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Island faunas exhibit some of the most iconic examples where similar forms repeatedly evolve within different islands. Yet, whether these deterministic evolutionary trajectories within islands are driven by an initial, singular divergence and the subsequent exchange of individuals and adaptive genetic variation between islands remains unclear. Here, we study a gradual, repeated evolution of low-dispersive highland ecotypes from a dispersive lowland ecotype of Calosoma beetles along the island progression of the Galápagos. We show that repeated highland adaptation involved selection on multiple shared alleles within extensive chromosomal inversions that originated from an initial adaptation event on the oldest island. These highland inversions first spread through dispersal of highland individuals. Subsequent admixture with the lowland ecotype resulted in polymorphic dispersive populations from which the highland populations evolved on the youngest islands. Our findings emphasize the significance of an ancient divergence in driving repeated evolution and highlight how a mixed contribution of inter-island colonization and within-island evolution can shape parallel species communities.

Resource partitioning is central to the incredible productivity of microbial communities, including gigatons in annual methane emissions through syntrophic interactions. Previous work revealed how a sulfate reducer (Desulfovibrio vulgaris, Dv) and a methanogen (Methanococcus maripaludis, Mm) underwent evolutionary diversification in a planktonic context, improving stability, cooperativity, and productivity within 300-1000 generations. Here, we show that mutations in just 15 Dv and 7 Mm genes within a minimal assemblage of this evolved community gave rise to co-existing ecotypes that were spatially enriched within a few days of culturing in a fluidized bed reactor. The spatially segregated communities partitioned resources in the simulated subsurface environment, with greater lactate utilization by attached Dv but partial utilization of resulting H2 by low affinity hydrogenases of Mm in the same phase. The unutilized H2 was scavenged by high affinity hydrogenases of planktonic Mm, producing copious amounts of methane. Our findings show how a few mutations can drive resource partitioning amongst niche-differentiated ecotypes, whose interplay synergistically improves productivity of the entire mutualistic community.

This study aimed to characterise three Ghanaian local chicken ecotypes, namely, Interior Savannah, Forest, and Coastal Savannah, based on morphological data and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes. Morphological data including body weight, shank length, body girth, back length, thigh length, beak length, comb length, and wattle length were collected from 250 local chickens. DNA isolated from blood of 1,440 local chickens was used for SNP genotyping with the Affymetrix chicken 600k SNP chip. Principal component analysis showed that Forest and Coastal Savannah birds were closely related. Generally, all three ecotypes exhibited high genetic diversity, especially birds from the Interior Savannah zone. Morphological characterisation showed that ecotype (p = 0.016) and sex (p = 0.000) had significant effects on body weight. Birds of the Interior Savannah ecotype were the heaviest (p = 0.004), with mean weights of 1.23 kg for females and 1.40 kg for males. Sex also had a strong significant effect on most of the morphological measurements, but the sex * ecotype interaction effect was not significant. Very few of the feather phenotypes previously reported to be associated with heat resistance-frizzle (2%) and naked neck (1.6%)-were found in the studied populations. It is concluded that the three local ecotypes are genetically diverse but with similar morphological features and the information provided would be useful for future selection decisions.

While it is likely that ecological context is important, the factors that facilitate and maintain variable levels of intraspecific diversity in Salmonidae fishes across environments remain unclear. Using a meta‐analysis of sympatric ecotype assemblages from two salmonid genera—Salvelinus and Coregonus—we evaluated the importance of ecological factors determining the number of sympatric ecotypes (i.e. 2–7) and the level of trait divergence between them. We found that ecotype diversity increased with lake depth and surface area in both Coregonus and Salvelinus. Further, diversity in Coregonus increased with latitude, while the number of ecotypes in Salvelinus assemblages was linked to climatic seasonality. In comparing the two genera, we found elevated divergence in traits related to ontogeny (i.e. age and body shape) in Salvelinus and gill raker count in Coregonus. Trait divergence in life history traits (i.e. age and body length) in Salvelinus increased with seasonality, whereas contrasting relationships of latitude to body length and gill rakers were found in Coregonus. We also found similar levels of divergence in trait variance in the two genera, suggesting that among‐ecotype differences in phenotypic variability are not more common in one genus than the other. Overall, ecosystem characteristics, including lake location, climate and morphometry, are clearly important for where these genera have diversified, but the variables that are most closely associated with intraspecific diversity differ between the two genera studied and depend on whether diversity is quantified using number of ecotypes or trait divergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies of ungulate movement ecology suggest that seasonal movement tactics often vary within a population. The forest‐tundra and forest‐dwelling ecotypes of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Ontario, Canada, are traditionally presumed to differ in migratory strategy; however, their potential for facultative migration, the practice of interannual switching between migratory and non‐migratory strategies, has yet to be explored. Understanding facultative migration, and any inherent variation and influences could help improve habitat management. We acquired global positioning system (GPS) telemetry‐based movement data from 109 radio‐collared caribou across the Hudson Bay lowlands between 2009 and 2019. We compared the data with estimates of vegetation density, snow cover, and human disturbance to identify environmental influences associated with the probability and magnitude of migration. We also compared seasonal resource selection between migratory and sedentary individuals. Caribou demonstrated plasticity in migration, with evidence of facultative migration by the forest‐tundra and the forest‐dwelling ecotypes. Variation in migration was likely a combination of local adaptation and acute response to changing environmental factors, particularly snow. Probability and distance of migration were positively correlated with snow, while distance also showed spatial dependency. Plasticity in migration has significant implications in relation to future shifts in climate and should be considered in relevant predictive analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to compare the growth performance of indigenous chickens and evaluate the effect of Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) supplementation on the growth of chickens. A total of 180 indigenous chicken ecotypes (Sinan, Dembecha, North Achefer, and Jawi) were used in the study. Chicken ecotype and sex had a highly significant (p < 0.001) effect on body weight and average daily gain (ADG). The highest final body weight (1811.5 ± 16.6 g) and ADG at twenty weeks of age (12.76 ± 0.12 g) were recorded for the Jawi ecotype, followed by the North Achefer. A significantly higher body weight and ADG in male chickens than female chickens were observed. The EP supplemented (EP +) chickens showed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher body weight and ADG than the non-supplemented (EP-) chickens. The interaction effect of ecotype and feed type was not statistically significant on body weight in the starter and grower phases, except at week 9. In the first four weeks, the highest (100%) and lowest (91.7%) survivability rates were recorded for the Sinan ecotype and the Jawi ecotype, respectively. In general, the Jawi and North Achefer ecotypes had better growth performance, and the Sinan ecotype relatively showed better survivability. EP supplementation could improve the growth performance of chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article aimed to assess the genetic and selection potential of varietal diversity of tetraploid cultivated species of genus Gossypium L. from various ecological and geographical groups. The article presents data from the results of comparative studies of some morpho-yield traits, such as the boll weight cotton and 1000 seed weight, the length and fiber yield of 2308 samples of G.hirsutum L. belonging to 7 ecotypes from 64 countries. For study samples of the Central Asian ecotype, the boll weight was 5.4-6.3 g, for the Asian ecotype 5.7-6.9 g, for the Eurasian ecotype 3.5-5.7 g, for the European ecotype 3.8-6.4 g, in the American ecotype 5.5-6.4 g, in the African ecotype 5.5-6.5 g, in the Australian ecotype 5.4-7.1 g, also the highest figure was found among Australian samples ecotype. Regarding 1000 seed weight, the highest values were observed in samples of Asian ecotypes 123.0-140.0 g, and African ecotypes 106.0-139.0 g. Presents fiber length for samples of the Central Asian ecotype was 30.2-32.5 mm, for samples of the Asian ecotype 28.7-33.7 mm, for samples of the Eurasian ecotype 26.3-32.8 mm, for samples of the European ecotype 25.0- 35.0 mm, for samples of the American ecotype 29.9-32.9 mm, for samples of the African ecotype 30.0- 32.4 mm, for samples of the Australian ecotype 30.2-33.8 mm. The highest rate was found in samples of the European ecotype. Regarding fiber yield, the highest indicators were observed in samples of Central Asian 34.0-38.1 %, European 34.2-40.8%, and American ecotypes 35.9-39.5 %. As a result of studies to assess the economically valuable traits of the world diversity of G. hirsutum L. samples, it was revealed that the highest indicators in traits of boll weight are observed in samples of the Australian ecotype, weight of 1000 seeds in samples of the Asian, fiber length samples of the African ecotypes and fiber yield in European ecotypes. Selected collection samples are recommended for use in cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Climate change causing deficiencies in freshwater resources and increasing salinity of soil and groundwater will lead to a scarcity of forage for ruminants in some countries. Halophyte crops that are adapted to soil and water salinity and high temperatures could provide suitable forage under these harsh conditions. Salicornia is an annual herbaceous halophyte belonging to the Amaranthaceae family, which has more than 175 genera and 2000 species of herbs and is a small shrub. Salicornia grows in temperate and subtropical climates and has yielded from 10 to 20 t/ha of dry biomass when irrigated with seawater. Salicornia is one of the few halophyte plants that can grow with direct use of sea water, although the salinity tolerance threshold of the plant is low in the germination stage. According to the limited studies related to the nutrition of halophyte plants in ruminants, this study aimed to investigate the nutritional value and degradability of different ecotypes of Salicornia spp. in in vitro condition. Materials and Methods: First, Salicornia samples were collected from the farms of Urmia and Gamishan cities, and immediately after harvesting from the farm, the sample weight was determined to determine the dry matter (DM). In order to evaluate the nutritional value of Salicornia, chemical composition, minerals, gas production and degradability of DM were measured by in vitro. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the DM percentage of Salicornia was 92 in Urmia ecotype and 85.31 in Gamishan ecotype (P<0.05). Salicornia crude fat percentage was 2.50 in Urmia ecotype and 1.20 in Gamishan ecotype (P<0.05). The ash content of Salicornia fodder in Urmia ecotype was 19.40%. The percentage of NDF and ADF of Salicornia in Urmia ecotype was lower than Gamishan ecotype (P<0.05). The amount of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, manganese and iron of Salicornia in Urmia ecotype was higher than Gamishan ecotype (P<0.05). The amount of potassium, copper and zinc in Salicornia was similar between Urmia and Gamishan ecotypes. The amount of gas production of Salicornia fodder in Urmia ecotype was higher than Gamishan ecotype at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 and 72 hours of incubation (P<0.05); While at 96 hours of incubation, the amount of gas production of Salicornia in Gamishan ecotype increased significantly compared to Urmia ecotype (P<0.05). The gas production potential (A) and gas production rate (C) were higher in Gamishan and Urmia ecotypes, respectively (P<0.05). The results showed that Metabolic energy, net energy and short chain fatty acids obtained from the gas production in Salicornia were higher in Urmia ecotype than Gamishan ecotype (P<0.05). In the Urmia and Gamishan ecotypes, the degradability of the rapidly degradable fraction (a) of Salicornia was 29.04% and 45.47 and slowly degradable fraction (b) 39.24%, and 38.17%, respectively. Effective degradability of Salicornia assuming passage rates of 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08 per hour in Urmia ecotype was 46.59, 42.37 and 40.20%, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, according to the higher amount of produced gas and estimated energy and short chain fatty acids in Urmia ecotype; its use in ruminant nutrition is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic models of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) growth are used to estimate the production potential of seaweed aquaculture in many regions around the world. These models do not currently account for the existence of S. latissima ecotypes that are adapted to regional environmental conditions, particularly temperature. We tested the hypothesis that recalibrating the temperature parameters of a dynamic energy budget model using literature data for S. latissima from regions with a similar climate to the region of interest would result in more accurate predictions than using a general species‐wide temperature response curve. Calibrating the model using data from warm regions significantly improved model accuracy for kelp cultivation at the southern end of the species range (Rhode Island, USA) in cases where the original parameters underestimated growth but resulted in drastic overestimates when heavy frond erosion occurred. In Trømso, Norway, a cold parameterization produced extremely accurate predictions: the model predicted a final frond length of 88.2 cm, compared with the observed length of 87.5 (±4.70) cm. Our results demonstrate that recalibrating temperature response curves allows one model to be applied to kelp aquaculture in different regions, an important step toward the prediction of S. latissima productivity over large areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced N input while maintaining biomass production of sorghum × sudangrass hybrids (Sorghum bicolor L. × Sorghum sudanense; SSG) is essential; however, its effects on root sustainability and photosynthetic capacity during the ratooning period are not well defined in a multiple harvests system. The physiological response and root morphology of SSG were investigated under different N application levels during the ratooning period in a two-year field experiment. Treatments were all combinations of two ecotypes (late-flowering, Greenstar; early-flowering, Honeychew) and four N levels (0, 50, 100, 150 kg N ha−1). The total root length, surface area, volume, tips, and dry matter (DM) were significantly influenced by both ecotype and N level, with Greenstar outperforming Honeychew. Specifically, Greenstar's root length increased by up to three times with reduced N application (50 kg N ha−1), while Honeychew showed significant root length increases only at higher N levels (100 and 150 kg N ha−1). Our data support the conclusion that a low level of N (50–100 kg N ha−1) was the optimal rate for ratooning root sustainability. The findings highlight the critical role of root development in sustaining biomass production and suggest that the late-flowering ecotype, Greenstar, is more suitable for a multiple harvests system with a robust root system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately half of the annual carbon fixation on Earth occurs in the surface ocean through the photosynthetic activities of phytoplankton such as the ubiquitous picocyanobacterium Prochlorococcus. Ecologically distinct subpopulations (or ecotypes) of Prochlorococcus are central conduits of organic substrates into the ocean microbiome, thus playing important roles in surface ocean production. We measured the chemical profile of three cultured ecotype strains, observing striking differences among them that have implications for the likely chemical impact of Prochlorococcus subpopulations on their surroundings in the wild. Subpopulations differ in abundance along gradients of temperature, light, and nutrient concentrations, suggesting that these chemical differences could affect carbon cycling in different ocean strata and should be considered in models of Prochlorococcus physiology and marine carbon dynamics.

Prochlorococcus is the most numerically abundant photosynthetic organism in the surface ocean. The Prochlorococcus high-light and warm-water adapted ecotype (HLII) is comprised of extensive microdiversity, but specific functional differences between microdiverse sub-clades remain elusive. Here we characterized both functional and phylogenetic diversity within the HLII ecotype using Bio-GO-SHIP metagenomes. We found widespread variation in gene frequency connected to local environmental conditions. Metagenome-assembled marker genes and genomes revealed a globally distributed novel HLII haplotype defined by adaptation to chronically low P conditions (HLII-P). Environmental correlation analysis revealed different factors were driving gene abundances verses phylogenetic differences. An analysis of cultured HLII genomes and metagenome-assembled genomes revealed a subclade within HLII, which corresponded to the novel HLII-P haplotype. This work represents the first global assessment of the HLII ecotype's phylogeography and corresponding functional differences. These findings together expand our understanding of how microdiversity structures functional differences and reveals the importance of nutrients as drivers of microdiversity in Prochlorococcus.

Ecosourcing seed of 'local genetic stock' for ecological restoration has been practiced in New Zealand for about 50 years. However, we believe that it has become unnecessarily restrictive. Ecosourcing ensures plants used for restoration are adapted to local conditions and maintains current distributional patterns. It also restricts genetic diversity, confines species to their historic range, and reduces the conservation options for threatened species. For example, New Zealand tree species, the life form most frequently used in restoration plantings, have low population genetic differentiation and high net migration of alleles throughout their range. Therefore, very little is gained through restrictive ecosourcing of tree seed. Furthermore, avoidance of the danger of inbreeding depression and widening the scope for closer environmental matching, argues for larger rather smaller source areas. Climate change, extinctions across multiple trophic levels, habitat loss and fragmentation, spread of invasive species, and novel habitats have completely altered the contemporary biotic landscape. Conservation needs to engage with these changes if it is to protect and restore ecosystems. Restrictive ecosourcing is counter-productive as it limits utilising genotypic, phenotypic and ecotypic diversity, and thus the evolutionary potential of indigenous species and ecosystems. It also reduces opportunities to protect biodiversity when populations are small, and limits response to climate change. A new approach is needed. We recommend that phylogeographic patterns and biogeographic boundaries be used to set nine broad ecosourcing regions and, within these regions, phenotypic adaptation to particular environments be used as a guide to seed selection. This more relaxed approach to ecosourcing will improve restoration outcomes through increasing species and genetic diversity, reducing the detrimental effects of inbreeding and promoting the genetic rescue of populations of threatened species. Examples of adopting an eco-evolutionary approach to ecosourcing are provided for the early-successional coloniser Kunzea ericoides and late-successional conifer species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The great importance of identifying, studying, evaluating, and protecting native ecotypes of medicinal plants as human heritage, collecting agricultural medicinal plants and ecological evaluation of their native ecotypes, and introducing their compatible ecotypes is a necessity for farmers. Considering the few studies in the field of the agricultural role of non-native plants such as Dragon's head in Iran to meet the country's nutritional needs, the present research aims to study and evaluate the performance of local medicinal and multi-purpose plant stands of urban sycamore and also to obtain new scientific materials in the case of these local masses has been done in the research farm of University of Tabriz Faculty of Agriculture. It is necessary to explain that in recent years, due to the crisis of water shortage and drought, this plant is in line with changing the cultivation pattern of the region from plants with high water requirement to plants with low water requirement or dry land has been added to the official cultivation pattern of East Azerbaijan province and is being promoted among the farmers of the region.Materials and Methods To evaluate and investigate the agronomic characteristics and performance of 49 selected Dragon’s head stands from different regions of the country, an experiment was carried out in the form of a simple 7*7 square lattice design with three replications. A field experiment was carried out at the research station of the Faculty of Agriculture of University of Tabriz, located in building number 2 of the Faculty of Agriculture in Basmanj. According to meteorological maps, the climate of this region is among the steppe and semi-arid climates of the world. In this area, although rain sometimes occurs in the summer season, it generally has a dry season in the summer. The area is located at an altitude of 1360 meters above sea level, with a latitude of 38 degrees and five minutes north and a longitude of 46 degrees and 17 minutes east, and its annual rainfall is 285 millimeters. The average annual temperature is 10 degrees Celsius, the average annual maximum temperature is 16.6 degrees Celsius, and the average annual minimum temperature is 4.2 degrees Celsius.Results and DiscussionIn the comparison of the average traits, the best ecotypes in terms of yield were the ecotypes of Kolvang local population 10 and 15, Tabriz local population 3 and 4 and Ahar local population 1 respectively, simple correlation analysis, stepwise regression, and causality showed that biomass traits, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds in capsule and weight of 1000 seeds are the most important factors affecting the increase of seed yield. By analyzing it into components, the first four components explained 80.44% of the changes related to primary traits. Ecotypes Kolvang 10, Tabriz 3, and number Tabriz 4 yield 1661, 1464, and 1404 kg ha-1 respectively, and 3848, 4119, and 3848 kg ha-1 respectively. They produced 4581 kg ha-1 of biomass and were superior in most traits related to economic performance.ConclusionTaking into account the crisis of Lake Urmia and the lack of water in most regions, especially the Azerbaijan region, the medicinal plant Dragon’s head is one of the few plants that can be placed in the spring cycle in most areas of rainfed and irrigated cultivation and in improving the water balance. Lake Urmia and agriculture in the region can play a positive role. Therefore, the ecotypes of Tabriz native population 3, Kolvanagh native population 10, and Tabriz native population 4, which had more grain yield and were superior in most of the traits related to yield, can be considered the most suitable ecotypes of Dragon’s head for use in water conditions and the air of the region advised the farmers for the next crops.AcknowledgementsWe are grateful to all the colleagues located in the Agricultural Research Station of the Faculty of Agriculture.

Plants can acclimate their photosynthesis to growth temperature, but the contribution of local adaptation to intraspecific variation in thermal acclimation of photosynthesis is not fully understood. Here, we experimentally investigated the photosynthetic thermal acclimation in Fagus crenata Blume seedlings from two populations growing at different elevations and temperature regimes (low- and high-elevation sites) in northern Japan. We acclimated seedlings for 14 to 23 days at daytime temperatures of either 22 °C (control) or 27 °C (warm treatment) and obtained photosynthetic temperature–response curves in the range of 19 to 32 °C. The optimum temperature of photosynthesis (T opt) was ~0.6 °C higher in seedlings acclimated at 27 °C than in those acclimated at 22 °C, and it was significantly lower in seedlings with higher stomatal sensitivity to leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit than in those with lower sensitivity. The effects of warm treatment, population and treatment–population interaction on T opt were not significant in the two-way analysis of variance, but the effect of treatment became significant when stomatal sensitivity to leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit was included as a covariate in the model. Structural equation modeling indicated that seedlings with lower root biomass had lower T opt because of the high stomatal sensitivity to leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit. Structural equation modelling also indicated that the way of shifting the T opt differed between the two populations: seedlings from a high-elevation site depended on decreasing photosynthetic rates at low temperatures for the increase in T opt but seedlings from a low-elevation site did not. We suggest that the difference in thermal acclimation of photosynthesis between the two populations may reflect adaptation to different climate regimes and that belowground traits should be considered when investigating thermal acclimation capacity, especially in seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scorzoneroides autumnalis is a highly polymorphic perennial with several described infraspecific taxa, largely differing in involucre colour and indumentum intensity. Here, we examine the role of ecotypic divergence and phenotypic plasticity in shaping large‐scale geographical variation in these characters. We collected phenotypic data from herbarium specimens and garden‐grown plants of S. autumnalis, representing several habitats throughout Scandinavia and Iceland, and subjected progenies from controlled crosses within a subset of the common garden material to different temperature regimes to assess patterns of phenotypic plasticity. Our results strongly suggest that colour and indumentum of involucral bracts, as well as the size of capitula (measured by ligule length), are environmentally plastic and much affected by temperature. Reduced temperature resulted in significantly larger capitula, with both thicker and darker involucre indumentum. Since dark colouration, dense indumentum and large floral structures have been shown to facilitate heat retention and insect visitation in other plant species growing in cold climate, we hypothesize that plants of S. autumnalis benefit from possessing these features under cool conditions, and that much of the geographical variation in capitulum characters reflects adaptive phenotypic plasticity rather than ecotypic divergence. For this reason, we deem these characters to have a low taxonomic value for distinguishing infraspecific taxa within S. autumnalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition affects mixed-mating strategies by limiting available abiotic or biotic resources such as nutrients, water, space, or pollinators. Cleistogamous species produce closed (cleistogamous, CL), obligately selfed, simultaneously with open (chasmogamous, CH), potentially outcrossed flowers. The effects of intraspecific competition on fitness and cleistogamy variation can range from limiting the production of costly CH flowers because of resource limitation, to favouring CH production because of fitness advantages of outcrossed, CH offspring. Moreover, the effects of competition can be altered when it co-occurs with other environmental variations. We grew plants from seven populations of the ruderal Lamium amplexicaule , originating from different climates and habitats, in a common garden experiment combining drought, interspecific competition, and seasonal variation. All these parameters have been shown to influence the degree of cleistogamy in the species on their own. In spring, competition and drought negatively impacted fitness, but the CL proportion only increased when plants were exposed to both treatments combined. We did not observe the same results in autumn, which can be due to non-adaptive phenotypic variation, or to differences in soil compactness between seasons. The observed responses are largely due to phenotypic plasticity, but we also observed phenotypic differentiation between populations for morphological, phenological, and cleistogamy traits, pointing to the existence of different ecotypes. Our data do not support the hypothesis that CL proportion should decrease when resources are scarce, as plants with reduced growth had relatively low CL proportions. We propose that variation in cleistogamy could be an adaptation to pollinator abundance, or to environment-dependent fitness differences between offspring of selfed and outcrossed seeds, two hypotheses worth further investigation. This opens exciting new possibilities for the study of the maintenance of mixed-mating systems using cleistogamous species as models that combine the effects of inbreeding and reproductive costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the genus Klebsormidium are ubiquitously distributed over the Earth and are among the major biological soil crust (BSC) forming microalgae. Their representatives can be found in terrestrial, aquatic, polar, desert regions and have been investigated so far from various aspects. However, the available information about Klebsormidium isolates from lamp-flora is very limited. In our work, we examined a Klebsormidium strain isolated from a Hungarian cave. The temperature optimum of its photosynthetic performance was tested by oxygen yield measurements and pulse-amplitude-modulated fluorescence, which were completed by determination of specific growth rates at different temperatures, from 10 to 40 °C. In addition, we also evaluated the brassinosteroid (BR) content of these cultures. Our results indicated that the studied microalga is capable of growing from 10 to 40 °C, with a 20–25 °C temperature optimum; these findings were in accordance with the observed hormone levels. Regarding photosynthetic performance, the oxygen yield and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed maxima at 30–40 °C and 35–40 °C, respectively. Moreover, the examined Klebsormidium strain demonstrates traits associated with cave adaptation, i.e., by high light utilisation factor (α) and diminished light adaptation parameter (Ik) values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemisia L., the largest genus from the Anthemideae tribe and Asteraceae family, comprises almost 500 species, which is one so important in traditional Persian medicine. Of these species, A. absinthium and A. aucheri have numerous uses in various fields such as pharmaceutical, agricultural, cosmetics, sanitary, perfumes, and food industries. Due to their characteristic features in terms of chemical composition and usefulness, this paper aims to present the results of the chemical composition of essential oils extracted by the hydrodistillation from A. absinthium and A. aucheri. The plant material was collected from different geographical areas of Iran. The qualitative and quantitative essential oil analysis was performed by the GC/MS. The percentages show the presence of chemical compounds represented in the majority by camphor, sabinen, linalool, hydroxy dihydro- lavandulyl acetate, and Geraniol. Hydrocarbon and oxygen monoterpenes, especially ketones, were the essential chemical groups in the Artemisia essential oil from different parts of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological diversity of the inflorescence determines flower and seed production, which is critical for plant adaptation. Hall's panicgrass (Panicum hallii, P. hallii) is a wild perennial grass that has been developed as a model to study perennial grass biology and adaptive evolution. Highly divergent inflorescences have evolved between the 2 major ecotypes in P. hallii, the upland ecotype (P. hallii var hallii, HAL2 genotype) with compact inflorescence and large seed and the lowland ecotype (P. hallii var filipes, FIL2 genotype) with an open inflorescence and small seed. Here we conducted a comparative analysis of the transcriptome and DNA methylome, an epigenetic mark that influences gene expression regulation, across different stages of inflorescence development using genomic references for each ecotype. Global transcriptome analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and co-expression modules underlying the inflorescence divergence revealed the potential role of cytokinin signaling in heterochronic changes. Comparing DNA methylome profiles revealed a remarkable level of differential DNA methylation associated with the evolution of P. hallii inflorescence. We found that a large proportion of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were located in the flanking regulatory regions of genes. Intriguingly, we observed a substantial bias of CHH hypermethylation in the promoters of FIL2 genes. The integration of DEGs, DMRs, and Ka/Ks ratio results characterized the evolutionary features of DMR-associated DEGs that contribute to the divergence of the P. hallii inflorescence. This study provides insights into the transcriptome and epigenetic landscape of inflorescence divergence in P. hallii and a genomic resource for perennial grass biology.

Abstract Dynamic models of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) growth are used to estimate the production potential of seaweed aquaculture in many regions around the world. These models do not currently account for the existence of S. latissima ecotypes that are adapted to regional environmental conditions, particularly temperature. We tested the hypothesis that recalibrating the temperature parameters of a dynamic energy budget model using literature data for S. latissima from regions with a similar climate to the region of interest would result in more accurate predictions than using a general species‐wide temperature response curve. Calibrating the model using data from warm regions significantly improved model accuracy for kelp cultivation at the southern end of the species range (Rhode Island, USA) in cases where the original parameters underestimated growth but resulted in drastic overestimates when heavy frond erosion occurred. In Trømso, Norway, a cold parameterization produced extremely accurate predictions: the model predicted a final frond length of 88.2 cm, compared with the observed length of 87.5 (±4.70) cm. Our results demonstrate that recalibrating temperature response curves allows one model to be applied to kelp aquaculture in different regions, an important step toward the prediction of S. latissima productivity over large areas.

Abstract Background Selection of climate-change adapted ecotypes of commercially valuable species to date relies on DNA-assisted screening followed by growth trials. For trees, such trials can take decades, hence any approach that supports focussing on a likely set of candidates may save time and money. We use a non-stationary statistical analysis with spatially varying coefficients to identify ecotypes that indicate first regions of similarly adapted varieties of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco) in North America. For over 70,000 plot-level presence-absences, spatial differences in the survival response to climatic conditions are identified. Results The spatially-variable coefficient model fits the data substantially better than a stationary, i.e. constant-effect analysis (as measured by AIC to account for differences in model complexity). Also, clustering the model terms identifies several potential ecotypes that could not be derived from clustering climatic conditions itself. Comparing these six identified ecotypes to known genetically diverging regions shows some congruence, as well as some mismatches. However, comparing ecotypes among each other, we find clear differences in their climate niches. Conclusion While our approach is data-demanding and computationally expensive, with the increasing availability of data on species distributions this may be a useful first screening step during the search for climate-change adapted varieties. With our unsupervised learning approach being explorative, finely resolved genotypic data would be helpful to improve its quantitative validation.

Persian oak (Quercus brantii) is a critical, economic, and environmental species of Zagros forests in Iran. The effects of climate change and drought have caused a decline in Persian oak populations, leading to a severe reduction in genetic resources for future conservation programs. This study aims to evaluate the diversity and population structure of Persian oak in the western forests of Iran using morphological features. A total of 187 samples were collected from 15 locations in the Ilam province. Twenty phenotypic traits related to leaf, seed, and trunk characteristics were evaluated. Several multivariate statistical analyses were performed. The results revealed significant morphological diversity among the Persian oak ecotypes. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between leaf length attribute and distance from leaf base to maximum leaf width (0.55) and maximum width of the leaflet (0.64) traits. The leaf width at 50% attribute with the maximum width of the leaflet and distance from leaf base to maximum leaf width have a positive (0.8 and 0.51 respectively) and significant correlation (p≤0.05). According to principal component analysis, the components of leaf and seed traits have the most impact on morphological variance. Hierarchical cluster analysis divided the locations into two groups, with some oak locations distributed in two clusters, indicating higher diversity of this species in different locations. Further research is needed to determine the optimal ecotype; however, the oaks in Ghallaje region have characteristics that can increase their ability to resist water scarcity, making them potentially appropriate for reforestation in Ilam province.

Establishing links between microbial diversity and environmental processes requires resolving the high degree of functional variation among closely related lineages or ecotypes. Here, we implement and validate an improved metagenomic approach that estimates the spatial biogeography and environmental regulation of ecotype-specific replication patterns (RObs) across ocean regions. A total of 719 metagenomes were analyzed from meridional Bio-GO-SHIP sections in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Accounting for sequencing bias and anchoring replication estimates in genome structure were critical for identifying physiologically relevant biological signals. For example, ecotypes within the dominant marine cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus exhibited distinct diel cycles in RObs that peaked between 19:00-22:00. Additionally, both Prochlorococcus ecotypes and ecotypes within the highly abundant heterotroph Pelagibacter (SAR11) demonstrated systematic biogeographies in RObs that differed from spatial patterns in relative abundance. Finally, RObs was significantly regulated by nutrient stress and temperature, and explained by differences in the genomic potential for nutrient transport, energy production, cell wall structure, and replication. Our results suggest that our new approach to estimating replication is reflective of gross population growth. Moreover, this work reveals that the interaction between adaptation and environmental change drives systematic variability in replication patterns across ocean basins that is ecotype-specific, adding an activity-based dimension to our understanding of microbial niche space.

The fitness effects of all possible mutations available to an organism largely shape the dynamics of evolutionary adaptation. Yet, whether and how this adaptive landscape changes over evolutionary times, especially upon ecological diversification and changes in community composition, remains poorly understood. We sought to fill this gap by analyzing a stable community of two closely related ecotypes ("L" and "S") shortly after they emerged within the E. coli Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE). We engineered genome-wide barcoded transposon libraries to measure the invasion fitness effects of all possible gene knockouts in the coexisting strains as well as their ancestor, for many different, ecologically relevant conditions. We find consistent statistical patterns of fitness effect variation across both genetic background and community composition, despite the idiosyncratic behavior of individual knockouts. Additionally, fitness effects are correlated with evolutionary outcomes for a number of conditions, possibly revealing shifting patterns of adaptation. Together, our results reveal how ecological and epistatic effects combine to shape the adaptive landscape in a nascent ecological community.

Perennial ryegrass is the most widely grown temperate grass species globally as a source of forage (grazing, hay, silage) or for amenity use. It is a part of landscape, protects soil from water and wind erosion, enriches it with organic substances and improves its fertility. During the period 2015-2020 in the Institute of Forage crops (IFC) - Pleven a collection nursery was studied in field non-irrigated conditions on leached black soil, in block duplicate method, in 2 replications with a total of 19 accessions of perennial ryegrass, with 50 individual plants each (25 plants for forage and 25 plants - for seeds), including 14 varieties and 5 ecotypes, 10 tetraploid and 9 diploid, from Bulgaria (BG), Belgium (BE), and Romania (RO). The aim is to determine the vitality per year and longevity (after many years, more than 3-4) of perennial ryegrass collection accessions and to make a selection of the most vital and long - lasting genotypes. Scale of survival according to the International Classifier for the family Poaceae (Bukhteeva et al., 1985) was used - limiting factors of the environment are cold - winter, drought and high temperatures - summer. An autumn inventory of the individual plants no./% was carried out annually, as 25 plants per sample = 100%., and vitality classification as follows: Very Low - less than 1 to 20% of plants are left alive; Low - more than 21 to 50%; Medium - more than 51% to 70%; High - more than 71 to 90%; Very High - more than 90% of the plants are still alive. Computer statistical processing of the data (via Excel, at P = 0.05) included variance analyses. Data on vitality and longevity are characterized by: marginal values (min and max), arithmetic mean (x), standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV,%). Variation was considered weak, moderate, or strong at CV values, respectively: up to 10%; > 10-20%, and > 20% (Dimova and Marinkov, 1999). When grown for fodder, the local ecotypes Sokolare, Topolovgrad and Bekovi skali are the most viable by years and the longest surviving up to 5 years, with the percentage of plants alive in the fifth year being the highest for the Sokolare ecotype. Ecotype Sokolare is strongly influenced by the method of use, which is the longest-lasting and most viable when grown for fodder - 5 years and the shortest - when grown for seeds - 3 years. All diploid varieties live up to 4 years, and only the Harmoniya variety up to 5 years, with the Bulgarian varieties Harmoniya and Strandzha being the most viable and long-lasting when grown for fodder. Harvesting once a year for seeds extends the life cycle of diploid varieties up to 5 years and for the Harmoniya variety - up to 6. The Bulgarian tetraploid varieties Tetrany, Tetramis and the Belgian varieties Floris, Melpetra and Melverde are the most durable and long-lasting. One-time harvesting per year for seeds extends the life cycle of the tetraploid varieties up to 5 years, and for the Bulgarian varieties Tetrany, Tetramis and the Belgian varieties Floris, Melpetra and Melverde - up to 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological variation is common within widely distributed plant species and often raises interesting taxonomic and evolutionary questions. We sampled eight typical inland populations and two coastal dwarf populations of Banksia occidentalis to assess whether the coastal variant warrants taxonomic recognition. Genomic (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and morphometric analyses were undertaken to assess the variation within and between variants. Genetically, the coastal populations were more closely related to geographically adjacent populations of the typical variant than they were to each other, indicating that each coastal population has originated independently. Morphologically, the coastal populations also did not represent a cohesive phenotypic group, with both falling outside the range of variation for the typical variant, but also not overlapping each other. Wide morphological, but not genomic, variation was identified along a coastal–inland transect. Combined, these data indicate that the morphological variation in these coastal populations is the result of parallel ecotype evolution from experiencing similar environmental conditions and does not represent the diversification of a distinct evolutionary lineage that would have warranted taxonomic recognition. Our study highlights the consequences of strong selection pressures in marginal environments and provides fascinating insight to the long evolutionary history of the flora in this ancient Australian landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Festuca includes valuable species, components of natural, permanent and intensive pastures, meadows, lawns and landscapes. During the period 2015-2022 in the Institute of Forage crops (IFC) – Pleven a collection nursery was studied in field non-irrigated conditions on leached black soil, in block method, in 2 replications with 8 accessions from genus Festuca, with 50 individual plants each (25 for forage and 25 for seeds), including: 3 tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae Schreb.); 3 red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) and 2 meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.), including 4 varieties, 3 ecotypes and 1 breeding population, originating from Bulgaria and Romania. The aim is to determine the annual vigor and longevity (after 4 years) and to select the most vigorous and long-lived genotypes. A scale of survival according to the International Classifier for the family Poaceae (Bukhteeva et al., 1985) was used. Data are characterized by: marginal values (min and max), arithmetic mean (x), standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV, %). When grown for forage, the species have different longevity: up to 8 years, all tall fescue accessions last, the most viable being the Albena variety - 64% and meadow fescue breeding population BPT - 60%, up to 6 years - red fescue ecotype Ravnogor; up to 4 years - red fescue ecotype Atoluka, and only up to 3 years the Romanian varieties of meadow fescue Transilvan and red fescue Capriora survive. When grown for seeds, specimens of the genus Festuca differ in vitality and longevity: up to 8 years, the highest vitality is resisted by meadow fescue breeding population BPT - 80% and tall fescue variety Albena - 52%, followed by ecotype IRGR- Sadovo - 36% and Adela variety – 32%; up to 7 years red fescue ecotype Ravnogor; up to 6 years meadow fescue variety Transilvan, up to 5 years – red fescue variety Capriora and only up to 3 years red fescue ecotype Atoluka. Viability variability was strong CV from 32% to 109%, when grown for forage and from 27.59% to 32.91%, when grown for seed. Tall fescue variety Albena and meadow fescue breeding population BPT are the longest-lasting in both cultivation methods and have the highest number of fodder cuts – 20-19 for the period, compared to 10-12 for the other accessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The beetle family Buprestidae (jewel beetles) includes about 15,000 species and has a number Worldwide distribution. Julodis speculifer is one of these species, for the first time Recorded in south Basrah province. Methods: Collected specimens were from March 2022 to November 2022, AL-Zubair region, The main characters adopted: compound eyes, carving face, antennal cavities, flagellum, scape, pronotum, scutellum, elytra, membrane wing, abdomen, and male genitalia. Results: Body adult beetles Large sized, elongated, oval in shape, resembling a boat, slightly convex at the dorsal, brown to shiny copper, with white spots in the form of parallel lines on all parts of the dorsal surface body, all parts of the body are covered with a light white fluff. The male is smaller in size than the female. Conclusions: They were diagnosed did not have traits that differed from the species recorded in Kuwait, but different subspecies in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Climate change has increased the need for forest restoration, but low planting success and limited availability of planting materials hamper these efforts. Invasive plants and their soil legacies can further reduce restoration success. Thus, strategies that optimize restoration are crucial. Assisted migration and inoculation with native microbial symbiont communities have great potential to increase restoration success. However, assisted migrants can still show reduced survival compared to local provenances depending on transfer distance. Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi, effective if well-matched to plants and site conditions, can have neutral to negative results with poor pairings. Few studies have examined the interaction between these two strategies in realistic field environments where native plants experience the combined effects of soil legacies left by invasive plants and the drought conditions that result from a warming, drying climate. Methods: We planted two ecotypes (local climate and warmer climate) of Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwoods), in soils with and without legacies of invasion by Tamarix spp. (tamarisk), and with and without addition of native mycorrhizal fungi and other soil biota from the warmer climate. Results: Four main results emerged. 1) First year survival in soil legacies left behind after tamarisk invasion and removal was less than one tenth of survival in soil without a tamarisk legacy. 2) Actively restoring soil communities after tamarisk removal tripled first year cottonwood survival for both ecotypes, but only improved survival of the warmer, assisted migrant ecotype trees in year two. 3) Actively restoring soil communities in areas without a tamarisk history reduced first year survival for both ecotypes, but improved survival of the warmer, assisted migrant ecotype trees in year two. 4) By the second year, inoculated assisted migrants survived at five times the rate of inoculated trees from the local ecotype. Discussion: Results emphasize the detrimental effects of soil legacies left after tamarisk invasion and removal, the efficacy of assisted migration and restoring soil communities alongside plants, and the need to thoughtfully optimize pairings between plants, fungi, and site conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime plants contain dwarf ecotypes that are adapted to exposure to strong winds transporting salt spray. When variants differentiated from local populations are well‐adapted and reproductively isolated, they become forerunners of ecotypes. This study aimed to determine how coastal variants arise from local populations under natural selection by studying phenotypic variations and survival of self‐fertilising Setaria viridis populations inhabiting pebble and sandy seashores in Japan.To identify adaptive traits characterising variants, common garden experiments were performed for determining the variation in morphology, salt spray tolerance and flowering time among populations in four adjacent habitats at two localities. To determine selective agents and their adaptation, field transplant experiments were performed, flowering phenology was monitored, and artificial crossing was conducted for F2 segregation.S. viridis populations comprised five coastal variants showing significantly higher salt spray tolerance than the inland variant. The most common of these was a short and tolerant variant adapted to cliff and pebble shore under intensive salt spray from the Pacific ocean. Three others were a tall and mid‐tolerant variant that endured mild breezes off the Seto inland sea, a tall and tolerant variant that survived sea splash from sporadic storms, and a prostrate and tolerant variant specialised for rock cracks exposed to strong sea winds. These variants imply that maritime plants first acquired salt spray tolerance for survival, after which compact plants evolved in habitats where strong winds caused damage from salt spray. Flowering in a fifth variant was delayed to avoid the fatal risk of reproducing during the mid‐summer drought. Although salt spray tolerance and late‐flowering were partially recessive, self‐fertilisation of S. viridis may have increased the homozygosity of recessive genes to generate novel variants.Synthesis. Diverse intensities of salt spray and wind as well as summer drought generated various coastal variants in parapatry and sympatry. This was partially attributable to self‐fertilisation. Among these, a compact variant adapted to common local seashores may become the forerunner of an ecotype. This study on the local adaptation in mosaic habitats will assist in determining adaptation modes of plants and the beginning of ecotype formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gracilaria is a genus of major economic interest along the Brazilian coast. Gracilaria caudata is an agarophyte present in different ecoregions of the country. Based on its wide distribution, the intraspecific thermal physiological differentiation across this coast remains uncertain. Thus, we aimed to assess the thermal tolerance of this species and the putative occurrence of ecotypes. To accomplish this, we evaluated the effect of different temperatures (15–35 °C) on growth rates (GRs) and photosynthesis of female gametophytes from four populations along 6,024 km of the Brazilian coast and in three ecoregions: Northeastern (Ceará, CE, 3.23°S), Eastern (Bahia, BA, 12.44°S and Espírito Santo, ES, 20.48°S), as well as Rio Grande (Santa Catarina, SC, 27.11°S). A temperature of 35 ºC was lethal for all populations. BA showed the highest temperature range for survival (15–33 °C) when compared to the others (CE, 18–33 °C; ES, 15–30 °C; SC, 18–30 °C). Temperatures that promoted the highest GRs varied among almost all populations (CE and BA, 23–30 °C; ES, 25–28 °C; SC, 23–28 °C). However, the CE samples had the highest maximal values (12.6 ± 1.4% day−1) and thermal optimum (26.1 ± 0.4 °C) on the thermal performance curve, showing, among all populations, a higher potential for future mariculture tests on the Brazilian coast. Our results show that these populations are ecotypic and that populations from ES and SC may not withstand the predicted increases in seawater temperature, unlike the CE and BA populations, which could withstand temperatures up to 33 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficus microcarpa, belonging to Moraceae, is an evergreen tree that can grow on tropical or subtropical rocky coasts. Recently, dwarf F. microcarpa individuals have been found on Nakanokamishima Island, Okinawa, Japan, but it remains unclear whether this dwarf trait is based on environmental plasticity or represents an intermediate stage of ecological speciation. To clarify the morphological and genetic traits of dwarfism and consider the process of ecological divergence, we conducted a common garden experiment and performed population genetic and structure analyses using 11 microsatellite markers. Moreover, we conducted a coalescent analysis to estimate the demographic parameters of two genetic clusters: dwarf and tree groups. Common garden experiments clearly classified the samples into two groups: dwarf and tree. In the STRUCTURE analysis, the highest ΔK value was obtained when K = 2, suggesting the existence of two genetic clusters: A and B. All samples collected on Nakanokamishima Island were classified into cluster B. Most samples from the other islands were classified into cluster A. Additionally, it was found that dwarf and tree lineages had diverged from an ancestral population hundreds or thousands of years ago. These results indicate that the dwarfism of F. microcarpa can be considered an ecotype defined as the intermediate stage of ecological speciation, and that dwarf individuals diversified very recently from an ancestral population with the existence of gene flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining how environmental conditions contribute to divergence among populations and drive speciation is fundamental to resolving mechanisms and understanding outcomes in evolutionary biology. Postglacial freshwater fish species in the Northern Hemisphere are ideal biological systems to explore the effects of environment on diversification in morphology, ecology, and genetics (ecomorph divergences) within lakes. To date, various environmental factors have been implicated in the presence of multiple ecomorphs within particular lakes or regions. However, concerted evidence for generalizable patterns in environmental variables associated with speciation across geographical regions and across species and genera has been lacking. Here, we aimed to identify key biotic and abiotic factors associated with ecological divergence of postglacial freshwater fish species into multiple sympatric ecomorphs, focusing on species in the well‐studied, widespread, and co‐distributed genera Gasterosteus, Salvelinus, and Coregonus (stickleback, charr, and whitefish, respectively). We found that the presence of multiple sympatric ecomorphs tended to be associated with increasing lake surface area, maximum depth, and nutrient availability. In addition, predation, competition, and prey availability were suggested to play a role in divergence into multiple ecomorphs, but the effects of biotic factors require further study. Although we identified several environmental factors correlated with the presence of multiple ecomorphs, there were substantial data gaps across species and regions. An improved understanding of these systems may provide insight into both generalizable environmental factors involved in speciation in other systems, and potential ecological and evolutionary responses of species complexes when these variables are altered by environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) is used for hay, silage, and grazing, and is suitable for mixed sowing with alfalfa or red and white clover. During the period 2015-2020 in the Institute of Forage crops (IFC) – Pleven a collection nursery was studied in field non-irrigated conditions on leached black soil, in block duplicate method, in 2 replications with 6 accessions of cocksfoot, with 50 individual plants each (25 plants for forage and 25 - for seeds), including 3 varieties and 3 ecotypes, from Bulgaria (BG) and Romania (RO). The aim is to determine the vitality per year and longevity (after more than 4 years) of cocksfoot collection and to select the most vital and long lasting genotypes. Scale of survival according to the International Classifier for the family Poaceae (Bukhteeva et al., 1985) was used. An autumn inventory of the individual plants was carried out annually and vitality classification made. Data are characterized by: marginal values (min and max), arithmetic mean (x), standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV,%). When grown for forage vitality of cocksfoot accessions is very high first and second year, high – third and forth year and low to very low for fifth to sixth years of the stand. The local ecotype Topolovgrad and Bulgarian variety Dabrava are the longest-lived up to 6 years, Intensiv :Magda, BGR 1120 and Bekovi skali have proven lower vitality and have poor longevity up to 5 years. When grown for seed, vitality and longevity were higher 2015 - 100%, 2016 - 96% compared to 90.67% when grown for forage in the same year, with 5.23% higher vitality; in 2017 - 91.33%- very high vs. 78.67% high, 2018 - 87.33% - high, 2019 - 81.67% - high, and 2020 - 52% - medium vitality. The most vital and long-lasting - 6 years with 80% vitality is BGR 1120, Topolovgrad with 76% and Dabrava 68%. Dabrava and Topolovgrad accessions are the longest lasting in both modes of cultivation and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the use of chestnut shell powder, an agricultural industry by-product, as a value-added ingredient for enhancing the nutritional profile of brioche bread, this study examined different factors such as rheological, chemical, volumetric, color properties. The study tested three levels of chestnut shell powder: 5%, 8%, and 10%. A positive correlation between the addition of chestnut shell powder and farinographic characteristics was found. Specifically, the samples containing chestnut shell powder showed higher levels of water absorption (increased by 5-10%), dough expansion time, dough resistance, and farinograph quality number (FQN) compared to the control sample without chestnut shell powder. The extensograph test showed an increase in most of the extensograph characteristics, except for the dough stretchability factor, in the samples containing chestnut shell powder compared to the control sample. In terms of colorimetric properties, the treatment with 10% chestnut shell powder had the lowest lightness score (41.8), while the control sample had the highest score (52.5). The values of redness and yellowness factors were also reported to be the lowest in the control (3.2, 13.9) and the highest in the E3 sample (5.7, 25.2). The chemical test results showed that treatment E3 had the highest values of moisture, ash, fiber, fat, and protein, while the control treatment had the lowest values. Overall, this study suggests that adding chestnut shell powder to brioche bread can enhance its quality and nutritional properties.

The poultry population in Africa is mostly composed of local or indigenous chickens appreciated for the unique taste and texture of their meat. However, with the ever-increasing population growth, the free-range or backyard poultry farming system is no longer adapted to supply people with protein requirements. Crossbreeding local hens with an improved rooster weakens the thermotolerance and disease resistance of the offspring in African areas. In this context, the available breeds need to be preserved. The improvement of their productivity should be actualized through the implementation of a sustainable production programme that is simple and less expensive for the farmer, taking into account: feeding, habitat and chicken care. Scientific research should invest more time on the identification and characterization of all available breeds or chicken ecotypes allowing us to know production performances and their nutritional needs. Feeding with locally available resources, vaccination and use of indigenous medicine requiring training of farmers are essential perspectives. This paper focused on the productivity and resilience of indigenous chicken ecotypes in various African tropical environments and some essential factors to improve the birds. For this, a critical analysis was made based on the available data on the birds from research databases.

Reduced N input while maintaining biomass production of sorghum × sudangrass hybrids (Sorghum bicolor L. × Sorghum sudanense; SSG) is essential; however, its effects on root sustainability and photosynthetic capacity during the ratooning period are not well defined in a multiple harvests system. The physiological response and root morphology of SSG were investigated under different N application levels during the ratooning period in a two-year field experiment. Treatments were all combinations of two ecotypes (late-flowering, Greenstar; early-flowering, Honeychew) and four N levels (0, 50, 100, 150 kg N ha−1). The total root length, surface area, volume, tips, and dry matter (DM) were significantly influenced by both ecotype and N level, with Greenstar outperforming Honeychew. Specifically, Greenstar’s root length increased by up to three times with reduced N application (50 kg N ha−1), while Honeychew showed significant root length increases only at higher N levels (100 and 150 kg N ha−1). Our data support the conclusion that a low level of N (50–100 kg N ha−1) was the optimal rate for ratooning root sustainability. The findings highlight the critical role of root development in sustaining biomass production and suggest that the late-flowering ecotype, Greenstar, is more suitable for a multiple harvests system with a robust root system.

Red Crossbills (Fringillidae: Loxia curvirostra) are finches specialized to pry open cones and extract seeds of coniferous trees. Within the species, variable bill morphology may provide more efficient foraging on some species of conifers than others. Subgroups also have distinctly different contact calls often given in flight (hereafter, call types). Variable morphology and discrete call types suggest the existence of distinct evolutionary lineages. Because coniferous trees produce seeds on irregular and unpredictable schedules, crossbills wander widely in search of food. The key conifer hypothesis suggests that each call type diverged by specializing on a single conifer species to maximize foraging efficiency, while other hypotheses have emphasized geographic isolation as a driver of lineage divergence. To quantify the degree to which call types occur with specific conifer species, we surveyed Red Crossbills in five ecoregions of western and central Oregon, USA, an area with high conifer diversity. Two of five call types (Types 5 and 10) were encountered in only one ecoregion and associated with their hypothesized key conifers. Three others (Types 2, 3, and 4) were found to wander widely and did not exclusively align geographically with their presumed key conifer species. Whereas types 2 and 3 were sometimes associated with their proposed key conifers, they wandered widely during our 2-year study and occurred with a wide variety of conifers. Type 4 was not significantly associated with its key conifer and also wandered widely during our study. Relationships of call types with key conifers were weaker in the winter and spring, when Types 3 and 4 were frequently encountered in hard-coned pines rather than their soft-coned key conifer species. In our study area, the key conifer hypothesis was strongly supported only for call type 10 as that call type was not encountered away from the coastal range of Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis). We found mixed support for the key conifer hypothesis based on our measure of geographic associations of crossbills with a diverse array of coniferous tree species. In most cases we observed, crossbills wandered widely and associated with multiple species of conifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological differentiation between coastal and offshore ecotypes of bottlenose dolphins (genus Tursiops) has been researched since the 1960s, particularly in T. truncatus (Montagu, 1821), although most morphological studies have focused on localized populations. Therefore, it is unclear how patterns observed in these individual populations integrate within the global morphological variation. Here we carry out a meta‐analysis of global morphological variation between coastal and offshore ecotypes from 532 museum specimens, using both linear measurements (LM; 282 specimens), and shape data using geometric morphometrics (GM; 290 specimens). Together these analyses show consistent differentiation in skull morphology between coastal and offshore ecotypes, and provide a detailed description of variation patterns within each ecotype. These patterns show high individual morphological variation in the coastal ecotype between locations, while the offshore ecotype appears morphologically more uniform across the areas sampled. Overall, most skull shape variation can be described by features noticeable dorsally in the structures of the rostrum, whereas more limited change was found in ventral traits. Our results suggest that individual coastal populations may vary according to local environmental conditions, while those corresponding to the offshore ecotype appear to share similar morphological characteristics that might increase fitness in offshore habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinnamomum verum is worldwide well-known for its culinary and medicinal properties. The distinguished aroma of this plant is due to the presence of oil cells containing oil drops which are known as the primary site of essential oil biosynthesis. In this study, we compared the content and composition of essential oils of C. verum leaves of two distinct seasons from two different geographical regions, viz. Kharagpur (Cv-K) and Mamit (Cv-M) - the eastern and north-eastern regions of India, respectively. The leaf essential oils of the Kharagpur region were mainly composed of phenylpropanoids (81.98%) while monoterpenoids (48.42%) dominated in the Mamit region. The major components of Kharagpur and Mamit chemotypes were eugenol (81.83±2.09%) and linalool (37.52±7.06%), respectively. Transverse sections obtained through cryomicrotomy showed the presence of lipids and terpenes in the oil droplets upon staining with Sudan III and Nadi, respectively. Though, histochemical analyses did not show any distinct differences in the secretory structures of C. verum growing in two different geographical locations, absence of crystal in Cv-M type leaves was noted. Because of substantial differences in the chemical composition of essential oils, these two populations of C. verum can be considered as two distinct chemotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Cannabis is a herbaceous annual plant that belongs to the Cannabaceae family, which is used in the production of fibre, paper, oil and pharmaceutical products. Aims: The aim of this study was to identify drought-tolerant ecotypes and medicinal and industrial populations. Methods: Due to the medicinal and industrial importance of cannabis, 12 cannabis ecotypes were collected from different regions of Iran. Then, their agronomic and phytochemical characteristics were evaluated under different soil moisture conditions. Key results: The soil moisture levels had significant effects (P < 0.01) on the studied traits except for the 1000 seed weight. Based on duration of the growth period, the Tabas and Dasht-e-Moghan ecotypes were identified as early and late maturing ecotypes, respectively. Also, the highest stem dry weight and stem height/diameter ratio and the lowest seed yield were related to the Dasht-e-Moghan ecotype, which is valuable for fibre production. Based on seed yield (relative reduction) and some tolerance indexes, the Tabas and Tabrize ecotypes were shown to be the most tolerant and sensitive ecotypes, respectively. As soil moisture decreased, tetrahydrocannabinol levels increased and cannabidiol levels decreased. The highest amount of tetrahydrocannabinol was related to the Qom ecotype at 50% soil moisture and the highest amount of cannabidiol was related to the Rasht ecotype at 100% soil moisture. Conclusions: Generally, these ecotypes had different responses to soil moisture. Some ecotypes were valuable in terms of the production of pharmaceutical metabolites and some in terms of fibre production. Implications: Tolerant and sensitive ecotypes might be considered in production and also breeding programs. Cannabis is a herbaceous annual plant that belongs to the Cannabaceae family, and is used in the production of fibre, paper and oil. This plant has been used for the treatment of rheumatism, epilepsy, asthma, skin burns, gastrointestinal activity, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disorders, cancer and metabolic syndrome-related disorders. Generally, our findings showed that these ecotypes had different responses to soil moisture, and some ecotypes were valuable in terms of the production of pharmaceutical metabolites and some in terms of fibre production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following domestication, rice cultivars have been spread worldwide to different climates and have experienced selection pressures to improve desirable traits. This has resulted in diverse cultivars that display variations in phenotypic traits, such as stress tolerance, grain size, and yield. To better understand the genomic composition arising from cultivar’s development and local adaptation, high-density genotypes (containing 286,183 single-nucleotide polymorphisms after the quality control) of 1284 rice cultivars of aus, indica, and temperate and tropical japonica were scanned for diversifying signatures by applying a pairwise comparison of fixation index (Fst) test. Each cultivar’s population was investigated for contemporary selection using the integrated haplotype score test. Signatures of diversifying selection among the pairwise comparisons were found in genomic regions mainly involved in response to stress (pathogens, drought, heat, cold) and development and morphology of various structures, such as root, pollen, spikelet, and grain. The most significant diversification signal between indica and japonica cultivars was detected at the location of ROX2 gene. Aus with indica comparison detected the most divergent signal at important candidate genes of OsEXPA8 and OsEXPA9, whereas temperate with tropical japonica comparison resulted in two well-known candidate genes OsHCT4 and OsGpx4. Recent selection analysis detected different patterns of contemporary selection in genomic regions related to rice breeding standard criteria such as stress tolerance, seed germination, starch content, and flowering time. Our findings highlight the underlying molecular basis of adaptive divergence and propose that modern rice breeding may provide additional diversification among rice cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poultry population in Africa is mostly composed of local or indigenous chickens appreciated for the unique taste and texture of their meat. However, with the ever-increasing population growth, the free-range or backyard poultry farming system is no longer adapted to supply people with protein requirements. Crossbreeding local hens with an improved rooster weakens the thermotolerance and disease resistance of the offspring in African areas. In this context, the available breeds need to be preserved. The improvement of their productivity should be actualized through the implementation of a sustainable production programme that is simple and less expensive for the farmer, taking into account: feeding, habitat and chicken care. Scientific research should invest more time on the identification and characterization of all available breeds or chicken ecotypes allowing us to know production performances and their nutritional needs. Feeding with locally available resources, vaccination and use of indigenous medicine requiring training of farmers are essential perspectives. This paper focused on the productivity and resilience of indigenous chicken ecotypes in various African tropical environments and some essential factors to improve the birds. For this, a critical analysis was made based on the available data on the birds from research databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Clover is considered as one of the most important forage crops of the leguminous family which is appropriate for temperate and humid areas. Insufficient water can severely affect the production of forage legumes leading to a reduction in yield based on the severity and duration of drought stress. Due to the relative sensitivity of clover to drought stress, the yield of this crop is affected by water scarcity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. One of the effective solutions in the field of plant breeding for drought resistance is to identify stress-tolerant genotypes. This study aimed to compare the forage yield and water productivity of Persian clover genotypes under full irrigation and drought stress conditions, as well as evaluate their drought tolerance. Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted as a split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran, during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cropping seasons. Irrigation regimes at two levels (full irrigation and deficit irrigation with supply 100% and 75% of clover water requirement, respectively) as the main factor and Persian clover genotypes at five levels (cultivar Pars, and ecotypes Zabol, Aleshtar, Eghlid, Harati) as sub-factor were evaluated. Each subplot consisted of four rows with a length of five meters and 50 cm between rows. The planting operation was carried out manually on September 11 of each year with 20 kg ha-1 seeding rate. The volume of irrigation water was determined by the Penman-Monteith method and the counter meter was used to accurately measure and control the amount of applied water. In the first and second cropping seasons, the total volume of irrigation water used were equal to 10125 and 11985 for full irrigation and 7594 and 8989 for deficit irrigation conditions, respectively. In this study, the fresh forage and dry matter yields, irrigation water efficiency for production of fresh forage and dry matter, the days to flowering, and drought tolerance indices were investigated. For all three cuts, clover cultivars were harvested at the 10% flowering stage. To determine the fresh forage yield, the middle four rows of each plot were harvested and weighed. To determine the dry matter yield, fresh samples (2 kg plot-1) were randomly selected and dried in a forced-air oven at 65 °C. Irrigation water-use efficiency was calculated from the ratio of yield to the amount of water consumed. The combined analysis of variance was performed using SAS9.1 and the means were compared by the LSD method at P < 0.05. Results and Discussion: The fresh forage and dry matter yields in the first, second and third cuttings, as well as their total and the irrigation water-use efficiency for forage and dry matter production were significantly affected by the year × irrigation × genotype interaction. Ecotype Harati had the highest total fresh forage and dry matter yields during three cuts (91.19 and 13.02 ton ha-1, respectively) in full irrigation conditions, whereas, under deficit irrigation conditions, the maximum total fresh forage and dry matter yields (68.07 and 10.79 ton ha-1, respectively) were obtained by ecotype Zabol. The maximum water-use efficiency (1.455 kg dry matter m-3) was obtained in the second year and by ecotype Zabul under deficit irrigation conditions, whereas the minimum efficiency (0.899 kg dry matter m-3) was recorded in the first year under full irrigation conditions and in the ecotype Zabol. Drought stress treatment in genotypes Pars, Aleshtar, Eghlid, Harati and Zabol compared to full irrigation caused a decrease in dry matter yield by 24.0, 21.7, 23.4, 23.8 and 11.9%, respectively. Among the drought tolerance indices, tolerance index (TOL), stress sensitivity index (SSI), yield stability index (YSI) and relative stress index (RSI) had the highest correlation with yield under full and defecit irrigation conditions. Based on the mentioned indices and principal components analysis (PCA), the ecotype Zabul, followed by ecotype Eleshtar were identified as the most tolerant genotypes to the defecit irrigation stress. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this experiment demonstrated that in the irrigation water availability conditions, the ecotype Harati and in the water limitation conditions, the ecotype Zabol are recommended for cultivation in the semi-arid regions of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionClimate change has increased the need for forest restoration, but low planting success and limited availability of planting materials hamper these efforts. Invasive plants and their soil legacies can further reduce restoration success. Thus, strategies that optimize restoration are crucial. Assisted migration and inoculation with native microbial symbiont communities have great potential to increase restoration success. However, assisted migrants can still show reduced survival compared to local provenances depending on transfer distance. Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi, effective if well-matched to plants and site conditions, can have neutral to negative results with poor pairings. Few studies have examined the interaction between these two strategies in realistic field environments where native plants experience the combined effects of soil legacies left by invasive plants and the drought conditions that result from a warming, drying climate.MethodsWe planted two ecotypes (local climate and warmer climate) of Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwoods), in soils with and without legacies of invasion by Tamarix spp. (tamarisk), and with and without addition of native mycorrhizal fungi and other soil biota from the warmer climate.ResultsFour main results emerged. 1) First year survival in soil legacies left behind after tamarisk invasion and removal was less than one tenth of survival in soil without a tamarisk legacy. 2) Actively restoring soil communities after tamarisk removal tripled first year cottonwood survival for both ecotypes, but only improved survival of the warmer, assisted migrant ecotype trees in year two. 3) Actively restoring soil communities in areas without a tamarisk history reduced first year survival for both ecotypes, but improved survival of the warmer, assisted migrant ecotype trees in year two. 4) By the second year, inoculated assisted migrants survived at five times the rate of inoculated trees from the local ecotype.DiscussionResults emphasize the detrimental effects of soil legacies left after tamarisk invasion and removal, the efficacy of assisted migration and restoring soil communities alongside plants, and the need to thoughtfully optimize pairings between plants, fungi, and site conditions.

Three killer whale ecotypes are found in the Northeastern Pacific: residents, transients, and offshores. These ecotypes can be discriminated in passive acoustic data based on distinct pulsed call repertoires. Killer whale acoustic encounters for which ecotypes were assigned based on pulsed call matching were used to characterize the ecotype-specific echolocation clicks. Recordings were made using seafloor-mounted sensors at shallow (∼120 m) and deep (∼1400 m) monitoring locations off the coast of Washington state. All ecotypes' echolocation clicks were characterized by energy peaks between 12 and 19 kHz, however, resident clicks featured sub peaks at 13.7 and 18.8 kHz, while offshore clicks had a single peak at 14.3 kHz. Transient clicks were rare and were characterized by lower peak frequencies (12.8 kHz). Modal inter-click intervals (ICIs) were consistent but indistinguishable for resident and offshore killer whale encounters at the shallow site (0.21-0.22 s). Offshore ICIs were longer and more variable at the deep site, and no modal ICI was apparent for the transient ecotype. Resident and offshore killer whale ecotype may be identified and distinguished in large passive acoustic datasets based on properties of their echolocation clicks, however, transient echolocation may be unsuitable in isolation as a cue for monitoring applications.

Despite the increase in heat waves and the sensitivity of forest ecosystems in desert areas, little information is available about the habitats of the Euphrates poplar in the southern parts of Iran. Characteristics of mother trees and geographical, climatic and soil characteristics of ten Euphrates poplar habitats in Bushehr province were recorded. In November, four trees from each habitat were selected and 14 cuttings were prepared from each mother tree. Seven months after planting, germination, sapling height, and branching were recorded and heat shock was applied at 70°C. Forty days later, traits of revival, sapling height, and resilience were measured. The results showed that, except for revival and resilience, there is a significant difference between the studied provenances. Branching decreased with increasing diameter of mother trees, germination increased with increasing height above sea level, and revival increased with increasing drought risk index. The resilience and height of seedlings showed a direct relationship with annual rainfall and latitude and an inverse relationship with evapotranspiration and latitude. The results of principal component analysis revealed that provenances that originated from relatively hot areas, with heavy soil, and high iron and low manganese contents had a lower germination and a higher revival rate. In addition, the resilience of provenances with high soil phosphorus and potassium contents was higher.

This research work focused on the study of morphological diversity in 270 types of Artemisia herba-alba, known as “white wormwood,” from different bioclimatic stages and its relationship with the distribution and adaptation of the species. The phenotypic parameters studied include the aerial vegetative part of the leaves and the flowers. The existing relationships between the ecological conditions and the genetic dynamics expressed by the morphological polymorphism of the populations concerned have been established. Results obtained allowed us to admit that we have two ecotypes in Algeria: the first one has five flowers per capitulum and can be found at the level of the three bioclimatic floors studied; whereas the second one has eight flowers per capitulum occupying only the territories with a Saharan climate. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and UPGMA dendrogram allowed us to observe a very significant intra- and inter-population morphological polymorphism at the level of each site and between the different sites. This wide variability thus observed for A. herba-alba could help research on a large collection of individuals and therefore to choose the most effective ecotypes in order to reintroduce this species in the steppe areas of Algeria.