Rapid plant evolution driven by the interaction of pollination and herbivory

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 364 (6436) ◽  
pp. 193-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio E. Ramos ◽  
Florian P. Schiestl
Keyword(s):  
Brassica Rapa ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Spatial Separation ◽  
Plant Evolution ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Self Compatibility ◽  
Key Drivers

Pollination and herbivory are both key drivers of plant diversity but are traditionally studied in isolation from each other. We investigated real-time evolutionary changes in plant traits over six generations by using fast-cycling Brassica rapa plants and manipulating the presence and absence of bumble bee pollinators and leaf herbivores. We found that plants under selection by bee pollinators evolved increased floral attractiveness, but this process was compromised by the presence of herbivores. Plants under selection from both bee pollinators and herbivores evolved higher degrees of self-compatibility and autonomous selfing, as well as reduced spatial separation of sexual organs (herkogamy). Overall, the evolution of most traits was affected by the interaction of bee pollination and herbivory, emphasizing the importance of the cross-talk between both types of interactions for plant evolution.

Diversity, density, efficiency, and effectiveness of pollinators of cicer milkvetch, Astragalus cicer L.

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (9) ◽  
pp. 2168-2176 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. W. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Propagation Rate ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Astragalus Cicer

Diversity, density, efficiency, and effectiveness of pollinators of cicer milkvetch, Astragalus cicer L., grown at two locations in southern Alberta were studied from 1978 to 1983. Twenty-seven species of bees were identified as pollinators. At Lethbridge, honey bees (Apis mellifera) comprised 74% of the observations, bumble bees 16%, and leafcutter bees 10%, while at Spring Coulee, the proportions were honey bees 14%, bumble bees 69%, and leafcutter bees 17%. The rate of foraging by pollinator species from flower to flower varied; bumble bee species, especially Bombus nevadensis Cress., foraged consistently more efficiently than honey bees or alfalfa leafcutter bees, Megachile rotundata (F.). A theoretical approach used to predict the bee populations required to pollinate varying flower densities shows that the population of B. nevadensis required is about half those of Bombus huntii Greene and M. rotundata and less than one-quarter that of the honey bee. Pollination by B. nevadensis consistently resulted in more seeds per pod than with any other bumble bee species, the honey bee, or M. rotundata. Of the nine species of bumble bee that established colonies in artificial domiciles near the field, B. nevadensis established the most colonies each year. The number of workers and sexuals produced per colony varied considerably among bumble bee species with only 55% of the colony establishments producing workers and 31% producing sexuals. The propagation rate and quality of alfalfa leafcutter bees produced on cicer milkvetch was excellent.

scholarly journals An experimentally introduced population of Brassica rapa (Brassicaceae). 2. Rapid evolution of phenotypic traits

2018 ◽  
Vol 151 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Sekor ◽  
Steven J. Franks
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Brassica Rapa ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Phenotypic Selection ◽  
Plant Size ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Multiple Traits ◽  
Introduced Populations ◽  
Evolutionary Changes

Background and aims – Introduced populations can potentially experience strong selection and rapid evolution. While some retrospective studies have shown rapid evolution in introduced populations in the past, few have directly tested for and characterized evolution as it occurs. Here we use an experimental introduction to directly observe and quantify evolution of multiple traits in a plant population introduced to a novel environment. Methods – We experimentally introduced seeds of the annual plant Brassica rapa L. (Brassicaceae) from a location in southern California into multiple replicated plots in New York. We allowed the populations to naturally evolve for 3 years. Following the resurrection approach, we compared ancestors and descendants planted in common garden conditions in New York in multiple phenotypic traits. Key results – Within only three generations, there was significant evolution of several morphological, phenological, and fitness traits, as well as substantial variation among traits. Despite selection for larger size during the three years following introduction, there was evolution of smaller size, earlier flowering time, and shorter duration of flowering. Although there were rapid evolutionary changes in traits, descendants did not have greater fitness than ancestors in New York, indicating a lack of evidence for adaptive evolution, at least over the timeframe of the study. Conclusions – This study found rapid evolution of several morphological and phenological traits, including smaller plant size and shorter time to flowering, following introduction, confirming that evolution can rapidly occur during the early stages of colonization. Many traits evolved in the opposite direction predicted from phenotypic selection analysis, which suggests that the resurrection approach can reveal unanticipated evolutionary changes and can be very useful for studying contemporary evolution.

scholarly journals Restoration ecologists might not get what they want: Global change shifts trade-offs among ecosystem functions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Fiedler ◽  
José A.F. Monteiro ◽  
Kristin B. Hulvey ◽  
Rachel J. Standish ◽  
Michael P. Perring ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
List Type ◽  
Trade Offs

ABSTRACTEcological restoration increasingly aims at improving ecosystem multifunctionality and making landscapes resilient to future threats, especially in biodiversity hotspots such as Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Successful realisation of such a strategy requires a fundamental mechanistic understanding of the link between ecosystem plant composition, plant traits and related ecosystem functions and services, as well as how climate change affects these relationships. An integrated approach of empirical research and simulation modelling with focus on plant traits can allow this understanding.Based on empirical data from a large-scale restoration project in a Mediterranean-type climate in Western Australia, we developed and validated the spatially explicit simulation model ModEST, which calculates coupled dynamics of nutrients, water and individual plants characterised by traits. We then simulated all possible combinations of eight plant species with different levels of diversity to assess the role of plant diversity and traits on multifunctionality, the provision of six ecosystem functions (covering three ecosystem services), as well as trade-offs and synergies among the functions under current and future climatic conditions.Our results show that multifunctionality cannot fully be achieved because of trade-offs among functions that are attributable to sets of traits that affect functions differently. Our measure of multifunctionality was increased by higher levels of planted species richness under current, but not future climatic conditions. In contrast, single functions were differently impacted by increased plant diversity. In addition, we found that trade-offs and synergies among functions shifted with climate change.Synthesis and application. Our results imply that restoration ecologists will face a clear challenge to achieve their targets with respect to multifunctionality not only under current conditions, but also in the long-term. However, once ModEST is parameterized and validated for a specific restoration site, managers can assess which target goals can be achieved given the set of available plant species and site-specific conditions. It can also highlight which species combinations can best achieve long-term improved multifunctionality due to their trait diversity.

scholarly journals Plant extinction excels plant speciation in the Anthropocene

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Guo Gao ◽  
Hui Liu ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
Jing Yang ◽  
Xiao-Ling Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Plant Evolution ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
The Past ◽  
Plant Extinction ◽  
Warming World

Abstract Background In the past several millenniums, we have domesticated several crop species that are crucial for human civilization, which is a symbol of significant human influence on plant evolution. A pressing question to address is if plant diversity will increase or decrease in this warming world since contradictory pieces of evidence exit of accelerating plant speciation and plant extinction in the Anthropocene. Results Comparison may be made of the Anthropocene with the past geological times characterised by a warming climate, e.g., the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) 55.8 million years ago (Mya)—a period of “crocodiles in the Arctic”, during which plants saw accelerated speciation through autopolyploid speciation. Three accelerators of plant speciation were reasonably identified in the Anthropocene, including cities, polar regions and botanical gardens where new plant species might be accelerating formed through autopolyploid speciation and hybridization. Conclusions However, this kind of positive effect of climate warming on new plant species formation would be thoroughly offset by direct and indirect intensive human exploitation and human disturbances that cause habitat loss, deforestation, land use change, climate change, and pollution, thus leading to higher extinction risk than speciation in the Anthropocene. At last, four research directions are proposed to deepen our understanding of how plant traits affect speciation and extinction, why we need to make good use of polar regions to study the mechanisms of dispersion and invasion, how to maximize the conservation of plant genetics, species, and diverse landscapes and ecosystems and a holistic perspective on plant speciation and extinction is needed to integrate spatiotemporally.

scholarly journals Habitat assessment ability of bumble-bees implies frequency-dependent selection on floral rewards and display size

2007 ◽  
Vol 274 (1625) ◽  
pp. 2595-2601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay M Biernaskie ◽  
Robert J Gegear
Keyword(s):  
Plant Traits ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Controlled Environment ◽  
Habitat Assessment ◽  
Flower Number ◽  
Mass Flowering ◽  
Frequency Dependent ◽  
Reward Value

Foraging pollinators could visit hundreds of flowers in succession on mass-flowering plants, yet they often visit only a small number—potentially saving the plant from much self-pollination among its own flowers (geitonogamy). This study tests the hypothesis that bumble-bee ( Bombus impatiens ) residence on a particular plant depends on an assessment of that plant's reward value relative to the overall quality experienced in the habitat. In a controlled environment, naive bees were given experience in a particular habitat (all plants having equal nectar quality or number of rewarding flowers), and we tested whether they learn about and adaptively exploit a new habitat type. Bees' residence on a plant (number of flowers probed per visit) was eventually invariant to a doubling of absolute nectar quality and increased only slightly with a doubling of absolute flower number in the habitat. These results help to explain why pollinators are quick to leave highly rewarding plants and suggest that the fitness of rewarding plant traits will often be frequency dependent. One implication is that geitonogamy may be a less significant constraint on the evolution of rewarding traits than generally supposed.

Functional mismatch in a bumble bee pollination mutualism under climate change

Science ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 349 (6255) ◽  
pp. 1541-1544 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. E. Miller-Struttmann ◽  
J. C. Geib ◽  
J. D. Franklin ◽  
P. G. Kevan ◽  
R. M. Holdo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Pollination Mutualism

scholarly journals Floral signals evolve in a predictable way under artificial and pollinator selection in Brassica rapa using a G-matrix

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengjuan Zu ◽  
Florian P. Schiestl ◽  
Daniel Gervasi ◽  
Xin Li ◽  
Daniel Runcie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brassica Rapa ◽  
Resource Limitation ◽  
Floral Traits ◽  
Selection Experiment ◽  
Response To Selection ◽  
Multiple Traits ◽  
Floral Trait ◽  
Genetic Covariance ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectories

AbstractBackgroundAngiosperms employ an astonishing variety of visual and olfactory floral signals that are generally thought to evolve under natural selection. Those morphological and chemical traits can form highly correlated sets of traits. It is not always clear which of these are used by pollinators as primary targets of selection and which would be indirectly selected by being linked to those primary targets. Quantitative genetics tools for predicting multiple traits response to selection have been developed since long and have advanced our understanding of evolution of genetically correlated traits in various biological systems. We use these tools to predict the evolutionary trajectories of floral traits and understand the selection pressures acting on them.ResultsWe used data from an artificial and a pollinator (bumblebee, hoverfly) selection experiment with fast cycling Brassica rapa plants to predict evolutionary changes of 12 floral volatiles and 4 morphological floral traits in response to selection. Using the observed selection gradients and the genetic variance-covariance matrix (G-matrix) of the traits, we showed that the responses of most floral traits including volatiles were predicted in the right direction in artificial- and bumblebee-selection experiment, revealing direct and indirect targets of bumblebee selection. Genetic covariance had a mix of constraining and facilitating effects on evolutionary responses. We further revealed how G-matrices evolved in the selection processes.ConclusionsOverall, our integrative study shows that floral signals, and especially volatiles, evolve under selection in a mostly predictable way, at least during short term evolution. Evolutionary constraints stemming from genetic covariance affected traits evolutionary trajectories and thus it is important to include genetic covariance for predicting the evolutionary changes of a comprehensive suite of traits. Other processes such as resource limitation and selfing also needs to be considered for a better understanding of floral trait evolution.

scholarly journals Diversity-induced plant history and soil history effects modulate plant responses to global change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Dietrich ◽  
Jens Schumacher ◽  
Nico Eisenhauer ◽  
Christiane Roscher
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Nitrogen Addition ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Growth Strategies ◽  
History Effects ◽  
History Of ◽  
High Diversity

AbstractGlobal change has dramatic impacts on grassland diversity. However, little is known about how fast species can adapt to these changes and how this affects their responses to global change. To close this gap, we performed a common garden experiment testing whether plant responses to global change are influenced by the selection history of the plants and the conditioning history of soil at different levels of plant diversity. Therefore, we collected seeds and took soil samples from 14-year old plant communities of a biodiversity experiment. Offspring of plants from low- and high-diversity communities were either grown in their own soil or in soil of a different community, and were either exposed to drought, increased nitrogen input, or a combination of both. Results show that, under nitrogen addition, offspring of plants selected at high diversity produced more biomass than those selected at low diversity, while drought neutralized differences in biomass production. Moreover, under the influence of global change drivers, mainly soil, and to a lesser extent plant history, influenced the expression of plant traits. Our results show that plant diversity modulates plant-soil interactions and growth strategies of plants, which feedback on the eco-evolutionary pathways of the plants and thus their responses to global change.

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