Evolutionary lineage explains trait variation among 75 coexisting grass species

Donnelly, Ryan C.; Wedel, Emily R.; Taylor, Jeffrey H.; Nippert, Jesse B.; Helliker, Brent R.; Riley, William J.; Still, Christopher J.; Griffith, Daniel M.

doi:10.1111/nph.18983

Title: Evolutionary lineage explains trait variation among 75 coexisting grass species

Journal Article · 06 June 2023 · New Phytologist

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18983 · OSTI ID:1984293

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Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan KS 66506 USA
Department of Biology University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley CA 94720 USA
Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 USA
Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OR 97331 USA, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Wesleyan University Middletown CT 06459 USA

Summary Evolutionary history plays a key role driving patterns of trait variation across plant species. For scaling and modeling purposes, grass species are typically organized into C ₃ vs C ₄ plant functional types (PFTs). Plant functional type groupings may obscure important functional differences among species. Rather, grouping grasses by evolutionary lineage may better represent grass functional diversity. We measured 11 structural and physiological traits in situ from 75 grass species within the North American tallgrass prairie. We tested whether traits differed significantly among photosynthetic pathways or lineages (tribe) in annual and perennial grass species. Critically, we found evidence that grass traits varied among lineages, including independent origins of C ₄ photosynthesis. Using a rigorous model selection approach, tribe was included in the top models for five of nine traits for perennial species. Tribes were separable in a multivariate and phylogenetically controlled analysis of traits, owing to coordination of important structural and ecophysiological characteristics. Our findings suggest grouping grass species by photosynthetic pathway overlooks variation in several functional traits, particularly for C ₄ species. These results indicate that further assessment of lineage‐based differences at other sites and across other grass species distributions may improve representation of C ₄ species in trait comparison analyses and modeling investigations.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1984293

Journal Information:: New Phytologist, Journal Name: New Phytologist Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 239; ISSN 0028-646X

Publisher:: Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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