Characterization, costs, cues and future perspectives of phenotypic plasticity

Annals of Botany, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 130(2), P. 131 - 148

Published: June 30, 2022

Abstract Background Plastic responses of plants to the environment are ubiquitous. Phenotypic plasticity occurs in many forms and at biological scales, its adaptive value depends on specific interactions with other plant traits organisms. Even though is norm rather than exception, complex nature has been a challenge characterizing expression plasticity, for fitness environmental cues that regulate expression. Scope This review discusses characterization costs approaches, considerations, promising research directions studying plasticity. genetically controlled heritable; however, little known about how organisms perceive, interpret respond cues, genes pathways associated Not every genotype plastic trait, not infinite, suggesting trade-offs, limits The timing, specificity duration critical their fitness. Conclusions There opportunities advance our understanding phenotypic New methodology technological breakthroughs enable study across scales multiple environments. Understanding mechanisms phenotypes influences ranges would benefit areas science ranging from basic applied breeding crop improvement.

Language: Английский

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Intraspecific variability of leaf form and function across habitat types

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 27(3)

Published: March 1, 2024

Abstract Trait‐based ecology has already revealed main independent axes of trait variation defining spaces that summarize plant adaptive strategies, but often ignoring intraspecific variability (ITV). By using empirical ITV‐level data for two dimensions leaf form and function 167 species across five habitat types (coastal dunes, forests, grasslands, heathlands, wetlands) in the Italian peninsula, we found ITV: (i) rotated define space; (ii) increased variance explained by these (iii) affected functional structure target space. However, magnitude effects was rather small depended on type. Our results reinforce idea ITV is context‐dependent, calling careful extrapolations patterns traits spatial scales. Importantly, our study provides a framework can be used to start integrating into space analyses.

Language: Английский

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Tropical forests in the Americas are changing too slowly to track climate change

Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 387(6738)

Published: March 6, 2025

Understanding the capacity of forests to adapt climate change is pivotal importance for conservation science, yet this still widely unknown. This knowledge gap particularly acute in high-biodiversity tropical forests. Here, we examined how Americas have shifted community trait composition recent decades as a response changes climate. Based on historical trait-climate relationships, found that, overall, studied functional traits show shifts less than 8% what would be expected given observed However, recruit assemblage shows 21% relative expectation. The most diverse Earth are changing but at rate that fundamentally insufficient track change.

Language: Английский

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Trait ecology of startup plants

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 235(3), P. 842 - 847

Published: April 30, 2022

Summary Startup plants include seedlings and basal epicormic resprouts. It has long been held that startups have different strategies from adult plants, but theory for what trait differences to expect is limited not yet quantitatively tested. Three applicable concepts are analogous human startup firms, R‐shift, trait‐growth theory. All three suggest should be built with lower construction costs than established plants. This appears almost always true in terms of leaf mass per area (LMA), though many comparisons complicated by the growing light. Trait‐growth predicts LMA increase progressively height or total area, driven higher conductive‐pathway associated each unit greater reward slowing turnover. Basal resprouts often somewhat seedlings, possibly this simply because they larger. A number eminently testable questions identified. Prospects good a theoretically cogent field‐tested body knowledge about plant startups.

Language: Английский

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Trait integration varies with resource acquisition strategies in a common perennial crop

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 4, 2025

Abstract Resource‐acquisitive plant species are expected to show stronger trait integration versus resource‐conservative species, due simultaneous selection for multiple resource requirements including light, water and nutrients. While this hypothesis has been invoked predict interspecific differences in variation integration, it not tested explain intraspecific (ITV) among varieties of crop species. We quantified nine leaf physiological, water‐use, chemical morphological traits related the acquisition use CO 2 , nutrients, across six wine grapes ( Vitis vinifera L.), order quantify extent ITV one world's most common economically important perennial crops. This dataset was also used test that, within a resource‐acquisitive express than varieties. All varied significantly grape formed an resource‐acquisitive–resource‐conservative axis grapes. Consistent with hypotheses on expressing syndromes were associated those syndromes. Specifically, greater values light‐saturated photosynthesis A sat ), stomatal conductance g s maximum carboxylation V cmax ) electron transport J max rates, nitrogen concentrations area expressed ~45%–65% increase number significant bivariate correlations compared However, all varieties, we detected strong consistent physiological traits, indicating mechanistic basis that governs economics spectrum Strong supports ‘fast trait’ plants have simultaneously selected optimize rates uptake, through suites traits. Our work clarifies mechanisms by which particularly crops, able capture limiting resources enhance their growth performance. study addresses gap our knowledge regarding magnitude integration. Read free Plain Language Summary article Journal blog.

Language: Английский

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Leaf trait variation in species-rich tropical Andean forests

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 11(1)

Published: May 11, 2021

Abstract Screening species-rich communities for the variation in functional traits along environmental gradients may help understanding abiotic drivers of plant performance a mechanistic way. We investigated tree leaf trait an elevation gradient (1000–3000 m) highly diverse neotropical montane forests to test hypothesis that elevational change reflects trend toward more conservative resource use strategies at higher elevations, with interspecific decreasing and integration increasing due filtering. Analysis variance partitioning across 52 species revealed most dominant influence phylogeny, except SLA, thickness foliar Ca, where was influential. The community-level means N N/P ratio decreased elevation, while toughness increased. contribution intraspecific substantial community level traits, yet smaller than component. Both within-species between-species did not systematically elevation. High phylogenetic diversity, together small-scale edaphic heterogeneity, cause large these hyper-diverse Andean forests. Trait network analysis suggesting stronger filtering colder nutrient-poorer sites.

Language: Английский

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Environmental variation drives the decoupling of leaf and root traits within species along an elevation gradient

Annals of Botany, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 130(3), P. 419 - 430

Published: April 11, 2022

Abstract Background and Aims Plant performance is enhanced by balancing above- below-ground resource uptake through the intraspecific adjustment of leaf root traits. It assumed that these organ adjustments are at least partly coordinated, so analogous traits broadly covary. Understanding extent such leaf–root trait covariation would strongly contribute to our understanding how plants match use strategies as their environment changes, but comprehensive studies lacking. Methods We measured from 11 species, well climate, soil vegetation properties along a 1000-m elevation gradient in French Alps. determined varied gradient, what this variation was way different respond environmental cues acting spatial scales (i.e. within between elevations), whether pairs covaried species. Key Results Leaf patterns diverged: across species were largely consistent, whereas highly idiosyncratic. also observed that, when compared with leaves, greater traits, due strong effects local same elevation), while landscape-level elevations) minor. Overall, correlations nearly absent. Conclusions Our study suggests gradients landscape level, heterogeneity properties, drivers decoupling This plant acquisition highlights can exhibit diverse whole-plant acclimation modify uptake, improving resilience change.

Language: Английский

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Can evolutionary history predict plant plastic responses to climate change?

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 235(3), P. 1260 - 1271

Published: April 30, 2022

Summary Plant plastic responses are critical to the adaptation and survival of species under climate change, but whether they constrained by evolutionary history (phylogeny) is largely unclear. leaf traits key in determining plants’ performance different environments, if these their variation phylogenetically dependent, predictions could be made identify vulnerable change. We compiled data on three (photosynthetic rate, specific area, nitrogen content) four environmental change scenarios (warming, drought, elevated CO 2 , or addition) for 434 species, from 210 manipulation experiments. found phylogenetic signal not scenarios. This indicates that closely related show similar predicted relatedness Meanwhile, phylogeny weakened slopes did directions conventional pairwise trait relationships, suggesting co‐evolved pairs have consistent contrasting conditions. Phylogeny can lineages rich showing predict relationships degree plant phenotypic does vary consistently across clades.

Language: Английский

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The ontogenetic dimension of plant functional ecology

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 38(1), P. 98 - 113

Published: Nov. 9, 2023

Abstract Plant functional strategies change considerably as plants develop, driven by intraindividual variability in anatomical, morphological, physiological and architectural traits. Developmental trait variation arises through the complex interplay among genetically regulated phase (i.e. ontogeny), increases plant age size, phenotypic plasticity to changing environmental conditions. Although spatial drivers of intraspecific have received extensive research attention, developmentally is largely overlooked, despite widespread occurrence. Ontogenetic regulated, leads dramatic changes phenotypes evolves response predictable conditions develop. Evidence has accumulated support a general shift from fast slow relative growth rates shade sun leaves develop highly competitive but shady juvenile niche stressful adult systems studied date. Nonetheless, there are major gaps our knowledge due examination only few factors selecting for evolution ontogenetic trajectories, how ontogeny assigned, biogeographic sampling biases on trees temperate biomes, dependencies broadly sampled leaf morphological traits lack longitudinal studies that track within individuals. Filling these will enhance understanding ecology provide framework predicting effects global threats target specific stages. Read free Plain Language Summary this article Journal blog.

Language: Английский

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Are Plant Functional Types Fit for Purpose?

Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 51(1)

Published: Dec. 27, 2023

Abstract For over 40 years, Plant Functional Types (PFTs) have been used to discretize the ∼400,000 species of terrestrial plants into “similar” classes. Within Earth System Models (ESMs), PFTs simplify biosphere modeling in combination with soil information and other site characteristics. However, flux analysis studies, PFT schemes are often implemented as sole analytical lens clarify complex behavior. This usage assumes that adequately enable a mapping between climate inputs outputs. Here, we show random forest models, trained using aggregated measurements from 245 eddy‐covariance sites, cannot accurately predict groupings, regardless nature scheme. Similarly, provide negligible benefit when regimes vice versa. While use classifications is convenient, our results suggest they do not aid skill, which has important implications for future studies.

Language: Английский

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