Contemporary evolution of an invasive grass in response to elevated atmospheric CO2 at a Mojave Desert FACE site

Grossman, Judah D.; Rice, Kevin J.

doi:10.1111/ele.12274

Contemporary evolution of an invasive grass in response to elevated atmospheric CO₂ at a Mojave Desert FACE site

Journal Article · Wed Mar 26 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Ecology Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12274· OSTI ID:1625867

Grossman, Judah D. ^[1]; Rice, Kevin J. ^[2]

The Nature Conservancy, Sacramento CA (United States); DOE/OSTI
Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Plant Sciences

Elevated atmospheric CO₂ has been shown to rapidly alter plant physiology and ecosystem productivity, but contemporary evolutionary responses to increased CO₂ have yet to be demonstrated in the field. At a Mojave Desert FACE (free-air CO2 enrichment) facility, we tested whether an annual grass weed (Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens) has evolved in response to elevated atmospheric CO₂. Within 7 years, field populations exposed to elevated CO₂ evolved lower rates of leaf stomatal conductance; a physiological adaptation known to conserve water in other desert or water-limited ecosystems. Evolution of lower conductance was accompanied by reduced plasticity in upregulating conductance when CO₂ was more limiting; this reduction in conductance plasticity suggests that genetic assimilation may be ongoing. Reproductive fitness costs associated with this reduction in phenotypic plasticity were demonstrated under ambient levels of CO₂. Our findings suggest that contemporary evolution may facilitate this invasive species’ spread in this desert ecosystem.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division

OSTI ID:: 1625867

Journal Information:: Ecology Letters, Journal Name: Ecology Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 17; ISSN 1461-023X

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Bromus rubens
contemporary evolution
desert ecosystem
elevated atmospheric CO2
environmental sciences & ecology
genetic assimilation
invasive species
norms of reaction
phenotypic plasticity
stomatal conductance