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Gya R, Geange SR, Lynn JS, Töpper JP, Wallevik Ø, Zernichow C, Vandvik V. A test of local adaptation to drought in germination and seedling traits in populations of two alpine forbs across a 2000 mm/year precipitation gradient. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9772. [PMID: 36778839 PMCID: PMC9905427 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Seed regeneration is a critical stage in the life histories of plants, affecting species' abilities to maintain local populations, evolve, and disperse to new sites. In this study, we test for local adaptations to drought in germination and seedling growth of two alpine forbs with contrasting habitat preferences: the alpine generalist Veronica alpina and the snowbed specialist Sibbaldia procumbens. We sampled seeds of each species from four populations spanning a precipitation gradient from 1200 to 3400 mm/year in western Norway. In a growth chamber experiment, we germinated seeds from each population at 10 different water potentials under controlled light and temperature conditions. Drought led to lower germination percentage in both species, and additionally, slower germination, and more investment in roots for V. alpina. These responses varied along the precipitation gradient. Seeds from the driest populations had higher germination percentage, shorter time to germination, and higher investments in the roots under drought conditions than the seeds from the wettest populations - suggesting local adaption to drought. The snowbed specialist, S. procumbens, had lower germination percentages under drought, but otherwise did not respond to drought in ways that indicate physiological or morphological adaptions to drought. S. procumbens germination also did not vary systematically with precipitation of the source site, but heavier-seeded populations germinated to higher rates and tolerated drought better. Our study is the first to test drought effects on seed regeneration in alpine plants populations from high-precipitation regions. We found evidence that germination and seedling traits may show adaptation to drought even in populations from wet habitats. Our results also indicate that alpine generalists might be more adapted to drought and show more local adaptations in drought responses than snowbed specialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragnhild Gya
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
- Bjerknes Center for Climate ResearchBergenNorway
| | - Sonya Rita Geange
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
- Bjerknes Center for Climate ResearchBergenNorway
| | - Joshua Scott Lynn
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
- Bjerknes Center for Climate ResearchBergenNorway
| | | | - Øystein Wallevik
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | | | - Vigdis Vandvik
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
- Bjerknes Center for Climate ResearchBergenNorway
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Steinbauer K, Lamprecht A, Winkler M, Di Cecco V, Fasching V, Ghosn D, Maringer A, Remoundou I, Suen M, Stanisci A, Venn S, Pauli H. Recent changes in high-mountain plant community functional composition in contrasting climate regimes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 829:154541. [PMID: 35302025 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154541] [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: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High-mountain plant communities are strongly determined by abiotic conditions, especially low temperature, and are therefore susceptible to effects of climate warming. Rising temperatures, however, also lead to increased evapotranspiration, which, together with projected shifts in seasonal precipitation patterns, could lead to prolonged, detrimental water deficiencies. The current study aims at comparing alpine plant communities along elevation and water availability gradients from humid conditions (north-eastern Alps) to a moderate (Central Apennines) and a pronounced dry period during summer (Lefka Ori, Crete) in the Mediterranean area. We do this in order to (1) detect relationships between community-based indices (plant functional leaf and growth traits, thermic vegetation indicator, plant life forms, vegetation cover and diversity) and soil temperature and snow duration and (2) assess if climatic changes have already affected the vegetation, by determining directional changes over time (14-year period; 2001-2015) in these indices in the three regions. Plant community indices responded to decreasing temperatures along the elevation gradient in the NE-Alps and the Apennines, but this elevation effect almost disappeared in the summer-dry mountains of Crete. This suggests a shift from low-temperature to drought-dominated ecological filters. Leaf trait (Leaf Dry Matter Content and Specific Leaf Area) responses changed in direction from the Alps to the Apennines, indicating that drought effects already become discernible at the northern margin of the Mediterranean. Over time, a slight increase in vegetation cover was found in all regions, but thermophilisation occurred only in the NE-Alps and Apennines, accompanied by a decline of cold-adapted cushion plants in the Alps. On Crete, xeromorphic shrubs were increasing in abundance. Although critical biodiversity losses have not yet been observed, an intensified monitoring of combined warming-drought impacts will be required in view of threatened alpine plants that are either locally restricted in the south or weakly adapted to drought in the north.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Steinbauer
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; UNESCO-Chair on Sustainable Management of Conservation Areas, Carinthia University of Applied Science, 9524 Villach, Austria; E.C.O. - Institut für Ökologie, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria.
| | - A Lamprecht
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - M Winkler
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - V Di Cecco
- Maiella Seed Bank, Maiella National Park, Loc. Colle Madonna, Lama dei Peligni 66010, Italy
| | - V Fasching
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - D Ghosn
- Department of Geoinformation in Environmental Management - CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Alsyllio Agrokepiou, 73100 Chania, Greece
| | - A Maringer
- Gesaeuse National Park, 8911 Admont, Austria
| | - I Remoundou
- Department of Geoinformation in Environmental Management - CIHEAM Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Alsyllio Agrokepiou, 73100 Chania, Greece
| | - M Suen
- Gesaeuse National Park, 8911 Admont, Austria
| | - A Stanisci
- Dep. Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Termoli 86039, Italy
| | - S Venn
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
| | - H Pauli
- GLORIA Coordination, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria; GLORIA Coordination, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria
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3
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Veselá A, Hadincová V, Vandvik V, Münzbergová Z. Maternal effects strengthen interactions of temperature and precipitation, determining seed germination of dominant alpine grass species. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:798-810. [PMID: 33988866 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Despite the existence of many studies on the responses of plant species to climate change, there is a knowledge gap on how specific climatic factors and their interactions regulate seed germination in alpine species. This understanding is complicated by the interplay between responses of seeds to the environment experienced during germination, the environment experienced by the maternal plant during seed development and genetic adaptations of the maternal plant to its environment of origin. METHODS The study species (Anthoxanthum alpinum, A. odoratum) originated from localities with factorial combinations of temperature and precipitation. Seed germination was tested in conditions simulating the extreme ends of the current field conditions and a climate change scenario. We compared the performance of field-collected seeds with that of garden-collected seeds. RESULTS A change to warmer and wetter conditions resulted in the highest germination of A. alpinum, while A. odoratum germinated the most in colder temperature and with home moisture. The maternal environment did have an impact on plant performance of the study species. Field-collected seeds of A. alpinum tolerated warmer conditions better than those from the experimental garden. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate how knowledge of responses to climate change can increase our ability to understand and predict the fate of alpine species. Studies that aim to understand the germination requirements of seeds under future climates should use experimental designs allowing the separation of genetic differentiation, plasticity and maternal effects and their interactions, since all these mechanisms play an important role in driving species' germination patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Veselá
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Věroslava Hadincová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vigdis Vandvik
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Zuzana Münzbergová
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Klupczyńska EA, Pawłowski TA. Regulation of Seed Dormancy and Germination Mechanisms in a Changing Environment. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1357. [PMID: 33572974 PMCID: PMC7866424 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental conditions are the basis of plant reproduction and are the critical factors controlling seed dormancy and germination. Global climate change is currently affecting environmental conditions and changing the reproduction of plants from seeds. Disturbances in germination will cause disturbances in the diversity of plant communities. Models developed for climate change scenarios show that some species will face a significant decrease in suitable habitat area. Dormancy is an adaptive mechanism that affects the probability of survival of a species. The ability of seeds of many plant species to survive until dormancy recedes and meet the requirements for germination is an adaptive strategy that can act as a buffer against the negative effects of environmental heterogeneity. The influence of temperature and humidity on seed dormancy status underlines the need to understand how changing environmental conditions will affect seed germination patterns. Knowledge of these processes is important for understanding plant evolution and adaptation to changes in the habitat. The network of genes controlling seed dormancy under the influence of environmental conditions is not fully characterized. Integrating research techniques from different disciplines of biology could aid understanding of the mechanisms of the processes controlling seed germination. Transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenetics, and other fields provide researchers with new opportunities to understand the many processes of plant life. This paper focuses on presenting the adaptation mechanism of seed dormancy and germination to the various environments, with emphasis on their prospective roles in adaptation to the changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tomasz A. Pawłowski
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland;
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5
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Flanigan NP, Bandara R, Wang F, Jastrzębowski S, Hidayati SN, Walck JL. Germination responses to winter warm spells and warming vary widely among woody plants in a temperate forest. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:1052-1061. [PMID: 32594604 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Winter underpins key ecological processes, such as dormancy loss and seedling emergence. Enhanced warm spells, together with warming are occurring and will continue in the future. The consequences of these climate phenomena on germination were investigated among co-occurring woody plants, whose seeds are bird-dispersed in autumn and require cold stratification for spring emergence. Seeds from nine common southeastern USA plants were collected in autumn. We verified that seeds of the study species required cold stratification for dormancy loss. We then examined the following aspects in the laboratory or field: effect of warm spells during cold stratification on germination, effect of a warm spell during winter on seed survival and germination phenology, and effect of warming from autumn dispersal through winter dormancy loss on timing of germination. While no consistent effects of warm spells were found in the laboratory on quantity of germination, warm spells advanced spring field germination for several species. Some species germinated during cold stratification and during warm spells, especially extreme spells, in the laboratory. In the field, about half of Lonicera maackii seedlings that emerged with a warm spell died by late winter. With warming from autumn through spring, laboratory germination shifted from spring to predominately autumn for some species. With precocious germination during warm spells or germination phenology shifts, two scenarios are possible. Seedlings may die during winter, reducing the size of the soil seed bank and number of emergents, or they would survive in warmer winters, which would give them a competitive advantage over spring-emerging seedlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- N P Flanigan
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - R Bandara
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - F Wang
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Zhongkai Univeristy of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - S Jastrzębowski
- Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees, Forest Research Institute, Raszyn, Sękocin Stary, Poland
| | - S N Hidayati
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - J L Walck
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
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6
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Chen DL, Luo XP, Yuan Z, Bai MJ, Hu XW. Seed dormancy release of Halenia elliptica in response to stratification temperature, duration and soil moisture content. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 20:352. [PMID: 32723291 PMCID: PMC7388213 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-020-02560-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the effect of cold stratification on seed dormancy release has been extensively studied for many species, knowledge of the role of stratifying temperature, soil moisture content and duration of stratification on seed dormancy release at the population level is limited. Here, we aimed to determine the response of seed dormancy release to these factors in six populations of Halenia elliptica. RESULTS Seed dormancy release was more responsive to low than high temperatures, and no dormancy break occurred at 8 °C. Seed germination percentage increased first and then remained unchanged as stratifying soil moisture content increased from 0 to 24%. Seed dormancy release of populations from low altitude was more sensitive to increased stratifying temperature and decreased soil moisture content than those from high altitudes. CONCLUSIONS Temperature and soil moisture changes resulting from global warming could affect seed dormancy release and consequently seedling establishment. Thus, incorporating data on seed dormancy release involving temperature, soil moisture content and stratification duration is beneficial for predicting plant species regeneration, migration and coexistence in a scenario of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Li Chen
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xin Ping Luo
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Meng Jie Bai
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiao Wen Hu
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems; Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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7
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Newton RJ, Hay FR, Ellis RH. Temporal patterns of seed germination in early spring-flowering temperate woodland geophytes are modified by warming. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 125:1013-1023. [PMID: 32055829 PMCID: PMC7262466 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Understorey species in temperate deciduous woodlands such as wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) and common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) have complex dormancy: seeds that are shed in late spring require warm summer temperatures for embryo elongation and dormancy alleviation, but then cooler temperatures for germination in autumn. As seasons warm and tree canopies alter, how will different seasonal temperature sequences affect these complex dormancy responses? METHODS The effect of different sequences of warmer (+5 °C), current or cooler (-5 °C) seasons (summer to spring) on seed germination patterns over seven successive seasons were investigated, with all sequences combined factorially to determine the consequences of differential seasonal temperature change for the temporal pattern of germination (and so seedling recruitment). KEY RESULTS Little (<1 %, G. nivalis) or no (N. pseudonarcissus) seed germination occurred during the first summer in any treatment. Germination of N. pseudonarcissus in the first autumn was considerable and greatest at the average (15 °C) temperature, irrespective of the preceding summer temperature; germination was also substantial in winter after a warmer autumn. Germination in G. nivalis was greatest in the warmest first autumn and influenced by preceding summer temperature (average > warmer > cooler); the majority of seeds that germinated over the whole study did so during the two autumns but also in year 2's cooler summer after a warm spring. CONCLUSIONS Warmer autumns and winters delay first autumn germination of N. pseudonarcissus to winter but advance it in G. nivalis; overall, warming will deplete the soil seed bank of these species, making annual seed influx increasingly important for recruitment and persistence. This study provides a comprehensive account of the effects of temperature changes in different seasons on seed germination in these early spring-flowering geophytes and consequently informs how these and other temperate woodland species with complex seed dormancy may respond to future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Newton
- Conservation Science Department, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Wakehurst, Ardingly, West Sussex, UK
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Fiona R Hay
- Conservation Science Department, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Millennium Seed Bank, Wakehurst, Ardingly, West Sussex, UK
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Flakkebjerg, Denmark
| | - Richard H Ellis
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
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8
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Vanderplanck M, Martinet B, Carvalheiro LG, Rasmont P, Barraud A, Renaudeau C, Michez D. Ensuring access to high-quality resources reduces the impacts of heat stress on bees. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12596. [PMID: 31467366 PMCID: PMC6715733 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49025-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollinators are experiencing declines globally, negatively affecting the reproduction of wild plants and crop production. Well-known drivers of these declines include climatic and nutritional stresses, such as a change of dietary resources due to the degradation of habitat quality. Understanding potential synergies between these two important drivers is needed to improve predictive models of the future effects of climate change on pollinator declines. Here, bumblebee colony bioassays were used to evaluate the interactive effects of heat stress, a reduction of dietary resource quality, and colony size. Using a total of 117 colonies, we applied a fully crossed experiment to test the effect of three dietary quality levels under three levels of heat stress with two colony sizes. Both nutritional and heat stress reduced colony development resulting in a lower investment in offspring production. Small colonies were much more sensitive to heat and nutritional stresses than large ones, possibly because a higher percentage of workers helps maintain social homeostasis. Strikingly, the effects of heat stress were far less pronounced for small colonies fed with suitable diets. Overall, our study suggests that landscape management actions that ensure access to high-quality resources could reduce the impacts of heat stress on bee decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryse Vanderplanck
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000, Mons, Belgium. .,Evo-Eco-Paleo - UMR 8198, CNRS, Université de Lille, F-59000, Lille, France.
| | - Baptiste Martinet
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000, Mons, Belgium.
| | - Luísa Gigante Carvalheiro
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.,Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), University of Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pierre Rasmont
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Alexandre Barraud
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000, Mons, Belgium.,Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris-Sorbonne 4, Place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Coraline Renaudeau
- Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris-Sorbonne 4, Place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 23, 7000, Mons, Belgium
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9
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El-Hacen EHM, Bouma TJ, Fivash GS, Sall AA, Piersma T, Olff H, Govers LL. Evidence for 'critical slowing down' in seagrass: a stress gradient experiment at the southern limit of its range. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17263. [PMID: 30467336 PMCID: PMC6250700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34977-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The theory of critical slowing down, i.e. the increasing recovery times of complex systems close to tipping points, has been proposed as an early warning signal for collapse. Empirical evidence for the reality of such warning signals is still rare in ecology. We studied this on Zostera noltii intertidal seagrass meadows at their southern range limit, the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania. We analyse the environmental covariates of recovery rates using structural equation modelling (SEM), based on an experiment in which we assessed whether recovery after disturbances (i.e. seagrass & infauna removal) depends on stress intensity (increasing with elevation) and disturbance patch size (1 m2 vs. 9 m2). The SEM analyses revealed that higher biofilm density and sediment accretion best explained seagrass recovery rates. Experimental disturbances were followed by slow rates of recovery, regrowth occurring mainly in the coolest months of the year. Macrofauna recolonisation lagged behind seagrass recovery. Overall, the recovery rate was six times slower in the high intertidal zone than in the low zone. The large disturbances in the low zone recovered faster than the small ones in the high zone. This provides empirical evidence for critical slowing down with increasing desiccation stress in an intertidal seagrass system.
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Affiliation(s)
- El-Hacen M El-Hacen
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Parc National du Banc d'Arguin (PNBA), Rue Gleiguime Ould Habiboullah, B Nord No. 100, B.P. 5355, Nouakchott, Mauritania.
| | - Tjeerd J Bouma
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Gregory S Fivash
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Amadou Abderahmane Sall
- Institut Mauritanien de Recherches Océanographiques et des Pêches (IMROP), BP 22, Nouadhibou, Mauritania
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Han Olff
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura L Govers
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research (IWWR), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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10
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Tudela-Isanta M, Fernández-Pascual E, Wijayasinghe M, Orsenigo S, Rossi G, Pritchard HW, Mondoni A. Habitat-related seed germination traits in alpine habitats. Ecol Evol 2017; 8:150-161. [PMID: 29321859 PMCID: PMC5756861 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the key aspects of plant regeneration from seeds is crucial in assessing species assembly to their habitats. However, the regenerative traits of seed dormancy and germination are underrepresented in this context. In the alpine zone, the large species and microhabitat diversity provide an ideal context to assess habitat‐related regenerative strategies. To this end, seeds of 53 species growing in alpine siliceous and calcareous habitats (6230 and 6170 of EU Directive 92/43, respectively) were exposed to different temperature treatments under controlled laboratory conditions. Germination strategies in each habitat were identified by clustering with k‐means. Then, phylogenetic least squares correlations (PGLS) were fitted to assess germination and dormancy differences between species’ main habitat (calcareous and siliceous), microhabitat (grasslands, heaths, rocky, and species with no specific microhabitats), and chorology (arctic–alpine and continental). Calcareous and siliceous grasslands significantly differ in their germination behaviour with a slow, mostly overwinter germination and high germination under all conditions, respectively. Species with high overwinter germination occurs mostly in heaths and have an arctic–alpine distribution. Meanwhile, species with low or high germinability in general inhabit in grasslands or have no specific microhabitat (they belong to generalist), respectively. Alpine species use different germination strategies depending on habitat provenance, species’ main microhabitat, and chorotype. Such differences may reflect adaptations to local environmental conditions and highlight the functional role of germination and dormancy in community ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Tudela-Isanta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Eduardo Fernández-Pascual
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA.,Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology Royal Botanic Gardens Ardingly UK
| | - Malaka Wijayasinghe
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Simone Orsenigo
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences University of Milan Milano Italy
| | - Graziano Rossi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Hugh W Pritchard
- Comparative Plant and Fungal Biology Royal Botanic Gardens Ardingly UK
| | - Andrea Mondoni
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Pavia Pavia Italy
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11
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Rosbakh S, Leingärtner A, Hoiss B, Krauss J, Steffan-Dewenter I, Poschlod P. Contrasting Effects of Extreme Drought and Snowmelt Patterns on Mountain Plants along an Elevation Gradient. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1478. [PMID: 28900434 PMCID: PMC5581835 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Despite the evidence that increased frequency and magnitude of extreme climate events (ECE) considerably affect plant performance, there is still a lack of knowledge about how these events affect mountain plant biodiversity and mountain ecosystem functioning. Here, we assessed the short-term (one vegetation period) effects of simulated ECEs [extreme drought (DR), advanced and delayed snowmelt (AD and DE), respectively] on the performance of 42 plant species occurring in the Bavarian Alps (Germany) along an elevational gradient of 600-2000 m a.s.l. in terms of vegetative growth and reproduction performance. We demonstrate that plant vegetative and generative traits respond differently to the simulated ECEs, but the nature and magnitude treatment effects strongly depend on study site location along the elevational gradient, species' altitudinal origin and plant functional type (PFT) of the target species. For example, the negative effect of DR treatment on growth (e.g., lower growth rates and lower leaf nitrogen content) and reproduction (e.g., lower seed mass) was much stronger in upland sites, as compared to lowlands. Species' response to the treatments also differed according to their altitudinal origin. Specifically, upland species responded negatively to extreme DR (e.g., lower growth rates and lower leaf carbon concentrations, smaller seed set), whereas performance of lowland species remained unaffected (e.g., stable seed set and seed size) or even positively responded (e.g., higher growth rates) to that treatment. Furthermore, we were able to detect some consistent differences in responses to the ECEs among three PFTs (forbs, graminoids, and legumes). For instance, vegetative growth and sexual reproduction of highly adaptable opportunistic graminoids positively responded to nearly all ECEs, likely on the costs of other, more conservative, forbs and legumes. Our results suggest that ECEs can significantly modify the performance of specific plant groups and therefore lead to changes in plant community structure and composition under ongoing climate change. Our study therefore underlines the need for more experimental studies on the effects of extreme climate events to understand the potential consequences of climate change for the alpine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Rosbakh
- Chair of Ecology and Nature Conservation Biology, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
| | - Annette Leingärtner
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Hoiss
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Krauss
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburg, Germany
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburg, Germany
| | - Peter Poschlod
- Chair of Ecology and Nature Conservation Biology, University of RegensburgRegensburg, Germany
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12
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Tíscar PA, Candel-Pérez D, Estrany J, Balandier P, Gómez R, Lucas-Borja ME. Regeneration of three pine species in a Mediterranean forest: A study to test predictions from species distribution models under changing climates. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 584-585:78-87. [PMID: 28135616 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 01/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The study tested the hypothesis that future changes in the composition of tree communities, as predicted by species distribution models, could already be apparent in the current regeneration patterns of three pine species (Pinus pinaster, P. nigra and P. sylvestris)inhabiting the central-eastern mountains of Spain. We carried out both an observational study and a seed-sowing experiment to analyze, along an altitudinal and latitudinal gradient, whether recent recruitment patterns indicate an expansion of P. pinaster forests to the detriment of P. nigra ones in the low-altitude southern sites of these mountains; or whether P. sylvestris is being replaced by P. nigra in the high-altitude sites from the same area. The observational study gathered data from 561 plots of the Spanish National Forest Inventory. The seed-sowing experiment tested the effects of irrigation and stand basal area on seedling emergence and survival. Data were analyzed by means of Generalized Linear Models and Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Regeneration of the three pine species responded similarly to the explicative factors studied, but the density of tree seedlings and saplings exhibited a wide spatial heterogeneity. This result suggested that a mosaic of site- and species-specific responses to climate change might mislead model projections on the future forest occupancy of tree species. Yet, we found no indications of neither an expansion nor a contraction of the near future forest occupancy of the tree species studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A Tíscar
- Centro de Capacitación y Experimentación Forestal, C/Vadillo-Castril s/n, 23470 Cazorla, Jaén, Spain
| | - D Candel-Pérez
- Universidad Pública de Navarra, Campus de Arrosadia, s/n, 31006 Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - J Estrany
- Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de las Islas Baleares, Carr. de Valldemossa, km 7,5, 07122 Palma, Islas Baleares, Spain
| | - P Balandier
- Irstea, Research Unit on Forest Ecosystems (EFNO), Domaine des Barres, 45290 Nogent-Sur-Vernisson, France
| | - R Gómez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
| | - M E Lucas-Borja
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain..
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13
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Bernareggi G, Carbognani M, Mondoni A, Petraglia A. Seed dormancy and germination changes of snowbed species under climate warming: the role of pre- and post-dispersal temperatures. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2016; 118:529-39. [PMID: 27390354 PMCID: PMC4998984 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcw125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 04/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Climate warming has major impacts on seed germination of several alpine species, hence on their regeneration capacity. Most studies have investigated the effects of warming after seed dispersal, and little is known about the effects a warmer parental environment may have on germination and dormancy of the seed progeny. Nevertheless, temperatures during seed development and maturation could alter the state of dormancy, affecting the timing of emergence and seedling survival. Here, the interplay between pre- and post-dispersal temperatures driving seed dormancy release and germination requirements of alpine plants were investigated. METHODS Three plant species inhabiting alpine snowbeds were exposed to an artificial warming treatment (i.e. +1·5 K) and to natural conditions in the field. Seeds produced were exposed to six different periods of cold stratification (0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 20 weeks at 0 °C), followed by four incubation temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 20 °C) for germination testing. KEY RESULTS A warmer parental environment produced either no or a significant increase in germination, depending on the duration of cold stratification, incubation temperatures and their interaction. In contrast, the speed of germination was less sensitive to changes in the parental environment. Moreover, the effects of warming appeared to be linked to the level of (physiological) seed dormancy, with deeper dormant species showing major changes in response to incubation temperatures and less dormant species in response to cold stratification periods. CONCLUSIONS Plants developed under warmer climates will produce seeds with changed germination responses to temperature and/or cold stratification, but the extent of these changes across species could be driven by seed dormancy traits. Transgenerational plastic adjustments of seed germination and dormancy shown here may result from increased seed viability, reduced primary and secondary dormancy state, or both, and may play a crucial role in future plant adaptation to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulietta Bernareggi
- Università di Parma, Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Michele Carbognani
- Università di Parma, Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Mondoni
- Università di Pavia, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Via S. Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Petraglia
- Università di Parma, Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
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14
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Gentili R, Bacchetta G, Fenu G, Cogoni D, Abeli T, Rossi G, Salvatore MC, Baroni C, Citterio S. From cold to warm-stage refugia for boreo-alpine plants in southern European and Mediterranean mountains: the last chance to survive or an opportunity for speciation? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2015.1116407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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