Abstract Detail

From Genes to Distributions: physiological ecology as an integrator of polyploid biology

Anneberg, Thomas [1], Segraves, Kari [2].

Neopolyploidy in Heuchera cylindrica causes increased nutrient limitation phenotypes of functional traits.

Polyploidy has been increasingly appreciated as akey driver of plant evolution. Althoughestablished polyploid lineages are common innature, a newly formed polyploid (hereafter“neopolyploid”) must first overcome ecologicalbarriers to establishment or go extinct. Oneexpected barrier to establishment is a greaterrequirement by neopolyploids for nutrients thatcould ultimately limit where and whenneopolyploids can establish. Although we haveevidence that established polyploids are moreproductive with nutrient enrichment, we still needstudies that address how plant traits associatedwith resource capture and storage are affected byboth neopolyploidy and variation in nutrientavailability. By doing so, we will understand theimmediate consequences of whole-genome duplicationon nutrient requirements in plants. We thus testedhow neopolyploidy in Heuchera cylindrica affectsplant performance under varying nutrientenvironments. We specifically compared theperformance of diploids and their syntheticneopolyploid progeny across differing nitrogen andphosphorus environments by measuring biomassallocation to above and belowground tissues, leafchlorophyll, specific leaf area, and theconcentration of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorusin tissues. The results showed that plant cytotypestrongly interacts with nutrient supply rates forthe measured performance traits. Although weexpected neopolyploidy to cause plants to allocatemore biomass to acquisitive roots, we insteadobserved a stronger increase in the allocation toaboveground structures and a diminished investmentinto storage structures. We therefore findevidence that the interaction between plantcytotype and resource supply rates was driven by adecreased capacity in neopolyploids to acquire andstore carbon. We also observed higher nutrientconcentrations in neopolyploid tissues, showingthat neopolyploid biomass is inherently morecostly to construct than diploid biomass. Weconclude that neopolyploidy causes plants to bemore constrained in growth by their nutrientenvironment.

1 - Syracuse University, Biology, 107 College Pl, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States
2 - Syracuse University, Biology, 107 College Place, Department of Biology, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA

Keywords:
polyploidy
Saxifragaceae
Resource Economics Spectrum
Nutrient assay.

Presentation Type: Symposium Presentation
Session: SY3, From Genes to Distributions: physiological ecology as an integrator of polyploid biology
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2020
Time: 11:00 AM
Number: SY3002
Abstract ID:857
Candidate for Awards:Ecological Section Best Graduate Student Paper