OOS 62 - Understanding Patterns and Drivers of Plant Reproduction Through Synthesis

Organizer(s)

• JL

  Jalene LaMontagne, PhD

  Professor
  DePaul University, United States

Co-Organizer(s)

• MR

  Miranda Redmond, PhD

  Assistant Professor
  University of California Berkeley, United States
• EC

  Elizabeth Crone, PhD

  Primary Investigator
  Tufts University (currently UC Davis), United States

Many plant species have patterns of reproduction that are highly variable over time, known as ‘mast seeding’. What causes mast seeding is one of the great questions in plant ecology. Mast seeding, defined as the synchronous and highly variable production of seed crops by a population of perennial plants, is widespread both geographically and taxonomically.There are a range of hypotheses, both proximate and ultimate, as to why mast seeding occurs, from seed predator satiation to increased pollination efficiency, with climate drivers playing a key role in mast-seeding dynamics. Variation in mast seeding patterns across species may also be linked to species level attributes (e.g., seed development time, pollinator and seed dispersal vectors,shade tolerance, etc) and how these interact with their environment. Mast seeding has critically important roles in ecosystems, both for forest regeneration, and large reproduction “mast-seeding events” act as a food resource pulse driving the dynamics of a variety of seed consumers (e.g., insects, small mammals, birds). Historically, most studies focused on a single species in a localized area, and recently, compilations of large datasets are allowing for questions to be asked at new scales, with the potential for new general understanding to emerge.

The objective of this organized oral session is to showcase work on the patterns and drivers of woody plant reproduction coming from nine long-term research sites across the US and 104 species. Two of the talks will include findings from an LTER Synthesis working group focusing on data compiled across all LTER sites - from the tropical rainforest of Puerto Rico (18°N latitude) to the taiga in Alaska (64°N), and four talks will be case studies on the patterns, drivers, and consequences of mast seeding from sites within individual biomes, This organized oral session will broaden the overall understanding of the mast seeding phenomenon in plants.

Presentations:

• 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM PDT

  Cross-species synchrony in mast-seeding patterns across LTER sites.
  

  Presenting Author: Jalene LaMontagne, PhD – DePaul University

  Co-author: Elizabeth Crone, PhD – Tufts University (currently UC Davis)

  Co-author: Miranda Redmond, PhD – University of California Berkeley

  Co-author: Jessica Barton – DePaul University

  Co-author: Bala Chaudhary, Ph.D. – Dartmouth University

  Co-author: Angel Chen – National Center For Ecological Analysis And Synthesis

  Co-author: Natalie Cleavitt – Cornell University

  Co-author: David F. Greene, PhD – Humboldt State Univeristy

  Co-author: Penelope Holland – University Of York

  Co-author: Jill Johnstone – University of Alaska Fairbanks

  Co-author: Walt Koenig – Cornell University

  Co-author: Nicholas Lyon – National Center For Ecological Analysis And Synthesis

  Co-author: Diana Macias – University of New Mexico

  Co-author: Thomas E.X. Miller – Rice University

  Co-author: Katie Nigro – Colorado State University

  Co-author: Ian S. Pearse – U.S. Geological Survey

  Co-author: Mark Schulze – Oregon State University

  Co-author: Rebecca S. Snell, PhD – Ohio University

  Co-author: Jess K. Zimmerman – University of Puerto Rico
• 1:45 PM – 2:00 PM PDT

  Variability in tree seed production at the core and margin of species ranges.
  

  Presenting Author: Ian S. Pearse – U.S. Geological Survey

  Co-author: Walter Koenig – Cornell Lab of Ornithology

  Co-author: Jalene LaMontagne, PhD – DePaul University

  Co-author: Andreas Wion – USGS

  Co-author: Jessie J. Foest – University of Liverpool

  Co-author: Miranda Redmond, PhD – University of California Berkeley
• 2:00 PM – 2:15 PM PDT

  Ten years in the life of a sugar maple: connecting sap yield, flower production, and mast-seeding.
  

  Presenting Author: Elizabeth Crone, PhD – Tufts University (currently UC Davis)

  Co-author: Rapp Joshua – Mass Audubon
• 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM PDT

  Time to reproductive onset and subsequent annual variability in the seed production of serotinous and non-serotinous conifers
  

  Presenting Author: David F. Greene, PhD – Humboldt State Univeristy

  Co-author: Jalene LaMontagne, PhD – DePaul University

  Co-author: Miranda Redmond, PhD – University of California Berkeley
• 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM PDT

  The landscape genomics of a masting species, Pinus edulis.
  

  Presenting Author: Diana Macias – University of New Mexico

  Co-author: William T. Pockman – University of New Mexico

  Co-author: Hannah Marx – UNM

  Co-author: Ethan Gyllenhaal – UNM
• 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM PDT

  Drivers of reproductive patterns of woody species in a Puerto Rican wet forest.
  

  Presenting Author: Jess K. Zimmerman – University of Puerto Rico

  Co-author: Carolina Pérez-Beltrán – University of Puerto Rico

  Co-author: Miguel Leon – University of New Hampshire/ Luquillo LTER

  Co-author: Evald Maceno – University of Puerto Rico