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Schäfer ED, Owen MR, Band LR, Farcot E, Bennett MJ, Lynch JP. Modeling root loss reveals impacts on nutrient uptake and crop development. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 190:2260-2278. [PMID: 36047839 PMCID: PMC9706447 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Despite the widespread prevalence of root loss in plants, its effects on crop productivity are not fully understood. While root loss reduces the capacity of plants to take up water and nutrients from the soil, it may provide benefits by decreasing the resources required to maintain the root system. Here, we simulated a range of root phenotypes in different soils and root loss scenarios for barley (Hordeum vulgare), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), and maize (Zea mays) using and extending the open-source, functional-structural root/soil simulation model OpenSimRoot. The model enabled us to quantify the impact of root loss on shoot dry weight in these scenarios and identify in which scenarios root loss is beneficial, detrimental, or has no effect. The simulations showed that root loss is detrimental for phosphorus uptake in all tested scenarios, whereas nitrogen uptake was relatively insensitive to root loss unless main root axes were lost. Loss of axial roots reduced shoot dry weight for all phenotypes in all species and soils, whereas lateral root loss had a smaller impact. In barley and maize plants with high lateral branching density that were not phosphorus-stressed, loss of lateral roots increased shoot dry weight. The fact that shoot dry weight increased due to root loss in these scenarios indicates that plants overproduce roots for some environments, such as those found in high-input agriculture. We conclude that a better understanding of the effects of root loss on plant development is an essential part of optimizing root system phenotypes for maximizing yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernst D Schäfer
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Markus R Owen
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Leah R Band
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nr Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Etienne Farcot
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Malcolm J Bennett
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nr Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
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2
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Xiang W, Xu L, Lei P, Ouyang S, Deng X, Chen L, Zeng Y, Hu Y, Zhao Z, Wu H, Zeng L, Xiao W. Rotation age extension synergistically increases ecosystem carbon storage and timber production of Chinese fir plantations in southern China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 317:115426. [PMID: 35662044 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Afforestation is an effective method to increase carbon (C) sinks and address climate change. It is crucial to understand how the stand growth affects C sequestration capacity, especially when the trade-offs with timber production from plantations have not been fully examined. We used a chronosequence approach to estimate C storage in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) plantations (including the trees, understory, litter, and soils) at seven stand ages (3, 8-11, 16, 21, 25, 29, and 32 years). Ecosystem C storage increased nonlinearly from 76.4 to 282.2 t ha-1 with stand age and was fitted with a logistic model that had a maximum C storage and age of 271.9 t ha-1 and 33 years, respectively, to reach 95% of the maximum stored C. The C increment was mainly contributed by an increase in tree biomass, which ranged from 2.8 to 177.7 t ha-1 and comprised 4-64% of the total ecosystem C. Live root C (sum of the stump, coarse, and fine root C) showed a logistic increase from 2.0 to 26.3 t ha-1 with stand age and constituted 2.5-9.3% of ecosystem C. Understory plants and litter represented a small pool (<2% of ecosystem C). The C storage in shrubs and litter slightly increased, while that in herbs decreased as the stands aged. Soil C storage was an important and relatively stable pool, ranging from 69.6 to 130.1 t ha-1. Stand volume was also best fitted with a logistic model with a maximum value of 552.6 m3 ha-1. Additionally, the time needed to reach 95% of the maximum volume was 25 years. Hence, extending the rotation age to over 30 years for Chinese fir plantations could potentially maximize the synergistic benefits of C storage to mitigate climate change and obtain timber products for economic profit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhua Xiang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China.
| | - Li Xu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Central South Institute of Forestry Inventory and Planning, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China
| | - Pifeng Lei
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Shuai Ouyang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Xiangwen Deng
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Yelin Zeng
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Yanting Hu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Zhonghui Zhao
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Huili Wu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China; Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
| | - Lixiong Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Wenfa Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
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3
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Gómez-Fernández A, Osborne CP, Rees M, Palomino J, Ingala C, Gómez G, Milla R. Disparities among crop species in the evolution of growth rates: the role of distinct origins and domestication histories. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:995-1010. [PMID: 34726792 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Growth rates vary widely among plants with different strategies. For crops, evolution under predictable and high-resource environments might favour rapid resource acquisition and growth, but whether this strategy has consistently evolved during domestication and improvement remains unclear. Here we report a comprehensive study of the evolution of growth rates based on comparisons among wild, landrace, and improved accessions of 19 herbaceous crops grown under common conditions. We also examined the underlying growth components and the influence of crop origin and history on growth evolution. Domestication and improvement did not affect growth consistently, that is growth rates increased or decreased or remained unchanged in different crops. Crops selected for fruits increased the physiological component of growth (net assimilation rate), whereas leaf and seed crops showed larger domestication effects on morphology (leaf mass ratio and specific leaf area). Moreover, climate and phylogeny contributed to explaining the effects of domestication and changes in growth. Crop-specific responses to domestication and improvement suggest that selection for high yield has not consistently changed growth rates. The trade-offs between morpho-physiological traits and the distinct origins and histories of crops accounted for the variability in growth changes. These findings have far-reaching implications for our understanding of crop performance and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Gómez-Fernández
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
| | - Colin P Osborne
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Mark Rees
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Javier Palomino
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
| | - Carlos Ingala
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
| | - Guillermo Gómez
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
| | - Rubén Milla
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, 28933, Spain
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4
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Preece C, Jones G, Rees M, Osborne CP. Fertile Crescent crop progenitors gained a competitive advantage from large seedlings. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3300-3312. [PMID: 33841785 PMCID: PMC8019021 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cereal domestication during the transition to agriculture resulted in widespread food production, but why only certain species were domesticated remains unknown. We tested whether seedlings of crop progenitors share functional traits that could give them a competitive advantage within anthropogenic environments, including higher germination, greater seedling survival, faster growth rates, and greater competitive ability.Fifteen wild grass species from the Fertile Crescent were grown individually under controlled conditions to evaluate differences in growth between cereal crop progenitors and other wild species that were never domesticated. Differences in germination, seedling survival, and competitive ability were measured by growing a subset of these species as monocultures and mixtures.Crop progenitors had greater germination success, germinated more quickly and had greater aboveground biomass when grown in competition with other species. There was no evidence of a difference in seedling survival, but seed size was positively correlated with a number of traits, including net assimilation rates, greater germination success, and faster germination under competition. In mixtures, the positive effect of seed mass on germination success and speed of germination was even more beneficial for crop progenitors than for other wild species, suggesting greater fitness. Thus, selection for larger seeded individuals under competition may have been stronger in the crop progenitors.The strong competitive ability of Fertile Crescent cereal crop progenitors, linked to their larger seedling size, represents an important ecological difference between these species and other wild grasses in the region. It is consistent with the hypothesis that competition within plant communities surrounding human settlements, or under early cultivation, benefited progenitor species, favoring their success as crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Preece
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems)Department of BiologyUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | - Glynis Jones
- Department of ArchaeologyUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Mark Rees
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Colin P. Osborne
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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5
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FARIAS JÚLIAG, BERNARDY KATIELI, SCHWALBERT RAÍSSA, DEL FRARI BIANCAK, MEHARG ANDREW, CAREY MANUS, MARQUES ANDERSONC, SIGNES-PASTOR ANTONIO, SAUSEN DARLENE, SCHORR MÁRCIOR, TAVARES MIRIANS, NICOLOSO FERNANDOT. Effect of phosphorus on arsenic uptake and metabolism in rice cultivars differing in phosphorus use efficiency and response. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 89:163-174. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765201720160320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- JÚLIA G. FARIAS
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Brazil; Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | | | | | | | | | - MANUS CAREY
- Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland
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6
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Preece C, Livarda A, Christin PA, Wallace M, Martin G, Charles M, Jones G, Rees M, Osborne CP. How did the domestication of Fertile Crescent grain crops increase their yields? Funct Ecol 2016; 31:387-397. [PMID: 28286354 PMCID: PMC5324541 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The origins of agriculture, 10 000 years ago, led to profound changes in the biology of plants exploited as grain crops, through the process of domestication. This special case of evolution under cultivation led to domesticated cereals and pulses requiring humans for their dispersal, but the accompanying mechanisms causing higher productivity in these plants remain unknown. The classical view of crop domestication is narrow, focusing on reproductive and seed traits including the dispersal, dormancy and size of seeds, without considering whole-plant characteristics. However, the effects of initial domestication events can be inferred from consistent differences between traditional landraces and their wild progenitors.We studied how domestication increased the yields of Fertile Crescent cereals and pulses using a greenhouse experiment to compare landraces with wild progenitors. We grew eight crops: barley, einkorn and emmer wheat, oat, rye, chickpea, lentil and pea. In each case, comparison of multiple landraces with their wild progenitors enabled us to quantify the effects of domestication rather than subsequent crop diversification. To reveal the mechanisms underpinning domestication-linked yield increases, we measured traits beyond those classically associated with domestication, including the rate and duration of growth, reproductive allocation, plant size and also seed mass and number.Cereal and pulse crops had on average 50% higher yields than their wild progenitors, resulting from a 40% greater final plant size, 90% greater individual seed mass and 38% less chaff or pod material, although this varied between species. Cereal crops also had a higher seed number per spike compared with their wild ancestors. However, there were no differences in growth rate, total seed number, proportion of reproductive biomass or the duration of growth.The domestication of Fertile Crescent crops resulted in larger seed size leading to a larger plant size, and also a reduction in chaff, with no decrease in seed number per individual, which proved a powerful package of traits for increasing yield. We propose that the important steps in the domestication process should be reconsidered, and the domestication syndrome broadened to include a wider range of traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Preece
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN UK; CREAF Campus de Bellaterra (UAB) Edifici C08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès Spain
| | - Alexandra Livarda
- Department of Archaeology University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2RD UK
| | | | - Michael Wallace
- Department of Archaeology University of Sheffield Sheffield S1 4ET UK
| | - Gemma Martin
- Department of Archaeology University of Sheffield Sheffield S1 4ET UK
| | - Michael Charles
- Institute of Archaeology University of Oxford Oxford OX1 2PG UK
| | - Glynis Jones
- Department of Archaeology University of Sheffield Sheffield S1 4ET UK
| | - Mark Rees
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN UK
| | - Colin P Osborne
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN UK
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7
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Dyer AR, Brown CS, Espeland EK, McKay JK, Meimberg H, Rice KJ. The role of adaptive trans-generational plasticity in biological invasions of plants. Evol Appl 2015; 3:179-92. [PMID: 25567918 PMCID: PMC3352481 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-4571.2010.00118.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2009] [Accepted: 12/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
High-impact biological invasions often involve establishment and spread in disturbed, high-resource patches followed by establishment and spread in biotically or abiotically stressful areas. Evolutionary change may be required for the second phase of invasion (establishment and spread in stressful areas) to occur. When species have low genetic diversity and short selection history, within-generation phenotypic plasticity is often cited as the mechanism through which spread across multiple habitat types can occur. We show that trans-generational plasticity (TGP) can result in pre-adapted progeny that exhibit traits associated with increased fitness both in high-resource patches and in stressful conditions. In the invasive sedge, Cyperus esculentus, maternal plants growing in nutrient-poor patches can place disproportional number of propagules into nutrient-rich patches. Using the invasive annual grass, Aegilops triuncialis, we show that maternal response to soil conditions can confer greater stress tolerance in seedlings in the form of greater photosynthetic efficiency. We also show TGP for a phenological shift in a low resource environment that results in greater stress tolerance in progeny. These lines of evidence suggest that the maternal environment can have profound effects on offspring success and that TGP may play a significant role in some plant invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Dyer
- Department of Biology & Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken Aiken, SC, USA
| | - Cynthia S Brown
- Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - John K McKay
- Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Harald Meimberg
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos Campus Agrário de Vairão, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Kevin J Rice
- Department of Plant Sciences and Center for Population Biology, University of California-Davis Davis, CA, USA
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L. Mohler
- Section of Ecology and Systematics, Division of Biological Sciences; Cornell Univ.; Ithaca NY 14853
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9
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Abstract
Plant species differ widely in their rate of biomass production, even when grown under optimal conditions. A key question concerns the extent to which these growth rates correlate with the uptake of carbon and nitrogen and with the biomass allocation between leaves and roots. Recent data show that the answer to this question differs for mono- and dicotyledons, and that more than biomass allocation, it is the ratio between the activities of leaves and roots that correlates with the growth rate of a plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Garnier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS-Centre Louis Emberger), Route de Mende, BP 5051, 34033 Montpellier-Cedex France
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10
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Poorter H, Niklas KJ, Reich PB, Oleksyn J, Poot P, Mommer L. Biomass allocation to leaves, stems and roots: meta-analyses of interspecific variation and environmental control. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2012; 193:30-50. [PMID: 22085245 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03952.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 878] [Impact Index Per Article: 73.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We quantified the biomass allocation patterns to leaves, stems and roots in vegetative plants, and how this is influenced by the growth environment, plant size, evolutionary history and competition. Dose-response curves of allocation were constructed by means of a meta-analysis from a wide array of experimental data. They show that the fraction of whole-plant mass represented by leaves (LMF) increases most strongly with nutrients and decreases most strongly with light. Correction for size-induced allocation patterns diminishes the LMF-response to light, but makes the effect of temperature on LMF more apparent. There is a clear phylogenetic effect on allocation, as eudicots invest relatively more than monocots in leaves, as do gymnosperms compared with woody angiosperms. Plants grown at high densities show a clear increase in the stem fraction. However, in most comparisons across species groups or environmental factors, the variation in LMF is smaller than the variation in one of the other components of the growth analysis equation: the leaf area : leaf mass ratio (SLA). In competitive situations, the stem mass fraction increases to a smaller extent than the specific stem length (stem length : stem mass). Thus, we conclude that plants generally are less able to adjust allocation than to alter organ morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Sciences (IBG2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Peter B Reich
- University of Minnesota, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Jacek Oleksyn
- University of Minnesota, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Dendrology, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kornik, Poland
| | - Pieter Poot
- School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia & Science Division, Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth, Crawley WA 6009, Australia
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Radboud University, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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11
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Variation in propagule mass and its effect on carbon assimilation and seedling growth of red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) in Florida, USA. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400008464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTWe investigated the intraspecific variation in propagule mass within red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) and its effect on carbon assimilation and seedling growth. Propagule sizes of red mangrove varied considerably at all three study sites along the south-eastern coast of Florida, with propagule fresh mass from 3.9 to 20.7 g for the scrub form and from 5.3 to 35.8 g for the tall form. Highly significant correlations were observed between propagule length and fresh weight at all three study sites and for two growth forms. The scrub form had significantly smaller propagules than the tall form. A greenhouse study showed that CO2 assimilation rates were not correlated with propagule mass, but total leaf area per plant increased significantly with increasing initial propagule mass in all three family lines of both the scrub and tall forms. Consequently, total carbon fixation rate by each seedling increased significantly with increasing propagule fresh weight in all cases, and the biomass increment significantly increased with increasing mass. Relative growth rate, however, was not correlated with propagule mass. The differences in leaf areas and biomass accumulation among seedlings from different sizes of propagules seem to have resulted from the differences in maternal reserve of hypocotyls. The considerable intraspecific variation in propagule size observed for red mangrove may have a significant effect on seedling growth and competitive ability.
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12
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De Graaff MA, Six J, Van Kessel C. Elevated CO2 increases nitrogen rhizodeposition and microbial immobilization of root-derived nitrogen. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2007; 173:778-786. [PMID: 17286826 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2006.01974.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
With this study, we aimed to determine how elevated CO(2) affects rhizodeposition and the cycling of rhizodeposited nitrogen (N) in the soil under C(3) and C(4) plants. In addition, we examined how cultivated genotypes of wheat (Triticum turgidum) and maize (Zea mays) responded to elevated CO(2) in comparison with their wild relatives. By constructing an N-transfer experiment we could directly assess cycling of the rhizodeposited N and trace the fate of rhizodeposited N in the soil and in receiver plants. Biomass production, rhizodeposition and cycling of root-borne N in maize genotypes were not affected by elevated CO(2). Elevated CO(2) stimulated above- and below-ground biomass production of the wheat genotypes on average by 38%, and increased rhizodeposition and immobilization of root-derived N on average by 30%. Concurrently, elevated CO(2) reduced mineral (15)N and re-uptake of the root-derived N by 50% in wheat. This study shows that elevated CO(2) may enhance N limitation by increasing N rhizodeposition and subsequent immobilization of the root-derived N.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Anne De Graaff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Laboratory of Soil Science and Geology, Wageningen University, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Johan Six
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Chris Van Kessel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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13
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Poorter H, van Rijn CPE, Vanhala TK, Verhoeven KJF, de Jong YEM, Stam P, Lambers H. A genetic analysis of relative growth rate and underlying components in Hordeum spontaneum. Oecologia 2004; 142:360-77. [PMID: 15655691 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-004-1705-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2004] [Accepted: 08/04/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Species from productive and unproductive habitats differ inherently in their relative growth rate (RGR) and a wide range of correlated quantitative traits. We investigated the genetic basis of this trait complex, and specifically assessed whether it is under the control of just one or a few genes that can act as 'master switches' by simultaneously affecting a range of traits in the complex. To address this problem, we crossed two Hordeum spontaneum lines originating from two habitats that differ in productivity. The F3 offspring, in which parental alleles are present in different combinations due to recombination and segregation, was analysed for RGR and its underlying components (leaf area ratio, unit leaf rate, photosynthesis, respiration), as well as a number of other physiological and morphological parameters. For this intra-specific comparison, we found a complex of positively and negatively correlated traits, which was quite similar to what is generally observed across species. A quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis showed three major and one minor QTL for RGR. Most other variables of the growth-trait complex showed fewer QTLs that were typically scattered over various locations on the genome. Thus, at least in H. spontaneum, we found no evidence for regulation of the trait complex by one or two master switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Poorter
- Plant Ecophysiology, Utrecht University, PO Box 800.84, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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14
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Verhoeven KJF, Biere A, Nevo E, van Damme JMM. Differential selection of growth rate-related traits in wild barley, Hordeum spontaneum, in contrasting greenhouse nutrient environments. J Evol Biol 2003; 17:184-96. [PMID: 15000661 DOI: 10.1046/j.1420-9101.2003.00636.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Across-species comparisons show that inherent variation in relative growth rate (RGR) and its underlying traits are correlated with habitat productivity. In this study, we test the hypothesis that growth rate-related traits confer differential selective effects in contrasting nutrient environments. We specifically test whether high RGR is targeted by selection in nutrient-rich environments whereas low values of traits that underlie RGR [specific leaf area (SLA), leaf mass fraction and leaf area ratio (LAR)] confer a direct fitness advantage in nutrient-poor environments, resulting in selection of low RGR as a correlated response. We measured RGR, its underlying component traits, and estimated fitness in a range of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) accessions grown under high and low nutrient conditions. Selection on component traits differed between the two environments, while total selection of RGR was not significant. Using multiple regression and path analysis to estimate direct fitness effects, a selective advantage of high LAR and SLA was demonstrated only under nutrient-rich conditions. While supporting the view that observed associations between habitat richness and some RGR-component traits reflect adaptation to differing nutrient regimes, our data suggest that direct selection targets component traits rather than RGR itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J F Verhoeven
- Department of Plant Population Biology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Heteren, The Netherlands.
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Lal CB, Annapurna C, Raghubanshi AS, Singh JS. Effect of leaf habit and soil type on nutrient resorption and conservation in woody species of a dry tropical environment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1139/b01-077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We examined 90 dry tropical tree species growing on contrasting soil types (relatively infertile Ultisol and more fertile Inceptisol) for leaf traits such as leaf habit, specific leaf mass (SLM, leaf dry mass per leaf area), leaf chemistry (nutrient concentrations and C/N ratios), and nutrient resorption. Across the species, SLM ranged from 4.06 to 15.74 mg·cm2 in mature leaves and from 2.60 to 15.12 mg·cm2 in senesced leaves. Mature leaf N and P concentrations varied from 0.86% to 4.11% and 0.13% to 0.21%, respectively. Senesced leaf N concentrations varied from 0.49% to 1.90% and P from 0.04% to 0.47%. Resorption efficiencies varied from 26% to 83% (mean = 58.32% ± 1.20%) for N and from 16% to 80% (mean = 49.57% ± 1.48%) for P indicating that the woody species of dry tropical environments resorbed different nutrients in substantial amounts to support new growth. Deciduous species had greater resorbed nutrient pools and resorption efficiencies than evergreen species. Compared with the nutrient-rich environment, species from the nutrient-poor environment had a lower resorbed P pool and lower resorption efficiencies for N and P, but had similar N and P concentrations in mature leaves. Resorption efficiencies for C, N, and P were generally correlated, suggesting that the resorbed C pool acted as a vehicle for mobilizing nutrients, especially N. Species with a low or high C/N ratio in senesced leaf and a low or high N resorption efficiency occurred in both nutrient-poor and nutrient-rich environments, as well as among deciduous and evergreen leaf habits, indicating individualistic adaptations to optimize the efficiency of nutrient resource use and conservation of the dry tropical woody vegetation.Key words: leaf chemistry, leaf traits, resorption efficiency, resorbed nutrient pools, substrate-quality stability.
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Rosenthal JP, Dirzo R. Effects of life history, domestication and agronomic selection on plant defence against insects: Evidence from maizes and wild relatives. Evol Ecol 1997. [DOI: 10.1023/a:1018420504439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Variation in relative growth rate and its components in the annual Polygonum aviculare in relation to habitat disturbance and seed size. Oecologia 1996; 108:438-445. [PMID: 28307859 DOI: 10.1007/bf00333719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/1995] [Accepted: 05/04/1996] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Koide RT. Nutrient supply, nutrient demand and plant response to mycorrhizal infection. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 1991; 117:365-386. [PMID: 33874313 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1991.tb00001.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the most dramatic effects of infection by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the physiology of the host plant is an increase in phosphorus absorption. When phosphorus is limiting, the maximum extent to which mycorrhizal infection can improve plant performance is thus predicted to be a function of the phosphorus deficit of the plant, the difference between phosphorus demand and phosphorus supply. Phosphorus demand is defined as the rate of phosphorus absorption that would result in optimum performance of the plant as measured by growth rate, reproduction or fitness. The phosphorus supply is defined as the actual rate of phosphorus absorption under the prevailing conditions. Variation among plant taxa in morphological, physiological or phenological traits which affect either phosphorus demand or phosphorus supply (and thus phosphorus deficit) is predicted to lead to variation in potential response to mycorrhizal infection. The actual response to mycorrhizal infection is predicted to be a function of the increase in phosphorus uptake due to mycorrhizal infection and the phosphorus utilization efficiency of the plant. Demonstrated variability in responsiveness to mycorrhizal infection among plant taxa suggests that mycorrhizal fungi may play an important role in determining the structure of plant communities. Mycorrhizal infection may alter the phosphorus deficit or phosphorus utilization efficiency independently from its direct effect on phosphorus uptake, making the prediction of response to mycorrhizal infection based on the traits of non-mycorrhizal plants quite difficult. For example, infection may at times increase the rate of phosphorus accumulation beyond that which can be currently utilized in growth, reducing the current phosphorus utilization efficiency. Such momentary 'luxury consumption' of phosphorus may, however, serve a storage function and be utilized subsequently, allowing mycorrhizal plants ultimately to outperform non-mycorrhizal plants. CONTENTS Summary 365 I. Introduction 366 II. The concepts of phosphorus supply, phosphorus demand and phosphorus deficit 367 III. Factors which affect phosphorus supply 369 IV. Plant traits which affect phosphorus demand 370 V. Variation in response to mycorrhizal infection 372 VI. The effect of infection on inherent traits which influence phosphorus supply, phosphorus demand or phosphorus utilization efficiency 378 VII. Mycorrhizal effects not related to phosphorus 380 VIII. Conclusions 380 Acknowledgements 381 References 381.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger T Koide
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
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