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Related Concept Videos

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss01:57

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses02:45

Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses

The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress02:45

Responses to Heat and Cold Stress

Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
Global Climate Change01:50

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.
What is Climate?01:16

What is Climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, “Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.” Climate is influenced by geographic factors, such as latitude, terrain, and proximity to bodies of water.
Responses to Drought and Flooding02:41

Responses to Drought and Flooding

Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment
08:39

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment

Published on: October 28, 2022

Plant populations track rather than buffer climate fluctuations.

Eelke Jongejans1, Hans de Kroon, Shripad Tuljapurkar

  • 1Department of Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. E.Jongejans@science.ru.nl <E.Jongejans@science.ru.nl>

Ecology Letters
|April 30, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Climate change increases environmental variability, but plant populations lack buffering mechanisms. Positive covariances between reproduction and survival amplify variability, raising extinction risks for plant species.

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A Telemetric, Gravimetric Platform for Real-Time Physiological Phenotyping of Plant&ndash;Environment Interactions
15:30

A Telemetric, Gravimetric Platform for Real-Time Physiological Phenotyping of Plant–Environment Interactions

Published on: August 5, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment
08:39

Simulating Temperature in a Soil Incubation Experiment

Published on: October 28, 2022

A Telemetric, Gravimetric Platform for Real-Time Physiological Phenotyping of Plant&ndash;Environment Interactions
15:30

A Telemetric, Gravimetric Platform for Real-Time Physiological Phenotyping of Plant–Environment Interactions

Published on: August 5, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Climate Change Biology
  • Population Dynamics

Background:

  • Climate change alters not only average temperature and precipitation but also their temporal fluctuations.
  • Species' responses to climate fluctuations, particularly concerning vital rates and population dynamics, are not well understood.
  • Understanding population buffering mechanisms against environmental variation is crucial for predicting species' persistence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether plant populations exhibit buffering against environmental variation through vital rate covariation or by reducing sensitivity in key vital rates.
  • To analyze demographic time series data for 40 plant species to assess these buffering mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of time series demographic data for 40 plant species.
  • Examination of covariances among vital rates (survival, growth, reproduction).
  • Assessment of the relationship between vital rate variation and population growth sensitivity.

Main Results:

  • No evidence was found for populations buffering environmental variation via negative covariances among vital rates or by reducing variation in sensitive vital rates.
  • In species with vital rate covariation, positive covariances between reproduction and survival were predominant.
  • These positive covariances tend to amplify the effects of environmental variability on populations.

Conclusions:

  • Plant populations generally lack effective mechanisms to buffer against increased climate variability.
  • Positive covariances between vital rates magnify environmental fluctuations, increasing population instability.
  • Increasing climate variability is predicted to elevate population fluctuations and heighten extinction risks for plant species.