Abstract Detail

Reasons for Rarity? Exploring Acclimatory and Adaptive Constraints to Commonness

Boyd, Jennifer [1], Odell, Jared [2], Cruse-Sanders, Jennifer [3], Rogers, Willie L [4], Anderson, Jill [5], Baskauf, Carol [6], Brzyski, Jessica [7].

Comparative phenotypic plasticity and genetic diversity of rare Pityopsis ruthii and its common congener P. graminifolia.

Anthropogenic environmental change threatens many species and can be especially challenging for rare species given their potentially limited capacity for migration and adaptation relative to more common species. But the ability to acclimate via phenotypic plasticity could provide an important path to the persistence of species with migratory and adaptive constraints in the face of environmental change. We investigated the responses of an endangered plant species endemic to a highly dynamic riparian habitat in southeastern Tennessee, USA, and its most widespread congener to environmental change to elucidate their current statuses and future vulnerability. Specifically, we compared the population- and species-level phenotypic plasticity of rare Pityopsis ruthii and common P. graminifolia to contrasting light, temperature, and water conditions in a growth chamber experiment to evaluate their potential to acclimate to environmental change. Concurrently, we genotyped these individuals at nine putatively neutral microsatellite loci to quantify genetic diversity across the range of each species as a measure of their potential to adapt to change. Contrary to our expectations, P. ruthii had greater phenotypic plasticity than its common congener in response to both altered light and water availability. But this plasticity was not associated with increased values of fitness measures, suggesting that it was not adaptive. As expected, P. ruthii exhibited reduced genetic diversity relative to its more common congener. Overall, our findings accord with the narrow range and current habitat specificity of P. ruthii, especially its tolerance of highly variable water, and highlight its potential vulnerability to future environmental change. p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

1 - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science, 615 McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, USA
2 - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science, 615 McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, United States
3 - University Of Georgia, State Botanical Garden Of Georgia, 2450 South Milledge Ave., Athens, GA, 30605, United States
4 - University of Georgia, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2450 South Milledge Ave., Athens, GA, 30605, USA
5 - University of Georgia, Department of Genetics, 120 Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602, United States
6 - Austin Peay State University, Department of Biology, 681 Summer St., Clarksville, TN, 37040, USA
7 - Seton Hill University, Department of Biology, 1 Seton Hill Drive, Greensburg, PA, 15601, USA

Keywords:
acclimation
adaptation
endemic
genetic diversity
Plasticity.

Presentation Type: Colloquium Presentations
Session: C06, Reasons for Rarity? Exploring Acclimatory and Adaptive Constraints to Commonness
Location: /
Date: Wednesday, July 21st, 2021
Time: 3:45 PM(EDT)
Number: C06003
Abstract ID:840
Candidate for Awards:None