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Forced Flowering in Mandarin Trees under Phytotron Conditions
Published on: March 6, 2019
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Spring temperature drives phenotypic selection on plasticity of flowering time
Alicia Valdés1,2, Pieter A Arnold3, Johan Ehrlén1,2
1Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|September 6, 2023
Summary
Plants adjust flowering time based on spring temperatures. Selection favors earlier, less plastic flowering, especially in colder springs, influencing evolutionary responses to climate change.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Phenology
Background:
- Seasonal environments present trade-offs between developmental responsiveness to temperature and risks of adverse weather.
- Optimal plastic responses to climate conditions remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess phenotypic selection on flowering time plasticity in response to spring temperatures.
- To investigate how spring temperature conditions influence selection on plasticity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 22 years of field observations for the perennial forest herb *Lathyrus vernus*.
- Analyzed among-individual variation in reaction norms of flowering time.
- Examined selection on plasticity across varying spring temperatures.
Main Results:
- Significant variation in mean flowering time and plasticity was observed.
- Earlier flowering plants exhibited greater plasticity.
- Selection favored earlier mean flowering time and reduced thermal plasticity.
- Less plastic individuals were favored in colder springs.
Conclusions:
- Spring temperature directly influences optimal flowering time plasticity.
- Selection on plasticity is linked to climatic conditions.
- Provides insights into predicting evolutionary adaptation to environmental change.
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