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Predicting the adaptability of forest tree populations under future climates requires a better knowledge of both the adaptive significance and evolvability of measurable key traits. Phenotypic plasticity, standing genetic variation and degree of phenotypic integration shape the actual and future population genetic structure, but empirical estimations in forest tree species are still extremely scarce. We analysed 11 maritime pine populations covering the distribution range of the species (119 families and 8 trees/family, ca. 1300 trees) in a common garden experiment planted at two sites with contrasting productivity. We used plant height as a surrogate of fitness and measured five traits (mean and plasticity of carbon isotope discrimination, specific leaf area, needle biomass, Phenology growth index) related to four different strategies (acquisitive economics, photosynthetic organ size, growth allocation and avoidance of water stress).

Genetically improved forest reproductive materials are now widely accessible in many European countries due to decades of continuous breeding efforts. Tree breeding does not only contribute to higher-value end products but allows an increase in the rate of carbon capture and sequestration, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. The usefulness of breeding programmes depends on (i) the relevance of the set of selected traits and their relative weights (growth, drought tolerance, phenology, etc.); (ii) the explicit management of targeted and “neutral” diversity; (iii) the genetic gain achieved; and (iv) the efficiency of transferring diversity and gain to the plantation. Several biological factors limit both operational breeding and mass reproduction. To fully realise the potential of tree breeding, the introduction of new technologies and concepts is pivotal for overcoming these constraints. We reviewed several European breeding programmes, examining their current status and factors that are likely to influence tree breeding in the coming decades. The synthesis was based on case studies developed for the European Union-funded B4EST project, which focused on eight economically important tree species with breeding histories and intensities ranging from low-input breeding (stone pine, Douglas-fir and ash) to more complex programmes (eucalyptus, maritime pine, Norway spruce, poplar, and Scots pine). Tree breeding for these species is managed in a variety of ways due to differences in species’ biology, breeding objectives, and economic value. Most programmes are managed by governmental institutes with full or partial public support because of the relatively late return on investment. Eucalyptus is the only tree species whose breeding is entirely sponsored and managed by a private company. Several new technologies have emerged for both phenotyping and genotyping. They have the potential to speed up breeding processes and make genetic evaluations more accurate, t

Even though genetic resources represent a fundamental reservoir of options to achieve sustainable development goals in a changing world, they are overlooked in the policy agenda and severely threatened. The conservation of genetic resources relies on complementary in situ and ex situ approaches appropriately designed for each type of organism. Environmental and socioeconomic changes raise new challenges and opportunities for sustainable use and conservation of genetic resources. Aiming at a more integrated and adaptive approach, European scientists and genetic resources managers with long experience in the agricultural crop, animal and forestry domains joined their expertise to address three critical challenges: (1) how to adapt genetic resources conservation strategies to climate change, (2) how to promote in situ conservation strategies and (3) how can genetic resources conservation contribute to and benefit from agroecological systems. We present here 31 evidence-based statements and 88 key recommendations elaborated around these questions for policymakers, conservation actors and the scientific community. We anticipate that stakeholders in other genetic resources domains and biodiversity conservation actors across the globe will have interest in these crosscutting and multi-actor recommendations, which support several biodiversity conservation policies and practices.

Purpose of Review: In this review, we synthesise current knowledge on trade-offs among traits in key fitness dimensions and identify major research gaps with the intention of laying the groundwork for a rapid advance in tree breeding for multiple objectives as a key contribution to the sustainability of planted forests in the future. Recent Findings: Trade-offs among growth, reproduction, defence, stress tolerance and product quality predicted theoretically have been reported experimentally in many breeding programmes. Among these trade-offs, the genetic linkage between resistance against biotic threats and growth (or other relevant traits) is particularly critical for the current and future management of forest genetic resources. Maintaining tree growth and wood quality in the novel environments of the future requires the assessment of genetic correlations of target traits with phenology, closely linked to survival to temperature extremes. Improving our current knowledge on the genetic trade-offs of drought tolerance as a breeding objective in forest trees obligates a more precise definition of both the specific traits and the experimental conditions. Published evidence suggests that common target traits in breeding programmes may trade-off with reproductive success and fire-adaptation, and the simultaneous improvement of growth and wood quality traits still remains as a constraint in traditional tree breeding. Summary: Changing environments combined with pests and diseases are challenging plantation forestry worldwide, which implies an urgent need to develop new improvement strategies to build the resilience of forestry for our future environments. It is essential to have a better understanding of how traits interact, especially those important for production, climate and biotic threat resilience, but much of the information is still missing. Since many key trade-offs are affected by the environment, we need new studies under novel environments to forecast levels

Delivering material selected for breeding purposes into the wild in the context of sustainable forest management might reduce the levels of genetic diversity of future forests in comparison to that of natural populations. Another consequence might be a reduction of their resilience under uncertain future climatic and socio-economic conditions if these new populations lack adaptability. Despite the long tradition of breeding activities in Europe, there is still a need to assess the impact of genetically enriched material on forests’ resilience. In this study, we address (1) the genetic diversity of selected material compared to its wild ancestors, and (2) how to enrich breeding material to support forests’ resilience under changing socio-environmental conditions. We analysed 16 study cases of selected material delivered from breeding activities in four European forest tree species (Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold, Pinus pinaster Ait. and Populus nigra L.) with different levels of breeding. To answer these two questions, we first assessed and compared the genetic diversity of selected material versus natural populations using both putatively neutral and adaptive (based on diverging selection) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). We then suggest how to enrich these populations for resilience under future climatic conditions by defining a core collection for each species including material from populations that will likely disappear under future conditions. Thanks to the large SNP datasets available for our focal species, we were able to detect some trends in our data. Expected and observed heterozygosity values for selected populations were almost always identical. The selected material showed small but significant genetic differentiation from their original population and their inbreeding coefficient was generally lower. However, the level of genetic improvement (i.e. low vs high) was not correlated with the observed genetic differences between sele

Marginal and peripheral populations are important for biodiversity conservation. Their original situation in a species’ geographic and ecological space often confers them genetic diversity and traits of high adaptive value. Yet theoretical hypotheses related to marginality are difficult to test because of confounding factors that influence marginality, namely environment, geography, and history. There is an urgent need to develop metrics to disentangle these confounding factors. We designed nine quantitative indices of marginality and peripherality that define where margins lie within species distributions, from a geographical, an environmental and a historical perspective. Using the distribution maps of eight European forest tree species, we assessed whether these indices were idiosyncratic or whether they conveyed redundant information. Using a database on marginal and peripheral populations based on expert knowledge, we assessed the capacity of the indices to predict the marginality status of a population. There was no consistent pattern of correlation between indices across species, confirming that the indices conveyed different information related to the specific geometry of the species distributions. Contrasting with this heterogeneity of correlation patterns across species, the relative importance of the indices to predict the marginality status of populations was consistent across species. However, there was still a significant country effect in the marginality status, showing a variation in expert opinion of marginality vis-á-vis the species distribution. The marginality indices that we developed are entirely based on distribution maps and can be used for any species. They pave the way for testing hypotheses related to marginality and peripherality, with important implications in quantitative ecology, genetics, and biodiversity conservation.

Estimates of contemporary effective population size (Ne) can provide valuable information for genetic conservation and monitoring, pinpointing populations at higher risk of genetic erosion, decreased fitness, maladaptation and, ultimately, demographic decline. There are however potential limitations in the application of commonly employed genetic estimators of contemporary Ne to widespread forest tree populations. Genetic isolation by distance within populations, small and spatially restricted samples, among-population gene flow and overlapping generations are factors that can potentially affect the accuracy of marker-based estimates of contemporary Ne, depending on the demographic scenario. In particular, we illustrate the uncertainty faced by forest researchers and managers when interpreting contemporary Ne estimates obtained for continuously distributed tree populations with large census size N. To that end, we use previously published genotypic data of 21 Pinus pinaster populations, including distinct sampling schemes, together with a widely used method based on linkage disequilibrium patterns observed in a single (one-time) population sample. We hypothesize that spatially restricted sampling might be the main putative factor behind the apparently low Ne/N estimates obtained for the large and continuously-distributed populations studied here. Because of its statistically-inherent assessment difficulty, we call for caution when interpreting marker-based estimates of contemporary Ne for monitoring widely-distributed tree populations or small genetic conservation units embedded within large continuous tree populations.

In this study, we are interested in the acorn biometry of the putative oak of Akfadou forest in Algeria. We measured the size of acorns of 34 putative species’ trees collected from 9 stands in the Akfadou forest massif (Algeria) and then we evaluated the growth of the seedlings by sowing the acorns in a nursery. We found that the performance of oak seedlings is strongly influenced by a “stand effect” and a “close pure species effect.” Indeed, the position and the ecological region influence acorn morphology. The growth of putative oaks in the nursery is remarkably homogeneous in terms of seedling height and diameter. However, the “close pure species” effect appears in the case of the high altitude stand where holm oak is present. This diversity is probably the consequence of genetic variations and/or environmental conditions of the stands. With climate change and decreasing precipitation, the frequency of dry years will only increase. These putative hybrids trees could constitute a future alternative for reforestation, improvement, and diversification of species in Algeria.

Deciding how to establish woodland in forest restoration is not straightforward as different outcomes may be obtained from different establishment approaches, each with cost implications and degree of success limitations attached. Planning restoration requires knowledge of site conditions, including how sites are likely to respond under climate change. For objectives of production and high timber quality it is likely that ground preparation will be used, and planting with forest reproductive material (FRM) of known traits, such as: high survival and growth in establishment, drought tolerance adequate for climate projections, good resistance to pests and pathogens. For objectives associated with biodiversity, carbon sequestration, water supply protection, soil protection, natural regeneration could be a less costly solution with a limited amount of assisted translocation of selected FRM to improve resilience. If objectives are for rewilding forest areas, a degree of natural colonisation perhaps with translocation of some FRM could be a solution. Ignoring site conditions and suitability of available sources of FRM for forest restoration is likely to provide unexpected results with a mix of open ground, scrub and scattered trees resulting from climate, herbivore, and browsing impacts. The recent B4EST EU Horizon 2020 project examined progress in novel rapid approaches for testing the quality of FRM from existing genetic trials. Here we review the work of B4EST to show the opportunities from transformative tree breeding in forest restoration schemes, including: new climate projection ensembles at high temporal and spatial resolution to develop norms of reaction and transfer models with genetic components; multi-environment genotype-phenotype associations and multi-locus genotype-environment associations in identifying drivers of local adaptation; techniques for genomic selection using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays to derive functional traits from polygenic

Seed sourcing strategies are the basis for identifying genetic material meeting the requirements of future climatic conditions and social demands. Specifically, local seed sourcing has been extensively promoted, based on the expected adaptation of the populations to local conditions, but there are some limitations for the application. We analyzed Strict-sense local and Wide-sense local (based on climatic similarity) seed sourcing strategies. We determined species and genetic pools based on these strategies for 40 species and deployment zones in Spain. We also obtained the total number of seed sources and stands for these species in the EU countries. We analyzed the richness of the pools, the relationship with variables related to the use of the species in afforestation, and the availability of seed production areas approved for the production of reproductive material destined to be marketed. This study confirms the existence of extensive species and genetic local pools. Also, that the importance of these pools differs for different species, limitations being derived from the use of forest reproductive material and the existence of approved basic materials. Strategies derived from local seed sourcing approaches are the basis for the use of forest reproductive material because a large number of the species in the area considered in the study are under regulation. However, despite the extensive work done to approve basic materials, limitations based on the availability of seed production areas to provide local material for sustainable forestry are found in those species. Considering a Wide-sense local seed sourcing strategy we provide alternative pools in order to meet social demands under the actual regulations on marketing of reproductive materials.

Mediterranean ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots located between temperate mesic climates and semi-deserts and deserts. Mediterranean climates are characterized by a drought season but its length and severity can be highly variable across regions. In this review, we explored population genetic variation in functional traits and fitness in Mediterranean oak and pine species. We tested the hypothesis that increased drought tolerance has evolved as an adaptation to xeric and warm areas of the Mediterranean climate while increased competitive abilities have been favoured in more mesic regions, following a productivity-persistence trade-off within species. We first reviewed the literature and performed a meta-analysis of studies on Pinus sp. and Quercus sp. from Mediterranean climates, and then analysed a set of unpublished data from Spanish common garden experiments of species from the Mediterranean Basin, searching for evidence of trait genetic variation among populations, local adaptation and trait–environment associations. The meta-analysis showed that 82.9% (95% CI 75.7–89.4) of traits per study showed significant population genetic differentiation and that 52.5% (35.6–69.2) of traits in studies with two or more Mediterranean environments exhibited population-by-environment interaction. Population differences in traits related to drought tolerance, cold hardiness and fitness were usually correlated with provenance precipitation and temperature gradients, suggesting that adaptation to different climatic regimes is an important process driving intraspecific genetic divergence. Within the Spanish trial network, however, predicted fitness functions based on climatic transfer distance failed to reveal significantly higher fitness of populations at experimental sites with climates closer to their provenances’ ones. Neither the literature review nor the new analyses of the Spanish trial network provided evidence of a negative association between growth- and persistence-r

Purpose of Review: Recognizing that in the context of global change, tree genetic diversity represents a crucial resource for future forest adaptation, we review and highlight the major forest genetics research achievements of the past decades in biodiversity-rich countries of the Mediterranean region. For this, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature spanning the past thirty years (1991–2020). Putting together the representative regionwide expertise of our co-authorship, we propose research perspectives for the next decade. Recent Findings: Forest genetics research in Mediterranean countries is organized into three different scientific domains of unequal importance. The domain “Population diversity and Differentiation” related to over 62% of all publications of the period, the domain “Environmental conditions, growth and stress response” to almost 23%, and the domain “Phylogeography” to almost 15%. Citation rate was trending the opposite way, indicating a strong and sustained interest in phylogeography and a rising interest for genetics research related to climate change and drought resistance. The share of publications from Asia and Africa to the total within the Mediterranean increased significantly during the 30-year period analyzed, reaching just below 30% during the last decade. Summary: Describing poorly known species and populations, including marginal populations, using the full potential of genomic methods, testing adaptation in common gardens, and modeling adaptive capacity to build reliable scenarios for forest management remain strategic research priorities. Delineating areas of high and low genetic diversity, for conservation and restoration, respectively, is needed. Joining forces between forest management and forest research, sharing data, experience, and knowledge within and among countries will have to progress significantly, e.g., to assess the potential of Mediterranean genetic resources as assisted migration material wo

A decade of genetic association studies in multiple organisms suggests that most complex traits are polygenic; that is, they have a genetic architecture determined by numerous loci, each with small effect-size. Thus, determining the degree of polygenicity and its variation across traits, environments and time is crucial to understand the genetic basis of phenotypic variation. We applied multilocus approaches to estimate the degree of polygenicity of fitness-related traits in a long-lived plant (Pinus pinaster Ait., maritime pine) and to analyse this variation across environments and years. We evaluated five categories of fitness-related traits (survival, height, phenology, functional, and biotic-stress response) in a clonal common-garden network planted in contrasted environments (over 20,500 trees). Most of the analysed traits showed evidence of local adaptation based on Qst -Fst comparisons. We further observed a remarkably stable degree of polygenicity, averaging 6% (range of 0%-27%), across traits, environments and years. We detected evidence of negative selection, which could explain, at least partially, the high degree of polygenicity. Because polygenic adaptation can occur rapidly, our results suggest that current predictions on the capacity of natural forest tree populations to adapt to new environments should be revised, especially in the current context of climate change.

Background: local morphological variation can provide useful information to clarify the role of hybridization in Mediterranean oaks. Accordingly, we have characterized putative hybrids and oak species coexisting in a highly diversified oak forest in Algeria with four native oak species (Quercus suber L., Q. ilex L., Q. canariensis Willd., and Q. afares Pomel). (2) Methods: sixteen plots, including 89 trees from the four native species and their putative hybrids were sampled. Leaves were scanned and their geometric morphometry analyzed by using 11 landmarks on the right side on their abaxial surface. Variation within and among species, and the relationship among oak species and their hybrids were analyzed, utilizing an ANOVA and a canonical analysis using morphoJ software. (3) Results: using the geometric morphometry analysis, we observed that Q. afares shape is intermediate between Q. suber and Q. canariensis, being Q. ilex very different from the others, and that there is no overlap among them. Putative hybrids are morphologically close to Q. afares and, to a lesser extent, to Q. suber and, finally, to Q. ilex and Q. canariensis. (4) Conclusions: the study opens the field for future molecular characterization of hybrids, and for determining their role in terms of adaptation to actual and predicted future climatic conditions. The morphological proximity of hybrids to Q. afares demonstrate this species advantage in the area of study and its importance for the future evolution of the species in the Mediterranean.

The potential of pine resin as a renewable non-timber product is furthering the socioeconomic relevance of the resin industry in Europe, where maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) is the main tapped species. Characterizing maritime pine genetic resources in terms of resin yield potential and its covariation with tree growth is crucial to implement efficient tree breeding programs aiming to maximize resin yield without negatively impact tree growth. We explored genetic variation in resin yield and tree growth among provenance regions, populations within regions, and families of maritime pine. We used a progeny trial located at Central Spain to estimate additive genetic variation and heritability of resin yield, and a common garden located at Northwest Spain to explore variation among provenance regions and populations within regions. Resin yield was assessed in both trials with and without sulphuric-based stimulant paste. Association between growth and resin yield at different levels (phenotypes, families, populations and provenance regions) was also explored. Growth and resin yield were highly variable within populations, with narrow-sense heritability estimates being particularly high for resin yield (hi2 = 0.49). Growth varied significantly across provenance regions and populations within regions, while resin yield was only variable among provenance regions. Genetic variation in resin yield was similar in trees with and without stimulant paste. We did not find evidence of genetic correlations between growth and resin yield. However, at the phenotype level resin yield and growth were significantly correlated, although the sign of such association switched between trials. Across provenance regions, growth and resin yield where negatively correlated. Altogether, the high narrow-sense heritability estimate, the highly consistent genetic variation and the lack of negative genetic correlation with growth evidence the opportunity for implementing breeding programs to incr

In a less-favored area such as the Sahel, promoting sustainable management, breeding, and conservation of forestry resources would result in improvements for agroforestry systems and food security. A contingent ranking exercise allowed us to estimate the preferences and the values given by the rural population to the attributes that would be comprised in a conservation program. The resulting preferred program is farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) based on the species Adansonia digitata (baobab), with plantation, stone bunds, or tassa, and selected or bred seeds. The proposed actions to improve the tree density and the seed quality were highly valued by the respondents. Nevertheless, no clear differences were found between tassa and stone bunds, or FMNR and plantation. The main effects of the program, according to the surveyed population, include an increase in crop production and soil conservation, and higher income from tree products. This study allowed us to identify the program that would provide the greatest well-being for farmers, since it would allow them to simultaneously improve both the production of their crops and the production of the woody food species. It was shown that farmers were particularly willing to contribute to a program based on baobab, mainly because its products are used for food in the home and can be sold in markets. In this sense, the yield and production of the system would be improved by increasing the number of baobab trees. Farmers would contribute to this production system and would be willing to invest sustainable effort in the long term. The conservation and breeding program can be directed at conserving and propagating the genetic resources of A. digitata in an initial phase, selecting trees with good production, growth, and adaptation characteristics.

Wood density is one of the most important physical properties of the wood, used in improvement programs for wood quality of major timber species. Traditional core sampling of standing trees has been widely used to assess wood density profiles at high spatial resolution by X-ray microdensitometry methods, but alternative methods to predict wood properties quality are also needed. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, a non-destructive technique, is being increasingly used for wood property assessment and has already been demonstrated to be able to predict wood density. However, the estimation of wood density profiles by NIR has not yet been extensively studied, and improved models using spectra information (NIR) and X-ray data need to be developed. To this end, partial least square regression (PLS-R) models for predicting wood density were developed at a 1.4 mm spatial resolution on Pinus pinaster wood cores, with an improved spatial synchronization along the tangential and radial directions of the strip, between X-ray data and NIR spectra. The validation of the best model showed a high coefficient of determination (0.95), low error (0.026) and no outlier. Compression wood samples were not detected as outliers and were correctly predicted by the model. However, pith spectra were detected as outliers and its predicted values were overestimated by 33% due to unusual spectra suggesting a diverse chemical composition. The results suggest that NIR-PLS models obtained can be used for screening maritime pine wood density profiles along the radii at 1.4 mm spatial resolution.

Research on operational programs for the conservation and improvement of forest genetic resources is associated with use and non-use values, given that such research not only generates new knowledge but also incorporates both commercial benefits and benefits related to the conservation of genetic material for reproduction. This article applies a discrete choice experiment that allows analyzing the preferences of Spanish society for operational programs for the breeding and conservation of P. pinaster. Such programs are financed mainly by public research funds, and it would be advisable to include citizens' preferences regarding programs for the conservation and improvement of forest genetic resources. The analysis quantifies the trade-offs between the various characteristics of the program, such as production improvements, biotic and abiotic risks, genetic diversity, and the biodiversity of pine forests. The results show that society is willing to pay for research in these directions, above all research on greater resistance to biotic risks. Likewise, the study shows how research on transgenic forest resources is not socially accepted, thus adding to the arguments in favor of the current prohibition in Spain on marketing this type of forest reproductive material. Finally, considering the current R&D budget and the average tax collection in Spain, the WTP seems to be biased upwards. In this sense, an analysis of individual's response time as a proxy of carelessness was performed.

Quantifying intraspecific genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity of traits involved in drought tolerance is essential to forecast forest tree vulnerability to climate change. Tree ring analysis was applied to retrospectively assess the resistance, recovery and resilience of a Mediterranean pine in the face of extreme climate episodes. We combined a dendrochronological approach with the analysis of common-garden tests to disentangle genetic, environment and genetic-by-environment effects in growth responses of 10 P. pinaster populations to two extreme climatic events. Trees were 43 years old and had experienced two intense droughts, in 1995 and 2005. Drought events caused drastic reductions in secondary growth, but trees showed high capacity to recover pre-drought growth rates. The differences in the characteristics of the two drought events and the environmental distance between sites strongly modulated maritime pine responses to extreme droughts. However, a common among-population signal across sites and events was detected in the drought response strategy. Among-population variation in response to extreme droughts was evident for the resistance and recovery components, two strategies that appeared to trade-off between each other. Populations from Atlantic climates showed higher resistance but lower recovery capacity, whereas Mediterranean origins prioritised recovery over resistance. Mediterranean populations showed a more conservative strategy that indicated an adaptive advantage under water stress, reflected in greater long-term survival. The abovementioned relationships were clear in the site where the impact of the drought events was strongest, but not in the more favourable site. Differences in relationships between sites reflect that strategies of populations to cope with drought are strongly context dependent. Based on these results, we infer that future extreme droughts will differentially affect P. pinaster populations across the natural range of the

Intra-annual wood density fluctuations are valuable indicators of the role of the local climate and provenance origins on tree growth. These intra-ring wood features were the most informative about local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity ofPinus halepensisMill. in a provenance trial. This highlights the importance of taking provenance into account when selecting forest reproductive material to mitigate the effects of climate change. Context: It is essential to disentangle the influence of climate from the effect of provenance on inter- and intra-annual wood traits to identify populations’ responses to climate changes. This will be even more relevant in the drought-prone Mediterranean region, where species have high genetic differentiation among populations. Aims: We investigated the effects of provenance and climate driving Pinus halepensis Mill. wood traits, as imprinted phenotypic adaptations to the Mediterranean climate. Methods: Inter- and intra-annual wood trait variation (ring-, early-, and latewood width, wood density) was studied by microdensitometry in 8 provenances from Spain, France, Greece, and Italy in a common-garden experiment. We related wood traits and density fluctuations with inter-annual climate variations at the trial site and the provenance origin. Results: Provenances showed distinct responses to climate regarding tree growth, wood density, and intra-annual fluctuations. Density fluctuations in latewood were more frequent than in earlywood. Climate at the provenance origin was a more important force for density fluctuations than climatic variations at the planting site, with different trends between coastal and inland provenances, and higher frequency of latewood fluctuations in provenances from arid and semiarid sites. Conclusion: Differences in P. halepensis wood density fluctuations confirmed the imprinted origin provenance control in response to climate variations and indicated a relation with local adaptation of these xylem anatomical

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

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. This dataset covers most of the geographical and climatic range occupied by the selected species. The potential use of it will be highly valuable for assessing ecological and evolutionary responses to environmental conditions as well as for model development and parameterization, to predict adaptability under climate change scenarios.

Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation are the two main processes underlying trait variability. Under rapid environmental change, phenotypic plasticity, if adaptive, could increase the odds for organisms to persist. However, little is known on how environmental variation has shaped plasticity across species ranges over time. Here, we assess whether the portion of phenotypic variation of tree populations linked to the environment is related to the inter-annual climate variability of the last century and how it varies among populations across species ranges and age. To this aim, we used 372,647 individual tree height measurements of three pine species found in low elevation forests in Europe: Pinus nigra Arnold, P. pinaster Aiton and P. pinea L. Measurements were taken in a network of 38 common gardens established in Europe and North Africa with 315 populations covering the distribution range of the species. We fitted linear mixed-effect models of tree height as a function of age, population, climate and competition effects. Models allowed us to estimate tree height response curves at the population level and indexes of populations' phenotypic variation, as a proxy of phenotypic plasticity, at 4, 8 and 16 years old, and relate these indexes to the inter-annual climate variability of the last century. We found that phenotypic variation in tree height was higher in young trees than in older ones. We also found that P. pinea showed the highest phenotypic variation in tree height compared with P. pinaster and P. nigra. Finally, phenotypic variation in tree height may be partly adaptive, and differently across species, as climate variability during the last century at the origin of the populations explained between 51 and 69% of the current phenotypic variation of P. nigra and P. pinea, almost twice of the levels of P. pinaster. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Populations' phenotypic variation in tree height is largely explained by the climate variability that the populations experi

Research Highlights: We experimentally tested different seed sourcing strategies (local, predictive, climate-predictive, climate-adjusted, composite and admixture) under a climate change high emissions scenario using a Scots pine multi-site provenance test. Background and Objectives: There is an urgent need to conserve genetic resources and to support resilience of conifer species facing expected changes and threats. Seed sourcing strategies have been proposed to maximize the future adaptation and resilience of our forests. However, these proposals are yet to be tested, especially in long-lived organisms as forest trees, due to methodological constraints. In addition, some methods rely on the transfer of material from populations matching the future conditions of the sites. However, at the rear edge of the species, some specific problems (high fragmentation, high genetic differentiation, role of genetic drift) challenge the theoretical expectations of some of these methods. Materials and Methods: We used a Scots pine multi-site provenance test, consisting of seventeen provenances covering the distribution range of the species in Spain tested in five representative sites. We measured height, diameter and survival at 5, 10 and 15 years after planting. We simulated populations of 50 trees by bootstrapping material of the provenance test after removing the intra-site environmental effects, simulating different seed sourcing strategies. Results: We found that local and predictive methods behaved better than methods based on the selection of future climate-matching strategies (predictive-climate and climate-adjusted) and those combining several seed sources (composite and admixture seed sourcing strategies). Conclusions: Despite the theoretical expectations, for Scots pine, a forest tree species at its rear edge of its distribution, seed-sourcing methods based on climate matching or a combination of seed sources do not perform better than traditional local or predictive m

Shea products in Benin (West Africa) are produced in a low-developed agroindustry, but they are estimated to be the country's third largest export. The nut harvesting and quality guaranteeing in the butter process can only be achieved through improvements in the value chain, thus making it more attractive for stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to provide keys to a better product valorization, obtain a significant increase in household incomes based on shea butter marketing opportunities, and offer competitive products at the local and regional markets. Different markets were designed to catch processors and consumers' preferences for two improved shea products: butter and nuts in Northern Benin. An open-ended contingent valuation (CV) was applied, and the willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept (WTA) were estimated by using a typical ordinary least squares (OLS) modelling approach. On local markets in Benin, the color, length, and weight of the nuts, as well as the color, smell, and texture of shea butter significantly influence, respectively, the processors' willingness to accept and the consumers' willingness to pay for a specific quality level. An increase in price would ensure the quality of the shea butter and would be covered by the premium to be paid by consumers. Certification design and the development of shea resources management and conservation programs should include ethnic preferences and consider gender, to avoid reducing women's profits in the shea butter local market.

This study deals with key elements for a better understanding of the management approaches of agroforestry systems in Niger. A contingent ranking was conducted to 399 Nigerien farmers in three agroecological zones based on their different socio-economic and environmental conditions. Results show that farmers are willing to improve their natural resources, taking actions to recover and conserve them. Significant differences are found with respect to not only the various agroecological zones where farmers live but also the socio-economic factors of the population. The Tamou municipality prefers to participate in an agri-environmental program based on the conservation of water thorough half-moons technique. Farmers’ preferences in the Maradi region differ from those in the Tillabéri region; the former rely on managed natural regeneration while the latter on tree plantations. Adansonia digitata and Ziziphus mauritiana are the two-priority species to be regenerated by improved seeds. The farmers of Aguié, Madarounfa, and Simiri would be willing to participate in actions scheduled for 9, 6 and 5 months, respectively. Socio-economic factors such as the life strategy of each ethnic group, the role of men and women, the seasonal migration of young people, and the rights to the resources, influence both the period and duration of participation. The results of this study are valuable to design agroforestry policies that involve participation of small-scale farmers, relying on the dynamism of local communities

Key message: This datapaper collects individual georeferenced tree height data from Pinus nigraArn.,P. pinasterAiton, andP. pineaL. planted in common gardens in France, Germany, Morocco, and Spain. The data can be used to assess genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity with further applications in biogeography and forest management. The three datasets are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3250704(Vizcaíno-Palomar et al.2018a),https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3250698(Vizcaíno-Palomar et al.2018b), andhttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3250707(Vizcaíno-Palomar et al. 2018c), and the associated metadata are available at https://metadata-afs.nancy.inra.fr/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/644682d3-78c6-4fcc-af26-b1a928be7b1b,https://metadata-afs.nancy.inra.fr/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/535b8ad0-9315-4d78-80bd-d0f6cbb9d0ceandhttps://metadata-afs.nancy.inra.fr/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/4cc0d2f0-00a9-42c8-aa34-fbbc647e3eb9forP. nigra, P. pinasterandP. pinea, respectively.

Forest ecosystems are increasingly challenged by extreme events, for example, drought, storms, pest attacks, and fungal pathogen outbreaks, causing severe ecological and economic losses. Understanding the genetic basis of adaptive traits in tree species is of key importance to preserve forest ecosystems, as genetic variation in a trait (i.e., heritability) determines its potential for human-mediated or evolutionary change. Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton), a conifer widely distributed in southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa, grows under contrasted environmental conditions promoting local adaptation. Genetic variation at adaptive phenotypes, including height, spring phenology, and susceptibility to two fungal pathogens (Diplodia sapinea and Armillaria ostoyae) and an insect pest (Thaumetopoea pityocampa), was assessed in a range-wide clonal common garden of maritime pine. Broad-sense heritability was significant for height (0.219), spring phenology (0.165-0.310), and pathogen susceptibility (necrosis length caused by D. sapinea, 0.152; and by A. ostoyae, 0.021, measured on inoculated, excised branches under controlled conditions), but not for pine processionary moth incidence in the common garden. The correlations of trait variation among populations revealed contrasting trends for pathogen susceptibility to D. sapinea and A. ostoyae with respect to height. Taller trees showed longer necrosis length caused by D. sapinea while shorter trees were more affected by A. ostoyae. Moreover, maritime pine populations from areas with high summer temperatures and frequent droughts were less susceptible to D. sapinea but more susceptible to A. ostoyae. Finally, an association study using 4227 genome-wide SNPs revealed several loci significantly associated with each trait (range of 3-26), including a possibly disease-induced translation initiation factor, eIF-5, associated with needle discoloration caused by D. sapinea. This study provides important insights to develop

We include information (raw Datasets) corresponding to the paper; Adaptation of Mediterranean forest species to climate: lessons from common garden experiments. Table Journal of Ecology Review.xls. Material used in the metaanalysis JoE Row data Common garden.xls. Raw data for survival and height used in the study. Multi-environment commong garden data for Pinus canariensis, P. halepensis, P. nigra, P. pinaster, Quercus ilex, and Q. suber. JoE Dataset4.xls. Data used for the analysis of local adaptation.

[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. (silver birch), Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech), Picea abies (L.) H. Karst (Norway spruce), Pinus cembra L. (Swiss stone pine), Pinus halepensis Mill. (Aleppo pine), Pinus nigra Arnold (European black pine), Pinus pinaster Aiton (maritime pine), Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine), Populus nigra L. (European black poplar), Taxus baccata L. (English yew), and Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. (sessile oak). Phenotypic (height, diameter at breast height, crown size, bark thickness, biomass, straightness, forking, branch angle, fructification), regeneration, environmental in situ measurements (soil depth, vegetation cover, competition indices), and environmental modeling data extracted by using bilinear interpolation accounting for surrounding conditions of each tree (precipitation, temperature, insolation, drought indices) were obtained from trees in 194 sites covering the species’ geographic ranges and reflecting local environmental gradients., [Conclusion]: The GenTree Platform is a new resource for investigating ecological and evolutionary processes in forest trees. The coherent phenotyping and environmental characterization across 12 species in their European ranges allow for a wide range of analyses from forest ecologists, conservationists, and macro-ecologists. Also, the data here presented can be linked to the GenTree Dendroecological collection, the GenTree Leaf Trait collection, and the GenTree Genomic collection presented elsewhere, which together build the largest evolutionary forest ecology data collection available.

Aim of study To propose a new approach to defining rotation ages on the basis of productive and technological aspects and to present an example of application of the methodology to natural Pinus sylvestris stands in relation to silvicultural treatment (light or heavy thinning) and site index. Area of study Central Spain. Material and methods We assumed that the price per m3 of logwood suitable for veneer is four times higher than logwood not apt for veneer. Considering the yield distribution for different technological and commercial classes, a model of diameter distributions and yield tables, the variation in an average price index for different age classes, site indexes and silvicultural treatments was calculated. The age at which the price index rises by less than 3%, the proportion of trees with d.b.h. higher than 40 cm, and other aspects such as the possible presence of fungal decay in old-growth stands were also taken into account to establish three criteria for defining rotation ages. Main results The proposed methodology generates a wide range of rotation ages between 100 and 140 years for lightly thinned stands, and between 90 and 140 years for heavily thinned stands, depending on the site index. Research highlights The proposed approach is based on technological and productive criteria, with the limitations imposed by sanitary risks. The methodology can be applied to generate rotation ages in relation to different site indexes and silvicultural treatments, provided that the timber market prices and the yield distribution for different technological and commercial classes are known, and that a model of diameter distributions and yield tables are available. © 2017 INIA.

La disponibilidad de una correcta cartografía actualizada es una herramienta esencial en la gestión de los recursos genéticos forestales, así como la delimitación y distribución de las regiones de procedencia. El objetivo de este estudio es actualizar los mapas de las Regiones de Procedencia para las especies Pinus pinea, Pinus halepensis y Pinus pinaster utilizando la información más actualizada del Mapa Forestal Español. Se aprovechó esta actualización para incorporar al mapa forestal información relativa al origen de las masas cartografiadas en base a las regiones de procedencia de las tres especies y para calcular y revisar una serie de indicadores europeos y nacionales sobre los esfuerzos y estrategias de monitorización de los recursos genéticos forestales. Concretamente el estudio se centró en las unidades de conservación genética, los materiales de base de las categorías identificado y seleccionado y los ensayos de procedencias. Se identificaron las poblaciones actuales no incluidas en los mapas de regiones de procedencia, las poblaciones que presentan incoherencias relativas a la homogeneidad de su origen y las unidades de conservación y materiales de base que se localizan en teselas del MFE donde no se consigna la presencia de la especie. El resultado del estudio permite actualizar los mapas de las regiones de procedencia de manera simultánea al mapa forestal, pero es necesario desarrollar ulteriores estudios que subsanen las carencias detectadas, especialmente en las áreas más marginales o restringidas. Del análisis de los resultados de la actualización cartográfica se concluyó que la superficie clasificada bajo alguna región de procedencia había disminuido de manera general en torno al 20% de la superficie inicial., Updating species distribution maps at different scales is an essential tool for managing forest genetics resources as well as the delimitation and distribution of the regions of provenance, a basic unit in the certification of forest reproductive materials at national and international level. The aim of this study was to update the Provenance Regions maps for the species Pinus pinea, Pinus halepensis and Pinus pinaster, using the information of updated Spanish Forest Map, which incorporates the data of the recent 4th National Forest Inventory (NFI). Correspondingly, we incorporated information to the Spanish Forest Map on the species origin and provenance region belonging. Finally, we calculated and reviewed a series of European and national indicators on the efforts and strategies of monitoring of the forest genetic resources. Specifically, the study focused on the Genetic Conservation Units and the Base Materials of the identified and selected categories and the provenance tests. From the analysis of the results of the updated cartography it was concluded that the area classified under provenance regions had generally decreased by around 20% of the initial surface. In addition, the current populations not included in the provenance regions maps were identified, those with inconsistencies related to the homogeneity of their origin and the conservation units and base materials located in patches were the species is absent. The result of the study will allow updating simultaneously both maps, but it will be necessary to develop further studies that remedy the deficiencies detected, especially in the most marginal or restricted areas, Máster en Gestión Forestal basada en Ciencia de Datos

Las regiones de procedencia de las especies forestales, es un sistema utilizado en España y en otros países que proporciona orientación para la selección y comercialización de materiales forestales de reproducción (MFR), donde se tienen en cuenta tanto las diferencias ambientales como la variabilidad genética de las poblaciones arbóreas. Además, en el sentido de la conservación de los recursos genéticos de FRM, existen estrategias importantes para la manipulación y preservación de la capacidad de adaptación de las especies y poblaciones, como son los materiales de base (MB) y las unidades de conservación genética (UCG). El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar y actualizar la información de los mapas de procedencia de Quercus suber L. y Quercus ilex L. en España, utilizando la información del más reciente Mapa Forestal Español (MFE50) como fuente sobre la distribución de estas especies en el país. Se investigó, además, los MB identificados, seleccionados y las UCG de ambas especies, para realizar una comparación con el MFE50 y las RP. Finalmente, el objetivo central de este trabajo se enmarcó en la incorporación de la información de origen de los rodales forestales desde el mapa RP al MFE50, mediante la creación de un nuevo atributo en la base de datos. Como resultado, se encontró que el mapa de RP fue considerablemente diferente en comparación con el MFE50, presentando un incremento en el área total de la distribución de especies en el país. Se evidenció que muchas áreas del MFE50 no están presentes en el mapa de PR y su ubicación no es exacta en municipios englobados por el Sistema de RP, por lo anterior, se recomienda incorporar y actualizar. El 35% de los MB y las UCG para las dos especies no corresponden a masas forestales en el MFE50, lo que supone la necesidad de una comprobación de campo de cara a la ubicación de estos rodales que tienen una importancia ecológica significativa. Fue posible concluir que los datos disponibles en las fuentes oficiales no, Máster Erasmus Mundus en Gestión Forestal y de Recursos Naturales en el Mediterráneo (MEDFOR), Premio San Isidro otorgado por la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenierías Agrarias (Palencia)

Seed availability and viability are key processes for the persistence of mature forests. There are evidences that tree senescence does not decrease seed fecundity. However, the effect of senescence on the viability of the progeny in mature forests has not been assessed. This study analyses the influence of tree age on biometric traits of the acorn, germination and emergence in mature forests of Quercus suberin Cabañeros and Monfragüe National Parks. We selected 45 to 48 trees in each National Park (NP), covering from young to old trees along the range of diameter at breast height (DBH) found (from 24 to 100 cm in Cabañeros NP, and from 24 to 176 cm in Monfragüe NP). Measurements included coordinates, DBH, height and two perpendicular crown diameters. Tree age was estimated at 1.3 m by extracting cores. In December 2018 seeds were collected from the selected trees. The yield was not abundant due to the marked masting year. After numbering the acorns individually, different biometric traits were measured (fresh weight, diameter, volume and length), and the effect of tree age was analysed, considering DBH as a proxy of tree age. Acorns were seeded to monitor germination and emergence. The results show the effect of site, tree age and acorn size on seed production, biometric traits, germination and emergence. Acorn size varied with parental trees and within a tree. The low yield in 2018 could in part mask the results., La disponibilidad de semilla y su viabilidad son procesos clave para la persistencia de los bosques maduros. Existen evidencias de que la senescencia en los árboles no disminuye la fecundidad en edades avanzadas, pero se desconoce si tiene efectos sobre la viabilidad de la progenie. Este trabajo analiza la influencia de la edad del árbol sobre los atributos biométricos de la semilla, la germinación y la emergencia en los bosques maduros de Quercus suber en los Parques Nacionales de Cabañeros y Monfragüe. En cada uno de los PPNN se seleccionaron 45-48 individuos de Quercus suber, entre jóvenes y senescentes, cubriéndose el rango de diámetros encontrados (24 a 100 cm en el PN de Cabañeros y 24 a 176 cm en el PN de Monfragüe). Se tomaron sus coordenadas y se midió su tamaño (diámetro, altura y diámetros de copa). Además, se estimó la edad a 1,30 m de altura (dbh) mediante la extracción de testigos de madera. En diciembre de 2018 se recogió toda la semilla presente en los individuos seleccionados, que no fue muy abundante debido a la marcada vecería en 2018. Se determinaron los caracteres biométricos de cada bellota (peso fresco, diámetro y longitud), analizándose el efecto de la edad del árbol, a través del dbh. Los resultados muestran el efecto del sitio, la edad del árbol y el tamaño de la bellota, tanto en la producción de semilla, como en su caracterización biométrica, germinación y emergencia, aunque la baja cosecha registrada en 2018 enmascara las diferencias esperadas.

Adansonia digitata L. (African baobab) provides a wide range of market products in Niger. These products are highly important in the traditional dishes and are also a cultural asset for the Nigerien households. The main objective of this study is to assess the local consumers’ preferences for marketed baobab products and to infer key elements in order to design conservation strategies at local and national levels. A total of 432 consumers were surveyed in eight rural and four urban markets in Niger. Results from a contingent valuation application show that 61% of the consumers are willing to pay a mean of 24.7% above the current market prices. These funds would favor the implementation of a conservation and improvement program for assuring the availability of baobab products in the market and conserving the baobab resources. Promoting health and food security based on the development of these products will likely also play a role in favoring the conservation of the species.

Esta tesis doctoral tiene como objetivo principal incentivar la participación de la sociedad en su propio desarrollo. Para tal fin, mediante grupos de discusión y cuestionarios individuales (i) en el capítulo 1, las comunidades locales han priorizado las especies y evaluado su estado de conservación actual, (ii) en el capítulo 2, los agricultores han declarado su voluntad de trabajar para realizar programas de conservación y mejora, y (iii) en el capítulo 3, los consumidores han mostrado una disposición positiva a pagar para preservar y mejorar estos recursos naturales. Con base en los resultados de capítulos anteriores y en el conocimiento existente sobre A. digitata, en el capítulo 4 se proponen las principales acciones, herramientas y actores para lograr un programa de gestión y conservación sostenible de una de las especies forestales alimenticias más valiosa para la sociedad de Níger, y de África en general, Departamento de Producción Vegetal y Recursos Forestales, Doctorado en Conservación y Uso Sostenible de Sistemas Forestales

En el campo de la genética, es necesario conocer las causas y efectos de la variación en los rasgos que influyen en las características de los individuos en sus hábitats naturales. El objetivo de esta tesis es investigar la variación fenotípica entre la población natural de pinos a escala local y regional, y definir sus implicaciones en el uso y conservación de los recursos genéticos. En el primer paso, analizamos la relación entre la varianza dentro de la población en rasgos fenotípicos relacionados con su eficacia biológica, la plasticidad fenotípica de estos rasgos y la heterogeneidad ambiental. En segundo lugar, evaluamos la variación genética inter e intraespecífica en la tolerancia a la sequía de plántulas. En tercer lugar, identificamos áreas para la conservación genética y propusimos medidas para la conservación y uso sostenible de los recursos genéticos forestales de pinos., Departamento Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Gestión Forestal Sostenible, Doctorado en Conservación y Uso Sostenible de Sistemas Forestales

Management of forest genetic resources requires experimental data related to the genetic variation of the species and populations under different climatic conditions. Foresters also demand to know how the main selective drivers will influence the adaptability of the genetic resources. To assess the inter- and intraspecific variation and plasticity in seedling drought tolerance at a relevant genetic resource management scale, we tested the changes in growth and biomass allocation of seedlings of Pinus oocarpa, P. patula and P. pseudostrobus under two contrasting watering regimes. We found general significant intraspecific variation and intraspecific differences in plasticity, since both population and watering by population interaction were significant for all three species. All the species and populations share a common general avoidance mechanism (allometric adjustment of shoot/root biomass). However, the intraspecific variation and differences in phenotypic plasticity among populations modify the adaptation strategies of the species to drought. Some of the differences are related to the climatic conditions of the location of origin. We confirmed that even at reduced geographical scales, Mexican pines present differences in the response to water stress. The differences among species and populations are relevant in afforestation programs as well as in genetic conservation activities.

Since ancient times, Mediterranean pine forests have been habitat for human activity, providing a wide range of goods such as timber, seeds, resin and derived products. Among them, tar and resin have played an historical role on the interaction between human activity and forests. In Spain, the resin played an important role in the economic and social development in rural areas during 20th century. But after 1980, resin production plummeted and the virtual disappearance of resin tapping caused the abandonment of traditional forest activities and the subsequently losses of ecosystem forest services (provision, regulation and cultural). This paper deals with some of the ecosystem services provided by resin tapped pine forests and shows how the abandonment of this traditional forestry activity would lead to a loss of social welfare beyond the economic activity. Among these ecosystem services, special attention is paid to the biodiversity of the pine forests. For that purpose, a stratified vegetation sampling was conducted in the leading resin-tapping Spanish region. Ecological analysis was therefore compared with the social preferenc es for several attributes associated to resin-tapped pine forests in Spain, including the biodiversity of flora.

We present BeechCOSTe52; a database of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) phenotypic measurements for several traits related to fitness measured in genetic trials planted across Europe. The dataset was compiled and harmonized during the COST-Action E52 (2006–2010), and subsequently cross-validated to ensure consistency of measurement data among trials and provenances. Phenotypic traits (height, diameter at breast height, basal diameter, mortality, phenology of spring bud burst and autumn–leaf discoloration) were recorded in 38 trial sites where 217 provenances covering the entire distribution of European beech were established in two consecutive series (1993/95 and 1996/98). The recorded data refer to 862,095 measurements of the same trees aged from 2 to 15 years old over multiple years. This dataset captures the considerable genetic and phenotypic intra-specific variation present in European beech and should be of interest to researchers from several disciplines including quantitative genetics, ecology, biogeography, macroecology, adaptive management of forests and bioeconomy.We present BeechCOSTe52; a database of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) phenotypic measurements for several traits related to fitness measured in genetic trials planted across Europe. The dataset was compiled and harmonized during the COST-Action E52 (2006–2010), and subsequently cross-validated to ensure consistency of measurement data among trials and provenances. Phenotypic traits (height, diameter at breast height, basal diameter, mortality, phenology of spring bud burst and autumn–leaf discoloration) were recorded in 38 trial sites where 217 provenances covering the entire distribution of European beech were established in two consecutive series (1993/95 and 1996/98). The recorded data refer to 862,095 measurements of the same trees aged from 2 to 15 years old over multiple years. This dataset captures the considerable genetic and phenotypic intra-specific variation present in European beec

In Mediterranean regions, temperature and drought frequency will likely increase by the end of this century. Biotic stress caused by plant pathogens and herbivores is also predicted to rise associated with global change. The ability of tree species to overcome the new environmental conditions will depend on both, their environmental plasticity and the extant intraspecific adaptive variation in functional traits related to resistance and tolerance against environmental stressors. Phenotypic variation for traits related to growth, productivity and abiotic stress tolerance have been well studied, but little is still know about defensive traits. Aditionally, most studies focus on the assesment of defensive function as punctual snapshots, whereas defensive investment is influenced by past climatic and biotic events during the tree lifespan. Resin ducts are specialized structures for the synthesis and accumulation of oleoresin, the main defensive compound of conifer trees against pest and pathogens. The abundance of resin ducts have been related with the resistance to specific herbivores and pathogens, thus becoming a trait with potential adaptive value. Resin duct production is costly, and as any other trait, their phenotypic expression may rely on genotypic and environmental factors. Therefore, understanding the interactive effects of these factors on this major defensive mechanism becomes crucial to predict the performance and survival of Mediterranean trees in the near future. Tree–ring anatomy is a valuable source of ecological information. Traditionally, tree rings have been used to asses the influence of climatic factors over traits related to growth, but inter-annual variability of any tree-ring-related feature can be quantified. Such is the case of axial resin ducts which reflect the variation of defensive investment of long –lived pine trees across their lifespan. Here we applied dendroecological methods to retrospectively asses the phenotypic variation in the y

The ability of tree species to overcome the new environmental conditions associated to climate change, such as drought increase and rising biotic stress, will depend on their phenotypic plasticity, and the extant intraspecific adaptive variation in functional traits. While both sources of variation have been well studied in traits related to productivity and abiotic stress tolerance, little is still know about defensive traits. The abundance and size of resin ducts in several conifer species have been associated with resistance to pest and pathogens. As any other trait, their phenotypic expression may rely on genotypic and environmental factors. Understanding the interactive effects of these factors on this major defensive mechanism is crucial to forecast at what extent tree species will persist in a challenging environment. Usually, most studies focus on assessment of defensive function as punctual snapshots and little is still known about defensive variability along ontogenic development. Here, we applied dendroecological methods to retrospectively asses the intraspecific genetic variation in the yearly expression of resin ducts in Pinus pinaster. We used stem cores collected from nine populations of the whole natural distribution range established in two 40 years-old replicated genetic trials with contrasted climatic conditions. We measured tree-ring width series and separately counted the axial resin ducts in both the latewood (LW) and the earlywood (EW) for the last 30 years on every core. Among-population variation in resin duct production within the annual tree rings was high, but more importantly, differences among populations largely varied along the ontogenetic development (significant population x year interaction). Population investment in defensive structures drastically changed between early and late developmental stages. Additionally, differences between populations regarding defensive investment were also related to the distribution of resin ducts wi

Since ancient times, Mediterranean pine forests have been habitat for human activity, providing a wide range of goods such as timber, seeds, resin and derived products. Among them, tar and resin have played an historical role on the interaction between human activity and forests. In Spain, the resin played an important role in the economic and social development in rural areas during 20th century. But after 1980, resin production plummeted and the virtual disappearance of resin tapping caused the abandonment of traditional forest activities and the subsequently losses of ecosystem forest services (provision, regulation and cultural). This paper deals with some of the ecosystem services provided by resin tapped pine forests and shows how the abandonment of this traditional forestry activity would lead to a loss of social welfare beyond the economic activity. Among these ecosystem services, special attention is paid to the biodiversity of the pine forests. For that purpose, a stratified vegetation sampling was conducted in the leading resin-tapping Spanish region. Ecological analysis was therefore compared with the social preferences for several attributes associated to resin-tapped pine forests in Spain, including the biodiversity of flora.

Aim of study: To propose a new approach to defining rotation ages on the basis of productive and technological aspects and to present an example of application of the methodology to natural Pinus sylvestris stands in relation to silvicultural treatment (light or heavy thinning) and site index.Area of study: Central Spain.Material and methods: We assumed that the price per m3 of logwood suitable for veneer is four times higher than logwood not apt for veneer. Considering the yield distribution for different technological and commercial classes, a model of diameter distributions and yield tables, the variation in an average price index for different age classes, site indexes and silvicultural treatments was calculated. The age at which the price index rises by less than 3%, the proportion of trees with d.b.h. higher than 40 cm, and other aspects such as the possible presence of fungal decay in old-growth stands were also taken into account to establish three criteria for defining rotation ages.Main results: The proposed methodology generates a wide range of rotation ages between 100 and 140 years for lightly thinned stands, and between 90 and 140 years for heavily thinned stands, depending on the site index.Research highlights: The proposed approach is based on technological and productive criteria, with the limitations imposed by sanitary risks. The methodology can be applied to generate rotation ages in relation to different site indexes and silvicultural treatments, provided that the timber market prices and the yield distribution for different technological and commercial classes are known, and that a model of diameter distributions and yield tables are available.

Aim of study: To contribute to the characterization of the origin of material used in afforestation, restoration or conservation activities by using Cp-SSR markers.Area of study: We used information from the natural range of Iberian pines, from Spain.Materials and methods: We used Iberian pines as an example to undertook gene pool characterization based on a wide Iberian sample of 97 populations from five Pinus species (Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinaster, Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus uncinata). Haplotypes from each analyzed tree (derived from nine chloroplast microsatellites markers in P. halepensis and six in the rest of the species) were obtained. Based on this information we subdivided each species in regions (considering both genetic structure and its application in afforestation, restoration and conservation programs) and tested the assignation of populations to the different groups based on the genetic distance among samples.Main results: The rate of successful identification of populations among the different species was very high (> 94 %) for P. nigra, P. sylvestris and P. uncinata, high (81 %) for P. pinaster, and low (< 65 %) for P. halepensis. Research highlights: Chloroplast DNA markers from extensive population datasets can be used to assign the origin of the forest reproductive material in some pine species.

Climate change is gravely affecting forest ecosystems, resulting in large distribution shifts as well as in increasing infection diseases and biological invasions. Accordingly, forest management requires an evaluation of exposure to climate change that should integrate both its abiotic and biotic components. Here we address the implications of climate change in an emerging disease by analysing both the host species (Pinus pinaster, Maritime pine) and the pathogen's (Fusarium circinatum, pitch canker) environmental suitability i.e. estimating the host's risk of habitat loss and the disease's future environmental range. We constrained our study area to the Spanish Iberian Peninsula, where accurate climate and pitch canker occurrence databases were available. While P. pinaster is widely distributed across the study area, the disease has only been detected in its north-central and north-western edges. We fitted species distribution models for the current distribution of the conifer and the disease. Then, these models were projected into nine Global Climate Models and two different climatic scenarios which totalled to 18 different future climate predictions representative of 2050. Based on the level of agreement among them, we created future suitability maps for the pine and for the disease independently, which were then used to assess exposure of current populations of P. pinasterto abiotic and biotic effects of climate change. Almost the entire distribution of P. pinasterin the Spanish Iberian Peninsula will be subjected to abiotic exposure likely to be driven by the predicted increase in drought events in the future. Furthermore, we detected a reduction in exposure to pitch canker that will be concentrated along the north-western edge of the study area. Setting up breeding programs is recommended in highly exposed and productive populations, while silvicultural methods and monitoring should be applied in those less productive, but still exposed, populations. © 2017 Se

Tree height-diameter allometry, the link between tree height and trunk diameter, reflects the evolutionary response of a particular species’ allocation patterns to above and belowground resources. As a result, it differs among and within species due to both local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. These phenotypic variations in tree height-diameter allometry determine tree productivity, resistance and resilience to climate variation and, ultimately, the success of plant material used in restoration projects. We tested the effect of climate change and population origin on the phenotypic variation of tree allometry in four pine species at an early stage of development (ca. 11 years old) based upon data originated from multi-site provenance tests and planted along a wide climatic range in south-western Europe. For a representative sample of populations from each species, we used already-developed species-specific height-diameter allometric models to assess changes in allometry between present and future climatic conditions. We found that Pinus halepensis and Pinus pinaster were the most plastic species, while Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra showed negligible plastic responses. In addition, our models stressed that pine tree height-diameter allometry will change and phenotypic variation could increase, except in P. sylvestris, under future environmental conditions. For some of the species, this might allow the selection of phenotypes better suited to novel climatic conditions. These foreseeable changes in tree height-diameter allometry (among and within-species) could entail eco-evolutionary effects on the early forest plantation dynamics. Therefore, restoration and reforestation plans should consider these effects, as they may interfere with production and/or environmental goals.

Aim:To integrate two major components of vulnerability to climate change: adaptive capacity (approached by genetic groups) and exposure (approached by risk of habitat loss) illustrated with the maritime (Pinus pinaster Ait.) and Aleppo (Pinus halepensis Mill.) pines. To integrate such information in the selection of conservation strategies (ex situ vs. in situ) and to evaluate current European efforts in the conservation of forest genetic resources. Location: Mediterranean Basin and European Atlantic coast. Methods: With the objective of preserving the overall genetic diversity of our two target species, we individually assess each of their genetic groups. We fit a species distribution model and project it to current climate and 42 different future climatic predictions. We create future suitability maps to assess risk of habitat loss based on the number of future climate projections that predict suitability. According to this assessment on the risk of habitat loss, we propose suitable conservation strategies. Results: We found areas suitable for in situ conservation for most of the genetic groups, the exception being the central-eastern-southern Iberian genetic groups of maritime pine and the Moroccan genetic group of Aleppo pine which required ex situ conservation. In the current European conservation network, three genetic groups for maritime pine and two for Aleppo pine remain unrepresented, and the representation of the rest is unbalanced. Main conclusions: We provide a tool to support conservation management of forest trees, an increasingly important task given the negative impact of climate change on forest ecosystems. We also provide a framework to increase the efficiency of the European conservation network: (i) exposure assessment should be considered as a requirement for a population to become a dynamic conservation unit (DCU); and (ii) as illustrated with our two target species, the selection of DCUs should represent all existing genetic groups.