Person: Acosta Gallo, Belén
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First Name
Belén
Last Name
Acosta Gallo
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Ciencias Biológicas
Department
Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución
Area
Ecología
Identifiers
4 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Item The invasiveness of Hypochaeris glabra (Asteraceae): Responses in morphological and reproductive traits for exotic populations(PLoS ONE, 2018) Martín Forés, Irene; Acosta Gallo, Belén; Castro Parga, Isabel; Miguel Garcinuño, José Manuel de; Pozo Lira, Alejandro del; Casado González, Miguel ÁngelScientists have been interested in many topics driven by biological invasions, such as shifts in the area of distribution of plant species and rapid evolution. Invasiveness of exotic plant species depends on variations on morphological and reproductive traits potentially associated with reproductive fitness and dispersal ability, which are expected to undergo changes during the invasion process. Numerous Asteraceae are invasive and display dimorphic fruits, resulting in a bet-hedging dispersal strategy ±wind-dispersed fruits versus animal-dispersed fruits±. We explored phenotypic differentiation in seed morphology and reproductive traits of exotic (Chilean) and native (Spanish) populations of Hypochaeris glabra. We collected flower heads from five Spanish and five Chilean populations along rainfall gradients in both countries. We planted seeds from the ten populations in a common garden trial within the exotic range to explore their performance depending on the country of origin (native or exotic) and the environmental conditions at population origin (precipitation and nutrient availability). We scored plant biomass, reproductive traits and fruit dimorphism patterns. We observed a combination of bet-hedging strategy together with phenotypic differentiation.Native populations relied more on bet-hedging while exotic populations always displayed greater proportion of wind-dispersed fruits than native ones. This pattern may reflect a strategy that might entail a more efficient long distance dispersal of H. glabra seeds in the exotic range, which in turn can enhance the invasiveness of this species.Item From Spain to Chile: environmental filters and success of herbaceous species in Mediterranean-climate regions(Biological Invasions, 2015) Martín Forés, Irene; Sánchez Jardón, Laura; Acosta Gallo, Belén; Pozo Lira, Alejandro del; Castro Parga, Isabel; Miguel Garcinuño, José Manuel de; Ovalle, Carlos; Casado González, Miguel ÁngelIn central Chile, many exotic species associated with cereal culture and livestock activities were introduced during Spanish colonization. Nowadays, Chilean semi-natural grasslands are a mixture of native species and exotics that mainly originated in the Mediterranean Basin. The establishment and persistence of exotics (i.e. naturalization) can be due to abiotic (climate and soil properties) and biotic (interaction between plants) factors. We assess the importance of these environmental factors as filters that have promoted/ limited the successful naturalization of Spanish species in Chile. Fifteen sites distributed throughout a wide range of Mediterranean climatic conditions, with similar geomorphology and land-use, were selected in both Chile and Spain. At each site we recorded a broad set of soil and climate variables as well as plant species richness during two consecutive years. In Chile, species were classified as natives or exotics whereas in Spain species were classified as colonizers (species that have been naturalized in Chile) or exclusives (only present in Spain).Species richness was higher in Spain (229 species) than in Chile (152), the latter with a high proportion (almost 50 %) of exotics. Different environmental factors affected species richness in each Mediterranean region. In Spain, species classified as colonizers were weakly related to a combination of soil and climate properties, while in Chile the number of exotic species was highly related with climate conditions (especially water availability). Lack of association between native and exotics pecies richness indicated that biotic filters (i.e. species competition) are less important than abiotic ones in transcontinental naturalization in Chile.Item Ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity combine to enhance the invasiveness of the most widespread daisy in Chile, Leontodon saxatilis(Scientific Reports, 2017) Martín Forés, Irene; Avilés, Marta; Acosta Gallo, Belén; Breed, Martin F.; Pozo Lira, Alejandro del; Miguel Garcinuño, José Manuel de; Sánchez Jardón, Laura; Castro Parga, Isabel; Ovalle, Carlos; Casado González, Miguel ÁngelDispersal and reproductive traits of successful plant invaders are expected to undergo strong selection during biological invasions. Numerous Asteraceae are invasive and display dimorphic fruits within a single flower head, resulting in differential dispersal pathways - wind-dispersed fruits vs. nondispersing fruits. We explored ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity of seed output and fruit dimorphisms in exotic Chilean and native Spanish populations of Leontodon saxatilis subsp. rothii. We collected flower heads from populations in Spain and Chile along a rainfall gradient. Seeds from all populations were planted in reciprocal transplant trials in Spain and Chile to explore their performance in the native and invasive range. We scored plant biomass, reproductive investment and fruit dimorphism. We observed strong plasticity, where plants grown in the invasive range had much greater biomass, flower head size and seed output, with a higher proportion of wind-dispersed fruits, than those grown in the native range. We also observed a significant ecotype effect, where the exotic populations displayed higher proportions of wind-dispersed fruits than native populations. Together, these patterns reflect a combination of phenotypic plasticity and ecotypic differentiation, indicating that Leontodon saxatilis has probably increased propagule pressure and dispersal distances in its invasive range to enhance its invasiveness.Item Allometric patterns of below-ground biomass in Mediterranean grasslands(Plant Biosystems, 2011) Acosta Gallo, Belén; Casado González, Miguel Ángel; Montalvo, J.; Díaz Pineda, FranciscoBelow-ground biomass might play an important role in the persistence of grasslands. The summertime water stress of Mediterranean grasslands very much accounts for annual plants in their communities. These plants die off in summer, and the soil seed bank ensures the grasslands' recovery every autumn. Temperature decreases with altitude, together with the proportion of annual and perennial herbs. This paper explores the vertical profile of this biomass in grasslands on the Iberian Península along an altitudinal gradient and two geomorphological positions in each site. Both factors were considered to determine the development of below-ground biomass. We also took Ínto consideration the experimental exclusion of livestock, considering that the presence or absence of herbivores may infiuence the aerial and underground structure of the grasslands. Using an allometric approach, we examined the relative distribution ofbelow-ground biomass with depth and its temporal variation ("construction"). We found that there is a general allometric pattern in the vertical profile ofvariation of below-ground biomass in which density is inversely proportional to the depth of the stratum raised ro· the power of 1.8 (at high elevations) and 2.5 (low elevations). The construction process of these grasslands exhibits slight variations within a common pattern. Growth of the plant canopy can be temporally limited by the action of herbivores, a more complex underground structure thereby developing, with more strata and a more even biomass distribution. An adaptive reaction to the notable Mediterranean seasonal change appears to occur but, surprisingly, may depend upon altitude rather than upon the infiuence of herbivory.