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López-Martínez AM, Schönenberger J, von Balthazar M, González-Martínez CA, Ramírez-Barahona S, Sauquet H, Magallón S. Integrating Fossil Flowers into the Angiosperm Phylogeny Using Molecular and Morphological Evidence. Syst Biol 2023; 72:837-855. [PMID: 36995161 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Fossils are essential to infer past evolutionary processes. The assignment of fossils to extant clades has traditionally relied on morphological similarity and on apomorphies shared with extant taxa. The use of explicit phylogenetic analyses to establish fossil affinities has so far remained limited. In this study, we built a comprehensive framework to investigate the phylogenetic placement of 24 exceptionally preserved fossil flowers. For this, we assembled a new species-level data set of 30 floral traits for 1201 extant species that were sampled to capture the stem and crown nodes of all angiosperm families. We explored multiple analytical approaches to integrate the fossils into the phylogeny, including different phylogenetic estimation methods, topological-constrained analyses, and combining molecular and morphological data of extant and fossil species. Our results were widely consistent across approaches and showed minor differences in the support of fossils at different phylogenetic positions. The placement of some fossils agrees with previously suggested relationships, but for others, a new placement is inferred. We also identified fossils that are well supported within particular extant families, whereas others showed high phylogenetic uncertainty. Finally, we present recommendations for future analyses combining molecular and morphological evidence, regarding the selection of fossils and appropriate methodologies, and provide some perspectives on how to integrate fossils into the investigation of divergence times and the temporal evolution of morphological traits. [Angiosperms; fossil flowers; phylogenetic uncertainty; RoguePlots.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M López-Martínez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Edificio D, 1° Piso, Circuito de Posgrados, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
- Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito de Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Jürg Schönenberger
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Maria von Balthazar
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - César A González-Martínez
- Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito de Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Santiago Ramírez-Barahona
- Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito de Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Hervé Sauquet
- National Herbarium of New South Wales (NSW), Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Susana Magallón
- Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 3er Circuito de Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
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Pausas JG, Keeley JE. Evolutionary fire ecology: An historical account and future directions. Bioscience 2023; 73:602-608. [PMID: 37680689 PMCID: PMC10481411 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad059] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The idea that fire acts as an evolutionary force contributing to shaping species traits started a century ago, but had not been widely recognized until very recently. Among the first to realize this force were Edward B. Poulton, R. Dale Guthrie, and Edwin V. Komarek in animals and Willis L. Jepson, Walter W. Hough, Tom M. Harris, Philip V. Wells, and Robert W. Mutch in plants. They were all ahead of their time in their evolutionary thinking. Since then, evolutionary fire ecology has percolated very slowly into the mainstream ecology and evolutionary biology; in fact, this topic is still seldom mentioned in textbooks of ecology or evolution. Currently, there is plenty of evidence suggesting that we cannot understand the biodiversity of our planet without considering the key evolutionary role of fire. But there is still research to be done in order to fully understand fire's contribution to species evolution and to predicting species responses to rapid global changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Montcada, Spain
| | - Jon E Keeley
- Sequoia-Kings Canyon Field Station, at theWestern Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, Three Rivers, California, United States
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
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3
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Moritz MA, Batllori E, Bolker BM. The role of fire in terrestrial vertebrate richness patterns. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:563-574. [PMID: 36773965 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14177] [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: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
Productivity is strongly associated with terrestrial species richness patterns, although the mechanisms underpinning such patterns have long been debated. Despite considerable consumption of primary productivity by fire, its influence on global diversity has received relatively little study. Here we examine the sensitivity of terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity (amphibians, birds and mammals) to fire, while accounting for other drivers. We analyse global data on terrestrial vertebrate richness, net primary productivity, fire occurrence (fraction of productivity consumed) and additional influences unrelated to productivity (i.e., historical phylogenetic and area effects) on species richness. For birds, fire is associated with higher diversity, rivalling the effects of productivity on richness, and for mammals, fire's positive association with diversity is even stronger than productivity; for amphibians, in contrast, there are few clear associations. Our findings suggest an underappreciated role for fire in the generation of animal species richness and the conservation of global biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max A Moritz
- University of California Cooperative Extension, Oakland, California, USA
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Enric Batllori
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benjamin M Bolker
- Departments of Mathematics & Statistics and Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Boyce CK, Ibarra DE, Nelsen MP, D'Antonio MP. Nitrogen-based symbioses, phosphorus availability, and accounting for a modern world more productive than the Paleozoic. GEOBIOLOGY 2023; 21:86-101. [PMID: 35949039 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12519] [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: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Evolution of high-productivity angiosperms has been regarded as a driver of Mesozoic ecosystem restructuring. However, terrestrial productivity is limited by availability of rock-derived nutrients such as phosphorus for which permanent increases in weathering would violate mass balance requirements of the long-term carbon cycle. The potential reality of productivity increases sustained since the Mesozoic is supported here with documentation of a dramatic increase in the evolution of nitrogen-fixing or nitrogen-scavenging symbioses, including more than 100 lineages of ectomycorrhizal and lichen-forming fungi and plants with specialized microbial associations. Given this evidence of broadly increased nitrogen availability, we explore via carbon cycle modeling how enhanced phosphorus availability might be sustained without violating mass balance requirements. Volcanism is the dominant carbon input, dictating peaks in weathering outputs up to twice modern values. However, times of weathering rate suppression may be more important for setting system behavior, and the late Paleozoic was the only extended period over which rates are expected to have remained lower than modern. Modeling results are consistent with terrestrial organic matter deposition that accompanied Paleozoic vascular plant evolution having suppressed weathering fluxes by providing an alternative sink of atmospheric CO2 . Suppression would have then been progressively lifted as the crustal reservoir's holding capacity for terrestrial organic matter saturated back toward steady state with deposition of new organic matter balanced by erosion of older organic deposits. Although not an absolute increase, weathering fluxes returning to early Paleozoic conditions would represent a novel regime for the complex land biota that evolved in the interim. Volcanism-based peaks in Mesozoic weathering far surpass the modern rates that sustain a complex diversity of nitrogen-based symbioses; only in the late Paleozoic might these ecologies have been suppressed by significantly lower rates. Thus, angiosperms are posited to be another effect rather than proximal cause of Mesozoic upheaval.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Kevin Boyce
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Daniel E Ibarra
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society and the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Matthew P Nelsen
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael P D'Antonio
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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5
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Xiao L, Labandeira CC, Ren D. Insect herbivory immediately before the eclipse of the gymnosperms: The Dawangzhangzi plant assemblage of Northeastern China. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:1483-1520. [PMID: 34874612 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The Early Cretaceous terrestrial revolution involved global shifts from gymnosperm- to angiosperm-dominated floras. However, responses of insect herbivores to these changes remain unexamined. We evaluated 2 176 highly sampled plant specimens representing 62 species/morphotypes from the 126 Ma Dawangzhangzi plant assemblage of Northeastern China. Our study consisted of horsetails, ferns, ginkgoaleans, czekanowskialeans, conifers, and an angiosperm. Their herbivory was evaluated by the functional feeding groups of hole feeding, margin feeding, and surface feeding (ectophytic feeders); piercer and suckers, and ovipositing insects (ectoendophytic feeders); mining, galling, and borings (endophytic feeders); and pathogens, collectively constituting 65 damage types (DTs). The plant assemblage was assessed for herbivory richness by DT richness, component community structure, and DT specialization on plant hosts; for herbivory intensity, it was evaluated for DT frequency, herbivorized surface area, and feeding event occurrences. Using feeding event occurrences, the data supported seven species/morphotypes as most intensely herbivorized: Liaoningocladus boii (76.6%), Czekanowskia sp. 1 (8.4%), Czekanowskia rigida (4.10%), Lindleycladus lanceolatus (3.5%), Ginkgoites sp. 2 (2.0%), Podozamites sp. 1 (1.1%), and Solenites sp. 1 (0.9%). The most herbivorized taxa were pinaleans (conifers), then czekanowskialeans, and lastly ginkgoaleans; the monodominant component community was the conifer Liaoningocladus boii. DT host specialization levels were low. The plant assemblage had an overall low 0.86% of foliage removed by herbivores, explained by physical and chemical antiherbivore defenses, and parasitoid attack. Although Paleozoic, gymnosperm-dominated assemblages had greater herbivory, component community structure of the three most herbivorized taxa are more similar to modern bracken fern and willow than modern gymnosperm taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Xiao
- College of Life Science and Academy for Multidisciplinary Studies, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Conrad C Labandeira
- College of Life Science and Academy for Multidisciplinary Studies, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Entomology and Bees Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Dong Ren
- College of Life Science and Academy for Multidisciplinary Studies, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
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6
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Shuman JK, Balch JK, Barnes RT, Higuera PE, Roos CI, Schwilk DW, Stavros EN, Banerjee T, Bela MM, Bendix J, Bertolino S, Bililign S, Bladon KD, Brando P, Breidenthal RE, Buma B, Calhoun D, Carvalho LMV, Cattau ME, Cawley KM, Chandra S, Chipman ML, Cobian-Iñiguez J, Conlisk E, Coop JD, Cullen A, Davis KT, Dayalu A, De Sales F, Dolman M, Ellsworth LM, Franklin S, Guiterman CH, Hamilton M, Hanan EJ, Hansen WD, Hantson S, Harvey BJ, Holz A, Huang T, Hurteau MD, Ilangakoon NT, Jennings M, Jones C, Klimaszewski-Patterson A, Kobziar LN, Kominoski J, Kosovic B, Krawchuk MA, Laris P, Leonard J, Loria-Salazar SM, Lucash M, Mahmoud H, Margolis E, Maxwell T, McCarty JL, McWethy DB, Meyer RS, Miesel JR, Moser WK, Nagy RC, Niyogi D, Palmer HM, Pellegrini A, Poulter B, Robertson K, Rocha AV, Sadegh M, Santos F, Scordo F, Sexton JO, Sharma AS, Smith AMS, Soja AJ, Still C, Swetnam T, Syphard AD, Tingley MW, Tohidi A, Trugman AT, Turetsky M, Varner JM, Wang Y, Whitman T, Yelenik S, Zhang X. Reimagine fire science for the anthropocene. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac115. [PMID: 36741468 PMCID: PMC9896919 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fire is an integral component of ecosystems globally and a tool that humans have harnessed for millennia. Altered fire regimes are a fundamental cause and consequence of global change, impacting people and the biophysical systems on which they depend. As part of the newly emerging Anthropocene, marked by human-caused climate change and radical changes to ecosystems, fire danger is increasing, and fires are having increasingly devastating impacts on human health, infrastructure, and ecosystem services. Increasing fire danger is a vexing problem that requires deep transdisciplinary, trans-sector, and inclusive partnerships to address. Here, we outline barriers and opportunities in the next generation of fire science and provide guidance for investment in future research. We synthesize insights needed to better address the long-standing challenges of innovation across disciplines to (i) promote coordinated research efforts; (ii) embrace different ways of knowing and knowledge generation; (iii) promote exploration of fundamental science; (iv) capitalize on the "firehose" of data for societal benefit; and (v) integrate human and natural systems into models across multiple scales. Fire science is thus at a critical transitional moment. We need to shift from observation and modeled representations of varying components of climate, people, vegetation, and fire to more integrative and predictive approaches that support pathways toward mitigating and adapting to our increasingly flammable world, including the utilization of fire for human safety and benefit. Only through overcoming institutional silos and accessing knowledge across diverse communities can we effectively undertake research that improves outcomes in our more fiery future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn K Shuman
- Terrestrial Sciences Section, Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000, USA
| | - Jennifer K Balch
- Earth Lab, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder,4001 Discovery Drive, Suite S348 611 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Rebecca T Barnes
- Environmental Studies Program, Colorado College, 14 East Cache la Poudre, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, USA
| | - Philip E Higuera
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Christopher I Roos
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, P.O. Box 750336, Dallas, TX, 75275-0336, USA
| | - Dylan W Schwilk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main St. Lubbock, TX, 79409-43131, USA
| | - E Natasha Stavros
- Earth Lab, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder,4001 Discovery Drive, Suite S348 611 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Tirtha Banerjee
- Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, 3084 Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building, UC Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Megan M Bela
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado at Boulder, 216 UCB, Boulder CO, 80309, USA
- NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Jacob Bendix
- Department of Geography and the Environment, Syracuse University, 144 Eggers Hall, Syracuse NY 13244, USA
| | - Sandro Bertolino
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Solomon Bililign
- Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 E Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
| | - Kevin D Bladon
- Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management, Oregon State University, 244 Peavy Forest Science Center; Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Paulo Brando
- Earth System Science, University of California Irvine, 3215 Croul Hall Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Robert E Breidenthal
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Box 352400, Seattle, WA 98195-2400, USA
| | - Brian Buma
- Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Campus Box 171, P.O. Box 173364, Denver, CO 80217-3364, USA
| | - Donna Calhoun
- Department of Mathematics, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725-1135, USA
| | - Leila M V Carvalho
- Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, 1832 Ellison Hall, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Megan E Cattau
- Human-Environment Systems, Boise State University, Boise State Environmental Research Building, 1295 W University Dr, Boise, ID 83706, USA
| | - Kaelin M Cawley
- National Ecological Observatory Network, Battelle, 1685 38th St., Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Sudeep Chandra
- Global Water Center, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia, Reno, NV, 89509, USA
| | - Melissa L Chipman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Syracuse University, 317 Heroy Geology Building, 141 Crouse Dr, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Jeanette Cobian-Iñiguez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Merced, Sustainability Research and Engineering, SRE 366, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Erin Conlisk
- Point Blue Conservation Science, 3820 Cypress Dr, Petaluma, CA 94954, USA
| | - Jonathan D Coop
- Clark School of Environment and Sustainability, Western Colorado University, 1 Western Way, Gunnison CO 81231, USA
| | - Alison Cullen
- Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington, Parrington Hall, Mailbox 353055, Seattle, WA 98195-3055, USA
| | - Kimberley T Davis
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Archana Dayalu
- Atmospheric and Environmental Research, 131 Hartwell Ave, Lexington MA 02421, USA
| | - Fernando De Sales
- Department of Geography, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4493, USA
| | - Megan Dolman
- Human-Environment Systems, Boise State University, Boise State Environmental Research Building, 1295 W University Dr, Boise, ID 83706, USA
| | - Lisa M Ellsworth
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA
| | - Scott Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, 501 20th Street, Greeley, CO 80639, USA
| | - Christopher H Guiterman
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado at Boulder, 216 UCB, Boulder CO, 80309, USA
- NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 325 Broadway, NOAA E/GC3, Boulder, Colorado 80305-3337, USA
| | - Matthew Hamilton
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Erin J Hanan
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia St. Mail Stop 0186. Reno, NV 89509, USA
| | - Winslow D Hansen
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, PO Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | - Stijn Hantson
- Earth System Science Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Max Planck Tandem Group in Earth System Science, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 26 # 63b-48, Bogota, DC 111221, Colombia
| | - Brian J Harvey
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, UW-SEFS, Box 352100, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Andrés Holz
- Department of Geography, Portland State University, 1721 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Tao Huang
- Human-Environment Systems, Boise State University, Boise State Environmental Research Building, 1295 W University Dr, Boise, ID 83706, USA
| | - Matthew D Hurteau
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2020, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Nayani T Ilangakoon
- Earth Lab, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder,4001 Discovery Drive, Suite S348 611 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Megan Jennings
- Institute for Ecological Monitoring and Management, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4614, USA
| | - Charles Jones
- Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, 1832 Ellison Hall, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | | | - Leda N Kobziar
- College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 1031 N. Academic Way Coeur d'Alene, ID 83844, USA
| | - John Kominoski
- Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Branko Kosovic
- Weather Systems and Assessment Program, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000, USA
| | - Meg A Krawchuk
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Paul Laris
- Department of Geography, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Jackson Leonard
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, 2500 S. Pine Knoll Dr. Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, USA
| | | | - Melissa Lucash
- Department of Geography, University of Oregon, 1251 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1251, USA
| | - Hussam Mahmoud
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, 1372 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Ellis Margolis
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, New Mexico Landscapes Field Station, 15 Entrance Rd., Los Alamos, NM 87544, USA
| | - Toby Maxwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr. Boise ID 83725, USA
| | - Jessica L McCarty
- Department of Geography and Geospatial Analysis Center, Miami University, 217 Shideler Hall, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - David B McWethy
- Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, 226 Traphagen Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Rachel S Meyer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Jessica R Miesel
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue Street Rm A286, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - W Keith Moser
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, 2500 S. Pine Knoll Dr. Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, USA
| | - R Chelsea Nagy
- Earth Lab, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder,4001 Discovery Drive, Suite S348 611 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Dev Niyogi
- Jackson School of Geosciences, and Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 2305 Speedway Stop C1160, Austin, TX 78712-1692, USA
| | - Hannah M Palmer
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Adam Pellegrini
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Benjamin Poulter
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Kevin Robertson
- Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32312, USA
| | - Adrian V Rocha
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Campus Dr., Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Mojtaba Sadegh
- Department of Civil Engineering, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID, 83725, USA
| | - Fernanda Santos
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, P.O. Box 2008, MS-6038, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6038, USA
| | - Facundo Scordo
- Global Water Center and the Department of Biology, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia, Reno, NV, 89509, USA
- Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (IADO-CONICET-UNS), Florida 8000, Bahía Blanca, B8000BFW Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Joseph O Sexton
- terraPulse, Inc., 13201 Squires Ct., North Potomac, MD 20878, USA
| | - A Surjalal Sharma
- Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, 4296 Stadium Dr., Astronomy Dept Room 1113, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Alistair M S Smith
- Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences, College of Science, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 3021, Moscow ID, 83843-3021, USA
- Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Science, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 1133, Moscow, ID 83844-1133, USA
| | - Amber J Soja
- NASA Langley Research Center, NASA, 2 Langley Blvd, Hampton, VA 23681, USA
- National Institute of Aerospace, NASA, 100 Exploration Way, Hampton, VA 23666, USA
| | - Christopher Still
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Tyson Swetnam
- Data Science Institute, University of Arizona, 1657 E Helen St, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Alexandra D Syphard
- Conservation Biology Institute, 10423 Sierra Vista Ave., La Mesa, CA, 91941, USA
| | - Morgan W Tingley
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, 621 Charles E Young Dr S #951606, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ali Tohidi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Jose State University, Room 310-K, ENG Building, 1 Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95112, USA
| | - Anna T Trugman
- Department of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara, 1832 Ellison Hall, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Merritt Turetsky
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Campus Box 450, Boulder, CO 80309-0450, USA
| | - J Morgan Varner
- Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32312, USA
| | - Yuhang Wang
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Thea Whitman
- Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1525 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Stephanie Yelenik
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, 920 Valley Road, Reno NV, 89512, USA
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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7
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Benton MJ, Wilf P, Sauquet H. The Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution and the origins of modern biodiversity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:2017-2035. [PMID: 34699613 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity today has the unusual property that 85% of plant and animal species live on land rather than in the sea, and half of these live in tropical rainforests. An explosive boost to terrestrial diversity occurred from c. 100-50 million years ago, the Late Cretaceous and early Palaeogene. During this interval, the Earth-life system on land was reset, and the biosphere expanded to a new level of productivity, enhancing the capacity and species diversity of terrestrial environments. This boost in terrestrial biodiversity coincided with innovations in flowering plant biology and evolutionary ecology, including their flowers and efficiencies in reproduction; coevolution with animals, especially pollinators and herbivores; photosynthetic capacities; adaptability; and ability to modify habitats. The rise of angiosperms triggered a macroecological revolution on land and drove modern biodiversity in a secular, prolonged shift to new, high levels, a series of processes we name here the Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Benton
- School of Earth Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Peter Wilf
- Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Hervé Sauquet
- National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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8
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Shi C, Wang S, Cai HH, Zhang HR, Long XX, Tihelka E, Song WC, Feng Q, Jiang RX, Cai CY, Lombard N, Li X, Yuan J, Zhu JP, Yang HY, Liu XF, Xiang QP, Zhao ZT, Long CL, Schneider H, Zhang XC, Peng H, Li DZ, Fan Y, Engel MS, Wang YD, Spicer RA. Fire-prone Rhamnaceae with South African affinities in Cretaceous Myanmar amber. NATURE PLANTS 2022; 8:125-135. [PMID: 35102275 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-01091-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The rapid Cretaceous diversification of flowering plants remains Darwin's 'abominable mystery' despite numerous fossil flowers discovered in recent years. Wildfires were frequent in the Cretaceous and many such early flower fossils are represented by charcoalified fragments, lacking complete delicate structures and surface textures, making their similarity to living forms difficult to discern. Furthermore, scarcity of information about the ecology of early angiosperms makes it difficult to test hypotheses about the drivers of their diversification, including the role of fire in shaping flowering plant evolution. We report the discovery of two exquisitely preserved fossil flower species, one identical to the inflorescences of the extant crown-eudicot genus Phylica and the other recovered as a sister group to Phylica, both preserved as inclusions together with burned plant remains in Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar (~99 million years ago). These specialized flower species, named Phylica piloburmensis sp. nov. and Eophylica priscastellata gen. et sp. nov., exhibit traits identical to those of modern taxa in fire-prone ecosystems such as the fynbos of South Africa, and provide evidence of fire adaptation in angiosperms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Shi
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
- Fushun Amber Institute, Fushun, China.
| | - Hao-Hong Cai
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Hong-Rui Zhang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Xuan Long
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Erik Tihelka
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol, UK
| | - Wei-Cai Song
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Qi Feng
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Ri-Xin Jiang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Chen-Yang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Natasha Lombard
- Biosystematics and Biodiversity Collections Division, National Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Xiong Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Ji Yuan
- Shanghai World Expo Museum, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Ping Zhu
- College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Hui-Yu Yang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Fan Liu
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Qiao-Ping Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zun-Tian Zhao
- College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Chun-Lin Long
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Harald Schneider
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yatsen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xian-Chun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Peng
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yong Fan
- Fushun Amber Institute, Fushun, China
| | - Michael S Engel
- Natural History Museum, and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Yong-Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Robert A Spicer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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9
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Romero B, Ganteaume A. Effect of Fire Frequency on the Flammability of Two Mediterranean Pines: Link with Needle Terpene Content. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10102164. [PMID: 34685974 PMCID: PMC8541587 DOI: 10.3390/plants10102164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Flammability is a major factor involved in Mediterranean plant evolution that has led to the diversity of fire-related traits according to fire regimes and fire-adaptive strategies. With on-going climate change, new fire regimes are threatening plant species if they do not adapt or acclimate. Studying flammability and terpene content variation according to the different fire frequencies in the recent fire history represents a great challenge to anticipating the flammability of ecosystems in the near future. The flammability of shoots and litter as well as the needle terpene contents of two pine species with different fire adaptive strategies (Pinus halepensis and Pinus sylvestris) were measured according to two fire modalities (0 vs. 1–2 fire events over the last 60 years). Results showed that, regardless of the species and the fuel type, flammability was higher in populations having undergone at least one past fire event even when factors influencing flammability (e.g., structural traits and hydric content) were considered. The terpene content did not vary in P. sylvestris’ needles according to the fire modality, but that of sesqui- and diterpenes was higher in P. halepensis’ needles sampled in the “Fire” modality. In addition, associations made between flammability and terpene content using random forest analyses indicated that the terpene molecules differed between fire modalities for both species and fuel types. The same results were obtained with significant terpenes driving flammability as were highlighted in the PLS analyses, especially for P. halepensis for which enhanced shoot flammability in the “Fire” modality agreed with the adaptive strategy of this species to fire.
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10
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Belcher CM, Mills BJW, Vitali R, Baker SJ, Lenton TM, Watson AJ. The rise of angiosperms strengthened fire feedbacks and improved the regulation of atmospheric oxygen. Nat Commun 2021; 12:503. [PMID: 33479227 PMCID: PMC7820256 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20772-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The source of oxygen to Earth's atmosphere is organic carbon burial, whilst the main sink is oxidative weathering of fossil carbon. However, this sink is to insensitive to counteract oxygen rising above its current level of about 21%. Biogeochemical models suggest that wildfires provide an additional regulatory feedback mechanism. However, none have considered how the evolution of different plant groups through time have interacted with this feedback. The Cretaceous Period saw not only super-ambient levels of atmospheric oxygen but also the evolution of the angiosperms, that then rose to dominate Earth's ecosystems. Here we show, using the COPSE biogeochemical model, that angiosperm-driven alteration of fire feedbacks likely lowered atmospheric oxygen levels from ~30% to 25% by the end of the Cretaceous. This likely set the stage for the emergence of closed-canopy angiosperm tropical rainforests that we suggest would not have been possible without angiosperm enhancement of fire feedbacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M Belcher
- wildFIRE Lab, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK.
- Global System Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK.
| | - Benjamin J W Mills
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9TJ, UK
| | - Rayanne Vitali
- wildFIRE Lab, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
- Global System Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Sarah J Baker
- wildFIRE Lab, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
- Global System Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Timothy M Lenton
- Global System Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK
| | - Andrew J Watson
- Global System Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QE, UK
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11
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Kanayama Y, Iwasa Y. Why did sauropod dinosaurs grow so big? - A possible answer from the life history theory. J Theor Biol 2020; 508:110485. [PMID: 32918924 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2020.110485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dinosaurs are known for their large body size. Sauropod dinosaurs (Sauropodomorpha) had an especially large body size; some species reached 30 m long and 50 tons. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon. In this study we examined this question using the life history theory. We constructed a simple model of life history with the following assumptions: the body size of immature individuals increases following a logistic equation. A higher quality and availability of food plants make the initial growth rate faster and the final saturating size larger. The increase in body size stops once reproduction starts. Fertility increases with adult body size and food-plant quality. Mortality due to predation is mitigated by a larger body size. We calculated the optimal body size at maturity that would maximize the lifetime reproductive success or fitness. The analysis showed that adult body size increased with food-plant quality and availability but decreased with higher mortality due to predators and other factors. This conclusion is consistent with geological studies that suggest a high quality and availability of food plants in the Mesozoic era, efficient air-sac breathing, and the lightweight bones of sauropod dinosaurs, allowing rapid growth of small individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kanayama
- Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-shi, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan
| | - Yoh Iwasa
- Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda-shi, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan
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12
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Michelaki C, Fyllas NM, Galanidis A, Aloupi M, Evangelou E, Arianoutsou M, Dimitrakopoulos PG. Adaptive flammability syndromes in thermo-Mediterranean vegetation, captured by alternative resource-use strategies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 718:137437. [PMID: 32325621 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137437] [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: 10/27/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fire affects and is affected by leaf functional traits indicative of resource allocation trade-offs. Global change drivers constrain both the resource-use strategies and flammability of coexisting species. However, small attention has been given in identifying links among flammability and plant economics. Ambiguity comes from the fact that flammability is a multidimensional trait. Different flammability attributes (i.e. ignitibility, sustainability, combustibility and consumability) have been used to classify species, but no widely-accepted relationships exist between attributes. We hypothesised that flammability is a spectrum (defined by its four attributes) and the alternative flammability syndromes of coexisting species can be captured by their resource-use strategies. Furthermore, we argue that flammability syndromes are adaptive strategies that ensure persistence in the post-fire community. We conducted a large-scale study to estimate all flammability attributes on leaves from nine, dominant, thermo-Mediterranean species with alternative resource-use and fire-response strategies across a wide environmental and geographic gradient. We assessed the interdependence among attributes, and their variation across ecological scales (genus, species, individual, site and region). Furthermore, we collected 10 leaf functional traits, conducted a soil study and extracted long-term climatological data to quantify their effect on flammability attributes. We found that leaf flammability in thermo-Mediterranean vegetation is a continuous two-dimensional spectrum. The first dimension, driven by leaf shape and size, represents heat release rate (combustibility vs. sustainability), while the second, controlled by leaf economics, presents ignition delay and total heat release (i.e. consumability). Alternative flammability syndromes can increase fitness in fire-prone communities by offering qualitative differences in survival or reproduction. Trade-offs and constraints that control the distribution of resource-use strategies across environmental gradients appeared to drive leaf flammability syndromes as well. Tying the flammability spectrum with resource allocation trade-offs on a global scale can help us predict future ecosystem properties and fire regimes and illustrate evolutionary constraints on flammability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysanthi Michelaki
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece.
| | - Nikolaos M Fyllas
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece
| | - Alexandros Galanidis
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece
| | - Maria Aloupi
- Water and Air Quality Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece
| | | | - Margarita Arianoutsou
- Department of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784, Greece
| | - Panayiotis G Dimitrakopoulos
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece
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13
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Pausas JG, Bond WJ. On the Three Major Recycling Pathways in Terrestrial Ecosystems. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:767-775. [PMID: 32381268 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Plants are the largest biomass component of most terrestrial ecosystems, and litter decomposition is considered the dominant process by which nutrients return to plants. We show that in terrestrial ecosystems, there are three major pathways by which plant biomass is degraded into forms that release nutrients again available to plants: microbial decomposition; vertebrate herbivory; and wildfires. These processes act at different spatial and temporal scales, have different niches, and generates different ecological and evolutionary feedbacks. This holistic view in which microbes, herbivores, and wildfires play a joint role in the functioning of ecosystems contributes to a better understanding of the diversity of mechanisms regulating the biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE-CSIC), Valencia, Spain.
| | - William J Bond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; South African Environmental Observation Network, National Research Foundation, Claremont, South Africa
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14
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Pausas JG, Bond WJ. Alternative Biome States in Terrestrial Ecosystems. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 25:250-263. [PMID: 31917105 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the application of alternative stable state (ASS) theory to explain major vegetation patterns of the world. Here, we introduce the theory as applied to the puzzle of nonforested (open) biomes growing in climates that are warm and wet enough to support forests (alternative biome states, ABSs). Long thought to be the product of deforestation, diverse lines of evidence indicate that many open ecosystems are ancient. They have also been characterized as 'early successional' even where they persist for millennia. ABS is an alternative framework to that of climate determinism and succession for exploring forest/nonforest mosaics. This framework explains not only tropical forest-savanna landscapes, but also other landscape mosaics across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE-CSIC), 46113 Montcada, Valencia, Spain.
| | - William J Bond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa; South African Environmental Observation Network, National Research Foundation, Private Bag X7, Claremont 7735, South Africa
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15
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He T, Lamont BB, Pausas JG. Fire as a key driver of Earth's biodiversity. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1983-2010. [PMID: 31298472 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Many terrestrial ecosystems are fire prone, such that their composition and structure are largely due to their fire regime. Regions subject to regular fire have exceptionally high levels of species richness and endemism, and fire has been proposed as a major driver of their diversity, within the context of climate, resource availability and environmental heterogeneity. However, current fire-management practices rarely take into account the ecological and evolutionary roles of fire in maintaining biodiversity. Here, we focus on the mechanisms that enable fire to act as a major ecological and evolutionary force that promotes and maintains biodiversity over numerous spatiotemporal scales. From an ecological perspective, the vegetation, topography and local weather conditions during a fire generate a landscape with spatial and temporal variation in fire-related patches (pyrodiversity), and these produce the biotic and environmental heterogeneity that drives biodiversity across local and regional scales. There have been few empirical tests of the proposition that 'pyrodiversity begets biodiversity' but we show that biodiversity should peak at moderately high levels of pyrodiversity. Overall species richness is greatest immediately after fire and declines monotonically over time, with postfire successional pathways dictated by animal habitat preferences and varying lifespans among resident plants. Theory and data support the 'intermediate disturbance hypothesis' when mean patch species diversity is correlated with mean fire intervals. Postfire persistence, recruitment and immigration allow species with different life histories to coexist. From an evolutionary perspective, fire drives population turnover and diversification by promoting a wide range of adaptive responses to particular fire regimes. Among 39 comparisons, the number of species in 26 fire-prone lineages is much higher than that in their non-fire-prone sister lineages. Fire and its byproducts may have direct mutagenic effects, producing novel genotypes that can lead to trait innovation and even speciation. A paradigm shift aimed at restoring biodiversity-maintaining fire regimes across broad landscapes is required among the fire research and management communities. This will require ecologists and other professionals to spread the burgeoning fire-science knowledge beyond scientific publications to the broader public, politicians and media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhua He
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.,College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Byron B Lamont
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
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16
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Barreda VD, Palazzesi L, Olivero EB. When flowering plants ruled Antarctica: evidence from Cretaceous pollen grains. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 223:1023-1030. [PMID: 30924945 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The replacement of seed-free plants and gymnosperms by flowering plants during the Cretaceous is one of the most important biotic events in the evolution of life. However, the magnitude of this global turnover remains largely unknown. Here we present sampling-standardized diversity estimates from a high resolution palynological record of the Late Cretaceous (85-66 Ma) from Antarctica, in the context of the past climatic events. Our fossil evidence reveals the occurrence of a rich Campanian flora peaking at c. 80 Ma, with angiosperms as the most diverse group of plants for the first time in Antarctica. This peak of diversity was followed by a period of a stepwise deterioration; 60% of ferns and 40% of gymnosperms became locally extinct from the early/mid-Campanian to the late Maastrichtian. Although angiosperms also faced several extinctions - 25% became extinct - they were far less affected than nonangiosperms. The onset of deterioration of the greenhouse conditions at the end of the Cretaceous - low CO2 and global cooling trends - would have led to our observed pattern of change. Overall, our study reveals the beginning of a profound floristic turnover in the highest southern latitudes that pre-dates the major extinction event of the end of the Cretaceous by 15 Myr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana D Barreda
- Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 'Bernardino Rivadavia' (MACN-CONICET), Ángel Gallardo 470, Buenos Aires, C1405DJR, Argentina
| | - Luis Palazzesi
- Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 'Bernardino Rivadavia' (MACN-CONICET), Ángel Gallardo 470, Buenos Aires, C1405DJR, Argentina
| | - Eduardo B Olivero
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), B. Houssay 200, 9410, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
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17
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Adedoja O, Dormann CF, Kehinde T, Samways MJ. Refuges from fire maintain pollinator-plant interaction networks. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:5777-5786. [PMID: 31160998 PMCID: PMC6540659 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5161] [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: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fire is a major disturbance factor in many terrestrial ecosystems, leading to landscape transformation in fire-prone areas. Species in mutualistic interactions are often highly sensitive to disturbances like fire events, but the degree and complexity of their responses are unclear. We use bipartite insect-flower interaction networks across a recently burned landscape to explore how plant-pollinator interaction networks respond to a recent major fire event at the landscape level, and where fire refuges were present. We also investigate the effectiveness of these refuges at different elevations (valley to hilltop) for the conservation of displaced flower-visiting insects during fire events. Then, we explore how the degree of specialization of flower-visiting insects changes across habitats with different levels of fire impact. We did this in natural areas in the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) biodiversity hotspot, which is species rich in plants and pollinators. Bees and beetles were the most frequent pollinators in interactions, followed by wasps and flies. Highest interaction activity was in the fire refuges and least in burned areas. Interactions also tracked flower abundance, which was highest in fire refuges in the valley and lowest in burned areas. Interactions consisted mostly of specialized flower visitors, especially in refuge areas. The interaction network and species specialization were lowest in burned areas. However, species common to at least two fire classes showed no significant difference in species specialization. We conclude that flower-rich fire refuges sustain plant-pollinator interactions, especially those involving specialized species, in fire-disturbed landscape. This may be an important shelter for specialized pollinator species at the time that the burned landscape goes through regrowth and succession as part of ecosystem recovery process after a major fire event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Opeyemi Adedoja
- Department of Conservation Ecology and EntomologyStellenbosch UniversityStellenboschSouth Africa
- Biometry and Environmental System AnalysisUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Carsten F. Dormann
- Biometry and Environmental System AnalysisUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | | | - Michael J. Samways
- Department of Conservation Ecology and EntomologyStellenbosch UniversityStellenboschSouth Africa
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18
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Do relationships between leaf traits and fire behaviour of leaf litter beds persist in time? PLoS One 2018; 13:e0209780. [PMID: 30586427 PMCID: PMC6306239 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildland fires are a dominant disturbance on Earth. On the local scale, fire activity is also influenced by species-specific fire behaviour of leaf litter beds. Thus, researchers strive to identify plant functional traits governing fire behaviour. The currently accepted relationships between morphological characteristics of the individual particles, fuel bed structure and resulting fire behaviour have been established on freshly constructed leaf litter beds. To investigate to what degree these relationships are altered upon exposure of constructed leaf litter beds to outside weather conditions, a novel testing system was designed. It enables outdoor exposure of the constructed litter beds, their subsequent retrieval and fire behaviour testing without disturbing the sample structure. Two treatments were applied on seven monospecific leaf litters. “Fresh treatment” corresponded to the common practice of testing fire behaviour directly after fuel bed construction. In the “settled treatment” constructed fuel beds were exposed for 30 days to outside weather conditions before being tested. The “settled treatment” was designed to address physical changes in the fuel bed structure which occur due to repeated wetting of the fuel bed. Thus, to minimise the effects of decomposition and fragmentation, winter exposure was chosen. Within the “fresh treatment” previously established relationships between size, curl, bulk density and fire behaviour characteristics could be confirmed. In the “settled treatment” the majority of these relationships lost their significance. The “settled treatment” had significantly lower bulk density (BD), rate of spread, maximum flame height and maximum sand temperature at 1 cm depth; and significantly higher flaming duration and amount of unburned residues compared to the “fresh treatment”. Species with low initial BD were more affected by the treatment than species with high initial BD. The abrupt change in the fire behaviour of some leaf litter beds and the loss of numerous relationships between morphological characteristics of the individual particles and fire behaviour characteristics upon settled treatment indicate that fast occurring changes in the fuel bed structure should be taken into consideration if we are to understand the relationships between functional traits and local fire activity.
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19
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Abstract
The year 2017 was a megafire year, when huge areas burned on different continents. In Brazil, a great extension of the Cerrado burned, raising once more the discussion about the “zero-fire” policy. Indeed, most protected areas of the Cerrado adopted a policy of fire exclusion and prevention, leading to periodic megafire events. Last year, 78% of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park burned at the end of the dry season, attracting media attention. Furthermore, 85% of the Reserva Natural Serra do Tombador burned as a result of a large accumulation of fuel caused by the zero-fire policy. In 2014, some protected areas started to implement the Integrate Fire Management (IFM) strategy. During 2017, in contrast to other protected areas, the Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins experienced no megafire events, suggesting that a few years of IFM implementation led to changes in its fire regime. Therefore, we intended here to compare the total burned area and number of fire scars between the protected areas where IFM was implemented and those where fire exclusion is the adopted policy. The use of fire as a management tool aimed at wildfire prevention and biodiversity preservation should be reconsidered by local managers and environmental authorities for most Cerrado protected areas, especially those where open savanna physiognomies prevail. Changing the paradigm is a hard task, but last year’s events showed the zero-fire policy would bring more damage than benefits to Cerrado protected areas.
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Schertzer E, Staver AC. Fire spread and the issue of community-level selection in the evolution of flammability. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:rsif.2018.0444. [PMID: 30333245 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether plants can evolve to promote flammability is controversial. Ecologically, fire only spreads in landscapes when many plants are flammable, but collective behaviours among large groups are difficult to evolve at the individual level. Here, we formulate a model that examines how flammability can spread from rarity, combining individual-level costs and payoffs of flammability with landscape-level fire spread, sufficiently generic to analogize flammability among grasses, Mediterranean systems, and others. We found that fire-prone and fire-suppressing landscapes, composed of flammable and non-flammable plants, respectively, were alternatively stable in some environments, and flammability therefore only increased from rarity in environments when fire-proneness was the only stable state. Thus, fire-vegetation feedbacks alone probably did not drive the evolution and spread of flammability. However, evolution of flammability did promote fire-proneness in temporally and spatially heterogeneous environments: when flammable plants already occupied some substantial fraction of a fire-prone landscape, a positive feedback with fire could maintain flammability in a decreasingly favourable environment, and fire feedbacks could expand the distribution of flammability traits from fire-prone into fire-suppressing areas in a heterogeneous landscape. Thus, fire feedbacks could potentially have promoted the widespread invasion and persistence of flammability traits to their current widespread prominence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Schertzer
- Laboratoire de Probabilités et Modèles Aléatoires, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - A Carla Staver
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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21
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Singh SP, Inderjit , Singh JS, Majumdar S, Moyano J, Nuñez MA, Richardson DM. Insights on the persistence of pines ( Pinus species) in the Late Cretaceous and their increasing dominance in the Anthropocene. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:10345-10359. [PMID: 30398478 PMCID: PMC6206191 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although gymnosperms were nearly swept away by the rise of the angiosperms in the Late Cretaceous, conifers, and pines (Pinus species) in particular, survived and regained their dominance in some habitats. Diversification of pines into fire-avoiding (subgenus Haploxylon) and fire-adapted (subgenus Diploxylon) species occurred in response to abiotic and biotic factors in the Late Cretaceous such as competition with emerging angiosperms and changing fire regimes. Adaptations/traits that evolved in response to angiosperm-fuelled fire regimes and stressful environments in the Late Cretaceous were key to pine success and are also contributing to a new "pine rise" in some areas in the Anthropocene. Human-mediated activities exert both positive and negative impacts of range size and expansion and invasions of pines. Large-scale afforestation with pines, human-mediated changes to fire regimes, and other ecosystem processes are other contributing factors. We discuss traits that evolved in response to angiosperm-mediated fires and stressful environments in the Cretaceous and that continue to contribute to pine persistence and dominance and the numerous ways in which human activities favor pines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Inderjit
- Department of Environmental StudiesCentre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE)University of DelhiDelhiIndia
| | | | - Sudipto Majumdar
- Department of Environmental StudiesCentre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE)University of DelhiDelhiIndia
| | - Jaime Moyano
- Grupo de Ecologia de InvasionesINIBIOMACONICET/Universidad Nacional del ComahueBarilocheArgentina
| | - Martin A. Nuñez
- Grupo de Ecologia de InvasionesINIBIOMACONICET/Universidad Nacional del ComahueBarilocheArgentina
| | - David M. Richardson
- Department of Botany and ZoologyCentre for Invasion BiologyStellenbosch UniversityMatielandSouth Africa
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Badik KJ, Jahner JP, Wilson JS. A biogeographic perspective on the evolution of fire syndromes in pine trees ( Pinus: Pinaceae). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:172412. [PMID: 29657823 PMCID: PMC5882747 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Our goals were to explore the relationship between biogeography and the evolution of fire-adaptive syndromes in the genus Pinus. We used a previously published time-calibrated phylogeny and conducted ancestral trait reconstruction to estimate the likely timing of diversification in Pinus, and to determine when fire-adaptive syndromes evolved in the lineage. To explore trait conservation among fire syndromes and to investigate historical biogeography, we constructed ancestral state reconstructions using the program RASP and estimated the degree of conservatism for fire-adapted traits in the program BaTS. Our reconstructions suggest that the Bering land bridge, which connected North America and Asia, probably played a major role in early pine evolution. Our estimates indicated that fire-adaptive syndromes seem to have evolved more frequently in New World taxa and probably are related to the uplift of major North American mountain ranges. Our data suggest that certain geographically widespread adaptations to fire evolved repeatedly, possibly due to localized changes in climate and environment, rather than resulting from large dispersal events of pre-adapted individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Badik
- The Nature Conservancy, 1 East First Street, Suite 1007, Reno, NV 89501, USA
- Author for correspondence: Kevin J. Badik e-mail:
| | - Joshua P. Jahner
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Joseph S. Wilson
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Tooele, UT 84074, USA
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Pausas JG, Lamont BB, Paula S, Appezzato-da-Glória B, Fidelis A. Unearthing belowground bud banks in fire-prone ecosystems. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 217:1435-1448. [PMID: 29334401 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite long-time awareness of the importance of the location of buds in plant biology, research on belowground bud banks has been scant. Terms such as lignotuber, xylopodium and sobole, all referring to belowground bud-bearing structures, are used inconsistently in the literature. Because soil efficiently insulates meristems from the heat of fire, concealing buds below ground provides fitness benefits in fire-prone ecosystems. Thus, in these ecosystems, there is a remarkable diversity of bud-bearing structures. There are at least six locations where belowground buds are stored: roots, root crown, rhizomes, woody burls, fleshy swellings and belowground caudexes. These support many morphologically distinct organs. Given their history and function, these organs may be divided into three groups: those that originated in the early history of plants and that currently are widespread (bud-bearing roots and root crowns); those that also originated early and have spread mainly among ferns and monocots (nonwoody rhizomes and a wide range of fleshy underground swellings); and those that originated later in history and are strictly tied to fire-prone ecosystems (woody rhizomes, lignotubers and xylopodia). Recognizing the diversity of belowground bud banks is the starting point for understanding the many evolutionary pathways available for responding to severe recurrent disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- CIDE-CSIC, C. Naquera Km 4.5, Montcada, Valencia, 46113, Spain
| | - Byron B Lamont
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Susana Paula
- ICAEV, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Beatriz Appezzato-da-Glória
- Depto Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av Pádua Dias 11., CEP 13418-900, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Fidelis
- Instituto de Biociências, Vegetation Ecology Lab, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. 24-A 1515, 13506-900, Rio Claro, Brazil
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Li L, Ma Z, Niinemets Ü, Guo D. Three Key Sub-leaf Modules and the Diversity of Leaf Designs. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1542. [PMID: 28932233 PMCID: PMC5592238 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Earth harbors a highly diverse array of plant leaf forms. A well-known pattern linking diverse leaf forms with their photosynthetic function across species is the global leaf economics spectrum (LES). However, within homogeneous plant functional groups such as tropical woody angiosperms or temperate deciduous woody angiosperms, many species can share a similar position in the LES but differ in other vital leaf traits, and thus function differently under the given suite of environmental drivers. How diverse leaves differentiate from each other has yet to be fully explained. Here, we propose a new perspective for linking leaf structure and function by arguing that a leaf may be divided into three key sub-modules, the light capture module, the water-nutrient flow module and the gas exchange module. Each module consists of a set of leaf tissues corresponding to a certain resource acquisition function, and the combination and configuration of different modules may differ depending on overall leaf functioning in a given environment. This modularized-leaf perspective differs from the whole-leaf perspective used in leaf economics theory and may serve as a valuable tool for tracing the evolution of leaf form and function. This perspective also implies that the evolutionary direction of various leaf designs is not to optimize a single critical trait, but to optimize the combination of different traits to better adapt to the historical and current environments. Future studies examining how different modules are synchronized for overall leaf functioning should offer critical insights into the diversity of leaf designs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Li
- Center for Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Ecological Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Zeqing Ma
- Center for Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Ecological Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life SciencesTartu, Estonia
- Estonian Academy of SciencesTallinn, Estonia
| | - Dali Guo
- Center for Forest Ecosystem Studies and Qianyanzhou Ecological Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
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25
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Zhang Y, Jiao Y, Jiao H, Zhao H, Zhu YX. Two-Step Functional Innovation of the Stem-Cell Factors WUS/WOX5 during Plant Evolution. Mol Biol Evol 2017; 34:640-653. [PMID: 28053005 PMCID: PMC5400392 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msw263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
WUS and WOX5, which are expressed, respectively, in the organizing center (OC) and the quiescent center (QC), are essential for shoot/root apical stem-cell maintenance in flowering plants. However, little is known about how these stem-cell factors evolved their functions in flowering plants. Here, we show that the WUS/WOX5 proteins acquired two distinct capabilities by a two-step functional innovation process in the course of plant evolution. The first-step is the apical stem-cell maintenance activity of WUS/WOX5, which originated in the common ancestor of ferns and seed plants, as evidenced by the interspecies complementation experiments, showing that ectopic expression of fern Ceratopteris richardii WUS-like (CrWUL) surrounding OC/QC, or exclusive OC-/QC-expressed gymnosperms/angiosperms WUS/WOX5 in Arabidopsis wus-1 and wox5-1 mutants, could rescue their phenotypes. The second-step is the intercellular mobility that emerged in the common ancestor of seed plants after divergence from the ferns. Evidence for this includes confocal imaging of GFP fusion proteins, showing that WUS/WOX5 from seed plants, rather than from the fern CrWUL, can migrate into cells adjacent to the OC/QC. Evolutionary analysis showed that the WUS-like gene was duplicated into two copies prior to the divergence of gymnosperms/angiosperms. Then the two gene copies (WUS and WOX5) have undergone similar levels of purifying selection, which is consistent with their conserved functions in angiosperm shoot/root stem-cell maintenance and floral organ formation. Our results highlight the critical roles and the essential prerequisites that the two-step functional innovation of these genes performs and represents in the origin of flowering plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Zhang
- Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Jiao
- Development Center for Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Hengwu Jiao
- Department of Ecology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huabin Zhao
- Department of Ecology and Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu-Xian Zhu
- Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Department of Plant Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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26
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Boyce CK, Fan Y, Zwieniecki MA. Did trees grow up to the light, up to the wind, or down to the water? How modern high productivity colors perception of early plant evolution. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 215:552-557. [PMID: 28054354 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Contents I. II. III. IV. V. Acknowledgements References SUMMARY: Flowering plants can be far more productive than other living land plants. Evidence is reviewed that productivity would have been uniformly lower and less CO2 -responsive before angiosperm evolution, particularly during the early evolution of vascular plants and forests in the Devonian and Carboniferous. This introduces important challenges because paleoecological interpretations have been rooted in understanding of modern angiosperm-dominated ecosystems. One key example is tree evolution: although often thought to reflect competition for light, light limitation is unlikely for plants with such low photosynthetic potential. Instead, during this early evolution, the capacities of trees for enhanced propagule dispersal, greater leaf area, and deep-rooting access to nutrients and the water table are all deemed more fundamental potential drivers than light.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Kevin Boyce
- Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ying Fan
- Earth & Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08544, USA
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27
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Judson OP. The energy expansions of evolution. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:138. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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28
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He T, Lamont BB. Baptism by fire: the pivotal role of ancient conflagrations in evolution of the Earth's flora. Natl Sci Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwx041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Fire became a defining feature of the Earth's processes as soon as land plants evolved 420 million years ago and has played a major role in shaping the composition and physiognomy of many ecosystems ever since. However, there remains a general lack of appreciation of the place of fire in the origin, evolution, ecology and conservation of the Earth's biodiversity. We review the literature on the presence of fire throughout the Earth's history following the evolution of land plants and examine the evidence for the origin and evolution of adaptive functional traits, biomes and major plant groups in relation to fire. We show that: (1) fire activities have fluctuated throughout geological time due to variations in climate, and more importantly in atmospheric oxygen, as these affected fuel levels and flammability; (2) fire promoted the early evolution and spread of major terrestrial plant groups; (3) fire has shaped the floristics, structure and function of major global biomes; and (4) fire has initiated and maintained the evolution of a wide array of fire-adapted functional traits since the evolution of land plants. We conclude that fire has been a fundamental agent of natural selection on terrestrial plants throughout the history of life on the Earth's land surface. We suggest that a paradigm shift is required to reassess ecological and evolutionary theories that exclude a role for fire, and also there is a need to review fire-suppression policies on ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation in global fire-prone regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhua He
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
| | - Byron B Lamont
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
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29
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Belcher CM, Hudspith VA. Changes to Cretaceous surface fire behaviour influenced the spread of the early angiosperms. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 213:1521-1532. [PMID: 28079941 PMCID: PMC5245107 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/03/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Angiosperms evolved and diversified during the Cretaceous period. Early angiosperms were short-stature weedy plants thought to have increased fire frequency and mortality in gymnosperm forest, aiding their own expansion. However, no explorations have considered whether the range of novel fuel types that diversified throughout the Cretaceous also altered fire behaviour, which should link more strongly to mortality than fire frequency alone. We measured ignitability and heat of combustion in analogue Cretaceous understorey fuels (conifer litter, ferns, weedy and shrubby angiosperms) and used these data to model palaeofire behaviour. Variations in ignition, driven by weedy angiosperms alone, were found to have been a less important feedback to changes in Cretaceous fire activity than previously estimated. Our model estimates suggest that fires in shrub and fern understories had significantly greater fireline intensities than those fuelled by conifer litter or weedy angiosperms, and whilst fern understories supported the most rapid fire spread, angiosperm shrubs delivered the largest amount of heat per unit area. The higher fireline intensities predicted by the models led to estimates of enhanced scorch of the gymnosperm canopy and a greater chance of transitioning to crown fires. Therefore, changes in fire behaviour driven by the addition of new Cretaceous fuel groups may have assisted the angiosperm expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M. Belcher
- wildFIRE LabHatherly LaboratoriesUniversity of ExeterPrince of Wales RoadExeterEX4 4PSUK
| | - Victoria A. Hudspith
- wildFIRE LabHatherly LaboratoriesUniversity of ExeterPrince of Wales RoadExeterEX4 4PSUK
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30
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Rundel PW, Arroyo MT, Cowling RM, Keeley JE, Lamont BB, Vargas P. Mediterranean Biomes: Evolution of Their Vegetation, Floras, and Climate. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2016. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-121415-032330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip W. Rundel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095;
| | - Mary T.K. Arroyo
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Ecological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile;
| | - Richard M. Cowling
- Centre for Coastal Palaeosciences, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa;
| | - Jon E. Keeley
- Sequoia Field Station, Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Three Rivers, California 93271;
| | - Byron B. Lamont
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia;
| | - Pablo Vargas
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation, Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, CSIC, 28014 Madrid, Spain;
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31
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Cavender-Bares J, Ackerly DD, Hobbie SE, Townsend PA. Evolutionary Legacy Effects on Ecosystems: Biogeographic Origins, Plant Traits, and Implications for Management in the Era of Global Change. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2016. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-121415-032229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeannine Cavender-Bares
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108; ,
| | - David D. Ackerly
- Department of Integrative Biology and Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720;
| | - Sarah E. Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108; ,
| | - Philip A. Townsend
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706;
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32
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A Cretaceous origin for fire adaptations in the Cape flora. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34880. [PMID: 27703273 PMCID: PMC5050521 DOI: 10.1038/srep34880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Fire has had a profound effect on the evolution of worldwide biotas. The Cape Floristic Region is one of the world’s most species-rich regions, yet it is highly prone to recurrent fires and fire-adapted species contribute strongly to the overall flora. It is hypothesized that the current fire regimes in the Cape could be as old as 6–8 million years (My), while indirect evidence indicates that the onset of fire could have reached 18 million years ago (Ma). Here, we trace the origin of fire-dependent traits in two monocot families that are significant elements in the fire-prone Cape flora. Our analysis shows that fire-stimulated flowering originated in the Cape Haemodoraceae 81 Ma, while fire-stimulated germination arose in the African Restionaceae at least 70 Ma, implying that wildfires have been a significant force in the evolution of the Cape flora at least 60 My earlier than previous estimates. Our results provide strong evidence for the presence of fire adaptations in the Cape from the Cretaceous, leading to the extraordinary persistence of a fire-adapted flora in this biodiversity hotspot, and giving support to the hypothesis that Cretaceous fire was a global phenomenon that shaped the evolution of terrestrial floras.
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33
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MacDermott HJ, Fensham RJ, Hua Q, Bowman DMJS. Vegetation, fire and soil feedbacks of dynamic boundaries between rainforest, savanna and grassland. AUSTRAL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Harry J. MacDermott
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Private Bag 55 Hobart Tasmania 7005 Australia
- Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation; Queensland Herbarium; Toowong Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Roderick J. Fensham
- Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation; Queensland Herbarium; Toowong Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Queensland; St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Quan Hua
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation; Lucas Heights New South Wales Australia
| | - David M. J. S. Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Tasmania; Private Bag 55 Hobart Tasmania 7005 Australia
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34
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Gómez-González S, Ojeda F, Torres-Morales P, Palma JE. Seed Pubescence and Shape Modulate Adaptive Responses to Fire Cues. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159655. [PMID: 27438267 PMCID: PMC4954725 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-fire recruitment by seeds is regarded as an adaptive response in fire-prone ecosystems. Nevertheless, little is known about which heritable seed traits are functional to the main signals of fire (heat and smoke), thus having the potential to evolve. Here, we explored whether three seed traits (pubescence, dormancy and shape) and fire regime modulate seed response to fire cues(heat and smoke). As a model study system, we used Helenium aromaticum (Asteraceae), a native annual forb from the Chilean matorral, where fires are anthropogenic. We related seed trait values with fitness responses (germination and survival) after exposure to heat-shock and smoke experimental treatments on seeds from 10 H. aromaticum wild populations. We performed a phenotypic selection experiment to examine the relationship of seed traits with post-treatment fitness within a population (adaptive hypothesis). We then explored whether fire frequency in natural habitats was associated with trait expression across populations, and with germination and survival responses to experimental fire-cues. We found that populations subjected to higher fire frequency had, in average, more rounded and pubescent seeds than populations from rarely burned areas. Populations with more rounded and pubescent seeds were more resistant to 80°C heat-shock and smoke treatments.There was correlated selection on seed traits: pubescent-rounded or glabrouscent-elongated seeds had the highest probability of germinating after heat-shock treatments. Seed pubescence and shape in H. aromaticum are heritable traits that modulate adaptive responses to fire. Our results provide new insights into the process of plant adaptation to fire and highlight the relevance of human-made fires as a strong evolutionary agent in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Gómez-González
- Centre for Science and Resilience Research (CR²), Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Departamento de Biología-IVAGRO, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Río San Pedro, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Fernando Ojeda
- Departamento de Biología-IVAGRO, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Río San Pedro, Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Patricio Torres-Morales
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Jazmín E. Palma
- Centre for Science and Resilience Research (CR²), Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
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Hempson GP, Archibald S, Bond WJ. A continent-wide assessment of the form and intensity of large mammal herbivory in Africa. Science 2015; 350:1056-61. [PMID: 26612946 DOI: 10.1126/science.aac7978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Megafaunal extinctions and a lack of suitable remote sensing technology impede our understanding of both the ecological legacy and current impacts of large mammal herbivores in the Earth system. To address this, we reconstructed the form and intensity of herbivory pressure across sub-Saharan Africa ~1000 years ago. Specifically, we modeled and mapped species-level biomass for 92 large mammal herbivores using census data, species distributions, and environmental covariates. Trait-based classifications of these species into herbivore functional types, and analyses of their biomass surfaces, reveal four ecologically distinct continental-scale herbivory regimes, characterized by internally similar forms and intensities of herbivory pressure. Associations between herbivory regimes, fire prevalence, soil nutrient status, and rainfall provide important insights into African ecology and pave the way for integrating herbivores into global-scale studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth P Hempson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X1, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa. School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, 2050, South Africa.
| | - Sally Archibald
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, 2050, South Africa
| | - William J Bond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X1, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa. South African Environmental Observation Network, care of the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X1, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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36
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Carpenter RJ, Macphail MK, Jordan GJ, Hill RS. Fossil evidence for open, Proteaceae-dominated heathlands and fire in the Late Cretaceous of Australia. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2015; 102:2092-107. [PMID: 26643888 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1500343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY The origin of biomes is of great interest globally. Molecular phylogenetic and pollen evidence suggest that several plant lineages that now characterize open, burnt habitats of the sclerophyll biome, became established during the Late Cretaceous of Australia. However, whether this biome itself dates to that time is problematic, fundamentally because of the near-absence of relevant, appropriately aged, terrestrial plant macro- or mesofossils. METHODS We recovered, identified, and interpreted the ecological significance of fossil pollen, foliar and other remains from a section of core drilled in central Australia, which we dated as Late Campanian-Maastrichtian. KEY RESULTS The sediments contain plant fossils that indicate nutrient-limited, open, sclerophyllous vegetation and abundant charcoal as evidence of fire. Most interestingly, >30 pollen taxa and at least 12 foliage taxa are attributable to the important Gondwanan family Proteaceae, including several minute, amphistomatic, and sclerophyllous foliage forms consistent with subfamily Proteoideae. Microfossils, including an abundance of Sphagnales and other wetland taxa, provided strong evidence of a fenland setting. The local vegetation also included diverse Ericaceae and Liliales, as well as a range of ferns and gymnosperms. CONCLUSIONS The fossils provide strong evidence in support of hypotheses of great antiquity for fire and open vegetation in Australia, point to extraordinary persistence of Proteaceae that are now emblematic of the Mediterranean-type climate southwestern Australian biodiversity hotspot and raise the profile of open habitats as centers of ancient lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond J Carpenter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Michael K Macphail
- Department of Archaeology & Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200
| | - Gregory J Jordan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia
| | - Robert S Hill
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
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Comparative Genomics of NAC Transcriptional Factors in Angiosperms: Implications for the Adaptation and Diversification of Flowering Plants. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141866. [PMID: 26569117 PMCID: PMC4646352 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
NAC proteins constitute one of the largest groups of plant-specific transcription factors and are known to play essential roles in various developmental processes. They are also important in plant responses to stresses such as drought, soil salinity, cold, and heat, which adversely affect growth. The current knowledge regarding the distribution of NAC proteins in plant lineages comes from relatively small samplings from the available data. In the present study, we broadened the number of plant species containing the NAC family origin and evolution to shed new light on the evolutionary history of this family in angiosperms. A comparative genome analysis was performed on 24 land plant species, and NAC ortholog groups were identified by means of bidirectional BLAST hits. Large NAC gene families are found in those species that have experienced more whole-genome duplication events, pointing to an expansion of the NAC family with divergent functions in flowering plants. A total of 3,187 NAC transcription factors that clustered into six major groups were used in the phylogenetic analysis. Many orthologous groups were found in the monocot and eudicot lineages, but only five orthologous groups were found between P. patens and each representative taxa of flowering plants. These groups were called basal orthologous groups and likely expanded into more recent taxa to cope with their environmental needs. This analysis on the angiosperm NAC family represents an effort to grasp the evolutionary and functional diversity within this gene family while providing a basis for further functional research on vascular plant gene families.
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38
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Oldenburg DJ, Bendich AJ. DNA maintenance in plastids and mitochondria of plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:883. [PMID: 26579143 PMCID: PMC4624840 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The DNA molecules in plastids and mitochondria of plants have been studied for over 40 years. Here, we review the data on the circular or linear form, replication, repair, and persistence of the organellar DNA (orgDNA) in plants. The bacterial origin of orgDNA appears to have profoundly influenced ideas about the properties of chromosomal DNA molecules in these organelles to the point of dismissing data inconsistent with ideas from the 1970s. When found at all, circular genome-sized molecules comprise a few percent of orgDNA. In cells active in orgDNA replication, most orgDNA is found as linear and branched-linear forms larger than the size of the genome, likely a consequence of a virus-like DNA replication mechanism. In contrast to the stable chromosomal DNA molecules in bacteria and the plant nucleus, the molecular integrity of orgDNA declines during leaf development at a rate that varies among plant species. This decline is attributed to degradation of damaged-but-not-repaired molecules, with a proposed repair cost-saving benefit most evident in grasses. All orgDNA maintenance activities are proposed to occur on the nucleoid tethered to organellar membranes by developmentally-regulated proteins.
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39
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Secondary compounds enhance flammability in a Mediterranean plant. Oecologia 2015; 180:103-10. [PMID: 26416250 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3454-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Some plant secondary compounds, such as terpenes, are very flammable; however, their role in enhancing plant flammability is poorly understood and often neglected in reviews on plant chemical ecology. This is relevant as there is growing evidence that flammability-enhancing traits are adaptive in fire-prone ecosystems. We analyzed the content of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, performed flammability tests and genotyped microsatellite markers, all in the same individuals of Rosmarinus officinalis, to evaluate the link between the content of terpenes, flammability and the genetic similarity among individuals. The results suggest that terpenes enhance flammability in R. officinalis, and that variability in flammability among individuals is likely to have a genetic basis. Overall our results suggest that the capacity to produce and store terpenes can be considered a flammability-enhancing trait and could have an adaptive value in fire-prone ecosystems.
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40
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Hammond DH, Varner JM, Kush JS, Fan Z. Contrasting sapling bark allocation of five southeastern USA hardwood tree species in a fire prone ecosystem. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es15-00065.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan W Schwilk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
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42
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Glasspool IJ, Scott AC, Waltham D, Pronina N, Shao L. The impact of fire on the Late Paleozoic Earth system. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:756. [PMID: 26442069 PMCID: PMC4585212 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Analyses of bulk petrographic data indicate that during the Late Paleozoic wildfires were more prevalent than at present. We propose that the development of fire systems through this interval was controlled predominantly by the elevated atmospheric oxygen concentration (p(O2)) that mass balance models predict prevailed. At higher levels of p(O2), increased fire activity would have rendered vegetation with high-moisture contents more susceptible to ignition and would have facilitated continued combustion. We argue that coal petrographic data indicate that p(O2) rather than global temperatures or climate, resulted in the increased levels of wildfire activity observed during the Late Paleozoic and can, therefore, be used to predict it. These findings are based upon analyses of charcoal volumes in multiple coals distributed across the globe and deposited during this time period, and that were then compared with similarly diverse modern peats and Cenozoic lignites and coals. Herein, we examine the environmental and ecological factors that would have impacted fire activity and we conclude that of these factors p(O2) played the largest role in promoting fires in Late Paleozoic peat-forming environments and, by inference, ecosystems generally, when compared with their prevalence in the modern world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J. Glasspool
- Department of Geology, Colby CollegeWaterville, ME, USA
- Science and Education, Field Museum of Natural HistoryChicago, IL, USA
| | - Andrew C. Scott
- Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of LondonEgham, Surrey, UK
- *Correspondence: Andrew C. Scott, Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK,
| | - David Waltham
- Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of LondonEgham, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Longyi Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, and School of Geosciences and Survey Engineering, China University of Mining and TechnologyBeijing, China
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43
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Affiliation(s)
- Juli G. Pausas
- CIDE‐CSIC Ctra. Nàquera Km. 4.5 (IVIA) Montcada Valencia 46113 Spain
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44
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Pausas JG, Keeley JE. Evolutionary ecology of resprouting and seeding in fire-prone ecosystems. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2014; 204:55-65. [PMID: 25298997 DOI: 10.1111/nph.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
There are two broad mechanisms by which plant populations persist under recurrent disturbances: resprouting from surviving tissues, and seedling recruitment. Species can have one of these mechanisms or both. However, a coherent framework explaining the differential evolutionary pressures driving these regeneration mechanisms is lacking. We propose a bottom-up approach in addressing this question that considers the relative survivorship of adults and juveniles in an evolutionary context, based on two assumptions. First, resprouting and seeding can be interpreted by analogy with annual versus perennial life histories; that is, if we consider disturbance cycles to be analogous to annual cycles, then resprouting species are analogous to the perennial life history with iteroparous reproduction, and obligate seeding species that survive disturbances solely through seed banks are analogous to the annual life history with semelparous reproduction. Secondly, changes in the selective regimes differentially modify the survival rates of adults and juveniles and thus the relative costs and benefits of resprouting versus seeding. Our approach provides a framework for understanding temporal and spatial variation in resprouting and seeding under crown-fire regimes. It accounts for patterns of coexistence and environmental changes that contribute to the evolution of seeding from resprouting ancestors.
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45
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Tonnabel J, Mignot A, Douzery EJP, Rebelo AG, Schurr FM, Midgley J, Illing N, Justy F, Orcel D, Olivieri I. CONVERGENT AND CORRELATED EVOLUTION OF MAJOR LIFE-HISTORY TRAITS IN THE ANGIOSPERM GENUSLEUCADENDRON(PROTEACEAE). Evolution 2014; 68:2775-92. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Tonnabel
- Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier; CNRS (UMR 5554); Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 France
| | - Agnès Mignot
- Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier; CNRS (UMR 5554); Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 France
| | - Emmanuel J. P. Douzery
- Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier; CNRS (UMR 5554); Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 France
| | - Anthony G. Rebelo
- Threatened Species Research Unit; South African National Biodiversity Institute; Private Bag X7 Kirstenbosch 7735 South Africa
| | - Frank M. Schurr
- Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier; CNRS (UMR 5554); Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 France
- Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology; University of Hohenheim; 70593 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Jeremy Midgley
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Cape Town; Private Bag; Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
| | - Nicola Illing
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology; University of Cape Town; Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
| | - Fabienne Justy
- Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier; CNRS (UMR 5554); Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 France
| | - Denis Orcel
- Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier; CNRS (UMR 5554); Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 France
| | - Isabelle Olivieri
- Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier; CNRS (UMR 5554); Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 France
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46
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Zwieniecki MA, Boyce CK. Evolution of a unique anatomical precision in angiosperm leaf venation lifts constraints on vascular plant ecology. Proc Biol Sci 2014. [PMID: 24478301 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The main role of leaf venation is to supply water across the photosynthetic surface to keep stomata open and allow access to atmospheric CO2 despite evaporative demand. The optimal uniform delivery of water occurs when the distance between veins equals the depth of vein placement within the leaf away from the evaporative surface. As presented here, only angiosperms maintain this anatomical optimum across all leaf thicknesses and different habitats, including sheltered environments where this optimization need not be required. Intriguingly, basal angiosperm lineages tend to be underinvested hydraulically; uniformly high optimization is derived independently in the magnoliids, monocots and core eudicots. Gymnosperms and ferns, including available fossils, are limited by their inability to produce high vein densities. The common association of ferns with shaded humid environments may, in part, be a direct evolutionary consequence of their inability to produce hydraulically optimized leaves. Some gymnosperms do approach optimal vein placement, but only by virtue of their ability to produce thick leaves most appropriate in environments requiring water conservation. Thus, this simple anatomical metric presents an important perspective on the evolution and phylogenetic distribution of plant ecologies and further evidence that the vegetative biology of flowering plants-not just their reproductive biology-is unique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej A Zwieniecki
- Plant Sciences Department, UC Davis, , Davis, CA, USA, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, , Stanford, CA, USA
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47
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Moreira B, Castellanos MC, Pausas JG. Genetic component of flammability variation in a Mediterranean shrub. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:1213-23. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Revised: 12/29/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Moreira
- CIDE-CSIC; Ctra. Náquera Km. 4.5 46113 Montcada Valencia Spain
| | | | - J. G. Pausas
- CIDE-CSIC; Ctra. Náquera Km. 4.5 46113 Montcada Valencia Spain
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48
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Zwieniecki MA, Boyce CK. Evolution of a unique anatomical precision in angiosperm leaf venation lifts constraints on vascular plant ecology. Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20132829. [PMID: 24478301 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The main role of leaf venation is to supply water across the photosynthetic surface to keep stomata open and allow access to atmospheric CO2 despite evaporative demand. The optimal uniform delivery of water occurs when the distance between veins equals the depth of vein placement within the leaf away from the evaporative surface. As presented here, only angiosperms maintain this anatomical optimum across all leaf thicknesses and different habitats, including sheltered environments where this optimization need not be required. Intriguingly, basal angiosperm lineages tend to be underinvested hydraulically; uniformly high optimization is derived independently in the magnoliids, monocots and core eudicots. Gymnosperms and ferns, including available fossils, are limited by their inability to produce high vein densities. The common association of ferns with shaded humid environments may, in part, be a direct evolutionary consequence of their inability to produce hydraulically optimized leaves. Some gymnosperms do approach optimal vein placement, but only by virtue of their ability to produce thick leaves most appropriate in environments requiring water conservation. Thus, this simple anatomical metric presents an important perspective on the evolution and phylogenetic distribution of plant ecologies and further evidence that the vegetative biology of flowering plants-not just their reproductive biology-is unique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej A Zwieniecki
- Plant Sciences Department, UC Davis, , Davis, CA, USA, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, , Stanford, CA, USA
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49
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Bond WJ. Fires in the Cenozoic: a late flowering of flammable ecosystems. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:749. [PMID: 25601873 PMCID: PMC4283521 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Modern flammable ecosystems include tropical and subtropical savannas, steppe grasslands, boreal forests, and temperate sclerophyll shrublands. Despite the apparent fiery nature of much contemporary vegetation, terrestrial fossil evidence would suggest we live in a time of low fire activity relative to the deep past. The inertinite content of coal, fossil charcoal, is strikingly low from the Eocene to the Pleistocene and no charcoalified mesofossils have been reported for the Cenozoic. Marine cores have been analyzed for charcoal in the North Pacific, the north and south Atlantic off Africa, and the south China sea. These tell a different story with the oldest records indicating low levels of fire activity from the Eocene but a surge of fire from the late Miocene (~7 Ma). Phylogenetic studies of woody plants adapted to frequent savanna fires show them beginning to appear from the Late Miocene with peak origins in the late Pliocene in both South American and African lineages. Phylogenetic studies indicate ancient origins (60 Ma+) for clades characteristic of flammable sclerophyll vegetation from Australia and the Cape region of South Africa. However, as for savannas, there was a surge of speciation from the Late Miocene associated with the retreat of closed fire-intolerant forests. The wide geographic spread of increased fire activity in the last few million years suggests a global cause. However, none of the potential global factors (oxygen, rainfall seasonality, CO2, novel flammable growth forms) provides an adequate explanation as yet. The global patterns and processes of fire and flammable vegetation in the Cenozoic, especially since the Late Miocene, deserve much more attention to better understand fire in the earth system.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J. Bond
- *Correspondence: William J. Bond, South African Environmental Observation Network – National Research Foundation and Department of Biological Sciences – University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch 7701, Western Cape, South Africa e-mail:
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50
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Crisp MD, Cook LG. How Was the Australian Flora Assembled Over the Last 65 Million Years? A Molecular Phylogenetic Perspective. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2013. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110512-135910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Crisp
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2602, Australia;
| | - Lyn G. Cook
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia;
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