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Grele A, Massad TJ, Uckele KA, Dyer LA, Antonini Y, Braga L, Forister ML, Sulca L, Kato M, Lopez HG, Nascimento AR, Parchman T, Simbaña WR, Smilanich AM, Stireman JO, Tepe EJ, Walla T, Richards LA. Intra- and interspecific diversity in a tropical plant clade alter herbivory and ecosystem resilience. eLife 2024; 12:RP86988. [PMID: 38662411 PMCID: PMC11045218 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86988] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Declines in biodiversity generated by anthropogenic stressors at both species and population levels can alter emergent processes instrumental to ecosystem function and resilience. As such, understanding the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function and its response to climate perturbation is increasingly important, especially in tropical systems where responses to changes in biodiversity are less predictable and more challenging to assess experimentally. Using large-scale transplant experiments conducted at five neotropical sites, we documented the impacts of changes in intraspecific and interspecific plant richness in the genus Piper on insect herbivory, insect richness, and ecosystem resilience to perturbations in water availability. We found that reductions of both intraspecific and interspecific Piper diversity had measurable and site-specific effects on herbivory, herbivorous insect richness, and plant mortality. The responses of these ecosystem-relevant processes to reduced intraspecific Piper richness were often similar in magnitude to the effects of reduced interspecific richness. Increased water availability reduced herbivory by 4.2% overall, and the response of herbivorous insect richness and herbivory to water availability were altered by both intra- and interspecific richness in a site-dependent manner. Our results underscore the role of intraspecific and interspecific richness as foundations of ecosystem function and the importance of community and location-specific contingencies in controlling function in complex tropical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ari Grele
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | - Tara J Massad
- Department of Scientific Services, Gorongosa National ParkSofalaMozambique
| | - Kathryn A Uckele
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | - Lee A Dyer
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
- Hitchcock Center for Chemical Ecology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | - Yasmine Antonini
- Lab. de Biodiversidade, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro PretoOuro PretoBrazil
| | - Laura Braga
- Lab. de Biodiversidade, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro PretoOuro PretoBrazil
| | - Matthew L Forister
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
- Hitchcock Center for Chemical Ecology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | - Lidia Sulca
- Departamento de Entomología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San MarcosLimaPeru
| | - Massuo Kato
- Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - Humberto G Lopez
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | | | - Thomas Parchman
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
- Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | | | - Angela M Smilanich
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | - John O Stireman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State UniversityDaytonUnited States
| | - Eric J Tepe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of CincinnatiCincinnatiUnited States
| | - Thomas Walla
- Department of Biology, Mesa State CollegeGrand JunctionUnited States
| | - Lora A Richards
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
- Hitchcock Center for Chemical Ecology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
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Valentin-Silva A, Coelho VPDM, Ventrella MC, Vieira MF. Timing of pollen release and stigma receptivity period of Piper vicosanum: New insights into sexual reproduction of the genus. Am J Bot 2015; 102:626-633. [PMID: 25878095 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1400419] [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] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Dichogamy is a common characteristic among angiosperms, including Piper species. In this genus, the tiny flowers are morphologically similar and have an asynchronous stamen development. However, there is no information on the duration of stigma receptivity and whether it overlaps with pollen release. To better understand mechanisms of floral function in Piper vicosanum, we provide a detailed characterization of the timing of pollen release from the four stamens and the period of stigma receptivity and exposure mode of the receptive areas. METHODS We investigated plants of a natural population in a semideciduous seasonal forest (Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil), based on chemical tests, light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy analyses. KEY RESULTS Incomplete protogyny-a mechanism that favors outcrossing-was recorded. The period of stigma receptivity was long (14 d), and the sequential exposure and senescence of stigmatic papillae occurred gradually and in a basipetal direction. Pollen release began 2-6 d after the beginning of the pistillate phase, with an average pollen viability of 87.7%, during the bisexual flower phase. Pollen was released for up to 6 d and occurred in one stamen at a time. The fruit set observed in tests of self-pollination indicated self-compatibility. CONCLUSIONS The gradual and sequential exposure of stigmatic papillae in P. vicosanum flowers is described here as the mechanism for the long duration of receptivity. Anther development and pollen release were also sequential. These findings are yet unreported reproductive characteristics of the genus and offer new perspectives for future studies on the floral biology of other Piper species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Valentin-Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Av. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, CEP 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Victor Peçanha de Miranda Coelho
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Av. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, CEP 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Marília Contin Ventrella
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Av. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, CEP 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Milene Faria Vieira
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Av. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, CEP 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil
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Tepe EJ, Kelley WA, Rodriguez-Castañeda G, Dyer LA. Characterizing the cauline domatia of two newly discovered ecuadorian ant plants in piper: an example of convergent evolution. J Insect Sci 2009; 9:27. [PMID: 19613856 PMCID: PMC3011874 DOI: 10.1673/031.009.2701] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2008] [Accepted: 06/17/2008] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The stems of some myrmecophytes in Piper are used as domatia by resident ant colonies. Hollow, ant-occupied stems were previously known only in four species of southern Central American Piper, all members of Section Macrostachys. Here we present two additional, unrelated, hollow-stemmed myrmecophytes from Ecuador: P. immutatum and P. pterocladum (members of sections Radula and Peltobryon, respectively). Although similar superficially, stem cavities of the Ecuadorian Piper species differ morphologically and developmentally from those of Central American taxa. The stem cavities of P. immutatum, and possibly P. pterocladum, are formed during stem development, and begin forming only a few millimeters behind the apical meristem. This mode of cavity formation differs markedly from myrmecophytes in section Macrostachys, where the stems remain solid unless excavated by the specialized ant partner Pheidole bicornis. The stems of P. immutatum and P. pterocladum do not produce wound-response tissue around the cavity, unlike the stems in section Macrostachys. The entrance holes in stems of P. immutatum are formed through apoptotic processes and are located at each node below the petiole, whereas those in section Macrostachys are excavated by the ants in the leaf axil. This study documents convergent evolution of ant-plant associations in Piper, and emphasizes the need for careful comparison of apparently homologous, ant-associated structures in specialized myrmecophytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J. Tepe
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | | | | | - Lee A. Dyer
- Biology Department, University of Nevada, Reno, NV
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Engelbrecht BMJ, Dalling JW, Pearson TRH, Wolf RL, Gálvez DA, Koehler T, Tyree MT, Kursar TA. Short dry spells in the wet season increase mortality of tropical pioneer seedlings. Oecologia 2006; 148:258-69. [PMID: 16514537 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-006-0368-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2005] [Accepted: 11/17/2005] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Variation in plant species performance in response to water availability offers a potential axis for temporal and spatial habitat partitioning and may therefore affect community composition in tropical forests. We hypothesized that short dry spells during the wet season are a significant source of mortality for the newly emerging seedlings of pioneer species that recruit in treefall gaps in tropical forests. An analysis of a 49-year rainfall record for three forests across a rainfall gradient in central Panama confirmed that dry spells of > or = 10 days during the wet season occur on average once a year in a deciduous forest, and once every other year in a semi-deciduous moist and an evergreen wet forest. The effect of wet season dry spells on the recruitment of pioneers was investigated by comparing seedling survival in rain-protected dry plots and irrigated control plots in four large artificially created treefall gaps in a semi-deciduous tropical forest. In rain-protected plots surface soil layers dried rapidly, leading to a strong gradient in water potential within the upper 10 cm of soil. Seedling survival for six pioneer species was significantly lower in rain-protected than in irrigated control plots after only 4 days. The strength of the irrigation effect differed among species, and first became apparent 3-10 days after treatments started. Root allocation patterns were significantly, or marginally significantly, different between species and between two groups of larger and smaller seeded species. However, they were not correlated with seedling drought sensitivity, suggesting allocation is not a key trait for drought sensitivity in pioneer seedlings. Our data provide strong evidence that short dry spells in the wet season differentially affect seedling survivorship of pioneer species, and may therefore have important implications to seedling demography and community dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina M J Engelbrecht
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa, P.O. Box 0843-03092, Panamá, Republica de Panamá.
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Nair RR, Dutta Gupta S. High-frequency plant regeneration through cyclic secondary somatic embryogenesis in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.). Plant Cell Rep 2006; 24:699-707. [PMID: 16249871 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-005-0016-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2005] [Revised: 04/22/2005] [Accepted: 05/16/2005] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
A high-frequency plantlet regeneration protocol was developed for black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) through cyclic secondary somatic embryogenesis. Secondary embryos formed from the radicular end of the primary somatic embryos which were originally derived from micropylar tissues of germinating seeds on growth regulator-free SH medium in the absence of light. The process of secondary embryogenesis continued in a cyclic manner from the root pole of newly formed embryos resulting in clumps of somatic embryos. Strength of the medium and sucrose concentration influenced the process of secondary embryogenesis and fresh weight of somatic embryo clumps. Full-strength SH medium supplemented with 1.5% sucrose produced significantly higher fresh weight and numbers of secondary somatic embryos while 3.0 and 4.5% sucrose in the medium favored further development of proliferated embryos into plantlets. Ontogeny of secondary embryos was established by histological analysis. Secondary embryogenic potential was influenced by the developmental stage of the explanted somatic embryo and stages up to "torpedo" were more suitable. A single-flask system was standardized for proliferation, maturation, germination and conversion of secondary somatic embryos in suspension cultures. The system of cyclic secondary somatic embryogenesis in black pepper described here represents a permanent source of embryogenic material that can be used for genetic manipulations of this crop species.
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Fonte SJ, Schowalter TD. The influence of a neotropical herbivore (Lamponius portoricensis) on nutrient cycling and soil processes. Oecologia 2005; 146:423-31. [PMID: 16175388 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-005-0203-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2004] [Accepted: 07/05/2005] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The role of phytophagous insects in ecosystem nutrient cycling remains poorly understood. By altering the flow of litterfall nutrients from the canopy to the forest floor, herbivores may influence key ecosystem processes. We manipulated levels of herbivory in a lower montane tropical rainforest of Puerto Rico using the common herbivore, Lamponius portoricensis (Phasmatidea), on a prevalent understory plant, Piper glabrescens (Piperaceae), and measured the effects on nutrient input to the forest floor and on rates of litter decomposition. Four treatment levels of herbivory generated a full range of leaf area removal, from plants experiencing no herbivory to plants that were completely defoliated (>4,000 cm(2) leaf area removed during the 76-day study duration). A significant (P<0.05) positive regression was found between all measures of herbivory (total leaf area removed, greenfall production, and frass-related inputs) and the concentration of NO (3) (-) in ion exchange resin bags located in the litter layer. No significant relationship was found between any of the herbivory components and resin bag concentrations of NH (4) (+) or PO (4) (-) . Rates of litter decay were significantly affected by frass-related herbivore inputs. A marginally significant negative relationship was also found between the litter mass remaining at 47 days and total leaf area removed. This study demonstrated a modest, but direct relationship between herbivory and both litter decomposition and NO (3) (-) transfer to the forest floor. These results suggest that insect herbivores can influence forest floor nutrient dynamics and thus merit further consideration in discussions on ecosystem nutrient dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Fonte
- Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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da Rosa SM, de Souza LA. [Reproductive structures of Piper amalago var. medium Linnaeus (Piperaceae)]. Acta Cient Venez 2004; 55:27-34. [PMID: 15916162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Flowers, fruits, seeds and subterranean organ of Piper amalago var. medium Linnaeus were analyzed structurally. Flowers are hermaphrodite lacking perianth, with two stamens and a tricarpelate gynoecea. Tetrasporangiate anthers shows epidermis, endothecium, one or two middle layers and secretory tapetum. Ovary has a simple structure, with ventral meristem. There is one orthotropous, bitegmic and crassinucellate ovule. Fruits are drupes. Seeds are endotegmic with copious perisperm. Putamen is composed of a sclerified inner mesocarp and endocarp. Individuals of the species can be interlinked by radicular subterranean organ, that can spread vegetatively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sônia M da Rosa
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, A Paraná, Brasil
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