Periodontal disease increases the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Recent research suggests that periodontitis can increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study, we performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and investigated the causal effect of periodontitis (PD) on the genetic prediction of COPD. The study aimed to estimate how exposures affected outcomes. METHODS: Published data from the Gene-Lifestyle Interaction in the Dental Endpoints (GLIDE) Consortium's genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for periodontitis (17,353 cases and 28,210 controls) and COPD (16,488 cases and 169,688 controls) from European ancestry were utilized. This study employed a two-sample MR analysis approach and applied several complementary methods, including weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW), and MR-Egger regression. Multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis was further conducted to mitigate the influence of smoking on COPD. RESULTS: We chose five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables for periodontitis. A strong genetically predicted causal link between periodontitis and COPD, that is, periodontitis as an independent risk factor for COPD was detected. PD (OR = 1.102951, 95% CI: 1.005-1.211, p = 0.039) MR-Egger regression and weighted median analysis results were coincident with those of the IVW method. According to the sensitivity analysis, horizontal pleiotropy's effect on causal estimations seemed unlikely. However, reverse MR analysis revealed no significant genetic causal association between COPD and periodontitis. IVW (OR = 1.048 > 1, 95%CI: 0.973-1.128, p = 0.2082) MR Egger (OR = 0.826, 95%CI:0.658-1.037, p = 0.1104) and weighted median (OR = 1.043, 95%CI: 0.941-1.156, p = 0.4239). The results of multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis, after adjusting for the confounding effect of smoking, suggest a potential causal relationship between periodontitis and COPD (P = 0.035). CONCLUSION: In this study, periodontitis was found to be independent of COPD and a significant risk factor, providing new insights into periodontitis-mediated mechanisms underlying COPD development.

The evolution of ephemeral flora in Xinjiang, China: insights from plastid phylogenomic analyses of Brassicaceae.

BACKGROUND: The ephemeral flora of northern Xinjiang, China, plays an important role in the desert ecosystems. However, the evolutionary history of this flora remains unclear. To gain new insights into its origin and evolutionary dynamics, we comprehensively sampled ephemeral plants of Brassicaceae, one of the essential plant groups of the ephemeral flora. RESULTS: We reconstructed a phylogenetic tree using plastid genomes and estimated their divergence times. Our results indicate that ephemeral species began to colonize the arid areas in north Xinjiang during the Early Miocene and there was a greater dispersal of ephemeral species from the surrounding areas into the ephemeral community of north Xinjiang during the Middle and Late Miocene, in contrast to the Early Miocene or Pliocene periods. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, together with previous studies, suggest that the ephemeral flora originated in the Early Miocene, and species assembly became rapid from the Middle Miocene onwards, possibly attributable to global climate changes and regional geological events.

A DNA barcode library for woody plants in tropical and subtropical China.

The application of DNA barcoding has been significantly limited by the scarcity of reliable specimens and inadequate coverage and replication across all species. The deficiency of DNA barcode reference coverage is particularly striking for highly biodiverse subtropical and tropical regions. In this study, we present a comprehensive barcode library for woody plants in tropical and subtropical China. Our dataset includes a standard barcode library comprising the four most widely used barcodes (rbcL, matK, ITS, and ITS2) for 2,520 species from 4,654 samples across 49 orders, 144 families, and 693 genera, along with 79 samples identified at the genus level. This dataset also provides a super-barcode library consisting of 1,239 samples from 1,139 species, 411 genera, 113 families, and 40 orders. This newly developed library will serve as a valuable resource for DNA barcoding research in tropical and subtropical China and bordering countries, enable more accurate species identification, and contribute to the conservation and management of tropical and subtropical forests.

SHED-exos promote saliva secretion by suppressing p-ERK1/2-mediated apoptosis in glandular cells.

OBJECTIVES: Confirm that stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth-derived exosomes (SHED-exos) can limit inflammation-triggered epithelial cell apoptosis and explore the molecular mechanism. METHODS: SHED-exos were injected into the submandibular glands (SMGs) of non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, an animal model of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Cell death was evaluated by western blotting and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling staining. RESULTS: SHED-exos treatment promoted the saliva flow rates of NOD mice, accompanied by decreased cleaved caspase-3 levels and apoptotic cell numbers in SMGs. SHED-exos inhibited autophagy, pyroptosis, NETosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis and oxeiptosis marker expression in SS-damaged glands. Mechanistically, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis of exosomal miRNAs suggested that the rat sarcoma virus (RAS)/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway might play an important role. In vivo, the expression of Kirsten RAS, Harvey RAS, MEK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 was upregulated in SMGs, and this change was blocked by SHED-exos treatment. In vitro, SHED-exos suppressed p-ERK1/2 activation and increased cleaved caspase-3 and apoptotic cell numbers, which were induced by IFN-γ. CONCLUSION: SHED-exos suppress epithelial cell death, which is responsible for promoting salivary secretion. SHED-exos inhibited inflammation-triggered epithelial cell apoptosis by suppressing p-ERK1/2 activation, which is involved in these effects.

Telomere-to-telomere haplotype-resolved reference genome reveals subgenome divergence and disease resistance in triploid Cavendish banana.

Banana is one of the most important crops of the world. Cavendish-type bananas, which have a monospecific Musa acuminata origin (AAA), account for around half of the global banana production, thereby are of great significance for human societies. However, until now, the high-quality haplotype-resolved reference genome was still undecoded for banana cultivars. Here, we reported the telomere-to-telomere (T2T) and haplotype-resolved reference genome of 'Baxijiao' (Cavendish) consisting of three haploid assemblies. The sizes of the three haploid assemblies were estimated to be 477.16 Mb, 477.18 Mb, and 469.57 Mb, respectively. Although with monospecific origins, the three haploid assemblies showed great differences with low levels of sequence collinearity. Several large reciprocal translocations were identified among chromosomes 1, 4, and 7. An expansion of gene families that might affect fruit quality and aroma was detected, such as those belonging to sucrose/disaccharide/oligosaccharide catabolic processes, sucrose metabolic process, starch metabolic process, and aromatic compound biosynthetic process. Besides, an expansion of gene families related to anther and pollen development was observed, which could be associated with parthenocarpy and sterility of the Cavendish cultivar. Finally, much fewer resistance genes were identified in 'Baxijiao' than in M. acuminata, particularly in the gene clusters in chromosomes 3 and 10, providing potential targets to explore for molecular analysis of disease resistance in banana. This T2T haplotype-resolved reference genome will thus be a valuable genetic resource for biological studies, molecular breeding, and genetic improvement of banana.

The phased telomere-to-telomere reference genome of Musa acuminata, a main contributor to banana cultivars.

Musa acuminata is a main wild contributor to banana cultivars. Here, we reported a haplotype-resolved and telomere-to-telomere reference genome of M. acuminata by incorporating PacBio HiFi reads, Nanopore ultra-long reads, and Hi-C data. The genome size of the two haploid assemblies was estimated to be 469.83 Mb and 470.21 Mb, respectively. Multiple assessments confirmed the contiguity (contig N50: 16.53 Mb and 18.58 Mb; LAI: 20.18 and 19.48), completeness (BUSCOs: 98.57% and 98.57%), and correctness (QV: 45.97 and 46.12) of the genome. The repetitive sequences accounted for about half of the genome size. In total, 40,889 and 38,269 protein-coding genes were annotated in the two haploid assemblies, respectively, of which 9.56% and 3.37% were newly predicted. Genome comparison identified a large reciprocal translocation involving 3 Mb and 10 Mb from chromosomes 01 and 04 within M. acuminata. This reference genome of M. acuminata provides a valuable resource for further understanding of subgenome evolution of Musa species, and precise genetic improvement of banana.

Plastome evolution and phylogenomic insights into the evolution of Lysimachia (Primulaceae: Myrsinoideae).

BACKGROUND: Lysimachia L., the second largest genus within the subfamily Myrsinoideae of Primulaceae, comprises approximately 250 species worldwide. China is the species diversity center of Lysimachia, containing approximately 150 species. Despite advances in the backbone phylogeny of Lysimachia, species-level relationships remain poorly understood due to limited genomic information. This study analyzed 50 complete plastomes for 46 Lysimachia species. We aimed to identify the plastome structure features and hypervariable loci of Lysimachia. Additionally, the phylogenetic relationships and phylogenetic conflict signals in Lysimachia were examined. RESULTS: These fifty plastomes within Lysimachia had the typical quadripartite structure, with lengths varying from 152,691 to 155,784 bp. Plastome size was positively correlated with IR and intron length. Thirteen highly variable regions in Lysimachia plastomes were identified. Additionally, ndhB, petB and ycf2 were found to be under positive selection. Plastid ML trees and species tree strongly supported that L. maritima as sister to subg. Palladia + subg. Lysimachia (Christinae clade), while the nrDNA ML tree clearly placed L. maritima and subg. Palladia as a sister group. CONCLUSIONS: The structures of these plastomes of Lysimachia were generally conserved, but potential plastid markers and signatures of positive selection were detected. These genomic data provided new insights into the interspecific relationships of Lysimachia, including the cytonuclear discordance of the position of L. maritima, which may be the result of ghost introgression in the past. Our findings have established a basis for further exploration of the taxonomy, phylogeny and evolutionary history within Lysimachia.

Genetic Predisposition to Periodontitis and Risk of Migraine: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

INTRODUCTION: Previous observational studies have associated periodontitis (PD) with migraine; however, the results are inconclusive and the causality of the association between PD and migraine remains unclear. This two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to explore the bi-directional causal relationship between PD and migraine. METHODS: To investigate the relationship between PD (17,353 cases; 28,210 controls) and migraine (1072 cases; 360,122 controls), we used genetic tools from the largest available genome-wide association study of European descent. Inverse variance-weighted (IVW) and a series of sensitivity analyses were used to explore the association between migraine and PD. We performed an MR study using seven SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) as instrumental variables for PD to investigate the causal relationship between migraine and PD. RESULTS: We found no significant causal relationship between PD and migraine (odds ratio, OR = 1.000; 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.99-1.00; p = 0.65). Similarly, no evidence supported a causal relationship between migraine and PD (OR = 0.07; CI = 2.04 × 10-9-2.65 × 106; p = 0.77). A sensitivity analysis revealed that no potential polymorphic effect (p = 0.356) and heterogeneity (p = 0.652) exists for the variants used in constructing the genetic instrument. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of our MR study, there is no causal relationship between PD and migraines or migraines and PD.

Flora diversity survey and establishment of a plant DNA barcode database of Lomas ecosystems in Peru.

Lomas formations or "fog oases" are islands of vegetation in the desert belt of the west coast of South America, with a unique vegetation composition among the world's deserts. However, plant diversity and conservation studies have long been neglected, and there exists a severe gap in plant DNA sequence information. To address the lack of DNA information, we conducted field collections and laboratory DNA sequencing to establish a DNA barcode reference library of Lomas plants from Peru. This database provides 1,207 plant specimens and 3,129 DNA barcodes data corresponding with collections from 16 Lomas locations in Peru, during 2017 and 2018. This database will facilitate both rapid species identification and basic studies on plant diversity, thereby enhancing our understanding of Lomas flora's composition and temporal variation, and providing valuable resources for conserving plant diversity and maintaining the stability of the fragile Lomas ecosystems.

Plant DNA barcode library for native flowering plants in the arid region of northwestern China.

DNA barcoding is a well-established tool for rapid species identification and biodiversity monitoring. A reliable and traceable DNA barcode reference library with extensive coverage is necessary but unavailable for many geographical regions. The arid region in northwestern China, a vast area of about 2.5 million km2 , is ecologically fragile and often overlooked in biodiversity studies. In particular, DNA barcode data from the arid region in China are lacking. We develop and evaluate the efficacy of an extensive DNA barcode library for native flowering plants in the arid region of northwestern China. Plant specimens were collected, identified and vouchered for this purpose. The database utilized four DNA barcode markers, namely rbcL, matK, ITS and ITS2, for 1816 accessions (representing 890 species from 385 genera and 72 families), and consisted of 5196 barcode sequences. Individual barcodes varied in resolution rates: species- and genus-level rates for rbcL, matK, ITS and ITS2 were 79.9%-51.1%/76.1%, 79.9%-67.2%/88.9%, 85.0%-72.0%/88.2% and 81.0%-67.4%/84.9%, respectively. The three-barcode combination of rbcL + matK + ITS (RMI) revealed a higher species- and genus-level resolution (75.5%/92.1%, respectively). A total of 110 plastomes were newly generated as super-barcodes to increase species resolution for seven species-rich genera, namely Astragalus, Caragana, Lactuca, Lappula, Lepidium, Silene and Zygophyllum. Plastomes revealed higher species resolution compared to standard DNA barcodes and their combination. We suggest future databases include super-barcodes, especially for species-rich and complex genera. The plant DNA barcode library in the current study provides a valuable resource for future biological investigations in the arid regions of China.

A plastid phylogenomic framework for the palm family (Arecaceae).

BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, phylogenomics has greatly advanced our knowledge of angiosperm evolution. However, phylogenomic studies of large angiosperm families with complete species or genus-level sampling are still lacking. The palms, Arecaceae, are a large family with ca. 181 genera and 2600 species and are important components of tropical rainforests bearing great cultural and economic significance. Taxonomy and phylogeny of the family have been extensively investigated by a series of molecular phylogenetic studies in the last two decades. Nevertheless, some phylogenetic relationships within the family are not yet well-resolved, especially at the tribal and generic levels, with consequent impacts for downstream research. RESULTS: Plastomes of 182 palm species representing 111 genera were newly sequenced. Combining these with previously published plastid DNA data, we were able to sample 98% of palm genera and conduct a plastid phylogenomic investigation of the family. Maximum likelihood analyses yielded a robustly supported phylogenetic hypothesis. Phylogenetic relationships among all five palm subfamilies and 28 tribes were well-resolved, and most inter-generic phylogenetic relationships were also resolved with strong support. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of nearly complete generic-level sampling coupled with nearly complete plastid genomes strengthened our understanding of plastid-based relationships of the palms. This comprehensive plastid genome dataset complements a growing body of nuclear genomic data. Together, these datasets form a novel phylogenomic baseline for the palms and an increasingly robust framework for future comparative biological studies of this exceptionally important plant family.

[Comparison of dentinal microcracks caused by new generation of single reciprocating files after root canal preparation].

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence of dentinal microcracks after root canal preparation by new generation of nickel-titanium instrument WaveOne Gold, Reciproc Blue with previous WaveOne and Reciproc. METHODS: Ninety extracted single-rooted mandibular premolars were randomly divided into 6 groups(n=15). The root canals were instrumented by using Hand K files, WaveOne, Reciproc, WaveOne Gold and Reciproc Blue. Fifteen teeth were left unprepared and served as negative controls. The root canals were all prepared to 25#. The roots were then sectioned at 3 mm, 6 mm and 9 mm from the apical orifice using a hard tissue slicer. The slices were observed under stereoscopic microscope at ×25 magnification. SPSS 17.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: No dentinal microcrack was found in the hand K files group and negative control group. The reciprocating single files WaveOne, WaveOne Gold, Reciproc and Reciproc Blue all produced dentinal microcracks after root canal preparation. The WaveOne generated the most dentinal microcracks than the hand K files(P＜0.05), and the microcracks were mainly concentrated in the middle part of the root. The number of dentinal microcracks caused by Reciproc and Reciproc Blue was the same, with no significant difference(P＞0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The new generation of reciprocating files of WaveOne Gold and Reciproc Blue may not increase the incidence of dentinal microcracks after root canal preparation.

The banana genome hub: a community database for genomics in the Musaceae.

The Banana Genome Hub provides centralized access for genome assemblies, annotations, and the extensive related omics resources available for bananas and banana relatives. A series of tools and unique interfaces are implemented to harness the potential of genomics in bananas, leveraging the power of comparative analysis, while recognizing the differences between datasets. Besides effective genomic tools like BLAST and the JBrowse genome browser, additional interfaces enable advanced gene search and gene family analyses including multiple alignments and phylogenies. A synteny viewer enables the comparison of genome structures between chromosome-scale assemblies. Interfaces for differential expression analyses, metabolic pathways and GO enrichment were also added. A catalogue of variants spanning the banana diversity is made available for exploration, filtering, and export to a wide variety of software. Furthermore, we implemented new ways to graphically explore gene presence-absence in pangenomes as well as genome ancestry mosaics for cultivated bananas. Besides, to guide the community in future sequencing efforts, we provide recommendations for nomenclature of locus tags and a curated list of public genomic resources (assemblies, resequencing, high density genotyping) and upcoming resources-planned, ongoing or not yet public. The Banana Genome Hub aims at supporting the banana scientific community for basic, translational, and applied research and can be accessed at https://banana-genome-hub.southgreen.fr.

Comparative analyses of three complete Primula mitogenomes with insights into mitogenome size variation in Ericales.

BACKGROUND: Although knowledge of the sizes, contents, and forms of plant mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) is increasing, little is known about the mechanisms underlying their structural diversity. Evolutionary information on the mitogenomes of Primula, an important ornamental taxon, is more limited than the information on their nuclear and plastid counterparts, which has hindered the comprehensive understanding of Primula mitogenomic diversity and evolution. The present study reported and compared three Primula mitogenomes and discussed the size expansion of mitogenomes in Ericales. RESULTS: Mitogenome master circles were sequenced and successfully assembled for three Primula taxa and were compared with publicly available Ericales mitogenomes. The three mitogenomes contained similar gene contents and varied primarily in their structures. The Primula mitogenomes possessed relatively high nucleotide diversity among all examined plant lineages. In addition, high nucleotide diversity was found among Primula species between the Mediterranean and Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains. Most predicted RNA editing sites appeared in the second amino acid codon, increasing the hydrophobic character of the protein. An early stop in atp6 caused by RNA editing was conserved across all examined Ericales species. The interfamilial relationships within Ericales and interspecific relationships within Primula could be well resolved based on mitochondrial data. Transfer of the two longest mitochondrial plastid sequences (MTPTs) occurred before the divergence of Primula and its close relatives, and multiple independent transfers could also occur in a single MTPT sequence. Foreign sequence [MTPTs and mitochondrial nuclear DNA sequences (NUMTs)] uptake and repeats were to some extent associated with changes in Ericales mitogenome size, although none of these relationships were significant overall. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed relatively conserved gene contents, gene clusters, RNA editing, and MTPTs but considerable structural variation in Primula mitogenomes. Relatively high nucleotide diversity was found in the Primula mitogenomes. In addition, mitogenomic genes, collinear gene clusters, and locally collinear blocks (LCBs) all showed phylogenetic signals. The evolutionary history of MTPTs in Primula was complicated, even in a single MTPT sequence. Various reasons for the size variation observed in Ericales mitogenomes were found.

Plastome structure, phylogenomics, and divergence times of tribe Cinnamomeae (Lauraceae).

BACKGROUND: Tribe Cinnamomeae is a species-rich and ecologically important group in tropical and subtropical forests. Previous studies explored its phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeography using limited loci, which might result in biased molecular dating due to insufficient parsimony-informative sites. Thus, 15 plastomes were newly sequenced and combined with published plastomes to study plastome structural variations, gene evolution, phylogenetic relationships, and divergence times of this tribe. RESULTS: Among the 15 newly generated plastomes, 14 ranged from 152,551 bp to 152,847 bp, and the remaining one (Cinnamomum chartophyllum XTBGLQM0164) was 158,657 bp. The inverted repeat (IR) regions of XTBGLQM0164 contained complete ycf2, trnICAU, rpl32, and rpl2. Four hypervariable plastid loci (ycf1, ycf2, ndhF-rpl32-trnLUAG, and petA-psbJ) were identified as candidate DNA barcodes. Divergence times based on a few loci were primarily determined by prior age constraints rather than by DNA data. In contrast, molecular dating using complete plastid protein-coding genes (PCGs) was determined by DNA data rather than by prior age constraints. Dating analyses using PCGs showed that Cinnamomum sect. Camphora diverged from C. sect. Cinnamomum in the late Oligocene (27.47 Ma). CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the first case of drastic IR expansion in tribe Cinnamomeae, and indicates that plastomes have sufficient parsimony-informative sites for molecular dating. Besides, the dating analyses provide preliminary insights into the divergence time within tribe Cinnamomeae and can facilitate future studies on its historical biogeography.

Genetic markers in Andean Puya species (Bromeliaceae) with implications on plastome evolution and phylogeny.

The Andean plant endemic Puya is a striking example of recent and rapid diversification from central Chile to the northern Andes, tracking mountain uplift. This study generated 12 complete plastomes representing nine Puya species and compared them to five published plastomes for their features, genomic evolution, and phylogeny. The total size of the Puya plastomes ranged from 159,542 to 159,839 bp with 37.3%-37.4% GC content. The Puya plastomes were highly conserved in organization and structure with a typical quadripartite genome structure. Each of the 17 consensus plastomes harbored 133 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA (transfer RNA) genes, and eight rRNA (ribosomal RNA) genes; we found 69-78 tandem repeats, 45-60 SSRs (simple sequence repeats), and 8-22 repeat structures among 13 species. Four protein-coding genes were identified under positive site-specific selection in Puya. The complete plastomes and hypervariable regions collectively provided pronounced species discrimination in Puya and a practical tool for future phylogenetic studies. The reconstructed phylogeny and estimated divergence time for the lineage suggest that the diversification of Puya is related to Andean orogeny and Pleistocene climatic oscillations. This study provides plastome resources for species delimitation and novel phylogenetic and biogeographic studies.

The ecology of palm genomes: repeat-associated genome size expansion is constrained by aridity.

Genome size varies 2400-fold across plants, influencing their evolution through changes in cell size and cell division rates which impact plants' environmental stress tolerance. Repetitive element expansion explains much genome size diversity, and the processes structuring repeat 'communities' are analogous to those structuring ecological communities. However, which environmental stressors influence repeat community dynamics has not yet been examined from an ecological perspective. We measured genome size and leveraged climatic data for 91% of genera within the ecologically diverse palm family (Arecaceae). We then generated genomic repeat profiles for 141 palm species, and analysed repeats using phylogenetically informed linear models to explore relationships between repeat dynamics and environmental factors. We show that palm genome size and repeat 'community' composition are best explained by aridity. Specifically, Ty3-gypsy and TIR elements were more abundant in palm species from wetter environments, which generally had larger genomes, suggesting amplification. By contrast, Ty1-copia and LINE elements were more abundant in drier environments. Our results suggest that water stress inhibits repeat expansion through selection on upper genome size limits. However, elements that may associate with stress-response genes (e.g. Ty1-copia) have amplified in arid-adapted palm species. Overall, we provide novel evidence of climate influencing the assembly of repeat 'communities'.

The relative role of plasticity and demographic history in Capsella bursa-pastoris: a common garden experiment in Asia and Europe.

The colonization success of a species depends on the interplay between its phenotypic plasticity, adaptive potential and demographic history. Assessing their relative contributions during the different phases of a species range expansion is challenging, and requires large-scale experiments. Here, we investigated the relative contributions of plasticity, performance and demographic history to the worldwide expansion of the shepherd's purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris. We installed two large common gardens of the shepherd's purse, a young, self-fertilizing, allopolyploid weed with a worldwide distribution. One common garden was located in Europe, the other in Asia. We used accessions from three distinct genetic clusters (Middle East, Europe and Asia) that reflect the demographic history of the species. Several life-history traits were measured. To explain the phenotypic variation between and within genetic clusters, we analysed the effects of (i) the genetic clusters, (ii) the phenotypic plasticity and its association to fitness and (iii) the distance in terms of bioclimatic variables between the sampling site of an accession and the common garden, i.e. the environmental distance. Our experiment showed that (i) the performance of C. bursa-pastoris is closely related to its high phenotypic plasticity; (ii) within a common garden, genetic cluster was a main determinant of phenotypic differences; and (iii) at the scale of the experiment, the effect of environmental distance to the common garden could not be distinguished from that of genetic clusters. Phenotypic plasticity and demographic history both play important role at different stages of range expansion. The success of the worldwide expansion of C. bursa-pastoris was undoubtedly influenced by its strong phenotypic plasticity.

Fingerprints of climatic changes through the late Cenozoic in southern Asian flora: Magnolia section Michelia (Magnoliaceae).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ongoing global warming is a challenge for humankind. A series of drastic climatic changes have been proven to have occurred throughout the Cenozoic based on a variety of geological evidence, which helps to better understand our planet's future climate. Notably, extant biomes have recorded drastic environmental shifts. The climate in southern Asia, which hosts high biodiversity, is deeply impacted by the Asian monsoon. The origins and evolutionary dynamics of biomes occurring between the tropics and sub-tropics in southern Asia have probably been deeply impacted by climatic changes; however, these aspects remain poorly studied. We tested whether the evolutionary dynamics of the above biomes have recorded the drastic, late Cenozoic environmental shifts, by focusing on Magnolia section Michelia of the family Magnoliaceae. METHODS: We established a fine time-calibrated phylogeny of M. section Michelia based on complete plastid genomes and inferred its ancestral ranges. Finally, we estimated the evolutionary dynamics of this section through time, determining its diversification rate and the dispersal events that occurred between tropical and sub-tropical areas. KEY RESULTS: The tropical origin of M. section Michelia was dated to the late Oligocene; however, the diversification of its core group (i.e. M. section Michelia subsection Michelia) has occurred mainly from the late Miocene onward. Two key evolutionary shifts (dated approx. 8 and approx. 3 million years ago, respectively) were identified, each of them probably in response to drastic climatic changes. CONCLUSION: Here, we inferred the underlying evolutionary dynamics of biomes in southern Asia, which probably reflect late Cenozoic climatic changes. The occurrence of modern Asian monsoons was probably fundamental for the origin of M. section Michelia; moreover, the occurrence of asymmetric dispersal events between the tropics and sub-tropics hint at an adaptation strategy of M. section Michelia to global cooling, in agreement with the tropical conservatism hypothesis.

Species pool size and rainfall account for the relationship between biodiversity and biomass production in natural forests of China.

The strength of biodiversity-biomass production relationships increases with increasing environmental stress and time. However, we know little about the effects of abiotic (e.g., climate) and biotic (e.g., species pool and community composition) factors on this trend. Whether variation in biomass production is best explained by phylogenetic diversity metrics or traditional measures of species richness also remains elusive. We compiled estimates of community composition and biomass production for tree species in 111 permanent quadrats spanning three natural forests (tropical, subtropical, and temperate) in China. Based on ~10 years of data, we compared temperature, rainfall, species pool size, and community composition in each forest each year. We estimated species richness and phylogenetic diversity in each quadrat each year; the latter metric was based on the sum of branch lengths of a phylogeny that connects species in each quadrat each year. Using generalized linear mixed-effect models, we found that top-ranked models included the interaction between forest and biodiversity and the interaction between forest and year for both biodiversity metrics. Variation in biomass production was best explained by phylogenetic diversity; biomass production generally increased with phylogenetic diversity, and the relationship was stronger in subtropical and temperate forests. Increasing species pool size, temperature, and rainfall and decreasing inter-quadrat dissimilarity range shifted the relationship between biomass production and phylogenetic diversity from positive to neutral. When considered alone, species pool size had the strongest influence on biomass production, while species pool size, rainfall, and their interaction with phylogenetic diversity constituted the top-ranked model. Our study highlights the importance of species pool size and rainfall on the relationship between phylogenetic diversity and biomass production in natural forest ecosystems.