From theory to experiments for testing the proximate mechanisms of mast seeding: an agenda for an experimental ecology

Climate change is reshaping global vegetation through its impacts on plant mortality, but recruitment creates the next generation of plants and will determine the structure and composition of future communities. Recruitment depends on mean seed production, but also on the interannual variability and among-plant synchrony in seed production, the phenomenon known as mast seeding. Thus, predicting the long-term response of global vegetation dynamics to climate change requires understanding the response of masting to changing climate. Recently, data and methods have become available allowing the first assessments of long-term changes in masting. Reviewing the literature, we evaluate evidence for a fingerprint of climate change on mast seeding and discuss the drivers and impacts of these changes. We divide our discussion into the main characteristics of mast seeding: interannual variation, synchrony, temporal autocorrelation and mast frequency. Data indicate that masting patterns are changing but the direction of that change varies, likely reflecting the diversity of proximate factors underlying masting across taxa. Experiments to understand the proximate mechanisms underlying masting, in combination with the analysis of long-term datasets, will enable us to understand this observed variability in the response of masting. This will allow us to predict future shifts in masting patterns, and consequently ecosystem impacts of climate change via its impacts on masting. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants’.

The ecology and evolution of synchronized reproduction in long-lived plants

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2020.0369 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 376 (1839) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mario B. Pesendorfer ◽

Davide Ascoli ◽

Michał Bogdziewicz ◽

Andrew Hacket-Pain ◽

Ian S. Pearse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Production ◽

Predictive Modelling ◽

Ecosystem Dynamics ◽

Mast Seeding ◽

Plant Reproductive Success ◽

Proximate Mechanisms ◽

Human Interactions ◽

Molecular Approaches ◽

Ontogenetic Trajectory ◽

Seed Crops

Populations of many long-lived plants exhibit spatially synchronized seed production that varies extensively over time, so that seed production in some years is much higher than on average, while in others, it is much lower or absent. This phenomenon termed masting or mast seeding has important consequences for plant reproductive success, ecosystem dynamics and plant–human interactions. Inspired by recent advances in the field, this special issue presents a series of articles that advance the current understanding of the ecology and evolution of masting. To provide a broad overview, we reflect on the state-of-the-art of masting research in terms of underlying proximate mechanisms, ontogeny, adaptations, phylogeny and applications to conservation. While the mechanistic drivers and fitness consequences of masting have received most attention, the evolutionary history, ontogenetic trajectory and applications to plant–human interactions are poorly understood. With increased availability of long-term datasets across broader geographical and taxonomic scales, as well as advances in molecular approaches, we expect that many mysteries of masting will be solved soon. The increased understanding of this global phenomenon will provide the foundation for predictive modelling of seed crops, which will improve our ability to manage forests and agricultural fruit and nut crops in the Anthropocene. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants’.

Climate change and plant reproduction: trends and drivers of mast seeding change

10.32942/osf.io/y8jts ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Hacket-Pain ◽

Michał Bogdziewicz

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Seed Production ◽

Mast Seeding ◽

Ecosystem Impacts ◽

Proximate Mechanisms ◽

Proximate Factors ◽

Global Vegetation ◽

Term Response ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

Climate change is reshaping global vegetation through its impacts on plant mortality, but recruitment creates the next generation of plants and will determine the structure and composition of future communities. Recruitment depends on mean seed production, but also on the interannual variability and among-plant synchrony in seed production, the phenomenon known as mast seeding. Thus, predicting the long-term response of global vegetation dynamics to climate change requires understanding the response of masting to changing climate. Recently, data and methods have become available allowing the first assessments of long-term changes in masting. Reviewing the literature, we evaluate evidence for a fingerprint of climate change on mast seeding and discuss the drivers and impacts of these changes. We divide our discussion into the main characteristics of mast seeding: interannual variation, synchrony, temporal autocorrelation, and mast frequency. Data indicate that masting patterns, are changing, but the direction of that change varies, likely reflecting the diversity of proximate factors underlying masting across taxa. Experiments to understand the proximate mechanisms underlying masting, in combination with the analysis of long-term datasets, will enable us to understand this observed variability in the response of masting. This will allow us to predict future shifts in masting patterns, and consequently ecosystem impacts of climate change via its impacts on masting.

A brief history of masting research

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2020.0423 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 376 (1839) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Walter D. Koenig

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Seed Production ◽

Mast Seeding ◽

Forest Trees ◽

Current Interest ◽

Community Effects ◽

Theme Issue ◽

Proximate Mechanisms ◽

The World ◽

History Of

Although it has long been recognized that seed production by many forest trees varies greatly from year to year, masting (along with ‘mast fruiting’, ‘mast seeding’ and ‘masting behaviour’) as a concept referring to such variability is a relatively recent development. Here, I provide a brief history of masting research, highlighting some of the early contributions by foresters, zoologists and others that paved the way for the burgeoning number of studies currently being conducted by researchers around the world. Of particular current interest is work attempting to understand the proximate mechanisms, evolutionary drivers and community effects of this important ecological phenomenon as well as the ways that climate change may influence masting behaviour in the future. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants'.

Integrating Mechanisms and Functions to Understand Behavior

The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology and Behavioral Endocrinology ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190649739.013.1 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. xiv-9

Author(s):

Lisa L. M. Welling ◽

Todd K. Shackelford

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary Psychology ◽

Human Behavior ◽

Reproductive Behavior ◽

Affective Behavior ◽

Behavioral Endocrinology ◽

Human Psychology ◽

Proximate Mechanisms ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Influence Behavior ◽

Evolutionary Perspectives

Evolutionary psychology and behavioral endocrinology provide complementary perspectives on interpreting human behavior and psychology. Hormones can function as underlying mechanisms that influence behavior in functional ways. Understanding these proximate mechanisms can inform ultimate explanations of human psychology. This chapter introduces this edited volume by first discussing evolutionary perspectives in behavioral endocrinology. It then briefly addresses three broad topic areas of behavioral endocrinology: (1) development and survival, (2) reproductive behavior, and (3) social and affective behavior. It provides examples of research within each of these areas and describes potential adaptations. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the importance of integrating mechanisms with function when investigating human behavior and psychology.