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...

Université de Fribourg

Climate vs. soil factors in local adaptation of two common plant species

Macel, Mirka ; Lawson, Clare S. ; Mortimer, Simon R. ; Šmilauerova, Marie ; Bischoff, Armin ; Crémieux, Lisèle ; Doležal, Jirí ; Edwards, Andrew R. ; Lanta, Vojtch ; Bezemer, T. Martijn ; Putten, Wim H. van der ; Igual, José M. ; Rodriguez-Barrueco, Claudino ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz ; Steinger, Thomas

In: Ecology, 2007, vol. 88, no. 2, p. 424–433

Evolutionary theory suggests that divergent natural selection in heterogeneous environments can result in locally adapted plant genotypes. To understand local adaptation it is important to study the ecological factors responsible for divergent selection. At a continental scale, variation in climate can be important while at a local scale soil properties could also play a role. We designed an...

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...