Université de Fribourg

Seed provenance matters — Effects on germination of four plant species used for ecological restoration

Bischoff, Armin ; Vonlanthen, Beatrice ; Steinger, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Basic and Applied Ecology, 2006, vol. 7, no. 4, p. 347-359

The use of local seed provenances is often recommended in restoration and habitat creation because they are thought to be better adapted to local habitat conditions. However, spatial scales and the degree of population differentiation are not well known and germination is often not included in comparisons between provenances. We analysed germination as a key trait of plant development in five...

Université de Fribourg

Detecting local adaptation in widespread grassland species – the importance of scale and local plant community

Bischoff, Armin ; Crémieux, Lisèle ; Smilauerova, Marie ; Lawson, Clare S. ; Mortimer, Simon R. ; Dolezal, Jiri ; Lanta, Vojtech ; Edwards, Andrew R. ; Brook, Alex J. ; Macel, Mirka ; Leps, Jan ; Steinger, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Journal of Ecology, 2006, vol. 94, p. 1130-1142

1 Adaptation of plant populations to local environments has been shown in many species but local adaptation is not always apparent and spatial scales of differentiation are not well known. In a reciprocal transplant experiment we tested whether: (i) three widespread grassland species are locally adapted at a European scale; (ii) detection of local adaptation depends on competition with the...

Université de Fribourg

The importance of plant provenance and genotypic diversity of seed material used for ecological restoration

Bischoff, Armin ; Steinger, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Restoration Ecology, 2009///doi:10.1111/j.1526-100X.2008.00454.x

The increased translocation of plant species for biodiversity restoration and habitat creation has provoked a debate on provenance and genotypic diversity of the used plant material. Nonlocal provenances are often not adapted to the local environmental conditions, and low population genotypic diversity may result in genetic bottlenecks hampering successful establishment. We tested provenance...

Université de Fribourg

Potential contribution of natural enemies to patterns of local adaptation in plants

Crémieux, Lisèle ; Bischoff, Armin ; Šmilauerová, Majka ; Lawson, Clare S. ; Mortimer, Simon R. ; Doležal, Jiří ; Lanta, Vojtěch ; Edwards, Andrew R. ; Brook, Alex J. ; Tscheulin, Thomas ; Macel, Mirka ; Lepš, Jan ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Steinger, Thomas

In: New Phytologist, 2008, vol. 180, no. 2, p. 524 - 533

Genetic differentiation among plant populations and adaptation to local environmental conditions are well documented. However, few studies have examined the potential contribution of plant antagonists, such as insect herbivores and pathogens, to the pattern of local adaptation.Here, a reciprocal transplant experiment was set up at three sites across Europe using two common plant species, Holcus...