Polyploidy Expands the Range of Centaurium (Gentianaceae)

The Mediterranean region is one of the most important worldwide hotspots in terms of number of species and endemism, and multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain how diversification occurred in this area. The contribution of different traits to the diversification process has been evaluated in different groups of plants. In the case of Centaurium (Gentianaceae), a genus with a center of diversity placed in the Mediterranean region, polyploidy seems to have been an important driver of diversification as more than half of species are polyploids

Isolation and Characterization of Microsatellites Markers in Centaurium Grandiflorum ssp. Boissieri

Background: Estimating outcrossing/selfing rates and characterizing genetic diversity with microsatellite markers are crucial to understanding the evolution of plant mating systems. Methods and results: We developed, optimized and characterized eight new primer pairs for Centaurium grandiflorum ssp. boissieri and transferred them to three subspecies of Centaurium quadrifolium. Two SSR loci were transferred from Sabatia campestris to the four Centaurium taxa. Polymorphisms, He, Ho and H–W deviations were estimated in two populations of C. grandiflorum ssp. boissieri and in seven individuals each of C. quadrifolium ssp. barrelieri, C. quadrifolium ssp. parviflorum and C. quadrifolium ssp. quadrifolium. A total of 80 individuals was used in these experiments. The number of polymorphic loci varied among species from one to ten. A total of 127 alleles was scored. The average number of alleles per locus was 12.7. He was higher than Ho in all sampled populations. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was found for some loci in different species. Conclusions: This is the first report of microsatellites successfully amplified in the whole Centaurium genus. They will be valuable for estimating mating system parameters and genetic diversity and exploring their relationships with the wide variation in flower morphology in the genus, especially anther-stigma separation.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología #252042Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad CGL2013-45037-PMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación PGC2018-099608-B-10

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Saberes tradicionales en el cultivo de maíces nativos

El maíz (Zea mays L.)., es un cultivo de importancia mundial ya que es suministro de nutrimentos y energía necesarios para los seres humanos, animales y es un elemento esencial para la industria (ASERCA, 2018). México es considerado el centro de origen y diversificación del maíz, existen 64 razas y de ellas 59 pueden considerarse nativas (SADER, 2020), este cereal desempeña un papel primordial en la seguridad alimentaria de la población (Escobedo, 2023). A través de los siglos el maíz ha ido evolucionando y esto ha sido posible gracias a los saberes y conocimientos de las y los agricultores, que se han encargado de hacer una selección de semillas con las características deseables de este cultivo (Magdaleno, 2018). Los conocimientos y saberes tradicionales han sido fundamentales para la preservación de esta especie, lo que ha propiciado poblaciones nativas de maíz que las y los agricultores han adaptado a sus necesidades alimenticias, productivas, ambientales y culturales (Cruz et al., 2021)

Changes in floral biology and inbreeding depression in native and invaded regions of Datura stramonium

Plant populations invading new environments might compromise their fitness contribution to the next generation, because of the lack of native specialist pollinators and/or potential mates. Thus, changes in plant mating system and traits linked to it are expected in populations colonising new environments where selection would favour selfing and floral traits that maximise reproductive output. To test this, we studied native (Mexico) and non-native (Spain) populations of the obligate sexual reproducing annual weed Datura stramonium. Flower size, herkogamy, total number of seeds per plant, number of visits by and type of pollinators, and inbreeding depression were assessed in native and non-native populations. Finally, we measured phenotypic selection on corolla size and herkogamy in each population. Flower size and herkogamy showed wide and similar variation in both ranges. However, the largest average flower size was found in one non-native population whereas the highest average positive herkogamy was detected in one native population. On average, flowers in the native range received more visits by pollinators. Hawkmoths were the main visitors in the native populations while only bees were observed visiting flowers in Spain's populations. Only in the native range was inbreeding depression detected. Selection to reduce herkogamy was found only in one native population. Absence of both inbreeding depression and selection on floral traits suggest a change in mating system of D. stramonium in a new range where generalist pollinators may be promoting high reproductive success. Selection against deleterious alleles might explain the reduction of inbreeding depression, promoting the evolution of selfing.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CGL2013-45037-PUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México IN21221

Present and future of ecological and evolutionary research in mediterranean-type ecosystems: Conclusions from the last international mediterranean ecosystems conference

Mediterranean‐type ecosystems (MTEs) have long attracted the attention of biologists worldwide. One of the main reasons is the tremendous vascular plant diversity within the five MTEs, including the Mediterranean Basin, southwestern and southern Australia, coastal and southern regions of California, central Chile and the Cape Region in South Africa. Mediterranean‐type ecosystems harbor almost 20%, i.e., about 50,000 species, of the world's known vascular plant species on less than 5% of the Earth's surface (Cowling et al., 1996). A combination of geological stability, climatic oscillations, fire frequency, and summer droughts created unique plant communities and floras with characteristic, unmistakable names, such as matorral, chaparral, maquis, fynbos and kwongan. Such a great interest in MTEs by the international scientific community was given concrete expression in 1971, when the International Society for Mediterranean Ecology (ISOMED) was established to promote research, conservation, and public awareness of the biological diversity of the world's Mediterranean‐type climate regions. Since then, the International Mediterranean Ecosystems Conference (MEDECOS) has periodically been held, rotating among Mediterranean‐type climate countries every 3–4 yr, to bring together scientists and natural resource managers with a strong interest in MTEs.We acknowledge the Severo Ochoa Program for Spanish Centers of Excellence in R+D+I (SEV‐2012‐0262) and the Vice‐Rectorate for Research of the University of Seville through operating grants for the conference

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale