Colobanthus quitensis
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Antarctic Pearlwort.jpg
|image_caption = Antarctic pearlwort at St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia Island
|genus = Colobanthus
|species = quitensis
|authority = (Kunth) Bartl.{{Cite POWO|id=152837-1|title=Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl.|access-date=27 January 2020}}
|synonyms =
{{Species list
| Colobanthus alatus | Pax
| Colobanthus aretioides | Gillies ex Hook.
| Colobanthus billardieri | Fenzl
| Colobanthus cherlerioides | Hook.f.
| Colobanthus crassifolius | (d'Urv.) Hook.f.
| Colobanthus maclovianus | Gand.
| Colobanthus meingeni | Phil.
| Colobanthus saginoides | Bartl.
| Sagina crassifolia | d'Urv.
| Sagina graminifolia | Wedd.
| Sagina magellanica | Willd. ex F.Phil.
| Sagina quitensis | Kunth
}}
}}
Colobanthus quitensis, also known as the Antarctic pearlwort, is one of two native flowering plants found in the Antarctic region, the other being Antarctic hair grass.{{Cite web|last = Kozeretska|first = Iryna|title = The Herbarium of Antarctic Vascular Plants |publisher = National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv |date = 2005|url = http://www.terreco.univ.kiev.ua/antarctic-research/herb?s%5B%5D=vascular&s%5B%5D=plants|access-date = 9 February 2015}} It has yellow flowers and grows about {{Convert|5|cm|in|abbr=off|0}} tall, giving it a moss-like appearance. Due to climate change, the species has been spreading rapidly, particularly to areas outside Antarctica.
Description
File:Colobanthus quitensis (H.B.K.) Bart (Caryophyllaceae) (39733512800).jpg
Colobanthus quitensis has yellow flowers and grows about {{Convert|5|cm|in|abbr=off|0}} tall, with a cushion-like growth habit that gives it a moss-like appearance. It is an angiosperm, meaning that it is a plant that produces flowers, and is capable of asexual reproduction.{{Cite journal |last1=Gianoli |first1=Ernesto |last2=Inostroza |first2=Patricia |last3=Zúñiga-Feest |first3=Alejandra |last4=Reyes-Díaz |first4=Marjorie |last5=Cavieres |first5=Lohengrin A. |last6=Bravo |first6=León A. |last7=Corcuera |first7=Luis J. |title=Ecotypic Differentiation in Morphology and Cold Resistance in Populations of Colobanthus quitensis (Caryophyllaceae) from the Andes of Central Chile and the Maritime Antarctic |journal=Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |date=2004-11-01 |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=484–489 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1657/1523-0430(2004)036%5B0484:EDIMAC%5D2.0.CO;2 |doi=10.1657/1523-0430(2004)036[0484:EDIMAC]2.0.CO;2 |issn=1523-0430}} It relies on wind pollination because of the lack of bees and other pollinating insects in the Antarctic region. Although it is moss-like, Colobanthus quitensis is a tracheophyte, or vascular plant, meaning that it contains vascular tissues called the phloem and xylem.{{Cite journal|author1=Rudolph, E. D. |date=Apr 1965| title = Antarctic Lichens and Vascular Plants: Their Significance | journal = BioScience| volume = 15| issue = 4| pages = 285–287| doi = 10.2307/1293425| jstor = 1293425| publisher = American Institute of Biological Sciences}}
= Symbiosis =
Endophytic fungi have been found living inside of the leaves of Colobanthus quitensis, including saprobic and pathogenic fungal species. Research studies have shown that these fungi are able to produce melanin in their hyphae, which may be the reason they are able to withstand freezing temperatures.{{Cite journal |url=https://academic.oup.com/femsec/article/73/1/178/645451 |access-date=2024-12-06 |journal=FEMS Microbiology Ecology|doi=10.1111/j.1574-6941.2010.00872.x |title=Endophytic fungi community associated with the dicotyledonous plant Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. (Caryophyllaceae) in Antarctica |date=2010 |last1=Rosa |first1=Luiz Henrique |last2=Almeida Vieira |first2=Mariana de Lourdes |last3=Santiago |first3=Iara Furtado |last4=Rosa |first4=Carlos Augusto |volume=73 |issue=1 |pages=no |pmid=20455944 }} The presence of these endophytic fungi have been shown to increase plant performance.Torres-Diaz, Cristian, et al. "Biological interactions and simulated climate change modulates the ecophysiological performance of Colobanthus quitensis in the Antarctic ecosystem." PLoS One 11.10 (2016): e0164844.
Distribution
Colobanthus quitensis is found on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, on South Georgia, South Shetland, the Falklands, and the Andes, becoming increasingly rare northwards, but reaching Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, with a further isolated population in Mexico.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-17 |title=COLOBANTHUS QUITENSIS (Kunth) Bartl {{!}} BOTANY.cz |url=http://botany.cz/cs/colobanthus-quitensis/ |access-date=2024-11-25 |language=cs}} It is one of two flowering plants native to Antarctica, the other being Deschampsia antarctica.{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Geetika |date=2023-10-05 |title=Climate Change in Antarctica Has Given Rise to Blooming Flowers |url=https://earth.org/antarcticas-floral-awakening-how-climate-change-is-transforming-the-continents-ecosystem/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Earth.Org |language=en}}
=Climate change=
File:Colobanthus-quitensis-parnikoza-2014-1.jpg
Within Antarctica, due to climate change, more seeds are germinating, creating a large number of seedlings and plants. Reports indicate a fivefold increase in these plants, which have extended their ranges southward and cover more extensive areas. Research found that the Antarctic pearlwort spread nearly ten times faster during the period 2009 through 2018 compared to between 1960 and 2009. Although future climate change may relieve environmental stress and increase the plants ability to photosynthesize, warming may reduce the plants ability to resist freezing temperatures.{{Cite journal |last1=Acuña-Rodríguez |first1=Ian S. |last2=Torres-Díaz |first2=Cristian |last3=Hereme |first3=Rasme |last4=Molina-Montenegro |first4=Marco A. |date=2017-09-18 |title=Asymmetric responses to simulated global warming by populations of Colobanthus quitensis along a latitudinal gradient |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=5 |pages=e3718 |doi=10.7717/peerj.3718 |doi-access=free |pmid=28948096 |pmc=5607920 |issn=2167-8359}} These plants are most vulnerable during the spring, when the Antarctic ice melts.Edwards, J. A., and Ronald IL Smith. "Photosynthesis and respiration of Colobanthus quitensis and Deschampsia antarctica from the maritime Antarctic." British Antarctic Survey Bulletin 81 (1988): 43-63. Furthermore, due to regional warming and human activity, non-native Antarctic species may colonize Antarctica and make it more difficult for native species to survive.{{Cite journal |last1=Molina-Montenegro |first1=Marco A. |last2=Carrasco-Urra |first2=Fernando |last3=Rodrigo |first3=Cristian |last4=Convey |first4=Peter |last5=Valladares |first5=Fernando |last6=Gianoli |first6=Ernesto |date=2012 |title=Occurrence of the Non-Native Annual Bluegrass on the Antarctic Mainland and Its Negative Effects on Native Plants |url=https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01865.x |journal=Conservation Biology |language=en |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=717–723 |doi=10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01865.x |pmid=22624790 |bibcode=2012ConBi..26..717M |issn=1523-1739|url-access=subscription }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Colobanthus quitensis|Colobanthus quitensis}}
- {{Wikispecies-inline|Colobanthus quitensis|Colobanthus quitensis}}
- [https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/antarctica/wildlife/plants/ British Antarctic Survey - Plants]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050926225500/http://www.climatehotmap.org/photos/photoevent117.html Pearlwort & Hairgrass picture]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q571413}}
Category:Flora of South Georgia Island
Category:Flora of the Falkland Islands