Genetic Variance and Covariance Patterns of Growth and Survival in Northern Pinus sylvestris

Abstract

The amount of additive genetic and environmental variance for tree height and field survival, and the genetic relationship between the traits were estimated using data from half-sib progenies of Swedish and Finnish Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plus-trees, assessed in 18 single-tree plot progeny trials. The progeny trials were established in northern Sweden and comprised 9 Á/13-yrold, Finnish polycross progenies or Swedish open-pollinated progenies. In total across the trials, 71 630 individual trees from 888 families were included in the study. At the overall level, the additive genetic coefficient of variation ranged between 3.1 and 16.3% for height and between 0 and 27.9% for survival, with averages of 9.5% and 14.2%, respectively. Narrow-sense heritabilities were moderate to low, with averages across trials of 0.11 for height and 0.06 for survival. At the within-population level, estimates of genetic correlation between height and survival were mostly large and positive, with an arithmetic mean and standard error across trials of 0.479/0.39.

Relationship between autumn cold hardiness and field performance in northern Pinus sylvestris

“…The ranges of ĥ 2 and CV A values for tree vitality, tree height, quality traits and M. pinitorqua damage are consistent with earlier investigations of northern Scots pine populations (Andersson and Danell 1997, Haapanen et al 1997, Hannrup et al 2000, Olsson and Ericsson 2002, Persson and Andersson 2003, Zhelev et al 2003, demon-strating the expression of the traits in the present study to be representative of this species. In a survey of 13 Scots pine progeny trials (5-39 years old) in southern Sweden, Jansson et al (2003) found that individual tree heritability for height increased slightly over time, whereas in a study of 26 Scots pine progeny trials in Finland Haapanen (2001) found no systematic time trends in tree height heritability for trees between the ages of 5 and 18 years.…”

“…Persson and Andersson (2003) provided support for this approach as they found close agreement among additive genetic correlations between tree height and tree vitality that were estimated at both the family level and at overall levels, in a study of northern Swedish and Finnish Scots pine populations.…”

“…Strong clinal correlations at the population level between autumn cold acclimation and seed origin have also been found in several artificial freeze test studies (Andersson 1986, Andersson 1992, Aho 1994, Sundblad and Andersson 1995, Nilsson 2001. Furthermore, considerable variation has been reported in field survival rates among different families within northern Scots pine populations (Eriksson et al 1976, Persson andAndersson 2003), and in the degree of injury in artificial freeze tests during autumn cold acclimation among first-year seedlings representing different Scots pine families from narrow geographical areas in northern Sweden and Finland (Norell et al 1986, Andersson 1992, Aho 1994.…”

“…As for field survival rates, large among-and within-population variations in tree growth have been reported in northern Scots pine material (Eriksson et al 1976, Persson andAndersson 2003). In field trials of 11 to 13-year-old relatives Nilsson et al (1991) found significant positive correlations between the freeze damage suffered by first-year seedlings and tree height, suggesting that selection for progeny with early cold acclimation may adversely affect growth.…”

Adaptation to common optimum in different populations of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.)

“…Inconsistency between the response patterns in growth and survival, which we observed, is not surprising, as it has already been reported in forest trees (Eriksson et al 1980;Schmidtling and Froelich 1993); it may result from tradeoffs between different life-cycle components (Silvertown et al 1993). Genetic correlations between these traits are positive, but generally weak (Olsson and Ericsson 2002;Persson and Andersson 2003;Rousi and Pusenius 2005). In our case, the management of trial plots may also have played a role: the first intervention was done at a high age, so that survival rate was affected both by site and intraprovenance competition.…”