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Disentangling the Environmental Factors That Shape Genetic and Phenotypic Leaf Trait Variation in the Tree Qualea grandiflora Across the Brazilian Savanna

Buzatti, Renata Santiago de Oliveira ; Pfeilsticker, Thais Ribeiro ; Muniz, André Carneiro ; Ellis, Vincenzo A. LU ; Souza, Renan Pedra de ; Lemos-Filho, José Pires and Lovato, Maria Bernadete (2019) In Frontiers in Plant Science 10.
Abstract

Identifying the environmental factors that shape intraspecific genetic and phenotypic diversity of species can provide insights into the processes that generate and maintain divergence in highly diverse biomes such as the savannas of the Neotropics. Here, we sampled Qualea grandiflora, the most widely distributed tree species in the Cerrado, a large Neotropical savanna. We analyzed genetic variation with microsatellite markers in 23 populations (418 individuals) and phenotypic variation of 10 metamer traits (internode, petiole and corresponding leaf lamina) in 36 populations (744 individuals). To evaluate the role of geography, soil, climate, and wind speed in shaping the divergence of genetic and phenotypic traits among populations, we... (More)

Identifying the environmental factors that shape intraspecific genetic and phenotypic diversity of species can provide insights into the processes that generate and maintain divergence in highly diverse biomes such as the savannas of the Neotropics. Here, we sampled Qualea grandiflora, the most widely distributed tree species in the Cerrado, a large Neotropical savanna. We analyzed genetic variation with microsatellite markers in 23 populations (418 individuals) and phenotypic variation of 10 metamer traits (internode, petiole and corresponding leaf lamina) in 36 populations (744 individuals). To evaluate the role of geography, soil, climate, and wind speed in shaping the divergence of genetic and phenotypic traits among populations, we used Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling. We also used multiple regressions to further investigate the contributions of those environmental factors on leaf trait diversity. We found high genetic diversity, which was geographically structured. Geographic distance was the main factor shaping genetic divergence in Qualea grandiflora, reflecting isolation by distance. Genetic structure was more related to past climatic changes than to the current climate. We also found high metamer trait variation, which seemed largely influenced by precipitation, soil bulk density and wind speed during the period of metamer development. The high degree of metamer trait variation seems to be due to both, phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation to different environmental conditions, and may explain the success of the species in occupying all the Cerrado biome.

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; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cerrado, climate, genetic divergence, isolation by distance, leaf traits diversity, Qualea grandiflora
in
Frontiers in Plant Science
volume
10
article number
1580
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • pmid:31850045
  • scopus:85076880404
ISSN
1664-462X
DOI
10.3389/fpls.2019.01580
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d9f6e9dd-6b1b-4170-a4c9-253444cbc786
date added to LUP
2020-01-07 08:52:10
date last changed
2024-04-17 02:00:14
@article{d9f6e9dd-6b1b-4170-a4c9-253444cbc786,
  abstract     = {{<p>Identifying the environmental factors that shape intraspecific genetic and phenotypic diversity of species can provide insights into the processes that generate and maintain divergence in highly diverse biomes such as the savannas of the Neotropics. Here, we sampled Qualea grandiflora, the most widely distributed tree species in the Cerrado, a large Neotropical savanna. We analyzed genetic variation with microsatellite markers in 23 populations (418 individuals) and phenotypic variation of 10 metamer traits (internode, petiole and corresponding leaf lamina) in 36 populations (744 individuals). To evaluate the role of geography, soil, climate, and wind speed in shaping the divergence of genetic and phenotypic traits among populations, we used Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling. We also used multiple regressions to further investigate the contributions of those environmental factors on leaf trait diversity. We found high genetic diversity, which was geographically structured. Geographic distance was the main factor shaping genetic divergence in Qualea grandiflora, reflecting isolation by distance. Genetic structure was more related to past climatic changes than to the current climate. We also found high metamer trait variation, which seemed largely influenced by precipitation, soil bulk density and wind speed during the period of metamer development. The high degree of metamer trait variation seems to be due to both, phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation to different environmental conditions, and may explain the success of the species in occupying all the Cerrado biome.</p>}},
  author       = {{Buzatti, Renata Santiago de Oliveira and Pfeilsticker, Thais Ribeiro and Muniz, André Carneiro and Ellis, Vincenzo A. and Souza, Renan Pedra de and Lemos-Filho, José Pires and Lovato, Maria Bernadete}},
  issn         = {{1664-462X}},
  keywords     = {{cerrado; climate; genetic divergence; isolation by distance; leaf traits diversity; Qualea grandiflora}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Plant Science}},
  title        = {{Disentangling the Environmental Factors That Shape Genetic and Phenotypic Leaf Trait Variation in the Tree Qualea grandiflora Across the Brazilian Savanna}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01580}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fpls.2019.01580}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}