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Coastal and interior Douglas-fir provenances differ in growth performance and response to drought episodes at adult age

Annals of Forest Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 13 August 2014

Abstract

Context

Since the 2003 drought and heat wave, Douglas-fir dieback has been reported in France in trees older than 30 years. Consequently, it is questioned whether selected Douglas-fir provenances are suited to the frequent and severe drought events which are forecast due to climate change.

Aims

Our objective was to contribute to the screening of variability in productivity and growth response to soil-water deficit of mature trees from provenances not currently used for plantation in France.

Methods

We sampled 22 provenances, including coastal and interior Douglas-fir, covering a wide part of its natural distribution, from Oregon to California for coastal provenances and from British Columbia to New Mexico for interior provenances. These provenances were planted at the mid 1970s in two provenance trials located in the south-west area of France. Variability of productivity, of wood density, and of radial growth in response to drought episodes among provenances was quantified and related to soil-water deficit computed by daily water balance calculations.

Results

Whatever the provenance, annual radial growth is highly dependent on local soil-water deficit (Felines R 2 = 0.57, Le Treps R2 = 0.49). Radial growth and wood properties exhibit large differences between provenances at 30 years old. Variability between provenances for all wood characteristics studied is mainly structured geographically. Coastal provenances perform best for productivity at 30 years old (619 cm2 ± 59), and exhibit a small growth reduction in 2004, the second successive year of drought (−10.7 % ± 3.8). Surprisingly, the southern interior provenances from the driest environments in the natural range show a large growth reduction in 2004 (−30.5 % ± 5.2).

Conclusions

The provenances tested exhibited significant differences in growth performance and growth reduction induced by the soil-water deficit. The approach coupling retrospective analysis of radial growth on mature trees and water balance modelling is relevant for evaluating provenance adaptation to more frequent or severe drought episodes.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank F. Bonne, T. Paul, A. Nassau, D. Vauthier, B. Issenut, and C. Gauvrit for their technical assistance during field data collection; and F. Millier and the INRA Genobois Platform for the technical assistance during field data collection and laboratory measurements.

Funding

The research was funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (project ANR-06-VULN-004) and by the Conseil Regional de la Region Centre on the basis of a PhD grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UR 588 Amélioration, Génétique et Physiologie Forestières, 2163 Avenue de la Pomme de Pin, CS 40001 Ardon, F-45075, Orléans Cedex 2, France

    Anne-Sophie Sergent, Léopoldo Sanchez, Jean-Charles Bastein & Philippe Rozenberg

  2. INRA, UMR 1137 Ecologie et Ecophysiologie Forestières, Route de la Forêt d’Amance, F-54280, Champenoux, France

    Nathalie Bréda

  3. Université de Lorraine, UMR 1137 Ecologie et Ecophysiologie Forestières, BP 239, F-54506, Vandoeuvre, France

    Nathalie Bréda

Authors
  1. Anne-Sophie Sergent
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  2. Nathalie Bréda
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  3. Léopoldo Sanchez
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  4. Jean-Charles Bastein
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  5. Philippe Rozenberg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nathalie Bréda.

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Handling Editor: Erwin Dreyer

Contribution of the co-authors

Anne-Sophie Sergent contributed to designing the experiment, analysing data and writing the paper.

Philippe Rozenberg was co-supervisor of the work and contributed to designing the experiment, analysing the data, and proofreading the paper.

Nathalie Bréda was the coordinator of ANR-06-VULN-004, co-supervisor of the work, and contributed to analysing the data, computing the water balance, and proofreading the paper.

Jean-Charles Bastien contributed to the initial experimental design. Léopoldo Sanchez contributed to proofreading the paper.

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Sergent, AS., Bréda, N., Sanchez, L. et al. Coastal and interior Douglas-fir provenances differ in growth performance and response to drought episodes at adult age. Annals of Forest Science 71, 709–720 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0393-1

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