Acclimation curve data from Gradual plasticity alters population dynamics in variable environments: thermal acclimation in the green alga <i>Chlamydomonas reinhartdii</i>

Environmental variability is ubiquitous, but its effects on populations are not fully understood or predictable. Recent attention has focused on how rapid evolution can impact ecological dynamics via adaptive trait change. However, the impact of trait change arising from plastic responses has received less attention, and is often assumed to optimize performance and unfold on a separate, faster timescale than ecological dynamics. Challenging these assumptions, we propose that gradual plasticity is important for ecological dynamics, and present a study of the plastic responses of the freshwater green algae <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i> as it acclimates to temperature changes. First, we show that <i>C. reinhardtii</i>'s gradual acclimation responses can both enhance and suppress its performance after a perturbation, depending on its prior thermal history. Second, we demonstrate that where conventional approaches fail to predict the population dynamics of <i>C. reinhardtii</i> exposed to temperature fluctuations, a new model of gradual acclimation succeeds. Finally, using high-resolution data, we show that phytoplankton in lake ecosystems can experience thermal variation sufficient to make acclimation relevant. These results challenge prevailing assumptions about plasticity's interactions with ecological dynamics. Amidst the current emphasis on rapid evolution, it is critical that we also develop predictive methods accounting for plasticity.

环境变异无处不在，但其对种群的影响尚未被完全阐明或精准预测。近期学界的研究焦点多集中于快速演化如何通过适应性性状改变影响生态动态。然而，由可塑性响应（plastic responses）引发的性状改变，其相关影响却较少受到关注，且通常被认为可优化个体表现，并以独立于生态动态的更快时间尺度展开。为挑战上述假设，我们提出渐进式可塑性对生态动态具有重要意义，并开展了一项针对淡水绿藻莱茵衣藻（Chlamydomonas reinhardtii）在适应温度变化过程中可塑性响应的研究。其一，我们证实，莱茵衣藻的渐进式适应响应可在扰动后对其表现产生增强或抑制作用，具体取决于其此前的热暴露历史。其二，我们证明，当传统方法无法准确预测暴露于温度波动下的莱茵衣藻种群动态时，新提出的渐进式适应模型可取得良好预测效果。其三，借助高分辨率数据，我们证实湖泊生态系统中的浮游植物（phytoplankton）所经历的热变异幅度，足以使适应过程具备实际相关性。上述研究结果挑战了当前关于可塑性与生态动态相互作用的主流假设。在当前学界高度关注快速演化的背景下，我们同样亟需开发能够纳入可塑性因素的预测方法。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集包含绿藻Chlamydomonas reinhardtii的热驯化曲线数据，用于研究渐进塑性如何影响变温环境中的种群动态。数据集支持一项研究，展示了热驯化响应可增强或抑制藻类性能，并成功开发了预测种群动态的新模型，挑战了关于塑性响应与生态动态关系的传统假设。