Competition‐induced transgenerational plasticity influences competitive interactions and leaf decomposition of offspring

Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity, within and across generations (transgenerational plasticity), allows organisms and their progeny to adapt to the environment without modification of the underlying DNA. Recent findings suggest that epigenetic modifications are important mediators of such plasticity. However, empirical studies have, so far, mainly focused on plasticity in response to abiotic factors, overlooking the response to competition. We tested for within-generation and transgenerational phenotypic plasticity triggered by plant-plant competition intensity, and we tested whether it was mediated via DNA methylation, using the perennial, apomictic herb Taraxacum brevicorniculatum in four coordinated experiments. We then tested the consequences of transgenerational plasticity affecting competitive interactions of the offspring and ecosystem processes, such as decomposition. We found that, by promoting differences in DNA methylation, offspring of plants under stronger competition developed faster and presented more resource-conservative phenotypes. Further, these adjustments associated with less degradable leaves, which have the potential to reduce nutrient turnover and might, in turn, favour plants with more conservative traits. Greater parental competition enhanced competitive abilities of the offspring, by triggering adaptive phenotypic plasticity, and decreased offspring leaf decomposability. Our results suggest that competition-induced transgenerational effects could promote rapid adaptations and species coexistence and feed back on biodiversity assembly and nutrient cycling.

Born with a silver spoon: dandelion parents’ life experiences affect the lives and afterlives of their offspring

“…However, whether inherited plastic Fig. 1 Conceptual overview of the results presented in this issue of New Phytologist by Puy et al (2021;pp. 3497-3507).…”

“…In this issue of New Phytologist , Puy et al . (2021; pp. 3497–3507), through a series of sophisticated experiments, show that phenotypic plasticity in response to plant–plant interactions (i.e.…”

“…Ideally, these plastic phenotypic modifications can be passed on to the offspring to give them an immediate competitive advantage at the germination or seedling stage. In this issue of New Phytologist, Puy et al (2021; pp. 3497-3507), through a series of sophisticated experiments, show that phenotypic plasticity in response to plant-plant interactions (i.e.…”

Mycorrhizal symbiosis alleviates plant water deficit within and across plant generations via plasticity

“…Also it could have further allowed us to detected underlying transgenerational effects probably controlled by epigenetic or hormonal mechanisms (Herman & Sultan, 2011; Rottstock, Kummer, Fischer, & Joshi, 2017; Varga & Soulsbury, 2017). One way to confirm whether these effects were only epigenetically controlled would be to modify the epigenetic signature of the plants via application of a demethylation agent (Puy, de Bello, et al, 2020; Puy et al, 2018). However, it should be first tested whether the demethylation application does not harm the AM fungal community.…”

“…Recent studies suggest that transgenerational effects could play a key role in the adaptive response of organisms to stressors, proven particularly essential during the juvenile stages (Dechaine, Brock, & Weinig, 2015; Lämke & Bäurle, 2017; Latzel, Janeček, Doležal, Klimešová, & Bossdorf, 2014; Puy, Carmona, Dvořáková, Latzel, & de Bello, 2020). While the effect of abiotic conditions on transgenerational plasticity has been repeatedly demonstrated, little is known about the relative effect of transgenerational effects triggered by biotic conditions (Alonso, Ramos-Cruz, & Becker, 2019; Puy, de Bello, et al, 2020), and even less about how they interact with abiotic factors.…”