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McElwain JC, Matthaeus WJ, Barbosa C, Chondrogiannis C, O' Dea K, Jackson B, Knetge AB, Kwasniewska K, Nair R, White JD, Wilson JP, Montañez IP, Buckley YM, Belcher CM, Nogué S. Functional traits of fossil plants. New Phytol 2024; 242:392-423. [PMID: 38409806 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
A minuscule fraction of the Earth's paleobiological diversity is preserved in the geological record as fossils. What plant remnants have withstood taphonomic filtering, fragmentation, and alteration in their journey to become part of the fossil record provide unique information on how plants functioned in paleo-ecosystems through their traits. Plant traits are measurable morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical, or phenological characteristics that potentially affect their environment and fitness. Here, we review the rich literature of paleobotany, through the lens of contemporary trait-based ecology, to evaluate which well-established extant plant traits hold the greatest promise for application to fossils. In particular, we focus on fossil plant functional traits, those measurable properties of leaf, stem, reproductive, or whole plant fossils that offer insights into the functioning of the plant when alive. The limitations of a trait-based approach in paleobotany are considerable. However, in our critical assessment of over 30 extant traits we present an initial, semi-quantitative ranking of 26 paleo-functional traits based on taphonomic and methodological criteria on the potential of those traits to impact Earth system processes, and for that impact to be quantifiable. We demonstrate how valuable inferences on paleo-ecosystem processes (pollination biology, herbivory), past nutrient cycles, paleobiogeography, paleo-demography (life history), and Earth system history can be derived through the application of paleo-functional traits to fossil plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C McElwain
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - William J Matthaeus
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Catarina Barbosa
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | | | - Katie O' Dea
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Bea Jackson
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Antonietta B Knetge
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Kamila Kwasniewska
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Richard Nair
- School of Natural Sciences, Botany, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Joseph D White
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, 76798-7388, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan P Wilson
- Department of Environmental Studies, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, 19041, PA, USA
| | - Isabel P Montañez
- UC Davis Institute of the Environment, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Yvonne M Buckley
- School of Natural Sciences, Zoology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | | | - Sandra Nogué
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Catalonia, Spain
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Li X, Chen X, Li J, Wu P, Hu D, Zhong Q, Cheng D. Respiration in light of evergreen and deciduous woody species and its links to the leaf economic spectrum. Tree Physiol 2024; 44:tpad129. [PMID: 37847610 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Leaf respiration in the light (Rlight) is crucial for understanding the net CO2 exchange of individual plants and entire ecosystems. However, Rlight is poorly quantified and rarely discussed in the context of the leaf economic spectrum (LES), especially among woody species differing in plant functional types (PFTs) (e.g., evergreen vs. deciduous species). To address this gap in our knowledge, Rlight, respiration in the dark (Rdark), light-saturated photosynthetic rates (Asat), leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA), leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, and maximum carboxylation (Vcmax) and electron transport rates (Jmax) of 54 representative subtropical woody evergreen and deciduous species were measured. With the exception of LMA, the parameters quantified in this study were significantly higher in deciduous species than in evergreen species. The degree of light inhibition did not significantly differ between evergreen (52%) and deciduous (50%) species. Rlight was significantly correlated with LES traits such as Asat, Rdark, LMA, N and P. The Rlight vs. Rdark and N relationships shared common slopes between evergreen and deciduous species, but significantly differed in their y-intercepts, in which the rates of Rlight were slower or faster for any given Rdark or N in deciduous species, respectively. A model for Rlight based on three traits (i.e., Rdark, LMA and P) had an explanatory power of 84.9%. These results show that there is a link between Rlight and the LES, and highlight that PFTs is an important factor in affecting Rlight and the relationships of Rlight with Rdark and N. Thus, this study provides information that can improve the next generation of terrestrial biosphere models (TBMs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqin Li
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, No.8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, No.8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, No. 8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
| | - Jinlong Li
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, No.8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
| | - Panpan Wu
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, No.8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
| | - Dandan Hu
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, No.8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
| | - Quanlin Zhong
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, No.8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
| | - Dongliang Cheng
- Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, No.8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, Fujian Normal University, No. 8 Shangsan Road, Cangshan District, Fuzhou, Fujian 350007, China
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Aragón L, Messier J, Atuesta-Escobar N, Lasso E. Tropical shrubs living in an extreme environment show convergent ecological strategies but divergent ecophysiological strategies. Ann Bot 2023; 131:491-502. [PMID: 36655596 PMCID: PMC10072103 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Trait-based frameworks assess plant survival strategies using different approaches. Some frameworks use functional traits to assign species to a priori defined ecological strategies. Others use functional traits as the central element of a species ecophysiological strategy. We compared these two approaches by asking: (1) what is the primary ecological strategy of three dominant co-occurring shrub species from inselbergs based on the CSR scheme, and (2) what main functional traits characterize the ecophysiological strategy of the species based on their use of carbon, water and light? METHODS We conducted our study on a Colombian inselberg. In this extreme environment with multiple stressors (high temperatures and low resource availability), we expected all species to be stress tolerant (S in the CSR scheme) and have similar ecophysiological strategies. We measured 22 anatomical, morphological and physiological leaf traits. KEY RESULTS The three species have convergent ecological strategies as measured by CSR (S, Acanthella sprucei; and S/CS, Mandevilla lancifolia and Tabebuia orinocensis) yet divergent resource-use strategies as measured by their functional traits. A. sprucei has the most conservative carbon use, risky water use and a shade-tolerant strategy. M. lancifolia has acquisitive carbon use, safe water use and a shade-tolerant strategy. T. orinocensis has intermediate carbon use, safe water use and a light-demanding strategy. Additionally, stomatal traits that are easy to measure are valuable to describe resource-use strategies because they are highly correlated with two physiological functions that are hard to measure: stomatal conductance and maximum photosynthesis per unit mass. CONCLUSIONS The two approaches provide complementary information on species strategies. Plant species can co-occur in extreme environments, such as inselbergs, because they exhibit convergent primary ecological strategies but divergent ecophysiological strategies, allowing them to use limiting resources differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Aragón
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Julie Messier
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | | | - Eloisa Lasso
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apt. 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
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Wang H, Yang J, Xie T, Ma L, Niu F, He C, Shan L. Variation and association of leaf traits for desert plants in the arid area, northwest China. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9946. [PMID: 36969926 PMCID: PMC10037433 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterizing variation and association of plant traits is critical for understanding plant adaptation strategies and community assembly mechanisms. However, little is known about the leaf trait variations of desert plants and their association with different life forms. We used principal component analysis, Pearson's correlation, phylogenetic independent contrasts, linear mixed model, and variance decomposition to explore the variation and association of 10 leaf traits in 22 desert plants in the arid area of northwest China. We found that: (1) the contribution of interspecific variation to the overall variation was greater than the intraspecific variation of all the studied leaf traits; (2) intraspecific and interspecific variation in leaf traits differed among life forms. Some leaf traits, such as tissue density of shrubs and specific leaf area of herbs, exhibited greater intraspecific than interspecific variation, while other traits exhibited the inverse; (3) desert shrubs corroborate the leaf economic spectrum hypothesis and had a fast acquisitive resource strategy, but herbs may not conform to this hypothesis; (4) there were trade‐offs between leaf traits, which were mediated by phylogeny. Overall, our results suggest that interspecific variation of leaf traits significantly contributes to the total leaf traits variation in desert plants. However, intraspecific variation should not be overlooked. There are contrasts in the resource acquisition strategies between plants life forms. Our results support understanding of the mechanisms underlying community assembly in arid regions and suggest that future works may focus on the variation and association of plant traits at both intra‐ and interspecific scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyong Wang
- College of ForestryGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Jie Yang
- Pingliang institute of soil and water conservation SciencePingliangChina
| | - Tingting Xie
- College of ForestryGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Li Ma
- College of ForestryGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Furong Niu
- College of ForestryGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Cai He
- Wuwei Academy of ForestryWuweiChina
| | - Lishan Shan
- College of ForestryGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
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Du Y, Zhang Y, Guo Z, Zhang Z, Zeng F. Vein Network and Climatic Factors Predict the Leaf Economic Spectrum of Desert Plants in Xinjiang, China. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:581. [PMID: 36771664 PMCID: PMC9920464 DOI: 10.3390/plants12030581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The leaf economic spectrum (LES) has been repeatedly verified with regional and global datasets. However, the LES of desert plants and its drivers has not been fully explored at the species level. In this study, we sampled three desert perennial plant species (Alhagi sparsifolia, Karelinia caspia, and Apocynum venetum) at three different geographical areas of distribution in Xinjiang, China, and measured 10 leaf economic traits to determine their strategy of resource utilization. The scores of the first axis from the principal component analysis of 10 leaf economic traits as a continuous variable define the LES. This study showed that the LES did exist in desert plants in this region. The leaf economic spectrum shifted from a more conservative strategy to a more acquisitive strategy with increasing contents of soil potassium (K) and the ratio of K to phosphorus. Except for the vein density of A. venetum, which quadratically correlated with LES, the vein density, distance between veins, and vein loopiness significantly positively correlated with the LES (p < 0.05), indicating a covariation and tradeoff relationship. The annual mean temperature was significantly negatively correlated with LES, while the annual mean precipitation (MAP) and the aridity index (AI), which was calculated by the ratio of MAP to potential evapotranspiration, significantly positively correlated with the LES. Of these, vein loopiness and AI were more effective at predicting the change in LES from anatomical and climatic perspectives owing to their high regression coefficients (R2). The findings of this study will substantially improve the understanding of the strategies of desert plants to utilize resources and predict the structure and function of ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Du
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yulin Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
- College of Ecology and Environmental, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Zichun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Zhihao Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele 848300, China
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Gibb H, Bishop TR, Leahy L, Parr CL, Lessard J, Sanders NJ, Shik JZ, Ibarra‐Isassi J, Narendra A, Dunn RR, Wright IJ. Ecological strategies of (pl)ants: Towards a world-wide worker economic spectrum for ants. Funct Ecol 2023; 37:13-25. [PMID: 37056633 PMCID: PMC10084388 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Current global challenges call for a rigorously predictive ecology. Our understanding of ecological strategies, imputed through suites of measurable functional traits, comes from decades of work that largely focussed on plants. However, a key question is whether plant ecological strategies resemble those of other organisms.Among animals, ants have long been recognised to possess similarities with plants: as (largely) central place foragers. For example, individual ant workers play similar foraging roles to plant leaves and roots and are similarly expendable. Frameworks that aim to understand plant ecological strategies through key functional traits, such as the 'leaf economics spectrum', offer the potential for significant parallels with ant ecological strategies.Here, we explore these parallels across several proposed ecological strategy dimensions, including an 'economic spectrum', propagule size-number trade-offs, apparency-defence trade-offs, resource acquisition trade-offs and stress-tolerance trade-offs. We also highlight where ecological strategies may differ between plants and ants. Furthermore, we consider how these strategies play out among the different modules of eusocial organisms, where selective forces act on the worker and reproductive castes, as well as the colony.Finally, we suggest future directions for ecological strategy research, including highlighting the availability of data and traits that may be more difficult to measure, but should receive more attention in future to better understand the ecological strategies of ants. The unique biology of eusocial organisms provides an unrivalled opportunity to bridge the gap in our understanding of ecological strategies in plants and animals and we hope that this perspective will ignite further interest. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heloise Gibb
- Department of Environment and Genetics and Centre for Future LandscapesLa Trobe UniversityBundooraVic.Australia
| | - Tom R. Bishop
- School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Lily Leahy
- Department of Environment and Genetics and Centre for Future LandscapesLa Trobe UniversityBundooraVic.Australia
| | - Catherine L. Parr
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Nathan J. Sanders
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Jonathan Z. Shik
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Ajay Narendra
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversityNSWAustralia
| | - Robert R. Dunn
- Department of Applied EcologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
| | - Ian J. Wright
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversityNSWAustralia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityPenrithNSWAustralia
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Maenpuen P, Katabuchi M, Onoda Y, Zhou C, Zhang JL, Chen YJ. Sources and consequences of mismatch between leaf disc and whole-leaf leaf mass per area (LMA). Am J Bot 2022; 109:1242-1250. [PMID: 35862826 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Leaf mass per area (LMA), which is an important functional trait in leaf economic spectrum and plant growth analysis, is measured from leaf discs or whole leaves. Differences between the measurement methods may lead to large differences in the estimates of LMA values. METHODS We examined to what extent estimates of LMA based on whole leaves match those based on discs using 334 woody species from a wide range of biomes (tropics, subtropics, savanna, and temperate), whether the relationship varied by leaf morphology (tissue density, leaf area, leaf thickness), punch size (0.6- and 1.0-cm diameter), and whether the extent of intraspecifc variation for each species matches. RESULTS Disc-based estimates of species mean LMA matched the whole-leaf estimates well, and whole-leaf LMA tended to be 9.69% higher than leaf-disc LMA. The ratio of whole-leaf LMA to leaf-disc LMA was higher for species with higher leaf tissue density and larger leaves, and variance in the ratio was greater for species with lower leaf tissue density and thinner leaves. Estimates based on small leaf discs also inflated the ratio. The extent of the intraspecific variation only weakly matched between whole-leaf and disc-based estimates (R2 = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that simple conversion between whole-leaf and leaf-disc LMA is difficult for species obtained with a small leaf punch, but it should be possible for species obtained with a large+ leaf punch. Accurately representing leaf traits will likely require careful selection between leaf-disc and whole-leaf traits depending on the objectives. Quantifying intraspecific variation using leaf discs should be also considered with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phisamai Maenpuen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Masatoshi Katabuchi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Yusuke Onoda
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Cong Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, 666303, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jiao-Lin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, 666303, China
| | - Ya-Jun Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan, 666303, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, 666303, China
- Savanna Ecosystem Research Station, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuanjiang, Yunnan, 6663300, China
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Wang J, Wen X. Limiting resource and leaf functional traits jointly determine distribution patterns of leaf intrinsic water use efficiency along aridity gradients. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:909603. [PMID: 35968133 PMCID: PMC9372487 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.909603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) is a critical eco-physiological function allowing plants to adapt to water- and nutrient-limited habitats in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the distribution of iWUE in coexisting species along aridity gradients and its controlling factors are unknown. We established two transects along an aridity gradient in the grasslands of Losses Plateau (LP) and Inner Mongolia Plateau (MP) to elucidate the patterns and underlying mechanisms of iWUE distribution in coexisting species along aridity gradient. We determined leaf carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) stable isotopes, functional traits related to carbon fixation, and limiting resources. Bulk leaf δ13C and δ18O were used as proxies for time-integrated iWUE and stomatal conductance (gs) during the growing season. Our results showed that variability in iWUE within transect was primarily controlled by species, sampling sites and an interactive effect between species and sampling sites. Mean values of iWUE (iWUEMean) increased and coefficient of variation (CV) in iWUE (iWUECV) decreased with an increase in aridity, demonstrating that increases in aridity lead to conservative and convergent water use strategies. Patterns of iWUEMean and iWUECV were controlled primarily by the ratio of soil organic carbon to total nitrogen in LP and soil moisture in MP. This revealed that the most limited resource drove the distribution patterns of iWUE along aridity gradients. Interspecific variation in iWUE within transect was positively correlated with Δ18O, indicating that interspecific variation in iWUE was primarily regulated by gs. Furthermore, relationship between iWUE and multi-dimensional functional trait spectrum indicated that species evolved species-specific strategies to adapt to a harsh habitat by partitioning limiting resources. Overall, these findings highlighted the interactive effects of limiting resources and leaf functional traits on plant adaptation strategies for iWUE, and emphasized the importance of considering biological processes in dissecting the underlying mechanisms of plant adaptation strategies at large regional scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuefa Wen
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Yanshan Earth Critical Zone National Research Station, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Gu Z, Wang B, Chen SF, Wang YW, Suo AL, Liu XD, Chen F. [Changes of leaf functional traits of Pinus tabuliformis in burned areas with different fire severities]. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao 2022; 33:1497-1504. [PMID: 35729125 DOI: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202206.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The response of leaf functional traits to forest fire is one of the research hotspots in the forest fire ecology. Studying post-fire changes in leaf functional traits of Pinus tabuliformis can reveal its growth strategies to adapt to fire environment and provide reference for the post-fire recovery. We analyzed the changes of leaf functional traits in burned areas with different fire severities (unburned, light burn and moderate burn) in Qinyuan County burned area of Shanxi Province, and studied the variation characteristics of leaf economic spectrum in different burned areas. The results showed that there were significant differences in burned areas with different fire severities for all leaf functional traits except N/P. Among them, the difference of leaf area was the most obvious, which was the most sensitive trait. With the increases of fire severity in burned areas, leaf area, leaf thickness, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen content and leaf phosphorus content increased, while specific leaf area and leaf organic carbon content decreased. There were significant correlations among some leaf functional traits, with the correlations being distinct in burned areas with different fire severities. The leaf economic spectrum moved from 'unburned-light burn-mode-rate burn' to the resource trade-off strategy of 'rapid investment-return type' along the fire environment. The recovery of P. tabuliformis would be accelerated in burned area with low fire severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Gu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Si-Fan Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yi-Wen Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Ao-Li Suo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
- Emergency Management Department Key Laboratory of Forest and Grassland Fire Risk Prevention and Control, Beijing 102202, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
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Lawrence EH, Springer CJ, Helliker BR, Poethig RS. The carbon economics of vegetative phase change. Plant Cell Environ 2022; 45:1286-1297. [PMID: 35128680 PMCID: PMC10939109 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Across plant species and biomes, a conserved set of leaf traits govern the economic strategy used to assimilate and invest carbon. As plants age, they face new challenges that may require shifts in this leaf economic strategy. In this study, we investigate the role of the developmental transition, vegetative phase change (VPC), in altering carbon economics as plants age. We used overexpression of microRNA 156 (miR156), the master regulator of VPC, to modulate the timing of VPC in Populus tremula x alba, Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays to understand the impact of this transition on leaf economic traits, including construction cost, payback time and return on investment. Here, we find that VPC causes a shift from a low-cost, quick return juvenile strategy to a high-cost, high-return adult strategy. The juvenile strategy is advantageous in light-limited conditions, whereas the adult strategy provides greater returns in high light. The transition between these strategies is correlated with the developmental decline in the level of miR156, suggesting that is regulated by the miR156/SPL pathway. Our results provide an ecophysiological explanation for the existence of juvenile and adult leaf types and suggest that natural selection for these alternative economic strategies could be an important factor in plant evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica H. Lawrence
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Clint J. Springer
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brent R. Helliker
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - R. Scott Poethig
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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11
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Hughes NM, George CO, Gumpman CB, Neufeld HS. Coevolution and photoprotection as complementary hypotheses for autumn leaf reddening: a nutrient-centered perspective. New Phytol 2022; 233:22-29. [PMID: 34738236 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Hughes
- Department of Biology, High Point University, 1 N University Pkwy, High Point, NC, 27268, USA
| | - Christian O George
- Department of Biology, High Point University, 1 N University Pkwy, High Point, NC, 27268, USA
| | - Corinne B Gumpman
- Department of Biology, High Point University, 1 N University Pkwy, High Point, NC, 27268, USA
| | - Howard S Neufeld
- Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, 287 Rivers St.,, Boone, NC, 28608, USA
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12
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Waller DM, Paulson AK, Richards JH, Alverson WS, Amatangelo KL, Bai C, Johnson SE, Li D, Sonnier G, Toczydlowski RH. Functional trait data for vascular plant species from northeastern North America. Ecology 2021; 103:e03527. [PMID: 34469586 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Wisconsin's plant communities are responding to shifting disturbance regimes, habitat fragmentation, aerial nitrogen deposition, exotic species invasions, ungulate herbivory, and successional processes. To better understand how plant functional traits mediate species' responses to changing environmental conditions, we collected a large set of functional trait data for vascular plant species occupying Wisconsin forests and grasslands. We used standard protocols to make 76,213 measurements of 34 quantitative traits. These data provide rich information on genome size, physical leaf traits (length, width, circularity, thickness, dry matter content, specific leaf area, etc.), chemical leaf traits (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, ash), life history traits (vegetative and flower heights, seed mass), and traits affecting plant palatability (leaf fiber, fat, and lignin). These trait values derive from replicate measurements on 12+ individuals of each species from multiple sites and 45+ individuals for a selected subset of species. Measurements typically reflect values for individuals though some chemical traits involved composite samples from several individuals at the same site. We also qualitatively characterize each species by plant family, woodiness, functional group, and Raunkiaer lifeform. These data allow us to characterize trait dimensionality, differentiation, and covariation among temperate plant species (e.g., leaf and stem economic syndromes). We can also characterize species' responses to environmental gradients and drivers of ecological change. With survey and resurvey data available from >400 sites in Wisconsin, we can analyze variation in community trait distributions and diversity over time and space. These data thus allow us to assess how trait divergence vs. convergence affect community assembly and how traits may be related to half-century shifts in the distribution and abundance of these species. The data set can be used for non-commercial purposes. The data set is licensed as follows: CC-By Attribution 4.0 International. We request users cite both the OSF data set and this Ecology data paper publication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald M Waller
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Alison K Paulson
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Jeannine H Richards
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - William S Alverson
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Kathryn L Amatangelo
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Chengke Bai
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Sarah E Johnson
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Daijiang Li
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Grégory Sonnier
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Rachel H Toczydlowski
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
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13
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Standen KM, Baltzer JL. Permafrost condition determines plant community composition and community-level foliar functional traits in a boreal peatland. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:10133-10146. [PMID: 34367564 PMCID: PMC8328418 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Boreal peatlands are critical ecosystems globally because they house 30%-40% of terrestrial carbon (C), much of which is stored in permafrost soil vulnerable to climate warming-induced thaw. Permafrost thaw leads to thickening of the active (seasonally thawed) layer and alters nutrient and light availability. These physical changes may influence community-level plant functional traits through intraspecific trait variation and/or species turnover. As permafrost thaw is expected to cause an efflux of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) from the soil to the atmosphere, it is important to understand thaw-induced changes in plant community productivity to evaluate whether these changes may offset some of the anticipated increases in C emissions. To this end, we collected vascular plant community composition and foliar functional trait data along gradients in aboveground tree biomass and active layer thickness (ALT) in a rapidly thawing boreal peatland, with the expectation that changes in above- and belowground conditions are indicative of altered resource availability. We aimed to determine whether community-level traits vary across these gradients, and whether these changes are dominated by intraspecific trait variation, species turnover, or both. Our results highlight that variability in community-level traits was largely attributable to species turnover and that both community composition and traits were predominantly driven by ALT. Specifically, thicker active layers associated with permafrost-free peatlands (i.e., bogs and fens) shifted community composition from slower-growing evergreen shrubs to faster-growing graminoids and forbs with a corresponding shift toward more productive trait values. The results from this rapidly thawing peatland suggest that continued warming-induced permafrost thaw and thermokarst development alter plant community composition and community-level traits and thus ecosystem productivity. Increased productivity may help to mitigate anticipated CO2 efflux from thawing permafrost, at least in the short term, though this response may be swamped by increase CH4 release.
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14
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Fristoe TS, Chytrý M, Dawson W, Essl F, Heleno R, Kreft H, Maurel N, Pergl J, Pyšek P, Seebens H, Weigelt P, Vargas P, Yang Q, Attorre F, Bergmeier E, Bernhardt-Römermann M, Biurrun I, Boch S, Bonari G, Botta-Dukát Z, Bruun HH, Byun C, Čarni A, Carranza ML, Catford JA, Cerabolini BEL, Chacón-Madrigal E, Ciccarelli D, Ćušterevska R, de Ronde I, Dengler J, Golub V, Haveman R, Hough-Snee N, Jandt U, Jansen F, Kuzemko A, Küzmič F, Lenoir J, Macanović A, Marcenò C, Martin AR, Michaletz ST, Mori AS, Niinemets Ü, Peterka T, Pielech R, Rašomavičius V, Rūsiņa S, Dias AS, Šibíková M, Šilc U, Stanisci A, Jansen S, Svenning JC, Swacha G, van der Plas F, Vassilev K, van Kleunen M. Dimensions of invasiveness: Links between local abundance, geographic range size, and habitat breadth in Europe's alien and native floras. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2021173118. [PMID: 34050023 PMCID: PMC8179145 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021173118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding drivers of success for alien species can inform on potential future invasions. Recent conceptual advances highlight that species may achieve invasiveness via performance along at least three distinct dimensions: 1) local abundance, 2) geographic range size, and 3) habitat breadth in naturalized distributions. Associations among these dimensions and the factors that determine success in each have yet to be assessed at large geographic scales. Here, we combine data from over one million vegetation plots covering the extent of Europe and its habitat diversity with databases on species' distributions, traits, and historical origins to provide a comprehensive assessment of invasiveness dimensions for the European alien seed plant flora. Invasiveness dimensions are linked in alien distributions, leading to a continuum from overall poor invaders to super invaders-abundant, widespread aliens that invade diverse habitats. This pattern echoes relationships among analogous dimensions measured for native European species. Success along invasiveness dimensions was associated with details of alien species' introduction histories: earlier introduction dates were positively associated with all three dimensions, and consistent with theory-based expectations, species originating from other continents, particularly acquisitive growth strategists, were among the most successful invaders in Europe. Despite general correlations among invasiveness dimensions, we identified habitats and traits associated with atypical patterns of success in only one or two dimensions-for example, the role of disturbed habitats in facilitating widespread specialists. We conclude that considering invasiveness within a multidimensional framework can provide insights into invasion processes while also informing general understanding of the dynamics of species distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor S Fristoe
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany;
| | - Milan Chytrý
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Wayne Dawson
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Franz Essl
- Bioinvasions, Global Change, Macroecology-research group, Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ruben Heleno
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Holger Kreft
- Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography, University of Goettingen, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Goettingen, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Noëlie Maurel
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jan Pergl
- Department of Invasion Ecology, Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, CZ-252 43 Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pyšek
- Department of Invasion Ecology, Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, CZ-252 43 Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, CZ-128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hanno Seebens
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Patrick Weigelt
- Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography, University of Goettingen, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Pablo Vargas
- Real Jardín Botánico, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28014 Madrid, Spain
| | - Qiang Yang
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Fabio Attorre
- Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Erwin Bergmeier
- Vegetation Analysis & Phytodiversity, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Idoia Biurrun
- Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Steffen Boch
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Gianmaria Bonari
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
| | - Zoltán Botta-Dukát
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Hans Henrik Bruun
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Chaeho Byun
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Korea
| | - Andraž Čarni
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty for Viticulture and Enology, University of Nova Gorica, 5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenia
| | | | - Jane A Catford
- Department of Geography, King's College London, London WC2B 2BG, United Kingdom
| | - Bruno E L Cerabolini
- Department of Biotechnologies and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, I-21100 Varese, Italy
| | | | | | - Renata Ćušterevska
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia
| | - Iris de Ronde
- Central Government Real Estate Agency, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jürgen Dengler
- Vegetation Ecology, Institue of Natural Resource Sciences, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland
- Plant Ecology, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Valentin Golub
- Laboratory of Phytocenology, Samara Federal Research Scientific Center, Institute of Ecology of Volga River Basin, Russian Academy of Sciences, 445003 Togliatti, Russia
| | - Rense Haveman
- Central Government Real Estate Agency, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nate Hough-Snee
- Four Peaks Environmental Science and Data Solutions, Wenatchee, WA 98801
| | - Ute Jandt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Florian Jansen
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Anna Kuzemko
- M.G. Kjolodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Filip Küzmič
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jonathan Lenoir
- UR Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés, UMR 7058 CNRS, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, 80037 Amiens, France
| | - Armin Macanović
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Center for Ecology and Natural Resources-Academician Sulejman Redžić, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Corrado Marcenò
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Adam R Martin
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Sean T Michaletz
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Akira S Mori
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Chair of Crop Science and Plant Biology, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tomáš Peterka
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Remigiusz Pielech
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
- Foundation for Biodiversity Research, 50-231 Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Solvita Rūsiņa
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
| | - Arildo S Dias
- Department of Physical Geography, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Mária Šibíková
- Department of Geobotany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 23 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Urban Šilc
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Angela Stanisci
- Department of Bioscience and Territory, EnvixLab, University of Molise, 86039 Termoli, Italy
| | - Steven Jansen
- Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Department of Biology, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Grzegorz Swacha
- Department of Vegetation Ecology, Botanical Garden, University of Wrocław, 50-137 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Fons van der Plas
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kiril Vassilev
- Department of Plant and Fungal Diversity and Resources, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Mark van Kleunen
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
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15
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Cole CT, Morrow CJ, Barker HL, Rubert-Nason KF, Riehl JFL, Köllner TG, Lackus ND, Lindroth RL. Growing up aspen: ontogeny and trade-offs shape growth, defence and reproduction in a foundation species. Ann Bot 2021; 127:505-517. [PMID: 32296821 PMCID: PMC7988516 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Intraspecific variation in foundation species of forest ecosystems can shape community and ecosystem properties, particularly when that variation has a genetic basis. Traits mediating interactions with other species are predicted by simple allocation models to follow ontogenetic patterns that are rarely studied in trees. The aim of this research was to identify the roles of genotype, ontogeny and genotypic trade-offs shaping growth, defence and reproduction in aspen. METHODS We established a common garden replicating >500 aspen genets in Wisconsin, USA. Trees were measured through the juvenile period into the onset of reproduction, for growth, defence chemistry (phenolic glycosides and condensed tannins), nitrogen, extrafloral nectaries, leaf morphology (specific leaf area), flower production and foliar herbivory and disease. We also assayed the TOZ19 sex marker and heterozygosity at ten microsatellite loci. KEY RESULTS We found high levels of genotypic variation for all traits, and high heritabilities for both the traits and their ontogenetic trajectories. Ontogeny strongly shaped intraspecific variation, and trade-offs among growth, defence and reproduction supported some predictions while contradicting others. Both direct resistance (chemical defence) and indirect defence (extrafloral nectaries) declined during the juvenile stage, prior to the onset of reproduction. Reproduction was higher in trees that were larger, male and had higher individual heterozygosity. Growth was diminished by genotypic allocation to both direct and indirect defence as well as to reproduction, but we found no evidence of trade-offs between defence and reproduction. CONCLUSIONS Key traits affecting the ecological communities of aspen have high levels of genotypic variation and heritability, strong patterns of ontogeny and clear trade-offs among growth, defence and reproduction. The architecture of aspen's community genetics - its ontogeny, trade-offs and especially its great variability - is shaped by both its broad range and the diverse community of associates, and in turn further fosters that diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Cole
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Clay J Morrow
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Hilary L Barker
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kennedy F Rubert-Nason
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, University of Maine at Ft. Kent, 23 University Drive, Fort Kent, ME, USA
| | - Jennifer F L Riehl
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Tobias G Köllner
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Biochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8, Jena, Germany
| | - Nathalie D Lackus
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Biochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8, Jena, Germany
| | - Richard L Lindroth
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, USA
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16
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Wilcox KR, Blumenthal DM, Kray JA, Mueller KE, Derner JD, Ocheltree T, Porensky LM. Plant traits related to precipitation sensitivity of species and communities in semiarid shortgrass prairie. New Phytol 2021; 229:2007-2019. [PMID: 33053217 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how plant communities respond to temporal patterns of precipitation in water-limited ecosystems is necessary to predict interannual variation and trends in ecosystem properties, including forage production, biogeochemical cycling, and biodiversity. In North American shortgrass prairie, we measured plant abundance, functional traits related to growth rate and drought tolerance, and aboveground net primary productivity to identify: species-level responsiveness to precipitation (precipitation sensitivity Sspp ) across functional groups; Sspp relationships to continuous plant traits; and whether continuous trait-Sspp relationships scaled to the community level. Across 32 plant species, we found strong bivariate relationships of both leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and leaf osmotic potential Ψosm with Sspp . Yet, LDMC and specific leaf area were retained in the lowest Akaike information criterion multiple regression model, explaining 59% of Sspp . Most relationships between continuous traits and Sspp scaled to the community level but were often contingent on the presence/absence of particular species and/or land management at a site. Thus, plant communities in shortgrass prairie may shift towards slower growing, more stress-resistant species in drought years and/or chronically drier climate. These findings highlight the importance of both leaf economic and drought tolerance traits in determining species and community responses to altered precipitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R Wilcox
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
- Crops Research Laboratory, USDA ARS - Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, 1701 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Dana M Blumenthal
- Crops Research Laboratory, USDA ARS - Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, 1701 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Julie A Kray
- Crops Research Laboratory, USDA ARS - Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, 1701 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
| | - Kevin E Mueller
- Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, SI 219, Cleveland, OH, 44115-2214, USA
| | - Justin D Derner
- USDA-ARS Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, 8408 Hildreth Road, Cheyenne, WY,, 82009, USA
| | - Troy Ocheltree
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Lauren M Porensky
- Crops Research Laboratory, USDA ARS - Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit, 1701 Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA
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17
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Veromann-Jürgenson LL, Brodribb TJ, Niinemets Ü, Tosens T. Variability in the chloroplast area lining the intercellular airspace and cell walls drives mesophyll conductance in gymnosperms. J Exp Bot 2020; 71:4958-4971. [PMID: 32392579 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The photosynthetic efficiency of plants in different environments is controlled by stomata, hydraulics, biochemistry, and mesophyll conductance (gm). Recently, gm was demonstrated to be the key limitation of photosynthesis in gymnosperms. Values of gm across gymnosperms varied over 20-fold, but this variation was poorly explained by robust structure-bound integrated traits such as leaf dry mass per area. Understanding how the component structural traits control gm is central for identifying the determinants of variability in gm across plant functional and phylogenetic groups. Here, we investigated the structural traits responsible for gm in 65 diverse gymnosperms. Although the integrated morphological traits, shape, and anatomical characteristics varied widely across species, the distinguishing features of all gymnosperms were thick mesophyll cell walls and low chloroplast area exposed to intercellular airspace (Sc/S) compared with angiosperms. Sc/S and cell wall thickness were the fundamental traits driving variations in gm across gymnosperm species. Chloroplast thickness was the strongest limitation of gm among liquid-phase components. The variation in leaf dry mass per area was not correlated with the key ultrastructural traits determining gm. Thus, given the absence of correlating integrated easy-to-measure traits, detailed knowledge of underlying component traits controlling gm across plant taxa is necessary to understand the photosynthetic limitations across ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy J Brodribb
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
- Estonian Academy of Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Tiina Tosens
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
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18
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Fyllas NM, Michelaki C, Galanidis A, Evangelou E, Zaragoza-Castells J, Dimitrakopoulos PG, Tsadilas C, Arianoutsou M, Lloyd J. Functional Trait Variation Among and Within Species and Plant Functional Types in Mountainous Mediterranean Forests. Front Plant Sci 2020; 11:212. [PMID: 32194599 PMCID: PMC7065597 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Plant structural and biochemical traits are frequently used to characterise the life history of plants. Although some common patterns of trait covariation have been identified, recent studies suggest these patterns of covariation may differ with growing location and/or plant functional type (PFT). Mediterranean forest tree/shrub species are often divided into three PFTs based on their leaf habit and form, being classified as either needleleaf evergreen (Ne), broadleaf evergreen (Be), or broadleaf deciduous (Bd). Working across 61 mountainous Mediterranean forest sites of contrasting climate and soil type, we sampled and analysed 626 individuals in order to evaluate differences in key foliage trait covariation as modulated by growing conditions both within and between the Ne, Be, and Bd functional types. We found significant differences between PFTs for most traits. When considered across PFTs and by ignoring intraspecific variation, three independent functional dimensions supporting the Leaf-Height-Seed framework were identified. Some traits illustrated a common scaling relationship across and within PFTs, but others scaled differently when considered across PFTs or even within PFTs. For most traits much of the observed variation was attributable to PFT identity and not to growing location, although for some traits there was a strong environmental component and considerable intraspecific and residual variation. Nevertheless, environmental conditions as related to water availability during the dry season and to a smaller extend to soil nutrient status and soil texture, clearly influenced trait values. When compared across species, about half of the trait-environment relationships were species-specific. Our study highlights the importance of the ecological scale within which trait covariation is considered and suggests that at regional to local scales, common trait-by-trait scaling relationships should be treated with caution. PFT definitions by themselves can potentially be an important predictor variable when inferring one trait from another. These findings have important implications for local scale dynamic vegetation models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos M Fyllas
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Chrysanthi Michelaki
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Alexandros Galanidis
- Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Eleftherios Evangelou
- Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation "Demeter", Larisa, Greece
| | | | | | - Christos Tsadilas
- Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation "Demeter", Larisa, Greece
| | - Margarita Arianoutsou
- Department of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Jon Lloyd
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
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Yan Y, Liu Q, Zhang Q, Ding Y, Li Y. Adaptation of Dominant Species to Drought in the Inner Mongolia Grassland - Species Level and Functional Type Level Analysis. Front Plant Sci 2019; 10:231. [PMID: 31040855 PMCID: PMC6477032 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The adaptation of plants to drought through the adjustment of their leaf functional traits is a hot topic in plant ecology. However, while there is a good understanding of how individual species adapt to drought in this way, the way in which different functional types adapt to drought along a precipitation gradient remains poorly understood. In this study, we sampled 22 sites along a precipitation gradient in the Inner Mongolia grassland and measured eight leaf functional traits across 39 dominant species to determine the adaptive strategies of plant leaves to drought at the species and plant functional type levels. We found that leaf functional traits were mainly influenced by both aridity and phylogeny at the species level. There were four types of leaf adaptations to drought at the functional type level: adjusting the carbon-nitrogen ratio, the specific leaf area, the nitrogen content, and the specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content simultaneously. These findings indicate that there is the trade-offs relationship between water and nitrogen acquisition as the level of drought increases, which is consistent with the worldwide leaf economics spectrum. In this study, we highlighted that the leaf economic spectrum can be adopted to reveal the adaptations of plants to drought in the Inner Mongolia grassland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhi Yan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Qingfu Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World, BIOCHANGE, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Qing Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yong Ding
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Yuanheng Li
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
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20
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Li F, McCulloh KA, Sun S, Bao W. Linking leaf hydraulic properties, photosynthetic rates, and leaf lifespan in xerophytic species: a test of global hypotheses. Am J Bot 2018; 105:1858-1868. [PMID: 30449045 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Leaf venation and its hierarchal traits are crucial to the hydraulic and mechanical properties of leaves, reflecting plant life-history strategies. However, there is an extremely limited understanding of how variation in leaf hydraulics affects the leaf economic spectrum (LES) or whether venation correlates more strongly with hydraulic conductance or biomechanical support among hierarchal orders. METHODS We examined correlations of leaf hydraulics, indicated by vein density, conduit diameter, and stomatal density with light-saturated photosynthetic rates, leaf lifespan (LLS), and leaf morpho-anatomical traits of 39 xerophytic species grown in a common garden. KEY RESULTS We found positive relationships between light-saturated, area-based photosynthetic rates, and vein densities, regardless of vein orders. Densities of leaf veins had positive correlations with stomatal density. We also found positive relationships between LLS and vein densities. Leaf area was negatively correlated with the density of major veins but not with minor veins. Most anatomical traits were not related to vein densities. CONCLUSIONS We developed a network diagram of the correlations among leaf hydraulics and leaf economics, which suggests functional trade-offs between hydraulic costs and lifetime carbon gain. Leaf hydraulics efficiency and carbon assimilation were coupled across species. Vein construction costs directly coordinated with the LLS. Our findings indicate that hierarchal orders of leaf veins did not differ in the strength of their correlations between hydraulic conductance and biomechanical support. These findings clarify how leaf hydraulics contributes to the LES and provide new insight into life-history strategies of these xerophytic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanglan Li
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China, 610041
| | | | - Sujing Sun
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China, 610041
| | - Weikai Bao
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China, 610041
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21
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Grossman JJ, Cavender-Bares J, Hobbie SE, Reich PB, Montgomery RA. Species richness and traits predict overyielding in stem growth in an early-successional tree diversity experiment. Ecology 2018; 98:2601-2614. [PMID: 28727905 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Over the last two decades, empirical work has established that higher biodiversity can lead to greater primary productivity; however, the importance of different aspects of biodiversity in contributing to such relationships is rarely elucidated. We assessed the relative importance of species richness, phylogenetic diversity, functional diversity, and identity of neighbors for stem growth 3 yr after seedling establishment in a tree diversity experiment in eastern Minnesota. Generally, we found that community-weighted means of key functional traits (including mycorrhizal association, leaf nitrogen and calcium, and waterlogging tolerance) as well as species richness were strong, independent predictors of stem biomass growth. More phylogenetically diverse communities did not consistently produce more biomass than expected, and the trait values or diversity of individual functional traits better predicted biomass production than did a multidimensional functional diversity metric. Furthermore, functional traits and species richness best predicted growth at the whole-plot level (12 m2 ), whereas neighborhood composition best predicted growth at the focal tree level (0.25 m2 ). The observed effects of biodiversity on growth appear strongly driven by positive complementary effects rather than by species-specific selection effects, suggesting that synergistic species' interactions rather than the influence of a few important species may drive overyielding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake J Grossman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA
| | - Jeannine Cavender-Bares
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA
| | - Sarah E Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA
| | - Peter B Reich
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca A Montgomery
- Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA
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22
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Messier J, Violle C, Enquist BJ, Lechowicz MJ, McGill BJ. Similarities and differences in intrapopulation trait correlations of co-occurring tree species: consistent water-use relationships amid widely different correlation patterns. Am J Bot 2018; 105:1477-1490. [PMID: 30216410 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY General relationships among functional traits have been identified across species, but the forces shaping these relationships remain largely unknown. Adopting an approach from evolutionary biology, we studied similarities and differences in intrapopulation trait correlations among locally co-occurring tree species to assess the roles of constraints, phylogeny, and the environmental niche in shaping multivariate phenotypes. We tested the hypotheses (1) that intrapopulation correlations among functional traits are largely shaped by fundamental trade-offs or constraints and (2) that differences among species reflect adaptation to their environmental niches. METHODS We compared pairwise correlations and correlation matrices of 17 key functional traits within and among temperate tree species. These traits describe three well-established trade-off dimensions characterizing interspecific relationships among physiological functions: resource acquisition and conservation; sap transport and mechanical support; and branch architecture. KEY RESULTS Six trait pairs are consistently correlated within populations. Of these, only one involves dimensionally independent traits: LMA-δ13 C. For all other traits, intrapopulation functional trait correlations are weak, are species-specific, and differ from interspecific correlations. Species intrapopulation correlation matrices are related to neither phylogeny nor environmental niche. CONCLUSIONS The results (1) suggest that the functional design of these species is centered on efficient water use, (2) highlight flexibility in plant functional design across species, and (3) suggest that intrapopulation, local interspecific, and global interspecific correlations are shaped by processes acting at each of these scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Messier
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Cyrille Violle
- CNRS, CEFE UMR 5175, Université de Montpellier-Université Paul Valéry-EPHE, Montpellier, 34293, France
| | - Brian J Enquist
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501, USA
| | | | - Brian J McGill
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, 04469, USA
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23
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Rosado BHP, Almeida LC, Alves LF, Lambais MR, Oliveira RS. The importance of phyllosphere on plant functional ecology: a phyllo trait manifesto. New Phytol 2018; 219:1145-1149. [PMID: 29806957 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno H P Rosado
- Department of Ecology, IBRAG, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), R. São Francisco Xavier 524, PHLC, Sala 220, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lidiane C Almeida
- Department of Ecology, IBRAG, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), R. São Francisco Xavier 524, PHLC, Sala 220, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, IBRAG, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), R. São Francisco Xavier 524, PHLC, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luciana F Alves
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Marcio R Lambais
- Department of Soil Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias 11, 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael S Oliveira
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, PO Box 6109, 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil
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24
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Puglielli G, Varone L. Inherent variation of functional traits in winter and summer leaves of Mediterranean seasonal dimorphic species: evidence of a 'within leaf cohort' spectrum. AoB Plants 2018; 10:ply027. [PMID: 29868168 PMCID: PMC5965093 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/ply027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The covariation pattern among leaf functional traits involved in resource acquisition has been successfully provided by the leaf economic spectrum (LES). Nevertheless, some aspects such as how the leaf trait variation sources affect LES predictions are still little investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this paper was to test whether leaf trait variations within different leaf cohorts could alter LES. Improving this knowledge can extend the potential of trait-based approaches in simulating future climate effects on ecosystems. A database on leaf morphological and physiological traits from different leaf cohorts of Cistus spp. was built by collecting data from literature. These species are seasonal dimorphic shrubs with two well-defined leaf cohorts during a year: summer leaves (SL) and winter leaves (WL). Traits included: leaf mass area (LMA), leaf thickness (LT), leaf tissue density (LTD), net photosynthetic rate on area (Aa) and mass (Am) base, nitrogen content on area (Na) and mass (Nm) base. The obtained patterns were analysed by standardized major axis regression and then compared with the global spectrum of evergreens and deciduous species. Climatic variable effect on leaf traits was also tested. Winter leaves and SL showed a great inherent variability for all the considered traits. Nevertheless, some relationships differed in terms of slopes or intercepts between SL and WL and between leaf cohorts and the global spectrum of evergreens and deciduous. Moreover, climatic variables differently affected leaf traits in SL and WL. The results show the existence of a 'within leaf cohort' spectrum, providing the first evidence on the role of leaf cohorts as LES source of variation. In fact, WL showed a high return strategy as they tended to maximize, in a short time, resource acquisition with a lower dry mass investment, while SL were characterized by a low return strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Puglielli
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Varone
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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25
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Defossez E, Pellissier L, Rasmann S. The unfolding of plant growth form-defence syndromes along elevation gradients. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:609-618. [PMID: 29484833 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the functional economics that drives plant investment of resources requires investigating the interface between plant phenotypes and the variation in ecological conditions. While allocation to defence represents a large portion of the carbon budget, this axis is usually neglected in the study of plant economic spectrum. Using a novel geometrical approach, we analysed the co-variation in a comprehensive set of functional traits related to plant growth strategies, as well as chemical defences against herbivores on all 15 Cardamine species present in the Swiss Alps. By extracting geometrical information of the functional space, we observed clustering of plants into three main syndromes. Those different strategies of growth form and defence were also distributed within distinct elevational bands demonstrating an association between the functional space and the ecological conditions. We conclude that plant strategies converge into clear syndromes that trade off abiotic tolerance, growth and defence within each elevation zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Defossez
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Landscape Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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26
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Liu H, Li Y, Ren F, Lin L, Zhu W, He JS, Niu K. Trait-abundance relation in response to nutrient addition in a Tibetan alpine meadow: The importance of species trade-off in resource conservation and acquisition. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10575-10581. [PMID: 29299239 PMCID: PMC5743641 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In competition‐dominated communities, traits promoting resource conservation and competitive ability are expected to have an important influence on species relative abundance (SRA). Yet, few studies have tested the trait‐abundance relations in the line of species trade‐off in resource conservation versus acquisition, indicating by multiple traits coordination. We measured SRA and key functional traits involving leaf economic spectrum (SLA, specific leaf area; LDMC, leaf dry matter content; LCC, leaf carbon concentration; LNC, leaf nitrogen concentration; LPC, leaf phosphorus concentration; Hs, mature height) for ten common species in all plots subjected to addition of nitrogen fertilizer (N), phosphorus fertilizer (P), or both of them (NP) in a Tibetan alpine meadow. We test whether SRA is positively related with traits promoting plant resource conservation, while negatively correlated with traits promoting plant growth and resource acquisition. We found that species were primarily differentiated along a trade‐off axis involving traits promoting nutrient acquisition and fast growth (e.g., LPC and SLA) versus traits promoting resource conservation and competition ability (e.g., large LDMC). We further found that SRA was positively correlated with plant height, LDMC, and LCC, but negatively associated with SLA and leaf nutrient concentration irrespective of fertilization. A stronger positive height‐SRA was found in NP‐fertilized plots than in other plots, while negative correlations between SRA and SLA and LPC were found in N or P fertilized plots. The results indicate that species trade‐off in nutrient acquisition and resource conservation was a key driver of SRA in competition‐dominated communities following fertilization, with the linkage between SRA and traits depending on plant competition for specific soil nutrient and/or light availability. The results highlight the importance of competitive exclusion in plant community assembly following fertilization and suggest that abundant species in local communities become dominated at expense of growth while infrequent species hold an advantage in fast growth and dispersals to neighbor meta‐communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Liu
- Department of Ecology College of Urban and Environmental Sciences Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China
| | - Ying Li
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining Qinghai China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Fei Ren
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining Qinghai China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Li Lin
- Department of Ecology College of Urban and Environmental Sciences Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China
| | - Wenyan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining Qinghai China
| | - Jin-Sheng He
- Department of Ecology College of Urban and Environmental Sciences Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education Peking University Beijing China.,Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Xining Qinghai China
| | - Kechang Niu
- Department of Biology Nanjing University Nanjing China
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27
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Laughlin DC, Lusk CH, Bellingham PJ, Burslem DFRP, Simpson AH, Kramer-Walter KR. Intraspecific trait variation can weaken interspecific trait correlations when assessing the whole-plant economic spectrum. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:8936-8949. [PMID: 29152189 PMCID: PMC5677476 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The worldwide plant economic spectrum hypothesis predicts that leaf, stem, and root traits are correlated across vascular plant species because carbon gain depends on leaves being adequately supplied with water and nutrients, and because construction of each organ involves a trade-off between performance and persistence. Despite its logical and intuitive appeal, this hypothesis has received mixed empirical support. If traits within species diverge in their responses to an environmental gradient, then interspecific trait correlations could be weakened when measured in natural ecosystems. To test this prediction, we measured relative growth rates (RGR) and seven functional traits that have been shown to be related to fluxes of water, nutrients, and carbon across 56 functionally diverse tree species on (1) juveniles in a controlled environment, (2) juveniles in forest understories, and (3) mature trees in forests. Leaf, stem, and fine root traits of juveniles grown in a controlled environment were closely correlated with each other, and with RGR. Remarkably, the seven leaf, stem, and fine root tissue traits spanned a single dimension of variation when measured in the controlled environment. Forest-grown juveniles expressed lower leaf mass per area, but higher wood and fine root tissue density, than greenhouse-grown juveniles. Traits and growth rates were decoupled in forest-grown juveniles and mature trees. Our results indicate that constraints exist on the covariation, not just the variation, among vegetative plant organs; however, divergent responses of traits within species to environmental gradients can mask interspecific trait correlations in natural environments. Correlations among organs and relationships between traits and RGR were strong when plants were compared in a standardized environment. Our results may reconcile the discrepancies seen among studies, by showing that if traits and growth rates of species are compared across varied environments, then the interorgan trait correlations observed in controlled conditions can weaken or disappear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Laughlin
- Department of Botany University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA.,Environmental Research Institute School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Christopher H Lusk
- Environmental Research Institute School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
| | | | | | - Angela H Simpson
- Environmental Research Institute School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Kris R Kramer-Walter
- Environmental Research Institute School of Science University of Waikato Hamilton New Zealand
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28
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Crous KY, O'Sullivan OS, Zaragoza-Castells J, Bloomfield KJ, Negrini ACA, Meir P, Turnbull MH, Griffin KL, Atkin OK. Nitrogen and phosphorus availabilities interact to modulate leaf trait scaling relationships across six plant functional types in a controlled-environment study. New Phytol 2017; 215:992-1008. [PMID: 28505389 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) have key roles in leaf metabolism, resulting in a strong coupling of chemical composition traits to metabolic rates in field-based studies. However, in such studies, it is difficult to disentangle the effects of nutrient supply per se on trait-trait relationships. Our study assessed how high and low N (5 mM and 0.4 mM, respectively) and P (1 mM and 2 μM, respectively) supply in 37 species from six plant functional types (PTFs) affected photosynthesis (A) and respiration (R) (in darkness and light) in a controlled environment. Low P supply increased scaling exponents (slopes) of area-based log-log A-N or R-N relationships when N supply was not limiting, whereas there was no P effect under low N supply. By contrast, scaling exponents of A-P and R-P relationships were altered by P and N supply. Neither R : A nor light inhibition of leaf R was affected by nutrient supply. Light inhibition was 26% across nutrient treatments; herbaceous species exhibited a lower degree of light inhibition than woody species. Because N and P supply modulates leaf trait-trait relationships, the next generation of terrestrial biosphere models may need to consider how limitations in N and P availability affect trait-trait relationships when predicting carbon exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Y Crous
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Odhran S O'Sullivan
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Joana Zaragoza-Castells
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN, UK
- Department of Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Amory Building, Exeter, EX4 4RJ, UK
| | - Keith J Bloomfield
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Building 134, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - A Clarissa A Negrini
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Building 134, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Patrick Meir
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN, UK
| | - Matthew H Turnbull
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Kevin L Griffin
- Department of Earth and Environment Sciences, Columbia University, Palisades, NY, 10964, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Owen K Atkin
- Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Building 134, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
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Wang Z, Liu X, Bader MY, Feng D, Bao W. The 'plant economic spectrum' in bryophytes, a comparative study in subalpine forest. Am J Bot 2017; 104:261-270. [PMID: 28213348 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1600335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Tradeoffs among functional traits of vascular plants are starting to be better understood, but it is unclear whether bryophytes possess similar tradeoffs or how trait relationships, or the 'economic spectrum', differ between the two groups. METHODS We determined functional-trait values [including shoot mass per area (SMA), light-saturated assimilation rate (Amass), dark respiration rate (Rdmass), N and P concentrations (Nmass and Pmass), and photosynthetic N and P use efficiency (PNUE and PPUE)] and their bivariate relationships for 28 bryophytes growing in a subalpine old-growth fir forest on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Trait values and scaling relationships of these bryophytes were compared with data for vascular plant leaves from the Global Plant Trait Network (GLOPNET) dataset. KEY RESULTS We found that the Amass, Nmass, N:P, PNUE and PPUE of bryophyte shoots were lower than those of vascular plant leaves. In contrast, bryophytes possessed higher Pmass and the two groups had similar values of SMA and Rdmass. The Nmass and Pmass were closely associated with Amass and Rdmass, and these traits were all significantly negatively related to SMA. Metabolic rates increased faster with nutrient concentrations in bryophytes than in vascular plants. CONCLUSIONS Our research indicates that bryophytes have similar trait relationships as vascular plant leaves, although the slopes of the relationships differ for most trait combinations. This study confirms a functional-trait tradeoff in bryophytes, and reveals that bryophytes allocate greater proportions of N and P into the metabolic pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- Ecological Plant Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Marburg, Marburg 35032 Germany
| | - Xin Liu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Maaike Y Bader
- Ecological Plant Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Marburg, Marburg 35032 Germany
| | - Defeng Feng
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Weikai Bao
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda E Medlyn
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Martin G De Kauwe
- Department of Biological Science, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Remko A Duursma
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
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Zhang YJ, Cao KF, Sack L, Li N, Wei XM, Goldstein G. Extending the generality of leaf economic design principles in the cycads, an ancient lineage. New Phytol 2015; 206:817-29. [PMID: 25622799 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Cycads are the most ancient lineage of living seed plants, but the design of their leaves has received little study. We tested whether cycad leaves are governed by the same fundamental design principles previously established for ferns, conifers and angiosperms, and characterized the uniqueness of this relict lineage in foliar trait relationships. Leaf structure, photosynthesis, hydraulics and nutrient composition were studied in 33 cycad species from nine genera and three families growing in two botanical gardens. Cycads varied greatly in leaf structure and physiology. Similarly to other lineages, light-saturated photosynthetic rate per mass (Am ) was related negatively to leaf mass per area and positively to foliar concentrations of chlorophyll, nitrogen (N), phosphorus and iron, but unlike angiosperms, leaf photosynthetic rate was not associated with leaf hydraulic conductance. Cycads had lower photosynthetic N use efficiency and higher photosynthetic performance relative to hydraulic capacity compared with other lineages. These findings extend the relationships shown for foliar traits in angiosperms to the cycads. This functional convergence supports the modern synthetic understanding of leaf design, with common constraints operating across lineages, even as they highlight exceptional aspects of the biology of this key relict lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Jiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, China; Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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Leishman MR, Cooke J, Richardson DM, Newman J. Evidence for shifts to faster growth strategies in the new ranges of invasive alien plants. J Ecol 2014; 102:1451-1461. [PMID: 25558090 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2dj32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the processes underlying the transition from introduction to naturalization and spread is an important goal of invasion ecology. Release from pests and pathogens in association with capacity for rapid growth is thought to confer an advantage for species in novel regions.We assessed leaf herbivory and leaf-level traits associated with growth strategy in the native and exotic ranges of 13 invasive plant species from 256 populations. Species were native to either the Western Cape region of South Africa, south-western Australia or south-eastern Australia and had been introduced to at least one of the other regions or to New Zealand. We tested for evidence of herbivore release and shifts in leaf traits between native and exotic ranges of the 13 species.Across all species, leaf herbivory, specific leaf area and leaf area were significantly different between native and exotic ranges while there were no significant differences across the 13 species found for leaf mass, assimilation rate, dark respiration or foliar nitrogen.Analysis at the species- and region-level showed that eight out of 13 species had reduced leaf herbivory in at least one exotic region compared to its native range.Six out of 13 species had significantly larger specific leaf area (SLA) in at least one exotic range region and five of those six species experienced reduced leaf herbivory. Increases in SLA were underpinned by increases in leaf area rather than reductions in leaf mass.No species showed differences in the direction of trait shifts from the native range between different exotic regions. This suggests that the driver of selection on these traits in the exotic range is consistent across regions and hence is most likely to be associated with factors linked with introduction to a novel environment, such as release from leaf herbivory, rather than with particular environmental conditions.Synthesis. These results provide evidence that introduction of a plant species into a novel environment commonly results in a reduction in the top-down constraint imposed by herbivores on growth, allowing plants to shift towards a faster growth strategy which may result in an increase in population size and spread and consequently to invasive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Leishman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Julia Cooke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - David M Richardson
- Department of Botany & Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Newman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
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Leishman MR, Cooke J, Richardson DM, Newman J. Evidence for shifts to faster growth strategies in the new ranges of invasive alien plants. J Ecol 2014; 102:1451-1461. [PMID: 25558090 PMCID: PMC4277856 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.12318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the processes underlying the transition from introduction to naturalization and spread is an important goal of invasion ecology. Release from pests and pathogens in association with capacity for rapid growth is thought to confer an advantage for species in novel regions.We assessed leaf herbivory and leaf-level traits associated with growth strategy in the native and exotic ranges of 13 invasive plant species from 256 populations. Species were native to either the Western Cape region of South Africa, south-western Australia or south-eastern Australia and had been introduced to at least one of the other regions or to New Zealand. We tested for evidence of herbivore release and shifts in leaf traits between native and exotic ranges of the 13 species.Across all species, leaf herbivory, specific leaf area and leaf area were significantly different between native and exotic ranges while there were no significant differences across the 13 species found for leaf mass, assimilation rate, dark respiration or foliar nitrogen.Analysis at the species- and region-level showed that eight out of 13 species had reduced leaf herbivory in at least one exotic region compared to its native range.Six out of 13 species had significantly larger specific leaf area (SLA) in at least one exotic range region and five of those six species experienced reduced leaf herbivory. Increases in SLA were underpinned by increases in leaf area rather than reductions in leaf mass.No species showed differences in the direction of trait shifts from the native range between different exotic regions. This suggests that the driver of selection on these traits in the exotic range is consistent across regions and hence is most likely to be associated with factors linked with introduction to a novel environment, such as release from leaf herbivory, rather than with particular environmental conditions.Synthesis. These results provide evidence that introduction of a plant species into a novel environment commonly results in a reduction in the top-down constraint imposed by herbivores on growth, allowing plants to shift towards a faster growth strategy which may result in an increase in population size and spread and consequently to invasive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Leishman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Julia Cooke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - David M Richardson
- Department of Botany & Zoology, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Newman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
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Peppe DJ, Lemons CR, Royer DL, Wing SL, Wright IJ, Lusk CH, Rhoden CH. Biomechanical and leaf-climate relationships: a comparison of ferns and seed plants. Am J Bot 2014; 101:338-347. [PMID: 24509795 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1300220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Relationships of leaf size and shape (physiognomy) with climate have been well characterized for woody non-monocotyledonous angiosperms (dicots), allowing the development of models for estimating paleoclimate from fossil leaves. More recently, petiole width of seed plants has been shown to scale closely with leaf mass. By measuring petiole width and leaf area in fossils, leaf mass per area (MA) can be estimated and an approximate leaf life span inferred. However, little is known about these relationships in ferns, a clade with a deep fossil record and with the potential to greatly expand the applicability of these proxies. METHODS We measured the petiole width, MA, and leaf physiognomic characters of 179 fern species from 188 locations across six continents. We applied biomechanical models and assessed the relationship between leaf physiognomy and climate using correlational approaches. KEY RESULTS The scaling relationship between area-normalized petiole width and MA differs between fern fronds and pinnae. The scaling relationship is best modeled as an end-loaded cantilevered beam, which is different from the best-fit biomechanical model for seed plants. Fern leaf physiognomy is not influenced by climatic conditions. CONCLUSIONS The cantilever beam model can be applied to fossil ferns. The lack of sensitivity of leaf physiognomy to climate in ferns argues against their use to reconstruct paleoclimate. Differences in climate sensitivity and biomechanical relationships between ferns and seed plants may be driven by differences in their hydraulic conductivity and/or their differing evolutionary histories of vein architecture and leaf morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Peppe
- Department of Geology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798 USA
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