Abstract
ABSTRACT Thermal time models are useful for predicting the effects of global climate change on plants and enable us to know the phenotypic plasticity of germination responses to temperature. In five populations of Wigandia urens collected in Mexico at elevations of 1260, 1660, 2040, 2345, and 2500 m above sea level (a.s.l.), we determined soil temperatures, seed traits, cardinal temperatures, thermal time ( T t ), and fatty acid content. In seeds collected at 2345 m, we also assessed the effect of osmotic potential on germination. Temperature in the elevational gradient differed by 10.7°C ± 1.37°C, variation higher than the increase in (6°C) predicted by CC models for the next century. Temperature was negatively related to elevation, positively related to germination capacity, and negatively related to lag time, seed mass, and lipid content. All elevational seed populations exhibited high germination capacity and a wide thermal germination window. Germination was thermophilic. T base for germination was 9.81°C–12.48°C and T ceiling ≈ 34.74°C. Variation in T t was broader than that in T base and T ceiling . Elevation and/or percentile subpopulations significantly affected T base and T t , while elevation affected T ceiling . For suboptimal and supraoptimal T t , the lowest values were at 1660 m and the highest at 2345 and 2500 m. Suboptimal T t exhibited greater variation than the other parameters, probably determining the W. urens distribution. This species germinated from 0 to −0.5 MPa in 2.4 days, the time required to reach a cumulative soil temperature equivalent to T t for the 50% percentile. Even 32% germinated at −1 MPa. Unsaturated fatty acids content was highest at 2500 m. The phenotypic plasticity of W. urens , expressed in its germination and ecological distribution, suggests that it is a model pioneer tree useful as a facilitator species capable of facing temperature and precipitation predicted by climatic change and beneficial for ecological restoration and/or assisted migration across elevational or latitudinal gradients.
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Claims 19
Claim · model-written summary
Temperature fell with elevation.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Temperature was negatively related to elevation, positively related to germination capacity, and negatively related to lag time, seed mass, and lipid content.”
Claim · model-written summary
Germination capacity rose with temperature.
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Verbatim
e0“Temperature was negatively related to elevation, positively related to germination capacity, and negatively related to lag time, seed mass, and lipid content.”
Claim · model-written summary
Lag time declined with temperature.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Temperature was negatively related to elevation, positively related to germination capacity, and negatively related to lag time, seed mass, and lipid content.”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed mass declined with temperature.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Temperature was negatively related to elevation, positively related to germination capacity, and negatively related to lag time, seed mass, and lipid content.”
Claim · model-written summary
Lipid content declined with temperature.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Temperature was negatively related to elevation, positively related to germination capacity, and negatively related to lag time, seed mass, and lipid content.”
Claim · model-written summary
All elevation populations had high germination across broad temperatures.
- Outcome
- high germination capacity and a wide thermal germination windowe0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“All elevational seed populations exhibited high germination capacity and a wide thermal germination window.”
Claim · model-written summary
Germination was thermophilic.
- Outcome
- Germination was thermophilice0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Germination was thermophilic.”
Claim · model-written summary
Base germination temperature ranged from 9.81°C to 12.48°C.
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Verbatim
e0“T base for germination was 9.81°C–12.48°C and T ceiling ≈ 34.74°C.”
Claim · model-written summary
Ceiling germination temperature was about 34.74°C.
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Verbatim
e0“T base for germination was 9.81°C–12.48°C and T ceiling ≈ 34.74°C.”
Claim · model-written summary
Thermal-time variation exceeded variation in base and ceiling temperatures.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Variation in T t was broader than that in T base and T ceiling .”
Claim · model-written summary
Elevation or seed percentile affected base temperature and thermal time.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“Elevation and/or percentile subpopulations significantly affected T base and T t , while elevation affected T ceiling .”
Claim · model-written summary
Elevation affected ceiling temperature.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“Elevation and/or percentile subpopulations significantly affected T base and T t , while elevation affected T ceiling .”
Claim · model-written summary
Suboptimal and supraoptimal thermal times were lowest at 1660 m.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“For suboptimal and supraoptimal T t , the lowest values were at 1660 m and the highest at 2345 and 2500 m.”
Claim · model-written summary
Suboptimal and supraoptimal thermal times were highest at 2345 and 2500 m.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“For suboptimal and supraoptimal T t , the lowest values were at 1660 m and the highest at 2345 and 2500 m.”
Claim · model-written summary
Suboptimal thermal time varied most and may shape distribution.
- Taxon
- W. urens
Wigandia urense0 - Outcome
- distributione0
- Qualifier
- Suboptimal T t exhibited greater variation than the other parameterse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Suboptimal T t exhibited greater variation than the other parameters, probably determining the W. urens distribution.”
Claim · model-written summary
Seeds germinated across 0 to −0.5 MPa in 2.4 days.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“This species germinated from 0 to −0.5 MPa in 2.4 days, the time required to reach a cumulative soil temperature equivalent to T t for the 50% percentile.”
Claim · model-written summary
Thirty-two percent of seeds germinated at −1 MPa.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Even 32% germinated at −1 MPa.”
Claim · model-written summary
Unsaturated fatty-acid content peaked at 2500 m.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Unsaturated fatty acids content was highest at 2500 m.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose Wigandia as a facilitator for restoration or assisted migration.
- Taxon
- W. urensWigandia urense0
- Outcome
- beneficial for ecological restoration and/or assisted migration across elevational or latitudinal gradientse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The phenotypic plasticity of W. urens , expressed in its germination and ecological distribution, suggests that it is a model pioneer tree useful as a facilitator species capable of facing temperature and precipitation predicted by climatic change and beneficial for ecological restoration and/or assisted migration across elevational or latitudinal gradients.”