Abstract

Local adaptation is key for ecotypic differentiation and species evolution. Understanding underlying genomic patterns can allow the prediction of future maladaptation and ecosystem stability. Here, we report the whole-genome resequencing of 874 individuals from 100 range-wide populations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), an important forest tree species in Europe. We show that genetic variation closely mirrors geography with a clear pattern of isolation-by-distance. Genome-wide analyses for genotype-environment associations (GEAs) identify relatively few potentially adaptive variants after correcting for an overwhelming signal of statistically significant but non-causal GEAs. We characterize the single high confidence genomic region and pinpoint a candidate gene possibly involved in winter temperature adaptation via modulation of spring phenology. Surprisingly, allelic variation at this locus does not result in any apparent fitness differences in a common garden. More generally, reciprocal transplant experiments across large climate distances suggest extensive phenotypic plasticity. Nevertheless, we find indications of polygenic adaptation which may be essential in natural ecosystems. This polygenic signal exhibits broad- and fine-scale variation across the landscape, highlighting the relevance of spatial resolution. In summary, our results emphasize the importance, but also exemplify the complexity, of employing natural genetic variation for forest conservation under climate change.

The genomic basis of local adaptation can contribute to predicting species’ future maladaptation. This study shows that local adaptation in European beech is genetically complex, with current analyses only skimming the surface of the encoded information, highlighting the need for bigger data.

Details

Title
Genomic variation of European beech reveals signals of local adaptation despite high levels of phenotypic plasticity
Author
Lazic, Desanka 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Geßner, Cornelia 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Liepe, Katharina J. 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Lesur-Kupin, Isabelle 2 ; Mader, Malte 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Blanc-Jolivet, Céline 1 ; Gömöry, Dušan 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Liesebach, Mirko 1 ; González-Martínez, Santiago C. 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Fladung, Matthias 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Degen, Bernd 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Müller, Niels A. 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics, Grosshansdorf, Germany (GRID:grid.11081.39) (ISNI:0000 0004 0550 8217) 
 University of Bordeaux, BIOGECO, INRAE, Cestas, France (GRID:grid.412041.2) (ISNI:0000 0001 2106 639X) 
 Technical University in Zvolen, Faculty of Forestry, Zvolen, Slovakia (GRID:grid.27139.3e) (ISNI:0000 0001 1018 7460) 
Pages
8553
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3112675479
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2024. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.