Plasticity and Genetic Diversity May Allow Saltcedar to Invade Cold Climates in North America

Sexton, Jason P.; McKay, John; Sala, Anna

doi:10.1890/1051-0761(2002)012[1652:pagdma]2.0.co;2

Cited by 246 publications

(213 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

198

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Traits evaluated in this study were not significantly different among the eight populations of B. davidii, indicating that there is not genetic change (local adaptation) in the invader during its range expansion. This result indicates that the invader may realize its success across a wide range of different environments through phenotypic plasticity (Sexton et al 2002;Parker et al 2003), supporting the general-purpose genotype hypothesis (Baker 1965). Plastic responses of photosynthesis to temperature were high in B. davidii (unpublished data).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

“…In addition, local genetic adaptation to the different environments encountered during range expansion may take place in invasive species (McKay et al 2001;Sexton et al 2002;Lambrinos 2004). Alternatively, invasive species may consist of general-purpose genotypes that are able to colonize different environments (Baker 1965;Parker et al 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Invasive Buddleja davidii allocates more nitrogen to its photosynthetic machinery than five native woody species

2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The general-purpose genotype hypothesis and the hypothesis of the evolution of invasiveness predict that invasive species are characterized by particular traits that confer invasiveness. However, these traits are still not well-defined. In this study, ecophysiological traits of eight populations of the invasive shrub Buddleja davidii from a wide range of European locations and five co-occurring native woody species in Germany were compared in a common garden experiment. We hypothesized that the invader has higher resource capture ability and utilization efficiency than the natives. No differences were detected among the eight populations of B. davidii in any of the traits evaluated, indicating that the invader did not evolve during range expansion, thus providing support to the general-purpose genotype hypothesis. The invader showed significantly higher maximum electron transport rate, maximum carboxylation rate, carboxylation efficiency, light-saturated photosynthetic rate (P(max)) and photosynthetic nitrogen utilization efficiency (PNUE) than the five natives. Leaf nitrogen content was not significantly different between the invader and the natives, but the invader allocated more nitrogen to the photosynthetic machinery than the natives. The increased nitrogen content in the photosynthetic machinery resulted in a higher resource capture ability and utilization efficiency in the invader. At the same intercellular CO(2) concentration, P (max) was significantly higher in the invader than in the natives, again confirming the importance of the higher nitrogen allocation to photosynthesis. The invader reduced metabolic cost by increasing the ratio of P (max) to dark respiration rate (R (d)), but it did not reduce carbon cost by increasing the specific leaf area and decreasing leaf construction cost. The higher nitrogen allocation to the photosynthetic machinery, P(max), PNUE and P(max)/R(d) may facilitate B. davidii invasion, although studies involving a wide range of invasive species are needed to understand the generality of this pattern and to fully assess the ecological advantages afforded by these features.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive Buddleja davidii allocates more nitrogen to its photosynthetic machinery than five native woody species

2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Furthermore, growth chamber experiments comparing northern and southern saltcedar have demonstrated inherited temperature-dependent differences in root-shoot ratio (Sexton et al 2002). This latitudinal genetic variation appears to have resulted from (1) multiple introductions of genetically distinct populations, including T. chinensis in the south and T. ramosissima in the north (Gaskin and Kazmer 2009), (2) hybridization that produced a population containing extensive genetic variation for leaf phenology and cold hardiness (Hurka et al 2003;Friedman et al 2008), and (3) natural selection.…”

Section: Rapid Evolution Of Phenologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic and environmental influences on leaf phenology and cold hardiness of native and introduced riparian trees

2011

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To explore the roles of plasticity and genetic variation in the response to spatial and temporal climate variation, we established a common garden consisting of paired collections of native and introduced riparian trees sampled along a latitudinal gradient. The garden in Fort Collins, Colorado (latitude 40.6°N), included 681 native plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera) and introduced saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima, T. chinensis and hybrids) collected from 15 sites at 29.2-47.6°N in the central United States. In the common garden both species showed latitudinal variation in fall, but not spring, leaf phenology, suggesting that the latitudinal gradient in fall phenology observed in the field results at least in part from inherited variation in the critical photoperiod, while the latitudinal gradient in spring phenology observed in the field is largely a plastic response to the temperature gradient. Populations from higher latitudes exhibited earlier bud set and leaf senescence. Cold hardiness varied latitudinally in both fall and spring for both species. For cottonwood, cold hardiness began earlier and ended later in northern than in southern populations. For saltcedar northern populations were hardier throughout the cold season than southern populations. Although cottonwood was hardier than saltcedar in midwinter, the reverse was true in late fall and early spring. The latitudinal variation in fall phenology and cold hardiness of saltcedar appears to have developed as a result of multiple introductions of genetically distinct populations, hybridization and natural selection in the 150 years since introduction.

show abstract

“…One explanation for this might be that plasticity allows introduced species to naturalize across a range of environments. Plastic, ''general-purpose genotypes'' could have a fitness advantage in founder populations where local adaptation has not occurred yet (Baker 1974;Sexton et al 2002), or cannot occur because of a lack of genetic variation. Hence there might have been an evolutionary ''sorting out'' (Mu¨ller-Scha¨-rer and Steinger 2004) of more plastic genotypes.…”

Section: Phenotypic Plasticity In Native Versus Introduced Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic and genetic differentiation between native and introduced plant populations

et al. 2005

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plant invasions often involve rapid evolutionary change. Founder effects, hybridization, and adaptation to novel environments cause genetic differentiation between native and introduced populations and may contribute to the success of invaders. An influential idea in this context has been the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability (EICA) hypothesis. It proposes that after enemy release plants rapidly evolve to be less defended but more competitive, thereby increasing plant vigour in introduced populations. To detect evolutionary change in invaders, comparative studies of native versus introduced populations are needed. Here, we review the current empirical evidence from: (1) comparisons of phenotypic variation in natural populations; (2) comparisons of molecular variation with neutral genetic markers; (3) comparisons of quantitative genetic variation in a common environment; and (4) comparisons of phenotypic plasticity across different environments. Field data suggest that increased vigour and reduced herbivory are common in introduced plant populations. In molecular studies, the genetic diversity of introduced populations was not consistently different from that of native populations. Multiple introductions of invasive plants appear to be the rule rather than the exception. In tests of the EICA hypothesis in a common environment, several found increased growth or decreased resistance in introduced populations. However, few provided a full test of the EICA hypothesis by addressing growth and defence in the same species. Overall, there is reasonable empirical evidence to suggest that genetic differentiation through rapid evolutionary change is important in plant invasions. We discuss conceptual and methodological issues associated with cross-continental comparisons and make recommendations for future research. When testing for EICA, greater emphasis should be put on competitive ability and plant tolerance. Moreover, it is important to address evolutionary change in characteristics other than defence and growth that could play a role in plant invasions.

show abstract

Plasticity and Genetic Diversity May Allow Saltcedar to Invade Cold Climates in North America

Cited by 246 publications

References 44 publications

Invasive Buddleja davidii allocates more nitrogen to its photosynthetic machinery than five native woody species

Invasive Buddleja davidii allocates more nitrogen to its photosynthetic machinery than five native woody species

Genetic and environmental influences on leaf phenology and cold hardiness of native and introduced riparian trees

Phenotypic and genetic differentiation between native and introduced plant populations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About