Ecological divergence of sibling allopolyploid marsh orchids is associated with species specific plasticity and distinct fungal communities

Autor(en)
Katie Emelianova, Anna-Sophie Hawranek, Mimmi C Eriksson, Thomas M Wolfe, Ovidiu Paun
Abstrakt

Phenotypic plasticity, the dynamic adjustment of traits to environmental variations, is crucial for enabling species to exploit broader niches and withstand suboptimal conditions. This adaptability is particularly relevant for newly formed allopolyploids, which possess redundant gene copies and must become established in diverse environments distinct from their parents and other relatives. By evaluating gene expression and root mycobiome among two ecologically divergent sibling allopolyploid marsh orchids (Dactylorhiza majalis and D. traunsteineri) in reciprocal transplants at localities where both species are native, we aimed to understand the drivers of species persistence in the face of interspecific gene flow. Despite consistent abiotic differences characterising the alternative environments at each locality, the majority of gene expression differences between the allopolyploids appears to be plastic. Ecologically relevant processes, such as photosynthesis and transmembrane transport, include some genes that are differentially expressed between the two orchids regardless of the environment, while others change their activity plastically in one species or the other. This suggests that although plasticity helps define the specific ecological range of each sibling allopolyploid, it also mediates gene flow between them, thereby preventing differentiation. Extending our investigations to the root mycobiome, we uncover more diverse fungal communities for either species when grown in the environment with nutrient-poor soils, indicating that both abiotic and biotic factors drive the distribution of sibling marsh orchids. Altogether, our results indicate that plasticity can simultaneously promote diversification and homogenisation of lineages, influencing the establishment and persistence of recurrently formed allopolyploid species.

Organisation(en)
Department für Botanik und Biodiversitätsforschung
Externe Organisation(en)
Universität Wien, Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Journal
The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
Band
121
Anzahl der Seiten
18
ISSN
0960-7412
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70001
Publikationsdatum
02-2025
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ÖFOS 2012
106012 Evolutionsforschung, 106014 Genomik, 106059 Mikrobiomforschung, 106008 Botanik
Schlagwörter
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Genetics, Plant Science, Cell Biology
Link zum Portal
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/2ef4a485-3466-4c3b-ac50-ed0b9966f6c8