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A proposed methodology for the determination of seed sources for tree native species based on environmental variables: the case of Quillaja saponaria Mol

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Abstract

There is an increasing interest in planting native tree species for commercialization and restoration purposes. However, the seed provenance zones of plant material to complete these activities successfully are not always available. This study aimed to develop a methodology that delineates seed zones based on provenances and using climatic and topographic variables. We created a database with spatial units throughout the natural distribution of Quillaja saponaria Mol. (30º to 38ºS), containing climatic and topographic information and a relative abundance of the species. First, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to synthesize data, with the first three components explaining 89% of the total variance. Then, a non-hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to define homogenous groups, which was defined through linear discriminant analysis. Finally, an ordinal logistic regression (OLR) was performed using the abundance value as response and the environmental variables as predictors, obtaining a maximum of 40% of success in the prediction of abundance. Even though abundance was a complex response to be predicted in the case of Q. saponaria, the proposed method to delineate seed sources showed geographical coherence. The proposed methodology is easily replicable to other species using free databases and computing tools and allows a preliminary estimation of seed transfer zones for Q. saponaria.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff of the Centro Productor de Semillas y Árboles Forestales at the Universidad de Chile for supporting this research, and for providing some comments on the manuscript. This projects was funded by the Corporación Nacional Forestal de Chile (CONAF) through the grant FIBN-CONAF 067/2012.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CESAF. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y de la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Avenida Santa Rosa 11315, La Pintana, Chile

    Milza López, Betsabé Abarca, Alexis Rojas, Eduardo Martínez-Herrera, Marco Yáñez & Carlos R. Magni

  2. Departamento de Ciencias Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Católica del Maule, Avenida San Miguel 3605, Talca, Chile

    Sergio Espinoza

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  1. Milza López
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López, M., Abarca, B., Espinoza, S. et al. A proposed methodology for the determination of seed sources for tree native species based on environmental variables: the case of Quillaja saponaria Mol. New Forests 55, 1–13 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-022-09961-7

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