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Do local environmental conditions affect intraspecific trait variance? Insights from liverwort populations in ecological refuges

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Abstract

Understanding trait variation along environmental gradients is crucial for assessing the adaptive potential of species. We analysed the intraspecific variation in six morphological traits of Frullania ericoides across environmental gradients (elevation, canopy openness and distance to water sources) in a humid ecological refuge in Brazil’s semi-arid region. The traits measured (mean and coefficient of variation) were: leaf lobe area, leaf lobule area, underleaf area, stem width, ratio between leaf lobule area and leaf lobe area, and ratio between the number of laminate lobules and the total number of lobules. Seventy specimens from eleven localities (populations) showed greater intrapopulation than interpopulation mean trait variation. All traits, except for the ratio between leaf lobule area and leaf lobe area, presented interpopulation differences. Two trait strategies emerged: one related to water storage and plant size, and the other linked to proportional increases in leaf lobule area and lobe area. The lower the elevation was, the higher were the mean values of leaf lobe area and leaf lobule area, and the variance of stem width. The species exhibited significant trait variation, which can be decisive in the responses of populations to new selective pressures of establishment and maintenance.

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Data availability (data transparency)

All data produced from this study are provided with this manuscript as electronic supplementary material. The datasets used or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability (software application or custom code)

The code used or analysed during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Karina Vieiralves Linhares and Weber Andrade de Girão e Silva for their support during fieldwork. We also thank the two anonymous referees for their helpful comments and constructive remarks on this manuscript.

Funding

Funding was provided by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel – Brazil (CAPES, Financial Code 001, Masters grant to W.V.S.M.B.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Botânica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235 – Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, CEP: 50670-901, Brazil

    Mércia P. P. Silva, Anna C. F. Araújo, Wanessa V. S. M. Batista & Lucas E. N. da Costa

  2. Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 1, 51006, Tartu, Estonia

    João P. S. Souza

  3. Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo s/n, Campus de Ondina, Salvador, Bahia, CEP 40170-115, Brazil

    Rafael P. Farias

  4. Instituto Tecnológico Vale, R. Boaventura da Silva, 955 – Nazaré, Belém, PA, CEP: 66055-090, Brazil

    Lucas E. N. da Costa

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Silva, M.P.P., Araújo, A.C.F., Souza, J.P.S. et al. Do local environmental conditions affect intraspecific trait variance? Insights from liverwort populations in ecological refuges. Folia Geobot 58, 191–204 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12224-024-09439-8

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