Phenotypic Variation in California Populations of Valley Oak (Quercus lobata Née) Sampled Along Elevational Gradients
نویسندگان
چکیده
California oaks exhibit tremendous phenotypic variation throughout their range. This variation reflects phenotypic plasticity in tree response to local environmental conditions as well as genetic differences underlying those phenotypes. In this study, we analyze phenotypic variation in leaf traits for valley oak adults sampled along three elevational transects and in young seedlings grown from their acorns in greenhouse conditions. This project represents the early phase of a long-term provenance study of valley oak (see Delfino Mix and others, Establishing a range-wide provenance test in valley oak (Quercus lobata Née) at two California sites, these proceedings) where we subsample the maternal families sampled along elevation gradients to assess the extent to which selection may be shaping geographical variation in leaf phenotypes of valley oak. We find that leaf thickness is the trait that shows correlations in adult populations in the field and significant variation in the greenhouse. For this trait, we also found significant differentiation across maternal families, providing preliminary evidence that this trait experiences differential selection across natural populations with different environments. This study, part of a large-scale provenance/genomic study of the genetic basis of phenotypic variation, provides an early analysis of leaf traits that may play an important role in local adaptation to climate environments and provide background for management and restoration of California oak forests.
منابع مشابه
Spatial Clustering and Ecological Crowding of Valley Oak (Quercus lobata, Née) Associated with Shifts in Recruitment Establishment Sites in Southern California
متن کامل
Establishing a Range-Wide Provenance Test in Valley Oak (Quercus lobata Née) at Two California Sites
We present the methods used to establish a provenance test in valley oak, Quercus lobata. Nearly 11,000 acorns were planted and 88 percent of those germinated. The resulting seedlings were measured after 1 and 2 years of growth, and were outplanted in the field in the winter of 2014-2015. This test represents a long-term resource for both research and conservation.
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Rapid climate change jeopardizes tree populations by shifting current climate zones. To avoid extinction, tree populations must tolerate, adapt, or migrate. Here we investigate geographic patterns of genetic variation in valley oak, Quercus lobata Née, to assess how underlying genetic structure of populations might influence this species' ability to survive climate change. First, to understand ...
متن کاملLandscape genetics and population structure in Valley Oak (Quercus lobata Née).
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Although long-distance pollen movement is common in wind-pollinated trees, barriers to gene flow may occur in species that have discontinuous ranges or are confined to certain habitat types. We investigated the genetic structure of Quercus lobata Née populations throughout much of their range in California. We assessed the connectivity of populations and determined if barri...
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