Researchers from the University of Pretoria were part of a groundbreaking study that seeks to help us learn more about how plants adapt to extreme environments and how they can survive in a changing world.
Pretoria, South Africa (30 September 2024) – So, many people may know that plants such as the cactus and agave thrive in hot and dry conditions, like the desert. But have you ever wondered how this is biologically possible, considering just how harsh that environment is?
Well, the University of Pretoria (UP) has been involved in a groundbreaking international study that has shed new light on the remarkable adaptations of plants thriving in the harsh conditions of drylands.
By analysing data from over 1,300 plant species across six continents, scientists discovered that these resilient organisms have evolved a diverse array of survival strategies to cope with arid environments.
The results of this large-scale study, which involved 120 scientists from 27 countries, were recently published in the scientific journal Nature and have significant implications for protecting biodiversity as the planet warms and regions become drier.
UP researchers contributed datasets from South African drylands, with sampling being carried out in the vicinities of Graaff Reinet and Prince Albert in the central Karoo and around Lichtenburg in the North-West province.
“These sites provided unique data as South Africa’s drylands are particularly rich in plant species compared with many of the other sites included in the study,” said Professor Peter le Roux of UP’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences who was involved in the study.
Le Roux explained that South Africa is very arid, with 85% of the country defined as drylands, not just areas like the Karoo or the Kalahari.
“Despite this, these drylands feature exceptionally diverse flora, including the Succulent Karoo, a biome along the West Coast that usually receives less than 200mm of rain annually yet hosts more than 6 000 plant species. Many of these aren’t found anywhere else on Earth,” he added.
Why the arid plant study was necessary
Earth is home to a diversity of plants with highly varied forms and functions. This extraordinary morphological, physiological and biochemical diversity determines how plants adapt and respond to ongoing global changes, with significant consequences for the functioning of ecosystems.
Yet, 90% of current knowledge on the functional diversity of plants concerns only agricultural ecosystems and temperate zones. By contrast, drylands are under-represented in the data. These important zones are now directly threatened by increases in aridity, grazing pressure and desertification.
How plants respond to such pressures needs to be understood to more accurately predict how these fragile ecosystems will respond in terms of their biodiversity and functioning.
This worldwide investigation of the functional diversity of plants in arid zones was carried out to meet this urgent need.
Study reveals how plants adapt to extreme environments
During the massive study, scientists found that plants in dry places have many different ways to survive. Some plants have developed high calcium levels, strengthening cell walls to protect themselves from the heat, while others have a lot of salt to help them retain water.
Although there are fewer different kinds of plants in dry places compared to other places, these plants have a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and abilities.
The scientists also found that plants are more likely to survive in dry places if they are alone and don’t have to compete with other plants for resources. This is because they can develop unique traits that help them survive.
The findings of this study have significant implications for understanding and protecting biodiversity in a warming world.
As regions become drier and desertification threatens ecosystems, understanding how plants adapt to arid conditions is essential for predicting their response and developing effective conservation strategies.
Sources: University of Pretoria
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