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139 results for “intraspecific trait”
Plant intraspecific functional trait variation is related to within-habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity in Trifolium montanum L.
<p>Intraspecific trait variation (ITV), based on available genetic diversity, is one of the major means plant populations can respond to environmental variability. The study of functional trait variation and diversity has become popular in ecological research, e.g. as a proxy for plant performance influencing fitness. Up to now, it is unclear which aspects of intraspecific functional trait variation (iFDCV) can be attributed to the environment or genetics under natural conditions. Here, we examined 260 individuals from 13 locations of the rare (semi-)dry calcareous grassland species Trifolium montanum L. in terms of iFDCV, within-habitat heterogeneity, and genetic diversity. The iFDCV was assessed by measuring functional traits (releasing height, biomass, leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, Fv/Fm, performance index, stomatal pore surface, and stomatal pore area index). Abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity was derived from altitude, slope exposure, slope, leaf area index, soil depth, and further soil factors. Based on microsatellites, we calculated expected heterozygosity (He) because it best-explained, among other indices, iFDCV. We performed multiple linear regression models quantifying relationships among iFDCV, abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity, and also between separate functional traits and abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity or genetic diversity. We found that abiotic within-habitat heterogeneity influenced iFDCV twice as strong compared to genetic diversity. Both aspects together explained 77% of variation in iFDCV (Radj² = 0.77, F2, 10 = 21.66, p < 0.001). The majority of functional traits (releasing height, biomass, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, Fv/Fm and performance index) were related to abiotic habitat conditions indicating responses to environmental heterogeneity. In contrast, morphology-related functional traits (releasing height, biomass and leaf area) were only related to genetics. Our results suggest that both within-habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity affect iFDCV, and are thus crucial to consider when aiming to understand or predict changes of plant species performance under changing environmental conditions.</p>
Data from: Intraspecific variation in host plant traits mediates taxonomic and functional composition of local insect herbivore communities
<p class="abstract_para">Host plant phenotypic traits affect the structure of the associated consumer community and mediate species interactions. We compare herbivore assemblages from the canopy of the phenotypically variable tree <em class="fi">Metrosideros polymorpha</em> on Hawai'i Island. Multiple distinct varieties of <em class="fi">M. polymorpha</em> frequently co‐occur, with variation in morphological traits. Using this system, we identify host and insect traits that underlie patterns of herbivore abundance and quantify the strength of host‐insect trait interactions.</p> <p class="abstract_para">The dataset includes host plant phenotypic traits (specific leaf area, leaf water content, foliar nutrients, trichome presence), as well as collection information. The dataset also contains the herbivorous insect community associated with this host plant, their abundances and life history traits. R code for analyses in this article is also included.</p>
Cis-regulatory variation in the shavenbaby gene underlies intraspecific phenotypic variation, mirroring interspecific divergence in the same trait
<p>Despite considerable progress in recent decades in dissecting the genetic causes of natural morphological variation, there is limited understanding of how variation within species ultimately contributes to species differences. We have studied patterning of the non-sensory hairs, commonly known as "trichomes," on the dorsal cuticle of first-instar larvae of <i>Drosophila</i>. Most <i>Drosophila</i> species produce a dense lawn of trichomes, but a subset of dorsal trichomes were lost in <i>D. sechellia </i>and <i>D. ezoana </i>due entirely to regulatory evolution of the <i>shavenbaby</i> (<i>svb</i>) gene. Here we describe intraspecific variation in dorsal trichome patterns of first-instar larvae of <i>D. virilis</i> that is similar to the trichome pattern variation identified previously between species.<b> </b>We found that 67% of this difference is explained by a QTL that contains <i>svb </i>and that <i>svb</i> expression correlates with trichome variation within <i>D. virilis</i> <i>.</i> Despite using an experimental design with reasonable power to detect a second locus accounting for the remainder of the variance in trichome number, only a single QTL could be mapped, suggesting that multiple other loci each make a small contribution to trichome patterning. Thus, the genetic architecture of intraspecific variation and interspecific differences exhibit similarities and differences that may reflect differences between short-term and long-term evolutionary processes.</p>
Human mediated land use change drives intraspecific plant trait variation
<p>In the Anthropocene, more than three quarters of ice-free land has experienced some form of human driven habitat modification, with agriculture dominating 40% of the Earth's surface. This land use change alters the quality, availability, and configuration of habitat resources, affecting the community composition of plants and insects, as well as their interactions with each other. Landscapes dominated by agriculture are known to support a lower abundance and diversity of pollinators and frequently larger populations of key herbivore pests. In turn, insect communities subsidized by agriculture may spill into remaining natural habitats with consequences for wild plants persisting in (semi) natural habitats. Adaptive responses by wild plants may allow them to persist in highly modified landscapes; yet how landscape-mediated variation in insect communities affects wild plant traits related to reproduction and defense remains largely unknown. We synthesize the evidence for plant trait changes across land use gradients and propose potential mechanisms by which landscape-mediated changes in insect communities may be driving these trait changes. Further, we present results from a common garden experiment on three wild <i>Brassica </i>species demonstrating variation in both defensive and reproductive traits along an agricultural land use gradient. Our framework illustrates the potential for plant adaptation under land use change and predicts how defense and reproduction trait expression may shift in low diversity landscapes. We highlight areas of future research into plant population and community effects of land use change.</p>
Data from: Trait plasticity and tradeoffs shape intraspecific variation in competitive response in a foundation tree species
<ul> <li>The ability to tolerate neighboring plants (i.e., degree of competitive response) is a key determinant of plant success in high-competition environments. Plant genotypes adjust their functional trait expression under high levels of competition, which may help explain intraspecific variation in competitive response. However, the relationships between traits and competitive response are not well understood, especially in trees. In this study, we investigated among-genotype associations between tree trait plasticity and competitive response. </li> <li>We manipulated competition intensity in experimental stands of trembling aspen (<i>Populus tremuloides</i>) to address the covariance between competition-induced changes in functional trait expression and aspects of competitive ability at the genotype level. </li> <li>Genotypic variation in the direction and magnitude of functional trait responses, especially those of crown foliar mass, phytochemistry, and leaf physiology, was associated with genotypic variation in competitive response. Traits exhibited distinct plastic responses to competition, with varying degrees of genotypic variation and covariance with other trait responses. </li> <li>The combination of genotypic diversity and covariance among functional traits led to tree responses to competition that were coordinated among traits yet variable among genotypes. Such relationships between tree traits and competitive success have the potential to shape stand-level trait distributions over space and time. </li> </ul>
Data from: Intraspecific trait variation and trade-offs within and across populations of a toxic dinoflagellate
Intraspecific trait diversity can promote the success of a species, as complementarity of functional traits within populations may enhance its competitive success and facilitates resilience to changing environmental conditions. Here, we experimentally determined the variation and relationships between traits in 15 strains of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii derived from two populations. Measured traits included growth rate, cell size, elemental composition, nitrogen uptake kinetics, toxin production and allelochemical potency. Our results demonstrate substantial variation in all analyzed traits both within and across populations, particularly in nitrogen affinity, which was even comparable to interspecific variation across phytoplankton species. We found distinct trade-offs between maximum nitrogen uptake rate and affinity, and between defensive and competitive traits. Furthermore, we identified differences in trait variation between the genetically similar populations. The observed high trait variation may facilitate development and resilience of harmful algal blooms under dynamic environmental conditions.
Global gradients in intraspecific variation in vegetative and floral traits are partially associated with climate and species richness
<p><span><b>Aim</b></span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span>Intraspecific trait variation (ITV) within natural plant communities can be large, influencing local ecological processes and dynamics. Here, we shed light on how ITV in vegetative and floral traits responds to large-scale abiotic and biotic gradients (i.e. climate and species richness). Specifically, we tested if associations of ITV with temperature, precipitation and species richness were consistent with any of from four hypotheses relating to stress-tolerance and competition. Furthermore, we estimated the degree of correlation between ITV in vegetative and floral traits and how they vary along the gradients. </span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span><b>Location</b></span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span>Global.</span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span><b>Time period</b></span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span>1975-2016.</span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span><b>Major taxa studied</b></span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span>Herbaceous and woody plants.</span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span><b>Methods</b></span></p> <p class="SemEspaamento1"><span>We compiled a dataset of 18,112 measurements of the absolute extent of ITV (measured as coefficient of variation) in nine vegetative and seven floral traits from 2,774 herbaceous and woody species at 2,306 locations. </span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span><b>Results</b></span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span>Large-scale associations between ITV and climate were trait-specific and more prominent for vegetative traits, especially leaf morphology, than for floral traits. ITV showed pronounced associations with climate, with lower ITV values in colder areas and higher values in drier areas. The associations of ITV with species richness were inconsistent across traits. Species-specific associations across gradients were often idiosyncratic and covariation in ITV was weaker between vegetative and floral traits than within the two trait groups.</span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span><b>Main conclusions</b></span></p> <p class="CuerpoA"><span>Our results show that, depending on the traits considered, ITV either increased or decreased with climate stress and species richness, suggesting that both factors can constrain or enhance ITV, which might foster plant-population persistence under stressful conditions. Given the species-specific responses and covariation in ITV, associations can be hard to predict for traits and species not yet studied. We conclude that considering ITV can improve our understanding of how plants cope with stressful conditions and environmental change across spatial and biological scales. </span></p>
Data from: The interplay among intraspecific leaf trait variation, niche breadth and species abundance along light and soil nutrient gradients
It is assumed that widespread, generalist species have high phenotypic variation, but we know little about how intraspecific trait variation (ITV) relates to species abundance and niche breadth. In the temperate rainforest of southern Chile, we hypothesized that species with wide niche breadth would exhibit 1) high among-plot ITV, 2) a strong relationship between trait values and the environment, and 3) a close fit between traits and local environment trait optima. We measured leaf functional traits (leaf area, LMA, leaf N and P concentrations) of saplings in woody species, and compared the relative abundance of each species with its niche breadth, measured as the range of light, soil N and P availability. We used the slope of the linear regression of species' trait-environment relationships to assess the strength and direction of these relationships, and measured the degree to which species' trait values track the environmental optimum across plots. In some cases, species having wide niche breadth had high ITV in leaf N and also matched traits (LMA and leaf P) to local optima along the light gradient; they also had high ITV in general and matched leaf P to local optima along the soil P gradient. The relationship between species with wide niche breadth and the strength of intraspecific trait-environment relationships was generally weak and varied depending on the niche dimension and trait in question. Species varied considerably in the strength of trait-environment relationships and total magnitude of ITV, and this variation was not generally strongly related to species abundances or niche breadth patterns. In conclusion, trait variation at the community level is not driven by a few abundant, widely distributed species, but depends on the aggregate trait responses of both abundant and rare species. This makes it difficult to scale individual species trait responses up to the community level.
Data from: Intraspecific variation in seed dispersal of a Neotropical tree and its relationship to fruit and tree traits
The distribution of wind-dispersed seeds around a parent tree depends on diaspore and tree traits, as well as wind conditions and surrounding vegetation. This study of a neotropical canopy tree, Platypodium elegans, explored the extent to which parental variation in diaspore and tree traits explained (1) rate of diaspore descent in still air, (2) distributions of diaspores dispersed from a 40-m tower in the forest, and (3) natural diaspore distributions around the parent tree. The geometric mean rate of descent in still air among 20 parents was highly correlated with geometric mean wing loading1/2 (r = 0.84). However, diaspore traits and rate of descent predicted less variation in dispersal distance from the tower, although descent rate−1 consistently correlated with dispersal distance. Measured seed shadows, particularly their distribution edges, differed significantly among six parents (DBH range 62–181 cm) and were best fit by six separate anisotropic dispersal kernels and surveyed fecundities. Measured rate of descent and tree traits, combined in a mechanistic seed dispersal model, did not significantly explain variation among parents in natural seed dispersal distances, perhaps due to the limited power to detect effects with only six trees. Seedling and sapling distributions were at a greater mean distance from the parents than seed distributions; saplings were heavily concentrated at far distances. Variation among parents in the distribution tails so critical for recruitment could not be explained by measured diaspore or tree traits with this sample size, and may be determined more by wind patterns and the timing of abscission in relation to wind conditions. Studies of wind dispersal need to devote greater field efforts at recording the "rare" dispersal events that contribute to far dispersal distances, following their consequences, and in understanding the mechanisms that generate them.
Data from: The reciprocal relationship between competition and intraspecific trait variation
Trait differences among plants are expected to influence the outcome of competition; competition should be strongest between similar species (or individuals) under limiting similarity, and between dissimilar species within competitive hierarchies. These hypotheses are often used to infer competitive dynamics from trait patterns within communities. However, plant traits are frequently plastic in response to competition. This variation is poorly accounted for in trait-based studies of competition and community assembly. To explore the relationship between trait responses and competitive outcomes, we grew 15 species alone, in monoculture and in mixture. We measured traits relating to leaf and root tissue morphology as well as biomass allocation and related competition-induced changes in these traits to intra- and interspecific competition using multi-model inference. Additionally, we tested how traits from different competitive environments influenced potential community assembly inferences. The competitive environment had large effects on species' traits, although many effects were species specific. Differences among species in how competition affected trait expression were linked to both intra- and interspecific competition, frequently affecting competitive hierarchies. Intraspecific competition was lower for species that limited competition-induced increases in root allocation and had less variability in this trait overall. Interspecific competition was lower for species with larger leaves and lower specific leaf area than their neighbours. Switching to more stress-tolerant strategies by increasing root diameter and leaf tissue density also reduced competition. However, dissimilarity in root tissue density also minimized competition, consistent with limiting similarity affecting competitive outcomes. Moreover, changes in these traits were linked to changes in functional diversity, suggesting that competition affects functional diversity by affecting trait expression. Synthesis. Both trait hierarchies and trait dissimilarity affect the outcome of competition by acting on different traits, although competition-induced changes in trait expression can alter competitive outcomes. Moreover, the magnitude of these trait changes suggests that the source environment where plant traits are collected can affect the inferences drawn from trait patterns within communities. Combined, our results suggest that considering the effect of competition on trait expression is critical to understanding the relationship between traits and community assembly.
Data from: Intraspecific variability and reaction norms of forest understory plant species traits
1.Trait-based models of ecological communities typically assume intraspecific variation in functional traits is not important, though such variation can change species trait rankings along gradients in resources and environmental conditions, and thus influence community structure and function. 2. We examined the degree of intraspecific relative to interspecific variation, and reaction norms of 11 functional traits for 57 forest understory plant species, including: intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), Δ15N, 5 leaf traits, 2 stem traits and 2 root traits along gradients in light, nitrogen, moisture and understory cover. 3. Our results indicate that interspecific trait variation exceeded intraspecific variation by at least 50% for most, but not all traits. Intraspecific variation in Δ15N, iWUE, leaf nitrogen content and root traits was high (47-70%) compared with most leaf traits and stem traits (13-38%). 4. Δ15N varied primarily along gradients in abiotic conditions, while light and understory cover were relatively less important. iWUE was related primarily to light transmission, reflecting increases in photosynthesis relative to stomatal conductance. Leaf traits varied mainly as a function of light availability, with some reaction norms depending on understory cover. Plant height increased with understory cover, while stem specific density was related primarily to light. Resources, environmental conditions and understory cover did not contribute strongly to the observed variation in root traits. 5. Gradients in resources, environmental conditions and competition all appear to control intraspecific variability in most traits to some extent. However, our results suggest that species cross-over (i.e., trait rank reversals) along the gradients measured here are generally not a concern. 6. Intraspecific variability in understory plant species traits can be considerable. However, trait data collected under a narrow range of environmental conditions appears sufficient to establish species rankings and scale between community and ecosystem levels using trait-based models. Investigators may therefore focus on obtaining a sufficient sample size within a single set of conditions rather than characterizing trait variation across entire gradients in order to optimize sampling efforts.
Intraspecific variation of Phragmites australis: Clinal adaption of functional traits and phenotypic plasticity vary with latitude of origin
<p>1. Widespread plant species generally have high intraspecific variation in functional traits, which is reflected in their great variety of phenotypes. This variety can result from both genetic differences due to local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. With high intraspecific variation and nearly global distribution, the common reed <i>Phragmites australis</i> is a suitable model species for studying the underlying mechanisms of intraspecific trait variation. </p> <p>2. In this study, 71 genotypes of <i>P. australis</i> from seven phylogeographic groups were transplanted into two replicate common gardens located in very different climates: northern Europe and mid-east Asia. We measured seven functional traits of all these genotypes over the growing season, including shoot height, maximum biomass per shoot, shoot density, node number per stem, leaf lifespan, flowering occurrence and flowering date. Our aim was to assess the relative effects of genetic (phylogeographic origin) and environmental (common garden) status, and interactions between them, on intraspecific variation in functional traits of <i>P. australis</i>. </p> <p>3. We found common garden having the strongest influence on most functional traits studied. All traits except flowering occurrence varied significantly across gardens, revealing the important role of phenotypic plasticity on trait variation of <i>P. australis</i>. We also found significant differences in trait variation among the different phylogeographic groups of <i>P. australis</i> and, thus, evidence for genetically determined intraspecific variation in the morphological and life-history traits addressed in this study. All functional traits showed significant (p≤0.0054), albeit minor to moderately explained (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> ≤0.57), latitudinal patterns in both gardens. Covariation of multiple traits was similar in the two gardens. Phenotypic plasticity was trait-specific, and the plasticity of shoot height and maximum biomass per shoot increased towards higher latitude of genotypic origin. Our results indicate that the latitude of origin affects the evolution of functional traits, as well as their phenotypic plasticity. </p> <p>4. Since phenotypic plasticity is a crucial mechanism for acclimation and evolution, our findings support the role of gene-based adaptive phenotypic plasticity in plant evolution. The intraspecific spatial variation of functional traits and their phenotypic plasticity can help predict species distribution, persistence and invasion under global climate change.</p>
Data from: Intraspecific trait variation across multiple scales: the leaf economics spectrum in coffee
Understanding species differences in plant functional traits has been critical in developing a mechanistic understanding of terrestrial ecological processes. Greater attention is now being placed on understanding the extent, causes and consequences of intraspecific trait variation (ITV). ITV is especially important in governing ecological processes in cropping systems, where only a small number of species or genotypes exist in high abundances. However, it remains unclear if key principles of trait-based ecology – namely the leaf economics spectrum (LES) – also describe intraspecific variation in crop functional biology. There also remains a need to understand whether ITV within crops is random, or structured across environmental, management-related or biological levels of organization in agroecosystems. We employed a nested design field survey to evaluate ITV in leaf traits in coffee (Coffea arabica), one of the world's most widespread tropical crops. We evaluated ITV in eight physiological, morphological and chemical leaf traits, across five nested categorical levels (sites, management systems, spatial location, plant identity, branch identity). We compared patterns of LES trait covariation in coffee, to interspecific patterns observed across over 700 wild plant species. Patterns of bivariate and multivariate ITV in coffee were broadly consistent with, but considerably weaker than, interspecific patterns associated with the LES, indicating that crops may systematically diverge from global patterns of trait trade-offs observed in wild plants. Physiological traits varied most widely (coefficient of variation (cv) 42–107%), followed by morphological traits (cv = 15–38%) and chemical traits (cv = 3–11%). Physiological ITV was best explained by the site in which a coffee plant was growing (17–55% explained), while ITV for chemical traits was best explained by management treatments within sites (25–36%); morphological ITV was higher even at the individual tree level or branch level and remained largely unexplained. Our results support the hypothesis that artificial selection and high-resource agricultural environments lead crops to systematically deviate from patterns of leaf trait covariation observed across wild plants species. Coupled with an understanding of how different traits vary systematically across multiple levels of biological organization, these findings help integrate ITV into future analyses of agroecosystem structure and function.
Data from: When does intraspecific trait variation contribute to functional beta-diversity?
1. Intraspecific trait variation (ITV) is hypothesized to play an important role in community assembly and the maintenance of biodiversity. However, fundamental gaps remain in our understanding of how ITV contributes to mechanisms that create spatial variation in the functional-trait composition of communities (functional β-diversity). Importantly, ITV may influence the perceived importance of environmental filtering across spatial scales. 2. We examined how ITV contributes to functional β-diversity and environmental filtering in woody plant communities in a temperate forest in the Ozark ecoregion, Missouri, USA. To test the hypothesis that ITV contributes to changes in the perceived importance of environmental filtering across scales, we compared patterns of functional β-diversity across soil-resource and topographic gradients at three spatial grains and three spatial extents. To quantify the contribution of ITV to functional β-diversity, we compared patterns that included ITV in five traits (leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf water content, leaf toughness, and chlorophyll content) to patterns based on species-mean trait values. 3. Functional β-diversity that included ITV increased with spatial extent and decreased with spatial grain, suggesting stronger environmental filtering within spatially extensive landscapes that contain populations locally adapted to different habitats. In contrast, functional β-diversity based on species-mean trait values increased with spatial extent but did not change with spatial grain, suggesting weaker environmental filtering among larger communities which each contain a variety of habitats and locally adapted populations. 4. Synthesis. Although studies typically infer community assembly mechanisms from species-mean trait values, our study suggests that mean trait values may mask the strength of assembly mechanisms such as environmental filtering, especially in landscape-scale studies that encompass strong environmental gradients and locally adapted populations. Our study highlights the utility of integrating ITV into studies of functional β-diversity to better understand the ecological conditions under which trait variation within and among species contributes most strongly to patterns of biodiversity across spatial scales.
R code and data for "Intraspecific and intraindividual trait variability decrease with tree species richness in a subtropical tree diversity experiment"
<p>R codes and dataset for tha statistical analyses and production of figures in "Intraspecific and intraindividual trait variability decrease with tree species richness in a subtropical tree diversity experiment" by Castro Sánchez-Bermejo et al.</p>
Data from: Intraspecific trait changes have large impacts on community functional composition but do not affect ecosystem function
<p>1. Plant functional traits can provide a mechanistic understanding of community responses to global change and of community effects on ecosystem functions. Nitrogen enrichment typically shifts trait composition by promoting the dominance of acquisitive plants (high specific leaf area [SLA] and low leaf dry matter content [LDMC]), translating into high biomass production. Changes in mean trait values can be due to shifts in species identity, relative abundances and/or intraspecific trait values. However, we do not know the relative importance of these shifts in determining trait responses to environmental changes, or trait effects on ecosystem functioning, such as biomass production. </p> <p><br> 2. We quantified the relative importance of species composition, abundance and intraspecific shifts in driving variation in SLA and LDMC, and how these shifts affected above- and belowground biomass. We measured traits in a grassland experiment manipulating nitrogen fertilisation, plant species richness, foliar fungal pathogen removal and sown functional composition (slow vs. fast species). We fitted structural equation models to test the importance of abundance and intraspecific shifts in determining 1) responses of functional composition to treatments and 2) effects on above and belowground biomass.</p> <p> <br> 3. We found that species intraspecific shifts were as important as abundance shifts in determining change in functional composition (community weighted mean trait values), and even had large effects compared to substantial initial variation in sown trait composition. Intraspecific trait shifts resulted in convergence towards intermediate SLA in diverse communities; although convergence was reduced by nitrogen addition and enhanced by pathogen removal. In contrast, large intraspecific shifts in LDMC were not influenced by the treatments. However, despite large responses, intraspecific trait shifts had no effect on above or belowground biomass. Only interspecific trait variation affected functioning: belowground biomass was reduced by SLA and increased by LDMC, while aboveground biomass was increased by SLA. </p> <p><br> 4. Our results add to a growing body of literature showing large species intraspecific trait variation and emphasise the importance of using field sampled data to determine community functional composition. However, they also show that intraspecific variation does not necessarily affect ecosystem functioning and therefore response-effect trait relationships may differ between vs. within species.</p>
Disentangling biotic and abiotic drivers of intraspecific trait variation in woody plant seedlings at forest edges
<p>In fragmented forests, edge effects can drive intraspecific variation in seedling performance that influences forest regeneration and plant composition. However, few studies have attempted to disentangle the relative biotic and abiotic drivers of intraspecific variation in seedling performance. In this study, we carried out a seedling transplant experiment with a factorial experimental design on three land-bridge islands in the Thousand Island Lake, China, using four common native woody plant species. At different distances from the forest edge (2, 8, 32, 128 m), we transplanted four seedlings of each species into each of three cages: full-cage, for herbivore-exclusion; half-cage, that allowed herbivore access but controlled for caging artefacts; and no-cage control. In the 576 cages, we recorded branch architecture, leaf traits and seedling survival for each seedling before and after the experimental treatment. Overall, after one full growing season, edge-induced abiotic drivers and varied herbivory pressure led to intraspecific variation in seedling performance, including trade-offs in seedling architecture and resource-use strategies. However, responses varied across species with different life-history strategies and depended on the driver in question, such that the abiotic and biotic effects were additive across species, rather than interactive. Edge-induced abiotic variation modified seedling architecture of a shade-tolerant species, leading to more vertical rather than lateral growth at edges. Meanwhile, increased herbivory pressure resulted in a shift toward lower dry matter investment in leaves of a light-demanding species. Our results suggest that edge effects can drive rapid directional shifts in the performance and intraspecific traits of some woody plants from early ontogenetic stages, but most species in this study showed negligible phenotypic responses to edge effects. Moreover, species-specific responses suggest the importance of interspecific differences modulating the degree of trait plasticity, implying the need to incorporate individual-level responses when understanding the impact of forest fragmentation on plant communities.</p>
Data from: Environmental resource deficit may drive the evolution of intraspecific trait variation in invasive plant populations
Intraspecific trait variation within natural populations (i.e. intra‐population trait variation, IPTV) is the basic source for selection and can have significant ecological consequences. Higher IPTV may increase a population's niche breath and benefit interspecies competition under a resource‐limited environment, thus affecting the ability of a species to move into novel habitats. However, the reciprocal influences of variation in environmental conditions and phenotypic trait expression in spreading plant populations are not clearly defined. We propose that during invasion, IPTV and its relative change in response to key resource enrichment may increase with the resource deficit of invaded sites, and that this relationship may facilitate plant invasions into resource‐limited environments. We analyzed the invasion trend, IPTV and its response to water enrichment, and moisture variability among populations of an annual grass Brachypodium hybridum in California, United States. We incorporated a genotyping‐by‐sequencing approach, a common garden experiment that had two water level treatments, and public plant and climate databases. Our hypothesis was supported by the observation that for populations that invaded sites with higher spring moisture deficit, both their seed biomass IPTV (for the water‐enriched treatment only) and relative change of the IPTV across water treatments were larger when examined in the common garden experiment. A generally north to south spreading direction was found in these B. hybridum populations, towards a drier and warmer climate exhibiting higher moisture deficit for plant growth. Our results suggest a role for interactions between IPTV (rather than trait means) and environmental resource availability in promoting plant invasions, providing new insights into the significance of IPTV in shaping plant geographic distributions.
Intraspecific functional trait structure of restoration-relevant species: implications for restoration seed sourcing
<ol> <li><span>Recent research has highlighted the existence of significant intraspecific trait variation within and among populations of plant species. This inherent variation within species means there is a wealth of trait diversity from which to source germplasm for use in ecological restoration. However, it remains unclear how to source materials from this pool of trait diversity in order to achieve desired outcomes and support ecosystem function in a restoration context.</span></li> <li> <span>We provide a framework to study the structure of trait variation across populations and genotypes in an effort to bridge functional trait research with the sourcing of native plant materials for restoration. We investigated the structure of intraspecific functional trait variation in three forb species used in restoration on the Colorado Plateau to (i) understand </span>the structure of functional trait variation within and among populations, and (ii) determine if individual and multivariate functional traits differ between populations while accounting for trait variation within and among genotypes.</li> <li><span>We found considerable functional trait variation at all sampling levels, with variation within populations often surpassing variation among populations. Still, we observed population-level differences in trait values in eight of the twelve species-by-trait combinations and populations largely segregated in multivariate trait space.</span></li> <li> <i><span>Synthesis and applications</span></i><span>. Using micropropagation techniques, we uncovered population-level differences in functional trait variation, suggesting that mixing populations to create restoration germplasm following a regional admixture provenancing approach could lead to increased functional diversity in restorations. However, the substantial trait variation identified within some populations of our study species also suggests a similar potential when utilizing genotypically diverse material from even a single population. Further research on these and other species is needed to understand the structure of intraspecific functional trait variation and how it impacts ecosystem function. The approach outlined in this study can assist researchers in assessing the underlying trait variation present in various restoration materials and provide managers with more detailed information that can help make germplasm sourcing decisions. </span> </li> </ol>
Data from: The intraspecific variation of functional traits modulates drought resilience of European beech and pubescent oak
<p>A higher frequency and intensity of droughts will impair forest productivity. Therefore, improving our understanding of which factors enhance tree growth resilience against drought has become a crucial issue, but we lack information at the intraspecific level.</p> <p>In this study, we investigate the role played by climatic conditions and tree characteristics in the growth response to severe droughts in two deciduous Fagaceae species near their southern distribution limit: the temperate European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and the Mediterranean pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens). The study area is located in Catalonia, NE Spain, where 149 trees were cored covering the water availability gradient of the species in the region. In addition, tree size (diameter and height) and an ensemble of stem, leaf and hydraulic traits were collected for each tree. Growth responses to extreme droughts during the period 1980-2015 were assessed using resilience indicators based on residual basal area increment series predicted by a model including growing-season water balance.</p> <p>Although resistance was unrelated to drought intensity, higher water availability improved recovery and reduced drought legacy effects. Taller trees showed higher resilience against drought, which could be explained by the relationship between the variation in tree height and functional traits, such as leaf nitrogen concentration, leaf turgor loss point and resistance to xylem embolism. For both species, trees with lower cavitation resistance, higher leaf nitrogen concentration and tighter stomatal regulation (suggested by less negative turgor loss point and carbon isotope composition) displayed better performance during and after severe droughts. Both species showed a progressive decrease in resilience and increase of legacy effects.</p> <p><em>Synthesis</em>. This study highlights the relevance of analyzing intraspecific variation of functional traits involved in tree water and carbon balance to improve our understanding of the resilience and variability of growth responses to drought within species. </p>
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Allen Brain Atlas
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ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.