Quaternary diversification of a columnar cactus in the driest place on earth
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ABSTRACT:
PROVIDER: PRJEB39114 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:Bats are the main pollinators and seed dispersers of Stenocereus thurberi, a xenogamous columnar cactus of northwestern Mexico and a good model to illustrate spatial dynamics of gene flow in long-lived species. Previous studies in this cactus showed differences among populations in the type and abundance of pollinators, and in the timing of flowering and fruiting. In this study we analyzed genetic variability and population differentiation among populations. We used three primers of ISSR to analyze within and among populations genetic variation from eight widely separated populations of S. thurberi in Sonora, Mexico. Sixty-six out of 99 of the ISSR bands (P = 66.7%) were polymorphic. Total heterozygosity for all populations sampled revealed high genetic diversity (Hsp = 0.207, HBT = 0.224). The AMOVA showed that most of the genetic variation was within populations (80.5%). At the species level, estimates of population differentiation, ? = 0.175 and ?B = 0.194, indicated moderate gene flow among populations. The absence of a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances indicated little isolation by geographic distance. The large genetic variation and diversity found in S. thurberi is consistent with its open reproductive system and the high mobility of bats, a major pollinator. However, small changes in number or kind of pollinators and seed dispersal agents, in the directionality of migratory routes, and/or in the timing of flowering and fruiting among populations, can critically affect gene flow dynamics.
| S-EPMC4820105 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Untargeted analysis of plant and rhizosphere samples from the Atacama Desert.
2023-10-13 | MSV000093102 | MassIVE
Project description:In the frugivory networks of many arid and semi-arid Mesoamerican ecosystems, columnar cacti act as keystone species that produce fruits with a high content of water and nutrients attractive to numerous vertebrates. The aim of this investigation was to assess the fruit removal patterns of two guilds of frugivores on the fruits of the woolly torch Pilosocereus leucocephalus. We assessed fruit pulp removal in two ways: by estimating the consumption of seeds given the amount of pulp removed per visit and by estimating the percentage of pulp removal over time. We put exclosures on unripe, intact fruits to keep frugivores from removing material. Once ripe, we removed the exclosures and tracked animal visitation of 69 fruits using camera traps. We obtained a total of 2,162 hr of footage (14:47 hours of them with effective pulp removal). The highest number of visitors is that of diurnal species (n = 12, all birds) versus only four nocturnal (three bats, one rodent). The most effective species in pulp removal are birds. Bats play a modest role in frugivory of this cactus. The significance of this work is twofold: (a) birds and bats consume the fruit pulp of this cactus and likely disperse its seeds, and (b) although bats rank high in pulp removal effectiveness, birds as a guild far outweigh their importance in this system, as they are not only more frequent but also remove more pulp and seeds. Both groups are known to be important in cacti seed dispersal, and our findings are essential in understanding the population dynamics of the woolly torch and in elucidating its seed dispersal ecology.
| S-EPMC6374677 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Untargeted analysis of plant and rhizosphere samples from the Atacama Desert.
2023-10-13 | MSV000093102 | GNPS
Project description:The persistence of traditional cultures and modes of land use within rapidly changing, globalized societies is a central issue in understanding ecological and cultural change in the Anthropocene. Located in the heart of the Green Revolution, the Yoreme (Mayo) people of the Mayo Valley in Mexico still obtain a significant proportion of their sustenance from wild ecosystems in the midst of this intensive technological and agricultural development. They live in and around the thornscrub dominated by pitaya (Stenocereus thurberi (Engelm.) Buxb.). In this study, we hypothesize that pitaya supports Yoreme heritage and sustenance amidst anthropogenic changes to the landscape, and we asked three specific questions: What is the land-use status of the S. thurberi habitat? What are its potential uses? Does S. thurberi provide economic value? To address these questions, we conducted interviews, vegetation surveys, and land-use analysis based on geographic information systems. We found that (a) land conversion of the pitaya-rich thornscrub is occurring at a precipitous rate, (b) local producers preserve and adapt their traditions, and (c) S. thurberi supports Yoreme heritage while providing economic benefit. The resulting land-use projections along with the cultural value of pitaya products shows the importance of conserving land and promoting sustainable projects instead of clearing land for other uses. If habitat shrinking continues at the current rate, it is likely that both Yoreme livelihoods and continued cultural practices will suffer.
| S-EPMC5709269 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background and aimsFacilitation among plants in water-limited environments (i.e. where evapotranspiration overcomes the availability of water during the growing season) has been considered a local adaptation to water and light conditions. Among cacti, early life-history stages can benefit from the facilitative effects of nurse plants that reduce solar radiation and water stress. However, whether light condition itself acts as an agent of selection through facilitation remains untested. The aim of this study was to determine (1) whether light conditions affect seedling recruitment, (2) whether the positive effect of shade on seedling recruitment is more intense under more stressful conditions and (3) whether shade condition (facilitation) reduces the magnitude of local adaptation on seedling recruitment relative to full sunlight conditions.MethodsA reciprocal transplant experiment, coupled with the artificial manipulation of sun/shade conditions, was performed to test for the effects of local adaptation on germination, seedling survival and growth, using two demes of the columnar cactus Pilosocereus leucocephalus, representing different intensities of stressful conditions.Key resultsFull sunlight conditions reduced recruitment success and supported the expectation of lower recruitment in more stressful environments. Significant local adaptation was mainly detected under full sunlight conditions, indicating that this environmental factor acts as an agent of selection at both sites.ConclusionsThe results supported the expectation that the magnitude of local adaptation, driven by the effects of facilitative nurse plants, is less intense under reduced stressful conditions. This study is the first to demonstrate that sun/shade conditions act as a selective agent accounting for local adaptation in water-limited environments, and that facilitation provided by nurse plants in these environments can attenuate the patterns of local adaptation among plants benefiting from the nurse effect.
| S-EPMC3555523 | biostudies-literature