Data from: Combining the resurrection approach with transplant experiments to investigate adaptation of plant populations to environmental change
Data files
Jan 02, 2024 version files 178.61 KB
-
Germination_data.xlsx
59.65 KB
-
README.md
2.66 KB
-
Transplants_Data.xlsx
116.31 KB
Abstract
Recent climatic changes, such as more frequent droughts and heatwaves, can lead to rapid evolutionary adaptations in plant populations. Such rapid evolution can be investigated using the resurrection approach by comparing plants raised from stored ancestral and contemporary seeds from the same population. This approach has so far only been used in common garden experiments, allowing it to reveal genetic differentiation but not adaptation. In this study, we performed a novel approach by testing for evolutionary adaptation in natural plant populations using a resurrection study in combination with in situ transplantations. We cultivated seedlings from ancestors (23–26 years old) and contemporary descendants of three perennial species (Melica ciliata, Leontodon hispidus and Clinopodium vulgare) from calcareous grasslands in the greenhouse and transplanted them back to their collection sites. In addition, we sowed seeds of ancestors and descendants of two species (L. hispidus and C. vulgare) to the collection sites in order to investigate germination rates. In transplanted M. ciliata seedlings, we observed lower mortality and larger plant size in descendants compared to ancestors. This indicates that descendants are better adapted than ancestors to the current environmental conditions, which proved to be exceptionally hot and dry during the study period. Descendants of C. vulgare seedlings tended to be smaller and descendants of L. hispidus seedlings produced fewer leaves compared to their ancestors in their contemporary environmental conditions. In C. vulgare and L. hispidus, we found evolution towards faster germination, and especially descendant seeds of C. vulgare were better adapted to the unfavourable conditions during the experimental period. Concluding, we demonstrate that our novel approach to combine resurrection ecology with transplant experiments is a promising avenue to rigorously test for evolutionary adaptations in changing environments.
README: Data for "Combining the resurrection approach with transplant experiments to investigate adaptation of plant populations to environmental change"
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sj3tx96bf
This is the raw data of a transplant experiment performed within the framework of the resurrection approach. We cultivated seedlings from ancestors (23–26 years old) and contemporary descendants of three perennial species (Melica ciliata, Leontodon hispidus and Clinopodium vulgare) from calcareous grasslands in the greenhouse and transplanted them back to their collection sites. In addition, we sowed seeds of ancestors and descendants of two species (L. hispidus and C. vulgare) to the collection sites in order to investigate germination rates.
The plots at the transplantation site were divided into 12 blocks for C. vulgare and L. hispidus and into 10 blocks for M. ciliata . The blocks were 1 m × 1.5 m wide and contained 24 individual plants in 4 columns and 6 rows separated by 25 cm. Plants were distributed among the blocks equally according to temporal origin and seed family, but randomized within each block. In February 2022, we visited the plots to sow seeds from C. vulgare and L. hispidus in multitrays (9 x 6 pots) with local soil. We sowed 10 seeds in 10 replicates for each seed family.
File list
Transplants_Data.xlsx
Germination_Data.xlsx
Description of the data and file structure
- Transplants_Data.xlsx : Measurements of the transplanted seedlings. Given are species name, origin (Descendants, Ancestors), seed family (i.e., maternal line), Rep (Replicate), Block of transplantation, Row within Block, Survival (y or n), Plant size in cm, Rametnumber (only for M. ciliata), leafnumber, and time of measurement. Please note that the measurement in October 2021 was performed before the transplantation and therefore, there are no blocks for the measurements which is indicated by NA's. Leaf number was only recorded in April 2022. Plant size was measured as plant Height for M. ciliata and C. vulgare, and as rosette diameter for L. hispidus. Individuals of C. vulgare and L. hispidus reached 100 % mortality in August 2022, hence, there is no further data available. NA's indicate that a trait was not measured (e.g., due to mortality or by design).
- Germination_Data.xlsx : recording of the amount of germinated seeds at the transplantation sites. Given are species name, origin (Descendants, Ancestors), seed family (i.e., maternal line), Rep (Replicate), Block, Row within the multitray, column within the multitray, Seedling# (Number of visible seedlings), time of measurement.