TY  - JOUR
A1  - Weisse, Thomas
A1  - Berendonk, Thomas U.
A1  - Kamjunke, Norbert
A1  - Moser, Michael
A1  - Scheffel, U.
A1  - Stadler, P.
A1  - Weithoff, Guntram
T1  - Significant habitat effects influence protist fitness  evidence for local adaptation from acidic mining lakes
JF  - Ecosphere : the magazine of the International Ecology University
N2  - It is currently controversially discussed if the same freshwater microorganisms occur worldwide wherever their required habitats are realized, i.e., without any adaptation to local conditions below the species level. We performed laboratory experiments with flagellates and ciliates from three acidic mining lakes (AML, pH similar to 2.7) to investigate if similar habitats may affect similar organisms differently. Such man-made lakes provide suitable ecosystem models to test for the significance of strong habitat selection. To this end, we analyzed the growth response of three protist taxa (three strains of the phytoflagellate Chlamydomonas acidophila, two isolates of the phytoflagellate Ochromonas and two species of the ciliate genus Oxytricha) by exposing them to lake water of their origin and from the two other AML in a cross-factorial design. Population growth rates were measured as a proxy for their fitness. Results revealed significant effects of strain, lake (= habitat), and strain X habitat interaction. In the environmentally most adverse AML, all three protist taxa were locally adapted. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that (1) the same habitat may affect strains of the same species differently and that (2) similar habitats may harbor ecophysiologically different strains or species. These results contradict the 'everything is everywhere' paradigm.
KW  - allopatric speciation
KW  - Chlamydomonas acidophila
KW  - ciliates
KW  - everything is everywhere
KW  - flagellates
KW  - freshwater microbes
KW  - habitat-species interaction
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - Ochromonas spp.
KW  - Oxytricha spp.
Y1  - 2011
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1890/ES11-00157.1
SN  - 2150-8925
VL  - 2
IS  - 12
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Washington
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - De Frenne, Pieter
A1  - Brunet, Jorg
A1  - Shevtsova, Anna
A1  - Kolb, Annette
A1  - Graae, Bente J.
A1  - Chabrerie, Olivier
A1  - Cousins, Sara Ao
A1  - Decocq, Guillaume
A1  - De Schrijver, An
A1  - Diekmann, Martin
A1  - Gruwez, Robert
A1  - Heinken, Thilo
A1  - Hermy, Martin
A1  - Nilsson, Christer
A1  - Stanton, Sharon
A1  - Tack, Wesley
A1  - Willaert, Justin
A1  - Verheyen, Kris
T1  - Temperature effects on forest herbs assessed by warming and transplant experiments along a latitudinal gradient
JF  - Global change biology
N2  - Slow-colonizing forest understorey plants are probably not able to rapidly adjust their distribution range following large-scale climate change. Therefore, the acclimation potential to climate change within their actual occupied habitats will likely be key for their short-and long-term persistence. We combined transplant experiments along a latitudinal gradient with open-top chambers to assess the effects of temperature on phenology, growth and reproductive performance of multiple populations of slow-colonizing understorey plants, using the spring flowering geophytic forb Anemone nemorosa and the early summer flowering grass Milium effusum as study species. In both species, emergence time and start of flowering clearly advanced with increasing temperatures. Vegetative growth (plant height, aboveground biomass) and reproductive success (seed mass, seed germination and germinable seed output) of A. nemorosa benefited from higher temperatures. Climate warming may thus increase future competitive ability and colonization rates of this species. Apart from the effects on phenology, growth and reproductive performance of M. effusum generally decreased when transplanted southwards (e. g., plant size and number of individuals decreased towards the south) and was probably more limited by light availability in the south. Specific leaf area of both species increased when transplanted southwards, but decreased with open-top chamber installation in A. nemorosa. In general, individuals of both species transplanted at the home site performed best, suggesting local adaptation. We conclude that contrasting understorey plants may display divergent plasticity in response to changing temperatures which may alter future understorey community dynamics.
KW  - climate change
KW  - common garden experiment
KW  - forest understorey
KW  - latitude
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - open-top chambers
KW  - phenotypic plasticity
KW  - pot experiment
Y1  - 2011
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02449.x
SN  - 1354-1013
VL  - 17
IS  - 10
SP  - 3240
EP  - 3253
PB  - Wiley-Blackwell
CY  - Hoboken
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - De Frenne, Pieter
A1  - Graae, Bente J.
A1  - Brunet, Jörg
A1  - Shevtsova, Anna
A1  - De Schrijver, An
A1  - Chabrerie, Olivier
A1  - Cousins, Sara A. O.
A1  - Decocq, Guillaume
A1  - Diekmann, Martin
A1  - Hermy, Martin
A1  - Heinken, Thilo
A1  - Kolb, Annette
A1  - Nilsson, Christer
A1  - Stanton, Sharon
A1  - Verheyen, Kris
T1  - The response of forest plant regeneration to temperature variation along a latitudinal gradient
JF  - Annals of botany
N2  - The response of forest herb regeneration from seed to temperature variations across latitudes was experimentally assessed in order to forecast the likely response of understorey community dynamics to climate warming.
 Seeds of two characteristic forest plants (Anemone nemorosa and Milium effusum) were collected in natural populations along a latitudinal gradient from northern France to northern Sweden and exposed to three temperature regimes in growth chambers (first experiment). To test the importance of local adaptation, reciprocal transplants were also made of adult individuals that originated from the same populations in three common gardens located in southern, central and northern sites along the same gradient, and the resulting seeds were germinated (second experiment). Seedling establishment was quantified by measuring the timing and percentage of seedling emergence, and seedling biomass in both experiments.
 Spring warming increased emergence rates and seedling growth in the early-flowering forb A. nemorosa. Seedlings of the summer-flowering grass M. effusum originating from northern populations responded more strongly in terms of biomass growth to temperature than southern populations. The above-ground biomass of the seedlings of both species decreased with increasing latitude of origin, irrespective of whether seeds were collected from natural populations or from the common gardens. The emergence percentage decreased with increasing home-away distance in seeds from the transplant experiment, suggesting that the maternal plants were locally adapted.
 Decreasing seedling emergence and growth were found from the centre to the northern edge of the distribution range for both species. Stronger responses to temperature variation in seedling growth of the grass M. effusum in the north may offer a way to cope with environmental change. The results further suggest that climate warming might differentially affect seedling establishment of understorey plants across their distribution range and thus alter future understorey plant dynamics.
KW  - Anemone nemorosa
KW  - climate change
KW  - common garden
KW  - growth chambers
KW  - latitudinal gradient
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - Milium effusum
KW  - plant regeneration
KW  - range edges
KW  - recruitment
KW  - seedling establishment
KW  - temperature
Y1  - 2012
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcs015
SN  - 0305-7364
VL  - 109
IS  - 5
SP  - 1037
EP  - 1046
PB  - Oxford Univ. Press
CY  - Oxford
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Plath, Martin
A1  - Pfenninger, Markus
A1  - Lerp, Hannes
A1  - Riesch, Rüdiger
A1  - Eschenbrenner, Christoph
A1  - Slattery, Patrick A.
A1  - Bierbach, David
A1  - Herrmann, Nina
A1  - Schulte, Matthias
A1  - Arias-Rodriguez, Lenin
A1  - Rimber Indy, Jeane
A1  - Passow, Courtney
A1  - Tobler, Michael
T1  - Genetic differentiation and selection against migrants in evolutionarily replicated extreme environments
JF  - Evolution
N2  - We investigated mechanisms of reproductive isolation in livebearing fishes (genus Poecilia) inhabiting sulfidic and nonsulfidic habitats in three replicate river drainages. Although sulfide spring fish convergently evolved divergent phenotypes, it was unclear if mechanisms of reproductive isolation also evolved convergently. Using microsatellites, we found strongly reduced gene flow between adjacent populations from different habitat types, suggesting that local adaptation to sulfidic habitats repeatedly caused the emergence of reproductive isolation. Reciprocal translocation experiments indicate strong selection against immigrants into sulfidic waters, but also variation among drainages in the strength of selection against immigrants into nonsulfidic waters. Mate choice experiments revealed the evolution of assortative mating preferences in females from nonsulfidic but not from sulfidic habitats. The inferred strength of sexual selection against immigrants (RIs) was negatively correlated with the strength of natural selection (RIm), a pattern that could be attributed to reinforcement, whereby natural selection strengthens behavioral isolation due to reduced hybrid fitness. Overall, reproductive isolation and genetic differentiation appear to be replicated and direct consequences of local adaptation to sulfide spring environments, but the relative contributions of different mechanisms of reproductive isolation vary across these evolutionarily independent replicates, highlighting both convergent and nonconvergent evolutionary trajectories of populations in each drainage.
KW  - Ecological speciation
KW  - isolation-by-adaptation
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - Poecilia mexicana
KW  - reinforcement
KW  - sexual isolation
Y1  - 2013
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.12133
SN  - 0014-3820
VL  - 67
IS  - 9
SP  - 2647
EP  - 2661
PB  - Wiley-Blackwell
CY  - Hoboken
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Shi, Jun
A1  - Joshi, Jasmin Radha
A1  - Tielboerger, Katja
A1  - Verhoeven, Koen J. F.
A1  - Macel, Mirka
T1  - Costs and benefits of admixture between foreign genotypes and local populations in the field
JF  - Ecology and evolution
N2  - Admixture is the hybridization between populations within one species. It can increase plant fitness and population viability by alleviating inbreeding depression and increasing genetic diversity. However, populations are often adapted to their local environments and admixture with distant populations could break down local adaptation by diluting the locally adapted genomes. Thus, admixed genotypes might be selected against and be outcompeted by locally adapted genotypes in the local environments. To investigate the costs and benefits of admixture, we compared the performance of admixed and within-population F1 and F2 generations of the European plant Lythrum salicaria in a reciprocal transplant experiment at three European field sites over a 2-year period. Despite strong differences between site and plant populations for most of the measured traits, including herbivory, we found limited evidence for local adaptation. The effects of admixture depended on experimental site and plant population, and were positive for some traits. Plant growth and fruit production of some populations increased in admixed offspring and this was strongest with larger parental distances. These effects were only detected in two of our three sites. Our results show that, in the absence of local adaptation, admixture may boost plant performance, and that this is particularly apparent in stressful environments. We suggest that admixture between foreign and local genotypes can potentially be considered in nature conservation to restore populations and/or increase population viability, especially in small inbred or maladapted populations.
KW  - heterosis
KW  - inbreeding depression
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - Lythrum salicaria
KW  - outbreeding depression
Y1  - 2018
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3946
SN  - 2045-7758
VL  - 8
IS  - 7
SP  - 3675
EP  - 3684
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  - 
TY  - GEN
A1  - Shi, Jun
A1  - Jasmin Radha, Jasmin
A1  - Tielbörger, Katja
A1  - Verhoeven, Koen J. F.
A1  - Macel, Mirka
T1  - Costs and benefits of admixture between foreign genotypes and local populations in the field
T2  - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe
N2  - Admixture is the hybridization between populations within one species. It can increase plant fitness and population viability by alleviating inbreeding depression and increasing genetic diversity. However, populations are often adapted to their local environments and admixture with distant populations could break down local adaptation by diluting the locally adapted genomes. Thus, admixed genotypes might be selected against and be outcompeted by locally adapted genotypes in the local environments. To investigate the costs and benefits of admixture, we compared the performance of admixed and within-population F1 and F2 generations of the European plant Lythrum salicaria in a reciprocal transplant experiment at three European field sites over a 2-year period. Despite strong differences between site and plant populations for most of the measured traits, including herbivory, we found limited evidence for local adaptation. The effects of admixture depended on experimental site and plant population, and were positive for some traits. Plant growth and fruit production of some populations increased in admixed offspring and this was strongest with larger parental distances. These effects were only detected in two of our three sites. Our results show that, in the absence of local adaptation, admixture may boost plant performance, and that this is particularly apparent in stressful environments. We suggest that admixture between foreign and local genotypes can potentially be considered in nature conservation to restore populations and/or increase population viability, especially in small inbred or maladapted populations.
T3  - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 647 
KW  - heterosis
KW  - inbreeding depression
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - Lythrum salicaria
KW  - outbreeding depression
Y1  - 2019
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-425034
SN  - 1866-8372
IS  - 647
ER  - 
TY  - THES
A1  - Romero Mujalli, Daniel
T1  - Ecological modeling of adaptive evolutionary responses to rapid climate change
T1  - Ökologische Modellierung anpassungsfähiger evolutionärer Reaktionen auf schnellen Klimawandel
N2  - A contemporary challenge in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is to anticipate the fate of populations of organisms in the context of a changing world. Climate change and landscape changes due to anthropic activities have been of major concern in the contemporary history. Organisms facing these threats are expected to respond by local adaptation (i.e., genetic changes or phenotypic plasticity) or by shifting their distributional range (migration). However, there are limits to their responses. For example, isolated populations will have more difficulties in developing adaptive innovations by means of genetic changes than interconnected metapopulations. Similarly, the topography of the environment can limit dispersal opportunities for crawling organisms as compared to those that rely on wind. Thus, populations of species with different life history strategy may differ in their ability to cope with changing environmental conditions. However, depending on the taxon, empirical studies investigating organisms’ responses to environmental change may become too complex, long and expensive; plus, complications arising from dealing with endangered species. In consequence, eco-evolutionary modeling offers an opportunity to overcome these limitations and complement empirical studies, understand the action and limitations of underlying mechanisms, and project into possible future scenarios. In this work I take a modeling approach and investigate the effect and relative importance of evolutionary mechanisms (including phenotypic plasticity) on the ability for local adaptation of populations with different life strategy experiencing climate change scenarios. For this, I performed a review on the state of the art of eco-evolutionary Individual-Based Models (IBMs) and identify gaps for future research. Then, I used the results from the review to develop an eco-evolutionary individual-based modeling tool to study the role of genetic and plastic mechanisms in promoting local adaption of populations of organisms with different life strategies experiencing scenarios of climate change and environmental stochasticity. The environment was simulated through a climate variable (e.g., temperature) defining a phenotypic optimum moving at a given rate of change. The rate of change was changed to simulate different scenarios of climate change (no change, slow, medium, rapid climate change). Several scenarios of stochastic noise color resembling different climatic conditions were explored. Results show that populations of sexual species will rely mainly on standing genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity for local adaptation. Population of species with relatively slow growth rate (e.g., large mammals) – especially those of small size – are the most vulnerable, particularly if their plasticity is limited (i.e., specialist species). In addition, whenever organisms from these populations are capable of adaptive plasticity, they can buffer fitness losses in reddish climatic conditions. Likewise, whenever they can adjust their plastic response (e.g., bed-hedging strategy) they will cope with bluish environmental conditions as well. In contrast, life strategies of high fecundity can rely on non-adaptive plasticity for their local adaptation to novel environmental conditions, unless the rate of change is too rapid. A recommended management measure is to guarantee interconnection of isolated populations into metapopulations, such that the supply of useful genetic variation can be increased, and, at the same time, provide them with movement opportunities to follow their preferred niche, when local adaptation becomes problematic. This is particularly important for bluish and reddish climatic conditions, when the rate of change is slow, or for any climatic condition when the level of stress (rate of change) is relatively high.
N2  - Eine aktuelle Herausforderung in der Ökologie und Evolutionsbiologie besteht darin, das Schicksal von Populationen verschiedener Lebewesen im Kontext einer sich verändernden Welt zu antizipieren. Der Klimawandel und die durch anthropologische Aktivitäten verursachten Landschaftsveränderungen sind im Laufe der Geschichte von großer Bedeutung geworden. Von den Organismen, die sich diesen Veränderungen stellen, wird erwartet, dass sie durch lokale Anpassung (d.h. genetische Veränderungen oder phänotypische Plastizität) oder durch Verschiebung ihres Verbreitungsgebietes (Migration) darauf reagieren. Allerdings sind diese Reaktionen begrenzt. So werden beispielsweise isolierte Populationen mehr Schwierigkeiten bei der Entwicklung adaptiver Neuheiten mittels genetischer Variation haben als vernetzte Metapopulationen. Ebenso kann die Topographie der Umgebung die Ausbreitungsmöglichkeiten für zum Beispiel kriechende Organismen im Vergleich zu denen, die auf Wind angewiesen sind, einschränken. So können Populationen von Arten mit unterschiedlichen Lebensstrategien verschiedene Fähigkeiten haben, mit den sich ändernden Umweltbedingungen umzugehen. Empirische Studien, die die Reaktionen von Organismen auf Umweltveränderungen untersuchen, können jedoch, je nach Taxon, zu komplex, langwierig und teuer werden. Ebenso sollten Komplikationen im Umgang mit gefährdeten Arten nicht außer Acht gelassen werden. Die ökoevolutionäre Modellierung bietet jedoch die Möglichkeit, diese Einschränkungen zu überwinden und empirische Studien zu ergänzen, die Wirkung und Grenzen der zugrunde liegenden Mechanismen zu verstehen und mögliche Zukunftsszenarien zu erstellen. In dieser Arbeit untersuche ich mittels einer Modellierungsmethode die Wirkung und relative Bedeutung evolutionärer Mechanismen (einschließlich phänotypischer Plastizität) auf die Fähigkeit zur lokalen Anpassung von Populationen mit unterschiedlichen Lebensstrategien, die Szenarien des Klimawandels durchleben. Dazu habe ich in einem Review den Stand der Technik ökoevolutionärer individuenbasierender Modelle (Individual-Based Models; IBMs) zusammengefasst und Ansätze für eine zukünftige Forschung identifiziert. Die Erkenntnisse des Reviews nutzte ich, um ein ökoevolutionäres, individuelles Modellierungsprogramm zu entwickeln. Dieses analysiert die Rolle genetischer und plastischer Mechanismen zur Förderung der lokalen Anpassung organismischer Populationen mit unterschiedlichen Lebensstrategien, welche Szenarien des Klimawandels und der ökologischen Stochastik erfahren. Die Umweltbedingungen wurden durch eine klimatische Variable (z.B. Temperatur) simuliert, die ein phänotypisches Optimum definiert, das sich mit einer bestimmten Änderungsrate bewegt. Verschiedene Änderungsraten wurden angewandt, um unterschiedliche Szenarien des Klimawandels darzustellen (keine Veränderung, langsamer, mittlerer, schneller Klimawandel). Es wurden mehrere Szenarien stochastischen Farbrauschens untersucht, die verschiedene klimatische Bedingungen widerspiegeln. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Populationen sexueller Arten hauptsächlich auf genetische Variation und phänotypische Plastizität hinsichtlich lokalen Anpassung angewiesen sind. Populationen von Arten mit relativ langsamer Wachstumsrate (z.B. große Säugetiere), und insbesondere die mit kleiner Populationsgröße, sind am anfälligsten, vor allem wenn ihre Plastizität begrenzt ist (d.h. spezialisierte Arten). Wenn Individuen dieser Populationen zu adaptiver Plastizität fähig sind, können sie Fitnessverluste unter „rötlichen“ Klimabedingungen ausgleichen. Zugleich können diese Populationen durch Anpassung der Plastizität auch unter bläulichen Umweltbedingungen zurecht kommen (z.B. Bed-Hedging-Strategie). Im Gegensatz dazu können sich Lebensstrategen mit hoher Reproduktionszahl auf nicht-adaptive Plastizität zur lokalen Anpassung an neue Umweltbedingungen verlassen, es sei denn, die Änderungsrate ist zu schnell. Eine empfohlene Handlungsmaßnahme ist es, die Eingliederung von isolierten Populationen in Metapopulationen zu gewährleisten, so dass die genetische Variation erhöht werden kann. Wenn eine lokale Anpassung problematisch wird, sollte ihnen gleichzeitig Migrationsfreiraum gegeben werden, um ihrer bevorzugten Nische zu folgen. Dies ist besonders wichtig für „bläuliche“ und „rötliche“ Klimabedingungen, bei denen die Änderungsrate langsam ist, oder für jede klimatische Bedingung, wenn die Belastung (Änderungsrate) relativ hoch ist.
KW  - climate change
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - plasticity
KW  - evolution
KW  - individual-based model
KW  - Klimawandel
KW  - lokale Anpassung
KW  - Plastizität
KW  - Evolution
KW  - Individuen-basierende Modelle
Y1  - 2019
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-430627
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Latimer, Andrew M.
A1  - Jacobs, Brooke S.
A1  - Gianoli, Ernesto
A1  - Heger, Tina
A1  - Salgado-Luarte, Cristian
T1  - Parallel functional differentiation of an invasive annual plant on two continents
JF  - AoB PLANTS
N2  - Rapid local adaptation frequently occurs during the spread of invading species. It remains unclear, however, how consistent, and therefore potentially predictable, such patterns of local adaptation are. One approach to this question is to measure patterns of local differentiation in functional traits and plasticity levels in invasive species in multiple regions. Finding consistent patterns of local differentiation in replicate regions suggests that these patterns are adaptive. Further, this outcome indicates that the invading species likely responds predictably to selection along environmental gradients, even though standing genetic variation is likely to have been reduced during introduction. We studied local differentiation in the invasive annual plant Erodium cicutarium in two invaded regions, California and Chile. We collected seeds from across strong gradients in precipitation and temperature in Mediterranean-climate parts of the two regions (10 populations per region). We grew seeds from maternal families from these populations through two generations and exposed the second generation to contrasting levels of water and nutrient availability. We measured growth, flowering time and leaf functional traits across these treatments to obtain trait means and plasticity measures. We found strong differentiation among populations in all traits. Plants from drier environments flowered earlier, were less plastic in flowering time and reached greater size in all treatments. Correlations among traits within regions suggested a coordinated evolutionary response along environmental gradients associated with growing season length. There was little divergence in traits and trait intercorrelations between regions, but strongly parallel divergence in traits within regions. Similar, statistically consistent patterns of local trait differentiation across two regions suggest that local adaptation to environmental gradients has aided the spread of this invasive species, and that the formation of ecotypes in newly invaded environments has been relatively consistent and predictable.
KW  - Erodium cicutarium
KW  - flowering time
KW  - functional trait correlations
KW  - invasive species
KW  - life-history strategy
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - parallel evolution
KW  - phenotypic plasticity
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plz010
SN  - 2041-2851
VL  - 11
IS  - 2
PB  - Oxford University Press
CY  - Oxford
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Kahl, Sandra M.
A1  - Lenhard, Michael
A1  - Joshi, Jasmin Radha
T1  - Compensatory mechanisms to climate change in the widely distributed species Silene vulgaris
JF  - The journal of ecology
N2  - The adaptation of plants to future climatic conditions is crucial for their survival. Not surprisingly, phenotypic responses to climate change have already been observed in many plant populations. These responses may be due to evolutionary adaptive changes or phenotypic plasticity. Especially plant species with a wide geographic range are either expected to show genetic differentiation in response to differing climate conditions or to have a high phenotypic plasticity. We investigated phenotypic responses and plasticity as an estimate of the adaptive potential in the widespread species Silene vulgaris. In a greenhouse experiment, 25 European populations covering a geographic range from the Canary Islands to Sweden were exposed to three experimental precipitation and two temperature regimes mimicking a possible climate-change scenario for central Europe. We hypothesized that southern populations have a better performance under high temperature and drought conditions, as they are already adapted to a comparable environment. We found that our treatments significantly influenced the plants, but did not reveal a latitudinal difference in response to climate treatments for most plant traits. Only flower number showed a stronger plasticity in northern European populations (e.g. Swedish populations) where numbers decreased more drastically with increased temperature and decreased precipitation treatment. Synthesis. The significant treatment response in Silene vulgaris, independent of population origin - except for the number of flowers produced - suggests a high degree of universal phenotypic plasticity in this widely distributed species. This reflects the likely adaptation strategy of the species and forms the basis for a successful survival strategy during upcoming climatic changes. However, as flower number, a strongly fitness-related trait, decreased more strongly in northern populations under a climate-change scenario, there might be limits to adaptation even in this widespread, plastic species.
KW  - climate change
KW  - global change ecology
KW  - latitudinal gradient
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - phenotypic plasticity
KW  - plant performance
KW  - temperature increase
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13133
SN  - 0022-0477
SN  - 1365-2745
VL  - 107
IS  - 4
SP  - 1918
EP  - 1930
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Herden, Jasmin
A1  - Eckert, Silvia
A1  - Stift, Marc
A1  - Joshi, Jasmin Radha
A1  - van Kleunen, Mark
T1  - No evidence for local adaptation and an epigenetic underpinning in native and non-native ruderal plant species in Germany
JF  - Ecology and evolution
N2  - Many invasive species have rapidly adapted to different environments in their new ranges. This is surprising, as colonization is usually associated with reduced genetic variation. Heritable phenotypic variation with an epigenetic basis may explain this paradox. Here, we assessed the contribution of DNA methylation to local adaptation in native and naturalized non-native ruderal plant species in Germany. We reciprocally transplanted offspring from natural populations of seven native and five non-native plant species between the Konstanz region in the south and the Potsdam region in the north of Germany. Before the transplant, half of the seeds were treated with the demethylation agent zebularine. We recorded survival, flowering probability, and biomass production as fitness estimates. Contrary to our expectations, we found little evidence for local adaptation, both among the native and among the non-native plant species. Zebularine treatment had mostly negative effects on overall plant performance, regardless of whether plants were local or not, and regardless of whether they were native or non-native. Synthesis. We conclude that local adaptation, at least at the scale of our study, plays no major role in the success of non-native and native ruderal plants. Consequently, we found no evidence yet for an epigenetic basis of local adaptation.
KW  - biological invasions
KW  - epigenetics
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - reciprocal transplant experiment
KW  - ruderal plant species
KW  - zebularine
Y1  - 2019
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5325
SN  - 2045-7758
VL  - 9
IS  - 17
SP  - 9412
EP  - 9426
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  -