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Leong JV, Mezzomo P, Kozel P, Volfová T, de Lima Ferreira P, Seifert CL, Butterill PT, Freiberga I, Michálek J, Matos-Maraví P, Weinhold A, Engström MT, Salminen JP, Segar ST, Sedio BE, Volf M. Effects of individual traits vs. trait syndromes on assemblages of various herbivore guilds associated with central European Salix. Oecologia 2024:10.1007/s00442-024-05569-0. [PMID: 38829402 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05569-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Plants employ diverse anti-herbivore defences that can covary to form syndromes consisting of multiple traits. Such syndromes are hypothesized to impact herbivores more than individual defences. We studied 16 species of lowland willows occurring in central Europe and explored if their chemical and physical traits form detectable syndromes. We tested for phylogenetic trends in the syndromes and explored whether three herbivore guilds (i.e., generalist leaf-chewers, specialist leaf-chewers, and gallers) are affected more by the detected syndromes or individual traits. The recovered syndromes showed low phylogenetic signal and were mainly defined by investment in concentration, richness, or uniqueness of structurally related phenolic metabolites. Resource acquisition traits or inducible volatile organic compounds exhibited a limited correlation with the syndromes. Individual traits composing the syndromes showed various correlations to the assemblages of herbivores from the three studied guilds. In turn, we found some support for the hypothesis that defence syndromes are composed of traits that provide defence against various herbivores. However, individual traits rather than trait syndromes explained more variation for all studied herbivore assemblages. The detected negative correlations between various phenolics suggest that investment trade-offs may occur primarily among plant metabolites with shared metabolic pathways that may compete for their precursors. Moreover, several traits characterizing the recovered syndromes play additional roles in willows other than defence from herbivory. Taken together, our findings suggest that the detected syndromes did not solely evolve as an anti-herbivore defence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing V Leong
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Priscila Mezzomo
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kozel
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Volfová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Paola de Lima Ferreira
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Carlo L Seifert
- Department of Forest Nature Conservation, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Phillip T Butterill
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Inga Freiberga
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Michálek
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Microbiology, Centre Algatech Czech Academy of Sciences, Trebon, Czech Republic
| | - Pável Matos-Maraví
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Alexander Weinhold
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Marica T Engström
- Bioanalytical Laboratory, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Juha-Pekka Salminen
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Simon T Segar
- Agriculture and Environment Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, United Kingdom
| | - Brian E Sedio
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancón, Panama
| | - Martin Volf
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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2
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Xie A, Wang Y, Xiao L, Wang Y, Liao S, Yang M, Su S, Meng S, Liu H. Plasticity in resource allocation of the invasive Phytolacca americana: Balancing growth, reproduction, and defense along urban-rural gradients. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 937:173532. [PMID: 38802014 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
In response to varying environments along urban and rural gradients, invasive plants may strategically allocate resources to enhance their invasiveness. However, how invasive plants balance their resources for growth, reproduction, and defense as responses to biotic and abiotic factors across these gradients remain unclear. We conducted field surveys on the growth, reproduction, and herbivory of the invasive species Phytolacca americana across diverse urban and rural habitats. Leaf samples were collected to analyze the nutritional content, primary and secondary metabolites. We found that plant growth rates, specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen content, and concentrations of flavonoids and saponins were higher in urban habitats, while reproduction, herbivory, and carbon-to‑nitrogen ratios were lower than those in rural habitats. We also found a trade-off between growth rate and herbivory, as well as trade-offs among defense traits associated with herbivory (e.g., leaf mass per area, the inverse of leaf nitrogen content, and carbon‑nitrogen ratio) and the production of metabolites associated with abiotic stress tolerance (e.g., soluble sugars, flavonoids, and saponins). As earlier studies showed low levels of genetic diversity within and between populations, our findings suggest that the urban-rural gradient patterns of resource allocation are primarily phenotypic plasticity in response to herbivory in rural areas and abiotic factors in urban areas. Our study sheds light on the mechanisms by which urbanization affects plant invasions and offers insights for the implementation of their management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Xie
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Yajie Wang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Li Xiao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China; National Engineering Laboratory of Applied Technology for Forestry & Ecology in Southern China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Shuang Liao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Miao Yang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Sese Su
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Shibo Meng
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
| | - Hongjia Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China
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3
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Volf M, Leong JV, de Lima Ferreira P, Volfová T, Kozel P, Matos-Maraví P, Hörandl E, Wagner ND, Luntamo N, Salminen JP, Segar ST, Sedio BE. Contrasting levels of β-diversity and underlying phylogenetic trends indicate different paths to chemical diversity in highland and lowland willow species. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1559-1571. [PMID: 37345539 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Diverse specialised metabolites contributed to the success of vascular plants in colonising most terrestrial habitats. Understanding how distinct aspects of chemical diversity arise through heterogeneous environmental pressures can help us understand the effects of abiotic and biotic stress on plant evolution and community assembly. We examined highland and lowland willow species within a phylogenetic framework to test for trends in their chemical α-diversity (richness) and β-diversity (variation among species sympatric in elevation). We show that differences in chemistry among willows growing at different elevations occur mainly through shifts in chemical β-diversity and due to convergence or divergence among species sharing their elevation level. We also detect contrasting phylogenetic trends in concentration and α-diversity of metabolites in highland and lowland willow species. The resulting elevational patterns contribute to the chemical diversity of willows and suggest that variable selective pressure across ecological gradients may, more generally, underpin complex changes in plant chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Volf
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jing Vir Leong
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Paola de Lima Ferreira
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tereza Volfová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kozel
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Pável Matos-Maraví
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Elvira Hörandl
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Natascha D Wagner
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Niko Luntamo
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Juha-Pekka Salminen
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Simon T Segar
- Agriculture and Environment Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, UK
| | - Brian E Sedio
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancón, Panama
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Burton GP, Prescott TAK, Fang R, Lee MA. Regional variation in the antibacterial activity of a wild plant, wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.). PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2023; 202:107959. [PMID: 37619271 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107959] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Antibacterial activity is a common and highly studied property of plant secondary metabolites. Despite the extensive literature focusing on identifying novel antibacterial metabolites, little work has been undertaken to examine variation in levels of antibacterial activity in any plant species. Here, we used large-scale sampling of leaves of the antibacterial plant, wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.), assembling a set of tissue extracts from 168 plants, with 504 leaves collected and analysed. We assayed extracts for antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and used LC-MS to carry out a chemometric analysis examining variation in individual metabolites, comparing them with several ecological parameters. We found that allicin was the only metabolite which was positively related to antibacterial activity. Soil temperature was a key determinant of variability in the concentrations of many foliar metabolites, however, neither allicin concentrations nor antibacterial activity was related to any of our measured ecological parameters, other than roadside proximity. We suggest that the synthesis of allicin precursors may be largely independent of growing conditions. This may be to ensure that allicin is synthesised rapidly and in sufficiently high concentrations to effectively prevent herbivory and pest damage. This finding contrasts with flavonoids which were found to vary greatly between plants and across sites. Our findings suggest that key biologically active metabolites are constrained in their concentration range compared to other compounds in the metabolome. This has important implications for the development of wild garlic as a health supplement or animal feed additive.
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Affiliation(s)
- George P Burton
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK; Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | | | - Rui Fang
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AB, UK
| | - Mark A Lee
- Department of Health Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX, UK.
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Mohanbabu N, Veldhuis MP, Jung D, Ritchie ME. Integrating defense and leaf economic spectrum traits in a tropical savanna plant. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1185616. [PMID: 37342149 PMCID: PMC10277734 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1185616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Allocation to plant defense traits likely depends on resource supply, herbivory, and other plant functional traits such as the leaf economic spectrum (LES) traits. Yet, attempts to integrate defense and resource acquisitive traits remain elusive. Methods We assessed intraspecific covariation between different defense and LES traits in a widely distributed tropical savanna herb, Solanum incanum, a unique model species for studying allocations to physical, chemical, and structural defenses to mammalian herbivory. Results We found that in a multivariate trait space, the structural defenses - lignin and cellulose - were positively related to the resource conservative traits - low SLA and low leaf N. Phenolic content, a chemical defense, was positively associated with resource acquisitive traits - high SLA and high leaf N - while also being associated with an independent third component axis. Both principal components 1 and 3 were not associated with resource supply and herbivory intensity. In contrast, spine density - a physical defense - was orthogonal to the LES axis and positively associated with soil P and herbivory intensity. Discussion These results suggest a hypothesized "pyramid" of trade-offs in allocation to defense along the LES and herbivory intensity axes. Therefore, future attempts to integrate defense traits with the broader plant functional trait framework, such as the LES, needs a multifaceted approach that accounts for unique influences of resource acquisitive traits and herbivory risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Mohanbabu
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Michiel P. Veldhuis
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dana Jung
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Mark E. Ritchie
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
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6
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Li D, Li G, Xi B, Gan J, Wen D, Cao F, Suo F, Li J, Ma B, Guo B. Response mechanism of growth and gypenosides content for Gynostemma longipes cultivated at two altitude habitats to fine root morphological characteristics. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1143745. [PMID: 37324724 PMCID: PMC10265677 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1143745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Fine roots are the critical functional organs of plants to absorb water and nutrients from the soil environment, while the relation between fine root morphological characteristics and yield & quality has received less attention for medicinal plants. Methods Therefore, we investigated the relationship between fine root morphological characteristics and biomass & gypenosides content. We explored the primary environmental drivers of fine root indicators for Gynostemma longipes from three provenances cultivated at two altitude habitats. Results At the end of the growing season, compared with the low-altitude habitat, the underground biomass of G. longipes in the high-altitude habitat increased significantly by 200%~290% for all three provenances. The response of gypenosides content to different altitude habitats varied with provenance and plant organs. The biomass of G. longipes strongly depended on the fine root characteristic indicators (P < 0.001), fine root length density, and fine root surface area. Our results also showed that the harvest yield of G. longipes could be effectively increased by promoting the growth of fine roots per unit leaf weight (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.63). Both fine root length density and fine root surface area had strong positive correlations with soil nutrient factors (R2 > 0.55) and a strong negative correlation with soil pH (R2 > 0.48). In a word, the growth of G. longipes is strongly controlled by the fine root morphological characteristics through the response of fine roots to soil nutrient factors and pH. Discussion Our findings will help to deepen the understanding of the root ecophysiological basis driven by soil factors for the growth and secondary metabolites formation of G. longipes and other medicinal plants under changing habitat conditions. In future research, we should investigate how environmental factors drive plant morphological characteristics (e.g., fine roots) to affect the growth & quality of medicinal plants over a longer time scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doudou Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Li
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Benye Xi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Silviculture and Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxia Gan
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dingmei Wen
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Cao
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Fengmei Suo
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jincan Li
- Ankang Zhengda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ankang, China
| | - Baiping Ma
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Baolin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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7
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Kozlov MV, Zverev V, Zvereva EL. Elevational changes in insect herbivory on woody plants in six mountain ranges of temperate Eurasia: Sources of variation. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9468. [PMID: 36349250 PMCID: PMC9636509 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Current theory predicts that the intensity of biotic interactions, particularly herbivory, decreases with increasing latitude and elevation. However, recent studies have revealed substantial variation in both the latitudinal and elevational patterns of herbivory. This variation is often attributed to differences in study design and the type of data collected by different researchers. Here, we used a similar sampling protocol along elevational gradients in six mountain ranges, located at different latitudes within temperate Eurasia, to uncover the sources of variation in elevational patterns in insect herbivory on woody plant leaves. We discovered a considerable variation in elevational patterns among different mountain ranges; nevertheless, herbivory generally decreased with increasing elevation at both the community‐wide and individual plant species levels. This decrease was mostly due to openly living defoliators, whereas no significant association was detected between herbivory and elevation among insects living within plant tissues (i.e., miners and gallers). The elevational decrease in herbivory was significant for deciduous plants but not for evergreen plants, and for tall plants but not for low‐stature plants. The community‐wide herbivory increased with increases in both specific leaf area and leaf size. The strength of the negative correlation between herbivory and elevation increased from lower to higher latitudes. We conclude that despite the predicted overall decrease with elevation, elevational gradients in herbivory demonstrate considerable variation, and this variation is mostly associated with herbivore feeding habits, some plant traits, and latitude of the mountain range.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vitali Zverev
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
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8
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Volf M, Volfová T, Hörandl E, Wagner ND, Luntamo N, Salminen J, Sedio BE. Abiotic stress rather than biotic interactions drives contrasting trends in chemical richness and variation in alpine willows. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Volf
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Volfová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
| | - Elvira Hörandl
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (With Herbarium) University of Goettingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Natascha D. Wagner
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (With Herbarium) University of Goettingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Niko Luntamo
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry University of Turku Turku Finland
| | - Juha‐Pekka Salminen
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry University of Turku Turku Finland
| | - Brian E. Sedio
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Ancón Republic of Panama
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9
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Eisenring M, Best RJ, Zierden MR, Cooper HF, Norstrem MA, Whitham TG, Grady K, Allan GJ, Lindroth RL. Genetic divergence along a climate gradient shapes chemical plasticity of a foundation tree species to both changing climate and herbivore damage. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4684-4700. [PMID: 35596651 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16275] [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: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is threatening the persistence of many tree species via independent and interactive effects on abiotic and biotic conditions. In addition, changes in temperature, precipitation, and insect attacks can alter the traits of these trees, disrupting communities and ecosystems. For foundation species such as Populus, phytochemical traits are key mechanisms linking trees with their environment and are likely jointly determined by interactive effects of genetic divergence and variable environments throughout their geographic range. Using reciprocal Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) common gardens along a steep climatic gradient, we explored how environment (garden climate and simulated herbivore damage) and genetics (tree provenance and genotype) affect both foliar chemical traits and the plasticity of these traits. We found that (1) Constitutive and plastic chemical responses to changes in garden climate and damage varied among defense compounds, structural compounds, and leaf nitrogen. (2) For both defense and structural compounds, plastic responses to different garden climates depended on the climate in which a population or genotype originated. Specifically, trees originating from cool provenances showed higher defense plasticity in response to climate changes than trees from warmer provenances. (3) Trees from cool provenances growing in cool garden conditions expressed the lowest constitutive defense levels but the strongest induced (plastic) defenses in response to damage. (4) The combination of hot garden conditions and simulated herbivory switched the strategy used by these genotypes, increasing constitutive defenses but erasing the capacity for induction after damage. Because Fremont cottonwood chemistry plays a major role in shaping riparian communities and ecosystems, the effects of changes in phytochemical traits can be wide reaching. As the southwestern US is confronted with warming temperatures and insect outbreaks, these results improve our capacity to predict ecosystem consequences of climate change and inform selection of tree genotypes for conservation and restoration purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Eisenring
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Forest Entomology, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research WSL, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rebecca J Best
- School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Mark R Zierden
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Hillary F Cooper
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Madelyn A Norstrem
- School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Kevin Grady
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Gerard J Allan
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Richard L Lindroth
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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10
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Xia XM, Yang MQ, Li CL, Huang SX, Jin WT, Shen TT, Wang F, Li XH, Yoichi W, Zhang LH, Zheng YR, Wang XQ. Spatiotemporal evolution of the global species diversity of Rhododendron. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 39:6413646. [PMID: 34718707 PMCID: PMC8760938 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary radiation is a widely recognized mode of species diversification, but its underlying mechanisms have not been unambiguously resolved for species-rich cosmopolitan plant genera. In particular, it remains largely unknown how biological and environmental factors have jointly driven its occurrence in specific regions. Here, we use Rhododendron, the largest genus of woody plants in the Northern Hemisphere, to investigate how geographic and climatic factors, as well as functional traits, worked together to trigger plant evolutionary radiations and shape the global patterns of species richness based on a solid species phylogeny. Using 3,437 orthologous nuclear genes, we reconstructed the first highly supported and dated backbone phylogeny of Rhododendron comprising 200 species that represent all subgenera, sections, and nearly all multispecies subsections, and found that most extant species originated by evolutionary radiations when the genus migrated southward from circumboreal areas to tropical/subtropical mountains, showing rapid increases of both net diversification rate and evolutionary rate of environmental factors in the Miocene. We also found that the geographically uneven diversification of Rhododendron led to a much higher diversity in Asia than in other continents, which was mainly driven by two environmental variables, that is, elevation range and annual precipitation, and were further strengthened by the adaptation of leaf functional traits. Our study provides a good example of integrating phylogenomic and ecological analyses in deciphering the mechanisms of plant evolutionary radiations, and sheds new light on how the intensification of the Asian monsoon has driven evolutionary radiations in large plant genera of the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Mei Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Miao-Qin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Cong-Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Si-Xin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei-Tao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Ting-Ting Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Fei Wang
- West China Subalpine Botanical Garden, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan 611834, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Li
- Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiangxi 332900, China
| | - Watanabe Yoichi
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, Chiba 271-8510, Japan
| | - Le-Hua Zhang
- Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiangxi 332900, China
| | - Yuan-Run Zheng
- West China Subalpine Botanical Garden, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan 611834, China.,State Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xiao-Quan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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11
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Ullah A, Klutsch JG, Erbilgin N. Production of complementary defense metabolites reflects a co-evolutionary arms race between a host plant and a mutualistic bark beetle-fungal complex. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:3064-3077. [PMID: 34008191 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Intra-specific variation in conifers has been extensively studied with respect to defense against herbivores and pathogens. While studies have shown the ability of individual or specific mixtures of compounds to influence insects and microbes, research testing biologically relevant mixtures of defense compounds reflecting intra-specific variation amongst tree populations to enemy complexes is needed. We characterized the variations in lodgepole pine monoterpenes from a progeny trial in western Canada and grouped trees in four clusters using their monoterpene profiles. We then selected 11 representative families across four clusters and amended their entire monoterpene profiles (with the exception of β-phellandrene) in media to determine how representative families affect the performance of the mountain pine beetle or its fungal symbiont. We placed adult beetles or inoculated fungus on the amended media and measured beetle performance and fungal growth as a proxy to host suitability. We found that different clusters or families differentially influenced beetle or fungal responses. However, monoterpene profiles of trees suitable to the beetle or the fungus were dissimilar. These outcomes reflect a co-evolutionary arms-race between the host and the bark beetle-fungus complex, which has resulted in the production of complementary defense metabolites among different pine populations to enhance tree survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aziz Ullah
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jennifer G Klutsch
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nadir Erbilgin
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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12
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Liu M, Pan Y, Pan X, Sosa A, Blumenthal DM, Van Kleunen M, Li B. Plant invasion alters latitudinal pattern of plant-defense syndromes. Ecology 2021; 102:e03511. [PMID: 34355383 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between herbivory and latitude may differ between native and introduced populations of invasive plants, which can generate latitudinal heterogeneity in the strength of enemy release. However, still little is known about how latitudinal heterogeneity in herbivore pressure influences latitudinal variation in defense phenotypes of invasive plants. We tested how latitudinal patterns in multi-variate defense syndromes differed between native (Argentinian) and introduced (Chinese) populations of the invasive herb Alternanthera philoxeroides. In addition, to better understand the drivers underlying latitudinal patterns, we also tested whether associations of defense syndromes with climate and herbivory differed between native and introduced ranges. We found that native plant populations clustered into three main defense syndromes associated with latitude. In contrast, we only found two defense syndromes in the introduced range. One matched the high-latitude syndrome from the native range, but was distributed at both the northern and southern range limits in the introduced range. The other was unique to the introduced range and occurred at mid-latitudes. Climatic conditions were associated with variation in syndromes in the native range, and climatic conditions and herbivory were associated with variation in syndromes in the introduced range. Together, our results demonstrate that plants may under the new environmental conditions in the introduced range show latitudinal patterns of defense syndromes that are different from those in their native range. This emphasizes that geographical dependence of population differentiation should be explicitly considered in studies on the evolution of defense in invasive plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Yuanfei Pan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.,School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xiaoyun Pan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.,Research Center for Ecology, College of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa, 850000, China.,Tibet University - Fudan University Joint Laboratory for Biodiversity and Global Change, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Alejandro Sosa
- Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas (FuEDEI), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, 999071, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, 999071, Argentina
| | - Dana M Blumenthal
- Rangeland Resources & Systems Research Unit, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80526, USA
| | - Mark Van Kleunen
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China
| | - Bo Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Institute of Biodiversity Science and Institute of Eco-Chongming, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
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13
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Fontana S, Rasmann S, de Bello F, Pomati F, Moretti M. Reconciling trait based perspectives along a trait-integration continuum. Ecology 2021; 102:e03472. [PMID: 34260747 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Trait based ecology has developed fast in the last decades, aiming to both explain mechanisms of community assembly, and predict patterns in nature, such as the effects of biodiversity shifts on key ecosystem processes. This body of work has stimulated the development of several conceptual frameworks and analytical methods, as well as the production of trait databases covering a growing number of taxa and organizational levels (from individuals to guilds). However, this breeding ground of novel concepts and tools currently lacks a general and coherent framework, under which functional traits can help ecologists organize their research aims, and serve as the common currency to unify several scientific disciplines. Specifically, we see a need to bridge the gaps between community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and evolutionary biology, in order to address the most pressing environmental issues of our time. To achieve this integration goal, we define a trait-integration continuum, which reconciles alternative trait definitions and approaches in ecology. This continuum outlines a coherent progression of biological scales, along which traits interact and hierarchically integrate from genetic information, to whole organism fitness-related traits, to trait syndromes and functional groups. Our conceptual scheme proposes that lower-level trait integration is closer to the inference of ecoevolutionary mechanisms determining population and community properties, whereas higher-level trait integration is most suited to the prediction of ecosystem processes. Within these two extremes, trait integration varies on a continuous scale, which relates directly to the inductive-deductive loop that should characterize the scientific method. With our proposed framework, we aim to facilitate scientists in contextualising their research based on the trait-integration levels that matter most to their specific goals. Explicitly acknowledging the existence of a trait-integration continuum is a promising way for framing the appropriate questions, thus obtaining reliable answers and results that are comparable across studies and disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Fontana
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland.,Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße 4, Freiburg, 79106, Germany
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland
| | - Francesco de Bello
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlate Stoce 1, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic.,Desertification Research Centre (CIDE-CSIC), Carretera Moncada-Náquera, Km 4,5, Moncada (Valencia), 46113, Spain
| | - Francesco Pomati
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
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14
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Hahn PG, Keefover‐Ring K, Nguyen LMN, Maron JL. Intraspecific correlations between growth and defence vary with resource availability and differ within and among populations. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip G. Hahn
- Entomology and Nematology Department University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - Ken Keefover‐Ring
- Department of Botany University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI USA
- Department of Geography University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI USA
| | | | - John L. Maron
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula MT USA
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15
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Markó G, Németh I, Gyuricza V, Altbäcker V. Sex-specific differences in Juniperus communis: essential oil yield, growth-defence conflict and population sex ratio. AOB PLANTS 2021; 13:plab021. [PMID: 34122786 PMCID: PMC8192244 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plab021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In plants, biomass and nutrient allocation often generate trade-offs between the different biochemical pathways conflicting the utilization of the common source among growth, reproduction and chemical defence. However, in dioecious plant species, these trade-off patterns could appear as a more contrasted problem between males and females due to the dissimilar reproduction investment. Generally, the growth ratio is higher in males than females, while females have a stronger defence than males. To understand the possible role of the sex-specific dissimilarities within the growth-defence conflict framework, we investigated the possible causes of the high variance of the essential oil yield in a dioecious evergreen species, Juniperus communis. Specifically, we tested the correlations between the essential oil yield with other individual-specific traits (e.g. sex, age), the presence of the growth-defence trade-off, and the differential growth and survival patterns between males and females through an extensive field survey with sample collection in three natural populations (Kiskunság National Park, Hungary). The individual-specific essential oil yield was also measured and served as a proxy to describe the degree of chemical defence. We found that the essential oil yield showed strong and consistent sex-specific patterns decreasing with age in adults. Contrary to the predictions, the males showed a consistently higher yield than the females. We also observed a growth-defence trade-off in males but not in females. Consistently with the growth-defence conflict hypothesis, the populations' sex ratio was male-biased, and this pattern was more evident with ageing modifying the demographic structure due to the sexually dissimilar lifespan. Our juniper study revealed a contrasting and unique essential oil accumulation driven by the complex allocation trade-off mechanisms within individuals, which could be a flexible and adaptive defence response against the increasing biotic and abiotic environmental stresses exacerbated under global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Markó
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Plant Protection, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ménesi út 44, H-1118 Budapest, Hungary
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - István Németh
- Biotech Biostatistics and Programming, Parexel International, Hermina út 17, H-1146 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Veronika Gyuricza
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Vilmos Altbäcker
- Department of Nature Conservation, Institute of Game Management and Nature Protection, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Guba Sándor utca 40, H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary
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16
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Sedio BE, Spasojevic MJ, Myers JA, Wright SJ, Person MD, Chandrasekaran H, Dwenger JH, Prechi ML, López CA, Allen DN, Anderson-Teixeira KJ, Baltzer JL, Bourg NA, Castillo BT, Day NJ, Dewald-Wang E, Dick CW, James TY, Kueneman JG, LaManna J, Lutz JA, McGregor IR, McMahon SM, Parker GG, Parker JD, Vandermeer JH. Chemical Similarity of Co-occurring Trees Decreases With Precipitation and Temperature in North American Forests. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.679638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant diversity varies immensely over large-scale gradients in temperature, precipitation, and seasonality at global and regional scales. This relationship may be driven in part by climatic variation in the relative importance of abiotic and biotic interactions to the diversity and composition of plant communities. In particular, biotic interactions may become stronger and more host specific with increasing precipitation and temperature, resulting in greater plant species richness in wetter and warmer environments. This hypothesis predicts that the many defensive compounds found in plants’ metabolomes should increase in richness and decrease in interspecific similarity with precipitation, temperature, and plant diversity. To test this prediction, we compared patterns of chemical and morphological trait diversity of 140 woody plant species among seven temperate forests in North America representing 16.2°C variation in mean annual temperature (MAT), 2,115 mm variation in mean annual precipitation (MAP), and from 10 to 68 co-occurring species. We used untargeted metabolomics methods based on data generated with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to identify, classify, and compare 13,480 unique foliar metabolites and to quantify the metabolomic similarity of species in each community with respect to the whole metabolome and each of five broad classes of metabolites. In addition, we compiled morphological trait data from existing databases and field surveys for three commonly measured traits (specific leaf area [SLA], wood density, and seed mass) for comparison with foliar metabolomes. We found that chemical defense strategies and growth and allocation strategies reflected by these traits largely represented orthogonal axes of variation. In addition, functional dispersion of SLA increased with MAP, whereas functional richness of wood density and seed mass increased with MAT. In contrast, chemical similarity of co-occurring species decreased with both MAT and MAP, and metabolite richness increased with MAT. Variation in metabolite richness among communities was positively correlated with species richness, but variation in mean chemical similarity was not. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that plant metabolomes play a more important role in community assembly in wetter and warmer climates, even at temperate latitudes, and suggest that metabolomic traits can provide unique insight to studies of trait-based community assembly.
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17
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Wu R, Lev-Yadun S, Sun L, Sun H, Song B. Higher Elevations Tend to Have Higher Proportion of Plant Species With Glandular Trichomes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:632464. [PMID: 33912203 PMCID: PMC8075162 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.632464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Glandular trichomes are well known to participate in plant chemical and physical defenses against herbivores, especially herbivorous insects. However, little is known about large-scale geographical patterns in glandular trichome occurrence. Herbivory pressure is thought to be higher at low elevations because of warmer and more stable climates. We therefore predicted a higher proportion of species with glandular trichomes at low elevations than at higher elevations. We compiled glandular trichome data (presence/absence) for 6,262 angiosperm species from the Hengduan Mountains (a global biodiversity hotspot in southwest China). We tested the elevational gradient (800-5,000 m a.s.l.) in the occurrence of plant species with glandular trichomes, and its correlations with biotic (occurrence of herbivorous insects) and abiotic factors, potentially shaping the elevational gradient in the occurrence of glandular trichomes. We found a significantly positive relationship between elevation and the occurrence of glandular trichomes, with the proportion of species having glandular trichomes increasing from 11.89% at 800 m a.s.l. to 17.92% at above 4,700 m. This cross-species relationship remained significant after accounting for phylogenetic relationships between species. Herbivorous insect richness peaked at mid-elevations and its association with the incidence of glandular trichomes was weak. Mean annual temperature was the most important factor associated negatively with glandular trichomes. Our results do not support the hypothesis that plant defenses decrease with increasing elevation. In contrast, a higher proportion of plant species with glandular trichome toward higher elevations is observed. Our results also highlight the importance of considering the simultaneous influences of biotic and abiotic factors in testing geographical variation in multifunctional plant defenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Simcha Lev-Yadun
- Department of Biology and Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa at Oranim, Kiryat Tiv’on, Israel
| | - Lu Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Bo Song
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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18
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Mullin M, Klutsch JG, Cale JA, Hussain A, Zhao S, Whitehouse C, Erbilgin N. Primary and Secondary Metabolite Profiles of Lodgepole Pine Trees Change with Elevation, but Not with Latitude. J Chem Ecol 2021; 47:280-293. [PMID: 33651224 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-021-01249-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Climate change has a large influence on plant functional and phenotypic traits including plant primary and secondary metabolites. One well-established approach to investigating the variation in plant metabolites involves studying plant populations along elevation and latitude gradients. We considered how two space-for-time climate change gradients (elevation and latitude) influence carbohydrate reserves (soluble sugars, starches) and secondary metabolites (monoterpenes, diterpene resin acids) of lodgepole pine trees in western Canada. We were particularly interested in the relationship of terpenes and carbohydrates with a wide range of tree, site, and climatic factors. We found that only elevation had a strong influence on the expression of both terpenes and carbohydrates of trees. Specifically, as elevation increased, concentrations of monoterpenes and diterpenes generally increased and soluble sugars (glucose, sucrose, total sugars) decreased. In contrast, latitude had no impact on either of terpenes or carbohydrates. Furthermore, we found a positive relationship between concentrations of starch and total terpenes and diterpenes in the elevation study; whereas neither starches nor sugars were correlated to terpenes in the latitude study. Similarly, both terpenes and carbohydrates had a much greater number of significant correlations to site characteristics such as slope, basal area index, and sand basal area, in the elevational than in the latitude study. Overall, these results support the conclusion that both biotic and abiotic factors likely drive the patterns of primary and secondary metabolite profiles of lodgepole pine along geographical gradients. Also, presence of a positive relationship between terpenes and starches suggests an interaction between primary ad secondary metabolites of lodgepole pine trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Mullin
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - J G Klutsch
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - J A Cale
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - A Hussain
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - S Zhao
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - C Whitehouse
- Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, 9920 108 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T5K 2M4, Canada
| | - Nadir Erbilgin
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada.
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19
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Bakhtiari M, Glauser G, Defossez E, Rasmann S. Ecological convergence of secondary phytochemicals along elevational gradients. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:1755-1767. [PMID: 32981048 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biologists still strive to identify the ecological and evolutionary drivers of phytochemical variation that mediate biotic interactions. We hypothesized that plant species growing at sites characterized by high herbivore pressure would converge to produce highly toxic blends of secondary metabolites, independent of phylogenetic constraints. To address the role of shared evolutionary history and ecological niches in driving variation in plant phytochemistry, we combined targeted metabolomics with insect herbivore bioassays and with a set of growth-related traits of several Cardamine species growing along the entire elevational gradient of the Alps. We observed that Cardamine phytochemical profiles grouped according to previously established growth form categorizations within specific abiotic conditions, independently of phylogenetic relationship. We also showed that novel indices summarizing functional phytochemical diversity better explain plant resistance against chewing and sap-feeding herbivores than classic diversity indices. We conclude that multiple functional axes of phytochemical diversity should be integrated with the functional axis of plant growth forms to study phenotypic convergence along large-scale ecological gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moe Bakhtiari
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue-Emile Argand 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry (NPAC), Avenue de Bellevaux 51, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Defossez
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue-Emile Argand 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue-Emile Argand 11, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland
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20
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de Sena FH, Lustosa BM, Santos Silva SR, Falcão HM, de Almeida JS. Herbivory and leaf traits of two tree species from different successional stages in a tropical dry forest. NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2021.1953893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Henrique de Sena
- Departamento de Botânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife – PE, Brazil
| | - Bruno Melo Lustosa
- Departamento de Botânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife – PE, Brazil
| | - Silvia Roberta Santos Silva
- Departamento de Botânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife – PE, Brazil
| | - Hiram Marinho Falcão
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Pernambuco, Garanhuns, Brazil
| | - Jarcilene Silva de Almeida
- Departamento de Botânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife – PE, Brazil
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21
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Galmán A, Abdala‐Roberts L, Wartalska P, Covelo F, Röder G, Szenteczki MA, Moreira X, Rasmann S. Elevational gradients in constitutive and induced oak defences based on individual traits and their correlated expression patterns. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Galmán
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG‐CSIC), Pontevedra Galicia Spain
| | - Luis Abdala‐Roberts
- Depto de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Univ. Autónoma de Yucatán, Itzimná, Mérida Yucatán México
| | - Pola Wartalska
- Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian Univ. Kraków Poland
| | - Felisa Covelo
- Depto de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Univ. Pablo de Olavide Sevilla Spain
| | - Gregory Röder
- Inst. of Biology, Univ. of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | | | - Xoaquín Moreira
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG‐CSIC), Pontevedra Galicia Spain
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Inst. of Biology, Univ. of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
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22
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Data on Herbivore Performance and Plant Herbivore Damage Identify the Same Plant Traits as the Key Drivers of Plant-Herbivore Interaction. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11120865. [PMID: 33291794 PMCID: PMC7762045 DOI: 10.3390/insects11120865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Data on plant herbivore damage as well as on herbivore performance have been previously used to identify key plant traits driving plant-herbivore interactions. The extent to which the two approaches lead to similar conclusions remains to be explored. We determined the effect of a free-living leaf-chewing generalist caterpillar, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), on leaf damage of 24 closely related plant species from the Carduoideae subfamily and the effect of these plant species on caterpillar growth. We used a wide range of physical defense leaf traits and leaf nutrient contents as the plant traits. Herbivore performance and leaf damage were affected by similar plant traits. Traits related to higher caterpillar mortality (higher leaf dissection, number, length and toughness of spines and lower trichome density) also led to higher leaf damage. This fits with the fact that each caterpillar was feeding on a single plant and, thus, had to consume more biomass of the less suitable plants to obtain the same amount of nutrients. The key plant traits driving plant-herbivore interactions identified based on data on herbivore performance largely corresponded to the traits identified as important based on data on leaf damage. This suggests that both types of data may be used to identify the key plant traits determining plant-herbivore interactions. It is, however, important to carefully distinguish whether the data on leaf damage were obtained in the field or in a controlled feeding experiment, as the patterns expected in the two environments may go in opposite directions.
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23
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Volf M, Weinhold A, Seifert CL, Holicová T, Uthe H, Alander E, Richter R, Salminen JP, Wirth C, van Dam NM. Branch-Localized Induction Promotes Efficacy of Volatile Defences and Herbivore Predation in Trees. J Chem Ecol 2020; 47:99-111. [PMID: 33180276 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-020-01232-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Induction of plant defences can show various levels of localization, which can optimize their efficiency. Locally induced responses may be particularly important in large plants, such as trees, that show high variability in traits and herbivory rates across their canopies. We studied the branch-localized induction of polyphenols, volatiles (VOCs), and changes in leaf protein content in Carpinus betulus L., Quercus robur L., and Tilia cordata L. in a common garden experiment. To induce the trees, we treated ten individuals per species on one branch with methyl jasmonate. Five other individuals per species served as controls. We measured the traits in the treated branches, in control branches on treated trees, and in control trees. Additionally, we ran predation assays and caterpillar food-choice trials to assess the effects of our treatment on other trophic levels. Induced VOCs included mainly mono- and sesquiterpenes. Their production was strongly localized to the treated branches in all three tree species studied. Treated trees showed more predation events than control trees. The polyphenol levels and total protein content showed a limited response to the treatment. Yet, winter moth caterpillars preferred leaves from control branches over leaves from treated branches within C. betulus individuals and leaves from control Q. robur individuals over leaves from treated Q. robur individuals. Our results suggest that there is a significant level of localization in induction of VOCs and probably also in unknown traits with direct effects on herbivores. Such localization allows trees to upregulate defences wherever and whenever they are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Volf
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. .,Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Alexander Weinhold
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, University of Jena, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Carlo L Seifert
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Holicová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Henriette Uthe
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, University of Jena, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Erika Alander
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Ronny Richter
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Biology, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 21-23, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, Institute for Geography, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 19a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Juha-Pekka Salminen
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Christian Wirth
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Biology, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 21-23, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Nicole M van Dam
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, University of Jena, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743, Jena, Germany
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24
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Xiao L, Ding J, Zhang J, Huang W, Siemann E. Chemical responses of an invasive plant to herbivory and abiotic environments reveal a novel invasion mechanism. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 741:140452. [PMID: 32886966 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Invasive plant environments differ along latitudes and between native and introduced ranges. In response to herbivory and abiotic stresses that vary with latitudes and between ranges, invasive plants may shift their secondary chemicals to facilitate invasion success. However, it remains unclear whether and how invasive plant chemical responses to herbivory and chemical responses to abiotic environments are associated. We conducted large scale field surveys of herbivory on the invasive tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) along latitudes in both its native (China) and introduced ranges (United States) and collected leaf samples for analyses of tannins and flavonoids. We used data on climate and solar radiation to examine these chemical responses to abiotic environments and their variations along these latitudes and between ranges. We also re-analyzed previously published data from multiple common garden experiments on tallow tree to investigate genetic divergence of secondary chemical concentrations between introduced and native populations. We found foliar tannins and herbivory (chewing, sucking) were higher in the native range compared to the invasive range. Allocation to tannins versus flavonoids decreased with latitude in the native range but did not vary in the invasive range. Analyses of previously published common garden experimental data indicated genetic divergence contributes to chemical concentration differences between ranges. Our field data further indicated that the latitudinal patterns were primarily phenotypic responses to herbivory in China while in US they were primarily phenotypic responses to abiotic environments. The variation of tannins may be linked to flavonoids, given tannins and flavonoids share a biosynthesis pathway. Together, our results suggest that invasive plants adjust their secondary metabolism to decrease chemicals that primarily defend against herbivory and increase those that help them to respond to their abiotic environment. These findings deepen our understanding of how invasive plants adapt to biogeographically heterogeneous environments through trade-offs between secondary chemical responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xiao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry & Ecology in Southern China, College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Jianqing Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China.
| | - Jialiang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China; Center of Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Evan Siemann
- Biosciences Department, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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25
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Kooyers NJ, Donofrio A, Blackman BK, Holeski LM. The Genetic Architecture of Plant Defense Trade-offs in a Common Monkeyflower. J Hered 2020; 111:333-345. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Determining how adaptive combinations of traits arose requires understanding the prevalence and scope of genetic constraints. Frequently observed phenotypic correlations between plant growth, defenses, and/or reproductive timing have led researchers to suggest that pleiotropy or strong genetic linkage between variants affecting independent traits is pervasive. Alternatively, these correlations could arise via independent mutations in different genes for each trait and extensive correlational selection. Here we evaluate these alternatives by conducting a quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping experiment involving a cross between 2 populations of common monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) that differ in growth rate as well as total concentration and arsenal composition of plant defense compounds, phenylpropanoid glycosides (PPGs). We find no evidence that pleiotropy underlies correlations between defense and growth rate. However, there is a strong genetic correlation between levels of total PPGs and flowering time that is largely attributable to a single shared QTL. While this result suggests a role for pleiotropy/close linkage, several other QTLs also contribute to variation in total PPGs. Additionally, divergent PPG arsenals are influenced by a number of smaller-effect QTLs that each underlie variation in 1 or 2 PPGs. This result indicates that chemical defense arsenals can be finely adapted to biotic environments despite sharing a common biochemical precursor. Together, our results show correlations between defense and life-history traits are influenced by pleiotropy or genetic linkage, but genetic constraints may have limited impact on future evolutionary responses, as a substantial proportion of variation in each trait is controlled by independent loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Kooyers
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Abigail Donofrio
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | - Benjamin K Blackman
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA
| | - Liza M Holeski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
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26
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Compound Specific Trends of Chemical Defences in Ficus Along an Elevational Gradient Reflect a Complex Selective Landscape. J Chem Ecol 2020; 46:442-454. [PMID: 32314119 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-020-01173-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Elevational gradients affect the production of plant secondary metabolites through changes in both biotic and abiotic conditions. Previous studies have suggested both elevational increases and decreases in host-plant chemical defences. We analysed the correlation of alkaloids and polyphenols with elevation in a community of nine Ficus species along a continuously forested elevational gradient in Papua New Guinea. We sampled 204 insect species feeding on the leaves of these hosts and correlated their community structure to the focal compounds. Additionally, we explored species richness of folivorous mammals along the gradient. When we accounted for Ficus species identity, we found a general elevational increase in flavonoids and alkaloids. Elevational trends in non-flavonol polyphenols were less pronounced or showed non-linear correlations with elevation. Polyphenols responded more strongly to changes in temperature and humidity than alkaloids. The abundance of insect herbivores decreased with elevation, while the species richness of folivorous mammals showed an elevational increase. Insect community structure was affected mainly by alkaloid concentration and diversity. Although our results show an elevational increase in several groups of metabolites, the drivers behind these trends likely differ. Flavonoids may provide figs with protection against abiotic stressors. In contrast, alkaloids affect insect herbivores and may provide protection against mammalian herbivores and pathogens. Concurrent analysis of multiple compound groups alongside ecological data is an important approach for understanding the selective landscape that shapes plant defences.
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27
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Duffin P, Martin DL, Pagenkopp Lohan KM, Ross C. Integrating host immune status, Labyrinthula spp. load and environmental stress in a seagrass pathosystem: Assessing immune markers and scope of a new qPCR primer set. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230108. [PMID: 32168322 PMCID: PMC7069685 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent trends suggest that marine disease outbreaks caused by opportunistic pathogens are increasing in frequency and severity. One such malady is seagrass wasting disease, caused by pathogens in the genus Labyrinthula. It is suspected that pathogenicity is intimately linked to the ability of the host to initiate defense responses; however, supportive evidence is lacking. To address this, we developed two techniques, including 1) a new qPCR-based pathogen detection method, and 2) an immune profiling panel via four host-biomarker assays (measuring peroxidase, exochitinase, polyphenol oxidase, and lysozyme activities). These techniques were then used to experimentally investigate the impact of environmental stressors (namely, elevated temperature and salinity) on host immunity and how immune status might affect susceptibility to Labyrinthula infection. In the first experiment, we subjected individual turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) shoots to short-term (7 d) abiotic stressors alone. In a second experiment, the same abiotic stressor conditions were followed by pathogen exposure (7 additional d), simulating a scenario where we attempt to isolate the impact of environmental stressors on the host seagrass species by removing the stressor as the pathogen is introduced. The qPCR assay successfully quantified the abundance of Labyrinthula spp. cells from both pure cultures and seagrass tissues across a broad range of predominately pathogenic strains, with high sensitivity. Immune enzyme assays revealed that all four biomarkers were constitutively active in turtlegrass individuals, but specific activities were largely unaffected by the chosen abiotic stressor conditions. We also identified positive correlations between pathogen load and two biomarkers (peroxidase, exochitinase), regardless of abiotic stress treatment, further demonstrating the potential utility of these biomarkers in future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige Duffin
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Daniel L. Martin
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America
| | | | - Cliff Ross
- Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America
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28
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Kergunteuil A, Humair L, Maire AL, Moreno-Aguilar MF, Godschalx A, Catalán P, Rasmann S. Tritrophic interactions follow phylogenetic escalation and climatic adaptation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2074. [PMID: 32034273 PMCID: PMC7005781 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59068-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
One major goal in plant evolutionary ecology is to address how and why tritrophic interactions mediated by phytochemical plant defences vary across species, space, and time. In this study, we tested three classical hypotheses about plant defences: (i) the resource-availability hypothesis, (ii) the altitudinal/elevational gradient hypothesis and (iii) the defence escalation hypothesis. For this purpose, predatory soil nematodes were challenged to hunt for root herbivores based on volatile cues from damaged or intact roots of 18 Alpine Festuca grass species adapted to distinct climatic niches spanning 2000 meters of elevation. We found that adaptation into harsh, nutrient-limited alpine environments coincided with the production of specific blends of volatiles, highly attractive for nematodes. We also found that recently-diverged taxa exposed to herbivores released higher amounts of volatiles than ancestrally-diverged species. Therefore, our model provides evidence that belowground indirect plant defences associated with tritrophic interactions have evolved under two classical hypotheses in plant ecology. While phylogenetic drivers of volatile emissions point to the defence-escalation hypothesis, plant local adaptation of indirect defences is in line with the resource availability hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Kergunteuil
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- INRAE, UMR Laboratoire d'Agronomie et Environnement, Vandoeuvre-lès, 54518, Nancy, France
| | - Laureline Humair
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Laure Maire
- Botanical Garden Neuchâtel, Chemin du Pertuis-du-Sault 58, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - María Fernanda Moreno-Aguilar
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Huesca, Universidad de Zaragoza, Ctra. Cuarte km 1, 22071, Huesca, Spain
| | - Adrienne Godschalx
- INRAE, UMR Laboratoire d'Agronomie et Environnement, Vandoeuvre-lès, 54518, Nancy, France
| | - Pilar Catalán
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Huesca, Universidad de Zaragoza, Ctra. Cuarte km 1, 22071, Huesca, Spain
- Grupo de Bioquímica, Biofísica y Biología Computacional (BIFI, UNIZAR), Unidad Asociada al CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Botany, Institute of Biology, Tomsk State University, Lenin Av. 36, Tomsk, 634050, Russia
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
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29
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Li M, Cappellin L, Xu J, Biasioli F, Varotto C. High-throughput screening for in planta characterization of VOC biosynthetic genes by PTR-ToF-MS. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2020; 133:123-131. [PMID: 31701286 PMCID: PMC6946754 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-019-01149-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Functional characterization of plant volatile organic compound (VOC) biosynthetic genes and elucidation of the biological function of their products often involve the screening of large numbers of plants from either independent transformation events or mapping populations. The low time resolution of standard gas chromatographic methods, however, represents a major bottleneck for in planta genetic characterization of VOC biosynthetic genes. Here we present a fast and highly-sensitive method for the high-throughput characterization of VOC emission levels/patterns by coupling a Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer to an autosampler for automation of sample measurement. With this system more than 700 samples per day can be screened, detecting for each sample hundreds of spectrometric peaks in the m/z 15-300 range. As a case study, we report the characterization of VOC emissions from 116 independent Arabidopsis thaliana lines transformed with a putative isoprene synthase gene, confirming its function also when fused to a C-terminal 3×FLAG tag. We demonstrate that the method is more reliable than conventional characterization of transgene expression for the identification of the most highly isoprene-emitting lines. The throughput of this VOC screening method exceeds that of existing alternatives, potentially allowing its application to reverse and forward genetic screenings of genes contributing to VOC emission, constituting a powerful tool for the functional characterization of VOC biosynthetic genes and elucidation of the biological functions of their products directly in planta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingai Li
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38010, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Luca Cappellin
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38010, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35121, Padua, Italy
| | - Jia Xu
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38010, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35121, Padua, Italy
| | - Franco Biasioli
- Department of Food Quality and Nutrition, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38010, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Claudio Varotto
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38010, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy.
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30
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Abdala‐Roberts L, Puentes A, Finke DL, Marquis RJ, Montserrat M, Poelman EH, Rasmann S, Sentis A, van Dam NM, Wimp G, Mooney K, Björkman C. Tri-trophic interactions: bridging species, communities and ecosystems. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:2151-2167. [PMID: 31631502 PMCID: PMC6899832 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A vast body of research demonstrates that many ecological and evolutionary processes can only be understood from a tri-trophic viewpoint, that is, one that moves beyond the pairwise interactions of neighbouring trophic levels to consider the emergent features of interactions among multiple trophic levels. Despite its unifying potential, tri-trophic research has been fragmented, following two distinct paths. One has focused on the population biology and evolutionary ecology of simple food chains of interacting species. The other has focused on bottom-up and top-down controls over the distribution of biomass across trophic levels and other ecosystem-level variables. Here, we propose pathways to bridge these two long-standing perspectives. We argue that an expanded theory of tri-trophic interactions (TTIs) can unify our understanding of biological processes across scales and levels of organisation, ranging from species evolution and pairwise interactions to community structure and ecosystem function. To do so requires addressing how community structure and ecosystem function arise as emergent properties of component TTIs, and, in turn, how species traits and TTIs are shaped by the ecosystem processes and the abiotic environment in which they are embedded. We conclude that novel insights will come from applying tri-trophic theory systematically across all levels of biological organisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Abdala‐Roberts
- Departamento de Ecología TropicalCampus de Ciencias Biológicas y AgropecuariasUniversidad Autónoma de YucatánKm. 15.5 Carretera Mérida‐XmatkuilMX‐97000MéridaYucatánMéxico
| | - Adriana Puentes
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesBox 7044SE‐750 07UppsalaSweden
| | - Deborah L. Finke
- Division of Plant SciencesUniversity of Missouri1‐33 Agriculture BuildingUS‐65211ColumbiaMOUSA
| | - Robert J. Marquis
- Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology CenterUniversity of Missouri–St. Louis1 University BoulevardUS‐63121St. LouisMOUSA
| | - Marta Montserrat
- Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea “La Mayora” (IHSM‐UMA‐CSIC)Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasE‐29750Algarrobo‐Costa (Málaga)Spain
| | - Erik H. Poelman
- Laboratory of EntomologyWageningen UniversityP.O. Box 166700 AAWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of NeuchâtelRue Emile‐Argand 11CH‐2000NeuchâtelSwitzerland
| | - Arnaud Sentis
- UMR RECOVERIRSTEAAix Marseille University3275 route Cézanne13182Aix‐en‐ProvenceFrance
| | - Nicole M. van Dam
- Molecular Interaction EcologyFriedrich‐Schiller‐University Jena & German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigDeutscher Platz 5eDE‐04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Gina Wimp
- Department of BiologyGeorgetown University406 Reiss Science BuildingUS‐20057WashingtonDCUSA
| | - Kailen Mooney
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Irvine321 Steinhaus HallUS‐92697IrvineCAUSA
| | - Christer Björkman
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesBox 7044SE‐750 07UppsalaSweden
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31
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Kergunteuil A, Humair L, Münzbergová Z, Rasmann S. Plant adaptation to different climates shapes the strengths of chemically mediated tritrophic interactions. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Kergunteuil
- Functional Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Biology University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | - Lauréline Humair
- Functional Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Biology University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | - Zuzana Münzbergová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic
- Institute of Botany Czech Academy of Sciences Průhonice Czech Republic
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Functional Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Biology University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
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32
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Robert CAM, Pellissier L, Moreira X, Defossez E, Pfander M, Guyer A, van Dam NM, Rasmann S. Correlated Induction of Phytohormones and Glucosinolates Shapes Insect Herbivore Resistance of Cardamine Species Along Elevational Gradients. J Chem Ecol 2019; 45:638-648. [DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01084-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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33
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Maron JL, Agrawal AA, Schemske DW. Plant–herbivore coevolution and plant speciation. Ecology 2019; 100:e02704. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John L. Maron
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana 59812 USA
| | - Anurag A. Agrawal
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca New York 14853 USA
| | - Douglas W. Schemske
- Department of Plant Biology Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan 48824 USA
- W. K. Kellogg Biological Station Michigan State University Hickory Corners Michigan 49060 USA
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34
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Moreira X, Abdala-Roberts L. Specificity and context-dependency of plant-plant communication in response to insect herbivory. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 32:15-21. [PMID: 31113626 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 06/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Over three decades of work on airborne plant communication have taught us that plants send, receive, and respond to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by conspecific as well as heterospecific neighbouring plants. Much of this research has focused on the consequences of plant-plant communication on resistance against herbivory, with studies showing that VOCs emitted by herbivore-damaged plants increase resistance of neighbouring undamaged plants. However, a key aspect that has received less attention concerns the ecological specificity and context-dependency of this phenomenon. Knowledge on this is crucial for assessing the ecological mechanisms that govern plant communication, determining its biological significance under natural conditions, as well as designing effective strategies for its application (e.g. in crop protection). Here we synthesize important advances from incipient work on the ecological specificity of plant communication according to three main aspects: plant-based specificity, herbivore-based specificity, and the influence of the abiotic context. We then provide some ideas for future research to improve our understanding of the specificity of plant communication and its ecological and evolutionary importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xoaquín Moreira
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Apartado de Correos 28, 36080, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain.
| | - Luis Abdala-Roberts
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Apartado, Postal 4-116, Itzimná, 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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Ode PJ. Plant toxins and parasitoid trophic ecology. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 32:118-123. [PMID: 31113623 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Parasitoids (parasitic wasps) are ubiquitous components of nearly all communities containing plant-insect herbivore associations. Plant toxin defenses against herbivores may also affect higher trophic levels by directly (e.g., plant toxins encountered in host hemolymph) or indirectly (e.g., plant toxins reduce host size/quality or alter the host's immunity against parasitoids). Yet, whether parasitoids structure plant-herbivore interactions remains relatively understudied. Nevertheless, recent meta-analyses and empirical work emphasize the importance of parasitoids in structuring interactions among lower trophic levels. Two promising areas of research are particularly ripe for future exploration: a) the potential for microbes to alter the interactions among plants, insect herbivores, and parasitoids, and b) the effects of climate change on phenological (mis)matches among trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Ode
- Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management and the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1177, United States.
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36
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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] [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.
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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
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Galmán A, Petry WK, Abdala-Roberts L, Butrón A, de la Fuente M, Francisco M, Kergunteuil A, Rasmann S, Moreira X. Inducibility of chemical defences in young oak trees is stronger in species with high elevational ranges. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 39:606-614. [PMID: 30597091 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Elevational gradients have been highly useful for understanding the underlying forces driving variation in plant traits and plant-insect herbivore interactions. A widely held view from these studies has been that greater herbivory under warmer and less variable climatic conditions found at low elevations has resulted in stronger herbivore selection on plant defences. However, this prediction has been called into question by conflicting empirical evidence, which could be explained by a number of causes such as an incomplete assessment of defensive strategies (ignoring other axes of defence such as defence inducibility) or unaccounted variation in abiotic factors along elevational clines. We conducted a greenhouse experiment testing for inter-specific variation in constitutive leaf chemical defences (phenolic compounds) and their inducibility in response to feeding by gypsy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar L., Lepidoptera) using saplings of 18 oak (Quercus, Fagaceae) species. These species vary in their elevational distribution and together span >2400 m in elevation, therefore allowing us to test for among-species elevational clines in defences based on the elevational range of each species. In addition, we further tested for elevational gradients in the correlated expression of constitutive defences and their inducibility and for associations between defences and climatic factors potentially underlying elevational gradients in defences. Our results showed that oak species with high elevational ranges exhibited a greater inducibility of phenolic compounds (hydrolysable tannins), but this gradient was not accounted for by climatic predictors. In contrast, constitutive defences and the correlated expression of constitutive phenolics and their inducibility did not exhibit elevational clines. Overall, this study builds towards a more robust and integrative understanding of how multivariate plant defensive phenotypes vary along ecological gradients and their underlying abiotic drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Galmán
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Apartado de correos 28, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
| | - William K Petry
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luis Abdala-Roberts
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Apartado Postal 4-116, Itzimná, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Ana Butrón
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Apartado de correos 28, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
| | - María de la Fuente
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Apartado de correos 28, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
| | - Marta Francisco
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Apartado de correos 28, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
| | - Alan Kergunteuil
- Institute of Biology, Laboratory of Functional Ecology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Institute of Biology, Laboratory of Functional Ecology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Xoaquín Moreira
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Apartado de correos 28, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
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38
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Raffard A, Cucherousset J, Prunier JG, Loot G, Santoul F, Blanchet S. Variability of functional traits and their syndromes in a freshwater fish species ( Phoxinus phoxinus): The role of adaptive and nonadaptive processes. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2833-2846. [PMID: 30891220 PMCID: PMC6405509 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional traits can covary to form "functional syndromes." Describing and understanding functional syndromes is an important prerequisite for predicting the effects of organisms on ecosystem functioning. At the intraspecific level, functional syndromes have recently been described, but very little is known about their variability among populations and-if they vary-what the ecological and evolutionary drivers of this variation are. Here, we quantified and compared the variability in four functional traits (body mass, metabolic rate, excretion rate, and boldness), their covariations and the subsequent syndromes among thirteen populations of a common freshwater fish (the European minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus). We then tested whether functional traits and their covariations, as well as the subsequent syndromes, were underpinned by the phylogenetic relatedness among populations (historical effects) or the local environment (i.e., temperature and predation pressure), and whether adaptive (selection or plasticity) or nonadaptive (genetic drift) processes sustained among-population variability. We found substantial among-population variability in functional traits and trait covariations, and in the emerging syndromes. We further found that adaptive mechanisms (plasticity and/or selection) related to water temperature and predation pressure modulated the covariation between body mass and metabolic rate. Other trait covariations were more likely driven by genetic drift, suggesting that nonadaptive processes can also lead to substantial differences in trait covariations among populations. Overall, we concluded that functional syndromes are population-specific, and that both adaptive and nonadaptive processes are shaping functional traits. Given the pivotal role of functional traits, differences in functional syndromes within species provide interesting perspectives regarding the role of intraspecific diversity for ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Raffard
- CNRS, UMR‐5321, Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS à MoulisUniversité Toulouse III Paul SabatierMoulisFrance
- EcoLab, Université de ToulouseCNRS, INPT, UPSToulouseFrance
| | - Julien Cucherousset
- CNRS, UMR‐5174 EDB (Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique)Université Toulouse III Paul SabatierToulouseFrance
| | - Jérôme G. Prunier
- CNRS, UMR‐5321, Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS à MoulisUniversité Toulouse III Paul SabatierMoulisFrance
| | - Géraldine Loot
- CNRS, UMR‐5174 EDB (Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique)Université Toulouse III Paul SabatierToulouseFrance
| | | | - Simon Blanchet
- CNRS, UMR‐5321, Station d’Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS à MoulisUniversité Toulouse III Paul SabatierMoulisFrance
- CNRS, UMR‐5174 EDB (Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique)Université Toulouse III Paul SabatierToulouseFrance
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Buckley J, Pashalidou FG, Fischer MC, Widmer A, Mescher MC, De Moraes CM. Divergence in Glucosinolate Profiles between High- and Low-Elevation Populations of Arabidopsis halleri Correspond to Variation in Field Herbivory and Herbivore Behavioral Preferences. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20010174. [PMID: 30621284 PMCID: PMC6337533 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in local herbivore pressure along elevation gradients is predicted to drive variation in plant defense traits. Yet, the extent of intraspecific variation in defense investment along elevation gradients, and its effects on both herbivore preference and performance, remain relatively unexplored. Using populations of Arabidopsis halleri (Brassicaceae) occurring at different elevations in the Alps, we tested for associations between elevation, herbivore damage in the field, and constitutive chemical defense traits (glucosinolates) assayed under common-garden conditions. Additionally, we examined the feeding preferences and performance of a specialist herbivore, the butterfly Pieris brassicae, on plants from different elevations in the Alps. Although we found no effect of elevation on the overall levels of constitutive glucosinolates in leaves, relative amounts of indole glucosinolates increased significantly with elevation and were negatively correlated with herbivore damage in the field. In oviposition preference assays, P. brassicae females laid fewer eggs on plants from high-elevation populations, although larval performance was similar on populations from different elevations. Taken together, these results support the prediction that species distributed along elevation gradients exhibit genetic variation in chemical defenses, which can have consequences for interactions with herbivores in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Buckley
- Center for Adaptation to a Changing Environment, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
- Biocommunication Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Foteini G Pashalidou
- Biocommunication Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Martin C Fischer
- Center for Adaptation to a Changing Environment, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
- Plant Ecological Genetics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Alex Widmer
- Plant Ecological Genetics Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Mark C Mescher
- Evolutionary Biology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Consuelo M De Moraes
- Biocommunication Group, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
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40
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Hahn PG, Agrawal AA, Sussman KI, Maron JL. Population Variation, Environmental Gradients, and the Evolutionary Ecology of Plant Defense against Herbivory. Am Nat 2018; 193:20-34. [PMID: 30624107 DOI: 10.1086/700838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
A central tenet of plant defense theory is that adaptation to the abiotic environment sets the template for defense strategies, imposing a trade-off between plant growth and defense. Yet this trade-off, commonly found among species occupying divergent resource environments, may not occur across populations of single species. We hypothesized that more favorable climates and higher levels of herbivory would lead to increases in growth and defense across plant populations. We evaluated whether plant growth and defense traits covaried across 18 populations of showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) inhabiting an east-west climate gradient spanning 25° of longitude. A suite of traits impacting defense (e.g., latex, cardenolides), growth (e.g., size), or both (e.g., specific leaf area [SLA], trichomes) were measured in natural populations and in a common garden, allowing us to evaluate plastic and genetically based variation in these traits. In natural populations, herbivore pressure increased toward warmer sites with longer growing seasons. Growth and defense traits showed strong clinal patterns and were positively correlated. In a common garden, clines with climatic origin were recapitulated only for defense traits. Correlations between growth and defense traits were also weaker and more negative in the common garden than in the natural populations. Thus, our data suggest that climatically favorable sites likely facilitate the evolution of greater defense at minimal costs to growth, likely because of increased resource acquisition.
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Abdala-Roberts L, Galmán A, Petry WK, Covelo F, de la Fuente M, Glauser G, Moreira X. Interspecific variation in leaf functional and defensive traits in oak species and its underlying climatic drivers. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202548. [PMID: 30125315 PMCID: PMC6101385 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants exhibit a diverse set of functional traits and ecological strategies which reflect an adaptation process to the biotic and abiotic components of the environment. The Plant Economic Spectrum organizes these traits along a continuum from conservative to acquisitive resource use strategies and shows how the abiotic environment governs a species' position along the continuum. However, this framework does not typically account for leaf traits associated with herbivore resistance, despite fundamental metabolic links (and therefore co-variance) between resource use traits and defensive traits. Here we analyzed a suite of leaf traits associated with either resource use (specific leaf area [SLA], nutrients and water content) or defenses (phenolic compounds) for saplings of 11 species of oaks (Quercus spp.), and further investigated whether climatic variables underlie patterns of trait interspecific variation. An ordination of leaf traits revealed the primary axis of trait variation to be leaf economic spectrum traits associated with resource use (SLA, nitrogen, water content) in conjunction with a defensive trait (condensed tannins). Secondary and tertiary axes of trait variation were mainly associated with other defensive traits (lignins, flavonoids, and hydrolysable tannins). Within the primary axis we found a trade-off between resource use traits and both water content and condensed tannins; species with high SLA and leaf N values invested less in condensed tannins and viceversa. Moreover, temperature and precipitation mediated the trait space occupied by species, such that species distributed in warmer and drier climates had less leaf N, lower SLA, and more defenses (condensed tannins, lignins and flavonoids), whereas opposite values were observed for species distributed in colder and wetter climates. These results emphasize the role of abiotic controls over all-inclusive axes of trait variation and contribute to a more complete understanding of interspecific variation in plant functional strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Abdala-Roberts
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Itzimná, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Andrea Galmán
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
| | - William K. Petry
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felisa Covelo
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Xoaquín Moreira
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
- * E-mail:
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42
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Kergunteuil A, Descombes P, Glauser G, Pellissier L, Rasmann S. Plant physical and chemical defence variation along elevation gradients: a functional trait-based approach. Oecologia 2018; 187:561-571. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4162-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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