How to analyse plant phenotypic plasticity in response to a changing climate

Arnold, Pieter A.; Kruuk, Loeske E. B.; Nicotra, Adrienne B.

doi:10.1111/nph.15656

Cited by 223 publications

(248 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…It has also been used to assess selection on plasticity of clutch size in Ural owls, Strix uralensis [93], but, to our knowledge, has not yet been used more widely for analyses of selection on plasticity. However, with recent emphasis on the benefits of using random regression mixed models for the analysis of plasticity [64,72], we hope that this may change.…”

Section: A Multivariate Mixed Model Approach To Analysing Selection Omentioning

confidence: 99%

Sparse evidence for selection on phenotypic plasticity in response to temperature

Arnold

Nicotra

Kruuk

2019

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Section: A Multivariate Mixed Model Approach To Analysing Selection Omentioning

confidence: 99%

Sparse evidence for selection on phenotypic plasticity in response to temperature

Arnold

Nicotra

Kruuk

2019

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

Self Cite

100

115

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“…local climate) of that population (Rehfeldt et al, ). Populations' climatic optima and their corresponding adaptation lags are generally estimated using common garden experiments where populations from different climatic origins are planted along environmental gradients (Blanquart, Kaltz, Nuismer, & Gandon, ; Sáenz‐Romero et al, ) allowing the computation of reaction norms, that is, populations' responses across environmental gradients (reviewed in Arnold, Kruuk, & Nicotra, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Range margin populations show high climate adaptation lags in European trees

Fréjaville

Vizcaíno‐Palomar

Fady

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

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How populations of long‐living species respond to climate change depends on phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation processes. Marginal populations are expected to have lags in adaptation (i.e. differences between the climatic optimum that maximizes population fitness and the local climate) because they receive pre‐adapted alleles from core populations preventing them from reaching a local optimum in their climatically marginal habitat. Yet, whether adaptation lags in marginal populations are a common feature across phylogenetically and ecologically different species and how lags can change with climate change remain unexplored. To test for range‐wide patterns of phenotypic variation and adaptation lags of populations to climate, we (a) built model ensembles of tree height accounting for the climate of population origin and the climate of the site for 706 populations monitored in 97 common garden experiments covering the range of six European forest tree species; (b) estimated populations' adaptation lags as the differences between the climatic optimum that maximizes tree height and the climate of the origin of each population; (c) identified adaptation lag patterns for populations coming from the warm/dry and cold/wet margins and from the distribution core of each species range. We found that (a) phenotypic variation is driven by either temperature or precipitation; (b) adaptation lags are consistently higher in climatic margin populations (cold/warm, dry/wet) than in core populations; (c) predictions for future warmer climates suggest adaptation lags would decrease in cold margin populations, slightly increasing tree height, while adaptation lags would increase in core and warm margin populations, sharply decreasing tree height. Our results suggest that warm margin populations are the most vulnerable to climate change, but understanding how these populations can cope with future climates depend on whether other fitness‐related traits could show similar adaptation lag patterns.

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“…Phenotypic plasticity is believed to have evolved as a mechanism for adaptation to variable environments maximizing individual's fitness, for example, in enabling colonization of novel habitats by different niche exploitation (Agrawal, 2001;Chevin & Hoffmann, 2017;Dudley & Schmitt, 1996;Via et al, 1995;Violle et al, 2012). Phenotypic plasticity plays different roles in relation to the plant's response to environmental differences, that is, morphological (together with anatomical) and physiological plasticity (Arnold, Kruuk, & Nicotra, 2019;Gratani, 2014). Morphological and anatomical plasticity influences resource acquisition and plant competitive abilities: Taller plants are able to put their leaves over smaller ones, pre-empt light resources, and outcompete them (Cornelissen et al, 2003;Díaz et al, 2016;Moles et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Desert‐like badlands and surrounding (semi‐)dry grasslands of Central Germany promote small‐scale phenotypic and genetic differentiation inThymus praecox

Karbstein

Tomasello

Prinz

2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Environmental heterogeneity among sites can generate phenotypic and genetic variation facilitating differentiation and microevolution of plant populations. Badlands are desert‐like, predominantly vegetation‐poor habitats often embedded in (semi‐)dry grasslands. The desert‐like conditions of badlands demand extreme adaptation of plants, that is, phenotypic modifications in short‐term and/or natural adaptation in long‐term. However, detailed knowledge is missing about both plant phenotypic and genetic differentiation in this unique and widely occurring habitat type. The present study focused on the largest known badlands systems in Central Europe located in the “Drei Gleichen” region, a designated nature conservation area in Central Germany. Locations were suitable for this study in terms of having co‐occurring badlands and (semi‐)dry grassland habitats (sites) occupied by the pioneer plant Thymus praecox. Here, we studied the environmental preferences, morphological and functional trait variation, and genetic variation using microsatellite markers of T. praecox. Results revealed significant, mainly site‐dependent environmental, phenotypic, and genetic differentiation. In general, individuals in badlands are shorter in height and have lower patch sizes (length × width), relative growth rates, and smaller stomata. The PCA additionally unveiled slightly increased leaf robustness, trichome density, decreased stomatal conductance, fewer females, and earlier phenology in badlands. We interpret differentiation patterns as adaptive responses to light, temperature, drought, and nutrient stress conditions supported by reviewed literature. Genetic differentiation was strongest between local badlands and grassland sites, and clearly weaker among locations and between sites (in total) as indicated by GST, AMOVA, PCoA, and population structure. Our study supports the importance of small‐scale microhabitat conditions as a driver of microevolutionary processes, and the population's need for sufficient phenotypic variation and genetic resources to deal with environmental changes. We demonstrated that badlands are an appropriate model system for testing plant response to extreme habitats and that more research is needed on these fascinating landscapes.

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How to analyse plant phenotypic plasticity in response to a changing climate

Cited by 223 publications

References 51 publications

Sparse evidence for selection on phenotypic plasticity in response to temperature

Sparse evidence for selection on phenotypic plasticity in response to temperature

Range margin populations show high climate adaptation lags in European trees

Desert‐like badlands and surrounding (semi‐)dry grasslands of Central Germany promote small‐scale phenotypic and genetic differentiation inThymus praecox

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