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David J Gibson

@davidjgibson.bsky.social

Writer, retired academic, botanist, and plant ecologist. Passionate about #prairies. ☕️🏊‍♂️🏃🚴✍️. Latest 📕Routledge Handbook of Grasslands Join me on my socials: linktr.ee/davidgibson

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David J Gibson@davidjgibson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I'm really proud of this new paper with my friend Greg Cheplick. I hope you like it. Population and Ecotypic Differentiation in the Poaceae: Past and Present Approaches. The Botanical Review. 2026. #grasses #ecotypes #grassland #evolution doi.org/10.1007/s122...

Population and Ecotypic Differentiation in the Poaceae: Past and Present Approaches - The Botanical Review

Incorporation of evolutionary theory into experimental investigations of natural populations was important to the development of plant ecology. We review the prominent role grasses (Poaceae) have played in this historical development. Beginning in the 1920s, the ecotype concept prompted researchers to investigate genetically based differentiation in agronomically important forage grasses using common gardens, first in relation to climatological and biotic factors (grazing and competition), and later in relation to latitude and elevation at collection sites. Adaptive variation was documented for populations in relation to edaphic factors such as soil nutrients and moisture, salinity, serpentine conditions, and heavy metals. Molecular analyses using allozyme and DNA markers show selection favors specific genetic loci in grass populations from different habitats or under changing climatic conditions. Consistent with theoretical expectations for breeding-system effects on genetic structure, highly outcrossing grass species show lower molecular variation among populations and greater variation within populations. In contrast, highly selfing grasses show more genetic variation partitioned among populations and correspndingly reduced variation within populations. Progress has been made in identifying quantitative trait loci important to genetic differentiation in phenotypic traits. Biotic factors such as herbivory, competition and microbial symbionts can act as agents of natural selection and adaptation in grass species. Despite inconsistencies in usage, “ecotype” persists in the literature, but the term has value as evidenced by recent adaptation studies in the Poaceae. Applications of the ecotype concept include reclamation and phytoremediation of sites polluted by metalliferous wastes, restoration of habitats, evolutionary responses to a changing climate, and adaptation of weedy and invasive species.

doi.org

David J Gibson@davidjgibson.bsky.social · 4mo ago

We find that diversity-productivity relationships are not as simple as a unimodal relationship. Ren et al. Ecotypic Identity and Manipulated Rainfall Modulate Diversity-Productivity Relationships Across a Precipitation Gradient. @ecol-evol.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Ecotypic Identity and Manipulated Rainfall Modulate Diversity‐Productivity Relationships Across a Precipitation Gradient

Understanding how diversity-productivity relationships vary across environmental contexts is critical for predicting grassland responses to climate change and guiding restoration. Using a reciprocal ...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

David J Gibson@davidjgibson.bsky.social · 5mo ago

𝐒𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤. Did you know that forensic botany evidence was key to his conviction? I talk about this evidence on pp 78-79 in my book 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐶𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠: 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠. doi.org/10.1093/oso/... www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03...

telegraph.co.uk

David J Gibson@davidjgibson.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Publication alert. Just accepted @jpecol.bsky.social Li, K., Y Wang, X Wang, BS Foster, AJ Wood, DJ. Gibson, G Li. Li, K., et al. Increasing precipitation exacerbates the negative effect of nitrogen addition on diversity of semi-arid steppe early in the growing season. Congratulations Kunyu! 🎉