cliffs in the French Alps along an elevation gradient (2,000–3,000 masl). The composition of the microbial communities was assessed by Capillary-Electrophoresis Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (CE-SSCP). Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to characterize the response of the microbial beta-diversity to soil parameters (total C, total N, soil water content, N-NH4+,N-NO3-, and pH). Cushions affected the microbial communities, modifying soil properties. The fungal and bacterial communities did not respond to the same abiotic factors. Outside the cushions, the bacterial communities were strongly influenced by bedrock. Inside the cushions, the bacterial communities from both types of bedrock were highly similar, due to the smaller pH differences than in open areas. By contrast, the fungal communities were equally variable inside and outside of the cushions. Outside the cushions, the fungal communities responded weakly to soil pH. Inside the cushions, the fungal communities varied strongly with bedrock and elevation as well as increases in soil nutrients and water content. Furthermore, the dissimilarities in the microbial communities between the In and Out habitats increased with increasing habitat modification and environmental stress. Our results indicate that cushions act as a selective force that counteracts the influence of the bedrock and the resource limitations on the bacterial and fungal communities by buffering soil pH and enhancing soil nutrients. Cushion plants structure microbial communities, and this effect increases in stressful, acidic and nutrient-limited environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Roy
- UMR CNRS-UJF 5553, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, Université de Grenoble Grenoble, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|