PLANT PERFORMANCE ACROSS LATITUDE: THE ROLE OF PLASTICITY AND LOCAL ADAPTATION IN AN AQUATIC PLANT

• DOI: 10.1890/02-0431
• Publication Date: 2007-06-04T23:29:53Z
• Authors: L. SantamarÍa; J. Figuerola; J. J. Pilon; M. Mjelde; A. J. Green; T. De Boer; R. A. King; R. J. Gornall
• Keywords: Cline (biology); Subarctic climate; Local adaptation

Geographic variation can lead to the evolution of different local varieties within a given species, therefore influencing its distribution and genetic structure. We investigated contribution plasticity adaptation performance common aquatic plant (Potamogeton pectinatus) in contrasting climates, using reciprocal transplants at three experimental sites across latitudinal cline Europe. Plants from 54 genets, originally collected 14 populations situated four climatic regions (subarctic, cold temperate, mild mediterranean) were grown localities these (cold Norway; The Netherlands; mediterranean, Spain). Tuber production was highest for mild-temperate irrespective locality where genets grown. Selection coefficients indicated that European center species perform better than all other populations, sites. However, marginal showed changes life-history traits, such as compressed life cycles north true perenniality south, may allow them locally, limits their range. Our results thus suggest overlap spatially with center–periphery gradients caused by factors (such drift inbreeding range-marginal populations).