Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas P. Timberlake, Ian P. Vaughan, Mathilde Baude, Jane Memmott
Summary: This study emphasizes the importance of considering the phenology of resources when designing measures to support pollinators. Late summer appears to be a resource bottleneck for bumblebees in UK farmland, and management strategies that increase late-summer nectar availability may be the most effective. These strategies include adjusting mowing regimes to delay flowering of field margins until September, planting late-flowering cover crops such as red clover, and supporting late-flowering wild plant species such as Hedera helix. Additionally, the results suggest that rural gardens may play an important role in supporting farmland bumblebee populations.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michal Filipiak, Aleksandra Walczynska, Bozena Denisow, Theodora Petanidou, Elzbieta Ziolkowska
Summary: To predict the quantity and quality of food available to pollinators in different landscapes, detailed data on plant flowering phenology and food resource production per unit area are necessary. The current knowledge on this subject is fragmented. This database represents the first compilation of data on various food resources produced by 1612 plant species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Huijing Wu, Lanlan Jiang, Jin'e Li, Min Lu, Huaming An
Summary: This study successfully induced polyploidy in Rosa roxburghii f. eseiosa through colchicine treatment and tissue culture, providing a foundation for its breeding and development.
Article
Forestry
Adja Madjiguene Diallo, Erik Dahl Kjaer, Anders Raebild, Lene Rostgaard Nielsen
Summary: This study investigates genetic differentiation and prezygotic reproductive barriers among different ploidy levels of Acacia senegal. By genotyping and studying flower morphology, the researchers found genetic differentiation between polyploid and diploid trees, as well as prezygotic reproductive barriers such as differences in flower phenology and morphology. The results suggest limited gene flow among cytotypes of A. senegal and a likely restriction of interploidy pollination by differences in flower phenology and morphology.
Article
Plant Sciences
Anna Verena Reutemann, Ana Isabel Honfi, Piyal Karunarathne, Fabiana Eckers, Diego Hernan Hojsgaard, Eric Javier Martinez
Summary: This study aimed to determine the degree of apomixis and residual sexuality in apomictic tetraploid Paspalum species and investigate the variation in their expression across three stages of reproductive development. The results showed a decline in sexual reproduction expression and an increase in apomixis expression as the stages progressed. It was also observed that apomictic plants have the ability to produce low levels of genetic variation through rare events of sexuality. This study highlights the importance of analyzing different reproductive stages to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the reproductive outcomes in plant evolution.
Article
Biology
Jane M. Edgeloe, Anita A. Severn-Ellis, Philipp E. Bayer, Shaghayegh Mehravi, Martin F. Breed, Siegfried L. Krauss, Jacqueline Batley, Gary A. Kendrick, Elizabeth A. Sinclair
Summary: Polyploidy allows for expansion and adaptation of Poseidon's ribbon weed. A widespread, highly heterozygous polyploid clone was discovered in Shark Bay, Western Australia, making it the largest known clone.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Oscar J. Rocha, Elizabeth Braker
Summary: OTS has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of tropical ecosystems, particularly in the areas of plant reproductive ecology and genetics. Their research has inspired other tropical biologists and highlighted the importance of studying critical topics in tropical systems to slow down biodiversity loss and prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Paul Galpern, Lincoln R. Best, James H. Devries, Sarah A. Johnson
Summary: Increasing patch richness may support a greater number of bee taxa, but individual bee taxa vary considerably in their response to components of landscape complexity. The total abundance of wild bees and its response to contagion also show temporal variability, with the amount of cropland positively associated with abundance earlier in the season and negatively later in the growing season.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Vladislav Kolarcik, Maria Mirkova, Vlastimil Mikolas
Summary: The remarkable species diversity of the genus Sorbus is a result of polyploidization and frequent hybridization between species of different cytotypes. Gametophytic apomixis plays an important role in the evolutionary stabilization of hybridogeneous genotypes. The reproduction modes and ploidy levels of selected Sorbus species in mixed-cytotype populations were investigated.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lucie Kobrlova, Martin Duchoslav, Michal Hrones
Summary: This study evaluated the cytotype diversity and morphological and ecological variation of common comfrey. Four cytotypes were identified, with diploids and tetraploids showing differentiation and segregation. The study suggests that polyploidization is an important evolutionary driver affecting the genetic diversity and taxonomy of polyploids.
Article
Plant Sciences
Maria Teresa Martinez, Sonia Suarez, Paloma Moncalean, Elena Corredoira
Summary: A vitrification-based cryopreservation method was successfully used for long-term conservation of holm oak embryogenic cultures. By determining the best developmental stage of somatic embryos and the optimal incubation period in PVS2, embryos were recovered and showed high recovery rates after cryostorage in LN for four years.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juliana Mainenti Leal Lopes, Victoria Rabelo Campos, Aryane Campos Reis, Elyabe Monteiro de Matos, Ana Luisa Sousa Azevedo, Marco Antonio Machado, Richard Michael Grazul, Lyderson Facio Viccini
Summary: This research reveals the possible mechanisms of aneuploidy formation, the association between chemical composition and genetic characteristics in the wild tropical plant Lippia alba, through the use of molecular, cytogenetic, reproductive, and chemical approaches. The results contribute to the understanding of the origin of aneuploids and highlight their genetic profile as a key element in the chemical profile of L. alba accessions.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Gabriela Juri, Andrea C. Premoli
Summary: This study found that different plant populations have contrasting thermal requirements in sympatric and allopatric environments, leading to uncoupled phenologies. Temperature is the main driver of intraspecific phenological differences, with low elevation populations flowering earlier. Compared to allopatric populations, sympatric populations exhibit strict phenological isolation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wee Hiang Eng, Wei Seng Ho, Kwong Hung Ling
Summary: Polyploidization has been crucial in plant breeding and crop improvement, but research on tropical tree species is lacking. This study induced and identified polyploid plants of Neolamarckia cadamba using colchicine treatment, finding different ploidy levels and effects on morphological characteristics. Polyploidization has changed traits and potentially increased photosynthetic capacity in N. cadamba.
Article
Plant Sciences
Francisco Javier Jimenez-Lopez, Montserrat Arista, Maria Talavera, Leonor Patricia Cerdeira Morellato, John R. Pannell, Juan Viruel, Pedro L. Ortiz Ballesteros
Summary: The genetic divergence between species depends on reproductive isolation (RI) caused by traits reducing interspecific mating (prezygotic isolation) or reduced hybrid fitness (postzygotic isolation). Prezygotic barriers were found to be generally stronger than postzygotic barriers, but previous studies mostly examined F-1 hybrid fitness in early life cycle stages. This study combined field and experimental data to assess the strength of 17 prezygotic and postzygotic reproductive barriers between co-occurring Lysimachia species. The results showed near complete RI between the two species, with prezygotic barriers contributing more in reducing gene flow in allopatry, while their contributions were more similar in sympatry. The strength of postzygotic RI was underestimated when effects on late stages of the life cycle were disregarded.
Article
Plant Sciences
Carolina Osuna-Mascaro, Rafael Rubio de Casas, Jose M. Gomez, Joao Loureiro, Silvia Castro, Jacob B. Landis, Robin Hopkins, Francisco Perfectti
Summary: This study analyzed the evolution of Erysimum species from the South of the Iberian Peninsula and found that hybridization played a significant role in their evolution, especially in species with purple and yellow flowers. These results demonstrate the importance of hybridization for plant diversification, which should be considered in studies of plant evolution.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Aigi Ilves, Karin Kaljund, Erkki Sild, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: The maintenance of genetic variation is crucial for species in marginal populations. This study focused on the genetic patterns and plant fitness of the clonal legume Trifolium alpestre in marginal populations compared to the distribution centre. The study revealed high genetic diversity and unique alleles in both central and marginal populations, indicating the need for conservation actions.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana Carla Goncalves, Helena Oliveira, Joao Loureiro, Silvia Castro, Maria Eduarda Fidalgo, Teresa Ribeiro, Ahmed Ouhammoud, Rachid Amirouche, Leonor Morais-Cecilio, Conceicao Santos, Paulo Silveira
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the complex taxonomy of Calendula and explore the relationships between genome size and chromosome number, ploidy level, and life cycle. Genome size estimations were provided for five species and three putative newly undescribed species for the first time. The 2C values varied up to 6-fold among different euploid species, ranging from 1.37 pg in diploid populations to 8.26 pg in octoploid populations. 1Cx-values varied 2.07-fold, ranging from 0.68 pg to 1.41 pg. Significant differences in mean 1Cx genome size were found between different ploidy levels. Genome size variation plays a significant role in explaining the relationships within Calendula, and the presence of individuals not fitting the current classification suggests the need for further analysis in future studies.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana Garcia-Munoz, Camilo Ferron, Celia Vaca-Benito, Joao Loureiro, Silvia Castro, A. Jesus Munoz-Pajares, Mohamed Abdelaziz
Summary: Studying the relationship between reproductive investment, phenotype, and fitness in selfing plants provides insights into these questions. Using a selfing species complex with different ploidy levels, this study found that an increase in ploidy level leads to larger flowers with more pollen and ovules. Genome duplication also affects floral characteristics, reproductive investment, and fitness, influencing transitions in reproductive strategy.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Dinesh Thakur, Veroslava Hadincova, Renata Schnablova, Helena Synkova, Daniel Haisel, Nada Wilhelmova, Tomas Dostalek, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: Exploring patterns and causes of intraspecific trait variation is crucial for understanding the effects of climate change on plant populations and ecosystems. However, our current understanding is mainly based on structural traits, and we have limited knowledge on variation in biochemical traits and their response to climate.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Eliska Kut'akova, Lenka Meszarosova, Petr Baldrian, Zuzana Muenzbergova, Tomas Herben
Summary: Plant-soil feedbacks play a crucial role in species coexistence in dynamic and low-diversity communities. This study investigates whether the feedbacks of a dominant species can be detected in a diverse plant community and to what extent they are influenced by co-occurring species.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Helena Castro, Maria Celeste Dias, Mariana Castro, Joao Loureiro, Silvia Castro
Summary: Polyploidy has significant ecological effects on morphology, breeding system, and ecological tolerances. This study used the diploid-tetraploid Jasione maritima polyploid complex to assess the contribution of genome duplications to ecological divergence. The results showed that diploids and tetraploids have different strategies in response to water deficit, and the distribution pattern of J. maritima complex is population-dependent.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana Afonso, Silvia Castro, Joao Loureiro, Juan Arroyo, Albano Figueiredo, Sara Lopes, Mariana Castro
Summary: The high frequency of polyploidy in plant groups in the Mediterranean region is likely a result of its dynamic geological and climatic history. Polyploids have distinct characteristics that allow them to grow in different habitats and expand to new areas, leading to spatial segregation. This study aims to explore the role of environmental variables in the distribution patterns of cytotypes in Linum suffruticosum s.l. polyploid complex. Evaluation: 8/10.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Pedro Talhinhas, Rita Carvalho, Silvia Tavares, Teresa Ribeiro, Helena Azinheira, Ana Paula Ramos, Maria do Ceu Silva, Marta Monteiro, Joao Loureiro, Leonor Morais-Cecilio
Summary: Fungi have a typical haplontic life cycle, with haploid nuclei throughout their life cycles. However, our study reveals that the Pucciniales species in the fungi group have diploid nuclei along with haploid nuclei throughout their life cycles, suggesting a distinct and previously disregarded life cycle. The biological basis and significance of this phenomenon remain unclear.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bostjan Surina, Manica Balant, Peter Glasnovic, Ivan Radosavljevic, Ziva Fiser, Natasa Fujs, Silvia Castro
Summary: The mating system of the endemic plant Moehringia tommasinii in northwestern Adriatic showed high variation among populations, with genetic structuring and occurrences of hybridization and selfing. The presence of gene flow and weak reproductive barriers between M. tommasinii and co-occurring M. muscosa pose conservation challenges. Local extinction resulting from hybridization may disrupt mating patterns and floral polymorphism of M. tommasinii.
Article
Plant Sciences
Nikita Rathore, Vera Hanzelkova, Tomas Dostalek, Jaroslav Semerad, Renata Schnablova, Tomas Cajthaml, Zuzana Munzbergova
Summary: Root traits, including root exudates, play a crucial role in plant interactions with soil and ecosystem processes. This study investigated the relative importance of phylogeny and species ecology in determining root traits and the predictability of root exudate composition based on other root traits. The findings showed that phylogeny was more influential than species ecology in determining root traits, and root exudate composition could only be partially predicted by certain root traits.
Article
Plant Sciences
Zoila Diaz Lifante, Marcial Escudero, Cristina Andres Camacho, Carmen Garcia Llamas, Joao Loureiro, Silvia Castro
Summary: This study reevaluates the taxonomic status of the recently described endemic species Schenkia elegans in the Iberian Peninsula, and its relationship with sympatric and morphological species Schenkia spicata and Exaculum pusillum. Various types of evidence based on plant morphology, ploidy estimation, karyotype characterization, and phylogenetic data were analyzed. The results suggest that S. elegans has intermediate morphology between the other two species, and it has an allopolyploid origin, with genetic contribution from both S. spicata and E. pusillum. Phylogenetic analysis based on DNA regions further supports a hybrid origin of S. elegans. Therefore, a new monotypic genus Valdesiana gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate this allopolyploid species, combined as V. elegans, and conservation measures must be considered.
PLANT SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
N. Leclercq, L. Marshall, T. Weekers, P. Basu, D. Benda, D. Bevk, R. Bhattacharya, P. Bogusch, A. Bontsutsnaja, L. Bortolotti, N. Cabirol, E. Calderon-Uraga, R. Carvalho, S. Castro, S. Chatterjee, M. De La Cruz Alquicira, J. R. de Miranda, T. Dirilgen, A. Dorchin, K. Dorji, B. Drepperr, S. Flaminio, J. Gailis, M. Galloni, H. Gaspar, M. W. Gikungu, B. A. Hatteland, I. Hinojosa-Diaz, L. Hostinska, B. G. Howlett, K. -L J. Hung, L. Hutchinson, R. O. Jesus, N. Karklina, M. S. Khan, J. Loureiro, X. Men, J. -M Molenberg, S. Mudri-Stojnic, P. Nikolic, E. Normandin, J. Osterman, F. Ouyang, A. S. Oygarden, L. Ozolina-Poles, N. Ozolss, A. Parra Saldivar, R. J. Paxton, T. Pitts-Singer, K. Poveda, K. Prendergast, M. Quaranta, S. F. J. Ready, S. Reinhardt, M. Rojas-Oropezaj, C. Ruiz, M. Rundlofar, A. Sade, C. Sandberg, F. Sgolastra, S. F. Shah, M. A. Shebl, V. Soon, D. A. Stanleym, J. Straka, P. Theodorou, E. Tobajas, J. L. Vaca-Uribe, A. Veraaz, C. A. Villagra, M. -K Williams, M. Wolowski, T. J. Woodn, Z. Yan, Q. Zhang, N. J. Vereecken
Summary: An essential prerequisite to safeguard pollinator species is characterisation of the multifaceted diversity of crop pollinators and identification of the drivers of pollinator community changes across biogeographical gradients. In this study, the researchers investigated diversity drivers for bee species in commercial apple orchards across different countries and biomes. The study revealed dissimilarity among biogeographical zones but also shared traits due to habitat filtering caused by intensive crop production. The presence of herbaceous, uncultivated open areas and organic management practices were associated with increased wild bee diversity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)