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1. Reframing conservation physiology to be more inclusive, integrative, relevant and forward-looking: reflections and a horizon scan

   https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coaa016  

   Cooke, Steven J; Madliger, Christine L; Cramp, Rebecca L; Beardall, John; Burness, Gary; Chown, Steven L; Clark, Timothy D; Dantzer, Ben; de la Barrera, Erick; Fangue, Nann A; et al (January 2020, Conservation Physiology)

   Haddon, Lindsay (Ed.)

   Abstract Applying physiological tools, knowledge and concepts to understand conservation problems (i.e. conservation physiology) has become commonplace and confers an ability to understand mechanistic processes, develop predictive models and identify cause-and-effect relationships. Conservation physiology is making contributions to conservation solutions; the number of ‘success stories’ is growing, but there remain unexplored opportunities for which conservation physiology shows immense promise and has the potential to contribute to major advances in protecting and restoring biodiversity. Here, we consider how conservation physiology has evolved with a focus on reframing the discipline to be more inclusive and integrative. Using a ‘horizon scan’, we further explore ways in which conservation physiology can be more relevant to pressing conservation issues of today (e.g. addressing the Sustainable Development Goals; delivering science to support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration), as well as more forward-looking to inform emerging issues and policies for tomorrow. Our horizon scan provides evidence that, as the discipline of conservation physiology continues to mature, it provides a wealth of opportunities to promote integration, inclusivity and forward-thinking goals that contribute to achieving conservation gains. To advance environmental management and ecosystem restoration, we need to ensure that the underlying science (such as that generated by conservation physiology) is relevant with accompanying messaging that is straightforward and accessible to end users. 

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2. Integrating Spatial Analyses of Genomic and Physiological Data to Understand Avian Responses to Environmental Change

   https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icae059  

   Benham, Phred M; Beckman, Elizabeth J (June 2024, Integrative And Comparative Biology)

   Synopsis Projected rates of climate change over the next century are expected to force species to shift ranges, adapt, or acclimate to evade extinction. Predicting which of these scenarios may be most likely is a central challenge for conserving biodiversity in the immediate future. Modeling frameworks that take advantage of intraspecific variation across environmental gradients can be particularly important for meeting this challenge. While these space-for-time approaches are essential for climatic and genomic modeling approaches, mechanistic models that incorporate ecological physiology data into assessing species vulnerabilities rarely include intraspecific variation. A major reason for this gap is the general lack of empirical data on intraspecific geographic variation in avian physiological traits. In this review, we outline the evidence for and processes shaping geographic variation in avian traits. We use the example of evaporative water loss to underscore the lack of research on geographic variation, even in traits central to cooling costs in birds. We next demonstrate how shifting the focus of avian physiological research to intraspecific variation can facilitate greater integration with emerging genomics approaches. Finally, we outline important next steps for an integrative approach to advance understanding of avian physiological adaptation within species. Addressing the knowledge gaps outlined in this review will contribute to an improved predictive framework that synthesizes environmental, morphological, physiological, and genomic data to assess species specific vulnerabilities to a warming planet. 

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3. Spatio-temporal differences in leaf physiology are associated with fire, not drought, in a clonally integrated shrub

   https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plab037  

   Wedel, Emily R; O’Keefe, Kimberly; Nippert, Jesse B; Hoch, Braden; O’Connor, Rory C (August 2021, AoB PLANTS)

   Mitchell, Patrick (Ed.)

   Abstract In highly disturbed environments, clonality facilitates plant survival via resprouting after disturbance, resource sharing among interconnected stems and vegetative reproduction. These traits likely contribute to the encroachment of deep-rooted clonal shrubs in tallgrass prairie. Clonal shrubs have access to deep soil water and are typically thought of as relatively insensitive to environmental variability. However, how leaf physiological traits differ among stems within individual clonal shrubs (hereafter ‘intra-clonal’) in response to extreme environmental variation (i.e. drought or fire) is unclear. Accounting for intra-clonal differences among stems in response to disturbance is needed to more accurately parameterize models that predict the effects of shrub encroachment on ecosystem processes. We assessed intra-clonal leaf-level physiology of the most dominant encroaching shrub in Kansas tallgrass prairie, Cornus drummondii, in response to precipitation and fire. We compared leaf gas exchange rates from the periphery to centre within shrub clones during a wet (2015) and extremely dry (2018) year. We also compared leaf physiology between recently burned shrubs (resprouts) with unburned shrubs in 2018. Resprouts had higher gas exchange rates and leaf nitrogen content than unburned shrubs, suggesting increased rates of carbon gain can contribute to recovery after fire. In areas recently burned, resprouts had higher gas exchange rates in the centre of the shrub than the periphery. In unburned areas, leaf physiology remained constant across the growing season within clonal shrubs (2015 and 2018). Results suggest single measurements within a shrub are likely sufficient to parameterize models to understand the effects of shrub encroachment on ecosystem carbon and water cycles, but model parameterization may require additional complexity in the context of fire. 

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4. Testing the effects of species interactions and water limitation on tree seedling biomass allocation and physiology

   https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpab005  

   Kerr, Kelly L; Zenes, Nicole; Trugman, Anna T; Anderegg, William R (February 2021, Tree Physiology)

   Martinez-Vilalta, Jordi (Ed.)

   Abstract Species interactions mediate tree responses to water limitation because competition and/or facilitation alter plant physiology and growth. However, because it is difficult to isolate the effects of plant–plant interactions and water limitation from other environmental factors, the mechanisms underlying tree physiology and growth in coexisting plants under drought are poorly understood. We investigated how species interactions and water limitation impact the physiology and growth of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) seedlings in a controlled environment growth chamber, using aspen as a focal species. Seedlings were grown in pots alone or with a con- or hetero-specific seedling, and were subjected to a water limitation treatment. Growth, water status and physiological traits were measured before, during and after the treatment. Under well-watered conditions, the presence of another seedling affected growth or biomass allocation in all species, but did not impact the physiological traits we measured. Under water limitation, the presence of a competing seedling had a marginal impact on seedling growth and physiological traits in all species. Throughout the study, the magnitude and direction of seedling responses were complex and often species-specific. Our study serves as an important step toward testing how species’ interactions modify physiological responses and growth in well-watered and water-limited periods. 

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5. Divergent resource‐use strategies of encroaching shrubs: Can traits predict encroachment success in tallgrass prairie?

   https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14456  

   Wedel, Emily_R; Ratajczak, Zak; Tooley, E_Greg; Nippert, Jesse_B (December 2024, Journal of Ecology)

   Abstract Changes in climate and land management over the last half‐century have favoured woody plants native to grasslands and led to the rapid expansion of woody species. Despite this being a global phenomenon, it is unclear why some woody species have rapidly expanded while others have not. We assessed whether the most abundant woody encroaching species in tallgrass prairie have common growth forms and physiology or unique traits that differentiate their resource‐use strategies.We characterized the abundance, above‐ground carbon allocation, and leaf‐level physiological and structural traits of seven woody encroaching species in tallgrass prairie that span an order of magnitude in abundance. To identify species‐specific increases in abundance, we used a 34‐year species composition dataset at Konza Prairie Biological Station (Central Great Plains, USA). We then compared biomass allocation and leaf‐level traits to determine differences in carbon and water use strategies among species.While all focal species increased in abundance over time, encroachment in this system is primarily driven by three species:Cornus drummondii,Prunus americanaandRhus glabra. The most dominant species,Cornus drummondii, had the most extreme values for several traits, including the lowest leaf:stem mass ratios, lowest photosynthetic capacity and highest turgor loss point.Two of the most abundant species,Cornus drummondiiandRhus glabra, had opposing growth forms and resource‐use strategies. These species had significantly different above‐ground carbon allocation, leaf‐level drought tolerance and photosynthetic capacity. There were surprisingly few interspecific differences in specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content, suggesting these traits were poor predictors of species‐level encroachment.Synthesis. Woody encroaching species in tallgrass prairie encompass a spectrum of growth forms and leaf physiology. Two of the most abundant woody species fell at opposite ends of this spectrum. Our results suggest niche differences among a community of woody species facilitate the rapid encroachment by a few species. This study shows that woody encroaching species do not conform to a ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ strategy, and a diversity of growth forms and physiological strategies may make it more challenging to reach management goals that aim to conserve or restore grassland communities. 

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