Genetic Adaptation vs. Ecophysiological Plasticity of Photosynthetic-Related Traits in Young Picea glauca Trees along a Regional Climatic Gradient

Abstract

Assisted population migration (APM) is the intentional movement of populations within a species range to sites where future environmental conditions are projected to be more conducive to growth. APM has been proposed as a proactive adaptation strategy to maintain forest productivity and to reduce the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to projected climate change. The validity of such a strategy will depend on the adaptation capacity of populations, which can partially be evaluated by the ecophysiological response of different genetic sources along a climatic gradient. This adaptation capacity results from the compromise between (i) the degree of genetic adaptation of seed sources to their environment of origin and (ii) the phenotypic plasticity of functional trait which can make it possible for transferred seed sources to positively respond to new growing conditions. We examined phenotypic variation in morphophysiological traits of six seed sources of white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) along a regional climatic gradient in Québec, Canada. Seedlings from the seed sources were planted at three forest sites representing a mean annual temperature (MAT) gradient of 2.2°C. During the second growing season, we measured height growth (H2014) and traits related to resources use efficiency and photosynthetic rate (Amax). All functional traits showed an adaptive response to the climatic gradient. Traits such as H2014, Amax, stomatal conductance (gs), the ratio of mesophyll to stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, and photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency showed significant variation in both physiological plasticity due to the planting site and seed source variation related to local genetic adaptation. However, the amplitude of seed source variation was much less than that related to plantation sites in the area investigated. The six seed sources showed a similar level of physiological plasticity. H2014, Amax and gs, but not carboxylation capacity (Vcmax), were correlated and decreased with a reduction of the average temperature of the growing season at seed origin. The clinal variation in H2014 and Amax appeared to be driven by CO2 conductance. The presence of locally adapted functional traits suggests that the use of APM may have advantages for optimizing seed source productivity in future local climates.

Adaptive variation in physiological traits of beech provenances in Central Europe

“…Moreover, our results pointed to positive effect of increasing amount of precipitation and negative effect of increasing temperature to gas exchange. Also, the highest values of Amax and gs were recorded in Picea glauca trees growing on the site with the higher precipitation and lower mean annual temperature (Benomar et al 2016). …”

Selection of shade trees in forest restoration plantings should not be based on crown tree architecture alone

“…Thus, variability in tree architecture among species may be an important feature determining the best shade species for use in forest restoration plantings. Moreover, variation in shading capacity can occur among individuals of the same species at different sites (Róman‐Dañobeytia et al ; Jucker et al ; Benomar et al ; Carvalho & Ribeiro ) or for a single individual throughout the year because of deciduousness and leaf phenology (Souza & Batista ). Forests in seasonal climates contain tree species that lose their leaves during the dry season (Reich ; Linares‐Palomino et al ), causing reductions in shading, which may potentially favor the growth of grasses.…”

Geo-climatic gradient shapes functional trait variations inSalix eriocephalaMichx

“…Correlations between trait variation and geo-climatic factors may suggest the adaptive selection pressure exerted on a trait, thus demonstrating its adaptive significance. A negative latitudinal cline in tree height growth has been reported for deciduous (McKown et al 2014a) and conifer seeds sourced from different provenances (Benomar et al 2016). Although the height growth of trees is limited by growing conditions at high latitudes, it is not the case at low latitudes.…”