Conservation Genetics and
Climate Change
Jessica W. Wright
PSW- IFG
Jessicawwright@fs.fed.us
G G A A T CA C C A A G TG CG C CG G C T T TA C C T C CA A C C T TG A T T C T C TC T TG TA G AA AC T T C T CA A G C G AA G C A A T C T C C A T A A
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Decision support tools for
determining appropriate provenances
for future climates
Investigating the genetic signature
of current climate change
G G A A T CA C C A A G TG CG C CG G C T T TA C C T C CA A C C T TG A T T C T C TC T TG TA G AA AC T T C T CA A G C G AA G C A A T C T C C A T A A
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Decision support tools for
determining appropriate
provenances for future climates
• Collaborators– PNW
• Brad St. Clair (PI)
– RMRS
• Nicholas Crookston
– Oregon State University
• Glenn Howe
• Denise Steigerwald
Decision support tools for
determining appropriate
provenances for future climates
• Objective 1: Develop a Web-based
decision support tool that can be used by
forest managers to select appropriate
seed sources for a given species, planting
site and climate change scenario
• Objective 2: Develop a National Forest
Genetics Data Center that will acquire and
maintain data from long-term provenance
tests and seedling genecology studies
Decision support tools for
determining appropriate
provenances for future climates
• Objective 1: Develop a Web-based
decision support tool that can be used by
forest managers to select appropriate
seed sources for a given species, planting
site and climate change scenario
• Objective 2: Develop a National Forest
Genetics Data Center that will acquire and
maintain data from long-term provenance
tests and seedling genecology studies
National Forest Genetics Data Center
• Compile data from ALL provenance tests
of US species
• Resource for
– Climate change research
– Determining priorities for plantation
management
– Make informed decisions about future
research needs
• Where is data lacking?
Trees grew taller on non-serpentine soils BUT
there were significant differences!
From NS on NS
From S on NS
From NS on S
From S on S
Tree Height
Tree
Height
1600
1200
800
Significant differences
detected 15 years after
planting!
400
0
0
10
20
Years from planting
30
Propotion surviving
Surviving
Proportion
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0
10
20
30
Years since planting
On Serpentine From Non-serpentine
On Serpentine From Serpentine
On Non-serpentine
40
Investigating the genetic signature
of current climate change
• Collaborators
– PSW
• Detlev Vogler, IFG
• Kathy Jermstad, IFG
– UC Davis
• Patricia Maloney
– PSW/ UC Davis
• David Neale
Investigating the genetic signature
of current climate change
• Vogler and Maloney
– Establish a series of study plots in 3 white
pine species, including sugar pine, across
range of environmental variation in Tahoe
basin
– Evaluate population dynamics, environmental
and genetic variation and the impacts of
White Pine Blister Rust (WPBR) in each plot
– Determine the levels of resistance to WPBR
Investigating the genetic signature
of current climate change
• Neale et al.
– NSF funded project
– Identifying Single Nucleotide Polymorphism
(SNP) variation in the genes controlling
specific phenotypic variation in a range of
pine species, including sugar pine
– The expectation is to obtain SNPs in 800
candidate loci for sugar pine
Investigating the genetic signature
of current climate change
• Wright
– Use 6 of Vogler and Maloney’s sugar pine
plots (with lots of data on environment,
WPBR, genetics)
– Plus Neale’s 800 Candidate loci SNPs
– Sample 50 adult trees, 50 seedlings and 50
seeds at each study plot
Investigating the genetic signature
of current climate change
• Wright
– Assay for 84 neutral loci and 300 candidate
genes, selected for relevance to climate
change
•
•
•
•
Drought tolerance
Heat/cold tolerance
Flood tolerance
Phenological traits
– Timing of dormancy
– Vernalization
AB
BB
AA
AB
AA
BB
FST ?
Neutral markers?
Candidate Loci?
FST ?
BB
AA
AB
AB
AA
Neutral markers?
Candidate Loci?
BB
FST ?
BB
AA
AB
AA
AA
Neutral markers?
Candidate Loci?
AA
FST ?
Neutral markers?
Candidate Loci?
FST in Different habitats?
Axis 2 (14.1%)
Warmer temperature at germination
Cooler temperature at germination
Axis 1 (26.7%)
Kelly et al, 2003, Ecology Letters
-Identify genes associated with responses
to climate change
-Suggests what aspects of climate change
are having the biggest impact
-Management implications