To understand the effects of climate change on plants, it is essential to know how they respond to environmental conditions that are different from today. An essential part of this process is to study the response of different populations of the same species, and thus assess what might make some more resilient. In a recent study, Laccetti and collaborators investigated the effect of different temperature regimes on the germination of different populations of Brassica incana, a typical species from Mediterranean cliffs.
The researchers collected nearly 6,000 seeds from 14 populations across southern Italy and Sicily, each with different environmental conditions. They tested how well these seeds germinated at various temperatures, including warmer conditions than what they typically experience in nature.
The team found that populations from warmer regions of Italy performed better at both very cold and very hot temperatures than those from cooler areas. This result suggests that plants currently experiencing higher temperatures may be better equipped to cope with future temperature extremes.
This result shows that, even within the same species, there is significant variation in responses to temperature changes. Increased knowledge of such differences will help us better understand the effects of environmental changes on given plant species and how they will respond to future climate conditions.
Laccetti, L., Cruz-Tejada, D.M., Mo, A., Carta, A., & Scopece, G. (2024). Among- and within-population variation in germination response shapes ecological resilience in the Mediterranean cliff species Brassica incana. Annals of Botany, mcae172. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcae172 ($)
