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opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

Individual flowering phenology shapes plant-pollinator interactions across ecological scales affecting plant reproduction

1. The balance of pollination competition and facilitation amongst co-flowering plants and abiotic resource availability can modify plant species and individual reproduction. Floral resource succession and spatial heterogeneity modulate plant-pollinator interactions across ecological scales (individual plant, local assemblage, interaction network of agroecological infrastructure across the farm). Intraspecific variation in flowering phenology can modulate the precise level of spatio-temporal heterogeneity in floral resources, pollen donor density and pollinator interactions that a plant individual is exposed to, thereby affecting reproduction. 2. We tested how abiotic resources and multi-scale plant-pollinator interactions affected individual plant seed set, modulated by intraspecific variation in flowering phenology and spatio-temporal floral heterogeneity arising from agroecological infrastructure. We transplanted two focal insect-pollinated plant species (Cyanus segetum and Centaurea jacea, n = 288) into agroecological infrastructure (10 sown wildflower, 6 legume-grass strips) across a farm-scale experiment (125 ha). 3. We applied an individual-based phenologically explicit approach to match precisely the flowering period of plant individuals to the concomitant level of spatio-temporal heterogeneity in plant-pollinator interactions, potential pollen donors, floral resources and abiotic conditions (temperature, water, nitrogen). 4. Individual plant attractiveness, assemblage floral density and conspecific pollen donor density (C. jacea) improved seed set. Network linkage density increased focal species' seed set and modified the effect of local assemblage richness and abundance on C. segetum. Mutual dependence on pollinators in networks increased C. segetum seed set, while C. jacea seed set was greatest where both specialization on pollinators and mutual dependence was high. Abiotic conditions were of little or no importance to seed set. 5. Intra- and interspecific plant-pollinator interactions respond to spatio-temporal heterogeneity arising from agroecological management affecting wild plant species reproduction. The interplay of pollinator interactions within and between ecological scales affecting seed set implies a co-occurrence of pollinator-mediated facilitative and competitive interactions among plant species and individuals.

opencc-zeroFeb 2023View details →

Interactive effects of elevated temperature and drought on plant carbon metabolism: A meta‐analysis

Elevated temperature (Te) and drought often co-occur and interactively affect plant carbon (C) metabolism and thus the ecosystem C cycling, but the magnitude of their interaction is unclear, making the projection of global change impacts challenging. Here, we compiled 107 journal articles in which temperature and water availability were jointly manipulated and performed a meta-analysis of interactive effects of Te and drought on leaf photosynthesis (Agrowth) and respiration (Rgrowth) at growth temperature, nonstructural carbohydrates and biomass of plants, and their dependencies on experimental and biological moderators (e.g., treatment intensity, plant functional type). Our results showed that, overall, there was no significant interaction of Te and drought on Agrowth. Te accelerated Rgrowth under well-watered conditions rather than under drought conditions. The Te × drought interaction on leaf soluble sugar and starch concentrations were neutral and negative, respectively. The effect of Te and drought on plant biomass displayed a negative interaction, with Te deteriorating the drought impacts. Drought induced an increase in root-to-shoot ratio at ambient temperature but not at Te. The magnitudes of Te and drought negatively modulated the Te drought interactions on Agrowth. Root biomass of woody plants was more vulnerable to drought than that of herbaceous plants at ambient temperature, but this difference diminished at Te. Perennial herbs exhibited a stronger amplifying effect of Te on plant biomass in response to drought than did annual herbs. Te exacerbated the responses of Agrowth and stomatal conductance to drought for evergreen broadleaf trees rather than for deciduous broadleaf and evergreen coniferous trees. A negative Te × drought interaction on plant biomass was observed on the species level rather than on the community level. Collectively, our findings provide a mechanistic understanding of the interactive effects of Te and drought on plant C metabolism, which would improve the prediction of climate change impacts.

opencc-zeroApr 2023View details →

Warming and grazing independently and interactively impact plant defenses and palatability

The ecological impacts of multiple stressors are hard to predict but important to understand. When multiple stressors influence foundation species, the effects can cascade throughout the ecosystem. Gulf of Mexico seagrass ecosystems are currently experiencing a suite of novel stressors, including warmer water temperatures and increased herbivory due to tropicalization and conservation efforts. We investigated the impact of warming temperatures and grazing history on plant performance, morphology, and palatability by integrating a mesocosm study using the seagrass Thalassia testudinum with feeding trials using the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus. Warming temperatures negatively impacted T. testudinum tolerance traits, reducing belowground biomass by 34%, productivity by 74%, shoot density by 10%, and the number of leaves per plant by 24%, and negatively impacted resistance traits through 13% lower toughness of young leaves and a trend for reduced leaf carbon:nitrogen. Lytechinus variegatus individuals preferred to consume plants grown under heated conditions, which supports findings of enhanced palatability. Simulated turtle grazing impacted more plant traits than grazing by other herbivores, potentially diminishing plant resilience to future disturbances through reduced rhizome non-structural carbohydrate concentrations and increasing palatability through reduced fiber content and 23% lower leaf carbon:phosphorus. Simulated turtle, simulated parrotfish, and urchin grazing reduced leaf carbon:nitrogen by 11%, also potentially increasing nutritive value. Interactions between warming temperatures and grazers on plant traits were additive for 16 out of 19 response variables. However, the stressors non-additively impacted the number of leaves per plant, fiber content, and epiphyte load. We suggest that the impacts of grazers on leaf turnover rate and leaf age may vary based on water temperature, potentially driving these interactions. Overall, increased temperatures and grazing pressure will likely reduce seagrass resilience, structure, and biomass, potentially impacting feedback systems and producing negative consequences for seagrass cover, associated species, and ecosystem services.

opencc-zeroJul 2023View details →

Data from: Warming-induced functional shifts in the decomposer community interact with plant community compositional shifts to impact litter decomposition

<ol> <li>Climate warming is altering plant and soil microbial communities, with important implications for ecosystem processes like litter decomposition. As warming alters plant community composition, quality of litter will change. Further, shifts in microbial community activity and/or composition will alter microbial function. However, it is not yet completely understood how these shifts will interact to drive decomposition.</li> <li>We explored how changes in plant and microbial communities interact to influence litter decomposition using a 15-year-old grassland warming experiment. Previous studies within this system have shown that warming shifted the microbial community in ways that accelerate litter decomposition while simultaneously shifting the plant community in ways that may slow decomposition. Specifically, warming increased abundance of Sorghastrum nutans, while decreasing abundance of the previously dominant Schizachyrium scoparium. Using a series of lab-based microcosm experiments, we examined the rate at which eight common grasses and, separately, varying abundances of S. nutans and S. scoparium decomposed. Using litter and soil from the warming experiment, we then incubated soils from warmed or control plots with different abundances of S. nutans and S. scoparium in a reciprocal design.</li> <li>We found S. nutans to be the slowest-decomposing grass in our system. Further, decomposition slowed as S. nutans increased and S. scoparium decreased. When examining the interaction of plant and microbial communities, decomposition was generally greater early in our experiment as the relative abundance of S. scoparium increased. However, soil microbial community origin and litter composition interacted significantly. Specifically, decomposition increased with greater relative abundance of S. scoparium on soils derived from control plots, while litter composition did not shape rates of decomposition on soils from warmed plots. The influence of litter species on decomposition waned in the later stages of the experiment when decomposition was driven by microbial community origin.</li> <li>These results suggest that warming-induced changes in microbial community function may interact with changes in plant litter composition to mitigate the impacts of warming on rates of decomposition. This emphasizes the importance of considering concurrent warming-induced changes in both plant and microbial communities on ecosystem processes like decomposition.</li> </ol>

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2022View details →

Characterizing the Plant-Pathogen Interactions of Harringtonia lauricola with Susceptible Lauraceae

Supporting datasets.

opennotspecifiedDec 2021View details →

Fig. 1 in Plant-cyanobacteria interactions: Beneficial and harmful effects of cyanobacterial bioactive compounds on soil-plant systems and subsequent risk to animal and human health

Fig. 1. Cyanobacterial active compounds induce negative, (A) ROS and enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), peroxidase (POD); and positive effects (B) expression of stress responsive genes (Ssglc and slr1562) that can have a positive effect on increasing plants' stress tolerance.

Fig. 7. HPTLC chromatograms under white light after anisaldehyde-sulfuric acid derivatization. 1 in Metabolic variation in Cistus monspeliensis L. ecotypes correlated to their plant-fungal interactions

Fig. 7. HPTLC chromatograms under white light after anisaldehyde-sulfuric acid derivatization. 1 (A): blend of methanol extracts from all rock-rose (Cistus monspeliensis L.) ecotypes samples, 2: 8,15-labdanediol, 3: 8-hydroxylabdan-15-oic acid, 4: 18-methyl ester-clerodan-15-oic acid, 5: myricetin 3,7,4′,5′-tetramethyl ether, and 6: 8-hydroxylabdan-15-oic acid methyl ester. Chemical structures of the metabolites used for co-HPTLC. 8,15-labdanediol (1), 8-hydroxylabdan-15-oic acid (2), 8-hydroxylabdan-15-oic acid methyl ester (3), 18-oic acid methyl ester-clerodan-l5-oic acid (4) and myricetin 3,7,4′,5′-tetramethyl ether (5).

Fig. 6 in Metabolic variation in Cistus monspeliensis L. ecotypes correlated to their plant-fungal interactions

Fig. 6. HPTLC chromatograms of methanol extracts of ten ecotypes of Cistus monspeliensis L. Cardeu (Ca, 1), Mandas (Ma, 2), Seui (Se, 3), Su Dominariu (Su, 4), Foresta Fontanamela (Fo, 5), Gutturu Mannu (Gu, 6), Portoscuso (Po, 7), Paringianu (Pa, 8), Barbusi (Ba, 9), and Gennargentu (Ge, 10). A: visualized at 366 nm without derivatization, B: bioautography against Fusarium oxysporum.

Fig. 5 in Metabolic variation in Cistus monspeliensis L. ecotypes correlated to their plant-fungal interactions

Fig. 5. Orthogonal projection to latent structures (OPLS) analysis to correlated chemical profiles of rock-rose (Cistus monspeliensis L.) obtained by 1H NMR (A) and HPTLC (B) and their antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum. The antifungal activity are average values (n = 5) measured as inhibition halos (mm).

Fig. 4 in Metabolic variation in Cistus monspeliensis L. ecotypes correlated to their plant-fungal interactions

Fig. 4. The effect of geographical origin (north, south and central) and altitude on the chemical variation of rock-rose ecotypes (Cistus monspeliensis L.), collected at different regions of Sardinia, Italy. A: Orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) of rock-rose ecotypes based on 1H NMR data and geographical origins (north, south and central) excluding the samples of Seui (Se) (n = 45). B: OPLS-DA of rock-rose ecotypes based on HPTLC data and geographical origins (North, South and Central) excluding the samples of Barbusi (Ba) (n = 45). C: OPLS analysis based on 1H NMR data and altitudes of the collected locations (expressed as meters above sea level) (n = 50). D: OPLS analysis based on 1H NMR data and altitudes of the collection locations (expressed as meters above sea level) (n = 50). The classes of geographical origins were grouped following Fig. 3: North (Ca, Gu, Po, Su), South (Ba, Ge, Ma, Pa), and Central (Fo) areas of sampling. Ca: Cardeu, Ma: Mandas, Se: Seui, Su: Su Dominnariu, Fo: Foresta fontanamela, Gu: Gutturu Mannu, Po: Portoscuso, Pa: Paringianu, Ba: Barbusi, Ge: Gennangertu.

Fig. 3 in Metabolic variation in Cistus monspeliensis L. ecotypes correlated to their plant-fungal interactions

Fig. 3. Map of the sampling area of rock-rose (Cistus monspeliensis L.) ecotypes located on Sardenia Island, Italy. The sampling areas are colored as follows: red (North), green (Central); blue (South). North:Cardeu (Ca), Gutturu mannu (Gu), Portoscuso (Po), Seui (Se) and Su Dominariu (Su), south: Barbusi (Ba), Gennargentu (Ge), Mandas (Ma), and Paringianu (Pa). Central area: Foresta Fontanamela (Fo). (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

Fig. 2 in Metabolic variation in Cistus monspeliensis L. ecotypes correlated to their plant-fungal interactions

Fig. 2. Average standard error variation for the buckets of 1 H NMR spectra from ten ecotypes of Cistus monspeliensis L.

Fig. 1 in Metabolic variation in Cistus monspeliensis L. ecotypes correlated to their plant-fungal interactions

Fig. 1. Basic chemical structures of labdane and clerodane, and 1H NMR spectra of the leaves of Cistus monspeliensis obtained from (A) Foresta fontanamela and (B) Gennangertu in the range of δ 0.7 - δ 1.5 (600 MHz, CH3OH-d4). a: H-18 of labdane at (δ 0.81, s), b: H-20 of labdane (δ 0.83, s), c: H-19 of labdane (δ 0.87, s), d: H-17 of a labdane with a hydroxyl group at C-8 (δ 1.10, s), e: H-16 of labdane at δ 0.94 (d, J = 6.8 Hz), f: H-17 of clerodane (δ 0.77, s), g: H-20 of clerodane (δ 0.80, s), h: H-16 of clerodane (δ 0.97, d, J = 6.7 Hz), i: H-19 of a clerodane (δ 1.11).

opencc-zeroSep 2023View details →

Monitoring the birds and the bees: Environmental DNA metabarcoding of flowers detects plant–animal interactions

Animal pollinators are vital for the reproduction of ~90% of flowering plants. However, many of these pollinating species are experiencing declines globally, making effective pollinator monitoring methods more important than ever before. Pollinators can leave DNA on the flowers they visit, and metabarcoding of these environmental DNA (eDNA) traces provides an opportunity to detect the presence of flower visitors. Our study, collecting flowers from seven plant species with diverse floral morphologies, for eDNA metabarcoding analysis, illustrated the value of this novel survey tool. eDNA metabarcoding using three assays, including one developed in this study to target common bush birds, recorded more animal species visiting flowers than visual surveys conducted concurrently, including birds, bees, and other species. We also recorded the presence of a flower visit from a western pygmy possum; to our knowledge, this is the first eDNA metabarcoding study to simultaneously identify the interaction of insect, mammal, and bird species with flowers. The highest diversity of taxa was detected on large inflorescence flower types found on Banksia arborea and Grevillea georgeana. The study demonstrates that the ease of sample collection and the robustness of the metabarcoding methodology have profound implications for future management of biodiversity, allowing us to monitor both plants and their attendant cohort of potential pollinators. This opens avenues for rapid and efficient comparison of biodiversity and ecosystem health between different sites and may provide insights into surrogate pollinators in the event of pollinator declines.

ClinicalTrials.gov32/100

DIetary plAnt Extracts, Colonic MicrObes, and Apoe geNetics Interactions stuDy

ClinicalTrials.gov study NCT05905822. IPD Sharing: UNDECIDED. Countries: 1. Publications: 2.

restrictedIPD-UNDECIDEDFeb 2026View details →