Biology subjects

Cera, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Cera, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Root expansion induced by Sulfur limitation and mild heatwaves mitigated yield loss under a severe heatwave in grasslands

Grasslands, like many temperate ecosystems, are threatened by heatwaves which have been shown to be more frequent. Plant diversity can buffer yield loss due to heatwaves, but this positive effect may be modified by nutrient availability. Soil sulfur (S) has declined over the last decades and although it is crucial for coping with abiotic stresses, its role in grassland responses to heatwaves remains poorly documented. We aimed to determine how S nutrition modulates the responses of grasslands to heatwaves. Four monocultures and two mixtures were grown under two S levels and exposed to four thermoprotocols: i) control, ii) two successive mild heatwaves, iii) one severe heatwave, and iv) a recurrent sequence combining mild and severe heatwaves. We measured biomasses, leaf S compounds, {delta}13C as a proxy of water-use efficiency, leaf temperature, and photosystem II efficiency. S nutrition interacted with thermoprotocols. Under a severe heatwave, standard S promoted higher shoot production and better water-use efficiency. In contrast, under recurrent events, S limitation enhanced root:shoot ratio, water-use efficiency, shoot growth, and led to lower leaf temperature. S-containing metabolites did not vary with heatwaves, suggesting no direct metabolic. Under recurrent heatwaves, S limitation could indirectly improve tolerance to severe heatwaves. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=114 SRC="FIGDIR/small/691764v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (42K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@184f87borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d55d3forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1dd1426org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1560116_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Temperate grasslands facing heatwaves: species diversity buffers effects on shoot growth but not on leaf parameters

Current and future heatwaves threaten temperate grasslands. Plant temperature regulation, photosynthesis and therefore production are exposed. As with drought, species diversity could buffer the negative effects of heatwaves. Our main objective was to test the effect of diversity on grassland responses to heatwaves by comparing mixtures with monocultures. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to simulate four thermo-protocols: i) control ii) two mild heatwaves, iii) a severe heatwave, and iv) recurrent scenario with mild and severe heatwaves. We analyzed production at mowing time, resistance and recovery of species calculated from shoot growth, and foliar parameters sensitive to heatwaves such as leaf temperature and maximum quantum efficiency of Photosystem II. A severe heatwave induced negative effects on production and leaf parameters, whereas mild heatwaves not. Recurrent heatwaves induced negative cumulative effects on production and acclimation of Photosystem II. In this context, mixtures were more productive than monocultures average, as overyielding; certain species showed higher resistance or recovery in mixtures than in monocultures; but there was no diversity effect on leaf parameters. Our results suggest that leaf parameters alone cannot reflect the resilience of plants exposed to heat and that plant diversity can give temperate grasslands a higher capacity to cope with heatwaves.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Do soil features condition seed germination of gypsum plants? An analysis of the effect of different natural soils

Gypseous soils are widespread across arid and semiarid environments worldwide. They present remarkable challenges to plants and host a unique flora. We aimed to assess up to what point the specificity and distribution of species on gypsum might be driven by species-specific germination responses to soil gypsum availability. We analyzed the germination of six gypsum specialists and four closely related generalist plant species from the Iberian Peninsula and the Chihuahuan Desert in four different field soils with contrasting concentrations of gypsum, pH and soil texture. Plant restriction to gypsum was unrelated to the germinating ability of seeds on different substrates. Irrespective of their affinity for gypsum, most species germinated better on mixed gypsum-calcareous soil and worse in the acidic soil treatment. Our data suggest soil pH was the main soil feature driving seed germination, while the effect of gypsum content was generally not significant. The main exception was the Iberian gypsum specialist Helianthemum squamatum (L.) Dum. Cours., which showed increased germination on gypseous soils and higher germination in response to increased soil gypsum content. Except for this species, our findings indicate alkaline soils favor the germination of most of the species analyzed, irrespectively of their gypsum content. HighlightsO_LIGypsum soils are one of the most widespread special substrates of the world C_LIO_LIWe evaluated the effects of natural soils on the germination of gypsum plants C_LIO_LISoil pH was the main soil feature driving seed germination C_LIO_LIThe effect of gypsum content was not significant C_LIO_LIWe suggest a potential origin of gypsophiles from plants adapted to alkaline soils C_LI

ecology↗