Abstract
The intraspecific variation of climate–growth relationships observed on provenance trials results from among–provenance differences in phenotypic plasticity. Temporal variation in radial growth synchrony among provenances may be modified by adverse climatic/biotic conditions such as drought or insect defoliation. However, these factors can potentially diminish provenance–specific growth reactions and, consequently, prevent the identification of provenances with the highest adaptive potential. Thus, understanding the influence of major biotic conditions on provenance–specific climate–growth relationships seems to be important to anticipate climate change. To determine provenance–specific growth patterns in relation to climate conditions (drought), seed production (reproductive effort), and insect defoliation in a common garden of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), we applied dendroecological techniques to time–series of tree–ring widths and basal area increments. The long–term records of seed production and insect outbreaks from the local Scots pine stands were used to explain the potential effect of biotic factors on the temporal dynamics of radial growth synchrony. During a period of favorable growth conditions, Scots pine provenances showed a decline in inter–provenance synchronicity in growth patterns, while during years affected by severe soil water deficit and insect defoliation, they manifested high uniformity in growth dynamics. The long–term trend in growth synchrony among P. sylvestris provenances depend on both abiotic and biotic environmental factors. This gains significance following an introduction of the appropriate selection of tree provenances for climate–smart forestry.
Highlights
In the face of climate change, understanding the phenotypic plasticity of forest trees in relation to biotic and abiotic factors driving adaptation processes may support climate–adapted forest management [1,2] The frequency and severity of disturbances will increase under climate change in forest ecosystems [3,4]
The period 1988–2001 was characterized by a higher degree of asynchronicity of growth patterns between provenances as well as a mismatch of interval trends (IT)
The above findings are consistent with the observed highly homogeneous genetic structure of European Scots pine populations and their high phenotypic variability [109]; the only exception to this is the marginal population NT [110]. It was based on a limited dataset, shows that, under spatially uniform but temporally heterogonous climatic conditions, Scots pine provenances manifest temporal variations of growth synchrony
Summary
In the face of climate change, understanding the phenotypic plasticity of forest trees in relation to biotic and abiotic factors driving adaptation processes may support climate–adapted forest management [1,2] The frequency and severity of disturbances will increase under climate change in forest ecosystems [3,4]. Climate–dependent radial growth variation reflects the sensitivity of species and provenances to climate anomalies; marginal growth conditions may diminish differences among provenances in climate–growth responses and thereby hamper the detection of provenance–specific, climate–related adaptive responses [7]. The growth synchrony among spatially separated provenances observed in natural populations [11]. Spatial synchrony, caused by regionally correlated climatic conditions, has implications for natural population dynamics [12]; little is known about how to interpret this phenomenon in provenance trial conditions. Another unexplained mechanism is the temporal variation in the among–population synchrony; here, one of the hypotheses explaining this phenomenon is the possible impact of climate change [13]. We focused on the phenomenon of temporal variation in the among–provenance growth synchrony
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