Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variation in functional leaf traits among beech provenances during a Spanish summer reflects the differences in their origin

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Tree Genetics & Genomes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We assessed the response of 11-year-old saplings from six beech provenances growing in a common-garden trial at the southwestern range limit. Provenances from distinct climatic regions across the European beech distribution were selected. The local Spanish provenance appeared well suited to the site conditions, maintaining high rates of assimilation even in midsummer, but so did the provenance of southern continental origin, from Gotze-Delchev, Bulgaria. Those provenances from cooler sites in central Europe, a continental mountain climate in the Czech Republic and a continental range-edge site in eastern Poland, along with a German provenance of mild maritime origin, had good physiological functionality in early summer but reduced carbon assimilation (A area) and apparent soil–leaf hydraulic conductivity (K L) in midsummer. The northern maritime provenance from Sweden demonstrated severely-reduced photosynthetic capacity. These groupings of provenances according to their photosynthetic performance, stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C; a proxy for water-use efficiency) and leaf water potential under marginal conditions, during late summer in the trial, suggest that they have divergent strategies for water use. The research highlights large intraspecific differences among beech provenances of distinct origin and strategies which are expected to modify their response to drought, requiring future genetic studies to explicitly determine the basis of this ecophysiological differentiation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aranda I, Gil L, Pardos JA (2000) Water relations and gas exchange in Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl in a mixed stand at their southern limit of distribution in Europe. Trees 14:344–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aranda I, Gil L, Pardos JA (2001) Effects of thinning in a Pinus sylvestris L. stand on foliar water relations of Fagus sylvatica L. seedlings planted within the pinewood. Trees 15:358–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aranda I, Gil L, Pardos JA (2004) Improvement of growth conditions and gas exchange of Fagus sylvatica L. seedlings planted below a recently thinned Pinus sylvestris L. stand. Trees 18:211–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aranda I, Gil L, Pardos JA (2005) Seasonal changes in apparent hydraulic conductance and their implications for water use of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and sessile oak [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl] in South Europe. Plant Ecol 179:155–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ares A, Fownes JH, Sun W (2000) Genetic differentiation of intrinsic water-use efficiency in the Hawaiian native Acacia koa. Int J Plant Sci 161:909–915

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aspelmeier S, Leuschner C (2004) Genotypic variation in drought response of silver birch (Betula pendula): leaf water status and carbon gain. Tree Physiol 24:517–528

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baquedano FJ, Valladares F, Castillo FJ (2008) Phenotypic plasticity blurs ecotypic divergence in the response of Quercus coccifera and Pinus halepensis to water stress. Eur J Forest Res 127:495–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borghetti M, Leonardi S, Raschi A, Snyderman D, Tognetti R (1993) Ecotypic variation of xylem embolism, phenological traits, growth parameters and allozyme characteristics in Fagus sylvatica. Funct Ecol 7:71–720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buiteveld J, Vendramin GG, Leonardi S, Kramer K, Geburek T (2007) Genetic diversity and differentiation in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L) stands differing in management history. For Ecol Manage 247:98–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chybicki IJ, Trojankiewicz M, Oleksa A, Dzialuk A, Burczyk J (2009) Isolation-by-distance within naturally established populations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Can J Bot 87:791–798

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang J, Lechowicz MJ (2006) Climatic limits for the present distribution of beech (Fagus L.) species in the world. J Biogeogr 33:1804–1819

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farquhar GD, Ehleringer JR, Hubrick KT (1989) Carbon isotope discrimination and photosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 40:503–537

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García-Plazaola JI, Becerril JM (2000a) Photoprotection mechanisms in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings from diverse climatic origins. Trees 14:339–343

    Google Scholar 

  • García-Plazaola JI, Becerril JM (2000b) Effects of drought on photoprotective mechanisms in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings from different provenances. Trees 14:485–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giesecke T, Hickler T, Kunkel T, Sykes MT, Bradshaw RHW (2007) Towards an understanding of the Holocene distribution of Fagus sylvatica L. J Biogeogr 34:118–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gimeno TE, Pias B, Lemos JP, Valladares F (2009) Plasticity and stress tolerance override local adaptation in the responses of Mediterranean holm oak seedlings to drought and cold. Tree Physiol 29:87–98

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gömöry D, Longauer R, PauleL KD, Schmidtová J (2010) Across-species patterns of genetic variation in forest trees of Central Europe. Biodivers Conserv 19:2025–2038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granier A, Biron P, Lemoine D (2000) Water balance, transpiration and canopy conductance in two beech stands. Agr Forest Meteorol 100:291–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gratani L, Meneghini M, Pesoli A, Crescente MF (2003) Structural and functional plasticity of Quercus ilex saplings of different provenances in Italy. Trees 17:515–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grossnickle SC, Russell JH (2010) Physiological variation among western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) populations in response to short-term drought Ann Forest Sci 67: 506

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamrick JL (2004) Response of forest trees to global environmental changes. For Ecol Manage 197:323–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herbette S, Wortemann R, Awad H, Huc R, Cochard H, Barigah TS (2010) Insights into xylem vulnerability to cavitation in Fagus sylvatica L.: phenotypic and environmental sources of variaibility. Tree Physiol 30:1448–1455

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jump AS, Peñuelas J (2007) Extensive spatial genetic structure revealed by AFLP but not SSR molecular markers in the wind-pollinated tree, Fagus sylvatica. Mol Ecol 16:925–936

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jump AS, Hunt JM, Peñuelas J (2006) Rapid climate change-related growth decline at the southern range edge of Fagus sylvatica. Global Change Biol 12:2163–2174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jump AS, Hunt JM, Peñuelas J (2007) Climate relationships of growth and establishment across the altitudinal range of Fagus sylvatica in the Montseny Mountains, northeast Spain. Ecoscience 14:507–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jump AS, Marchant R, Peñuelas J (2009) Environmental change and the option value of genetic diversity. Trends Plant Sci 14:51–58

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kramer K, Buiteveld J, Forstreuter M, Geburek T, Leonardi S, Menozzi P, Povillon F, Schelhaas MJ, Teissier du Cros E, Vendramin GG, van der Werf DC (2008) Bridging the gap between ecophysiological and genetic knowledge to assess the adaptive potential of European beech. Ecological Modelling 216: 333–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer K, Degen B, Buschbom J, Hickler Th, Thuiller W, Sykes MT, de Winter W (2010) Modelling exploration of the future of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L) under climate change—range, abundance, genetic diversity and adaptive response. For Ecol Manage 259:2213–2222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lendzion J, Leuschner Ch (2008) Growth of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings is limited by elevated atmospheric vapour pressure deficits. For Ecol Manage 256:648–655

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonardi S, Menozzi P (1995) Genetic variability of Fagus sylvatica L. in Italy: the role of postglacial recolonization. Heredity 75:35–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonardi S, Piovani P, Magnani F, Menozzi P (2006) A simple general method to evaluate intra-specific transpiration parameters within and among seedling families. Oecologia 149:185–193

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leverenz JW, Bruhn D, Saxe H (1999) Responses of two provenances of Fagus sylvatica seedlings to a combination of four temperature and two CO2 treatments during their first growing season: gas exchange of leaves and roots. New Phytol 144:437–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Berninger F, Koskela J, Sonninen E (2000) Drought responses of Eucalyptus microtheca provenances depend on seasonality of rainfall in their place of origin. Aust J Plant Physiol 27:231–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Linares JC, Tíscar PA (2010) Climate change impacts and vulnerability of the southern populations of Pinus nigra subsp salzmannii. Tree Physiol 30:795–806

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Magri D (2008) Patterns of post-glacial spread and the extent of glacial refugia of European beech (Fagus sylvatica). J Biogeogr 35:450–463

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magri D, Vendramin GG, Comps B, Dupanloup I, Geburek T, Gömöry D, Latalowa M, Litt T, Paule L, Roure JM, Tantau I, van der Knaap WO, Petit RJ, de Beaulieu JL (2006) A new scenario for the Quaternary history of European beech populations: paleobotanical evidence and genetic consequences. New Phytol 171:199–222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mátyás C, Bozic G, Gömöry D, Ivankovic M, Rasztovits E (2009a) Juvenille growth response of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) to sudden change of climatic environment in SE European trials. iForest—Biogeosciences and Forestry 2:213–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Mátyás CS, Vendramin GG, Fady B (2009b) Forests at the limit: evolutionary-genetic consequences of environmental changes at the receding (xeric) edge of distribution. Ann Forest Sci 66:800–803

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meier IC, Leuschner C (2008) Genotypic variation and phenotypic plasticity in the drought response of fine roots of European beech. Tree Physiol 28:297–309

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen CN, Jorgensen FV (2003) Phenology and diameter increment in seedlings of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) as affected by different soil water contents: variation between and within provenances. For Ecol Manage 174:233–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parelle J, Roudaut J-P, Ducrey M (2006) Light acclimation and photosynthetic response of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) saplings under artificial shading or natural Mediterranean conditions. Ann Forest Sci 63:257–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paule L, Krizo M, Pagan J (1994) Genetics and improvement of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Ann Forest Sci 11:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Peuke AD, Schraml C, Hartung W, Rennenberg H (2002) Identification of drought-sensitive beech ecotypes by physiological parameters. New Phytol 154:373–387

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peuke AD, Gessler A, Rennenberg H (2006) The effect of drought on C and N stable isotopes in different fractions of leaves, stems and roots of sensitive and tolerant beech ecotypes. Plant Cell Environ 29:823–835

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Premoli AC, Brewer CA (2007) Environmental genetically driven variation in ecophysiological traits of Nothofagus pumilio from contrasting elevations. Aust J Bot 55:585–591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez-Valiente J, Sánchez-Gómez D, Aranda I, Valladares F (2010) Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation in leaf ecophysiological traits of 13 contrasting cork oak populations under different water availabilities. Tree Physiol 30:618–627

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robson TM, Rodríguez-Calcerrada J, Sánchez-Gómez D, Aranda I (2009) Summer drought impedes beech seedling performance more in a sub-Mediterranean forest understorey than in small gaps. Tree Physiol 29:249–259

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robson TM, Alia R, Bozic G, Clark J, Forstreuter M, Gömöry D, Liesebach M, Mertens P, Raszovits E, Zitová M, von Wühlisch G (2011) Chapter 7: the timing of leaf flush in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) saplings. In: R Alia (ed) Evaluation of genetic resources of beech for sustainable forestry, Proceedings of the COST E52 final meeting, Burgos, Spain, 6-8 May 2010 pp 61–80 INIA Monograph series 22-2011 ISBN: 978-84-7498-532-0

  • Rose L, Leuschner C, Köckemann B, Buschmann H (2009) Are marginal beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) provenances a source for drought tolerant ecotypes? Eur J For Res 128:335–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thuiller W, Albert C, Araújo MB, Berry PM, Cabeza M, Guisan A, Hickler T, Midley GF (2008) Predicting global change impacts on plant species’ distributions: future challenges. Perspect Plant Ecol 8:137–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tognetti R, Johnson JD, Michelozzi M (1995) The response of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings from two Italian populations to drought and recovery. Trees 9:348–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Wühlisch G (2007) Series of international provenance trials of European beech In: Improvement and Silviculture of Beech, Proceedings from the 7th International Beech Symposium IUFRO Research Group 1.10.00, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands (RIFR), Teheran, Iran, 135–144

  • Vornam B, Decarli N, Gailing O (2004) Spatial distribution of genetic variation in a natural beech stand (Fagus sylvatica L.) based on microsatellite markers. Conserv Genet 5:561–570

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warren Ch, Tausz M, Adams MA (2005) Does rainfall explain variation in leaf morphology and physiology among populations of red ironbark (Eucalyptus sideroxylon subsptricarpa) grown in a common garden? Tree Physiol 25:1369–1378

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wortemann R, Herbette S, Barigah TS, Fumanal B, Alia R, Ducousso A, Gomory D, Roeckel-Drevet P, Cochard H (2011) Genotypic variability and phenotypic plasticity of cavitation resistance in Fagus sylvatica L. across Europe. Tree Physiol 31 1175–1182

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research has been developed within the framework of projects “CLIMHAYA” (CGL2007-66066-C04-03/BOS) and SUM2008-00004-C03-01, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The study is part of the network of beech trials established under the auspices of the EU Concerted Action AIR-CT94-2091; EU COST Action E52, and in this respect, we would like to thank Dr. R. Alía for access to the existing information about the trial. TMR and DS-G were sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education “Juan de la Cierva” Programme and FJC by the Autonomous Government of Madrid. We are grateful to Luis Alté and Nadine Weiss for technical assistance, to Manfred Forstreuter for performing the leaf N analyses and to Pedro Aphalo for his helpful suggestions for improving the text.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Biology Division, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland

    T. Matthew Robson

  2. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrarias y Tecnologías Agroalimentarias, Centro de Investigación Forestal, Carretera a Coruña Km 7.5, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    David Sánchez-Gómez, F. Javier Cano & Ismael Aranda

  3. Unidad de Anatomía, Fisiología y Genética Forestal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    F. Javier Cano

Authors
  1. T. Matthew Robson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David Sánchez-Gómez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Javier Cano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ismael Aranda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Matthew Robson.

Additional information

Communicated by S. Aitken

A contribution to the Special Issue “The genomes of the giants: a walk through the forest of tree genomes”

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 2181 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Robson, T.M., Sánchez-Gómez, D., Cano, F.J. et al. Variation in functional leaf traits among beech provenances during a Spanish summer reflects the differences in their origin. Tree Genetics & Genomes 8, 1111–1121 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-012-0496-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-012-0496-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation