Adaptive responses for seed and leaf phenology in natural populations of sessile oak along an altitudinal gradient
- PMID: 21507119
- DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02277.x
Adaptive responses for seed and leaf phenology in natural populations of sessile oak along an altitudinal gradient
Abstract
We assessed the adaptive potential of seed and leaf phenology in 10 natural populations of sessile oak (Quercus petraea) sampled along two altitudinal transects using common garden experiments. Population differentiation for both phenological traits was observed with high-altitude populations germinating and flushing later than low altitude ones. However, high genetic variation and heritability values were also maintained within populations, despite slightly decreasing for dates of leaf unfolding with increasing altitude. We suggest that biotic and abiotic fluctuating selection pressures within populations and high gene flow are the main mechanisms maintaining high genetic variation for these fitness related traits. Moreover, changes in selection intensity and/or selection pressures along the altitudinal gradient can explain the reduction in genetic variation observed for leaf phenology. We anticipate that the maintenance of high genetic variation will be a valuable resource for future adaptation of sessile oak populations undergoing an upslope shift caused by climate change.
© 2011 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2011 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.
Similar articles
-
To what extent is altitudinal variation of functional traits driven by genetic adaptation in European oak and beech?Tree Physiol. 2011 Nov;31(11):1164-74. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpr084. Epub 2011 Sep 8. Tree Physiol. 2011. PMID: 21908436
-
Are plant pathogen populations adapted for encounter with their host? A case study of phenological synchrony between oak and an obligate fungal parasite along an altitudinal gradient.J Evol Biol. 2010 Jan;23(1):87-97. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01881.x. Epub 2009 Nov 6. J Evol Biol. 2010. PMID: 19895655
-
Population differentiation of sessile oak at the altitudinal front of migration in the French Pyrenees.Mol Ecol. 2010 Jul;19(13):2626-39. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04631.x. Epub 2010 Jun 17. Mol Ecol. 2010. PMID: 20561196
-
A critical review of adaptive genetic variation in Atlantic salmon: implications for conservation.Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2007 May;82(2):173-211. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-185X.2006.00004.x. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2007. PMID: 17437557 Review.
-
Widespread phenotypic and genetic divergence along altitudinal gradients in animals.J Evol Biol. 2013 Dec;26(12):2527-43. doi: 10.1111/jeb.12255. Epub 2013 Oct 15. J Evol Biol. 2013. PMID: 24128377 Review.
Cited by
-
Signatures of local adaptation to current and future climate in phenology-related genes in natural populations of Quercus robur.BMC Genomics. 2024 Jan 19;25(1):78. doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09897-y. BMC Genomics. 2024. PMID: 38243199 Free PMC article.
-
Evolutionary responses of tree phenology to the combined effects of assortative mating, gene flow and divergent selection.Heredity (Edinb). 2014 Dec;113(6):485-94. doi: 10.1038/hdy.2014.51. Epub 2014 Jun 11. Heredity (Edinb). 2014. PMID: 24924591 Free PMC article.
-
Heritability and genetic architecture of reproduction-related traits in a temperate oak species.Tree Genet Genomes. 2019 Feb;15(1):1. doi: 10.1007/s11295-018-1309-2. Epub 2018 Dec 7. Tree Genet Genomes. 2019. PMID: 30546292 Free PMC article.
-
Genetic differentiation in functional traits among European sessile oak populations.Tree Physiol. 2019 Oct 1;39(10):1736-1749. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpz090. Tree Physiol. 2019. PMID: 31553461 Free PMC article.
-
Potential for evolutionary responses to climate change - evidence from tree populations.Glob Chang Biol. 2013 Jun;19(6):1645-61. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12181. Epub 2013 Apr 3. Glob Chang Biol. 2013. PMID: 23505261 Free PMC article. Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources