Two common, often coexisting grassland plant species differ in their evolutionary potential in response to experimental drought.

For terrestrial plant communities, the increase in frequency and intensity of drought events is considered as one of the most severe consequences of climate change. While single-species studies demonstrate that drought can lead to relatively rapid adaptive genetic changes, the evolutionary potential and constraints to selection need to be assessed in comparative approaches to draw more general conclusions. In a greenhouse experiment, we compare the phenotypic response and evolutionary potential of two co-occurring grassland plant species, and , in two environments differing in water availability.

Reduced genetic diversity of freshwater amphipods in rivers with increased levels of anthropogenic organic micropollutants.

Anthropogenic chemicals in freshwater environments contribute majorly to ecosystem degradation and biodiversity decline. In particular anthropogenic organic micropollutants (AOM), a diverse group of compounds, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals, can significantly impact freshwater organisms. AOM were found to impact genetic diversity of freshwater species; however, to which degree AOM cause changes in population genetic structure and allelic richness of freshwater macroinvertebrates remains poorly understood.

Chemical Pollution Levels in a River Explain Site-Specific Sensitivities to Micropollutants within a Genetically Homogeneous Population of Freshwater Amphipods.

Anthropogenic micropollutants alter chemical and ecological conditions of freshwater ecosystems and impact aquatic species that live along the pollution gradient of a river. Species sensitivity to micropollutants depends on the site-specific exposure; however, it remains unclear to what degree this sensitivity relates to the species' genetic structure. Here, we explored the relationship between the toxic sensitivity and genetic structure of the amphipod species (Linnaeus, 1758) along an organic micropollutant gradient in the Holtemme River in central Germany.

Isolation and characterization of eleven novel microsatellite markers for fine-scale population genetic analyses of Gammarus pulex (Crustacea: Amphipoda).

The freshwater amphipod species Gammarus pulex (Linnaeus, 1758) is widespread across Europe and Asia and is able to live in a broad range of environmental conditions. Yet, it is of great interest to which degree it is able to tolerate and adapt to the current rapid anthropogenic environmental changes affecting its habitat, such as pollution, changes in river morphology, and invasions of alien gammarid species. Microsatellite primers for genetic population studies with G.

RNA-Seq analysis of soft rush (Juncus effusus): transcriptome sequencing, de novo assembly, annotation, and polymorphism identification.

Background: Juncus effusus L. (family: Juncaceae; order: Poales) is a helophytic rush growing in temperate damp or wet terrestrial habitats and is of almost cosmopolitan distribution. The species has been studied intensively with respect to its interaction with co-occurring plants as well as microbes being involved in major biogeochemical cycles.

Trait expression and signatures of adaptation in response to nitrogen addition in the common wetland plant Juncus effusus.

Wetland ecosystems are known to mitigate high nutrient loadings and thus can improve water quality and prevent potential biodiversity loss caused by eutrophication. Plant traits affect wetland processes directly through effects on accumulation or metabolization of substances, and indirectly by affecting microbial transformation processes in the soil. Understanding the causes and consequences of intraspecific variation in plant functional traits and associated ecosystem processes can aid applied ecological approaches such as wetland restoration and construction.

Phylogenetic turnover during subtropical forest succession across environmental and phylogenetic scales.

Although spatial and temporal patterns of phylogenetic community structure during succession are inherently interlinked and assembly processes vary with environmental and phylogenetic scales, successional studies of community assembly have yet to integrate spatial and temporal components of community structure, while accounting for scaling issues. To gain insight into the processes that generate biodiversity after disturbance, we combine analyses of spatial and temporal phylogenetic turnover across phylogenetic scales, accounting for covariation with environmental differences. We compared phylogenetic turnover, at the species- and individual-level, within and between five successional stages, representing woody plant communities in a subtropical forest chronosequence.

Trait variation in response to varying winter temperatures, diversity patterns and signatures of selection along the latitudinal distribution of the widespread grassland plant .

Across Europe, genetic diversity can be expected to decline toward the North because of stochastic and selective effects which may imply diminished phenotypic variation and less potential for future genetic adaptations to environmental change. Understanding such latitudinal patterns can aid provenance selection for breeding or assisted migration approaches. In an experiment simulating different winter temperatures, we assessed quantitative trait variation, genetic diversity, and differentiation for natural populations of the grass originating from a large latitudinal gradient.

Separation in flowering time contributes to the maintenance of sympatric cryptic plant lineages.

Sympatric cryptic lineages are a challenge for the understanding of species coexistence and lineage diversification as well as for management, conservation, and utilization of plant genetic resources. In higher plants studies providing insights into the mechanisms creating and maintaining sympatric cryptic lineages are rare. Here, using microsatellites and chloroplast sequence data, morphometric analyses, and phenological observations, we ask whether sympatrically coexisting lineages in the common wetland plant Juncus effusus are ecologically differentiated and reproductively isolated.

Interactive effects of landscape history and current management on dispersal trait diversity in grassland plant communities.

Plant communities and their ecosystem functions are expected to be more resilient to future habitat fragmentation and deterioration if the species comprising the communities have a wide range of dispersal and persistence strategies. However, the extent to which the diversity of dispersal and persistence traits in plant communities is determined by the current and historical characteristics of sites and their surrounding landscape has yet to be explored.Using quantitative information on long-distance seed dispersal potential by wind and animals (dispersal in space) and on species' persistence/longevity (dispersal in time), we (i) compared levels of dispersal and persistence trait diversity (functional richness, FRic, and functional divergence, FDiv) in seminatural grassland plant communities with those expected by chance, and (ii) quantified the extent to which trait diversity was explained by current and historical landscape structure and local management history - taking into account spatial and phylogenetic autocorrel.

Functional and phylogenetic diversity of woody plants drive herbivory in a highly diverse forest.

Biodiversity loss may alter ecosystem processes, such as herbivory, a key driver of ecological functions in species-rich (sub)tropical forests. However, the mechanisms underlying such biodiversity effects remain poorly explored, as mostly effects of species richness - a very basic biodiversity measure - have been studied. Here, we analyze to what extent the functional and phylogenetic diversity of woody plant communities affect herbivory along a diversity gradient in a subtropical forest.

Wolbachia infections mimic cryptic speciation in two parasitic butterfly species, Phengaris teleius and P. nausithous (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).

Deep mitochondrial divergence within species may result from cryptic speciation, from phylogeographic isolation or from endosymbiotic bacteria like Wolbachia that manipulate host reproduction. Phengaris butterflies are social parasites that spend most of their life in close relationship with ants. Previously, cryptic speciation has been hypothesised for two Phengaris species based on divergent mtDNA sequences.

Tree diversity promotes functional dissimilarity and maintains functional richness despite species loss in predator assemblages.

The effects of species loss on ecosystems depend on the community's functional diversity (FD). However, how FD responds to environmental changes is poorly understood. This applies particularly to higher trophic levels, which regulate many ecosystem processes and are strongly affected by human-induced environmental changes.

Mycorrhizas in the Central European flora: relationships with plant life history traits and ecology.

Plant traits have been widely used to characterize different aspects of the ecology of plant species. Despite its wide distribution and its proven significance at the level of individuals, communities, and populations, the ability to form mycorrhizal associations has been largely neglected in these studies so far. Analyzing plant traits associated with the occurrence of mycorrhizas in plants can therefore enhance our understanding of plant strategies and distributions.

Plant traits affecting herbivory on tree recruits in highly diverse subtropical forests.

Differences in herbivory among woody species can greatly affect the functioning of forest ecosystems, particularly in species-rich (sub)tropical regions. However, the relative importance of the different plant traits which determine herbivore damage remains unclear. Defence traits can have strong effects on herbivory, but rarely studied geographical range characteristics could complement these effects through evolutionary associations with herbivores.

Identification and characterization of microsatellite loci in the rush Juncus effusus (Juncaceae).

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellite markers were developed for the common wetland plant Juncus effusus to assess levels of within- and among-population genetic diversity.

Methods And Results: Using a next-generation sequencing approach we identified new microsatellite loci, from which 23 were further characterized in a large population of J. effusus.

Isolation by elevation: genetic structure at neutral and putatively non-neutral loci in a dominant tree of subtropical forests, Castanopsis eyrei.

Background: The distribution of genetic diversity among plant populations growing along elevational gradients can be affected by neutral as well as selective processes. Molecular markers used to study these patterns usually target neutral processes only, but may also be affected by selection. In this study, the effects of elevation and successional stage on genetic diversity of a dominant tree species were investigated controlling for neutrality of the microsatellite loci used.

Evidence for genetic differentiation and divergent selection in an autotetraploid forage grass (Arrhenatherum elatius).

The use of local provenances in restoration, agriculture and forestry has been identified as measure to sustain biological diversity and to improve local productivity. However, the delineation of regional provenances is challenging because it requires the identification of well-defined groups based on spatiogenetic differentiation and/or the evidence of local adaptation. In this study, we investigate genetic variation at 186 AFLP loci in 46 European accessions of the important grassland species Arrhenatherum elatius and ask (1) whether genetic variation within accessions differs between European geographical regions; (2) at which spatial scale populations are structured across Europe and (3) whether putatively adaptive markers contribute to this pattern and whether these markers can be related to climatic site conditions.

Pollination mode and life form strongly affect the relation between mating system and pollen to ovule ratios.

Pollen to ovule (P : O) ratios have been hypothesized to correlate with the degree of outcrossing and thus with the mating system of a plant. Also, P : O ratios are likely to vary with respect to pollination mode (i.e.

High selfing and high inbreeding depression in peripheral populations of Juncus atratus.

The mating system of a plant is the prime determinant of its population genetic structure. However, mating system effects may be modified by postzygotic mechanisms like inbreeding depression. Furthermore, historical as well as contemporary ecological factors and population characteristics, like the location within the species range can contribute to genetic variability.

Synchronous pulsed flowering: analysis of the flowering phenology in Juncus (Juncaceae).

Background And Aims: The timing of flowering within and among individuals is of fundamental biological importance because of its influence on total seed production and, ultimately, fitness. Traditional descriptive parameters of flowering phenology focus on onset and duration of flowering and on synchrony among individuals. These parameters do not adequately account for variability in flowering across the flowering duration at individual and population level.