Local adaptation along a sharp rainfall gradient occurs in a native Patagonian grass, Festuca pallescens, regardless of extensive gene flow

López, Aldana Soledad; López, Diana María; Caballé, Gonzalo; Siffredi, Guillermo Lorenzo; Marchelli, Paula

doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2019.103933

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…This site corresponds to a cold environment with temperatures that drop below the freezing point during autumn, which has the same effect as water stress for seed populations 56 . In addition, this population was highly differentiated from the others when analyzed with nuclear microsatellites 57 . The taxonomic status was clear, but a putative hybrid origin could not be discarded 58 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Germination response to water availability in populations of Festuca pallescens along a Patagonian rainfall gradient based on hydrotime model parameters

López

López²,

Arana

et al. 2021

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Sensitivity to water availability is a key physiological trait for grassland species located in arid and semiarid environments, where successful germination is closely related to rainfall dynamics. Festuca pallescens inhabits diverse environments along a steep precipitation gradient in North Patagonia, thus offering a suitable model for the study of germination behavior in response to water availability. By analyzing germination in nine populations using a hydrotime model approach, we aimed to find within-species variation. Seed population behavior was analyzed under different hydric conditions using hydrotime model parameters (hydrotime, mean base water potential and its standard deviation). We estimated the mean base water potential for F. pallescens (ψb(50) = − 2.79 ± 0.45 MPa), which did not differ significantly between populations. However, the hydrotime parameter (θH) varied markedly, suggesting physiological adaptation to local environments. Higher values of θH were found in populations located at the extremes of the distribution gradient, indicating that germination may be prevented or delayed in conditions that are suboptimal for the species. Since the variation in hydrotime model parameters did not follow a cline, micro-environmental cues may have the greatest influence on the physiological behavior of the species, rather than the macroscale rainfall gradient.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%