Resilience of genetic diversity in forest trees over the Quaternary.

The effect of past environmental changes on the demography and genetic diversity of natural populations remains a contentious issue and has rarely been investigated across multiple, phylogenetically distant species. Here, we perform comparative population genomic analyses and demographic inferences for seven widely distributed and ecologically contrasting European forest tree species based on concerted sampling of 164 populations across their natural ranges. For all seven species, the effective population size, N, increased or remained stable over many glacial cycles and up to 15 million years in the most extreme cases.

Phenotypic trait variation in a long-term multisite common garden experiment of Scots pine in Scotland.

Multisite common garden experiments, exposing common pools of genetic diversity to a range of environments, allow quantification of plastic and genetic components of trait variation. For tree species, such studies must be long term as they typically only express mature traits after many years. As well as evaluating standing genetic diversity, these experiments provide an ongoing test of genetic variation against changing environmental conditions and form a vital resource for understanding how species respond to abiotic and biotic variation.

Identifying and testing marker-trait associations for growth and phenology in three pine species: Implications for genomic prediction.

In tree species, genomic prediction offers the potential to forecast mature trait values in early growth stages, if robust marker-trait associations can be identified. Here we apply a novel multispecies approach using genotypes from a new genotyping array, based on 20,795 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from three closely related pine species (, and ), to test for associations with growth and phenology data from a common garden study. Predictive models constructed using significantly associated SNPs were then tested and applied to an independent multisite field trial of .

Location, but not defensive genotype, determines ectomycorrhizal community composition in Scots pine ( L.) seedlings.

For successful colonization of host roots, ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi must overcome host defense systems, and defensive phenotypes have previously been shown to affect the community composition of EM fungi associated with hosts. Secondary metabolites, such as terpenes, form a core part of these defense systems, but it is not yet understood whether variation in these constitutive defenses can result in variation in the colonization of hosts by specific fungal species.We planted seedlings from twelve maternal families of Scots pine () of known terpene genotype reciprocally in the field in each of six sites.

Candidate Genes for the High-Altitude Adaptations of Two Mountain Pine Taxa.

Mountain plants, challenged by vegetation time contractions and dynamic changes in environmental conditions, developed adaptations that help them to balance their growth, reproduction, survival, and regeneration. However, knowledge regarding the genetic basis of species adaptation to higher altitudes remain scarce for most plant species. Here, we attempted to identify such corresponding genomic regions of high evolutionary importance in two closely related European pines, and , contrasting them with a reference lowland relative-.

The GenTree Platform: growth traits and tree-level environmental data in 12 European forest tree species.

Background: Progress in the field of evolutionary forest ecology has been hampered by the huge challenge of phenotyping trees across their ranges in their natural environments, and the limitation in high-resolution environmental information.

Findings: The GenTree Platform contains phenotypic and environmental data from 4,959 trees from 12 ecologically and economically important European forest tree species: Abies alba Mill. (silver fir), Betula pendula Roth.

Development of a single nucleotide polymorphism array for population genomic studies in four European pine species.

Pines are some of the most ecologically and economically important tree species in the world, and many have enormous natural distributions or have been extensively planted. However, a lack of rapid genotyping capability is hampering progress in understanding the molecular basis of genetic variation in these species. Here, we deliver an efficient tool for genotyping thousands of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers across the genome that can be applied to genetic studies in pines.

Invasion, isolation and evolution shape population genetic structure in .

The distribution and genetic structure of most plant species in Britain and Ireland bear the imprint of the last ice age. These patterns were largely shaped by random processes during recolonization but, in angiosperms, whole-genome duplication may also have been important. We investigate the distribution of cytotypes of , considering DNA variation, postglacial colonization, environmental partitioning and reproductive barriers.

Author Correction: The GenTree Dendroecological Collection, tree-ring and wood density data from seven tree species across Europe.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Heritable genetic variation but no local adaptation in a pine-ectomycorrhizal interaction.

Local adaptation of plants to mycorrhizal fungi helps determine the outcome of mycorrhizal interactions. However, there is comparatively little work exploring the potential for evolution in interactions with ectomycorrhizal fungi, and fewer studies have explored the heritability of mycorrhizal responsiveness, which is required for local adaptation to occur. We set up a reciprocal inoculation experiment using seedlings and soil from four populations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) from Scotland, measuring seedling response to mycorrhizal inoculation after 4 months.

The GenTree Dendroecological Collection, tree-ring and wood density data from seven tree species across Europe.

The dataset presented here was collected by the GenTree project (EU-Horizon 2020), which aims to improve the use of forest genetic resources across Europe by better understanding how trees adapt to their local environment. This dataset of individual tree-core characteristics including ring-width series and whole-core wood density was collected for seven ecologically and economically important European tree species: silver birch (Betula pendula), European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Norway spruce (Picea abies), European black poplar (Populus nigra), maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), and sessile oak (Quercus petraea). Tree-ring width measurements were obtained from 3600 trees in 142 populations and whole-core wood density was measured for 3098 trees in 125 populations.

A multiscale approach to detect selection in nonmodel tree species: Widespread adaptation despite population decline in L.

Detecting the molecular basis of local adaptation and identifying selective drivers is still challenging in nonmodel species. The use of purely population genetic approaches is limited by some characteristics of genetic systems, such as pleiotropy and polygenic control, and parallel evidence from phenotypic-based experimental comparisons is required. In long-lived organisms, the detection of selective pressures might also be precluded by evolutionary lag times in response to the environment.

Cryptic genetic variation and adaptation to waterlogging in Caledonian Scots pine, L.

Local adaptation occurs as the result of differential selection among populations. Observations made under common environmental conditions may reveal phenotypic differences between populations with an underlying genetic basis; however, exposure to a contrasting novel environment can trigger release of otherwise unobservable (cryptic) genetic variation. We conducted a waterlogging experiment on a common garden trial of Scots pine, (L.

Early phenology and growth trait variation in closely related European pine species.

Closely related taxa occupying different environments are valuable systems for studying evolution. In this study, we examined differences in early phenology (bud set, bud burst) and early growth in a common garden trial of closely related pine species: and . Seeds for the trial were sourced from populations across the ranges of each species in Europe.

Molecular signatures of divergence and selection in closely related pine taxa.

Efforts to detect loci under selection in plants have mostly focussed on single species. However, assuming that intraspecific divergence may lead to speciation, comparisons of genetic variation within and among recently diverged taxa can help to locate such genes. In this study, coalescent and outlier detection methods were used to assess nucleotide polymorphism and divergence at 79 nuclear gene fragments (1212 SNPs) in 16 populations (153 individuals) of the closely related, but phenotypically and ecologically distinct, pine taxa , and across their European distributions.

Substantial variation in the timing of pollen production reduces reproductive synchrony between distant populations of L. in Scotland.

The ability of a population to genetically adapt to a changing environment is contingent not only on the level of existing genetic variation within that population, but also on the gene flow received from differently adapted populations. Effective pollen-mediated gene flow among plant populations requires synchrony of flowering. Therefore differences in timing of flowering among genetically divergent populations may reduce their ability to adapt to environmental change.

Florally rich habitats reduce insect pollination and the reproductive success of isolated plants.

Landscape heterogeneity in floral communities has the potential to modify pollinator behavior. Pollinator foraging varies with the diversity, abundance, and spatial configuration of floral resources. However, the implications of this variation for pollen transfer and ultimately the reproductive success of insect pollinated plants remains unclear, especially for species which are rare or isolated in the landscape.

Genetic structure in the European endemic seabird, Phalacrocorax aristotelis, shaped by a complex interaction of historical and contemporary, physical and nonphysical drivers.

Geographically separated populations tend to be less connected by gene flow, as a result of physical or nonphysical barriers preventing dispersal, and this can lead to genetic structure. In this context, highly mobile organisms such as seabirds are interesting because the small effect of physical barriers means nonphysical ones may be relatively more important. Here, we use microsatellite and mitochondrial data to explore the genetic structure and phylogeography of Atlantic and Mediterranean populations of a European endemic seabird, the European shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis, and identify the primary drivers of their diversification.

Reconstructing the plant mitochondrial genome for marker discovery: a case study using Pinus.

Whole-genome-shotgun (WGS) sequencing of total genomic DNA was used to recover ~1 Mbp of novel mitochondrial (mtDNA) sequence from Pinus sylvestris (L.) and three members of the closely related Pinus mugo species complex. DNA was extracted from megagametophyte tissue from six mother trees from locations across Europe, and 100-bp paired-end sequencing was performed on the Illumina HiSeq platform.

Supplying trees in an era of environmental uncertainty: Identifying challenges faced by the forest nursery sector in Great Britain.

In recent years, numerous articles have addressed management strategies aimed at assisting forests to adapt to climate change. However, these seldom take into account the practical and economic implications of implementing these strategies, notably, supply of forest plants and seed. Using semi-structured interviews with practitioners involved in the plant and seed supply chain in Great Britain, we highlight a series of practical and economic bottlenecks commonly encountered in the supply of locally sourced seed and domestically produced planting stock for native woodland and hedging markets.

Adaptive and plastic responses of Quercus petraea populations to climate across Europe.

How temperate forests will respond to climate change is uncertain; projections range from severe decline to increased growth. We conducted field tests of sessile oak (Quercus petraea), a widespread keystone European forest tree species, including more than 150 000 trees sourced from 116 geographically diverse populations. The tests were planted on 23 field sites in six European countries, in order to expose them to a wide range of climates, including sites reflecting future warmer and drier climates.

Has Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) co-evolved with Dothistroma septosporum in Scotland? Evidence for spatial heterogeneity in the susceptibility of native provenances.

Spatial heterogeneity in pathogen pressure leads to genetic variation in, and evolution of, disease-related traits among host populations. In contrast, hosts are expected to be highly susceptible to exotic pathogens as there has been no evolution of defence responses. Host response to pathogens can therefore be an indicator of a novel or endemic pathosystem.

Impacts of local adaptation of forest trees on associations with herbivorous insects: implications for adaptive forest management.

Disruption of species interactions is a key issue in climate change biology. Interactions involving forest trees may be particularly vulnerable due to evolutionary rate limitations imposed by long generation times. One mitigation strategy for such impacts is Climate matching - the augmentation of local native tree populations by input from nonlocal populations currently experiencing predicted future climates.

Comparative transcriptomics of a complex of four European pine species.

Background: Pinus sylvestris, P. mugo, P. uliginosa and P.