Epigenetic responses of trees to environmental stress in the context of climate change

Matin Miryeganeh; David W. Armitage

doi:10.1111/brv.13132

journal article Open Access Aug 27, 2024

Epigenetic responses of trees to environmental stress in the context of climate change

Matin Miryeganeh

David W. Armitage

Biological Reviews Vol. 100 No. 1 pp. 131-148 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/brv.13132

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn long‐lived tree populations, when environmental change outpaces rates of evolutionary adaptation, plasticity in traits related to stress tolerance, dormancy, and dispersal may be vital for preventing extinction. While a population's genetic background partly determines its ability to adapt to a changing environment, so too do the many types of epigenetic modifications that occur within and among populations, which vary on timescales orders of magnitude faster than the emergence of new beneficial alleles. Consequently, phenotypic plasticity driven by epigenetic modification may be especially critical for sessile, long‐lived organisms such as trees that must rely on this plasticity to keep pace with rapid anthropogenic environmental change. While studies have reported large effects of DNA methylation, histone modification, and non‐coding RNAs on the expression of stress‐tolerance genes and resulting phenotypic responses, little is known about the role of these effects in non‐model plants and particularly in trees. Here, we review new findings in plant epigenetics with particular relevance to the ability of trees to adapt to or escape stressors associated with rapid climate change. Such findings include specific epigenetic influences over drought, heat, and salinity tolerance, as well as dormancy and dispersal traits. We also highlight promising findings concerning transgenerational inheritance of an epigenetic ‘stress memory’ in plants. As epigenetic information is becoming increasingly easy to obtain, we close by outlining ways in which ecologists can use epigenetic information better to inform population management and forecasting efforts. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind phenotypic plasticity and stress memory in tree species offers a promising path towards a mechanistic understanding of trees' responses to climate change.

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Details

Published: Aug 27, 2024
Vol/Issue: 100(1)
Pages: 131-148
License: View

Authors

M

Matin Miryeganeh

Integrative Community Ecology Unit Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Onna‐son Okinawa 904‐0495 Japan

D

David W. Armitage

Integrative Community Ecology Unit Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Onna‐son Okinawa 904‐0495 Japan

Funding

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University

Fusion Oriented Research for Disruptive Science and Technology Award: JPMJFR224G

Cite This Article

Matin Miryeganeh, David W. Armitage (2024). Epigenetic responses of trees to environmental stress in the context of climate change. Biological Reviews, 100(1), 131-148. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13132

Epigenetic responses of trees to environmental stress in the context of climate change

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