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Intra-individual variation in Galium odoratum is affected by experimental drought and shading

(2023) ANNALS OF BOTANY. 131(3). p.411-422
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Abstract
Background and aims Climate-change induced warmer spring temperatures advance tree leaf-out and result in earlier shading of the forest floor. Climate change also leads to more frequent droughts. Forest understorey herbs may respond to these environmental changes by varying traits at different hierarchical levels of organization. While trait mean variation at the inter-individual level in response to environmental changes is well-studied, little is known about how variation at the intra-individual level responds. Methods We sampled genets of the forest understorey herb Galium odoratum from 21 populations in three regions in Germany, varying in microclimatic conditions. The genets were transplanted into a common garden, where we applied shading and drought treatments. We measured plant height and leaf length and width, and calculated the coefficient of variation (CV) at different hierarchical levels: intra-population, intra-genet, intra-ramet and intra-shoot. Key results Variance partitioning showed that intra-shoot CV represented most of the total variation, followed by intra-ramet CV. We found significant variation in CV of plant height and leaf width among populations of origin, indicating that CV is at least partly genetically based. The soil temperature at populations' origins correlated negatively with CV in plant height, suggesting adaptation to local conditions. Furthermore, we observed that early shade led to increased intra-ramet CV in leaf length, while drought reduced intra-shoot CV in leaf width. Finally, intra-shoot leaf width mean and CV were independent under control conditions but correlated under drought. Conclusions Our experimental results reveal correlations of intra-individual variation with soil temperature, indicating that intra-individual variation can evolve and may be adaptive. Intra-individual variation responded plastically to drought and shading, suggesting functional changes to improve light capture and reduce evapotranspiration. In conclusion, intra-individual variation makes up the majority of total trait variation in this species and can play a key role in plant adaptation to climatic change.
Keywords
Clonal plant, common-garden experiment, forest understorey herbs, Galium odoratum, genetic differentiation, intra-individual variation, intra-specific trait variation, microclimate, phenotypic plasticity, sub-individual variation, WITHIN-PLANT VARIATION, PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY, LEAF-AREA, VARIABILITY, TRAITS, ADAPTATION, INTENSITY, TEMPERATE, EVOLUTION, PATTERNS

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MLA
Møller, Charlotte, et al. “Intra-Individual Variation in Galium Odoratum Is Affected by Experimental Drought and Shading.” ANNALS OF BOTANY, vol. 131, no. 3, 2023, pp. 411–22, doi:10.1093/aob/mcac148.
APA
Møller, C., March-Salas, M., Kuppler, J., De Frenne, P., & Scheepens, J. F. (2023). Intra-individual variation in Galium odoratum is affected by experimental drought and shading. ANNALS OF BOTANY, 131(3), 411–422. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcac148
Chicago author-date
Møller, Charlotte, Martí March-Salas, Jonas Kuppler, Pieter De Frenne, and J. F. Scheepens. 2023. “Intra-Individual Variation in Galium Odoratum Is Affected by Experimental Drought and Shading.” ANNALS OF BOTANY 131 (3): 411–22. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcac148.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Møller, Charlotte, Martí March-Salas, Jonas Kuppler, Pieter De Frenne, and J. F. Scheepens. 2023. “Intra-Individual Variation in Galium Odoratum Is Affected by Experimental Drought and Shading.” ANNALS OF BOTANY 131 (3): 411–422. doi:10.1093/aob/mcac148.
Vancouver
1.
Møller C, March-Salas M, Kuppler J, De Frenne P, Scheepens JF. Intra-individual variation in Galium odoratum is affected by experimental drought and shading. ANNALS OF BOTANY. 2023;131(3):411–22.
IEEE
[1]
C. Møller, M. March-Salas, J. Kuppler, P. De Frenne, and J. F. Scheepens, “Intra-individual variation in Galium odoratum is affected by experimental drought and shading,” ANNALS OF BOTANY, vol. 131, no. 3, pp. 411–422, 2023.
@article{01GQHW1RJXC4NF8TKZ5NKG8R84,
  abstract     = {{Background and aims Climate-change induced warmer spring temperatures advance tree leaf-out and result in earlier shading of the forest floor. Climate change also leads to more frequent droughts. Forest understorey herbs may respond to these environmental changes by varying traits at different hierarchical levels of organization. While trait mean variation at the inter-individual level in response to environmental changes is well-studied, little is known about how variation at the intra-individual level responds. Methods We sampled genets of the forest understorey herb Galium odoratum from 21 populations in three regions in Germany, varying in microclimatic conditions. The genets were transplanted into a common garden, where we applied shading and drought treatments. We measured plant height and leaf length and width, and calculated the coefficient of variation (CV) at different hierarchical levels: intra-population, intra-genet, intra-ramet and intra-shoot. Key results Variance partitioning showed that intra-shoot CV represented most of the total variation, followed by intra-ramet CV. We found significant variation in CV of plant height and leaf width among populations of origin, indicating that CV is at least partly genetically based. The soil temperature at populations' origins correlated negatively with CV in plant height, suggesting adaptation to local conditions. Furthermore, we observed that early shade led to increased intra-ramet CV in leaf length, while drought reduced intra-shoot CV in leaf width. Finally, intra-shoot leaf width mean and CV were independent under control conditions but correlated under drought. Conclusions Our experimental results reveal correlations of intra-individual variation with soil temperature, indicating that intra-individual variation can evolve and may be adaptive. Intra-individual variation responded plastically to drought and shading, suggesting functional changes to improve light capture and reduce evapotranspiration. In conclusion, intra-individual variation makes up the majority of total trait variation in this species and can play a key role in plant adaptation to climatic change.}},
  author       = {{Møller, Charlotte and March-Salas, Martí and Kuppler, Jonas and De Frenne, Pieter and Scheepens, J. F.}},
  issn         = {{0305-7364}},
  journal      = {{ANNALS OF BOTANY}},
  keywords     = {{Clonal plant,common-garden experiment,forest understorey herbs,Galium odoratum,genetic differentiation,intra-individual variation,intra-specific trait variation,microclimate,phenotypic plasticity,sub-individual variation,WITHIN-PLANT VARIATION,PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY,LEAF-AREA,VARIABILITY,TRAITS,ADAPTATION,INTENSITY,TEMPERATE,EVOLUTION,PATTERNS}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{411--422}},
  title        = {{Intra-individual variation in Galium odoratum is affected by experimental drought and shading}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcac148}},
  volume       = {{131}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}

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