A Rapid Adaptation to Low Salinity of Inland-Colonizing Populations of the Littoral Grass Leymus arenarius

Greipsson, Sigurdur; Ahokas, Hannu; Vähämiko, Sanna

doi:10.1086/297415

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Salt stress at the roadside can be considerable after the roads are de-iced with NaCl during winter, and local adaptation to salinity tolerance has been documented (Hester et al, 1996). However, salinity tolerance does represent a cost and may be lost through rapid adaptation to low-salinity conditions (Greipsson et al, 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinity tolerance during germination of seashore halophytes and salt-tolerant grass cultivars

Hanslin¹,

Eggen

2005

Seed Sci. Res.

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Direct sowing is the simplest method of plant establishment for restoration and remediation purposes, but relatively few plants can establish under high salinity conditions. In this study, the ability of different seashore plants and grass cultivars to germinate in different dilutions of seawater (0–400 mM NaCl) was tested. Highest germination was found in distilled water or seawater dilutions up to 100 mM NaCl. When seawater concentrations were increased from 100 to 200 mM NaCl, a strong decline in germination percentage and rate was observed in less salt-tolerant species, such as Matricaria maritima and Achillea millefolium. The more salt-tolerant species, Plantago maritima, Juncus gerardii, Artemisia vulgaris, Agrostis spp. and Rumex spp., had a threshold salinity, where germination was significantly decreased in seawater dilutions between 200 and 400 mM NaCl. Even among the salt-tolerant species, only two, Agrostis stolonifera and Artemisia vulgaris, germinated at 400 mM. Variation in salinity response was observed among populations of Artemisia vulgaris and among cultivars of Festuca spp. Increasing salinity to 200 mM NaCl delayed germination in most species. Ungerminated seeds of most salinity-tolerant species were still viable after 21 d at the highest salinity (400 mM), and showed a rapid and high germination when transferred to distilled water. These species would be able to survive high salinity and germinate when the salinity of the sediments decreases through dilution or leaching of salts. The experiment revealed species and cultivars that will be of interest in further testing for restoration and remediation in saline habitats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinity tolerance during germination of seashore halophytes and salt-tolerant grass cultivars

Hanslin¹,

Eggen

2005

Seed Sci. Res.

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“…The RAPD method (random amplified polymorphic DNA) generates only a fraction of the resolution obtained from AFLP, as the profiles consist typically of about 10% of the number of scorable bands (our unpublished results). Electrophoretic analysis of seed endospermal protein has been used for species identification in lymegrass (Ahokas & Fredskild 1991; Ahokas 1992; Greipsson et al 1997), but the method clearly cannot be used either on plants during their vegetative growth period, which is generally more than 3 years in perennial lymegrass, or in sterile wide hybrids. Karyotyping has demonstrated that such hybrids (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such changes can often be traced to changes in the environment, in the ecosystem, or after migration and colonization of a species in a new environment. An indication of rapid adaptation to specific habitat has been reported to have occurred with L. arenarius in Finland, where salt‐tolerant types colonizing inland areas have become adapted to low salinity (Greipsson et al 1997). The rapid molecular changes revealed in the present study may well be directly correlated to specific genes responsible for the physiological ability of the plants to survive and reproduce, or they may be the result of genomic turnover such as that due to activity of mobile elements under stress.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular variation in Leymus species and populations

et al. 1999

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Icelandic populations of European lymegrass [Leymus arenarius (L.) Hochst.] were examined using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the major ribosomal genes (18S-5.8S-26S rDNA), in comparison with Alaskan populations of its closely related species L. mollis (Trin.) Pilger. The AFLP profiles emerged as two distinct entities, clearly separating the two species, and based on species-specific bands it was simple to distinguish these two morphologically similar species. The rDNA-RFLPs also differentiated the species. Within species, the Icelandic L. arenarius was more homogeneous than the Alaskan L. mollis, and its variation was dispersed over geographically different populations, suggesting a common gene pool. The variation among the Alaskan L. mollis was more extensive and its interrupted pattern may be the result of gene introgression at subspecies level. Within a 40-year-old population of L. mollis established in Iceland from Alaskan material, the molecular profiles separated old and new genotypes. Both AFLP and rDNA revealed the new genotypes to be extremely similar. This rapid change in allele frequency is thought to be the result of adaptation to a new environment.

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“…For example, weedy grasses in golf courses have different dormancy depending on the management regime within particular locations in the greens (Itoh et al 1997). Populations of some species that inhabit areas of contamination are able to germinate more in contaminated areas than are other populations (Ferasol et al 1995, Rout et al 2000, and populations that have expanded their range into human altered habitats, such as roadsides, also have increased abilities to germinate under such conditions (Greipsson et al 1997). Populations that differ in herbicide resistance also can differ in germination (Ghersa et al 1994, Gill et al 1996.…”

Section: Indirect Evidence Of Adaptation In Germination: Changes In Gmentioning

confidence: 99%

Germination, Postgermination Adaptation, and Species Ecological Ranges

Donohue

Casas

Burghardt

et al. 2010

Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst.

756

794

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Germination behavior is one of the earliest phenotypes expressed by plants. This fact has several consequences for the evolution of postgermination traits, ecological niches, and geographic ranges. By determining the conditions that plants experience after they germinate, germination influences phenotypic expression of postgermination traits, natural selection on them, and their genetic basis. The breadth of germination niches may influence the ecological breadth and geographic ranges of species. Because germination is expressed early, it is frequently subjected to natural selection before other traits are expressed. We review evidence for natural selection on and adaptation of germination and discuss how the breadth of the germination niche is associated with the ecological niche and range of plant species. We review evidence for the coevolution of germination and postgermination traits and compare germination to postgermination niches. Finally, we discuss how germination responses to altered environments can influence species distribution and the evolution of postgermination traits after environmental change.

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A Rapid Adaptation to Low Salinity of Inland-Colonizing Populations of the Littoral Grass Leymus arenarius

Cited by 14 publications

References 19 publications

Salinity tolerance during germination of seashore halophytes and salt-tolerant grass cultivars

Salinity tolerance during germination of seashore halophytes and salt-tolerant grass cultivars

Molecular variation in Leymus species and populations

Germination, Postgermination Adaptation, and Species Ecological Ranges

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