Asset Details
Do you wish to reserve the book?
Leaf Economics and Local Adaptation: Genetic and Plastic Responses Within Mediterranean Annual Species to Macro‐ and Microclimatic Aridity Gradients
Hey, we have placed the reservation for you!
By the way, why not check out events that you can attend while you pick your title.
Oops! Something went wrong.
Looks like we were not able to place the reservation. Kindly try again later.
Are you sure you want to remove the book from the shelf?
Leaf Economics and Local Adaptation: Genetic and Plastic Responses Within Mediterranean Annual Species to Macro‐ and Microclimatic Aridity Gradients
Do you wish to request the book?
Leaf Economics and Local Adaptation: Genetic and Plastic Responses Within Mediterranean Annual Species to Macro‐ and Microclimatic Aridity Gradients
Please be aware that the book you have requested cannot be checked out. If you would like to checkout this book, you can reserve another copy
We have requested the book for you!
Your request is successful and it will be processed during the Library working hours. Please check the status of your request in My Requests.
Oops! Something went wrong.
Looks like we were not able to place your request. Kindly try again later.
Journal Article
Leaf Economics and Local Adaptation: Genetic and Plastic Responses Within Mediterranean Annual Species to Macro‐ and Microclimatic Aridity Gradients
2026
Overview
Understanding how plants adjust to changing rainfall and intensified drought is vital, particularly in the Mediterranean region. The Leaf Economics Spectrum (LES) framework distinguishes fast‐growing plants with high specific leaf area (SLA) and low leaf dry matter content (LDMC) from resource‐conserving plants with opposite traits. In drier environments, plants can be expected to exhibit lower SLA and higher LDMC to minimize water loss and enhance drought resilience. However, it is unclear whether this expectation holds within species among locally adapted populations, and how it is modulated plastically by drought and competition. This study investigated SLA and LDMC in five Mediterranean annual plant species across a macroclimatic rainfall gradient (89–926 mm annual rainfall) and contrasting microclimates: more mesic north‐ and more arid south exposures. Seeds were collected at 15 sites along this gradient, and plants were grown under controlled greenhouse conditions with three experimental treatments: control, drought, and competition. Contrary to LES expectations, plants from drier macroclimates had mostly evolved higher SLA and lower LDMC, suggesting that drought escape strategies via rapid growth and early reproduction were favored over conservative resource use. Microclimatic variation in leaf traits was smaller than macroclimatic variation, although in two species it showed the same trend, with south‐exposure plants displaying lower SLA and/or higher LDMC. Plastic responses to drought consistently reduced SLA and increased LDMC, and vice‐versa under competition, thus countering the genetically‐based macroclimatic pattern. Interestingly, mesic populations showed stronger plastic shifts to competition. Our results show that evolution favored acquisitive leaves in drier sites, while plasticity modulated leaf traits in the opposite direction under drought stress and competition. These findings illustrate the interplay between evolutionary and plastic responses, underscoring the importance of considering both genetic differentiation and plasticity when assessing annual plant responses to future climate change. This study examined how Mediterranean annual plants adjust leaf traits (SLA and LDMC) across rainfall gradients and microclimates, considering both genetic differentiation and plasticity under drought and competition. Contrary to expectations from the Leaf Economics Spectrum, populations from drier macroclimates evolved more acquisitive leaves (higher SLA, lower LDMC), while plastic responses to drought and competition shifted traits in the opposite direction. These findings highlight the contrasting roles of evolution and plasticity in shaping plant responses to climate variability.
