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Local Adaptation Drives Leaf Thermoregulation in Tropical Rainforest Trees.

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Title: Local Adaptation Drives Leaf Thermoregulation in Tropical Rainforest Trees.
Authors: Middleby, Kali B.1,2 (AUTHOR) kalimiddleby@gmail.com, Jordan, Rebecca3 (AUTHOR), Cheesman, Alexander W.1,4 (AUTHOR), Rossetto, Maurizio5 (AUTHOR), Breed, Martin F.6 (AUTHOR), Crayn, Darren M.7,8 (AUTHOR), Cernusak, Lucas A.1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Global Change Biology. Sep2025, Vol. 31 Issue 9, p1-18. 18p.
Subject Terms: *Biological adaptation, *Biodiversity, *Climate change, Leaf temperature, Biological divergence, Thermal stability, Tropical forests, Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area (Qld.), Heat capacity
Abstract: Tropical forests play a critical role in biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation, but are increasingly affected by heatwaves and droughts. Vulnerability to warming may vary within and between species because of phenotypic divergence. Leaf trait variation can affect leaf operating temperatures—a phenomenon termed 'limited homeothermy' when it helps avoid heat damage in warmer conditions. However, evidence for this capacity and the relative roles of acclimation or adaptation remain limited. We measured photosynthetic heat tolerance and leaf thermal traits of three co‐occurring rainforest tree species across a thermal gradient in the Australian Wet Tropics. Using a leaf energy balance model parameterised with field‐measured traits, we predicted variation in leaf‐to‐air temperature differences (∆Ttrait) and resulting thermal safety margins. We combined this with individual‐based genome‐wide data to detect signals of adaptive divergence and validated findings in a glasshouse trial with provenances grown under contrasting temperature and humidity conditions. Intraspecific trait variation reduced ∆Ttrait and increased heat tolerance in warmer sites for Darlingia darlingiana and Elaeocarpus grandis, but not Cardwellia sublimis. As a result, thermal safety margins declined less steeply with increasing growth temperature in species capable of increased heat tolerance and avoidance, indicating these strategies can effectively buffer warming. All species showed genomic signals of selection, with associations to temperature and moisture variables. In E. grandis, glasshouse results confirmed a negative cline in ∆Ttrait with temperature of origin. Although contrasting growth temperature and humidity lead to acclimation of individual traits, their coordination maintained ∆Ttrait across the conditions imposed. Our findings provide evidence of limited homeothermy and suggest climate gradients have selected for trait combinations that reduce leaf temperatures at warmer sites in some but not all species. Given the rapid pace of climate change, those species with limited capacity to adjust their thermal safety margins through acclimation or adaptation may be at greater risk of local extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Global Change Biology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Local Adaptation Drives Leaf Thermoregulation in Tropical Rainforest Trees.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Middleby%2C+Kali+B%2E%22">Middleby, Kali B.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> kalimiddleby@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jordan%2C+Rebecca%22">Jordan, Rebecca</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cheesman%2C+Alexander+W%2E%22">Cheesman, Alexander W.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rossetto%2C+Maurizio%22">Rossetto, Maurizio</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Breed%2C+Martin+F%2E%22">Breed, Martin F.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Crayn%2C+Darren+M%2E%22">Crayn, Darren M.</searchLink><relatesTo>7,8</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cernusak%2C+Lucas+A%2E%22">Cernusak, Lucas A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Global+Change+Biology%22">Global Change Biology</searchLink>. Sep2025, Vol. 31 Issue 9, p1-18. 18p.
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  Data: Tropical forests play a critical role in biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation, but are increasingly affected by heatwaves and droughts. Vulnerability to warming may vary within and between species because of phenotypic divergence. Leaf trait variation can affect leaf operating temperatures—a phenomenon termed 'limited homeothermy' when it helps avoid heat damage in warmer conditions. However, evidence for this capacity and the relative roles of acclimation or adaptation remain limited. We measured photosynthetic heat tolerance and leaf thermal traits of three co‐occurring rainforest tree species across a thermal gradient in the Australian Wet Tropics. Using a leaf energy balance model parameterised with field‐measured traits, we predicted variation in leaf‐to‐air temperature differences (∆Ttrait) and resulting thermal safety margins. We combined this with individual‐based genome‐wide data to detect signals of adaptive divergence and validated findings in a glasshouse trial with provenances grown under contrasting temperature and humidity conditions. Intraspecific trait variation reduced ∆Ttrait and increased heat tolerance in warmer sites for Darlingia darlingiana and Elaeocarpus grandis, but not Cardwellia sublimis. As a result, thermal safety margins declined less steeply with increasing growth temperature in species capable of increased heat tolerance and avoidance, indicating these strategies can effectively buffer warming. All species showed genomic signals of selection, with associations to temperature and moisture variables. In E. grandis, glasshouse results confirmed a negative cline in ∆Ttrait with temperature of origin. Although contrasting growth temperature and humidity lead to acclimation of individual traits, their coordination maintained ∆Ttrait across the conditions imposed. Our findings provide evidence of limited homeothermy and suggest climate gradients have selected for trait combinations that reduce leaf temperatures at warmer sites in some but not all species. Given the rapid pace of climate change, those species with limited capacity to adjust their thermal safety margins through acclimation or adaptation may be at greater risk of local extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Global Change Biology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/gcb.70461
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Biological adaptation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biodiversity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Climate change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leaf temperature
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biological divergence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal stability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tropical forests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area (Qld.)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heat capacity
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Local Adaptation Drives Leaf Thermoregulation in Tropical Rainforest Trees.
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            NameFull: Middleby, Kali B.
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            NameFull: Jordan, Rebecca
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            NameFull: Cheesman, Alexander W.
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            NameFull: Rossetto, Maurizio
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            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Text: Sep2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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            – TitleFull: Global Change Biology
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