Growth and survival of black spruce in the range-wide provenance study

Abstract

Field experiments of the range-wide black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) provenance study were established between 1973 and 1977 through the cooperation of several organizations in the United States and Canada from the Atlantic Coast to Alberta. This study evaluates performance at 11 or 15 years from seed in 29 locations divided into 8 regional clusters of 2 to 10 experiments each. Analytical methods include correlations of height and survival with geographic and climatic variables, analyses of variance, and polynomial regressions followed by contour plotting. Best height was obtained in the Great Lakes States and in other temperate regions, and best survival in Newfoundland and some temperate regions with long growing seasons. Correlations between height and survival were positive and significant only in 10 locations, 8 of which were located in temperate regions. In many locations in boreal regions, correlations with latitude or climatic variables at the place of seed origin and height have opposite signs of correlations with survival, indicating difficulties when simultaneously selecting for good height and high survival in cold climates. Contour plots from the regressions demonstrate a similar trend by showing good pattern overlap of height and survival primarily in mild coastal (Newfoundland) or temperate continental climates (southern Quebec and Ontario, Great Lakes States). There is evidence that provenance differences are still developing and changes in rank are taking place, and therefore additional assessments are required in the future.

Survival and growth patterns of white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) rangewide provenances and their implications for climate change adaptation

“…). Abundant information suggests that forest species with widespread natural distribution have large natural genetic variation in adaptation and growth among geographical natural populations, or provenances , which have evolved in synchronization with local climate (Morgenstern and Mullin ; Matyas and Yeatman ; Li et al. ; Morgenstern and Copis ).…”

“…Intraspecific assisted migration (ISAM) (Leech et al 2011), a forest management practice that guides tree seed transfer within a species' natural range during artificial forest regeneration, can be an effective strategy to enhance forest adaptation to climate change, as well as to increase forest productivity (Johnston et al 2009). Abundant information suggests that forest species with widespread natural distribution have large natural genetic variation in adaptation and growth among geographical natural populations, or provenances, which have evolved in synchronization with local climate (Morgenstern and Mullin 1990;Matyas and Yeatman 1992;Li et al 1997;Morgenstern and Copis 1999). Understanding provenance adaptation and growth potential in their native growing environments could improve our understanding of the stability and resilience of present forests, while also indicating their vulnerability to climate change.…”

Restructuring tree provenance test data to conform to reciprocal transplant experiments for detecting local adaptation

“…Clinal trends of population variation have been reported for several forest species, including eastern white pine ( Pinus strobus L.) (Joyce, Lu & Sinclair ), jack pine ( Pinus banksiana Lamb.) (Mátyás & Yeatman ) and black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill) BSP) (Morgenstern & Mullin ). In our study, white spruce populations also exhibited a clinal trend, as supported by the significant linear and nonlinear relationships of survival and height with geo‐coordinates and climatic variables of population origin across test habitats.…”

“…; Gaspar et al . ), pest resistance (King, Alfaro & Cartwright ) and growth rate (Morgenstern & Mullin ; Wang, O'Neill & Aitken ; Lu et al . ).…”

The sweep of the boreal in time and space, from forest formations to genes, and implications for management

“…Variation in growth and survival of black spruce has been followed with a wide series of intensive regional and rangewide provenance trials and experiments, (Morgenstem 1969(Morgenstem , 1978Dietrichson 1969;Khalil1981,1984, Coniveau and Vallk 1981Fowler and Park 1982;Comveau 1982;Bihun and Carter 1983;Nienstaedt 1984;Merrill et al 1984;Boyle 1985;Park and Fowler 1988;Beaulieu et al 1989;Morgenstern and Mullin 1990). Results indicate that variation through early stages, at least up to 15 yr, is essentially clinal (a strong correlation of growth with geographical variables).…”