Phenotypic plasticity blurs ecotypic divergence in the response of Quercus coccifera and Pinus halepensis to water stress

The Mediterranean evergreen woody plants Quercus coccifera and Pinus halepensis grow in a range of environments where selection by drought, heat and high irradiance can drive genetic and phenotypic differentiation of populations. However, the role of these stresses in filtering out maladaptive genotypes remains unknown. We hypothesize that this filtering is an important process for woody Mediterranean species due to their low phenotypic plasticity reported in previous studies. We have studied the response of saplings of Q. coccifera and P. halepensis, originating from two contrasting populations (a rock outcrop and a garrigue formation), to water stress. Isozyme characterization of genetic diversity was done to determine whether populations were genetically distinct. Water response analysis was based on water relations, gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, pigment content, antioxidant status and morphological and structural parameters. Ecotypic differentiation was found for both Q. coccifera and P. halepensis populations, with a higher population isozyme similarity and a higher frequency of dominance of a few genotypes at the rock outcrop in both the species. P. halepensis exhibited small but significant differences between populations for plastic responses to water, with lower phenotypic plasticity in saplings from the rock outcrop. Although it was not found in Q. coccifera, this pattern suggests that ecotypic differentiation rendering stress-tolerant ecotypes involves a decreased plasticity. Phenotypic plasticity was not high but it explained over 75% of the total variability among individual plants. Thus, and although evidence for ecotypic divergence was found in both the species, saplings were plastic enough to blur ecotypic differentiation.