Nutrient scarcity as a selective pressure for mast seeding
Fernández-Martínez, Marcos (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Pearse, I. (Fort Collins Science Center)
Sardans i Galobart, Jordi (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Sayol, Ferran (University of Gothenburg. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences)
Koenig, W. D. (Cornell University. Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
LaMontagne, Jalene M (DePaul University. Department of Biological Sciences)
Bogdziewicz, Michał (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. Department of Systematic Zoology)
Collalti, A. (Institute for Agriculture and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean (Itàlia))
Hacket-Pain, Andrew (University of Liverpool. Department of Geography and Planning)
Vacchiano, Giorgio (Università degli Studi di Milano. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali)
Espelta Morral, Josep Maria (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Janssens, Ivan (Universiteit Antwerpen. Departement Biologie)

Date:	2019
Abstract:	Mast seeding is one of the most intriguing reproductive traits in nature. Despite its potential drawbacks in terms of fitness, the widespread existence of this phenomenon suggests that it should have evolutionary advantages under certain circumstances. Using a global dataset of seed production time series for 219 plant species from all of the continents, we tested whether masting behaviour appears predominantly in species with low foliar nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations when controlling for local climate and productivity. Here, we show that masting intensity is higher in species with low foliar N and P concentrations, and especially in those with imbalanced N/P ratios, and that the evolutionary history of masting behaviour has been linked to that of nutrient economy. Our results support the hypothesis that masting is stronger in species growing under limiting conditions and suggest that this reproductive behaviour might have evolved as an adaptation to nutrient limitations and imbalances.
Grants:	European Commission 610028 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CGL2016-79835-P Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2017/SGR-1005
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Subject:	Ecology ; Ecophysiology ; Ecosystem ecology ; Evolutionary ecology ; Macroecology
Published in:	Nature plants, Vol. 5 (Dec. 2019) , p. 1222-1228, ISSN 2055-0278

DOI: 10.1038/s41477-019-0549-y

Postprint 37 p, 2.4 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals) > Imbalance-P
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles