From the Arctic Circle to the Canadian prairies – a case study of silver birch acclimation capacity

Abstract

. 2012. From the Arctic Circle to the Canadian prairies -a case study of silver birch acclimation capacity. Silva Fennica 46(3): 355-364.Earlier provenance research has indicated poor success even in short distance transfers (> 2-3° latitude) of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) southward from their origin. These results may indicate poor adaptability of silver birch to a warming climate. Some of the scenarios for a warming climate in Finland suggest effective heat sums are likely to double in the north and increase 1.5 fold in the south for the period of 2070-2099. Consequently, the outlook for silver birch appears bleak. To study the acclimation of birch to this projected change we established a provenance trial in northeastern Alberta, Canada, at the temperature area currently predicted for Central Finland (lat. 64-66°N) at the turn of this century (1400 dd). Our 10-year experiment showed that all the Finnish provenances (origins 61-67°N) have acclimated well to the warmer growth conditions experienced in Alberta at 54°N. These results suggest that silver birch has the potential to acclimate to thermal conditions predicted for Finland at the end of the 21st century. Our results also indicate that silver birch has the potential as a plantation species in Canada, where the Finnish birch grew faster in the boreal forest region of Canada than local paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) provenances.

Potential of Birch (Betula pendula Roth and B. pubescens Ehrh.) for Forestry and Forest-Based Industry Sector within the Changing Climatic and Socio-Economic Context of Western Europe

“…Because of the inherent genetic variability and phenotypic plasticity, birch is able to adapt by natural selection to a wide range of sites and changing environmental conditions (e.g., [36][37][38]). For example, there are reports on genotype-dependent leaf area variations and root architecture adjustments in response to experimental warming or drought (e.g., [33][34][35]) and studies describing a proper acclimation of provenances when tested in warmer and drier regions [39].…”

New evidence for the importance of soil nitrogen on the survival and adaptation of silver birch to climate warming

“…Notwithstanding, the results from commercial forestry and common garden experiments indicate large acclimation capacity (i.e., nongenetic acclimation to prevailing environmental conditions) for photoperiod (Han et al 1985, Rousi et al 2012, Hayatgheibi et al 2019, Spiecker et al 2019) and for many species rapid evolutionary change should be possible in response to warming (Berteaux 2004, Hamrick 2004). In this context, the genetic composition of natural populations is essential for adaptation (i.e., genetic adaptation to environmental conditions), with high genetic variation facilitating rapid adaptation to new conditions (Hamrick et al 1992, Mueller et al 2017).…”

“…Greenhouse experiments have indeed shown strong latitudinal clines such that compared with southern populations, northern populations start growth at lower temperature sums in spring (Myking and Heide 1995) and cease growth earlier in autumn (Li et al 2005, Viherä‐Aarnio et al 2005). However, results from field experiments are less clear (Raulo and Koski 1977, Han et al 1985, Hannah 1987, Rousi et al 2012, Viherä‐Aarnio et al 2013, Michelson et al 2018). Han et al (1985), Hannah (1987), Raulo and Koski (1977), and Rousi et al (2012) found no effect on growth and survival after a transfer of up to 24° latitude, whereas Viherä‐Aarnio et al (2013) found a sharp decrease in survival and growth after a transfer of 2° latitude, with the response strongly modified by the common garden site.…”

Birch as a Model Species for the Acclimation and Adaptation of Northern Forest Ecosystem to Changing Environment

“…Transfer of silver birch provenances in field experiments has, however, produced mixed results for fitness and survival and more research is needed for resistance traits. Viherä-Aarnio et al ( 2013) indicated that long transfers (>2 latitudes) lead to a sharp decrease in survival and growth, while successful long-distance transfers of Finnish birches have been reported in North America and South Korea (Han et al, 1985;Rousi et al, 2012).…”