Cost of adaptation to a metalliferous environment for Thlaspi caerulescens: a field reciprocal transplantation approach

Abstract

Summary• Field reciprocal transplantations of two metallicolous populations (Mpops) and two nonmetallicolous populations (NMpops) of Thlaspi caerulescens were performed here to determine the pattern of local adaptation and to assess the cost of adaptation of Mpops to a metalliferous environment (Menv). The role of herbivores as an important selective pressure in the nonmetalliferous environment (NMenv) was also examined.• Growth, survival, fitness, life cycle and herbivore consumption were monitored for each transplant for 2 yr.• Local adaptation of Mpops to their own environment was clearly demonstrated, as Mpops consistently outperformed NMpops in Menv. In NMenv, no advantage of NMpops over Mpops was detected. However, the fitness of Mpops was generally lower in NMenv than in Menv. Herbivore consumption appeared to be a significant selective pressure for Mpops in NMenv.• An imbalance of selective forces between Menv and NMenv probably explains the greater local adaptation of Mpops. Therefore, colonization of NMenv by Mpops appears possible. Although Mpops were able to survive and reproduce in NMenv, they nevertheless expressed a cost attributable in part to their higher susceptibility to herbivores.

Local adaptation is associated with zinc tolerance inPseudomonasendophytes of the metal-hyperaccumulator plantNoccaea caerulescens

“…(¼Thlaspi caerulescens J.Presl & C.Presl) were studied at two field locations: an artificial population cultivated at Wytham, Oxfordshire, UK (51847 0 N, 1839 0 W) and a natural population growing on wasteland at Hafna mine, an abandoned lead -zinc mine in Snowdonia National Park, Conwy, UK (53807 0 N, 3849 0 W [22]). The artificial population was generated from seed collected from N. caerulescens at Prayon, Belgium (50835 0 N, 5840 0 E [23]). Plants were precultured in a glasshouse for eight weeks on soil supplemented with zinc oxide to contain either 0, 1, 2 or 5 g kg 21 Zn (w/w).…”

Genetic adaptation of earthworms to copper pollution: is adaptation associated with fitness costs in Dendrobaena octaedra?

“…Posthuma and van Straalen 1993;Posthuma 1997;van Straalen and Timmermans 2002). However, most studies within this topic have involved aquatic invertebrates (Agra et al 2010) or plants (Dechamps et al 2008;Maestri et al 2010). Tradeoffs are defined by the costs and benefits that are associated with adaptation.…”

Genetic adaptation to soil acidification: experimental evidence from four grass species

“…It is possible that nontolerant species lack the genetic variation necessary to increase their tolerance to lower soil pH (Macnair 1987;Al-Hiyaly et al 1990;Bradshaw 1991) or that genetic trade-offs between performance in favorable and stressful soil environments prevent populations from exploiting more acidic soils (Via and Lande 1985; see also Harper et al 1997;Dechamps et al 2008;Eränen 2008). However, there are still too few experimental studies to draw general conclusions about the relationship between a species' pH distribution in the field, the performance of the species under acidic conditions, and the pattern of genetic variation in pH or Al tolerance.…”