Publications by authors named "T G Whitham"
Climate means and variability are shifting rapidly, leading to mismatches between climate and locally adapted plant traits. Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a plant to respond to environmental conditions within a lifetime, may provide a buffer for plants to persist under increasing temperature and water stress. We used two reciprocal common gardens across a steep temperature gradient to investigate plasticity in six populations of Fremont cottonwood, an important foundation tree species in arid riparian ecosystems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHyperspectral Leaf Reflectance Detects Interactive Genetic and Environmental Effects on Tree Phenotypes, Enabling Large-Scale Monitoring and Restoration Planning Under Climate Change.
Plant Cell Environ
November 2024
Article Synopsis
- Plants' survival and adaptation to environmental changes depend on their genetic traits and ability to adjust, but measuring these factors on a large scale is challenging.
- Using a handheld spectrometer, researchers studied the leaf reflectance of the Populus fremontii species across different climates and gardens to detect genetic variations among populations.
- The study found that genetic differences influenced leaf spectra significantly, with unique adjustments made by populations in response to environmental stresses, highlighting the importance of genetic identity for predicting plant responses to climate change.
- Additionally, transferring plants to hotter environments diminished their photosynthetic efficiency, indicating a need for local adaptation to the specific climate.
Intensive leaf cooling promotes tree survival during a record heatwave.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
October 2024
Increasing heatwaves are threatening forest ecosystems globally. Leaf thermal regulation and tolerance are important for plant survival during heatwaves, though the interaction between these processes and water availability is unclear. Genotypes of the widely distributed foundation tree species were studied in a controlled common garden during a record summer heatwave-where air temperature exceeded 48 °C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study examines the relationship between tree maturation size and reproduction, finding that larger tree species tend to start reproducing at a smaller size than expected, challenging previous assumptions.
- - Researchers analyzed seed production data from 486 tree species across different climates, revealing that maturation size increases with maximum size but not in a straightforward manner.
- - The results indicate that this trend is particularly pronounced in colder climates, highlighting the importance of understanding maturation size to better predict how forests will respond to climate change and disturbances.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides temporary cardiorespiratory support for neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients when traditional management has failed. This lifesaving therapy has intrinsic risks, including the development of a robust inflammatory response, acute kidney injury (AKI), fluid overload (FO), and blood loss via consumption and coagulopathy. Continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) has been proposed to reduce these side effects by mitigating the host inflammatory response and controlling FO, improving outcomes in patients requiring ECMO.
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