Phenotypic and genotypic divergence of plant–herbivore interactions along an urbanization gradient

Qu, Jiao; Bonte, Dries; Vandegehuchte, Martijn L.

doi:10.1111/eva.13376

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…Changes in ecological interactions due to urbanization have the potential to cause adaptive evolution due to changes in the strength and direction of natural selection. Previous research has shown how variation in species interactions such as pollination and herbivory can drive the evolution of plant traits along urban to rural gradients (Breitbart et al, 2023;Irwin et al, 2018;Qu et al, 2022). However, few urban studies show evolutionary divergence driven by altered species interactions (Diamond & Martin, 2021), and we are unaware of any work examining how socioeconomic variation influences natural selection.…”

Section: Evolutionary Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban socioeconomic variation influences the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions

Martin,

El‐Galmady,

Johnson

2024

Ecology Letters

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As urbanization expands, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how anthropogenic activity is affecting ecological and evolutionary processes. Few studies have examined how human social patterns within cities can modify eco‐evolutionary dynamics. We tested how socioeconomic variation corresponds with changes in trophic interactions and natural selection on prey phenotypes using the classic interaction between goldenrod gall flies (Eurosta solidaginis) and their natural enemies: birds, beetles, and parasitoid wasps. We sampled galls from 84 sites across neighbourhoods with varying socioeconomic levels, and quantified the frequency of predation/parasitism on flies and natural selection by each enemy. We found that bird predation was higher in the highest income neighbourhoods, increasing the strength of selection for smaller galls. Wasp and beetle attack, but not their strength of selection, increased in lower income neighbourhoods. We show that socioeconomic variation in cities can have strong unintended consequences for the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions.

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Section: Evolutionary Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban socioeconomic variation influences the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions

Martin,

El‐Galmady,

Johnson

2024

Ecology Letters

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“…On the contrary, numerous studies tell us that phenotypic plasticity provides powerful adaptive and defensive capabilities in plants (Stotz et al 2021). Feeding by herbivorous insects is thought to be an important driving force for the generation of plant plasticity phenotypes, and the insect-plant arms race is a major driver of phytochemical diversity (Qu et al 2022). Feeding by herbivores not only leads to plasticity in the defensive traits of plants, but also has an influence on the floral traits of flowering plants, and indirectly interferes with plant pollination (Rusman et al 2019a(Rusman et al , 2022.…”

Section: Phenotypic Plasticity Is Essential For Plant Defense Against...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic plasticity plays an essential role in the confrontation between plants and herbivorous insects

Wang,

Kang,

Wang

et al. 2023

CABI Agric Biosci

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The interaction between insects and plants is a classic case of coevolution. During the arms race that has continued for 400 million years, the mutualistic (such as pollination and defense assistance) and antagonistic relationships gradually formed and complicated under the selection pressure from phytophagous insects. Thus, plants have developed diverse defense strategies, constantly balancing the relationship between defense and growth. At the same time, insects have evolved the ability to adapt to and resist plant defenses. Throughout this process, phenotypic plasticity has continuously helped both groups adapt to new environments and niches. Epigenetic changes play an important role in the formation of plastic phenotype. These changes allow parental defense traits to be passed on to the offspring, helping the offspring resist insect feeding. Epigenetic changes and genetic variation provide the basis for the formation of new phenotypes, and plants can form stable defense traits under long-term insect feeding pressure. In this review, we summarize the defense strategies of plants and the counter-defense strategies of insects, suggest that phenotypic plasticity plays an important role in this interaction, and discuss the role of epigenetics in the formation of plastic phenotypes.

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“…Field survey is also effective in clarifying the environmental factors that influence trait variation in field plants by examining the effects of measured factors on urbanisation-related trait variation. Thus, combining field survey and CGE is an effective approach to examining the evolution of plant traits in urban environments (Qu et al 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, combining field survey and CGE is an effective approach to examining the evolution of plant traits in urban environments (Qu et al . 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trait variation along an urban–rural gradient in Asian dayflower: the contribution of phenotypic plasticity and genetic divergence

Taichi,

Ushimaru

2023

Plant Biol J

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Environmental changes associated with urbanisation can exert pressure that facilitates both adaptations and plastic responses in plants. Field surveys or common garden experiments (CGE) alone cannot differentiate between the observed phenotypic traits resulting from plastic responses versus evolutionary adaptations to urban environments. We conducted a field survey of habitat environmental factors and four vegetative traits in 12 Commelina communis populations along an urban–rural gradient in the Osaka‐Kobe megacity area. We collected seedlings from six of the 12 populations, transplanted them into a greenhouse, and measured six vegetative traits. We investigated correlations between pairs of measured traits in both the field survey and CGE. Plant height and leaf area increased significantly in increasingly developed land areas (DLA) in the field survey, whereas no such variations were found in the CGE, suggesting that the observed phenotypic variation was due to a plastic response to urban eutrophication. Leaf number and specific leaf area (SLA) significantly decreased with increasing DLA in the CGE, suggesting the adaptation of these traits to urban environments. Positive correlations between plant height and leaf area were only observed in urban populations in both the field survey and CGE, indicating the evolution of this trait correlation in urban environments. It has been suggested that urban environments promote both plastic response and genetic divergence of a set of traits in native plants. Our findings suggest that low leaf number, SLA, and positive plant height–leaf area correlations have evolved. In addition, larger plant size is achieved via phenotypic plasticity in urban environments.

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Phenotypic and genotypic divergence of plant–herbivore interactions along an urbanization gradient

Cited by 10 publications

References 97 publications

Urban socioeconomic variation influences the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions

Urban socioeconomic variation influences the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions

Phenotypic plasticity plays an essential role in the confrontation between plants and herbivorous insects

Trait variation along an urban–rural gradient in Asian dayflower: the contribution of phenotypic plasticity and genetic divergence

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