Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)

Abstract Climate change threatens biodiversity as populations can persist if they migrate or adapt to the rapidly changing conditions of the Anthropocene. However, the metabolic mechanisms underlying plant population persistence under the long‐term trends of increasing temperature and drought remain...

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Main Authors: Gianalberto Losapio, Baptiste Doussot, Fabrizio Araniti, Leonardo Bruno, Roger Guevara, Rodolfo Dirzo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Ecosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70146
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author Gianalberto Losapio
Baptiste Doussot
Fabrizio Araniti
Leonardo Bruno
Roger Guevara
Rodolfo Dirzo
author_facet Gianalberto Losapio
Baptiste Doussot
Fabrizio Araniti
Leonardo Bruno
Roger Guevara
Rodolfo Dirzo
author_sort Gianalberto Losapio
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Climate change threatens biodiversity as populations can persist if they migrate or adapt to the rapidly changing conditions of the Anthropocene. However, the metabolic mechanisms underlying plant population persistence under the long‐term trends of increasing temperature and drought remain unclear. Here, we investigate the persistence and adaptation of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) populations over 100 years of climate change. We resurveyed historical sites spanning a broad climatic gradient (from 1 m to 3200 m above sea level) and analyzed metabolic diversity in a common‐garden experiment. We report that nine out of ten populations persisted locally, showing phenotypic and metabolic differentiation. The only population potentially extirpated is that of the hottest and driest site. A complex interaction between increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns shaped plant growth across populations. Populations from warmer sites in coastal and mountain regions grew taller than 100 years ago, whereas populations from drier sites in lowlands and foothills became shorter. Furthermore, we document differentiation in metabolic diversity involving plant defenses and stress response. These findings suggest that ongoing adaptation is constrained by long‐term changes in temperature and precipitation as well as by local biotic interactions. Preserving locally adapted populations and their metabolic diversity is key for conservation efforts in the face of accelerating climate change.
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issn 2150-8925
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spelling doaj-art-ffee71a460274d9885c5990fe0921a342025-01-27T14:51:34ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252024-12-011512n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.70146Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)Gianalberto Losapio0Baptiste Doussot1Fabrizio Araniti2Leonardo Bruno3Roger Guevara4Rodolfo Dirzo5Department of Biology Stanford University Stanford California USADepartment of Biosciences University of Milan Milan ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences University of Milan Milan ItalyDepartment of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences University of Calabria Arcavacata di Rende ItalyDepartment of Biology Stanford University Stanford California USADepartment of Biology Stanford University Stanford California USAAbstract Climate change threatens biodiversity as populations can persist if they migrate or adapt to the rapidly changing conditions of the Anthropocene. However, the metabolic mechanisms underlying plant population persistence under the long‐term trends of increasing temperature and drought remain unclear. Here, we investigate the persistence and adaptation of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) populations over 100 years of climate change. We resurveyed historical sites spanning a broad climatic gradient (from 1 m to 3200 m above sea level) and analyzed metabolic diversity in a common‐garden experiment. We report that nine out of ten populations persisted locally, showing phenotypic and metabolic differentiation. The only population potentially extirpated is that of the hottest and driest site. A complex interaction between increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns shaped plant growth across populations. Populations from warmer sites in coastal and mountain regions grew taller than 100 years ago, whereas populations from drier sites in lowlands and foothills became shorter. Furthermore, we document differentiation in metabolic diversity involving plant defenses and stress response. These findings suggest that ongoing adaptation is constrained by long‐term changes in temperature and precipitation as well as by local biotic interactions. Preserving locally adapted populations and their metabolic diversity is key for conservation efforts in the face of accelerating climate change.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70146biodiversity changeclimate changegrowth responselocal adaptationmetabolomicsphytochemical diversity
spellingShingle Gianalberto Losapio
Baptiste Doussot
Fabrizio Araniti
Leonardo Bruno
Roger Guevara
Rodolfo Dirzo
Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)
Ecosphere
biodiversity change
climate change
growth response
local adaptation
metabolomics
phytochemical diversity
title Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)
title_full Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)
title_fullStr Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)
title_full_unstemmed Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)
title_short Population persistence, phenotypic divergence, and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)
title_sort population persistence phenotypic divergence and metabolic adaptation in yarrow achillea millefolium l
topic biodiversity change
climate change
growth response
local adaptation
metabolomics
phytochemical diversity
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70146
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