Intraspecific trait variation in plants: a renewed focus on its role in ecological processes

Annals of Botany, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 127(4), P. 397 - 410

Published: Jan. 27, 2021

Investigating the causes and consequences of intraspecific trait variation (ITV) in plants is not novel, as it has long been recognized that such shapes biotic abiotic interactions. While evolutionary population biology have extensively investigated ITV, only last 10 years interest ITV surged within community comparative ecology.

Language: Английский

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Global imprint of mycorrhizal fungi on whole-plant nutrient economics

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 116(46), P. 23163 - 23168

Published: Oct. 28, 2019

Mycorrhizal fungi are critical members of the plant microbiome, forming a symbiosis with roots most plants on Earth. Most species partner either arbuscular or ectomycorrhizal fungi, and these symbioses thought to represent adaptations fast slow soil nutrient cycling rates. This generates second hypothesis, that traits complement reinforce fungal strategies, resulting in acquisitive vs. conservative trait profiles. Here we analyzed 17,764 level observations from 2,940 woody show mycorrhizal differ systematically nitrogen phosphorus economic traits. Differences were clearest temperate latitudes, where more use- use-conservative than species. difference is reflected both aboveground belowground robust controlling for evolutionary history, fixation ability, deciduousness, latitude, climate niche. Furthermore, effects large frequently similar greater magnitude influence ability deciduous evergreen leaf habit. Ectomycorrhizal also boreal tropical ecosystems, although differences use less apparent outside latitudes. Our findings bolster current theories ecosystems rooted ecology support hypothesis association linked evolution strategies.

Language: Английский

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Adjustments and coordination of hydraulic, leaf and stem traits along a water availability gradient

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 223(2), P. 632 - 646

Published: Jan. 13, 2019

Trait variability in space and time allows plants to adjust changing environmental conditions. However, we know little about how this is distributed coordinated at different organizational levels. For six dominant tree species northeastern Spain (three Fagaceae three Pinaceae) quantified the inter- intraspecific of a set traits along water availability gradient. We measured leaf mass per area (LMA), nitrogen (N) concentration, carbon isotope composition leaves (δ13 C), stem wood density, Huber value (Hv, ratio cross-sectional sapwood area), sapwood-specific leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity, vulnerability xylem embolism (P50 ) turgor loss point (Ptlp ). Differences between families explained largest amount for most traits, although was also relevant. Species occupying wetter sites showed higher N, P50 Ptlp , lower LMA, δ13 C Hv. when trait relationships with were assessed within they held only Hv . Overall, our results indicate that adjustments gradient relied primarily on changes resource allocation relations.

Language: Английский

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A scale‐dependent framework for trade‐offs, syndromes, and specialization in organismal biology

Ecology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 101(2)

Published: Oct. 29, 2019

Biodiversity is defined by trait differences between organisms, and biologists have long sought to predict associations among ecologically important traits. Why do some traits trade off but others are coexpressed? might hold across levels of organization, from individuals genotypes populations species, whereas only occur at one level? Understanding such scaling a core biological problem, bearing on the evolution ecological strategies as well forecasting responses environmental change. Explicitly considering hierarchy biodiversity expectations each scale (individual change, within populations, species turnover) necessary we work toward predictive framework in evolutionary ecology. Within may an association with another because phenotypic plasticity, genetic correlation, or population-level local adaptation. Plastic often adaptive yet fixed pool resources; thus, positive negative can be generated immediate needs energetic demands. Genetic variation covariation for population typically shaped varying natural selection space time. Although correlations infrequently long-term constraints, they indicate competing organismal Traits quantitatively differentiated (local adaptation), although rarely favors qualitatively different until become reproductively isolated. Across niche specialization particular habitats biotic interactions determine correlations, subset which termed "strategic trade-offs" consequence specialization. scales, constraints not apply new evolve, conversely, observed reflected populations. I give examples scale-dependent their causes taxonomic groups ecosystems, final section paper, specifically evaluate leaf economics spectrum plant defense against herbivory. Scale-dependent predictions emerge understanding ecology holistically, this approach fruitfully applied more generally Adaptive community context two primary drivers trade-offs syndromes scales.

Language: Английский

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Widespread drought‐induced tree mortality at dry range edges indicates that climate stress exceeds species' compensating mechanisms

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 25(11), P. 3793 - 3802

Published: July 19, 2019

Drought-induced tree mortality is projected to increase due climate change, which will have manifold ecological and societal impacts including the potential weaken or reverse terrestrial carbon sink. Predictions of remain limited, in large part because within-species variations ecophysiology plasticity adaptation ecosystem adjustments could buffer dry locations. Here, we conduct a meta-analysis 50 studies spanning >100 woody plant species globally quantify how populations within vary vulnerability drought whether functional traits mediate patterns. We find that predominantly occurs drier this pattern more pronounced with xylem can tolerate highly negative water potentials, typically considered be an adaptive trait for regions, experience higher variability stress. Our results indicate stress has exceeded physiological ecosystem-level tolerance compensating mechanisms by triggering extensive at range edges provides foundation future projections empirical distribution mechanistic vegetation models.

Language: Английский

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Hydraulic traits are coordinated with maximum plant height at the global scale

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 5(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2019

Coordination between plant height and xylem traits is aligned with habitat aridity across the Earth’s terrestrial biomes.

Language: Английский

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A catastrophic tropical drought kills hydraulically vulnerable tree species

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 26(5), P. 3122 - 3133

Published: Feb. 13, 2020

Abstract Drought‐related tree mortality is now a widespread phenomenon predicted to increase in magnitude with climate change. However, the patterns of which species and trees are most vulnerable drought, underlying mechanisms have remained elusive, part due lack relevant data difficulty predicting location catastrophic drought years advance. We used long‐term demographic records extensive databases functional traits distribution understand responses 20–53 an extreme seasonally dry tropical forest Costa Rica, occurred during 2015 El Niño Southern Oscillation event. Overall, species‐specific rates ranged from 0% 34%, varied little as function size. By contrast, hydraulic safety margins correlated well probability among species, while morphological or leaf economics spectrum did not. This firmly suggests targets for future research.

Language: Английский

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Why can't we predict traits from the environment?

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 237(6), P. 1998 - 2004

Published: Oct. 29, 2022

Summary Plant functional traits are powerful ecological tools, but the relationships between plant and climate (or environmental variables more broadly) often remarkably weak. This presents a paradox: govern interactions with their environment, environment does not strongly predict of plants living there. Unpacking this paradox requires differentiating mechanisms trait variation potential confounds trait–environment at different evolutionary scales ranging from within species to among communities. It also necessitates integrated understanding physiological equifinality many strategies, challenges us understand how supposedly ‘functional’ integrate into whole‐organism phenotype in ways that may be largely orthogonal tolerances.

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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Cross‐Continental Shifts of Ecological Strategy in a Global Plant Invader

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 34(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Aim Plant invasions are a global problem that requires studying plants and their environmental associations across native introduced ranges. Location 2000 km transects in China, Europe North America. Time Period June 2019–July 2020. Major Taxa Studied Japanese knotweed ( Reynoutria japonica ). Methods We surveyed 150 populations of knotweed, noxious invader the temperate zone, along China ranges Results found larger denser were associated with shifts leaf economy chemical defences. Introduced had higher SLA but reduced chlorophyll, lignin, C:N ratio toughness altered tannins, flavonoids alkaloids. three distinct multivariate phenotypes primarily ranges, two mainly populations. Main Conclusions Decreased herbivore pathogen impacts changes indicate enemy release novel habitat conditions might have driven emergence ecological strategies this plant invader.

Language: Английский

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