Evolutionary history underlies plant physiological responses to global change since the last glacial maximum

Assessing family‐ and species‐level variation in physiological responses to global change across geologic time is critical for understanding factors that underlie changes in species distributions and community composition. Here, we used stable carbon isotopes, leaf nitrogen content and stomatal meas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology letters 2014-06, Vol.17 (6), p.691-699
Main Authors: Becklin, Katie M, Medeiros, Juliana S, Sale, Kayla R, Ward, Joy K, Pannell, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Physiological
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Atmospheric [CO2]
Autoecology
biogeography
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
carbon
Carbon Isotopes - analysis
Carbon Isotopes - metabolism
Climate Change
Climatology. Bioclimatology. Climate change
Community ecology
community structure
conifers
Earth, ocean, space
Evolution & development
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
global change
isotopes
last glacial maximum
leaf nitrogen content
Leaves
maximum photosynthetic capacity
Meteorology
Morphology
Nitrogen - metabolism
nitrogen content
packrat middens
photosynthesis
physiological response
Plant ecology
Plant Leaves - anatomy & histology
Plant Leaves - physiology
Plant Physiological Phenomena
Plant Stomata - anatomy & histology
Plants and fungi
stomatal conductance
stomatal index
Tracheophyta
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Summary:Assessing family‐ and species‐level variation in physiological responses to global change across geologic time is critical for understanding factors that underlie changes in species distributions and community composition. Here, we used stable carbon isotopes, leaf nitrogen content and stomatal measurements to assess changes in leaf‐level physiology in a mixed conifer community that underwent significant changes in composition since the last glacial maximum (LGM) (21 kyr BP). Our results indicate that most plant taxa decreased stomatal conductance and/or maximum photosynthetic capacity in response to changing conditions since the LGM. However, plant families and species differed in the timing and magnitude of these physiological responses, and responses were more similar within families than within co‐occurring species assemblages. This suggests that adaptation at the level of leaf physiology may not be the main determinant of shifts in community composition, and that plant evolutionary history may drive physiological adaptation to global change over recent geologic time.
ISSN:1461-023X
1461-0248
DOI:10.1111/ele.12271