Abstract
Biological conservation will benefit from an increased focus on the prevalence and impact of polyploidy (whole genome duplication) in natural Angiosperm (flowering plants) systems. The role of polyploidy in flowering plants has largely been overlooked within the broader context of ecosystem functionality and redundancy. Polyploids play a role in maintaining species richness and filling the ecological roles of diploids during periods rapid climatic shifts. Polyploids are worth consideration for conservation management due to their; potential divergence in physiological response to environmental stress relative to their progenitors and how that divergence might facilitate establishment in new or changing habitats. With climate change causing rapid shifts in the distributions of life and a 6th mass extinction, where the rate of extinction is 1000 times faster than the background rate of extinction, every avenue should be investigated for its potential contribution to ecological stability. Polyploidy can result in immediate phenotypic change, including larger and fewer seeds that produce more robust seedlings that can overcome some of the pressures presented by climate change. By looking back through deep evolutionary history at past mass extinctions and periods of rapid climate change, many times they are followed by or coincide with a burst of polyploidization and subsequent diversification. It is critical to consider polyploidy while developing conservation management strategies, as it is a critical component of Angiosperm diversity and may be key to enhancing future attempts to restore ecosystem function and biodiversity. The goal of this review is to highlight how polyploidy can impact conservation efforts through:
1.) The physiological differences that contribute to changes in fundamental niche requirements of polyploids
2.) The differences in reproduction of polyploids and its influence on competitive ability
3.) The physiological and reproductive differences that influence polyploids into being adapted for climate change.
Plants form the base of the energy pyramid for terrestrial ecosystems and therefore are valuable for the maintenance of plant biodiversity. Polyploids in many cases are different than their diploid progenitors and have been investigated for their divergence from diploid progenitors, but the scope of these studies have often overlooked their potential impact in conservation biology. The physiology of polyploids often deviates from parents with respect to stress tolerance; including for example, resistance to infection, improved drought tolerance, and tolerance for other environmental stressors. Polyploidy derived differences in reproduction and floral traits may also enhance competitive ability and seedling vigor. These potential physiological and reproductive differences may predispose some polyploids to better tolerate the conditions expected following severe climate change relative to their diploid progenitors. Additionally, polyploidy plays a role in maintaining genetic and cytogenetic diversity within and between populations, and with more data, could produce better informed plant conservation management strategies. Conservation biology will benefit from an increased focus on maintenance of multiple ploidal levels when making decisions regarding species management, particularly in rapidly changing environments.