The diversity of post‐fire regeneration strategies in the cerrado ground layer

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 109(1), P. 154 - 166

Published: June 25, 2020

Abstract Disentangling species strategies that confer resilience to natural disturbances is key conserving and restoring savanna ecosystems. Fire a recurrent disturbance in savannas, vegetation highly adapted often dependent on fire. However, although the woody component of tropical savannas well studied, we still do not understand how ground‐layer plant communities respond fire, limiting conservation management actions. We investigated effects prescribed fire community structure composition, evaluated which traits are involved regeneration after cerrado ground layer. assessed related persistence colonization capacity including resprouter type, underground structure, fire‐induced flowering, strategy growth form. searched for functional groups response shed light main post‐fire recovery among changed composition short term, leading greater richness, population densities increasing bare soil, compared with unburned communities. Eight months abundance did differ from pre‐disturbance values 86% species, demonstrating this layer Only one ruderal was disadvantaged by 13% benefited. Rapid soil cover native burned areas driven high resprout spread vegetatively. Recovery community, as whole, resulted combination different traits. summarized these into five large groups, encompassing Synthesis . dramatically changes but system resilient, quickly recovering pre‐fire state. involves strategies, categorized species: grasses , seeders bloomers undergrounders resprouters Knowledge diverse should be used tool assess restoration status fire‐resilient ecosystems cerrado.

Language: Английский

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Grasses through space and time: An overview of the biogeographical and macroevolutionary history of Poaceae

Journal of Systematics and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 60(3), P. 522 - 569

Published: April 27, 2022

Abstract Grasses are widespread on every continent and found in all terrestrial biomes. The dominance spread of grasses grassland ecosystems have led to significant changes Earth′s climate, geochemistry, biodiversity. abundance DNA sequence data, particularly chloroplast sequences, advances placing grass fossils within the family allows for a reappraisal family′s origins, timing, geographic factors that promoted diversification. We reconstructed time‐calibrated phylogeny inferred ancestral areas using sequences from nearly 90% extant genera. With few notable exceptions, is well resolved subtribal level. began diversify Early–Late Cretaceous (crown age 98.54 Ma) West Gondwana before complete split between Africa South America. Vicariance splitting may be responsible initial divergence family. However, clearly served as center origin much early diversification this phylogenetic, temporal, spatial framework, we review evolution biogeography with aim facilitate testing biogeographical hypotheses about its evolutionary tempo, current classification discussed an extensive diversity distribution species, molecular morphological evidence supporting scheme, informing our understanding history

Language: Английский

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Precipitation is the main axis of tropical plant phylogenetic turnover across space and time

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 9(7)

Published: Feb. 17, 2023

Early natural historians—Comte de Buffon, von Humboldt, and De Candolle—established environment geography as two principal axes determining the distribution of groups organisms, laying foundations for biogeography over subsequent 200 years, yet relative importance these remains unresolved. Leveraging phylogenomic global species data Mimosoid legumes, a pantropical plant clade c. 3500 species, we show that water availability gradient from deserts to rain forests dictates turnover lineages within continents across tropics. We demonstrate 95% speciation occurs precipitation niche, showing profound phylogenetic niche conservatism, lineage boundaries coincide with isohyets precipitation. reveal similar patterns on different continents, implying evolution dispersal follow universal processes.

Language: Английский

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Grassy Ecosystems in the Anthropocene

Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 47(1), P. 261 - 289

Published: Aug. 1, 2022

As the Anthropocene advances, there are few parts of Earth that have not been impacted by human influence. Humans had a long-sustained interaction with grassy ecosystems, but they becoming severely direct and indirect impacts as advances. Grassy ecosystems easy to clear cultivate, poorly protected, defined due legacies colonial narratives can describe them deforested, wastelands, or derived. Climate change, land conversion, erosion processes shaped for millennia cascading cumulative on ecosystem extent integrity. We examine how these changes impacting more specifically, those fall into uncertain space—a climate envelope where vegetation is at equilibrium either forest occur. It within this space climate, CO2, disturbances (fire, herbivores) interact determine presence ecosystems. Changes any components reduce integrity grassyecosystems. The loss ancient biodiverse means an array services fundamental lives than 1 billion people alongside Earth-system altered albedo, carbon, hydrological cycles.

Language: Английский

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Encroachment diminishes herbaceous plant diversity in grassy ecosystems worldwide

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 28(18), P. 5532 - 5546

Published: July 11, 2022

Abstract Woody encroachment is ubiquitous in grassy ecosystems worldwide, but its global impacts on the diversity of herbaceous plants that characterise and define these remain unquantified. The pervasiveness relatively easily observed via remote sensing, plant richness below canopy can only be field‐based studies. Via a meta‐analysis 42 field studies across tropical to temperate ecosystems, we quantified how altered species richness, forbs, C 3 graminoids 4 graminoids. Across studies, natural logarithm response ratio (lnRR) ranged from −3.33 0.34 with 87% encroached negatively impacted. Assessment extent encroachment, duration mean annual rainfall, latitude, continent demonstrated had relevance data (univariate model including random effect study explained 45.4% variance). weighted lnRR decreased −0.245 at <33% woody cover increase, −0.562 33%–66%, −0.962 >66%. Continued results substantial loss medium high extents, not replaced. Although all functional groups are significantly impacted by forb more sensitive than graminoid richness. no geographic or climatic correlates data, as an emergent product change coalesces decrease ground layer light availability, lead fire grazers, alter hydrology soils. Encroachment accelerating require urgent attention determine critical thresholds facilitate diverse resilient ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Mapping the global distribution of C4 vegetation using observations and optimality theory

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Feb. 9, 2024

Abstract Plants with the C 4 photosynthesis pathway typically respond to climate change differently from more common 3 -type plants, due their distinct anatomical and biochemical characteristics. These different responses are expected drive changes in global vegetation distributions. However, current distribution models may not predict this response as they do capture multiple interacting factors often lack observational constraints. Here, we used observations of plant photosynthetic pathways, satellite remote sensing, optimality theory produce an observation-constrained map vegetation. We find that coverage decreased 17.7% 17.1% land surface during 2001 2019. This was net result a reduction natural grass cover elevated CO 2 favoring photosynthesis, increase crop cover, mainly corn (maize) expansion. Using emergent constraint approach, estimated contributed 19.5% carbon assimilation, value within range previous estimates (18–23%) but higher than ensemble mean dynamic (14 ± 13%; one standard deviation). Our study sheds insight on critical underappreciated role plants contemporary cycle.

Language: Английский

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Extensive genome evolution distinguishes maize within a stable tribe of grasses

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 24, 2025

Abstract Over the last 20 million years, Andropogoneae tribe of grasses has evolved to dominate 17% global land area. Domestication these in 10,000 years yielded our most productive crops, including maize, sugarcane, and sorghum. The majority species, show a history polyploidy – condition that, while offering evolutionary advantage multiple gene copies, poses challenges basic cellular processes, expression, epigenetic regulation. Genomic studies have been limited by sparse sampling taxa groups with events. Here, we present 33 genome assemblies from 27 chromosome-scale maize relatives Zea Tripsacum . In after-effects widely studied, showing reduced chromosome number, biased fractionation duplicate genes, transposable element (TE) expansions. While observe patterns within genus , 12 other events deviate significantly. Those tetraploids hexaploids retain elevated maintain nearly complete complements only stochastic TE amplifications. These genomes reveal variable outcomes polyploidy, challenging simple predictions providing foundation for understanding its implications an ecologically economically important clade.

Language: Английский

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Genetic control of branching patterns in grass inflorescences

The Plant Cell, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 34(7), P. 2518 - 2533

Published: March 5, 2022

Inflorescence branching in the grasses controls number of florets and hence seeds. Recent data on underlying genetics come primarily from rice maize, although new are accumulating other systems as well. This review focuses a window developmental time production primary branches by inflorescence meristem through to glumes, which indicate transition producing spikelet. Several major regulatory modules appear be conserved among most or all grasses. Placement development controlled auxin genes. Subtending bracts repressed network including TASSELSHEATH4, axillary branch meristems regulated largely signaling centers that adjacent but not within themselves. Gradients SQUAMOSA-PROMOTER BINDING-like APETALA2-like proteins their microRNA regulators extend along axis branches, governing spikelets. The relative speed this determines extent secondary higher order branching. is modified individual species, particularly regards formation branches. Differences between species caused both modifications gene expression presence absence critical unified networks described here may provide tools for investigating orphan crops than well-studied maize rice.

Language: Английский

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Biomes as evolutionary arenas: Convergence and conservatism in the trans‐continental succulent biome

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 29(7), P. 1100 - 1113

Published: March 10, 2020

Abstract Aim Historically, biomes have been defined based on their structurally and functionally similar vegetation, but there is debate about whether these similarities are superficial, how mapped. We propose that combined assessment of evolutionary convergence plant functional traits phylogenetic biome conservatism provides a useful approach for characterizing biomes. focus the little‐known succulent biome, trans‐continentally distributed assemblage succulent‐rich, drought‐deciduous, fire‐free forest, thicket scrub vegetation as exemplar to gain insights into questions. Location Global lowland (sub)tropics. Time period Present. Major taxa studied Angiosperms. Methods use model ensemble distribution 884 species stem succulents, group representing striking example convergence. Using this model, phylogenies, occurrence data, we quantify 10 non‐succulent trans‐continental clades including prominent elements over 800 species. Results The geographical climatic distributions succulents provide an objective quantitative proxy mapping biome. High fractions occupancy across continents suggest all study phylogenetically conserved within Main conclusions savanna both show in key biome‐related traits. However, contrast which was apparently assembled via repeated local recruitment lineages shifts from adjacent continents, forms coherent arena drought‐adapted tropical lineages. Recognizing important differences between grass‐poor, grass‐dominated, succulent‐poor, fire‐prone defining them distinct seasonally dry biomes, occupying essentially non‐overlapping distributions, critical biodiversity extent stasis versus shifting.

Language: Английский

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Savanna fire regimes depend on grass trait diversity

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 37(9), P. 749 - 758

Published: May 13, 2022

Language: Английский

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