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A Molecular View of Plant Local Adaptation: Incorporating Stress-Response Networks

Journal Article · · Annual Review of Plant Biology
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States); Michigan State University Department of Plant Biology
  2. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)

Ecological specialization in plants occurs primarily through local adaptation to different environments. Local adaptation is widely thought to result in costly fitness trade-offs that result in maladaptation to alternative environments. However, recent studies suggest that such trade-offs are not universal. Additionally, there is currently a limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for fitness trade-offs associated with adaptation. Here, we review the literature on stress responses in plants to identify potential mechanisms underlying local adaptation and ecological specialization. We focus on drought, high and low temperature, flooding, herbivore, and pathogen stresses. We then synthesize our findings with recent advances in the local adaptation and plant molecular biology literature. In the process, we identify mechanisms that could cause fitness trade-offs and outline scenarios where trade-offs are not a necessary consequence of adaptation. Lastly, future studies should aim to explicitly integrate molecular mechanisms into studies of local adaptation.

Research Organization:
Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-23)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0018409; SC0017883
OSTI ID:
1556089
Journal Information:
Annual Review of Plant Biology, Journal Name: Annual Review of Plant Biology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 70; ISSN 1543-5008
Publisher:
Annual ReviewsCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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  • Price, Trevor D.; Qvarnström, Anna; Irwin, Darren E.
  • Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 270, Issue 1523 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2003.2372
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