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Adaptive differentiation of traits related to resource use in a desert annual along a resource gradient
Author(s) -
Brouillette Larry C.,
Mason Chase M.,
Shirk Rebecca Y.,
Donovan Lisa A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.12628
Subject(s) - biology , trait , nutrient , ecology , water use efficiency , population , adaptation (eye) , photosynthesis , agronomy , botany , demography , computer science , neuroscience , sociology , programming language
Summary Plant resource‐use traits are generally hypothesized to be adaptively differentiated for populations distributed along resource gradients. Although nutrient limitations are expected to select for resource‐conservative strategies, water limitations may select for either resource‐conservative or ‐acquisitive strategies. We test whether population differentiation reflects local adaptation for traits associated with resource‐use strategies in a desert annual ( Helianthus anomalus ) distributed along a gradient of positively covarying water and nutrient availability. We compared quantitative trait variation ( Q ST ) with neutral genetic differentiation ( F ST ), in a common garden glasshouse study, for leaf economics spectrum ( LES ) and related traits: photosynthesis ( A mass , A area ), leaf nitrogen (N mass , N area ), leaf lifetime ( LL ), leaf mass per area ( LMA ), leaf water content ( LWC ), water‐use efficiency ( WUE , estimated as δ 13 C) and days to first flower ( DFF ). Q ST – F ST differences support adaptive differentiation for A mass , N mass , N area , LWC and DFF . The trait combinations associated with drier and lower fertility sites represent correlated trait evolution consistent with the more resource‐acquisitive end of the LES . There was no evidence for adaptive differentiation for A area , LMA and WUE . These results demonstrate that hot dry environments can selectively favor correlated evolution of traits contributing to a resource‐acquisitive and earlier reproduction ‘escape’ strategy, despite lower fertility.