When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global Change
ABSTRACT Whole genome duplication (WGD or polyploidization) events shape plant evolution, altering ecological responses and plant traits, particularly those related to cell and tissue size. We studied genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity in Spartina populations, focusing on hybrid (Spartina ×...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71022 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850280505840238592 |
|---|---|
| author | Dirk Granse Paul Wendt Sigrid Suchrow Dieter Hanelt Jörg Fromm Morgane Milin Oscar Lima Armel Salmon Malika Aïnouche Kai Jensen |
| author_facet | Dirk Granse Paul Wendt Sigrid Suchrow Dieter Hanelt Jörg Fromm Morgane Milin Oscar Lima Armel Salmon Malika Aïnouche Kai Jensen |
| author_sort | Dirk Granse |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Whole genome duplication (WGD or polyploidization) events shape plant evolution, altering ecological responses and plant traits, particularly those related to cell and tissue size. We studied genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity in Spartina populations, focusing on hybrid (Spartina × townsendii) and allopolyploid (S. anglica) cytotypes in Wadden Sea salt marshes. Our results reveal low genetic diversity in both cytotypes and a complex response of plant traits to global change factors (drought, elevated CO2 concentration). While WGD increased stomatal length, plasticity varied between cytotypes, with allopolyploids showing higher plasticity, especially under elevated CO2. Biomass allocation patterns differed between cytotypes under global change conditions, suggesting distinct effects on ecosystem functioning, such as belowground carbon sequestration and cycling. The allopolyploid's comparatively fewer, larger‐diameter stems may affect aboveground ecosystem functions differently, including sediment trapping and the slowing of tidal currents. Despite similar genetic backgrounds, allopolyploids did not consistently exhibit higher plasticity, challenging previous assumptions. Our findings highlight the complex interplay between hybridization, WGD, phenotypic plasticity, and ecosystem responses to global change, emphasizing the importance of considering polyploidization in understanding plant adaptation and evolutionary dynamics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cb9cf084cbed42d8b68f187507b691aa |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-cb9cf084cbed42d8b68f187507b691aa2025-08-20T01:48:41ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-03-01153n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71022When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global ChangeDirk Granse0Paul Wendt1Sigrid Suchrow2Dieter Hanelt3Jörg Fromm4Morgane Milin5Oscar Lima6Armel Salmon7Malika Aïnouche8Kai Jensen9Applied Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology University of Hamburg Hamburg GermanyApplied Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology University of Hamburg Hamburg GermanyApplied Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology University of Hamburg Hamburg GermanyAquatic Ecophysiology and Phycology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology University of Hamburg Hamburg GermanyWood Biology, Institute of Wood Science University of Hamburg Hamburg GermanyUniversity of Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6553 Ecobio Rennes Cedex FranceUniversity of Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6553 Ecobio Rennes Cedex FranceUniversity of Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6553 Ecobio Rennes Cedex FranceUniversity of Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6553 Ecobio Rennes Cedex FranceApplied Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology University of Hamburg Hamburg GermanyABSTRACT Whole genome duplication (WGD or polyploidization) events shape plant evolution, altering ecological responses and plant traits, particularly those related to cell and tissue size. We studied genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity in Spartina populations, focusing on hybrid (Spartina × townsendii) and allopolyploid (S. anglica) cytotypes in Wadden Sea salt marshes. Our results reveal low genetic diversity in both cytotypes and a complex response of plant traits to global change factors (drought, elevated CO2 concentration). While WGD increased stomatal length, plasticity varied between cytotypes, with allopolyploids showing higher plasticity, especially under elevated CO2. Biomass allocation patterns differed between cytotypes under global change conditions, suggesting distinct effects on ecosystem functioning, such as belowground carbon sequestration and cycling. The allopolyploid's comparatively fewer, larger‐diameter stems may affect aboveground ecosystem functions differently, including sediment trapping and the slowing of tidal currents. Despite similar genetic backgrounds, allopolyploids did not consistently exhibit higher plasticity, challenging previous assumptions. Our findings highlight the complex interplay between hybridization, WGD, phenotypic plasticity, and ecosystem responses to global change, emphasizing the importance of considering polyploidization in understanding plant adaptation and evolutionary dynamics.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71022allopolyploidyclimate changeco‐variation in multiple plant traitshybridization in plantsmultivariate trait plasticity index MVPiplant fitness homeostasis |
| spellingShingle | Dirk Granse Paul Wendt Sigrid Suchrow Dieter Hanelt Jörg Fromm Morgane Milin Oscar Lima Armel Salmon Malika Aïnouche Kai Jensen When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global Change Ecology and Evolution allopolyploidy climate change co‐variation in multiple plant traits hybridization in plants multivariate trait plasticity index MVPi plant fitness homeostasis |
| title | When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global Change |
| title_full | When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global Change |
| title_fullStr | When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global Change |
| title_full_unstemmed | When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global Change |
| title_short | When Genetic Diversity Is Low: The Effects of Ploidy Level on Plant Functional Trait Expression in Spartina Under Global Change |
| title_sort | when genetic diversity is low the effects of ploidy level on plant functional trait expression in spartina under global change |
| topic | allopolyploidy climate change co‐variation in multiple plant traits hybridization in plants multivariate trait plasticity index MVPi plant fitness homeostasis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71022 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dirkgranse whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT paulwendt whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT sigridsuchrow whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT dieterhanelt whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT jorgfromm whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT morganemilin whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT oscarlima whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT armelsalmon whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT malikaainouche whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange AT kaijensen whengeneticdiversityislowtheeffectsofploidylevelonplantfunctionaltraitexpressioninspartinaunderglobalchange |