No abstract

Norway spruce has a broad natural distribution range, which results in a substantial variety of its physiological and genetic variation. There are three distinct altitudinal ecotypes described in this tree species. The physiological optimum of each ecotype may be shifted due to ongoing climate change, especially in traits associated with water demand that might be crucial for adaptation. Dehydrins are proteins that help to mitigate the adverse effects of dehydration. Dehydrin gene expression patterns appeared to be a suitable marker for plant stress assessment. Genetically determined differences in response between individuals and populations were formerly studied, however, mainly in controlled conditions. We evaluated ecotypic variation in dehydrin gene expression in a clonal bank comprised of all three ecotypes. A genetic relationship among targeted trees was uncovered utilizing GBS (Genotyping by Sequencing) platform. We sampled 4–6 trees of each ecotype throughout 15 months period. Subsequently, we assessed the RNA expression of dehydrin genes by qRT-PCR. For this study, we deliberately selected dehydrins from different categories. Our findings detected significant differences among ecotypes in dehydrin expression. The association of recorded climatic variables and individual gene expression across the study period was evaluated and revealed, for certain genes, a correlation between dehydrin gene expression and precipitation, temperature, and day-length.

Norway spruce has a wide natural distribution range, harboring substantial physiological and genetic variation. There are three altitudinal ecotypes described in this species. Each ecotype has been shaped by natural selection and retains morphological and physiological characteristics. Foliar spectral reflectance is readily used in evaluating the physiological status of crops and forest ecosystems. However, underlying genetics of foliar spectral reflectance and pigment content in forest trees has rarely been investigated. We assessed the reflectance in a clonal bank comprising three ecotypes in two dates covering different vegetation season conditions. Significant seasonal differences in spectral reflectance among Norway spruce ecotypes were manifested in a wide-ranging reflectance spectrum. We estimated significant heritable variation and uncovered phenotypic and genetic correlations among growth and physiological traits through bivariate linear models utilizing spatial corrections. We confirmed the relative importance of the red edge within the context of the study site’s ecotypic variation. When interpreting these findings, growth traits such as height, diameter, crown length, and crown height allowed us to estimate variable correlations across the reflectance spectrum, peaking in most cases in wavelengths connected to water content in plant tissues. Finally, significant differences among ecotypes in reflectance and other correlated traits were detected.