Abstract
Intraspecific studies with populations replicated in different sites allow the effects of genotype and environment on wood features and plant growth to be distinguished. Based on climate change predictions, this distinction is important for establishing future patterns in the distribution of tree species. We quantified the effects of genotype and environment on wood features and growth of 30-year-old Balfourodendron riedelianum trees. We used three provenances planted in two common garden experiments with difference in precipitation and temperature. We applied linear models to estimate the variability in wood and growth features and transfer functions to evaluate the responses of these features to temperature, precipitation, and the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). Our results showed that genotype had an effect on vessels and rays, where narrower vessels with thinner walls and larger intervessel pits, and shorter, narrower and more numerous rays were observed in provenances from drier sites. We also observed the effect of the environment on wood features and growth. Trees growing in the wetter site were taller and larger, and they had wider vessels with thicker walls and lower ray density. Transfer functions indicated that an increase in temperature results in larger vessels with thicker walls, taller and denser rays, shorter and narrower fibers with thinner walls, and lower wood density. From a functional perspective, these features make trees growing in warmer environments more prone to drought-induced embolisms and more vulnerable to mechanical damage and pathogen attacks. Tree growth varied with precipitation and SPEI, being negatively affected in the drier site. Overall, we demonstrated that both genotype and environment affect wood features, while tree growth is mainly influenced by the environment. Plastic responses in hydraulic characteristics could represent important functional traits to mitigate the consequences of ongoing climate change on the growth and survival of the species within its natural range.
Highlights
The effect of environmental variability on the wood features in long-lived plants has been studied for almost a century
Balfourodendron riedelianum trees grown in two common garden experiments (Luís Antônio (LA) and
This study investigated the intraspecific variation in wood features and tree growth of B. riedelianum trees originating from three populations and grown in two common garden experiments in São Paulo
Summary
The effect of environmental variability on the wood features in long-lived plants has been studied for almost a century. Forests 2020, 11, 905 anatomical features of woody plant populations grown in sites with different water availability, showing the effects of local conditions (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and soil physical properties) on their anatomical structure. Common garden experiments with different seed sources replicated in environments with variable water availability has proven to be a useful tool in disentangling the genetic from environmental effects on wood features in tree species with wide distributions [3,4]. In some populations, the genotype may buffer the effects of environmental variability on wood formation, demonstrating that the interaction between genotype and environment in determining their anatomical features is more complex than expected. Trees from drier sites are generally smaller than trees from wetter sites, according to a well-known positive effect of precipitation on growth [8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
