Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research
Experimental, latitudinal, and historical approaches have been used to explore and/or predict the effects of global change on biota, and each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. The weaknesses of these individual approaches can, potentially, be avoided by applying them simultaneously,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Symmetry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/12/10/1703 |
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| author | Vitali Zverev Mikhail V. Kozlov |
| author_facet | Vitali Zverev Mikhail V. Kozlov |
| author_sort | Vitali Zverev |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Experimental, latitudinal, and historical approaches have been used to explore and/or predict the effects of global change on biota, and each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. The weaknesses of these individual approaches can, potentially, be avoided by applying them simultaneously, but this is rarely done in global change research. Here, we explored the temporal and spatial variations in the leaf size and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of mountain birch (<i>Betula pubescens</i> var. <i>pumila</i>) in the Murmansk region of Russia, with the aim of verifying the predictions derived from the responses of these traits to experimental manipulations of abiotic drivers of global change. The examination of herbarium specimens revealed that leaf length increased during the 20th century, whereas the FA in the number of leaf teeth decreased, presumably reflecting an increase in the carbon and nitrogen availability to plants in that century. Along a northward latitudinal gradient, leaf length decreased whereas FA increased, presumably due to the poleward decreases in air temperature. The study site, collection year, and latitude explained a larger part of the leaf length variation in mountain birch relative to the variation in FA. Leaf length is likely a better indicator than FA in studies addressing global environmental change impacts on plant performance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:35:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fca5f0334011426daf14120d146d5448 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-8994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:35:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Symmetry |
| spelling | doaj.art-fca5f0334011426daf14120d146d54482023-11-20T17:20:47ZengMDPI AGSymmetry2073-89942020-10-011210170310.3390/sym12101703Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change ResearchVitali Zverev0Mikhail V. Kozlov1Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, FinlandDepartment of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, FinlandExperimental, latitudinal, and historical approaches have been used to explore and/or predict the effects of global change on biota, and each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. The weaknesses of these individual approaches can, potentially, be avoided by applying them simultaneously, but this is rarely done in global change research. Here, we explored the temporal and spatial variations in the leaf size and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of mountain birch (<i>Betula pubescens</i> var. <i>pumila</i>) in the Murmansk region of Russia, with the aim of verifying the predictions derived from the responses of these traits to experimental manipulations of abiotic drivers of global change. The examination of herbarium specimens revealed that leaf length increased during the 20th century, whereas the FA in the number of leaf teeth decreased, presumably reflecting an increase in the carbon and nitrogen availability to plants in that century. Along a northward latitudinal gradient, leaf length decreased whereas FA increased, presumably due to the poleward decreases in air temperature. The study site, collection year, and latitude explained a larger part of the leaf length variation in mountain birch relative to the variation in FA. Leaf length is likely a better indicator than FA in studies addressing global environmental change impacts on plant performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/12/10/1703<i>Betula pubescens</i> var. <i>pumila</i>carbon dioxideclimateenvironmental contaminationfluctuating asymmetryherbarium specimens |
| spellingShingle | Vitali Zverev Mikhail V. Kozlov Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research Symmetry <i>Betula pubescens</i> var. <i>pumila</i> carbon dioxide climate environmental contamination fluctuating asymmetry herbarium specimens |
| title | Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research |
| title_full | Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research |
| title_fullStr | Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research |
| title_short | Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (<em>Betula pubescens</em> var. <em>pumila</em>) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research |
| title_sort | variation in leaf size and fluctuating asymmetry of mountain birch em betula pubescens em var em pumila em in space and time implications for global change research |
| topic | <i>Betula pubescens</i> var. <i>pumila</i> carbon dioxide climate environmental contamination fluctuating asymmetry herbarium specimens |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/12/10/1703 |
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