Dataset Information

The role of population origin and microenvironment in seedling emergence and early survival in Mediterranean maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton).

ABSTRACT: Understanding tree recruitment is needed to forecast future forest distribution. Many studies have reported the relevant ecological factors that affect recruitment success in trees, but the potential for genetic-based differences in recruitment has often been neglected. In this study, we established a semi-natural reciprocal sowing experiment to test for local adaptation and microenvironment effects (evaluated here by canopy cover) in the emergence and early survival of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton), an emblematic Mediterranean forest tree. A novel application of molecular markers was also developed to test for family selection and, thus, for potential genetic change over generations. Overall, we did not find evidence to support local adaptation at the recruitment stage in our semi-natural experiment. Moreover, only weak family selection (if any) was found, suggesting that in stressful environments with low survival, stochastic processes and among-year climate variability may drive recruitment. Nevertheless, our study revealed that, at early stages of recruitment, microenvironments may favor the population with the best adapted life strategy, irrespectively of its (local or non-local) origin. We also found that emergence time is a key factor for seedling survival in stressful Mediterranean environments. Our study highlights the complexity of the factors influencing the early stages of establishment of maritime pine and provides insights into possible management actions aimed at environmental change impact mitigation. In particular, we found that the high stochasticity of the recruitment process in stressful environments and the differences in population-specific adaptive strategies may difficult assisted migration schemes.

SUBMITTER: Vizcaino-Palomar N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4186868 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The role of population origin and microenvironment in seedling emergence and early survival in Mediterranean maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton).

Vizcaíno-Palomar Natalia N Revuelta-Eugercios Bárbara B Zavala Miguel A MA Alía Ricardo R González-Martínez Santiago C SC

PloS one 20141006 10

Understanding tree recruitment is needed to forecast future forest distribution. Many studies have reported the relevant ecological factors that affect recruitment success in trees, but the potential for genetic-based differences in recruitment has often been neglected. In this study, we established a semi-natural reciprocal sowing experiment to test for local adaptation and microenvironment effects (evaluated here by canopy cover) in the emergence and early survival of maritime pine (Pinus pina ...[more]

PMID: 25286410

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Project description:The significant morphological differences observed during embryo development in angiosperms and gymnosperms are expected to be the result of a differential control of gene expression. We used a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) cDNA microarray to analyze global transcriptional changes along zygotic embryogenesis in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster). A time-course analysis of the data obtained from the five embryo developmental groups used in this study led to the identification of 4,645 genes whose expression varied along P. pinaster embryogenesis. These transcripts were clustered into six distinct expression profiles. The grouping of these profiles in early, mid-embryogenesis and embryo maturation, according to the developmental period where most of the sequences were up-regulated, evidenced that characteristic transcriptional changes are associated to each developmental period. The application of a cut-off value of 1.95-fold change led to the identification of 1,838 differentially expressed transcripts that were categorized by biological process. Metabolism, interaction with the environment, oxidation-reduction and transport were some of the most represented categories. During early embryogenesis genes putatively involved in phytohormone-mediated signaling were identified, whereas in middle stages the overrepresented genes could be associated with cotyledon formation and induction of somatic embryogenesis. Genes associated with the synthesis of storage products were up-regulated in the latest stages of pine embryo development. It was also during this developmental period that the largest number of sequences putatively encoding transcription factors was identified. Pine immature zygotic embryos were pooled into five different developmental groups according to the collection date (Day0; Day5; Day11; Day15 and Day25). A common reference design was used. Total RNA was extracted from each sample. Three extractions were prepared per sample (biological replicates). A defined ammount from each RNA sample was pooled to use as reference. Messenger RNA was amplified for both test samples and reference. These were hybridized together in two separate experiments (technical replicates). In total, 30 slides were analyzed.

Project description:NAC transcription factors comprise a large plant-specific gene family involved in the regulation of diverse biological processes. Despite the growing number of studies on NAC transcription factors in various species, little information is available about this family in conifers. The goal of this study was to identify the NAC transcription family in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), to characterize ATAF-like genes in response to various stresses and to study their molecular regulation.We have isolated two maritime pine NAC genes and using a transient expression assay in N. benthamiana leaves estudied the promoter jasmonate response.In this study, we identified 37 NAC genes from maritime pine and classified them into six main subfamilies. The largest group includes 12 sequences corresponding to stress-related genes. Two of these NAC genes, PpNAC2 and PpNAC3, were isolated and their expression profiles were examined at various developmental stages and in response to various types of stress. The expression of both genes was strongly induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA), mechanical wounding, and high salinity. The promoter regions of these genes were shown to contain cis-elements involved in the stress response and plant hormonal regulation, including E-boxes, which are commonly found in the promoters of genes that respond to jasmonate, and binding sites for bHLH proteins. Using a transient expression assay in N. benthamiana leaves, we found that the promoter of PpNAC3 was rapidly induced upon MeJA treatment, while this response disappeared in plants in which the transcription factor NbbHLH2 was silenced.Our results suggest that PpNAC2 and PpNAC3 encode stress-responsive NAC transcription factors involved in the jasmonate response in pine. Furthermore, these data also suggest that the jasmonate signaling pathway is conserved between angiosperms and gymnosperms. These findings may be useful for engineering stress tolerance in pine via biotechnological approaches.

Dataset Information

The role of population origin and microenvironment in seedling emergence and early survival in Mediterranean maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton).

Publications

The role of population origin and microenvironment in seedling emergence and early survival in Mediterranean maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton).

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