LONGLEAF PINE MANAGEMENT IN LIGHT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE
Kurt Johnsen
US Forest Service Southern Research Station
SRS-4160 Forest Genetics and Ecosystem Productivity
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August 1, 2014
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris Mill.)
• Schmidtling (2007) concluded longleaf pine had one western refugium
during the Pleistocene glaciation.
• It was one of the most extensive and ecologically important tree
species in the southeastern United States
• Longleaf pine ecosystems are often extremely high in biodiversity
• It grows across a wide range of sites
• It is long-lived
• It has valuable wood
• It is relatively wind resistant
• It is the focus of restoration for Region 8, States and non-profits
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August 1, 2014
“leading” edge
Pinus palustris Historic Range
“trailing” edge
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August 1, 2014
Current seed source transfer guidelines
• Unlike loblolly pine, east-west transfer is not usually a problem
• Moving north to minimum temperature within 2.75⁰ C is
safe and typically increases productivity
• Moving north to minimum temperature as much as 5.5⁰ C
lower may increase productivity but also may increase
crop loss due to cold damage
**from Schmidtling 2001, based on multiple provenance tests covering the species
range including results from the Forest Service Southwide Pine Seed Source Study
established in the 1950’s by Philip Wakeley.
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August 1, 2014
However, there have been remarkable examples of successful long
distance seed source transfer of longleaf pine.
No ecotypes seem to exist
Craig Echt’s (SRS-SIFG) work, using molecular markers, indicates fluid gene
flow across the range. “Longleaf populations are one big happy family
from a neutral allele gene flow perspective.”
Longleaf pine, overall, leans toward being a GENERALIST
rather than a SPECIALIST
Douglas-fir – Specialist
Western white pine - Generalist
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Should and can assisted migration be used in
restoring Longleaf pine at the northern
(leading) edge of it’s range?
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Performance of diverse seed sources
over past 10 years in Virginia
VA Dept. of Forestry Provenance Test
- established by Jerre Creighton
- Johnsen et al. in preperation
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August 1, 2014
Test Sites
Eight Wide-Ranging Provenances
- Holland, VA (seed from 10 trees)
- NCO seed orchard (? )
- NC - Richmond Co. (500)
- SC - Dorchester Co. (500)
- MS - Forrest Co. (500)
- FL - Santa Rosa Co. (500)
- AL - Talladega Co. (500)
- GA - Colquitt Co. (500)
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August 1, 2014
• 3 sites (all near Richmond)
– Garland Grey (former nursery site, sandy)
– New Kent (former nursery site, sandy)
– Sandy Point (cutover site, sandy/sandy loam)
• 2 blocks per site
• 25 trees per block
• 9 trees per block sampled for 13C
discrimination
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Height (m)
4
3
2
1
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August 1, 2014
zero emergence from the grass stage
Age 2
Age 3
Age 5
Age 7
0
GG
NK
zero emergence from the grass stage
5
SP
SP
Longleaf pine “grass stage”
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August 1, 2014
0.20
New Kent
Age 2
only site with shoot emergence
Height (m)
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
VA
NCO
NC
SC
GA
Provenance
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August 1, 2014
AL
FL
MS
0.6
Garland Grey
New Kent
Sandy Point
Age 3
0.5
Height (m)
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
VA
NCO
NC
SC
GA
Provenance
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August 1, 2014
AL
FL
MS
Age 4
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August 1, 2014
2.5
Garland Grey
New Kent
Sandy Point
Age 5
Height (m)
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
VA
NCO
NC
SC
GA
Provenance
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August 1, 2014
AL
FL
MS
5
Garland Grey
New Kent
Sandy Point
Age 7
Height (m)
4
3
2
1
0
VA
NCO
NC
SC
GA
Provenance
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August 1, 2014
AL
FL
MS
How Cold Did It Get?
North - South Minimum Temperature Range
Annual Minimum Air Temperature (C)
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
Richmond, VA
Tallahassee, FL
-30
1950
1960
-18⁰ C
1970
1980
1990
Allen 1961 - Provenance test in VA
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August 1, 2014
2000
2010
VA DOF Study
Seed sources: Virginia
Louisiana
Mississippi
Georgia
Florida (at extreme southern edge of range)
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August 1, 2014
1313
C Discrimination (0/00) o o
C Discrimination ( / )
22.0
21.5
21.0
VA
VA
20.5
VA
20.0
NK
GG
Site
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August 1, 2014
SP
3.5
Garland Grey
New Kent
Sandy Point
3.0
Height (m)
2.5
2.0
NK
GG
1.5
1.0
SP
0.5
0.0
18
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August 1, 2014
19
20
1313
C
21
22
23
Discrimination
(0/00)(o/ )
C
Discrimination
o
24
25
2.5
r = -0.55
Age 5 height (m)
2.0
VA
NCO
SC
MS
FL
NCN
AL
GA
1.5
1.0
0.5
Sandy Point
0.0
18
19
20
13
13
C
21
22
23
CDiscrimination
Discrimination(0(/00
/o))
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August 1, 2014
o
24
25
2.5
r = -0.55
VA
NCO
SC
MS
FL
NCN
AL
GA
Age 5 height (m)
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
Sandy Point
0.0
18
19
20
21
13C
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August 1, 2014
22
23
0
Discrimination
13C ( /00) (0/00)
24
25
Black Spruce – 7 x 7 controlled diallel cross
22-year-old trees
r = -0.25
Phenotypic Correlation
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August 1, 2014
Johnsen et al. 1999
r = -0.97
Genetic Correlation
• Initially, seed source growth generally declined from north to south
• The clinal (north-south) pattern was not apparent after 5 to 7 years
• VA had highest WUE on all sites but WUE was only related to growth
on the site with the poorest growth
• Substantial movement of seed sources north appears possible but cold
hardiness needs to be assessed further. A blend of seed sources might
be advisable at or past the leading edge of the species range.
• Need to further examine if we need to confirm other potentially
adaptive variation is encompassed in populations used for assisted
migration
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August 1, 2014
Other Related Studies
• Assess cold tolerance at Virginia sites
• New provenance/progeny test. Over 140 seed sources planted
on 6 sites across the range. With NC State Tree Improvement
Cooperative, Region 8 and Auburn University
• Genetic variation in C isotope discrimination using a 50-year-old
13 x 13 tree diallel study at the Harrison Experimental Forest (HEF).
With NC State
• Enrichment planting study using seed sources from a longitudinal
transect at the HEF
• Assisted Colonization studies north of the species range
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August 1, 2014
Collaborators
Pete Anderson (SRS)
John Butnor (SRS)
Barbara Crane (USFS Region 8)
Jerre Creighton (VA Dept. of Forestry)
Craig Echt (SRS)
Barry Goldfarb (NC State)
Chris Maier (SRS)
Steve McKeand (NC State Tree Improvement Cooperative)
Dana Nelson (SRS)
Stacy Nelson (NC State)
Jim Roberds (SRS)
Lisa Samuelson (Auburn University)
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August 1, 2014