Genetic variation, phenotypic stability, and repeatability of drought response in European larch throughout 50 years in a common garden experiment

Evolvability of Drought Response in Four Native and Non-native Conifers: Opportunities for Forest and Genetic Resource Management in Europe

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.648312 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Silvio Schueler ◽

Jan-Peter George ◽

Sandra Karanitsch-Ackerl ◽

Konrad Mayer ◽

Raphael Thomas Klumpp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Norway Spruce ◽

Common Garden ◽

Tree Breeding ◽

Drought Response ◽

Silver Fir ◽

European Larch ◽

Drought Sensitivity ◽

Seed Transfer ◽

Intraspecific Genetic Variation

Intraspecific genetic variation in drought response is expected to play an important role in determining the persistence of tree populations in global change as it (1) allows for spontaneous selection and local adaptation of tree populations, (2) supports assisted seed transfer of less-drought-sensitive provenance, and (3) enables the integration of drought-sensitivity traits into tree breeding. Estimating the potential of such adaptation options requires quantitative genetic knowledge of drought sensitivity across significant parts of species distributions and a comparative assessment of genetic variation within economically and ecologically important tree species. We quantified genetic variation within and among populations of four conifers growing within common garden experiments in the drought-prone eastern Austria. This region experienced three strong drought periods between 1980 and 2010 that resulted in significant reductions in radial growth. Among the four tested species, Douglas-fir revealed the highest resistance during drought and silver fir the best recovery after drought, while European larch and Norway spruce showed the lowest resistance. High genetic variation among populations and phenotypic stability across all three drought events was found for Norway spruce and silver fir, but not for the other species. Heritability and evolvability of drought traits, both approximated via genetic repeatability, revealed strong differences among populations of all four species. Repeatability and evolvability for resistance were highest in Norway spruce and, for recovery, highest in European larch. Our comparison indicates that the mean drought sensitivity of a species is not related to the intraspecific genetic variation in drought response. Thus, also highly drought-sensitive species, such as Norway spruce and European larch, harbor significant genetic variation in drought response within and among populations to justify targeted tree breeding, assisted gene flow, and supportive forest management to foster local adaptations to future conditions.

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Quantitative-genetic variation in morphological and physiological traits within a quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) population

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x08-012 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 38 (6) ◽

pp. 1690-1694 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Megan K. Kanaga ◽

Ronald J. Ryel ◽

Karen E. Mock ◽

Michael E. Pfrender

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Populus Tremuloides ◽

Common Garden ◽

Quaking Aspen ◽

Common Garden Experiment ◽

Plant Populations ◽

Phenotypic Differences ◽

Quantitative Genetic ◽

Morphological And Physiological Traits ◽

Populus Species

Genetic diversity within populations is an important component of adaptive evolution, and recent research has demonstrated that genetic variation within plant populations can have important ecological effects. In this study, we investigate quantitative-genetic variation in several traits within a quaking aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx.) population. A common garden experiment was planted with replicates of 13 aspen genotypes collected from wet and dry sites within a population in southern Utah, USA. Ten growth, leaf, physiological, and structural traits were measured. There were significant, heritable phenotypic differences among genotypes in every measured trait and differences in 4 of the 10 traits among genotypes originating from wet and dry collection sites. The data were compared with other published studies, showing that aspen heritability (H2) estimates and coefficients of genetic variation (CVG) were comparable or higher than other Populus species and hybrid F1 Populus genotypes, indicating a large amount of quantitative-genetic variation in aspen.

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Ecological Differentiation among Genotypes of Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-09-004.1 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 410-416 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Mark Vellend ◽

Emily B. M. Drummond ◽

Jennifer L. Muir

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Resource Use ◽

Common Garden ◽

Plant Size ◽

Adult Plant ◽

Common Garden Experiment ◽

Timing Of Reproduction ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Ecological Differences ◽

Leaf Morphological Traits

We tested for ecological differences among apomictic dandelion genotypes in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in order to establish a basis for predicting potential ecological consequences of genetic variation in invading populations. A greenhouse experiment on 30 potential clonal families revealed significant among-family variation for leaf morphological traits, and molecular analyses confirmed the presence of multiple genotypes. In a field common-garden experiment on six confirmed genotypes, plant size and seed production both varied over an order of magnitude among genotypes, suggesting great potential for selection among genotypes during invasion. Genotypes also varied significantly in the timing of reproduction, which may indicate differences in the timing of resource use that could promote population performance of genotype mixtures. There was no evidence of a trade-off between adult plant fitness and seed dispersal or regeneration traits. Genetic variation in dandelion populations appears to have great potential for influencing their invasive success.

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SILICA BODIES IN CONIFER FOLIAGE: RESULTS OF A COMMON-GARDEN EXPERIMENT AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE TERRESTRIAL SILICA CYCLE

10.1130/abs/2017am-304822 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Jonathan P. Wilson ◽

◽

Nicholas M. Munves

Keyword(s):

Common Garden ◽

Common Garden Experiment ◽

History Of ◽

Silica Cycle

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Sex ratio and life history traits at reaching sexual maturity in the dioecious shrub Fuchsia parviflora: field and common garden experiments

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467421000043 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Jessica S. Ambriz ◽

Clementina González ◽

Eduardo Cuevas

Keyword(s):

Natural Population ◽

Sexual Maturity ◽

Sex Ratios ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Common Garden ◽

Common Garden Experiment ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Reproductive Biomass ◽

Common Garden Experiments ◽

Growth And Reproduction

Abstract Fuchsia parviflora is a dioecious shrub that depends on biotic pollination for reproduction. Previous studies suggest that the male plants produce more flowers, and male-biased sex ratios have been found in some natural populations. To assess whether the biased sex ratios found between genders in natural populations are present at the point at which plants reach sexual maturity, and to identify possible trade-offs between growth and reproduction, we performed a common garden experiment. Finally, to complement the information of the common garden experiment, we estimated the reproductive biomass allocation between genders in one natural population. Sex ratios at reaching sexual maturity in F. parviflora did not differ from 0.5, except in one population, which was the smallest seedling population. We found no differences between genders in terms of the probability of germination or flowering. When flowering began, female plants were taller than males and the tallest plants of both genders required more time to reach sexual maturity. Males produced significantly more flowers than females, and the number of flowers increased with plant height in both genders. Finally, in the natural population studied, the investment in reproductive biomass was seven-fold greater in female plants than in male plants. Our results showed no evidence of possible trade-offs between growth and reproduction. Despite the fact that female plants invest more in reproductive biomass, they were taller than the males after flowering, possibly at the expense of herbivory defence.

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A common garden experiment examining light use efficiency and heat sum to explain growth differences in native and exotic Pinus taeda

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2018.05.033 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 425 ◽

pp. 35-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Timothy J. Albaugh ◽

Thomas R. Fox ◽

Chris A. Maier ◽

Otávio C. Campoe ◽

Rafael A. Rubilar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pinus Taeda ◽

Common Garden ◽

Light Use Efficiency ◽

Common Garden Experiment ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Growth Differences

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Common‐garden experiment reveals clinal trends of bud phenology in black spruce populations from a latitudinal gradient in the boreal forest

Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1111/1365-2745.13582 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Xiali Guo ◽

Marcin Klisz ◽

Radosław Puchałka ◽

Roberto Silvestro ◽

Patrick Faubert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boreal Forest ◽

Latitudinal Gradient ◽

Black Spruce ◽

Common Garden ◽

Common Garden Experiment ◽

Bud Phenology

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Evidence of between-population differences in natural selection on extra-floral nectaries of the shrub Anemopaegma album (Bignoniaceae)

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2015-0201 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 94 (3) ◽

pp. 201-213

Author(s):

Anselmo Nogueira ◽

Pedro J. Rey ◽

Julio M. Alcántara ◽

Lúcia G. Lohmann

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Natural Selection ◽

Evolutionary Ecology ◽

Common Garden ◽

Phenotypic Selection ◽

Population Differences ◽

Wild Populations ◽

Neotropical Savanna ◽

Foliar Damage ◽

Floral Nectaries

Extra-floral nectaries (EFNs) are thought to represent protective adaptations against herbivory, but studies on the evolutionary ecology of EFNs have seldom been conducted. Here we investigate the patterns of natural selection and genetic variation in EFN traits in two wild populations of Anemopaegma album Mart. ex DC. (Bignoniaceae) that have been previously described as contrasting EFN – ant adapted localities in the Neotropical savanna (Cristália and Grão Mogol). In each population, four EFN descriptors, foliar damage, and reproductive success variables were measured per plant (100–120 plants per population). To estimate the heritability of EFN traits, we crossed reproductive plants in the field, and grew offspring plants in a common garden. The results showed that ant assemblages differed between populations, as did the range of foliar herbivory. Genetic variation and positive phenotypic selection in EFN abundance were only detected in the Cristália population, in which plants with more EFNs were more likely to reproduce. An evaluation of putative causal links conducted by path analysis corroborated the existence of phenotypic selection on EFNs, which was mediated by the herbivory process in the Cristália population. While EFNs could be currently under selection in Cristália, it is possible that past selection may have driven EFN traits to become locally adapted to the local ant assemblage in the Grão Mogol population.

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Light and propagule pressure affect invasion intensity of Prunus serotina in a 14-tree species forest common garden experiment

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.46.30413 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 1-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andrzej M. Jagodziński ◽

Marcin K. Dyderski ◽

Paweł Horodecki ◽

Kathleen S. Knight ◽

Katarzyna Rawlik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aboveground Biomass ◽

Tree Species ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Light Availability ◽

Common Garden ◽

Additive Models ◽

Common Garden Experiment ◽

Tree Stand ◽

Biomass Increment ◽

The Impact

Experiments testing multiple factors that affect the rate of invasions in forests are scarce. We aimed to assess how the biomass of invasive Prunusserotina changed over eight years and how this change was affected by light availability, tree stand growth, and propagule pressure. The study was conducted in Siemianice Experimental Forest (W Poland), a common garden forest experiment with 14 tree species. We investigated aboveground biomass and density of P.serotina within 53 experimental plots with initial measurements in 2005 and repeated in 2013. We also measured light availability and distance from seed sources. We used generalized additive models to assess the impact of particular predictors on P.serotina biomass in 2013 and its relative change over eight years. The relative biomass increments of P.serotina ranged from 0 to 22,000-fold. The success of P.serotina, expressed as aboveground biomass and biomass increment, varied among different tree species stands, but was greater under conifers. Total biomass of P.serotina depended on light and propagule availability while biomass increment depended on the change in tree stand biomass, a metric corresponding to tree stand maturation. Our study quantified the range of invasion intensity, expressed as biomass increment, in a forest common garden experiment with 14 tree species. Canopy cover was the most important variable to reduce susceptibility to invasion by P.serotina. Even a modest decrease of overstory biomass, e.g. caused by dieback of coniferous species, may be risky in areas with high propagule pressure from invasive tree species. Thus, P.serotina control may include maintaining high canopy closure and supporting natural regeneration of tree species with high leaf area index, which shade the understory.

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