Drivers of phenotypic variation and plasticity to drought in populations of a Mediterranean shrub along an environmental gradient

IF 4.5 2区 生物学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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Abstract

Assessing the factors driving intraspecific phenotypic variation is crucial to understand the evolutionary trajectories of plant populations and predict their vulnerability to climate change. Environmental gradients often lead to phenotypic divergence in functional traits and their plasticity across populations. We studied the entire environmental range of the Mediterranean gypsum endemic shrub Helianthemum squamatum to evaluate the factors underlying quantitative population differentiation and phenotypic plasticity to drought, using a common garden with 16 populations that covered the main geographic and the entire climatic range of the species. Sampling followed a hierarchical approach to assess trait genetic variation within and among four distinct geographical regions. We found high but similar plastic responses across populations, which were consistent with adaptive plasticity to drought, including advanced phenology, more sclerophyllous leaves, higher water use efficiency and larger seeds in dry conditions. Despite these generally similar plastic responses, we found significant population differentiation in quantitative traits, part of which was structured at the regional scale. Such differentiation was not associated with environmental variation, including differences in climate and soil conditions. This suggests that non-adaptive processes might have had a role on genetic differentiation in H. squamatum, likely due to the island-like configuration of gypsum habitats and the lack of effective seed dispersal of the study species. Our results emphasize the role of phenotypic plasticity in adaptive drought response and the importance of considering both adaptive and non-adaptive processes shaping intraspecific phenotypic variation, which is crucial for predicting plant population vulnerability to climate change.
沿环境梯度地中海灌木种群表型变异和对干旱可塑性的驱动因素
评估驱动种内表型变异的因素对于了解植物种群的进化轨迹和预测其对气候变化的脆弱性至关重要。环境梯度通常会导致种群间功能性状的表型差异及其可塑性。我们对地中海石膏特有灌木Helianthemum squamatum的整个环境范围进行了研究,以评估种群数量分化和表型对干旱的可塑性的基本因素。取样采用分层方法,以评估四个不同地理区域内部和之间的性状遗传变异。我们发现不同种群之间的可塑性反应较高但相似,这与对干旱的适应性可塑性是一致的,包括物候期提前、叶片更硬朗、水分利用效率更高以及在干旱条件下种子更大。尽管这些可塑性反应大体相似,但我们发现种群在数量性状上存在显著差异,其中部分差异是在区域范围内形成的。这种分化与环境变化(包括气候和土壤条件的差异)无关。这表明,非适应过程可能对H. squamatum的遗传分化产生了影响,这可能是由于石膏栖息地的岛状构造以及研究物种缺乏有效的种子传播。我们的研究结果强调了表型可塑性在适应性干旱响应中的作用,以及考虑形成种内表型变异的适应性和非适应性过程的重要性,这对于预测植物种群对气候变化的脆弱性至关重要。
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来源期刊
Environmental and Experimental Botany
Environmental and Experimental Botany 环境科学-环境科学
CiteScore
9.30
自引率
5.30%
发文量
342
审稿时长
26 days
期刊介绍: Environmental and Experimental Botany (EEB) publishes research papers on the physical, chemical, biological, molecular mechanisms and processes involved in the responses of plants to their environment. In addition to research papers, the journal includes review articles. Submission is in agreement with the Editors-in-Chief. The Journal also publishes special issues which are built by invited guest editors and are related to the main themes of EEB. The areas covered by the Journal include: (1) Responses of plants to heavy metals and pollutants (2) Plant/water interactions (salinity, drought, flooding) (3) Responses of plants to radiations ranging from UV-B to infrared (4) Plant/atmosphere relations (ozone, CO2 , temperature) (5) Global change impacts on plant ecophysiology (6) Biotic interactions involving environmental factors.
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