The eco-evolutionary significance of rainfall constancy for facultative CAM photosynthesis

A flexible use of the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) has been hypothesised to represent an intermediate stage along a C-3 to full CAM evolutionary continuum, when relative contributions of C-3 vs CAM metabolism are co-determined by evolutionary history and prevailing environmental constraints. However, evidence for such eco-evolutionary interdependencies is lacking. We studied these interdependencies for the leaf-succulent genus Drosanthemum (Aizoaceae, Southern African Succulent Karoo) by testing for relationships between leaf delta C-13 diagnostic for CAM dependence (i.e. contribution of C-3 and CAM to net carbon gain), and climatic variables related to temperature and precipitation and their temporal variation. We further quantified the effects of shared phylogenetic ancestry on CAM dependence and its relation to climate. CAM dependence is predicted by rainfall and its temporal variation, with high predictive power of rainfall constancy (temporal entropy). The predictive power of rainfall seasonality and temperature-related variables was negligible. Evolutionary history of the tested clades significantly affected the relationship between rainfall constancy and CAM dependence. We argue that higher CAM dependence might provide an adaptive advantage in increasingly unpredictable rainfall environments when the anatomic exaptation (succulence) is already present. These observations might shed light on the evolution of full CAM.

Automated summary

This study found that rainfall and its temporal variation can predict CAM dependence in the leaf-succulent genus Drosanthemum, with high predictive power of rainfall constancy. The predictive power of rainfall seasonality and temperature-related variables was negligible. The evolutionary history of the tested clades significantly affected the relationship between rainfall constancy and CAM dependence.