Differential phenotypic plasticity of subalpine trees predicts trait integration under climate warming

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Plant Science

Background:

• Phenotypic plasticity is crucial for adaptation to environmental change.
• Phenotypic integration's role in constraining plasticity is debated.
• Understanding these dynamics is key for predicting species' responses to climate warming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if phenotypic integration constrains functional plasticity in subalpine trees under simulated climate warming.
• To explore the relationship between trait plasticity differences and trait integration.
• To determine how climate warming affects phenotypic integration and plasticity.

Main Methods:

• Experimental simulation of climate warming using open-top chambers (OTCs) over three years.
• Measurement of functional plasticity across 72 eco-physiological traits in juvenile trees.
• Analysis of the association between phenotypic plasticity and trait integration.

Main Results:

• Phenotypic plasticity was positively correlated with integration in deciduous species under warming.
• Differences in plasticity between paired traits predicted their integration.
• No evidence was found that phenotypic integration constrained plasticity.
• Warming induced tighter phenotypic integration, suggesting trait associations reorganize.

Conclusions:

• Phenotypic integration does not inherently limit trait plasticity in subalpine trees.
• Differential plasticity drives reorganization of trait associations under climate change.
• Warming leads to a more integrated phenotype, impacting adaptation potential.