Variation in phenotypic plasticity of metabolic and performance traits along a latitudinal gradient in woodland...

Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation jointly shape plant responses to environmental variation, but their relative contributions and trait-specific interactions remain poorly understood. (1) We quantified metabolites and measured growth, reproduction and herbivore resistance-related traits in 15 Fragaria vesca genotypes from a European latitudinal gradient grown reciprocally in four common gardens over two years. (2) Environment explained most trait variance (30%), followed by genotype × environment interactions (18%) indicating evolved plasticity, then genotype (9%). (3) Northern genotypes exhibited greater plasticity in stress-related metabolites but more canalization in growth-related traits, while southern genotypes maintained constitutively high levels of protective metabolites; this resulted in latitude shaping more than 4% of plasticity profiles. (4) Long-term temperature at origin outperformed precipitation in predicting trait variation across all categories. Synthesis. Plasticity dominates over local adaptation along climate gradients but evolves in a trait-specific manner as a heritable target of selection, buffering populations against climate shifts while also shaping the pace of genetic tracking, critical for predicting range dynamics under climate change.