KLIFF - Climate Impact Reasearch: Implications for the Adaptation of Trees to Climate Change
Genetic variation of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) along an environmental gradient
Changing environmental conditions, e.g. due to global climate change, require evolutionary adaptation for the conservation of forest trees. Investigations of these processes are a complex issue due to the longevity of trees. However, they are extremely important due to the supporting function of trees in forest ecosystems. In this investigation, the most important deciduous tree species in Germany, beech (Fagus sylvatica), will be studied.
By means of investigation of genetic variation pattern, it will be tested if different populations differ in their genetic equipment and hence in their ability to adapt to a changing climate. Climate change models predict higher annual mean temperatures in addition to decreasing precipitation during the summer months. Therefore, it is important to study candidate genes involved in adaptive phenotypic traits.
Populations along an environmental gradient in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are examined within this study. These populations are growing in different environments. On the one hand, selectively neutral variation (nine microsatellite markers) will be analyzed to determine the genetic diversity and the population structure of the different populations.
Furthermore, the nucleotide diversity (SNPs) will be analysed in candidate genes which might be involved in the adaptation of phenotypic traits such as bud burst and drought resistance. So far, ten candidate genes were selected, identified and sequenced in order to determine coding (exons) and non-coding (introns) regions and to analyse the nucleotide diversity.
In addition, young plants will be used to perform controlled drought stress experiments in climate chambers.
This study will help to develop strategies for the conservation of forest ecosystems in close collaboration with other workgroups within the research project “KLIFF”.
Contact: Markus Müller
Publications
Müller M, Finkeldey R (2017) Genetic and adaptive trait variation in seedlings of European beech provenances from Northern Germany. Silvae Genetica 65: 65-73. doi: 10.1515/sg-2016-0018
Müller M, Seifert S, Finkeldey R (2015) A candidate gene-based association study reveals SNPs significantly associated with bud burst in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Tree Genetics and Genomes 11: 116. doi: 10.1007/s11295-015-0943-1
Müller M*, Seifert* S, Finkeldey R (2015) Identification of SNPs in candidate genes potentially involved in bud burst in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Silvae Genetica 64: 1-20. *equal contribution
Carsjens C, Nguyen QN, Guzy J, Knutzen F, Meier IC, Müller M, Finkeldey R, Leuschner C, Polle A (2014) Intra-specific variations of stress-related genes in beech progenies are stronger than drought-induced responses. Tree Physiology 34: 1348-1361. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpu093
Müller M (2014) A candidate gene-based association study to investigate potentially adaptive genetic variation in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Dissertation. Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany
Seifert S, Vornam B, Finkeldey R (2012) A set of 17 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Conserv Genet Res 4:1045-1047. doi: 10.1007/s12686-012-9703-9
Seifert S, Vornam B, Finkeldey R (2012) DNA sequence variation and development of SNP markers in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Eur J For Res doi:10.1007/s10342-012-0630-9
Seifert S (2011) Variation of candidate genes related to climate change in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Ph.D. Dissertation. Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany
Further information: Website KLIFF project
Project funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur