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New paper: Global warming disrupts the tradeoff between sexual and clonal reproduction in Spartina
Jiang et al 2025 analyzed the long-term (2000-2022) fall monitoring data for Spartina at eight GCE sites. Within years, using zones (creekbank and mid-marsh) within sites as replicates, sexual reproduction was negatively related to clonal reproduction (density of shoots). These relationships were stronger in cooler years and weaker in warmer years, with slopes ranging from −0.202 in cool years to −0.013 in warm years. The trade-offs were also affected by river discharge, with stronger (more negative) slopes as river discharge increased. The bottom line is that in cool, wet years, there is a strong negative relationship between the two modes of reproduction, but in warm, dry years, the relationship largely disappears, mostly because flowering is suppressed under these conditions. In a warmer climate in the future, Spartina may rely almost totally on clonal reproduction, potentially limiting its spread and adaptability.
This paper is an example of how the long-term monitoring program is more and more valuable as we accumulate years of data. We didn't have this research project in mind when we set up the GCE monitoring program. No doubt in the future GCE scientists will think of many more new ways that we can use these data streams.
Jiang, Renping, Wenwen Liu, Steven C. Pennings. Global warming disrupts the relative allocation between sexual and clonal reproduction in a common salt marsh plant. Ecology 2025;e70101. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70101.
(Contact Steve Pennings for additional information)
submitted May 08, 2025
