Analyzing the effect of climate change on <i>Boechera stricta</i> seed germination and fitness along an elevational gradient
Abstract
Climate change alters many biotic and abiotic factors in environments around the world. At higher elevations in particular, climate change brings warmer mean temperatures, reduced snowpack, earlier snowmelt, and more extreme drought. In this study, we analyzed the effect of early snow removal on Boechera stricta seed germination and establishment along an elevational gradient. We predicted that climate change would alter long-standing patterns of local adaptation by favoring seeds from hot and dry low elevation populations (whose current climate reflects the future climate in higher elevation locations). In 2014, the Anderson lab planted B. stricta seeds with 200 distinct genotypes into five common gardens at differing elevations (2530m to 3340m) in Gothic Valley in Colorado and subjected half of the seeds to an early snow removal treatment. We found the lowest germination and establishment success at the most stressful site (2530m) where hot and dry conditions severely restricted seed germination. Local adaptation was more apparent in the mid-elevation gardens (2710m, 2890m) where seeds from lower elevation families had a higher probability of germination than those from higher elevations. At one of the mid-elevation sites (2890m), the snow removal treatment eliminated evidence for local adaptation. Local adaptation was also evident in a higher elevation garden (3133m) such that germination success actually increased with source elevation under control treatments. However, as predicted, snow removal completely disrupted local adaptation there, favoring lower elevation genotypes. In the current experiment, we found no evidence for local adaptation in the highest garden (3340m). From these data we can see that germination success and fitness are influenced in different ways and to differing degrees based on their environment.
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References (13)
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