Grassland restoration reveals the importance of ecotypic variation on community assembly along a longitudinal aridity gradient

Two dominant species, Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans, have a wide distribution across the Great Plains (USA) and are widely used in restorations. We ask: Do dominant species' ecotypes influence community diversity and structure evenly across a longitudinal aridity gradient? We established reciprocal common gardens at four sites across the gradient. Ecotypes of the two dominant species were seeded along with a prairie seed mix according to a randomized complete block design. Species composition was measured after 3 and 10 years. We used linear mixed models to analyze the effect of the ecotype and year on community diversity. NMDS and PERMANOVA were applied to examine the contribution of ecotype to community structure. Results showed that ecotype significantly affected species richness and shaped taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. Accordingly, restorations should consider ecotypic variation as a critical biological filter to community assembly in grassland ecosystems.

Metabolic Profiling and Untargeted 1H-NMR-Based Metabolomics Study of Different Iranian Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Ecotypes

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is an ancient fruit that is widely consumed as fresh fruit and juice. The aim of the present study was to compare the metabolic profile of pomegranate ecotypes from different geographical origins of Iran, the largest producer of pomegranates in the world. 1H-NMR and 2D NMR spectroscopy were applied to investigate the ecotypic variation. Multivariate data analyses were used to identify overall metabolic differences. Mazandaran pomegranate samples were found to be different from the other ecotypes, having a high content of citric and succinic acids. Bajestan, Ferdows, and Yazd pomegranates contained comparatively higher amounts of anthocyanins and ellagic acid derivatives than other pomegranate ecotypes. The distribution of metabolites among different ecotypes of pomegranate is discussed on the basis of these findings.

Ontogenetic and ecotypic variation in the coloration and morphology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a stream–lake system

Alternative ecotypes of diverse animal taxa exhibit distinct, habitat-specific phenotypes. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a salmonid fish, exhibits stream-resident (fluvial), lake-migrant (adfluvial) and ocean-migrant (anadromous) ecotypes throughout its range. We investigated the coloration, and morphology associated with swimming performance of wild, native non-anadromous rainbow trout in connected stream and lake habitats of a south-west Alaskan watershed to assess if they exhibited phenotypic diversity consistent with the presence of alternative fluvial and adfluvial ecotypes. Colour differences among rainbow trout of different size classes and habitats (stream or lake) indicated ecotype-specific pathways, diverging at the same point in ontogeny and resulting in different terminal coloration patterns. Specifically, lake-caught fish exhibited distinct silvering of the body, whereas stream-caught fish displayed banded coloration when small and bronze colour when larger. The morphology of lake-caught rainbow trout also differed from that of stream-caught fish in features associated with swimming performance, and they exhibited both shared and unique morphological patterns compared to sympatric Salvelinus species in those habitats [Dolly Varden (S. malma) in streams, and Arctic char (S. alpinus) in the lake]. Greater morphological variation within stream- than lake-caught rainbow trout, and their limited overlap in morphology, suggested population-specific partial migration. This study highlights the intraspecific diversity of migratory behaviour and how conservation of particular phenotypes depends on managing both for genotypes and for habitats.

Ecotypic variation affects the conservation of North American badgers endangered along their northern range extent

This chapter is based on ecological information on 82 radio-tagged badgers (39 F, 43 M) among three study populations in British Columbia, Canada between 1996 and 2010, data that were collected to learn more about the ecology of badgers and consider how variation in their ecology might inform regional conservation strategies. The widely spaced, lower density prey and distribution of soil deposits suitable for digging in British Columbia likely required badgers to use substantially larger areas, relative to the core range, in which to acquire sufficient energy to survive and reproduce. Strikes from automobiles were the primary cause of death among all radio-tagged badgers and this source of mortality is pervasive throughout the limited distribution of badgers in British Columbia. Despite their potential for high fecundity, populations of badgers in British Columbia likely remain at considerable risk compared to those in the core of the species’ range.