Genetic differences between populations and habitats in Lamium purpureum plastic response to conspecific density

Plants from Open and Shade habitats in two natural populations (Vrsac and Avala) were grown in two densities (High and Low). As expected, density had significant effect on most of measured traits and that effect was concordant with Shade avoidance syndrome predictions. Genetic differences between populations both in mean trait values and in plastic responses to density were also detected. Number of leaves and flowers showed plasticity in Avala population only, while shoot weight was plastic in both populations but with greater plasticity in Avala population. Differences between habitats for plant height and number of internodes were present in Vrsac population only. Habitat difference in response to density was revealed for seed weight and it was due to lack of response in plants originated from Shade habitat in Vrsac population. This study showed that not only populations, but also subpopulations occupying different habitats can differ genetically in their plastic response to density, and that between habitat differences can be population-specific.     

Which Extent is Plasticity to Light Involved in the Ecotypic Differentiation of a Tree Species from Savanna and Forest?

Light intensity and heterogeneity are some of the main environmental factors that differ between forest and savanna habitats, and plant species from these habitats form distinct functional types. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that not only differences in morphological and physiological traits but also phenotypic plasticity in response to light are involved in adaptation to forest and savanna habitats by investigating ecotypic differentiation between populations of Plathymenia reticulata (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae), a tree from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the Brazilian Cerrado (savanna). Seeds from four natural populations (one from each biome core area and two from ecotonal regions) were grown in a common garden with four light treatments. Fifteen morphological and physiological characteristics were evaluated until individuals reached 6 mo old. Comparisons among populations showed differences for seven traits in at least one light treatment. These differences pointed to local adaptation to different biomes. Populations showed different levels of phenotypic plasticity in response to light in seven traits. Higher plasticity was found either in the forest core population or ecotonal populations; lower values were found in the cerrado core population. Lower plasticity in the cerrado population emphasizes the stress resistant syndrome, as lower plasticity is probably advantageous in a habitat where a conservative resource use is crucial. Higher plasticity in forest individuals suggests higher ability in exploiting the light heterogeneity in this habitat. Also, higher plasticity in ecotonal populations can be important to ensure the maintenance of P. reticulata in these temporally and spatially dynamic areas. Abstract in Portugese is available at http://www.blackwell‐synergy.com/loi/btp .     

Evidence of adaptive divergence in plasticity: density- and site-dependent selection on shade-avoidance responses in Impatiens capensis

We investigated the conditions under which plastic responses to density are adaptive in natural populations of Impatiens capensis and determined whether plasticity has evolved differently in different selective environments. Previous studies showed that a population that evolved in a sunny site exhibited greater plasticity in response to density than did a population that evolved in a woodland site. Using replicate inbred lines in a reciprocal transplant that included a density manipulation, we asked whether such population differentiation was consistent with the hypothesis of adaptive divergence. We hypothesized that plasticity would be more strongly favored in the sunny site than in the woodland site; consequently, we predicted that selection would be more strongly density dependent in the sunny site, favoring the phenotype that was expressed at each density. Selection on internode length and flowering date was consistent with the hypothesis of adaptive divergence in plasticity. Few costs or benefits of plasticity were detected independently from the expressed phenotype, so plasticity was selected primarily through selection on the phenotype. Correlations between phenotypes and their plasticity varied with the environment and would cause indirect selection on plasticity to be environment dependent. We showed that an appropriate plastic response even to a rare environment can greatly increase genotypic fitness when that environment is favorable. Selection on the measured characters contributed to local adaptation and fully accounted for fitness differences between populations in all treatments except the woodland site at natural density.     

Adaptive divergence in plasticity in natural populations of Impatiens capensis and its consequences for performance in novel habitats

We tested for adaptive differentiation between two natural populations of Impatiens capensis from sites known to differ in selection on plasticity to density. We also determined the degree to which plasticity to density within a site was correlated with plastic responses of experimental immigrants to foreign sites. Inbred lines, derived from natural populations in an open-canopy site and a woodland site, were planted reciprocally in both original sites at naturally occurring high densities and at low density. The density manipulation represents environmental variation typically experienced within the site of a given population, and the transplant manipulation represents environmental differences between sites of different populations. Internode elongation, meristem allocation, leaf length, flowering date, and total lifetime fitness were measured. Genotypes originating in the open site, where selection favored plasticity of first internode length and flowering time (Donohue et al. 2000a), were more plastic in those characters than genotypes originating from the woodland site, where plasticity was maladaptive. Therefore, these two populations appear to have responded to divergent selection on plasticity. Plasticity to density strongly resembled plasticity to site differences for many characters, suggesting that similar environmental factors elicit plasticity both to density and to overhead canopy. Thus, plasticity that evolved in response to density variation within a site influenced phenotypic expression in the foreign site. Plastic responses to site caused immigrants from foreign populations to resemble native genotypes more closely. In particular, immigrants from the open site converged toward the selectively favored early-flowering phenotype of native genotypes in the woodland site, thereby reducing potential fitness differences between foreign and native genotypes. However, because genotypes from the woods population were less plastic than genotypes from the sun population, phenotypic differences between populations were greatest in the open site at low density. Therefore, population differences in plasticity can cause genotypes from foreign populations to be more strongly selected against in some environments than in others. However, genetic constraints and limits to plasticity prevented complete convergence of immigrants to the native phenotype in any environment.     

Gene expression remodelling and immune response during adaptive divergence in an African cichlid fish

Variation in gene expression contributes to ecological speciation by facilitating population persistence in novel environments. Likewise, immune responses can be of relevance in speciation driven by adaptation to different environments. Previous studies examining gene expression differences between recently diverged ecotypes have often relied on only one pair of populations, targeted the expression of only a subset of genes or used wild‐caught individuals. Here, we investigated the contribution of habitat‐specific parasites and symbionts and the underlying immunological abilities of ecotype hosts to adaptive divergence in lake–river population pairs of the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. To shed light on the role of phenotypic plasticity in adaptive divergence, we compared parasite and microbiota communities, immune response, and gene expression patterns of fish from natural habitats and a lake‐like pond set‐up. In all investigated population pairs, lake fish were more heavily parasitized than river fish, in terms of both parasite taxon composition and infection abundance. The innate immune response in the wild was higher in lake than in river populations and was elevated in a river population exposed to lake parasites in the pond set‐up. Environmental differences between lake and river habitat and their distinct parasite communities have shaped differential gene expression, involving genes functioning in osmoregulation and immune response. Most changes in gene expression between lake and river samples in the wild and in the pond set‐up were based on a plastic response. Finally, gene expression and bacterial communities of wild‐caught individuals and individuals acclimatized to lake‐like pond conditions showed shifts underlying adaptive phenotypic plasticity.     

The contribution of phenotypic plasticity to adaptation in Lacerta vivipara

Correlation between intraspecific phenotypic variability and variation of environmental conditions could reflect adaptation. Different phenotypes may result from differential expression of a genotype in different environments (phenotypic plasticity) or from expression of different genotypes (genetic diversity). Populations of Lacerta vivipara exhibit larger adult body length, lower age at maturity, higher fecundity, and smaller neonatal size in humid habitats compared to dry habitats. We conducted reciprocal transplants of juvenile L. vivipara to test for the genetic or plastic origin of this variation. We captured gravid females from four populations that differed in the relative humidity of their habitats, and during the last 2 to 4 weeks of gestation, we manipulated heat and water availability under laboratory conditions. Juveniles were released into the different populations and families were divided to compare growth rate and survival of half-sibs in two environments. Growth rate and survival were assessed using capture-recapture techniques. Growth rate was plastic in response to postnatal conditions and did not differ between populations of origin. Survival differed between populations of origin, partially because of differences in neonatal body length. The response of juvenile body length and body condition to selection in the different habitats was affected by the population of origin. This result cannot be simply interpreted in terms of adaptation; however, phenotypic plasticity of fecundity or juvenile size most probably resulted in adaptive reproductive strategies. Adaptation to the habitat by means of genetic specialization was not detected. Further investigation is needed to discriminate between genetic and long-term maternal effects.     

Phenotypic plasticity in Cardamine flexuosa: variation among populations in plastic response to chilling treatments and photoperiods

Variability in the plastic responses of seven life history traits to different chilling and photoperiod regimes was studied in four wild populations of Cardamine flexuosa. This species, a winter-green or year-long annual, showed a facultative long-day and chilling requirement for flowering. Considerable variation among populations was noted in plasticity of all traits. Differences in plasticity were greater among three paddy field populations from different climatic areas than between adjacent populations under different disturbance regimes. A paddy field population (OP) and an adjacent orchard population (OG) exhibited similar plasticity, in both amounts and patterns of response. TP, a Japan Sea coast population, was distinct from three other populations, especially in the small amounts of plasticity. Differences in amount of response were much more common than differences in pattern of response. Character expressions of five traits were significantly correlated with the number of days to flowering. Days to flowering and the numbers of inflorescences and siliques showed high negative correlations because the branching ability of meristems decreased with delay of flowering.     

Adaptive responses and invasion: the role of plasticity and evolution in snail shell morphology

Invasive species often exhibit either evolved or plastic adaptations in response to spatially varying environmental conditions. We investigated whether evolved or plastic adaptation was driving variation in shell morphology among invasive populations of the New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in the western United States. We found that invasive populations exhibit considerable shell shape variation and inhabit a variety of flow velocity habitats. We investigated the importance of evolution and plasticity by examining variation in shell morphological traits 1) between the parental and F₁ generations for each population and 2) among populations of the first lab generation (F₁) in a common garden, full‐sib design using Canonical Variate Analyses (CVA). We compared the F₁ generation to the parental lineages and found significant differences in overall shell shape indicating a plastic response. However, when examining differences among the F₁ populations, we found that they maintained among‐population shell shape differences, indicating a genetic response. The F₁ generation exhibited a smaller shell morph more suited to the low‐flow common garden environment within a single generation. Our results suggest that phenotypic plasticity in conjunction with evolution may be driving variation in shell morphology of this widespread invasive snail.     

Plastic responses of invasive Bidens frondosa to water and nitrogen addition

Invasive species are hypothesized to be more plastic than co‐occurring native congeners, and variation in plasticity among invasive populations is predicted to facilitate invasion of new habitats. To explore the invasive ability of Bidens frondosa, we compared the plastic responses to water and nitrogen addition of the invasive B. frondosa in China with the co‐occurring native congener B. tripartita, as well as among B. frondosa populations. The invasive plant performed better and showed higher phenotypic plasticity to water and nitrogen addition than the native. In addition, variations in performance and phenotypic plasticity were observed among the invasive populations. The biomass of the HN (Henan province) population increased more than that of other populations in response to nitrogen addition. The specific leaf area (SLA) of the GX (Guangxi province) population increased, while the SLA of the HN population decreased, and the HB (Hebei province) and EZ (Hubei province) populations showed no change in response to nitrogen addition. The observed higher phenotypic plasticity of B. frondosa relative to B. tripartita, and the observed variation in plasticity among B. frondosa populations may explain the invasiveness of this species. Predicted future increases in precipitation and atmospheric N deposition may further increase the invasiveness of B. frondosa.     

Phenotypic Plasticity in Response to the Social Environment: Effects of Density and Sex Ratio on Mating Behaviour Following Ecotype Divergence

The ability to express phenotypically plastic responses to environmental cues might be adaptive in changing environments. We studied phenotypic plasticity in mating behaviour as a response to population density and adult sex ratio in a freshwater isopod (Asellus aquaticus). A. aquaticus has recently diverged into two distinct ecotypes, inhabiting different lake habitats (reed Phragmites australis and stonewort Chara tomentosa, respectively). In field surveys, we found that these habitats differ markedly in isopod population densities and adult sex ratios. These spatially and temporally demographic differences are likely to affect mating behaviour. We performed behavioural experiments using animals from both the ancestral ecotype (“reed” isopods) and from the novel ecotype (“stonewort” isopods) population. We found that neither ecotype adjusted their behaviour in response to population density. However, the reed ecotype had a higher intrinsic mating propensity across densities. In contrast to the effects of density, we found ecotype differences in plasticity in response to sex ratio. The stonewort ecotype show pronounced phenotypic plasticity in mating propensity to adult sex ratio, whereas the reed ecotype showed a more canalised behaviour with respect to this demographic factor. We suggest that the lower overall mating propensity and the phenotypic plasticity in response to sex ratio have evolved in the novel stonewort ecotype following invasion of the novel habitat. Plasticity in mating behaviour may in turn have effects on the direction and intensity of sexual selection in the stonewort habitat, which may fuel further ecotype divergence.     

The ubiquity of phenotypic plasticity in plants: a synthesis

Adaptation to heterogeneous environments can occur via phenotypic plasticity, but how often this occurs is unknown. Reciprocal transplant studies provide a rich dataset to address this issue in plant populations because they allow for a determination of the prevalence of plastic versus canalized responses. From 31 reciprocal transplant studies, we quantified the frequency of five possible evolutionary patterns: (1) canalized response–no differentiation: no plasticity, the mean phenotypes of the populations are not different; (2) canalized response–population differentiation: no plasticity, the mean phenotypes of the populations are different; (3) perfect adaptive plasticity: plastic responses with similar reaction norms between populations; (4) adaptive plasticity: plastic responses with parallel, but not congruent reaction norms between populations; and (5) nonadaptive plasticity: plastic responses with differences in the slope of the reaction norms. The analysis included 362 records: 50.8% life‐history traits, 43.6% morphological traits, and 5.5% physiological traits. Across all traits, 52% of the trait records were not plastic, and either showed no difference in means across sites (17%) or differed among sites (83%). Among the 48% of trait records that showed some sort of plasticity, 49.4% showed perfect adaptive plasticity, 19.5% adaptive plasticity, and 31% nonadaptive plasticity. These results suggest that canalized responses are more common than adaptive plasticity as an evolutionary response to environmental heterogeneity.     

Differentiation in phenotypic plasticity among populations of Arabis serrata Fr. & Sav. (Brassicaceae)

Studies on divergence of phenotypic plasticity in closely related species have suggested that character means and plasticity of these characters may evolve independently. Similar patterns of divergence between populations within a species have been reported although few plant species have been studied. Thus, in this paper, the patterns of differentiation between character means and phenotypic plasticity among eight populations of Arabis serrata are documented. Mean response and magnitude and pattern of phenotypic plasticity were measured and compared in plants growing under an environmental gradient of nutrients. Differences in means and coefficients of variation (CV as indicators of plasticity) among populations were compared using the Canberra metric and generating unrooted Wagner trees. Populations showed significant differences in character means in nine morphological traits. Magnitude and patterns of phenotypic plasticity showed a complex pattern of differentiation for each trait and population. Biomass traits were more plastic, in general, than characters associated with linear size. Comparisons between pairs of populations for nine morphological traits showed that in 28.6% of 252 possible cases, populations differed in means, magnitude and patterns of phenotypic plasticity. In almost 90% of the cases, populations differed in magnitude and/or pattern of plasticity. Considering all characters together, populations from similar habitats and with common life history features tended to respond in similar ways. The patterns of divergence, however, suggest that character means and character plasticities among populations are able to evolve independently.     

Clinal life-history variation in the river-sculpin,Cottus hangiongensis: an example of phenotypic plasticity

An amphidromous sculpin,Cottus hangiongensis, distributed freely in a natural river system, exhibited clinal differences in population density, sex ratio, age composition and life-history. In a second river, in which the distribution was restricted to a narrow area in the lower reaches by a notched weir, the species was characterized by high population density and a similar population structure in two different habitats. Little life-history variation was evident. Field observations suggested that clinal life-history variations inC. hangiongensis were not genotypic, but environmentally-induced, phenotypic responses. Rearing experiments demonstrated that the maturity of one-year old males was delayed under low density conditions, and that no relationship existed between the timing of maturity and the sex ratio. This suggests that phenotypic life-history variation inC. hangiongensis is induced primarily in response to population density. Such phenotypic plasticity in life-histories of individualC. hangiongensis populations may be an adaptation for exploitation of broad and heterogenous river habitats.     

Density dependence and population differentiation of genetic architecture in Impatiens capensis in natural environments

We identified environment-dependent constraints on the evolution of plasticity to density under natural conditions in two natural populations of Impatiens capensis. We also examined the expression of population divergence in genetic variance-covariance matrices in these natural environments. Inbred lines, originally collected from a sunny site with high seedling densities and a woodland site with low seedling densities, were planted in both original sites at natural high densities and at low density. Morphological and life-history characters were measured. More genetic variation for plastic responses to density was expressed in the sun site than in the woodland site, so the evolutionary potential of plasticity was greater in the sun site. Strong genetic correlations between the same character expressed at different densities and correlations among different characters could constrain the evolution of plasticity in both sites. Genetically based trade-offs in meristem allocation to vegetative growth and reproduction were apparent only in the high-resource environment with no overhead canopy and no intraspecific competition. Therefore, genetic constraints on the evolution of plasticity depended on the site and density in which plants were grown, and correlated responses to selection on plastic characters are also expected to differ between sites and densities. Population differentiation in genetic variance-covariance matrices was detected, but matrix structural differences, as opposed to proportional differences, were detected between populations only in the sun site at natural high density. Thus, population divergence in genetic architecture can occur rapidly and on a fine spatial scale, but the expression of such divergence may depend on the environment.     

Environmental Heterogeneity and Population Differentiation in Plasticity to Drought in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Convolvulus Chilensis</Emphasis> (Convolvulaceae)

Plant populations may show differentiation in phenotypic plasticity, and theory predicts that greater levels of environmental heterogeneity should select for higher magnitudes of phenotypic plasticity. We evaluated phenotypic responses to reduced soil moisture in plants of Convolvulus chilensis grown in a greenhouse from seeds collected in three natural populations that differ in environmental heterogeneity (precipitation regime). Among several morphological and ecophysiological traits evaluated, only four traits showed differentiation among populations in plasticity to soil moisture: leaf area, leaf shape, leaf area ratio (LAR), and foliar trichome density. In all of these traits plasticity to drought was greatest in plants from the population with the highest interannual variation in precipitation. We further tested the adaptive nature of these plastic responses by evaluating the relationship between phenotypic traits and total biomass, as a proxy for plant fitness, in the low water environment. Foliar trichome density appears to be the only trait that shows adaptive patterns of plasticity to drought. Plants from populations showing plasticity had higher trichome density when growing in soils with reduced moisture, and foliar trichome density was positively associated with total biomass. Co-ordinating editor: F. Stuefer     

Mixed support for an alignment between phenotypic plasticity and genetic differentiation in damselfly wing shape

The relationship between genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity can provide information on whether plasticity generally facilitates or hinders adaptation to environmental change. Here, we studied wing shape variation in a damselfly (Lestes sponsa) across a latitudinal gradient in Europe that differed in time constraints mediated by photoperiod and temperature. We reared damselflies from northern and southern populations in the laboratory using a reciprocal transplant experiment that simulated time-constrained (i.e. northern) and unconstrained (southern) photoperiods and temperatures. After emergence, adult wing shape was analysed using geometric morphometrics. Wings from individuals in the northern and southern populations differed significantly in shape when animals were reared in their respective native environment. Comparing wing shape across environments, we found evidence for phenotypic plasticity in wing shape, and this response differed across populations (i.e. G × E interactions). This interaction was driven by a stronger plastic response by individuals from the northern population and differences in the direction of plastic wing shape changes among populations. The alignment between genetic and plastic responses depended on the specific combination of population and rearing environment. For example, there was an alignment between plasticity and genetic differentiation under time-constrained, but not under non-time-constrained conditions for forewings. We thus find mixed support for the hypothesis that environmental plasticity and genetic population differentiation are aligned. Furthermore, although our laboratory treatments mimicked the natural climatic conditions at northern and southern latitudes, the effects of population differences on wing shape were two to four times stronger than plastic effects. We discuss our results in terms of time constraints and the possibility that natural and sexual selection is acting differently on fore- and hindwings.     

Habitat-specific differences in thermal plasticity in natural populations of a soil arthropod

When populations experience substantial variation in environmental conditions, they may evolve phenotypic plasticity in response to these varying selection pressures. Evolutionary theory predicts differentiation in the level of phenotypic plasticity among different habitats. We evaluated temperature-induced phenotypic responses in juvenile growth rate in natural populations of the springtail Orchesella cincta , inhabiting forest and heathland. These habitats typically co-occur but differ strongly with respect to, for example, thermal regime, relative humidity, and structure. Offspring of females from the two habitats were reared at different temperatures in climate rooms and the temperature response of juvenile growth rate and egg size was measured. We found a habitat-specific difference in plasticity of juvenile growth rate. The reaction norms of the forest populations were steeper than the reaction norms for heath populations at two replicated sampling sites. Egg weight itself was demonstrated to be a plastic trait with a higher egg weight at low temperatures, but the thermal response did not differ between habitats. We conclude that these populations have diverged due to strong local natural selection. Our results support the argument that the level of phenotypic plasticity itself can be under selection and that differentiation in reaction norms can occur even in neighbouring habitats with no barrier to gene flow.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 94 , 265–271.     

Gene expression stasis and plasticity following migration into a foreign environment

Selection against migrants is key to maintaining genetic differences between populations linked by dispersal. However, migrants may mitigate fitness costs by proactively choosing among available habitats, or by phenotypic plasticity. We previously reported that a reciprocal transplant of lake and stream stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) found little support for divergent selection. Here, we revisit that experiment to test whether phenotypic plasticity in gene expression may have helped migrants adjust to unfamiliar habitats. We measured gene expression profiles in stickleback via TagSeq and tested whether migrants between lake and stream habitats exhibited a plastic response to their new environment that allowed them to converge on the expression profile of adapted natives. We report extensive gene expression differences between genetically divergent lake and stream stickleback, despite gene flow . But for many genes, expression was highly plastic. Fish transplanted into the adjoining habitat partially converged on the expression profile typical of natives from their new habitat. This suggests that expression plasticity may soften the impact of migration. Nonetheless, lake and stream fish differed in survival rates and parasite infection rates in our study, implying that expression plasticity is not fast or extensive enough to fully homogenize fish performance.     

Cross-generational environmental effects and the evolution of offspring size in the Trinidadian guppy Poecilia reticulata

Abstract The existence of adaptive phenotypic plasticity demands that we study the evolution of reaction norms, rather than just the evolution of fixed traits. This approach requires the examination of functional relationships among traits not only in a single environment but across environments and between traits and plasticity itself. In this study, I examined the interplay of plasticity and local adaptation of offspring size in the Trinidadian guppy, Poecilia reticulata. Guppies respond to food restriction by growing and reproducing less but also by producing larger offspring. This plastic difference in offspring size is of the same order of magnitude as evolved genetic differences among populations. Larger offspring sizes are thought to have evolved as an adaptation to the competitive environment faced by newborn guppies in some environments. If plastic responses to maternal food limitation can achieve the same fitness benefit, then why has guppy offspring size evolved at all? To explore this question, I examined the plastic response to food level of females from two natural populations that experience different selective environments. My goals were to examine whether the plastic responses to food level varied between populations, test the consequences of maternal manipulation of offspring size for offspring fitness, and assess whether costs of plasticity exist that could account for the evolution of mean offspring size across populations. In each population, full‐sib sisters were exposed to either a low‐ or high‐food treatment. Females from both populations produced larger, leaner offspring in response to food limitation. However, the population that was thought to have a history of selection for larger offspring was less plastic in its investment per offspring in response to maternal mass, maternal food level, and fecundity than the population under selection for small offspring size. To test the consequences of maternal manipulation of offspring size for offspring fitness, I raised the offspring of low‐ and high‐food mothers in either low‐ or high‐food environments. No maternal effects were detected at high food levels, supporting the prediction that mothers should increase fecundity rather than offspring size in noncompetitive environments. For offspring raised under low food levels, maternal effects on juvenile size and male size at maturity varied significantly between populations, reflecting their initial differences in maternal manipulation of offspring size; nevertheless, in both populations, increased investment per offspring increased offspring fitness. Several correlates of plasticity in investment per offspring that could affect the evolution of offspring size in guppies were identified. Under low‐food conditions, mothers from more plastic families invested more in future reproduction and less in their own soma. Similarly, offspring from more plastic families were smaller as juveniles and female offspring reproduced earlier. These correlations suggest that a fixed, high level of investment per offspring might be favored over a plastic response in a chronically low‐resource environment or in an environment that selects for lower reproductive effort     

Plasticity to simulated shade is associated with altitude in structured populations of Arabidopsis thaliana

Plants compete for photosynthesis light and induce a shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) that confers an important advantage in asymmetric competition for light at high canopy densities. Shade plasticity was studied in a greenhouse experiment cultivating Arabidopsis thaliana plants from 15 populations spread across an altitudinal gradient in the northeast area of Spain that contain a high genetic variation into a reduced geographical range. Plants were exposed to sunlight or simulated shade to identify the range of shade plasticity. Fourteen vegetative, flowering and reproductive traits were measured throughout the life cycle. Shade plasticity in flowering time and dry mass was significantly associated with the altitude of population origin. Plants from coastal populations showed higher shade plasticity indexes than those from mountains. The altitudinal variation in flowering leaf plasticity adjusted negatively with average and minimum temperatures, whereas dry mass plasticity was better explained by negative regressions with the average, maximum and minimum temperatures, and by a positive regression with average precipitation of the population origin. The lack of an altitudinal gradient for the widest number of traits suggests that shade light could be a driver explaining the distribution pattern of individuals in smaller geographical scales than those explored here.