Article
Ecology
Giacomo Puglielli, Carlos P. Carmona, Laura Varone, Lauri Laanisto, Carlo Ricotta
Summary: In trait-based ecology, it is common to use measures to quantify phenotypic variation between populations. However, these measures overlook the within-population trait variability and some of them cannot be partitioned between populations. This study proposes a new measure called the phenotypic dissimilarity (PhD) index to address these issues and provide a tool for quantifying phenotypic variation within and between species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Seton Bachle, Jesse B. Nippert
Summary: This study found that there is significant variation in leaf microanatomical traits of Andropogon gerardii, which may impact leaf-level carbon and water use strategies. The values of these traits vary across climate gradients, potentially contributing to variation in traits measured at larger ecological scales.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Davide De Battisti, Matty P. Berg, Bettina Walter, Mike S. Fowler, John N. Griffin
Summary: Understanding how plants coordinate their traits along environmental gradients to optimize resource acquisition or conservation is crucial for ecosystem functioning. This study focused on intraspecific trait variability in a salt marsh plant and found that even within a species, plants exhibited different responses to abiotic stress, which influenced litter decomposition and the abundance of key macro-detritivores. The study suggests that specific stress-resistance traits within plant species can disrupt the relationship between the plant economic spectrum and ecosystem functions, highlighting the importance of intraspecific trait variability in driving ecosystem processes.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Anastasia B. Kurina, Dmitry L. Kornyukhin, Alla E. Solovyeva, Anna M. Artemyeva
Summary: Small radish and radish are economically important root crops that are essential for a healthy diet, with a wide genetic diversity. Research on these crops has shown that they exhibit adaptive stable and highly variable characteristics, which are important for establishing trait collections and preserving genetic diversity.
Article
Forestry
Yuan Yang, Meng Hu, Mingyang Fan, Lu Wang, Ting Lv, Huanchao Zhang, Kewang Xu, Yifan Duan, Yanming Fang
Summary: The needle traits of Pinus massoniana are mainly shaped by latitude, while the needle traits of Pinus hwangshanensis are significantly affected by annual precipitation. The intraspecific variability is stronger for leaf economic traits compared to leaf size traits.
Article
Forestry
Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Xose Lopez-Goldar, Ricardo Alia, Gloria Bustingorri, Francisco Jose Lario, Margarita Lema, Raul de la Mata, Luis Sampedro, Roberto Touza, Rafael Zas
Summary: The genetic variation in resin yield and tree growth of maritime pine was studied across different regions and populations, with high narrow-sense heritability estimates observed for resin yield. Growth was significantly variable among provenance regions and populations within regions, while resin yield variation was found only among provenance regions. There was no evidence of genetic correlations between growth and resin yield, but a significant correlation was found at the phenotype level, with the association changing between trials.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Han Wang, Runxi Wang, Sandy P. Harrison, Iain Colin Prentice
Summary: Leaf morphological traits vary systematically along climatic gradients, and their variations are influenced by climate conditions and phylogenetic factors. In wet climates, leaves are generally large, mid- to dark green, and have drip tips, while in dry climates, leaves tend to be small and glaucous. Seasonal climates are associated with thinner leaves with serrated edges, while less seasonal climates have thicker and entire leaves. In colder climates, leaves are thicker, involute, and hairy, while in warmer climates, leaves have distinct surface structures. Distinctive leaf clusters are linked to the driest and most seasonal climates, while multiple leaf clusters co-occur in wetter climates.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Hall, Jenny Olsson, Wei Zhao, Johan Kroon, Ulfstand Wennstrom, Xiao-Ru Wang
Summary: This study revealed significant adaptation in frost hardiness among Scots pine populations through freezing tests and genotyping. Despite weak genetic differentiation among populations, the associations between climate variables and genotypes in this trait indicate a certain level of genetic basis.
PLANT COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Zorica Popovic, Vera Vidakovic, Jovana Jankovic
Summary: This study measured morpho-ecophysiological traits and flammability of different populations of Picea omorika. The results showed significant differences among populations in leaf traits and time-to-ignition. Principal component analysis revealed distinct clusters of populations based on leaf area-related traits and time-to-ignition. The high intraspecific variability in P. omorika populations has important implications for understanding species flammability and fire behavior.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zoltan Botta-Dukat
Summary: The study found that considering intraspecific trait variation can better predict the strength of competition. However, traits and competitive interactions may have a complex relationship, as traits in focal individuals may be both drivers and consequences of competition, making interpretation more challenging.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Magda Garbowski, Danielle B. Johnston, Cynthia S. Brown
Summary: Ontogeny has a significant impact on growth rates and root elongation rates, while relationships among traits remain consistent across different developmental stages. Leaf dry matter content, root tissue density, and root diameter show little variation throughout seedling development, making them potential candidates for future trait-based studies.
Article
Ecology
George R. Wheeler, Chad E. Brassil, Johannes M. H. Knops
Summary: The study found that functional traits of grassland plants may vary significantly between years, primarily influenced by rainfall. Additionally, nitrogen addition treatment and sampling year can also interactively affect plant functional traits, especially in high rainfall years.
Article
Ecology
Teresa Rosas, Maurizio Mencuccini, Carles Batlles, Ingrid Regalado, Sandra Saura-Mas, Frank Sterck, Jordi Martinez-Vilalta
Summary: The study found that trait-growth relationships in trees under Mediterranean climate are generally weak, with tree growth performance mainly correlated with leaf and hydraulic traits. Climate effects on growth are indirectly mediated by traits, stand structure, and tree basal area. This suggests that maintaining functionality over extended periods of time may be more important than maximum gas exchange or hydraulic capacity for achieving high radial growth under Mediterranean climates.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sylvain Schmitt, Marion Boisseaux
Summary: This study explores the intraspecific variability of leaf water-related traits and finds that the variability within species is higher than previously recognized. Carbon-related traits exhibit higher variability than water-related traits, though the latter is still significant. Additionally, part of the intraspecific variability is attributed to variation among leaves within individuals and measurement variations within leaves.
Article
Plant Sciences
Adam R. Martin, Marney E. Isaac
Summary: The study found that a plant-size leaf economics spectrum exists within a single coffee genotype, showing covariation of leaf traits with plant size, and this covariation is nearly identical to environmentally driven trait plasticity.
Article
Plant Sciences
Julia Zaborowska, Annika Perry, Stephen Cavers, Witold M. Wachowiak
Summary: This study analyzed gene expression patterns in three closely related but phenotypically and ecologically divergent pine species and found that their gene expression profiles were very similar, with only a few genes significantly diverged between species. These diverged genes are mainly involved in wood trait properties, oxidative stress response, and response to abiotic factors such as salinity, drought, and temperature.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Witold Wachowiak, Weronika B. Zukowska, Annika Perry, Andrzej Lewandowski, Stephen Cavers, Bartosz Labiszak
Summary: We analyzed mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms to investigate the genetic structure and admixture patterns of Scots pine in Europe and Asia. The study revealed weak population structure in Central and Eastern Europe, indicating postglacial expansion from multiple sources to middle and northern latitudes. The presence of different mitotype variants suggests distinct genetic lineages of the species in Europe, with contributions from various regions. Additionally, a refugium in the northern parts of the Black Sea basin played a role in the genetic variation observed in some populations in the Balkans, Ukraine, and western Russia.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jaime Madrigal-Gonzalez, Arantzazu L. Luzuriaga, Adrian Escudero, Pablo Ferrandis, Joaquin Calatayud
Summary: Recent research has shown that the relationship between species richness and abundance varies depending on climate conditions. In more productive climates, richness determines abundance, while in harsh conditions, abundance determines richness. This study examines how temporal climate fluctuations affect this relationship in ephemeral plant assemblages and finds that the dominance of either hypothesis depends on the variability of the climate. The results also indicate that rising temperatures can alter this relationship, thus impacting the diversity and ecosystem functions of annual plant communities.
Article
Ecology
Raquel Benavides, Belen Acuna-Miguez, Fernando Valladares
Summary: Forest expansion after rural abandonment brings new challenges and opportunities. This study analyzes the differences in phenotypic traits of juvenile trees across gradients of Juniperus thurifera woodland expansion and identifies the traits that shape their performance. The results show that young trees at the expanding edge have higher performance.
Article
Plant Sciences
Belen Acuna-Miguez, Jose Miguel Olano, Fernando Valladares, Miguel Garcia-Hidalgo, Andres Bravo-Oviedo
Summary: The interaction of land-use changes and climate change in the Mediterranean Region has an impact on forest resilience. This study assesses the biomass allometry and tree resilience to drought events in Juniperus thurifera trees in both coarse roots and stems in two different stages of a forest expansion gradient. The results show a trade-off between resistance and recovery in mature forests, while the transition zone exhibits higher values in both organs.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mario Blanco-Sanchez, Steven J. Franks, Marina Ramos-Munoz, Beatriz Pias, Jose Alberto Ramirez-Valiente, Adrian Escudero, Silvia Matesanz
Summary: Adaptive evolution and phenotypic plasticity are important mechanisms for species to cope with climate change. This study assessed two gypsum Mediterranean species and found that they exhibit different strategies and genetic variation in response to drought. These findings contribute to our understanding of the potential adaptive responses of edaphic specialists to climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paulina F. Puchi, Myroslava Khomik, Davide Frigo, M. Altaf Arain, Patrick Fonti, Georg von Arx, Daniele Castagneri
Summary: This study used a novel dendro-anatomical approach to investigate the relationships between climate variability, carbon uptake, and woody biomass growth in an eastern white pine plantation forest. The study found that warm temperatures in early spring and high precipitation in mid-spring and summer had a positive effect on gross primary productivity (GPP), while high temperature and high vapor pressure deficit in the summer had a negative effect. Furthermore, there were strong positive correlations between GPP and cell wall area (CWA) as well as ring wall area (RWA), indicating the close relationship between carbon assimilation and woody biomass accumulation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jian-Guo Huang, Yaling Zhang, Minhuang Wang, Xiaohan Yu, Annie Deslauriers, Patrick Fonti, Eryuan Liang, Harri Makinen, Walter Oberhuber, Cyrille B. K. Rathgeber, Roberto Tognetti, Vaclav Treml, Bao Yang, Lihong Zhai, Jiao-Lin Zhang, Serena Antonucci, Yves Bergeron, Jesus Julio Camarero, Filipe Campelo, Katarina Cufar, Henri E. Cuny, Martin De Luis, Marek Fajstavr, Alessio Giovannelli, Jozica Gricar, Andreas Gruber, Vladimir Gryc, Aylin Gueney, Tuula Jyske, Jakub Kaspar, Gregory King, Cornelia Krause, Audrey Lemay, Feng Liu, Fabio Lombardi, Edurne Martinez del Castillo, Hubert Morin, Cristina Nabais, Pekka Nojd, Richard L. Peters, Peter Prislan, Antonio Saracino, Vladimir V. Shishov, Irene Swidrak, Hanus Vavrcik, Joana Vieira, Qiao Zeng, Yu Liu, Sergio Rossi
Summary: Despite ongoing debates, evidence suggests the existence of a threshold temperature for forests' response to rising temperatures, separating conifers into cold and warm thermal niches. This study collected data on xylem cell-wall-thickening onset dates in 20 coniferous species across the Northern Hemisphere and identified a threshold temperature of 4.9 +/- 1.1 degrees C, above which the response of xylem phenology to temperature decline significantly. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating this thermal threshold into Earth-System-Models to better understand and predict spring phenology in response to global warming.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jerome Lopez-Saez, Christophe Corona, Georg von Arx, Patrick Fonti, Lenka Slamova, Markus Stoffel
Summary: Tree rings of Pinus cembra have been found to be a reliable proxy for reconstructing past temperature variability. In the European Alps, this species has been previously considered unsuitable for dendroclimatic reconstructions, but this study shows that it has the potential to be a valuable tool for high-resolution palaeoclimatology.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jaime Madrigal-Gonzalez, Joaquin Calatayud, Juan A. Ballesteros-Canovas, Adrian Escudero, Luis Cayuela, Laura Marques, Marta Rueda, Paloma Ruiz-Benito, Asier Herrero, Cristina Aponte, Rodrigo Sagardia, Andrew J. Plumptre, Sylvain Dupire, Carlos I. Espinosa, Olga V. Tutubalina, Moe Myint, Luciano Pataro, Jerome Lopez-Saez, Manuel J. Macia, Meinrad Abegg, Miguel A. Zavala, Adolfo Quesada-Roman, Mauricio Vega-Araya, Elena Golubeva, Yuliya Timokhina, Guillermo Banares de Dios, Inigo Granzow-de la Cerda, Markus Stoffel
Summary: Global tree abundance is influenced by latitudinal variables, tree size, and self-thinning strategies. Previous studies have overlooked the role of local competition in regulating climate and soil effects on tree density. By analyzing forest inventories from 23 well-conserved areas worldwide, we found that the productivity patterns of tree density are evident as large trees become dominant. To ensure accurate estimates and understand the implications, global assessments of tree abundance should consider the interaction between latitudinal sources of variability and local biotic influences.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ana L. Peralta, Adrian Escudero, Marcelino de la Cruz, Ana M. Sanchez, Arantzazu L. Luzuriaga
Summary: This study finds that key functional traits influence the spatial patterns of individual species in annual, gypsophilous plant communities, and these effects are influenced by soil surface structure and climate conditions. Seedling populations exhibit clustered spatial patterns that persist in the adult stage, indicating that short-distance dispersal is an adaptive trait for soil specialists. The functional strategies of species are connected to the spatial distribution of plants, with certain traits being associated with clustered or random patterns.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Fernando Pulido, Bastien Castagneyrol, Francisco Rodriguez-Sanchez, Yonatan Caceres, Adara Pardo, Eva Moracho, Johannes Kollmann, Fernando Valladares, Johan Ehrlen, Alistair S. Jump, Jens-Christian Svenning, Arndt Hampe
Summary: By conducting a meta-analysis on global populations of plants and animals, it was found that marginal populations perform significantly worse than central populations, especially those at low latitudes. This performance difference is likely to be influenced by global climate change, and changes in demographic rates of marginal populations can serve as early-warning signals for range shifts.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Roman Zweifel, Christoforos Pappas, Richard L. Peters, Flurin Babst, Daniel Balanzategui, David Basler, Ana Bastos, Mirela Beloiu, Nina Buchmann, Arun K. Bose, Sabine Braun, Alexander Damm, Petra D'Odorico, Jan U. H. Eitel, Sophia Etzold, Patrick Fonti, Elham Rouholahnejad Freund, Arthur Gessler, Matthias Haeni, Guenter Hoch, Ansgar Kahmen, Christian Korner, Jan Krejza, Frank Krumm, Michael Leuchner, Christoph Leuschner, Mirko Lukovic, Jordi Martinez-Vilalta, Radim Matula, Henning Meesenburg, Patrick Meir, Roman Plichta, Rafael Poyatos, Brigitte Rohner, Nadine Ruehr, Roberto L. Salomon, Tobias Scharnweber, Marcus Schaub, David N. Steger, Kathy Steppe, Christopher Still, Marko Stojanovic, Volodymyr Trotsiuk, Yann Vitasse, Georg von Arx, Martin Wilmking, Cedric Zahnd, Frank Sterck
Summary: Forests account for a significant amount of the world's biomass and biodiversity. To better understand forest dynamics, a global monitoring network is needed. This network should be capable of connecting existing monitoring sites and providing real-time data for assessments and predictions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Juliette Archambeau, Simone Bianchi, Joukje Buiteveld, Marta Callejas-Diaz, Stephen Cavers, Henrik Hallingback, Chedly Kastally, Marina de Miguel, Sven Mutke, Leopoldo Sanchez, Richard Whittet, Santiago C. Gonzalez-Martinez, Catherine Bastien
Summary: With the intensification of climate change, the fate of many world forests is becoming a major concern. The goal of the European Union (EU) member states to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 requires the planting of 3 billion additional trees by 2030. To meet this challenge, robust and efficient management and conservation strategies must be implemented, with intense knowledge and tool-sharing among experts, practitioners, and policymakers.
TREE GENETICS & GENOMES
(2023)