RNM918 - Artículoshttps://hdl.handle.net/10481/419622024-03-29T02:39:17Z2024-03-29T02:39:17ZSeedling establishment in a deciduous and an evergreen oak under simulated climate changeLázaro González, AlbaTamulaityté, GabijaCastro Gutiérrez, JorgeUscola, MercedesLeverkus, Alexandro B.https://hdl.handle.net/10481/870972024-01-22T13:00:04ZSeedling establishment in a deciduous and an evergreen oak under simulated climate change
Lázaro González, Alba; Tamulaityté, Gabija; Castro Gutiérrez, Jorge; Uscola, Mercedes; Leverkus, Alexandro B.
Climate change constitutes a major threat to global biodiversity and to the success of natural and assisted tree regeneration. Oaks are among the most emblematic tree species in the Northern Hemisphere, so it is crucial to understand the impact of changing climate on seedling recruitment and early development. In this study, we investigated the effect of air warming on the early development of one deciduous species – Quercus faginea – and one evergreen species – Quercus ilex subsp. ballota. Acorns of both species were seeded in an alluvial valley in southern Spain and subjected to an air warming treatment with Open-Top Chambers (OTC), which increased air temperature by 2ºC. We monitored seedling emergence, growth, chlorophyll concentration, and mortality in the first growing season. The simulated climate change treatment accelerated plant emergence in early spring, reduced spring shoot growth, and increased mortality from ~23% in control plots to ~40% inside OTCs. Although Q. ilex and Q. faginea are sympatric species, Q. faginea showed lower performance under simulated climate change in terms of growth. In addition, acorn fresh weight was positively related with the probability and speed of emergence (only for Q. faginea), seedling size, and relative chlorophyll content, and plants that emerged earlier had a greater likelihood of surviving. In short, larger acorns partly counter-balanced the negative impact of temperature increase on plants. This study highlights the importance of understanding plant response to climate change both to forecast potential changes in species composition and to choose adequate species and traits such as acorn size in restoration projects
An experimental test of host’s life history traits modulation in response to cuckoo parasitism riskExpósito Granados, MónicaParejo, DeseadaMartínez Suárez, Juan GabrielSánchez Tójar, AlfredoPrecioso Sáenz, MartaMolina Morales, MercedesAvilés, Jesús M.https://hdl.handle.net/10481/581272022-03-14T10:54:30ZAn experimental test of host’s life history traits modulation in response to cuckoo parasitism risk
Expósito Granados, Mónica; Parejo, Deseada; Martínez Suárez, Juan Gabriel; Sánchez Tójar, Alfredo; Precioso Sáenz, Marta; Molina Morales, Mercedes; Avilés, Jesús M.
Hosts can counteract parasites through defences based on resistance and/or tolerance.
The mechanistic basis of tolerance, which involve defensive mechanisms minimizing parasite
damage after a successful parasitic attack, remains poorly explored in the study of
cuckoo-host interactions. Here, we experimentally explore the possibility that the risk of
great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius parasitism may induce tolerance defences in
magpie Pica pica hosts through plasticity in life-history traits. We predict that magpies
exposed to auditory cues indicating high parasitism risk will more likely exhibit resistance
and/or modify their life-history traits to minimize parasitism costs (i.e. tolerance) compared
to magpies under low parasitism risk. We found that manipulating the perceived parasitism
risk did not affect host resistance (i.e. rejection of parasitic eggs) nor host life-history traits.
Unexpectedly, host's egg volume increased over the season in nests exposed to auditory
cues of control non-harmful hoopoes Upupa epops. Our results do not provide support for
inducible defences (either based on resistance or tolerance) in response to risk of parasitism
in magpie hosts. Even so, we encourage studying plastic expression of breeding strategies
in response to risk of cuckoo parasitism to achieve a better understanding of the mechanistic
basis of tolerance defences.