The objectives of this work were to analyze how
biodiversity and adaptation to Mediterranean climate
is reflected in a diversity of ecophysiological
traits and their responses to drought, and to study
whether such diversity was related to growth forms
and endemicity. The analysis covered the germination
capacity, the effects of drought on seedling growth,
the leaf ecophysiological responses to drought, and
the adaptation of Rubisco specificity, in 24
Mediterranean species from the Balearic Islands. A
wide range of variation has been observed among the
species, with about half of this variability
associated to different growth forms. However, no
differentiation was found between endemic and non-
endemic species of the Balearic Islands. The high
diversity in the ecophysiological traits and their
responses to drought found among Mediterranean
species must be considered as a resource to
identify target adaptive traits for breeding plans,
but also as a genetic bank to improve crop
productivity.
biodiversity and adaptation to Mediterranean climate
is reflected in a diversity of ecophysiological
traits and their responses to drought, and to study
whether such diversity was related to growth forms
and endemicity. The analysis covered the germination
capacity, the effects of drought on seedling growth,
the leaf ecophysiological responses to drought, and
the adaptation of Rubisco specificity, in 24
Mediterranean species from the Balearic Islands. A
wide range of variation has been observed among the
species, with about half of this variability
associated to different growth forms. However, no
differentiation was found between endemic and non-
endemic species of the Balearic Islands. The high
diversity in the ecophysiological traits and their
responses to drought found among Mediterranean
species must be considered as a resource to
identify target adaptive traits for breeding plans,
but also as a genetic bank to improve crop
productivity.