Sylvestris Populations Research Articles

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) dynamics in the Welsh Marches during the mid to late-Holocene

Around 4000 cal yr BP, Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris) suffered a widespread demise across the British Isles. This paper presents new information about P. sylvestris populations found in the Welsh Marches (western central Britain), for which the long-term history and origins are poorly known. Two new pollen records were produced from the Lin Can Moss ombrotrophic bog (LM18) and the Breidden Hill pond (BH18). The LM18 peat core is supported by loss-on-ignition, humification analysis and radiocarbon dating. Lead concentrations were used to provide an estimated timeframe for the recent BH18 record. In contrast to many other Holocene pollen records from the British Isles, analysis of LM18 reveals that Scots pine grains were deposited continuously between c. 6900–300 cal yr BP, at frequencies of 0.3–5.4%. It is possible that individual Scots pine trees persisted through the wider demise on thin soils of steep drought-prone crags of hills or the fringes of lowland bogs in the Welsh Marches. At BH18, the record indicates a transition from broadleaved to mixed woodland, including conifer species introduced around AD 1850 including Picea and Pinus. The insights from BH18 suggest that the current populations may largely be the result of planting. Comparison of the LM18 findings with other regional pollen records highlights consistent patterns, including a Mid-Holocene maximum (ca. 7000 cal yr BP), long-term persistence at low pollen percentages and a Late-Holocene minimum (ca. 3000 cal yr BP). These distinctive trends encourage further studies on refugial areas for Scots pine in this region and elsewhere.

Towards new seed orchard designs in Germany – A review

Abstract New first and 1.5 generation seed orchards are to be created in Germany based on recently assembled breeding populations of Acer pseudoplatanus, Larix sp., Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Quercus sp. To justify the high expenses in time and cost for orchard establishment and maintenance, planning should make use of consolidated knowledge and experience of both the national and international scientific community. Here, we briefly describe advances in genetic gains achieved through tree breeding, and resume population genetic aspects and design considerations to draw conclusions for clonal composition and spatial design of the new orchards. We conclude that to avoid outbreeding depression separate orchards are required for each breeding zone. The zones are species-specific and defined by ecological and climatic aspects. A minimum of 60-80 clones per orchard is recommended for native tree species with high proportions of natural regeneration in forest practice. This would allow future selective thinning based on estimated breeding values from progeny testing. It would also permit the transfer of seed orchard progenies into a naturally regenerating forest stands without the risk of a genetic bottleneck. Lower clone numbers are appropriate for non-native species and hybrids. It is important to strictly avoid inbreeding depression, achieved by using only one clone per progeny or population, from which the plus trees were selected. Further, the spatial layout should promote random mating by optimizing the neighbourhood of each clone. With all of these considerations taken into account, we expect superior quality traits and at least 10-15 % more volume from the new seed orchards.

Divergent patterns between phenotypic and genetic variation in Scots pine

In boreal forests, autumn frost tolerance in seedlings is a critical fitness component because it determines survival rates during regeneration. To understand the forces that drive local adaptation in this trait, we conducted freezing tests in a common garden setting for 54 Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) populations (>5000 seedlings) collected across Scandinavia into western Russia, and genotyped 24 of these populations (>900 seedlings) at >10 000 SNPs. Variation in cold hardiness among populations, as measured by QST, was above 80% and followed a distinct cline along latitude and longitude, demonstrating significant adaptation to climate at origin. In contrast, the genetic differentiation was very weak (mean FST 0.37%). Despite even allele frequency distribution in the vast majority of SNPs among all populations, a few rare alleles appeared at very high or at fixation in marginal populations restricted to northwestern Fennoscandia. Genotype–environment associations showed that climate variables explained 2.9% of the genetic differentiation, while genotype–phenotype associations revealed a high marker-estimated heritability of frost hardiness of 0.56, but identified no major loci. Very extensive gene flow, strong local adaptation, and signals of complex demographic history across markers are interesting topics of forthcoming studies on this species to better clarify signatures of selection and demography.

Infraspecific Chemical Variability and Biological Activity of Casearia sylvestris from Different Brazilian Biomes.

Casearia sylvestris is an outstanding representative of the Casearia genus. This representability comes from its distinctive chemical profile and pharmacological properties. This species is widespread from North to South America, occurring in all Brazilian biomes. Based on their morphology, 2 varieties are recognized: C. sylvestris var. sylvestris and C. sylvestris var. lingua. Despite the existence of data about their chemical composition, a deeper understanding of the specialized metabolism correlation and variation in respect to environmental factors and its repercussion over their biological activities was still pending. In this study, an UHPLC-DAD-based metabolomics approach was employed for the investigation of the chemical variation of 12 C. sylvestris populations sampled across 4Brazilian biomes and ecotones. The correlation between infraspecific chemical variability and the cytotoxic and antioxidant activities was achieved by multivariate data analysis. The analyses showed that C. sylvestris var. lingua prevailed at Cerrado areas, and it was correlated with lower cytotoxic activity and high level of glycosylated flavonoids. Among them, narcissin and isorhamnetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranoside showed good correlation with the antioxidant activity. Conversely, C. sylvestris var. sylvestris prevailed at the Atlantic Forest areas, and it was associated with high cytotoxic activity and high content of clerodane diterpenoids. Different casearins showed good correlation (R2 = 0.3 - 0.70) with the cytotoxic activity. These findings highlighted the great complexity among different C. sylvestris populations, their chemical profile, and the related biological activities. Consequently, it can certainly influence the medicinal properties, as well as the quality and efficacy, of C. sylvestris phytomedicines.

Genetic integrity is still maintained in natural populations of the indigenous wild apple species Malus sylvestris (Mill.) in Saxony as demonstrated with nuclear SSR and chloroplast DNA markers.

Malus sylvestris (Mill.) is the only indigenous wild apple species in Central Europe. Agriculture, forestry, and urbanization increasingly endanger Malus sylvestris natural habitats. In addition, the risks of cross‐hybridization associated with increase in the cultivation of the domesticated apple Malus × domestica (Borkh.) threaten the genetic integrity of M. sylvestris. The present study investigated the number of hybrids, genetic diversity, and genetic structure of 292 putative M. sylvestris that originate from five different natural M. sylvestris populations in Saxony, Germany. All samples were genetically analyzed using nine nuclear microsatellite markers (ncSSR) and four maternally inherited chloroplast markers (cpDNA) along with 56 apple cultivars commonly cultivated in Saxony. Eighty‐seven percent of the wild apple accessions were identified as pure M. sylvestris. The cpDNA analysis showed six private haplotypes for M. sylvestris, whereas three haplotypes were present in M. sylvestris and M. × domestica. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) resulted in a moderate (ncSSR) and great (cpDNA) variation among pure M. sylvestris and M. × domestica individuals indicating a low gene flow between both species. The genetic diversity within the pure M. sylvestris populations was high with a weak genetic structure between the M. sylvestris populations indicating an unrestricted genetic exchange between these M. sylvestris populations. The clear distinguishing of M. sylvestris and M. ×domestica confirms our expectation of the existence of pure M. sylvestris accessions in this area and supports the argument for the implementation of preservation measures to protect the M. sylvestris populations in Saxony.

Introgression Among Cultivated and Wild Grapevine in Tuscany.

Wild grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmelin, Hegi) is spontaneous to Europe and common in Tuscany. In this study, wild grapevines were identified in 22 populations from eight locations in Tuscan Maremma (Grosseto and Siena province). The plants were propagated by cuttings, collected in a vineyard, genotyped by nuclear simple sequence repeats (SSRs), chloroplast SSRs and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and compared to locally cultivated varieties (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sativa) and to non-vinifera and non-vitis genotypes. The identity analysis revealed that some individuals were redundant genotypes, suggesting natural vegetative propagation. In addition, four of the supposed V.v. sylvestris were in fact naturalized V.v. sativa. The majority of putative sylvestris genotypes had chlorotype A, while the remainder had chlorotype D, as the majority of Vitis vinifera subsp. sativa cultivated in Italy. Some of the recovered sylvestris genotypes appeared to be natural crosses with cultivated grapevine varieties in Tuscany, and their chlorotype suggests a higher pollen flow from sativa to the sylvestris genotypes than in the opposite direction. In addition, other genotypes appeared to be crosses within sylvestris, sylvestris-sativa or sylvestris-sylvestris siblings, or equivalent relationships. These relationships suggest a noticeably level of sexual reproductive activities among sylvestris and sylvestris-sativa genotypes. A cluster and structure analysis clearly differentiated the true sylvestris from the sativa, and the non-vinifera or non-vitis genotypes, and also highlighted a possible introgression of sylvestris into some Italian and French cultivated varieties. The results therefore suggest that, in addition to the primary ancient center of domestication from the Near East to Central Asia, the introgression among cultivated and wild grapevine occurred in other centers of diversification along the migration routes, contributing to the domestication processes, and suggesting that these processes are still ongoing despite the reduction in populations of sylvestris. The results also highlight that the GrapeReSeq 18K Vitis genotyping chip are suitable for non-vitis genotyping and that the range of SNPs heterozygosity in sylvestris appears to be up to 6% less and does not overlap the heterozygosity range of sativa genotypes.

Генетическая структура и межпопуляционная дифференциация восьми популяций Pinus sylvestris L. на восточно-европейской равнине

A study of the genetic structure and differentiation of eight populations of Pinus sylvestris L. on the Russian Plain showed that the populations of PsI and PsII (D=0.066) are located at the smallest genetic distance, and between the populations of PsI and PsIV (D=0.308) at the greatest genetic distance. On the dendrogram, the studied populations formed four clusters: PsI and PsII; PsIII and PsIV; PsV and PsVI; PsVII and PsVIII. Analysis of the genetic structure of eight populations of P. sylvestris showed that the expected proportion of heterozygous genotypes (HT) for the total sample was 0.320, the expected proportion of heterozygous genotypes in a single population for all loci (HS) was 0.170, therefore, the population subdivision (GST) was high and amounted to 0.468. The studied populations are highly differentiated, since the interpopulation component accounts for 46.8% of the genetic diversity. In all studied populations, the indicator h has values less than 0.3. An analysis of the fraction of rare alleles showed that the genetic structure is less balanced in the populations PsIII (h=0.254) and PsIV (h=0.273). The most balanced genetic structure in the populations of PsVII (h=0.112) and PsVIII (h=0.127). Data on the genetic structure and differentiation of the common pine populations should be taken into account when developing recommendations for preserving their gene pools.

Chemotypic structure of Pinus sylvestris population in Usmansky and Khrenovskoy pine forests

The main target of the paper is to study structure of main pine forest types in Usmansky and Khrenovskoy pine forests, their chemical composition of essential oil (EO) monoterpene fraction. This paper is on problems of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) breeding and seed-growing in the forest-steppe European part. It is done for forest culture improvement, based on genetics and breeding. The characteristic of main components of pine-needles essential oil in free and controlled cross-breeding was investigated. The established peculiarities of monoterpene biosynthesis in pine-needless essential oil are genetically motivated. The long-term opportunity for essential oil composition usage as characteristics of Pinus sylvestris breeding on resistibility to diseases and pests was defined. The structures of main forest types in Usmansky and Khrenovskoy pine forests according to basic monometric and biochemical indices were studied. The data on composition, changeability and inheritance regularity of monoterpenes may be used for recommendations on creating of Pinus sylvestris seed base on genetic and breeding bases.

The Hypothesis about the Lofoten Pleistocene Refugium for Pinus sylvestris L.

The dates of appearance of a representative portion of Pinus sylvestris L. pollen in palynospectra (≥20%) have been analyzed as a parameter reflecting the spread of leading-edge pine populations from central and eastern Europe to the Lofoten region via probable alternative routes of population immigration. It has been found that they could reach this region not earlier than 6500–7000 years BP, i.e., 2500–3000 years later than the factual palynological date, even at the maximum possible rate of their spread (300–500 km/1000 years). Therefore, the probability of the origin of Lofoten P. sylvestris populations from adventive populations that migrated to Scandinavia from adjacent European regions is excluded. The generalization of the results of studies on the chronopalynology and rate of Holocene expansion of P sylvestris and data on paleoglaciology, paleomarinology, paleobotany, and modern genogeography and ecology of Scots pine has confirmed the hypothesis about the survival of autochthonous refugial populations of this species on the Lofoten Islands during the last glacial phase and their expansion during the Holocene.

Genetic resources of relict populations of Pinus sylvestris (L.) in Western Carpathians assessed by chloroplast microsatellites

The relict character of the Scots pine populations from the Tatra Mts. (Western Carpathians) was formed on scarcely accessible, ecologically extreme habitats, in areas which were not under human activity. An exhaustive genetic analysis of the Scots pine populations from the refugial locations in the Tatra Mts. (Poland) had not yet been. In this study, we characterize the genetic variation and differentiation of the relict Scots pine populations from the Tatra Mts., to provide information on their genetic resources and the conservation implications. Eight paternally inherited chloroplast microsatellite loci were used to investigate the genetic structure of 4 relict populations, which were compared with the natural populations from the Baltic region (5 populations from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) and to a northern range from Russia (5 populations from the Kola Peninsula and Arkhangelsk Oblast). The four relict pine populations were characterized by a lower level of genetic variation when compared to the Baltic and northern populations, which was expressed in lower values of particular genetic parameters: numbers of alleles and haplotypes, haplotype genetic diversity, haplotype differentiation, and mean genetic distance between individuals in the population. Our results revealed a very high and significant genetic differentiation between all the analyzed populations, as well as between the three analyzed regions (PhiPT = 8%). Furthermore, the relict populations within a close geographic location showed higher differentiation (PhiPT = 5%) compared to the northern Russian and Baltic populations that were separated by tens and hundreds of kilometers. The relict populations of P. sylvestris from the Tatra Mts. deserve conservation efforts due to the fact that they are an important component if the species-poor Tatra forests.

Внутривидовое генетическое разнообразие популяций двух видов древесных растений Пермского края

Researched 3 Scots pine populations (Pinus sylvestris L., Pinaceae) and 3 populations of western species of Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb., Pinaceae) in Perm krai for genetic diversity within species detecting. 114 ISSR–PCR P. sylvestris markers and 116 ISSR–PCR L. sibirica markers were amplified. The rate of polymorphic loci expected heterozygosity and number of rare ISSR–PCR markers were identified. Researched species are characterized by high genetic diversity. The rate of polymorphic loci is higher in P. sylvestris; expected heterozygosity and the number of effective alleles is higher in L. sibirica. Each species has populations with high and low genetic diversity parameters. The rare alleles were identified in every of 6 researched populations, but the number ranges from 6 to 13 in P. sylvestris populations and from 3 to 10 in L. sibirica populations. Genetic structure of researched populations analysis show that the interpopulation component of genetic diversity accounts for 30.28% in P. sylvestris and 30.92% in L. sibirica; most of the genetic diversity of P. sylvestris (69, 72%) and L. sibirica (69.08%) is concentrated within populations. Generic markers were found for the genus Pinus and Larix, and species markers for P. sylvestris and L. sibirica. Identification polymorphic markers or their combinations typical for the studied populations of two studied species. The molecular genetic formulas and barcodes of the studied populations are composed. Data on the intraspecific genetic diversity of populations of woody plants of the Perm krai will allow to recommend measures of their conservation, as well as to carry out molecular genetic identification of both natural populations and wood from these populations, which is important for determining the legality of its harvesting.

Молекулярно-генетический анализ и идентификация популяций Pinus sylvestris L. в Кировской области и Пермском крае

Molecular–genetic analysis and identification of 5 Pinus sylvestris L. hauls, collected in Kirov oblast and Perm krai was provided. Molecular–genetic analysis was provided with using ISSR–method of DNA polymorphism analysis. In 5 researched hauls of P. sylvestris 126 ISSR–markers were identified, 122 (P95=0.968) were polymorphic. Molecular–genetic identification of researched P. sylvestris populations was provided and molecular–genetic formulas and bar–codes were made. Identification ISSR–markers were identified. Genetic structure and differentiation analysis of P. sylvestris showed that hauls were distributed in three genetic populations.

Crop-to-wild introgression in the European wild apple Malus sylvestris in Northern Britain

Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill, the European wild apple, is a small tree native to Europe which reaches its north-western limit in Northern Britain. It has been identified as one of the main contributors to the domesticated apple M. domestica (Suckow) Borkh. There are concerns that wild populations of this rare tree are threatened by hybridization with M. domestica throughout Europe. We genotyped 332 trees collected in the wild from Scotland and Northern England using 14 microsatellite markers to investigate levels of introgression in wild M. sylvestris populations. Our results showed that 70 per cent of the samples could be considered pure M. sylvestris, 27 per cent showed varying degrees of introgression from M. domestica and 3 per cent were pure M. domestica. Hybrids were more frequent in areas with more intensive land use and less semi-natural woodland. About 80 per cent of hybrids were identified as backcrosses to M. sylvestris. Areas in the Southern Highlands had the highest frequency of pure M. sylvestris trees (87 per cent). Morphological characters such as leaf size and hairiness as well as fruit size generally used by botanists for identification of M. sylvestris in the field proved to be unreliable as only 68 per cent of the trees could be identified accurately. Given the use of wild apple trees it seems likely that many of the trees collected from agricultural areas are planted and not the product of natural in situ hybridization and seed dispersal events thus compounding natural hybridization rates. Areas with high frequencies of pure M. sylvestris trees should be prioritized for conservation and possible measures are discussed to safeguard M. sylvestris as a species in Northern Britain.

Assessment of wild grapevine (Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris) chlorotypes and accompanying woody species in the Eastern Adriatic region.

The Eastern Adriatic region, encompassing Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, is considered an important area of natural populations of wild grapevines (Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris). The wild grapevine arises in the Eastern Adriatic region in a contact zone of the EU-Mediterranean and the sub-Mediterranean characterized by typical karst relief. This study focuses on the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) analysis of wild grapevines and the biodiversity of accompanying woody species to better understand the genetic variation of the sylvestris populations of the Eastern Adriatic region and to investigate how this variation fits within today’s wild grapevine distribution in the European continent. The allelic variation at nine cpDNA microsatellite loci of wild individuals was used to characterize haplotype diversity in 53 individuals from four population sites. All individuals were grouped into two chlorotypes: A and D, D being the rare haplotype among wild populations on the European continent. In total, 52 woody plant species were identified. However, the studied vegetation structures have been affected by permanent human pressure on natural resources and the preservation status of the collection sites. Based on our results, we conclude that the investigated areas were probably shelter zones for wild grapevine preservation during the unfavorable glaciation era.

Palaeoecological Evidence for Survival of Scots Pine through the Late Holocene in Western Ireland: Implications for Ecological Management

The dynamics of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Europe during the Holocene have been spatially and temporally complex. The species underwent extirpation and reintroduction in several north-west European countries. This study investigated the late Holocene vegetation history of a present-day pinewood in western Ireland, to test the widely accepted hypothesis that P. sylvestris became extinct in Ireland c. AD 400. Palaeoecological, chronological and loss-on-ignition analyses were conducted on a sediment core extracted from an adjacent lake. The pollen profile showed no major Pinus decline and a Pinus macrofossil occurred c. AD 840, indicating localised survival of P. sylvestris from c. AD 350 to the present. The available archival maps and historical literature provide supporting evidence for continuity of forest cover. The hypothesis that P. sylvestris became extinct in Ireland is rejected. The implications for ecological management are significant. We argue that P. sylvestris should be considered native to Ireland, at least at this site. As Ireland’s only putative native P. sylvestris population and the western limit of the species’ native range, this site is of high conservation value and must be carefully managed and monitored. Seed-sourcing for ex-situ forest restoration must be compatible with the long-term viability of the population in-situ.

Development of a 3D seed morphological tool for grapevine variety identification, and its comparison with SSR analysis

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the classical fruits of the Old World. Among the thousands of domesticated grapevine varieties and variable wild sylvestris populations, the range of variation in pip morphology is very wide. In this study we scanned representative samples of grape pip populations, in an attempt to probe the possibility of using the 3D tool for grape variety identification. The scanning was followed by mathematical and statistical analysis using innovative algorithms from the field of computer sciences. Using selected Fourier coefficients, a very clear separation was obtained between most of the varieties, with only very few overlaps. These results show that this method enables the separation between different Vitis vinifera varieties. Interestingly, when using the 3D approach to analyze couples of varieties, considered synonyms by the standard 22 SSR analysis approach, we found that the varieties in two of the considered synonym couples were clearly separated by the morphological analysis. This work, therefore, suggests a new systematic tool for high resolution variety discrimination.

Searching for and Revealing Pleistocene Refugia of Pinus sylvestris L. in Central Yakutia

As a result of allozyme analysis, Nei’s genetic distances were determined between the phylogeographic group of seven populations of Pinus sylvestris L. in the “glacial” zone of the range in Central Yakutia and 25 populations of its hypothetical Pleistocene refugia of the southern nonglacial zone within the entire range of the species in Northern Eurasia. The location of the most likely “avant-garde” refugium of the modern yakutian populations of the Scots pine is Northern Priamur’e (Tynda), as well as less likely Siberian (Romanovka, Irkutsk), South Ural (Kryktytau), and Central European (the Czech Republic) refugia.

Habitat type differentation in peripheral Pinus sylvestris populations based on seed traits and germination data

Seed morphology and seed germination power can be useful to characterise genotypes in natural populations. Measures of size and shape, their correlation and relationship with the germination capacity may be either the result of developmental programs or the response to a specific environmental condition. At the first instance, the development of the seed is highly influenced by the environment, its size and weight being strongly determined by the genotype and the environmental factors acting on the mother tree. Secondly, the survival of plants and their populations in fragmented landscapes strongly depends on their dispersal potential, seeds having specific morphological adaptations that influence their movement towards suitable germination microsite. Finally, germination and characteristics of juvenile seedlings are also influenced through seed morphology, inducing a successful distribution of the species. In our study we’ve focused on quantifying variation in seed traits and germination power among and within marginal populations of Pinus sylvestris L, considering the type of habitat. Discriminant function analysis showed significant differentiation of populations growing in peat bogs. Seed length, wing length and the percent of germination were the most useful traits to identify seeds of peat bog origin that are most probably adapted to the bog specific environment.

Genetic and phenotypic relationships among Pinus sylvestris populations in the Pieniny National Park

The phenotypic and genetic relationships among five Pinus sylvestris populations in the western part of the Carpathian Mountains were analyzed based on seven morphological needle traits and 67 loci using 10 RAPD primers. Three of the studied populations were on the western side (Macelowa Gora, Czubatka, Łazowa Skalka) and two were located in the central part (Sokolica, Zamkowa Gora) of the Pieniny National Park. The examined populations had short needles, which is characteristic for mountain habitats of the Scots pine. The populations from the Pieniny Mts. had fewer rows of stomata on both sides of the needles than others studied stands of Eurosiberian Scots pine. The number of stomata on both flat and convex sides of the needles was similar to the values observed for populations growing on the nearby Tatra Mountains. Moreover, when these two traits are considered, the populations from Sokolica and Łazowa Skalka share the highest degree of similarity.. Nei’s genetic distances and genetic identities between the populations were calculated on the basis of RAPD loci. The results show that the lowest Nei’s distance exists between the populations from the western part of the Pieniny Mts. – Macelowa Gora and Czubatka, and its central part – Sokolica and Zamkowa Gora, with the highest values recorded between the populations of Zamkowa Gora and Czubatka, and Łazowa Skalka and Czubatka. A similar pattern of phenotypic and genetic relations that was observed between the populations in both regions of the Pieniny Mountains could be the result of planting-seed material sourced from the central Pieniny Mts. in the area of western Pieniny Mts. https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS170525045U Received: May 25, 2017; Revised: October 23, 2017; Accepted: October 23, 2017; Published online: November 27, 2017 How to cite this article: Urbaniak L, Lesiczka P, Gąsiorowska E, Pawlaczyk EM, Androsiuk P, Lewandowska-Wosik A, Voncina G. Genetic and phenotypic relationships among Pinus sylvestris populations in the Pieniny National Park. Arch Biol Sci. 2018;70(2):289-97.

Early phenology and growth trait variation in closely related European pine species.

Closely related taxa occupying different environments are valuable systems for studying evolution. In this study, we examined differences in early phenology (bud set, bud burst) and early growth in a common garden trial of closely related pine species: Pinus sylvestris, P. mugo, and P. uncinata. Seeds for the trial were sourced from populations across the ranges of each species in Europe. Over first 4 years of development, clear differences were observed between species, while the most significant intraspecific differentiation was observed among plants from P. sylvestris populations from continental European locations. Trait differences within P. sylvestris were highly correlated with altitude and latitude of the site of origin. Meanwhile, P. mugo populations from the Carpathians had the earliest bud set and bud flush compared to other populations of the species. Overall, populations from the P. mugo complex from heterogeneous mountain environments and P. sylvestris from the Scottish Highlands showed the highest within‐population variation for the focal traits. Although the three species have been shown to be genetically highly similar, this study reveals large differences in key adaptive traits both among and within species.