Can zinc pollution promote adaptive evolution in plants? Insights from a one-generation selection experiment

Nowak, Julien; Frérot, Hélène; Faure, N.; Glorieux, Cédric; Liné, Clarisse; Pourrut, Bertrand; Pauwels, Maxime

doi:10.1093/jxb/ery327

“…(2016) showed earlier flowering in two invasive plant species in response to selection over few generations of water manipulations, and Nowak et al. (2018) demonstrated adaptive evolution of the Alpine Pennycress Noccaea caerulescens after one generation of exposure to various levels of zinc contamination in the soil. Due to multiple introductions and admixtures between differentiated populations, either prior or post‐introduction, invasive plants can exhibit large within‐population genetic diversity (Lavergne & Molofsky, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid genomic and phenotypic change in response to climate warming in a widespread plant invader

Sun

¹

,

Bossdorf

²

,

Grados

³

et al. 2020

Global Change Biology

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Predicting plant distributions under climate change is constrained by our limited understanding of potential rapid adaptive evolution. In an experimental evolution study with the invasive common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) we subjected replicated populations of the same initial genetic composition to simulated climate warming. Pooled DNA sequencing of parental and offspring populations showed that warming populations experienced greater genetic divergence from their parents, than control populations. In a common environment, offspring from warming populations showed more convergent phenotypes in seven out of nine plant traits, with later flowering and larger biomass, than plants from control populations. For both traits, we also found a significantly higher ratio of phenotypic to genetic differentiation across generations for warming than for control populations, indicating stronger response to selection under warming conditions. As a measure for evolutionary rate, the phenotypic and sequence divergence between generations were assessed using the Haldane metric. Our approach combining comparisons between generations (allochronic) and between treatments (synchronic) in an experimental evolutionary field study, and linking population genomic data with phenotyping analyses provided a powerful test to detect rapid responses to selection. Our findings demonstrate that ragweed populations can rapidly evolve in response to climate change within a single generation. Short-term evolutionary responses to climate change may aggravate the impact of some plant invaders in the future and should be considered when making predictions about future distributions and impacts of plant invaders.

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“…We need to consider that the studied moss plants here originated from a commercial source and were not optimized for phytoremediation. Plant clones could be further improved genetically through controlled growth under selective pressure to stimulate the up-regulation of resistance mechanisms [ 31 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aquatic Mosses as Adaptable Bio-Filters for Heavy Metal Removal from Contaminated Water

Papadia

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Barozzi

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Migoni

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et al. 2020

IJMS

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Heavy metals (HMs) are released into the environment by many human activities and persist in water even after remediation. The efficient filtration of solubilized HMs is extremely difficult. Phytoremediation appears a convenient tool to remove HMs from polluted water, but it is limited by the choice of plants able to adapt to filtration of polluted water in terms of space and physiological needs. Biomasses are often preferred. Aquatic moss biomasses, thanks to gametophyte characteristics, can act as live filtering material. The potential for phytoremediation of Hypnales aquatic mosses has been poorly investigated compared to aquatic macrophytes. Their potential is usually indicated as a tool for bioindication and environmental monitoring more than for pollutant removal. When phytoremediation has been considered, insufficient attention has been paid to the adaptability of biomasses to different needs. In this study the heavy metal uptake of moss Taxiphyllum barbieri grown in two different light conditions, was tested with high concentrations of elements such as Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, As, and Cr. This moss produces dense mats with few culture needs. The experimental design confirmed the capacity of the moss to accumulate HMs accordingly to their physiology and then demonstrated that a significant proportion of HMs was accumulated within a few hours. In addition to the biosorption effect, an evident contribution of the active simplistic mass can be evidenced. These reports of HM accumulation within short time intervals, show how this moss is particularly suitable as an adaptable bio-filter, representing a new opportunity for water eco-sustainable remediation.

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“…For instance, Skroppa and Kohmann 48 demonstrated adaptation of Norway spruce ( Picea abies ) to local climatic conditions after only one generation, and Franks et al 49 found rapid evolution of flowering time in the annual Brassica rapa in response to climate change after just three generations. More recently, Nguyen et al 50 showed earlier flowering in two invasive plant species in response to selection over few generations of water manipulations, and Nowak et al 51 demonstrated adaptive evolution of the Alpine Pennycress Noccaea caerulescens after one generation of exposure to various levels of zinc contamination in the soil. Due to multiple introductions and admixtures between differentiated populations, either prior or post-introduction, invasive plants can exhibit large within-population genetic diversity 52 , This has also been found for ragweed in Europe 23,44,45 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High standing genetic variation in an invasive plant allows immediate evolutionary response to climate warming

Sun

¹

,

Bossdorf

²

,

Grados

³

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Predicting plant distributions under climate change is constrained by our limited understanding of potential rapid adaptive evolution. In an experimental evolution study with the invasive common ragweed, we subjected replicated populations of the same initial genetic composition to simulated climate warming. Pooled DNA sequencing of parental and offspring populations showed that warming populations experienced a greater loss of genetic diversity, and greater genetic divergence from their parents, than control populations. In a common environment, offspring from warming populations showed more convergent phenotypes in seven out of nine plant traits, with later flowering and larger biomass, than plants from control populations. For both traits, we also found a significant higher ratio of phenotypic to genetic differentiation across generations for warming than for control populations, indicating stronger selection under warming conditions. Our findings demonstrate that ragweed populations can rapidly evolve in response to climate change within a single generation.

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Can zinc pollution promote adaptive evolution in plants? Insights from a one-generation selection experiment

Abstract: Exposure to high levels of Zn generates variation in reproductive success among non-metallicolous individuals of Noccaea caerulescens. Descendant populations show slightly increased Zn tolerance and significantly decreased Zn hyperaccumulation.

Cited by 12 publications

References 58 publications

Rapid genomic and phenotypic change in response to climate warming in a widespread plant invader

Rapid genomic and phenotypic change in response to climate warming in a widespread plant invader

Aquatic Mosses as Adaptable Bio-Filters for Heavy Metal Removal from Contaminated Water

High standing genetic variation in an invasive plant allows immediate evolutionary response to climate warming

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