Phenological sensitivity of Bromus tectorum genotypes depends on current and source environments

Plants respond to their environment with both short-term, within-generation trait plasticity, and long-term, between-generation evolutionary changes. However, the relative magnitude of plant responses to short- and long-term changes in the environment remains poorly understood. Shifts in phenological traits can serve as harbingers for responses to environmental change, and both a plant's current and source (i.e., genotype origin) environment can affect plant phenology via plasticity and local adaptation, respectively. To assess the role of current and source environments in explaining variation in flowering phenology of Bromus tectorum, an invasive annual grass, we conducted a replicated common garden experiment using 92 genotypes collected across western North America. Replicates of each genotype were planted in two densities (low = 100 seeds/1 m2, high = 100 seeds/0.04 m2) under two different temperature treatments (low = white gravel; high = black gravel; 2.1°C average difference) in a factorial design, replicated across four common garden locations in Idaho and Wyoming, USA. We tested for the effect of current environment (i.e., density treatment, temperature treatment, and common garden location), source environment (i.e., genotype source climate), and their interaction on each plant's flowering phenology. Flowering timing was strongly influenced by a plant's current environment, with plants that experienced warmer current climates and higher densities flowering earlier than those that experienced cooler current climates and lower densities. Genotypes from hot and dry source climates flowered consistently earlier than those from cool and wet source climates, even after accounting for genotype relatedness, suggesting that this genetically based climate cline is a product of natural selection. We found minimal evidence of interactions between current and source environments or genotype-by-environment interactions. Phenology was more sensitive to variation in the current climate than to variation in source climate. These results indicate that cheatgrass phenology reflects high levels of plasticity as well as rapid local adaptation. Both processes likely contribute to its current success as a biological invader and its capacity to respond to future environmental change.

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Work Title Phenological sensitivity of Bromus tectorum genotypes depends on current and source environments
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Megan L. Vahsen
  2. Toby M. Maxwell
  3. Dana M. Blumenthal
  4. Diana Gamba
  5. Matthew J. Germino
  6. Mevin B. Hooten
  7. Jesse R. Lasky
  8. Elizabeth A. Leger
  9. Nikki Pirtel
  10. Lauren M. Porensky
  11. Seth Romero
  12. Justin J. Van Ee
  13. Stella M. Copeland
  14. David J. Ensing
  15. Peter B. Adler
Keyword
  1. Bromus tectorum
  2. Climate change
  3. Local adaptation
  4. Phenology
  5. Plasticity
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Ecology
Publication Date March 17, 2025
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70025
Deposited April 18, 2025

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Version 1
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  • Created

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Vahsen_etal_Ecology_2025.pdf

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Megan L. Vahsen

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Toby M. Maxwell

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Dana M. Blumenthal

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Diana Gamba

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Matthew J. Germino

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Mevin B. Hooten

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Jesse R. Lasky

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Elizabeth A. Leger

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Nikki Pirtel

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Lauren M. Porensky

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Seth Romero

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Justin J. Van Ee

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Stella M. Copeland

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator David J. Ensing

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Added Creator Peter B. Adler

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Published

    April 18, 2025 10:04 by Researcher Metadata Database

  • Updated

    April 18, 2025 22:05 by [unknown user]

  • Updated Keyword, Description, Publication Date Show Changes

    May 01, 2025 13:33 by avs5190

    Keyword
    • Bromus tectorum, Climate change, Local adaptation, Phenology, Plasticity
    Description
    • Plants respond to their environment with both short-term, within-generation trait plasticity, and long-term, between-generation evolutionary changes. However, the relative magnitude of plant responses to short- and long-term changes in the environment remains poorly understood. Shifts in phenological traits can serve as harbingers for responses to environmental change, and both a plant's current and source (i.e., genotype origin) environment can affect plant phenology via plasticity and local adaptation, respectively. To assess the role of current and source environments in explaining variation in flowering phenology of Bromus tectorum, an invasive annual grass, we conducted a replicated common garden experiment using 92 genotypes collected across western North America. Replicates of each genotype were planted in two densities (low = 100 seeds/1 m<sup>2</sup>, high = 100 seeds/0.04 m<sup>2</sup>) under two different temperature treatments (low = white gravel; high = black gravel; 2.1°C average difference) in a factorial design, replicated across four common garden locations in Idaho and Wyoming, USA. We tested for the effect of current environment (i.e., density treatment, temperature treatment, and common garden location), source environment (i.e., genotype source climate), and their interaction on each plant's flowering phenology. Flowering timing was strongly influenced by a plant's current environment, with plants that experienced warmer current climates and higher densities flowering earlier than those that experienced cooler current climates and lower densities. Genotypes from hot and dry source climates flowered consistently earlier than those from cool and wet source climates, even after accounting for genotype relatedness, suggesting that this genetically based climate cline is a product of natural selection. We found minimal evidence of interactions between current and source environments or genotype-by-environment interactions. Phenology was more sensitive to variation in the current climate than to variation in source climate. These results indicate that cheatgrass phenology reflects high levels of plasticity as well as rapid local adaptation. Both processes likely contribute to its current success as a biological invader and its capacity to respond to future environmental change.
    • Plants respond to their environment with both short-term, within-generation trait plasticity, and long-term, between-generation evolutionary changes. However, the relative magnitude of plant responses to short- and long-term changes in the environment remains poorly understood. Shifts in phenological traits can serve as harbingers for responses to environmental change, and both a plant's current and source (i.e., genotype origin) environment can affect plant phenology via plasticity and local adaptation, respectively. To assess the role of current and source environments in explaining variation in flowering phenology of _Bromus tectorum_, an invasive annual grass, we conducted a replicated common garden experiment using 92 genotypes collected across western North America. Replicates of each genotype were planted in two densities (low = 100 seeds/1 m<sup>2</sup>, high = 100 seeds/0.04 m<sup>2</sup>) under two different temperature treatments (low = white gravel; high = black gravel; 2.1°C average difference) in a factorial design, replicated across four common garden locations in Idaho and Wyoming, USA. We tested for the effect of current environment (i.e., density treatment, temperature treatment, and common garden location), source environment (i.e., genotype source climate), and their interaction on each plant's flowering phenology. Flowering timing was strongly influenced by a plant's current environment, with plants that experienced warmer current climates and higher densities flowering earlier than those that experienced cooler current climates and lower densities. Genotypes from hot and dry source climates flowered consistently earlier than those from cool and wet source climates, even after accounting for genotype relatedness, suggesting that this genetically based climate cline is a product of natural selection. We found minimal evidence of interactions between current and source environments or genotype-by-environment interactions. Phenology was more sensitive to variation in the current climate than to variation in source climate. These results indicate that cheatgrass phenology reflects high levels of plasticity as well as rapid local adaptation. Both processes likely contribute to its current success as a biological invader and its capacity to respond to future environmental change.
    Publication Date
    • 2025-03-01
    • 2025-03-17