Pub Date : 2025-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125906
Mercedes Valerio , Ricardo Ibáñez , Jan Lepš , Lars Götzenberger
Mediterranean semi-natural grasslands are biodiversity hotspots threatened by increased frequency of drought events, soil erosion and desertification. Soil amendment with sewage sludge is considered a sustainable practice to increase soil fertility and avoid erosion, though detailed studies on its long-term effects on vegetation dynamics are still missing. Understanding how fertilization with sewage sludge affects Mediterranean semi-natural grasslands is of multifaceted interest, from perspectives of waste management, ecosystem conservation, and vegetation ecology. We analyzed the vegetation dynamics of a grazing-excluded, semi-natural Mediterranean grassland over 20 years in response to a single sludge fertilization event. We studied the persistence of the effects of fertilization, the long-term temporal trajectory of the community, the response of species with different functional traits and from different functional groups, and the influence of fertilization on the interannual vegetation response to temperature and precipitation. Our findings revealed significant alterations in community species composition lasting over two decades following fertilization. However, fertilization effects seemed to start decreasing in the last years. Fertilization favored annuals with higher Specific Leaf Area. Fertilization also influenced the interannual response of the community to autumn temperature, June and summer drought differently depending on the species functional group and traits; herbaceous perennials with higher Leaf Dry Matter Content and lower leaf area decreased with summer drought, while the influence of summer drought in annuals and woody perennials was reduced. Our work underscores the importance of long-term ecological dynamics to understand the temporal magnitude of fertilization impacts on the species composition and functioning of plant communities.
{"title":"Twenty-year effect of sewage-sludge fertilization in a Mediterranean grassland: Impact on species composition, functional groups and interrelation with climate","authors":"Mercedes Valerio , Ricardo Ibáñez , Jan Lepš , Lars Götzenberger","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125906","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125906","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mediterranean semi-natural grasslands are biodiversity hotspots threatened by increased frequency of drought events, soil erosion and desertification. Soil amendment with sewage sludge is considered a sustainable practice to increase soil fertility and avoid erosion, though detailed studies on its long-term effects on vegetation dynamics are still missing. Understanding how fertilization with sewage sludge affects Mediterranean semi-natural grasslands is of multifaceted interest, from perspectives of waste management, ecosystem conservation, and vegetation ecology. We analyzed the vegetation dynamics of a grazing-excluded, semi-natural Mediterranean grassland over 20 years in response to a single sludge fertilization event. We studied the persistence of the effects of fertilization, the long-term temporal trajectory of the community, the response of species with different functional traits and from different functional groups, and the influence of fertilization on the interannual vegetation response to temperature and precipitation. Our findings revealed significant alterations in community species composition lasting over two decades following fertilization. However, fertilization effects seemed to start decreasing in the last years. Fertilization favored annuals with higher Specific Leaf Area. Fertilization also influenced the interannual response of the community to autumn temperature, June and summer drought differently depending on the species functional group and traits; herbaceous perennials with higher Leaf Dry Matter Content and lower leaf area decreased with summer drought, while the influence of summer drought in annuals and woody perennials was reduced. Our work underscores the importance of long-term ecological dynamics to understand the temporal magnitude of fertilization impacts on the species composition and functioning of plant communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 125906"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125905
Cássia Sacramento , Charles H. Stirton , Luciano Paganucci de Queiroz , Gwilym P. Lewis , Domingos Cardoso
<div><div>Although floral morphology is diverse, the papilionate flower remains the hallmark trait that characterizes the species-rich subfamily Papilionoideae of the Leguminosae. This flower type exhibits a wide range of features closely related to the attraction and fidelity of pollinators. In addition to particular pollination mechanisms associated with the highly differentiated petals, wing petal sculpturing and pockets found in the papilionate flowers of many papilionoid species aids visiting pollinators. Pockets provide a “snap-button” locking mechanism between the wing and keel petals by holding them together so that they usually move as one unit when a pollinator lands. The sculpturing acts as insect footholds by providing an elaborately structured surface that facilitates grip for pollinating insects while accessing nectar (e.g., bees, bumblebees). We used optical and scanning electron microscopy to review, characterize, and describe the variation of the wing petal sculpturing and pockets across all major clades of the Papilionoideae. We analyzed three to five flowers of 445 genera, most of which belonged to tropical genera that had never been thoroughly described before with respect to sculpturing and pockets. We reinforce that the term “sculpturing” should be used to denote epidermal folds on the petal surface that primarily serve as insect footholds, whereas the term “pocket” should describe invaginations of the petal blade involving all tissue layers, i.e., both epidermal surfaces. Of the total genera analyzed, 177 only presented sculpturing and 46 only pockets, while 85 presented both. Sculpturing can be further classified as lamellate, lunate, and lunate-lamellate. The lamellate type, found in 47 % of the genera with sculpturing, varies in appearance, ranging from discrete grooves to intricate epidermal parallel folds. This type is frequently observed in the NPAAA (non-protein amino acid-accumulating) clade. The lunate type, where the epidermal folds resemble a half-moon, accounts for about 15.5 % of genera exhibiting sculpturing; it is primarily found in the Crotalarieae clade. The lunate-lamellate type, the least frequent at 7.5 % of the genera with sculpturing, was recorded in the Amorpheae and Dalbergieae clades. Pockets display a broad variation in depth, number, shape, and position. We have identified three main types: (i) the elongate pocket is oriented longitudinally on the petal and varies in depth and shape, with folded or entire margins, these may be restricted to one region or occur on various parts of the petal; (ii) the punctate pocket is hole-like and has a well-marked concavity with variation in depth and number; and (iii) the perpendicular pocket is oriented transversely on the petal and is deep. Among the pocket-bearing genera, the elongate shape is the most common (34 %), followed by the punctate (27 %) and perpendicular (4 %). Future research should focus on investigating how often this broad variation in wing p
{"title":"Revisiting wing petal sculpturing and pocket variation in papilionoid legumes","authors":"Cássia Sacramento , Charles H. Stirton , Luciano Paganucci de Queiroz , Gwilym P. Lewis , Domingos Cardoso","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125905","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125905","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although floral morphology is diverse, the papilionate flower remains the hallmark trait that characterizes the species-rich subfamily Papilionoideae of the Leguminosae. This flower type exhibits a wide range of features closely related to the attraction and fidelity of pollinators. In addition to particular pollination mechanisms associated with the highly differentiated petals, wing petal sculpturing and pockets found in the papilionate flowers of many papilionoid species aids visiting pollinators. Pockets provide a “snap-button” locking mechanism between the wing and keel petals by holding them together so that they usually move as one unit when a pollinator lands. The sculpturing acts as insect footholds by providing an elaborately structured surface that facilitates grip for pollinating insects while accessing nectar (e.g., bees, bumblebees). We used optical and scanning electron microscopy to review, characterize, and describe the variation of the wing petal sculpturing and pockets across all major clades of the Papilionoideae. We analyzed three to five flowers of 445 genera, most of which belonged to tropical genera that had never been thoroughly described before with respect to sculpturing and pockets. We reinforce that the term “sculpturing” should be used to denote epidermal folds on the petal surface that primarily serve as insect footholds, whereas the term “pocket” should describe invaginations of the petal blade involving all tissue layers, i.e., both epidermal surfaces. Of the total genera analyzed, 177 only presented sculpturing and 46 only pockets, while 85 presented both. Sculpturing can be further classified as lamellate, lunate, and lunate-lamellate. The lamellate type, found in 47 % of the genera with sculpturing, varies in appearance, ranging from discrete grooves to intricate epidermal parallel folds. This type is frequently observed in the NPAAA (non-protein amino acid-accumulating) clade. The lunate type, where the epidermal folds resemble a half-moon, accounts for about 15.5 % of genera exhibiting sculpturing; it is primarily found in the Crotalarieae clade. The lunate-lamellate type, the least frequent at 7.5 % of the genera with sculpturing, was recorded in the Amorpheae and Dalbergieae clades. Pockets display a broad variation in depth, number, shape, and position. We have identified three main types: (i) the elongate pocket is oriented longitudinally on the petal and varies in depth and shape, with folded or entire margins, these may be restricted to one region or occur on various parts of the petal; (ii) the punctate pocket is hole-like and has a well-marked concavity with variation in depth and number; and (iii) the perpendicular pocket is oriented transversely on the petal and is deep. Among the pocket-bearing genera, the elongate shape is the most common (34 %), followed by the punctate (27 %) and perpendicular (4 %). Future research should focus on investigating how often this broad variation in wing p","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 125905"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-15DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125903
Mariana de Aquino Aragão , Nilton Cesar Fiedler , Alexandre Rosa dos Santos , Tais Rizzo Moreira , Antonio Henrique Cordeiro Ramalho , Robert Gomes , Patrícia Carneiro Souto , Telma Machado de Oliveira Peluzio , Jéferson Luiz Ferrari , Danilo Simões , Leonardo Duarte Biazatti , Fernanda Moura Fonseca Lucas
Fire occurrences have recently been increasing worldwide. The Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome, and although it has been considered independent of fire, it has been gaining prominence in terms of fire occurrences, mainly due to the arid climate and human activities. Thus, the objective of this study was to propose a forest fire risk zoning for the Caatinga Biome considering its environmental and social characteristics, as well as to define priority regions where forest fire prevention is essential for preserving Caatinga biodiversity based on forest fire risk, fire history and vegetation type. The use of Fuzzy Logic associated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process technique enabled accurate risk modeling for the biome with 96.6 % assertiveness, classifying the biome area as high-risk for the occurrence of forest fires. Regarding location, the northern and western portions, with emphasis on the limits with the Cerrado Biome, were the regions where the model indicated a very high risk of fire. Vegetation located on private properties generally has a greater need for protection (92.02 %) due to fragmentation and proximity to agricultural activities. Conservation units and indigenous lands encompassed 7.98 % of the areas where forest fire prevention measures should be adopted, especially for the sustainable use category, such as Environmental Preservation Areas. Piauí, Bahia and Ceará states had the greatest delimited area representation of the greatest need for fire prevention activities and conservation of local biodiversity. These results indicate that monitoring and training measures for farmers should be implemented to prevent ecosystem losses due to forest fires.
{"title":"Forest fires in Caatinga: Risk modeling and priority areas for prevention","authors":"Mariana de Aquino Aragão , Nilton Cesar Fiedler , Alexandre Rosa dos Santos , Tais Rizzo Moreira , Antonio Henrique Cordeiro Ramalho , Robert Gomes , Patrícia Carneiro Souto , Telma Machado de Oliveira Peluzio , Jéferson Luiz Ferrari , Danilo Simões , Leonardo Duarte Biazatti , Fernanda Moura Fonseca Lucas","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125903","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125903","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fire occurrences have recently been increasing worldwide. The Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome, and although it has been considered independent of fire, it has been gaining prominence in terms of fire occurrences, mainly due to the arid climate and human activities. Thus, the objective of this study was to propose a forest fire risk zoning for the Caatinga Biome considering its environmental and social characteristics, as well as to define priority regions where forest fire prevention is essential for preserving Caatinga biodiversity based on forest fire risk, fire history and vegetation type. The use of <em>Fuzzy</em> Logic associated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process technique enabled accurate risk modeling for the biome with 96.6 % assertiveness, classifying the biome area as high-risk for the occurrence of forest fires. Regarding location, the northern and western portions, with emphasis on the limits with the Cerrado Biome, were the regions where the model indicated a very high risk of fire. Vegetation located on private properties generally has a greater need for protection (92.02 %) due to fragmentation and proximity to agricultural activities. Conservation units and indigenous lands encompassed 7.98 % of the areas where forest fire prevention measures should be adopted, especially for the sustainable use category, such as Environmental Preservation Areas. Piauí, Bahia and Ceará states had the greatest delimited area representation of the greatest need for fire prevention activities and conservation of local biodiversity. These results indicate that monitoring and training measures for farmers should be implemented to prevent ecosystem losses due to forest fires.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 125903"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145333190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-06DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125901
Michaela Konečná , Jana Uhlířová , Lucie Kobrlová, Martin Duchoslav
Understanding reproductive isolation mechanisms is essential for describing the origin of new species. In flowering plants, these mechanisms significantly affect hybridization rates (frequency of hybrid formation in natural populations) and crossing success (seed set and germinability in controlled crosses) and often are associated with asymmetries in hybrid fitness. Ficaria offers a valuable system for studying hybridization and reproductive isolation, as predominantly tetraploid, widespread phylogeographic taxon (lineage) verna (V) is thought to have arisen by hybridization between two parapatric diploid taxa (lineages) calthifolia (C) and fertilis (F) followed by polyploidization. To assess the extent and directionality of reproductive isolation, we conducted controlled intra-lineage and pairwise reciprocal crosses between the aforementioned diploids, evaluated reproductive assurance (autonomous apomixis, selfing) and analysed genome size, morphology and fitness of obtained F1 progeny. No evidence of autonomous apomixis or self-fertilisation was found in the parental diploid lineages or the hybrids. The reciprocal inter-lineage crosses (F–C cross: n = 76; C–F cross: n = 45) produced viable diploid F1 progeny whose genome size was intermediate between that of the parental lineages. The above implies that all F1 progeny in reciprocal crosses originated from cross-pollination. No polyploid individuals were observed among the progeny resulting from any cross treatment. Progeny from inter-lineage crosses exhibited greater morphological variation than progeny from intra-lineage crosses. However, inter-lineage hybridisation was asymmetric. When C was the seed parent, the crosses yielded a lower number of seeds with lower germination rates and reduced fertility of established hybrids, in comparison to when F was the seed parent. Yet these hybrids exhibited greater stature and larger flowers than their reciprocals. These asymmetries likely reflect postzygotic cytonuclear incompatibilities between parental lineages. Our research highlights the importance of hybridisation and asymmetric reproductive barriers in shaping the evolution of Ficaria and establishes a basis for further studies on the genomic complexities that lead to polyploidisation.
{"title":"Direction of the cross affects seed siring and progeny fitness in experimental homoploid crosses between two diploid Ficaria taxa","authors":"Michaela Konečná , Jana Uhlířová , Lucie Kobrlová, Martin Duchoslav","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding reproductive isolation mechanisms is essential for describing the origin of new species. In flowering plants, these mechanisms significantly affect hybridization rates (frequency of hybrid formation in natural populations) and crossing success (seed set and germinability in controlled crosses) and often are associated with asymmetries in hybrid fitness. <em>Ficaria</em> offers a valuable system for studying hybridization and reproductive isolation, as predominantly tetraploid, widespread phylogeographic taxon (lineage) <em>verna</em> (V) is thought to have arisen by hybridization between two parapatric diploid taxa (lineages) <em>calthifolia</em> (C) and <em>fertilis</em> (F) followed by polyploidization. To assess the extent and directionality of reproductive isolation, we conducted controlled intra-lineage and pairwise reciprocal crosses between the aforementioned diploids, evaluated reproductive assurance (autonomous apomixis, selfing) and analysed genome size, morphology and fitness of obtained F<sub>1</sub> progeny. No evidence of autonomous apomixis or self-fertilisation was found in the parental diploid lineages or the hybrids. The reciprocal inter-lineage crosses (F–C cross: n = 76; C–F cross: n = 45) produced viable diploid F<sub>1</sub> progeny whose genome size was intermediate between that of the parental lineages. The above implies that all F<sub>1</sub> progeny in reciprocal crosses originated from cross-pollination. No polyploid individuals were observed among the progeny resulting from any cross treatment. Progeny from inter-lineage crosses exhibited greater morphological variation than progeny from intra-lineage crosses. However, inter-lineage hybridisation was asymmetric. When C was the seed parent, the crosses yielded a lower number of seeds with lower germination rates and reduced fertility of established hybrids, in comparison to when F was the seed parent. Yet these hybrids exhibited greater stature and larger flowers than their reciprocals. These asymmetries likely reflect postzygotic cytonuclear incompatibilities between parental lineages. Our research highlights the importance of hybridisation and asymmetric reproductive barriers in shaping the evolution of <em>Ficaria</em> and establishes a basis for further studies on the genomic complexities that lead to polyploidisation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 125901"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125900
Zahra Saraeian, Claire Farrell, Nicholas S.G. Williams
Functional traits of plant species growing on green roofs can determine their delivery of ecosystem services and help guide plant selection. Flowering plants are desirable on green roofs for aesthetic reasons and plants which quickly achieve high coverage through rapid growth and high biomass help to meet green roof construction guidelines. While most extensive green roof plants are perennial succulents due to their drought tolerance, annual species which escape drought by completing their life-cycle before drought, could be advantageous for green roofs as they also typically have acquisitive or ‘fast’ traits associated with rapid growth and flowering. To quantify plant strategies of annuals and develop a trait-based approach for selecting annuals for green roofs, we undertook a glasshouse experiment with 18 understudied Australian annual plant species to investigate relationships among traits related to drought resistance and resource acquisition (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content and leaf thickness), competitiveness (plant height) and reproductive ability (seed mass and germination attributes). We also explored how these traits relate to plant performance metrics including growth rate, shoot biomass and flowering time. Species which were more acquisitive (taller species with bigger and thinner leaves and greater seed mass) were more competitive, faster growing and produced more biomass. The annual species had two different strategies in terms of flowering time and relative growth rate; in one group flowering time decreased with an increase in growth rate (earlier flowering with faster growth), while in the other group, flowering time increased with growth rate (later flowering with faster growth). There was also a trade-off between flowering time and specific leaf area (SLA) and faster flowering species with higher SLA were considered less drought resistant (drought escapers). Faster growing and resource acquisitive plants could be more desirable on green roofs as they will achieve cover rapidly during the wetter months and have higher stormwater mitigation. However, in dry periods it is preferable to select species with a range of time to flowering and SLA, to achieve a longer flowering community with different levels of drought resistance.
{"title":"Using plant functional traits and life strategies of annual species to inform green roof plant selection","authors":"Zahra Saraeian, Claire Farrell, Nicholas S.G. Williams","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Functional traits of plant species growing on green roofs can determine their delivery of ecosystem services and help guide plant selection. Flowering plants are desirable on green roofs for aesthetic reasons and plants which quickly achieve high coverage through rapid growth and high biomass help to meet green roof construction guidelines. While most extensive green roof plants are perennial succulents due to their drought tolerance, annual species which escape drought by completing their life-cycle before drought, could be advantageous for green roofs as they also typically have acquisitive or ‘fast’ traits associated with rapid growth and flowering. To quantify plant strategies of annuals and develop a trait-based approach for selecting annuals for green roofs, we undertook a glasshouse experiment with 18 understudied Australian annual plant species to investigate relationships among traits related to drought resistance and resource acquisition (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content and leaf thickness), competitiveness (plant height) and reproductive ability (seed mass and germination attributes). We also explored how these traits relate to plant performance metrics including growth rate, shoot biomass and flowering time. Species which were more acquisitive (taller species with bigger and thinner leaves and greater seed mass) were more competitive, faster growing and produced more biomass. The annual species had two different strategies in terms of flowering time and relative growth rate; in one group flowering time decreased with an increase in growth rate (earlier flowering with faster growth), while in the other group, flowering time increased with growth rate (later flowering with faster growth). There was also a trade-off between flowering time and specific leaf area (SLA) and faster flowering species with higher SLA were considered less drought resistant (drought escapers). Faster growing and resource acquisitive plants could be more desirable on green roofs as they will achieve cover rapidly during the wetter months and have higher stormwater mitigation. However, in dry periods it is preferable to select species with a range of time to flowering and SLA, to achieve a longer flowering community with different levels of drought resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 125900"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125899
Pablo Hugo Alves Figueiredo , Jerônimo Boelsums Barreto Sansevero
Although secondary tropical forests may reach similar species richness and vegetation structure as old-growth forests in 50 years, there are situations in which they remain stagnant for decades. These divergent successional pathways vary depending on disturbance event, landscape context, land-use history and soil conditions. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of these factors in the establishment and maintenance of monodominant secondary forests of Moquiniastrum polymorphum (Less.) G. Sancho in abandoned farmlands in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We tested whether 1) fire history was the most significant factor associated with the occurrence of M. polymorphum forests (MPF) in the landscape; and 2) soil conditions and fire history had a determining influence on the vegetation structure, richness, and species composition of MPF. At the landscape scale, we assessed if the occurrence of MPF, comprising land cover changes between 1985 and 2020, was associated with fire events and other biophysical factors in the region. At the local scale, we evaluated the role of soil properties, fire events, and landscape context on the tree species richness, structure and floristic composition. MPF were observed further from the drainage and on slopes more affected by fires. Their coverage increased by 54 % on abandoned farmlands further from cities, where fire events were significantly more frequent. Fire history and soil properties were the factors that best explained the structure, diversity and floristic composition of MPF, while landscape showed relevance only to the floristic composition. We confirm that disturbance and soil conditions drive arrested succession in secondary forests in the southeastern Atlantic Forest. Our findings suggest that fire-soil-vegetation feedback mechanisms can maintain this alternative stable state in secondary tropical forests similarly to what happens in fire-prone ecosystems.
{"title":"Disentangling the role of fire, soil, and landscape effects on arrested succession in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest","authors":"Pablo Hugo Alves Figueiredo , Jerônimo Boelsums Barreto Sansevero","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although secondary tropical forests may reach similar species richness and vegetation structure as old-growth forests in 50 years, there are situations in which they remain stagnant for decades. These divergent successional pathways vary depending on disturbance event, landscape context, land-use history and soil conditions. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of these factors in the establishment and maintenance of monodominant secondary forests of <em>Moquiniastrum polymorphum</em> (Less.) G. Sancho in abandoned farmlands in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We tested whether 1) fire history was the most significant factor associated with the occurrence of <em>M. polymorphum</em> forests (MPF) in the landscape; and 2) soil conditions and fire history had a determining influence on the vegetation structure, richness, and species composition of MPF. At the landscape scale, we assessed if the occurrence of MPF, comprising land cover changes between 1985 and 2020, was associated with fire events and other biophysical factors in the region. At the local scale, we evaluated the role of soil properties, fire events, and landscape context on the tree species richness, structure and floristic composition. MPF were observed further from the drainage and on slopes more affected by fires. Their coverage increased by 54 % on abandoned farmlands further from cities, where fire events were significantly more frequent. Fire history and soil properties were the factors that best explained the structure, diversity and floristic composition of MPF, while landscape showed relevance only to the floristic composition. We confirm that disturbance and soil conditions drive arrested succession in secondary forests in the southeastern Atlantic Forest. Our findings suggest that fire-soil-vegetation feedback mechanisms can maintain this alternative stable state in secondary tropical forests similarly to what happens in fire-prone ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 125899"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145027468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125889
Brenda Anabel López-Ruiz, Gabriel Olalde-Parra, Salvador Arias, Ulises Rosas
Cacti are a diverse group of succulent plants that have captivated botanists and enthusiasts alike for centuries. Their unique characteristics and adaptations to arid environments make them fascinating study subjects. One important reason to study cacti is the particular changes in the development of the shoot apical meristem (SAM), such as the growth of giant SAMs, determinacy, fasciation, and dichotomous branching. Studying these processes in cacti might provide valuable insights into the underlying genetic and developmental processes governing normal and abnormal growth and a deeper appreciation for their adaptability in challenging environments. This review will attempt to shed light on the distinctive cacti SAM patterns and discuss how “abnormal” growth patterns might have originated and given rise to evolutionary novelties. Additionally, we will explore tentative molecular pathways and genetic factors that regulate the division and differentiation of cacti SAM cells using data primarily from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Most relevant findings show that the zonation in cacti seedlings after germination is incomplete, contrasting with what is observed in A. thaliana. Additionally, larger SAMs are believed to be linked to larger zones. WUSCHEL (WUS), CLAVATA (CLV), and SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) are promising candidates that may help explain various phenomena in the cacti SAM. To understand the morphogenetic mechanisms that establish zonation and size in cacti, it is necessary to search for orthologues and employ molecular biology techniques, such as complementation analysis.
{"title":"Beyond the norm: Gigantism, monstrosities, and growth control in cacti meristems","authors":"Brenda Anabel López-Ruiz, Gabriel Olalde-Parra, Salvador Arias, Ulises Rosas","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125889","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cacti are a diverse group of succulent plants that have captivated botanists and enthusiasts alike for centuries. Their unique characteristics and adaptations to arid environments make them fascinating study subjects. One important reason to study cacti is the particular changes in the development of the shoot apical meristem (SAM), such as the growth of giant SAMs, determinacy, fasciation, and dichotomous branching. Studying these processes in cacti might provide valuable insights into the underlying genetic and developmental processes governing normal and abnormal growth and a deeper appreciation for their adaptability in challenging environments. This review will attempt to shed light on the distinctive cacti SAM patterns and discuss how “abnormal” growth patterns might have originated and given rise to evolutionary novelties. Additionally, we will explore tentative molecular pathways and genetic factors that regulate the division and differentiation of cacti SAM cells using data primarily from the model plant <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>. Most relevant findings show that the zonation in cacti seedlings after germination is incomplete, contrasting with what is observed in <em>A. thaliana</em>. Additionally, larger SAMs are believed to be linked to larger zones. <em>WUSCHEL (WUS), CLAVATA (CLV),</em> and <em>SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM)</em> are promising candidates that may help explain various phenomena in the cacti SAM. To understand the morphogenetic mechanisms that establish zonation and size in cacti, it is necessary to search for orthologues and employ molecular biology techniques, such as complementation analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"69 ","pages":"Article 125889"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144926740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125888
Andrea Villanueva Raisman , Rut Sánchez de Dios , Felipe Domínguez Lozano , Irene Villa-Machío , Beatriz Pías , Llorenç Sáez , Mario Fernández-Mazuecos , Mario Mairal
A robust understanding of taxonomy, distribution and intraspecific genetic diversity is crucial for the conservation of narrow endemic species, which face a higher risk of extinction, especially in insular systems. Here, we study the monotypic plant genus Femeniasia (Asteraceae), narrowly endemic to the Balearic Islands. Only four populations are known for the sole species of this genus, Femeniasia balearica: three on the island of Menorca, where it is considered native and endemic, and one recently discovered on the island of Mallorca, suspected to be the result of a recent anthropogenic introduction. The latter population poses a conservation conundrum: if introduced, it may not merit the same conservation status as native populations; if native, it would be of high biogeographic and conservation interest. To solve this problem and gain an in-depth understanding of diversity and differentiation across the distribution of F. balearica, we conducted phylogenetic and divergence time inference for F. balearica and its relatives based on plastid DNA, phylogenomic, population genomic and coalescent-based demographic analysis of F. balearica populations based on genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), and a morphological study. Our findings revealed a divergence dating back to the Pliocene, and significant morphological and genetic differentiation between Mallorcan and Menorcan populations, which supports an old presence of F. balearica on Mallorca. As a result, the Mallorcan population is herein described as F. balearica subsp. majoricensis. The combined study of intraspecific genetic diversity and taxonomy proved fundamental in identifying natural populations of taxonomic, biogeographic and evolutionary relevance. Our findings should prompt a reconsideration of the conservation and management strategies of Femeniasia.
{"title":"Population genomics and taxonomy solve a conservation conundrum in the Balearic paleoendemic Femeniasia balearica","authors":"Andrea Villanueva Raisman , Rut Sánchez de Dios , Felipe Domínguez Lozano , Irene Villa-Machío , Beatriz Pías , Llorenç Sáez , Mario Fernández-Mazuecos , Mario Mairal","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125888","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125888","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A robust understanding of taxonomy, distribution and intraspecific genetic diversity is crucial for the conservation of narrow endemic species, which face a higher risk of extinction, especially in insular systems. Here, we study the monotypic plant genus <em>Femeniasia</em> (Asteraceae), narrowly endemic to the Balearic Islands. Only four populations are known for the sole species of this genus, <em>Femeniasia balearica</em>: three on the island of Menorca, where it is considered native and endemic, and one recently discovered on the island of Mallorca, suspected to be the result of a recent anthropogenic introduction. The latter population poses a conservation conundrum: if introduced, it may not merit the same conservation status as native populations; if native, it would be of high biogeographic and conservation interest. To solve this problem and gain an in-depth understanding of diversity and differentiation across the distribution of <em>F. balearica</em>, we conducted phylogenetic and divergence time inference for <em>F. balearica</em> and its relatives based on plastid DNA, phylogenomic, population genomic and coalescent-based demographic analysis of <em>F. balearica</em> populations based on genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), and a morphological study. Our findings revealed a divergence dating back to the Pliocene, and significant morphological and genetic differentiation between Mallorcan and Menorcan populations, which supports an old presence of <em>F. balearica</em> on Mallorca. As a result, the Mallorcan population is herein described as <em>F. balearica</em> subsp. <em>majoricensis</em>. The combined study of intraspecific genetic diversity and taxonomy proved fundamental in identifying natural populations of taxonomic, biogeographic and evolutionary relevance. Our findings should prompt a reconsideration of the conservation and management strategies of <em>Femeniasia</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 125888"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144571327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125887
Catarina S. Carvalho , Gerhard Prenner , Simone Pádua Teixeira , Thiago André , Annícia Barata , Charles E. Zartman , Domingos Cardoso
Floral ontogeny is one of the most powerful tools in comparative biology for understanding the diversity of flower forms and their evolutionary pathways. The Amazonian monospecific tree genus Uleanthus (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) stands out for its striking hummingbird-pollinated flowers with a bright red calyx and pink to lilac standard petal forming a tubular structure that encloses the reproductive organs. Ontogenetic revelations of Uleanthus erythrinoides may shed light on its controversial phylogenetic placement and help to elucidate broader patterns of floral homology and convergence among morphologically similar yet evolutionarily distant, and morphologically contrasting but phylogenetically close lineages within papilionoid legumes. Flower buds were collected in different developmental stages in the field, and stored in 70 % ethanol to investigate the floral ontogeny using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results were broadly compared with existing material from putatively closely related papilionoid legume genera. Sepals of Uleanthus erythrinoides emerge with a unidirectional sequence. The petals initiate simultaneously; the antesepalous and antepetalous stamens initiate unidirectionally. The carpel initiation is concomitant with the first antesepalous stamen primordia. The apparent resemblance between Uleanthus and other bird-pollinated papilionoid genera does not bear support in floral ontogeny, rather they have evolved convergently. Despite the contrasting floral architecture of Uleanthus and its putative phylogenetically closely related Camoensia from the Genistoid clade, both share similar flower with a showy standard and undifferentiated inner petals that are verified early in the ontogenetic development.
{"title":"Ontogeny unlocks the floral development and evolution of Uleanthus, a florally divergent monospecific genus of Amazonian legume trees","authors":"Catarina S. Carvalho , Gerhard Prenner , Simone Pádua Teixeira , Thiago André , Annícia Barata , Charles E. Zartman , Domingos Cardoso","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125887","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125887","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Floral ontogeny is one of the most powerful tools in comparative biology for understanding the diversity of flower forms and their evolutionary pathways. The Amazonian monospecific tree genus <em>Uleanthus</em> (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) stands out for its striking hummingbird-pollinated flowers with a bright red calyx and pink to lilac standard petal forming a tubular structure that encloses the reproductive organs. Ontogenetic revelations of <em>Uleanthus erythrinoides</em> may shed light on its controversial phylogenetic placement and help to elucidate broader patterns of floral homology and convergence among morphologically similar yet evolutionarily distant, and morphologically contrasting but phylogenetically close lineages within papilionoid legumes. Flower buds were collected in different developmental stages in the field, and stored in 70 % ethanol to investigate the floral ontogeny using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results were broadly compared with existing material from putatively closely related papilionoid legume genera. Sepals of <em>Uleanthus erythrinoides</em> emerge with a unidirectional sequence. The petals initiate simultaneously; the antesepalous and antepetalous stamens initiate unidirectionally. The carpel initiation is concomitant with the first antesepalous stamen primordia. The apparent resemblance between <em>Uleanthus</em> and other bird-pollinated papilionoid genera does not bear support in floral ontogeny, rather they have evolved convergently. Despite the contrasting floral architecture of <em>Uleanthus</em> and its putative phylogenetically closely related <em>Camoensia</em> from the Genistoid clade, both share similar flower with a showy standard and undifferentiated inner petals that are verified early in the ontogenetic development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 125887"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The spread of island endemic plants to new islands is an emerging topic, yet the mechanisms driving such invasions remain unclear. While herbivory-related explanations are common for widespread species, their relevance to island endemics is uncertain. Enemy release suggests that introduced plants face less herbivory and invest less in defence, unlike at their native sites with specialized herbivores. Conversely, low defences from minimal native herbivory could make them vulnerable to generalist herbivores in new locations. Additionally, abiotic factors—such as soil type or climate—may influence plant traits and herbivore interactions, potentially overriding or complicating expected herbivory-based invasion outcomes. Here we compared in situ levels of insect leaf herbivory and leaf chemical, physical, and nutritional traits for Rumex lunaria across islands of the Canary Archipelago to which this species is endemic. Specifically, we sampled populations found on islands where this species is native (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro) and compared them to invasive (non-native) populations found on Lanzarote. Contrary to predictions, R. lunaria found on Lanzarote (i.e., non-native populations) exhibited higher levels of herbivory but also higher defensive traits—specifically, thicker leaves and higher concentrations of phenolic compounds—compared to populations on islands where this species is native to. To explore underlying correlates to these patterns, we conducted a follow-up structural equation model testing whether abiotic variation between native and non-native populations contributes to explain differences in leaf traits and herbivory. While non-native populations were associated with distinct abiotic conditions relative to native ones—including higher temperatures, reduced and more seasonal precipitation, and denser, more alkaline soils—this did not account for observed differences in leaf traits or herbivory between native vs. non-native populations. Accordingly, these findings suggest that the divergence in leaf defences and herbivory between native and non-native R. lunaria populations is not attributable to the abiotic factors analysed.
{"title":"Insect herbivory and leaf defensive traits in native and non-native populations of an endemic plant in a Macaronesian archipelago","authors":"Xoaquín Moreira , Jonay Cubas , Juli Caujapé-Castells , Carla Vázquez-González , Gresheen Garcia , Beatriz Lago-Núñez , Felisa Covelo , Jesús Barranco-Reyes , Alejandra López-Chicheri Yriarte , Cristina Maldonado-Gallego , Luis Abdala-Roberts","doi":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125886","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ppees.2025.125886","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The spread of island endemic plants to new islands is an emerging topic, yet the mechanisms driving such invasions remain unclear. While herbivory-related explanations are common for widespread species, their relevance to island endemics is uncertain. Enemy release suggests that introduced plants face less herbivory and invest less in defence, unlike at their native sites with specialized herbivores. Conversely, low defences from minimal native herbivory could make them vulnerable to generalist herbivores in new locations. Additionally, abiotic factors—such as soil type or climate—may influence plant traits and herbivore interactions, potentially overriding or complicating expected herbivory-based invasion outcomes. Here we compared in situ levels of insect leaf herbivory and leaf chemical, physical, and nutritional traits for <em>Rumex lunaria</em> across islands of the Canary Archipelago to which this species is endemic. Specifically, we sampled populations found on islands where this species is native (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro) and compared them to invasive (non-native) populations found on Lanzarote. Contrary to predictions, <em>R. lunaria</em> found on Lanzarote (i.e., non-native populations) exhibited higher levels of herbivory but also higher defensive traits—specifically, thicker leaves and higher concentrations of phenolic compounds—compared to populations on islands where this species is native to. To explore underlying correlates to these patterns, we conducted a follow-up structural equation model testing whether abiotic variation between native and non-native populations contributes to explain differences in leaf traits and herbivory. While non-native populations were associated with distinct abiotic conditions relative to native ones—including higher temperatures, reduced and more seasonal precipitation, and denser, more alkaline soils—this did not account for observed differences in leaf traits or herbivory between native vs. non-native populations. Accordingly, these findings suggest that the divergence in leaf defences and herbivory between native and non-native <em>R. lunaria</em> populations is not attributable to the abiotic factors analysed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56093,"journal":{"name":"Perspectives in Plant Ecology Evolution and Systematics","volume":"68 ","pages":"Article 125886"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144242560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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