Nutrient Adaptation in Native and Experimental Calcicolous and Siliceous Populations of Silene Nutans

Bilde, J. de

doi:10.2307/3543666

Cited by 18 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As the two ecotypes have evolved genetic adaptations to the mineral composition of their respective soils (De Bilde, 1978), we have evidence for correlated differences in allozymes and ecological traits in S. nutans.…”

Section: Ecotypic Differentiationmentioning

confidence: 98%

Allozyme variation in relation to ecotypic differentiation and population size in marginal populations of Silene nutans

et al. 1997

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In Belgium, at the north-western margin of its geographical range, Silene nutans is a rare species, which has evolved a silicicolous (Si) and a calcicolous (Ca) ecotype, with contrasting morphometric traits. Genetic diversity and population genetic structure were examined for seven allozyme loci in 16 Si and 18 Ca populations (a total of 567 individuals). High genetic variation was found at both the ecotypic and population level, and no significant correlation was found between population size and any measure of genetic variation. The maintenance of high levels of genetic diversity in small, marginal populations might be explained by the perennial, long-lived life form and the outcrossing breeding system of the species. Additionally, low F ST -values suggested that efficient gene flow was occurring within both ecotypes. Genetic distance measures and cluster analysis using UPGMA on the distance matrix revealed that the populations were differentiated according to their ecotypic property in two distinct gene pools. It is argued that the congruence of allozymic and morphometric differentiation between edaphic races is unusual for an outcrossing species. This finding, together with previous observations of isolating mechanisms between ecotypes, strongly suggests that incipient speciation is occurring within Silene nutans at the margin of its geographical range.

show abstract

Section: Ecotypic Differentiationmentioning

confidence: 98%

Allozyme variation in relation to ecotypic differentiation and population size in marginal populations of Silene nutans

et al. 1997

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…5). Figure 4 also shows that dicotyledonous plants tend to take up more Ca from a given supply than do monocotyledonous plants (see also Passama, 1970;De Bilde, 1978). The basis of this difference, and what its significance might be, are unknown.…”

Section: Ion Availability and Plant Distributionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Magnesium and potassium. The infiuence of Ca upon the uptake of the essential cations Mg^"^ and K^ depends upon the Ca:Mg (Marrs & Proctor, 1976) and the Ca:K (Kinzel, 1983) ratios in the soil and upon the plant species (De Bilde, 1978). This has been reviewed recently elsewhere (Kinzel, 1983).…”

Section: Nitrogen Souree Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calcium as an environmental variable

Rorison

Robinson

1984

Plant Cell & Environment

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

. The chemical state of calcium in the soil and the effects, both direct and indirect, which this can have on the growth and distribution of plants are considered. Recent advances in knowledge refer mainy to interactions (between nitrogen source, aluminium and pH, for example) for which there is now experimental evidence and which themselves are influenced by calcium. The impact of physical variables is less marked than first thought although seasonal effects of waterlogging and drought can be critical. It is emphasized that the terms ‘calcicole’ and ‘calcifuge’ are generally acceptable in classifying plants according to the degree of calcareousness of the soils in which they occur but only if the wider implications are appreciated.

show abstract

“…Calcium and K are mutually antagonistic in their uptake by plants, so high Ca in the presence of low-moderate K can decrease K intake enough to induce K de ciency (Cahoon and Grummet 1954). The K + :Ca 2+ ratio has long been reported to be decisive for the calcicole-calcifuge behavior of plants (De Bilde, 1978;Korcak, 1987) and a major factor in uencing the composition of chalk grassland communities (Austin, 1968).…”

Section: Nutrient Limitations Inferred From Elemental Stoichiometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient stoichiometry mediates the patchy coexistence of two subalpine grassland types

Hernández,

Armas-Herrera,

Badía-Villas

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background and Aims High mountain areas often show high soil heterogeneity that allows for the close coexistence of plant species and communities with contrasting resource requirements. This study investigates the nutritional factors driving the mosaic distribution of Nardus stricta L. grasslands and chalk grasslands dominated by forbs in the subalpine southern Pyrenees (Spain). Methods The concentrations of C, N, P, S, K, Ca and fiber fractions were analyzed in herbage in relation to soil nutrient availability, soil β–glucosidase, urease, phosphatase and arylsulfatase activity and plant species and functional type composition. Results The chalk grassland showed higher N:P ratios in herbage and higher enzyme demand for P relative to N in the soil, which indicate a greater limitation of P versus N compared to the Nardus grassland. This limitation was related to the higher soil and plant Ca levels in the chalk grassland, where the calcareous bedrock lies close to the soil surface. In the Nardus grasslands, the alleviation of P limitation translated into higher productivity and replacement of forbs with taller graminoids rich in structural carbohydrates, which was accompanied by greater β–D–glucosidase activity. The plant N:K and P:K ratios indicated potential K deficiency in both grasslands, which resulted from a decreased uptake of K due to competition from Ca, as indicated by the correlation between plant K and the soil K+:Ca2+ ratio. Conclusions Our results highlight the effect of the heterogeneity of soil nutrient constraints, as mediated by their stoichiometry and controlled by local topography, on the biodiversity of high mountain ecosystems.

show abstract

Nutrient Adaptation in Native and Experimental Calcicolous and Siliceous Populations of Silene Nutans

Cited by 18 publications

References 6 publications

Allozyme variation in relation to ecotypic differentiation and population size in marginal populations of Silene nutans

Allozyme variation in relation to ecotypic differentiation and population size in marginal populations of Silene nutans

Calcium as an environmental variable

Nutrient stoichiometry mediates the patchy coexistence of two subalpine grassland types

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About