Fluctuating Asymmetry as a Measure of Stress in Natural Populations of Woody Plants: Influence of Ecological and Geographical Factors on Developmental Stability

Abstract

Fluctuating asymmetry is a sensitive indicator of favorable conditions during the period of individual development. The influence of climatic factors, biotopic conditions, latitude, altitude, and age of plants from the natural populations of the silver birch Betula pendula Roth was analyzed. The material consisted of 13,000 leaves of the silver birch from 11 regions of north-eastern Siberia. The influence of 23 climatic factors and six integrated coefficients characterizing the general suitability of the climate, as well as summer, winter, spring, and autumn was analyzed. The developmental stability of woody plants and, consequently, the level of the FA of the lamina in natural biotopes can vary in a wide range. We found that climatic factors, mainly conditions in the warm season, have a significant impact. We also noted the influence of the age, biotope, and light conditions. For Betula pendula, an increase in FA was registered on the ecological periphery of its range, i.e., on the edge of the forest belt in the north and in the mountains. The data obtained demonstrate the high influence of natural stress-inducing factors on development stability in plants.