Antagonistic multilevel selection on size and architecture in variable density settings

In some ecological settings, an individual's fitness depends on both its own phenotype (individual-level selection) as well as the phenotype of the individuals with which it interacts (group-level selection). Using contextual analysis to measure multilevel selection in experimental stands of Arabidopsis thaliana, we detected significant linear selection that reversed across individual versus group levels for two composite phenotypic traits, "size" and "elongation." In both cases, selection at the individual level acted to increase values of these traits, presumably due to their positive effect on resource acquisition. Group selection favored decreased values of the same traits. Nonlinear selection was weak but significant in several cases, including stabilizing selection on developmental rate; individuals with very rapid development likely had lower than average fitness due to their reduced resource level at reproduction, while very delayed reproduction may have resulted in lower fitness if prolonged competition for resources reduced overall environmental quality and fitness of all individuals in a group. Under this scenario, stabilizing selection on individual traits is evidence of selection at the group level. Significant density-dependent selection suggests that a threshold density must be reached before group selection acts. Below this threshold, selection at the individual level affects phenotypic evolution more strongly than group selection. A second experiment measured multilevel selection in progeny stands of the original experimental plants. Multilevel selection again acted antagonistically on a composite trait that included size and elongation as well as on an architectural trait, branch production. The magnitude of individual versus group selection was relatively similar in the progeny generation, and the observed balance of individual versus group selection across densities is generally consistent with the hypotheses that multilevel selection can contribute to phenotypic evolution and to important demographic phenomena, including soft selection and the "law of constant yield."     

Heritable body size mediates apparent life-history trade-offs in a simultaneous hermaphrodite

Physiological trade-offs between life-history traits can constrain natural selection and maintain genetic variation in the face of selection, thereby shaping evolutionary trajectories. This study examines physiological trade-offs in simultaneously hermaphroditic banana slugs, Ariolimax dolichophallus. These slugs have high heritable variation in body size, which strongly predicts the number of clutches laid, hatching success and progeny growth rate. These fitness components were associated, but only when examined in correlation with body size. Body size mediated these apparent trade-offs in a continuum where small animals produced rapidly growing progeny, intermediate-sized animals laid many clutches and large animals had high hatching success. This study uses a novel statistical method in which the components of fitness are analysed in a mancova and related to a common covariate, body size, which has high heritability. The mancova reveals physiological trade-offs among the components of fitness that were previously masked by high variation in body size.     

外生菌根真菌通过调节离子平衡提高蒙古栎耐盐性

为探究盐胁迫对蒙古栎生长的影响以及外生菌根真菌(ECMF)对蒙古栎离子平衡的调节作用,对蒙古栎幼苗接种4种ECMF(铆钉菇、褐环乳牛肝菌、厚环粘盖牛肝菌和美味牛肝菌)后,以1年生非菌根化与菌根化幼苗为试验材料,进行36 d的NaCl胁迫(0、100、200、300 mmol·L^-1)处理,分析幼苗的菌根特征、生长量、叶伤害症状、叶片电解质渗透率及含水量、根茎叶离子含量的变化特征。结果表明: 4种ECMF均能与蒙古栎建立共生体系,菌根化幼苗的根系较非菌根化幼苗粗壮。盐胁迫下,蒙古栎幼苗的生长受到抑制并出现焦叶症状,其叶片质膜损伤和失水程度随盐胁迫浓度升高而加重。低盐胁迫时(100 mmol·L^-1),蒙古栎优先将Na⁺积累在根和茎中,中高浓度盐胁迫下(200～300 mmol·L^-1),根成为积累Na⁺的首要器官。ECMF通过增加根部的Na⁺水平和减少茎、叶的Na⁺积累,加强对K⁺和Ca²⁺的吸收以提高K⁺/Na⁺和Ca²⁺/Na⁺,进而调节蒙古栎的离子平衡。4种ECMF对蒙古栎盐毒害的缓解作用存在差异,铆钉菇作用效果最好,褐环乳牛肝菌次之,厚环粘盖牛肝菌和美味牛肝菌的作用相对较小。     

黄果龙葵幼苗对镉胁迫的生理生长响应

黄果龙葵（Solanum diphyllum）是茄科的小灌木,已有的研究对黄果龙葵的镉（Cd）响应知之甚少。该研究采用水培控制试验,在160μmol·L^-1 Cd胁迫下,测定了黄果龙葵幼苗在不同胁迫时间点（0、0.5、1、3、7、19 d）的生长、耐性系数（TI）、Cd富集特性、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性、渗透调节物质和光合色素等指标。结果表明：（1）在胁迫0～3 d时Cd对黄果龙葵幼苗的生长无显著影响。胁迫3～19 d时表现为明显抑制,且毒害随胁迫时间延长而加重。与对照组相比,Cd胁迫使黄果龙葵幼苗的生物量降低13.28%～62.40%。（2）黄果龙葵幼苗的最大Cd积累量为60.14μg·plant^-1,其地上部份的Cd积累量占植株的15.46%～35.24%。（3）丙二醛（MDA）含量呈上升趋势,根的MDA含量最大增幅为对照组的5.25倍。SOD活性、游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖、叶绿素a、叶绿素b和类胡萝卜素的含量均呈先升后降的趋势。（4）黄果龙葵幼苗的耐性系数TI随胁迫时间延长而降低,最小值为0.64。综上结果认为,黄果龙葵是一种潜在的Cd...     

Floral plasticity: Herbivore‐species‐specific‐induced changes in flower traits with contrasting effects on pollinator visitation

Plant phenotypic plasticity in response to antagonists can affect other community members such as mutualists, conferring potential ecological costs associated with inducible plant defence. For flowering plants, induction of defences to deal with herbivores can lead to disruption of plant–pollinator interactions. Current knowledge on the full extent of herbivore‐induced changes in flower traits is limited, and we know little about specificity of induction of flower traits and specificity of effect on flower visitors. We exposed flowering Brassica nigra plants to six insect herbivore species and recorded changes in flower traits (flower abundance, morphology, colour, volatile emission, nectar quantity, and pollen quantity and size) and the behaviour of two pollinating insects. Our results show that herbivory can affect multiple flower traits and pollinator behaviour. Most plastic floral traits were flower morphology, colour, the composition of the volatile blend, and nectar production. Herbivore‐induced changes in flower traits resulted in positive, negative, or neutral effects on pollinator behaviour. Effects on flower traits and pollinator behaviour were herbivore species‐specific. Flowers show extensive plasticity in response to antagonist herbivores, with contrasting effects on mutualist pollinators. Antagonists can potentially act as agents of selection on flower traits and plant reproduction via plant‐mediated interactions with mutualists.     

Genes controlling legume nodule numbers affect phenotypic plasticity responses to nitrogen in the presence and absence of rhizobia

We investigated the role of three autoregulation of nodulation (AON) genes in regulating of root and shoot phenotypes when responding to changing nitrogen availability in the model legume, Medicago truncatula. These genes, RDN1‐1 (ROOT DETERMINED NODULATION1‐1), SUNN (SUPER NUMERIC NODULES), and LSS (LIKE SUNN SUPERNODULAOR), act in a systemic signalling pathway that limits nodule numbers. This pathway is also influenced by nitrogen availability, but it is not well known if AON genes control root and shoot phenotypes other than nodule numbers in response to nitrogen. We conducted a controlled glasshouse experiment to compare root and shoot phenotypes of mutants and wild type plants treated with four nitrate concentrations. All AON mutants showed altered rhizobia‐independent phenotypes, including biomass allocation, lateral root length, lateral root density, and root length ratio. In response to nitrogen, uninoculated AON mutants were less plastic than the wild type in controlling root mass ratio, root length ratio, and lateral root length. This suggests that AON genes control nodulation‐independent root architecture phenotypes in response to nitrogen. The phenotypic differences between wild type and AON mutants were exacerbated by the presence of nodules, pointing to resource competition as an additional mechanism affecting root and shoot responses to nitrogen.     

Variability in response to salinity stress in natural Tunisian populations of Hordeum marinum subsp. marinum

• Soil salinity is one of the most serious environmental factors affecting crop productivity around the world.
• In this study, we analysed morpho‐physiological variation in responses to salt stress in Tunisian populations of Hordeum marinum subsp. marinum. The plants were grown under two treatments (0 and 200 mm NaCl) until maturity. A total of 19 quantitative traits were measured before and during the harvest.
• It was observed that most studied traits are influenced by the increasing salinity. High to moderate broad‐sense heritability (H²) were noted for most of parameters under control and salt treatment, implying that salt tolerance is moderately heritable and environmental variation plays an equally important role. The majority of correlations between measured traits under the two treatments are positive, where the strongest correlations were between spike number (SN) and weight (SW). Based on the salt response index (SRI) values, SN and SW are the most affected by salinity. The 150 studied lines formed three groups according to the SRI values of the 19 quantitative parameters, of which 101 were moderately sensitive, 27 tolerant and 22 highly tolerant.
• Overall genetic variation of H. marinum in response to salt stress may provide novel insight to identify genes responsible for salt tolerance.

     

Clonal integration benefits invasive alien plants under water variability in a native community

Aims Many invasive alien plant species are clonal and can greatly propagate and spread through clonal integration (sharing resources between connected ramets) in heterogeneous and variable environments. Here, we tested whether water variability influences clonal integration of invasive alien plant species and consequently facilitates their growth and dominance in a native community.     

The influence of warming on the biogeographic and phylogenetic dependence of herbivore–plant interactions

Evolutionary experience and the phylogenetic relationships of plants have both been proposed to influence herbivore–plant interactions and plant invasion success. However, the direction and magnitude of these effects, and how such patterns are altered with increasing temperature, are rarely studied. Through laboratory functional response experiments, we tested whether the per capita feeding efficiency of an invasive generalist herbivore, the golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, is dependent on the biogeographic origin and phylogenetic relatedness of host plants, and how increasing temperature alters these dependencies. The feeding efficiency of the herbivore was highest on plant species with which it had no shared evolutionary history, that is, novel plants. Further, among evolutionarily familiar plants, snail feeding efficiency was higher on those species more closely related to the novel plants. However, these biogeographic dependencies became less pronounced with increasing temperature, whereas the phylogenetic dependence was unaffected. Collectively, our findings indicate that the susceptibility of plants to this invasive herbivore is mediated by both biogeographic origin and phylogenetic relatedness. We hypothesize that warming erodes the influence of evolutionary exposure, thereby altering herbivore–plant interactions and perhaps the invasion success of plants.