scholarly journals Both functional trait divergence and trait plasticity confer polyploid advantage in changing environments

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Wei ◽  
Richard Cronn ◽  
Aaron Liston ◽  
Tia-Lynn Ashman
Keyword(s):  
Functional Trait ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Trait Divergence ◽  
Changing Environments ◽  
Fitness Advantage ◽  
Common Gardens ◽  
Trait Plasticity ◽  
Extensive Test ◽  
Wild Strawberry ◽  
Evolutionary Success

ABSTRACTPolyploidy, or whole genome duplication, exists in all eukaryotes and is thought to drive ecological and evolutionary success especially in plants. The mechanisms of polyploid success in ecologically relevant contexts, however, remain largely unknown. Here we conducted an extensive test of functional trait divergence and trait plasticity in conferring polyploid fitness advantage in changing environments by growing clonal replicates of a worldwide genotype collection of six polyploid and five diploid wild strawberry (Fragaria) species in three climatically different common gardens. Among leaf functional traits, we detected divergence in means but not plasticities between polyploids and diploids, suggesting that increased genomic redundancy does not necessarily translate into broader phenotypic amplitude in polyploids. Across the heterogeneous garden environments, however, polyploids exhibited fitness advantage, which was conferred by both trait means and adaptive trait plasticities, supporting a ‘jack-and-master’ hypothesis for polyploids. Our findings provide unparalleled insight into the prevalence and persistence of polyploidization.

scholarly journals Functional trait divergence and trait plasticity confer polyploid advantage in heterogeneous environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 221 (4) ◽  
pp. 2286-2297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Wei ◽  
Richard Cronn ◽  
Aaron Liston ◽  
Tia‐Lynn Ashman
Keyword(s):  
Functional Trait ◽  
Heterogeneous Environments ◽  
Trait Divergence ◽  
Trait Plasticity

scholarly journals Probabilistic adaptation in changing microbial environments

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yarden Katz ◽  
Michael Springer
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Particle Filtering ◽  
Microbial Growth ◽  
Internal State ◽  
Probabilistic Inference ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Changing Environments ◽  
Fitness Advantage ◽  
Heuristic Strategies ◽  
Cellular Circuits

Microbes growing in animal host environments face fluctuations that have elements of both randomness and predictability. In the mammalian gut, fluctuations in nutrient levels and other physiological parameters are structured by the host’s behavior, diet, health and microbiota composition. Microbial cells that can anticipate environmental fluctuations by exploiting this structure would likely gain a fitness advantage (by adapting their internal state in advance). We propose that the problem of adaptive growth in structured changing environments, such as the gut, can be viewed as probabilistic inference. We analyze environments that are “meta-changing”: where there are changes in the way the environment fluctuates, governed by a mechanism unobservable to cells. We develop a dynamic Bayesian model of these environments and show that a real-time inference algorithm (particle filtering) for this model can be used as a microbial growth strategy implementable in molecular circuits. The growth strategy suggested by our model outperforms heuristic strategies, and points to a class of algorithms that could support real-time probabilistic inference in natural or synthetic cellular circuits.

scholarly journals Functional Trait Plasticity but Not Coordination Differs in Absorptive and Transport Fine Roots in Response to Soil Depth

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Yan Wang ◽  
Zhongyue Li ◽  
Zhengquan Wang ◽  
Jiacun Gu
Keyword(s):  
Fine Roots ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Specific Root Length ◽  
Root Traits ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Resource Exploitation ◽  
Soil Layers ◽  
Root Branching ◽  
Trait Plasticity

Absorptive and transport fine roots (diameter ≤ 2 mm) differ greatly in anatomy, morphology, and physiology, as well as their responses to environmental changes. However, it is still not well understood how their functional traits and biomass repartition respond to resource variability associated with increasing soil depth. Herein, we sampled the first five order roots of three hardwoods, i.e., Juglans mandshurica Maxim., Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr., and Phellodendron amurense Rupr. at surface (0–10 cm) and subsurface (20–30 cm) soil layers, respectively, and measured root biomass, anatomy, morphology, chemistry, and physiology at the branch-order level. Based on the anatomical characteristics, absorptive and transport fine roots were identified within each order, and their amounts and functional trait plasticity to soil depth were examined. The results showed that across soil layers, the first three order roots were mainly absorptive roots, while the fourth- and fifth-order roots were transport ones. From surface to subsurface soil layers, both the number and biomass proportion of absorptive fine roots decreased but those of transport fine roots increased. Transport fine root traits were more plastic to soil depth than absorptive ones, especially for the conduit-related traits. Absorptive fine roots in surface soil generally had stronger potential for resource acquisition than those in deeper soil, as indicated by their longer specific root length and greater root branching density. In comparison, transport fine roots in deeper soil were generally enhanced in their transportation function, with wider stele and higher hydraulic conductivity. Our findings suggest that functional specialization via multi-trait plasticity and coordination in both absorptive and transport fine roots along the soil depth would benefit the efficient soil resource exploitation of trees in forest ecosystems.

Within-species leaf trait variation and ecological flexibility in resprouting tropical trees

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 527-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl F. Salk
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Leaf Mass Per Area ◽  
Trait Variation ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Leaf Trait ◽  
Neotropical Tree ◽  
Ecological Flexibility

Plants have an inherent flexibility to respond to different environmental conditions. One axis of plant ecophysiological strategy is seen in the spectrum of leaf functional traits. Flexibility in these traits would be suggestive of plants’ phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental changes. This research seeks to identify differences between leaves of sprout and non-sprout shoots of a broad ecological range of neotropical tree species. Using a functional-trait approach, this study assesses a large pool of species for within-species physiological flexibility. Leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf area were measured for plants of sprout and non-sprout origin for 26 tree species grown in a reforestation plantation in Panama. Sprouts had a consistently lower LMA than non-sprouts, but there was no consistent pattern for leaf area. These trends show that sprouts are more like pioneer species than conspecific saplings, a finding in general agreement with fast sprout growth seen in previous studies. Further, later-successional (high LMA) species showed a greater reduction of LMA in sprouts. These results show that tropical tree species adjust physiologically to changing ecological roles and suggest that certain species may be more resilient than realized to changing climate and disturbance patterns.

scholarly journals Functional trait differences and trait plasticity mediate biotic resistance to potential plant invaders

2018 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 1607-1620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Conti ◽  
Svenja Block ◽  
Madalin Parepa ◽  
Tamara Münkemüller ◽  
Wilfried Thuiller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Plant Invaders ◽  
Trait Plasticity

scholarly journals Linking plant functional trait plasticity and the large increase in forest water use efficiency

2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (9) ◽  
pp. 2393-2408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodoros Mastrotheodoros ◽  
Christoforos Pappas ◽  
Peter Molnar ◽  
Paolo Burlando ◽  
Trevor F. Keenan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Plant Functional Trait ◽  
Trait Plasticity ◽  
Use Efficiency
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