Seven of the commonest forest timber in Europe have been proven to have the ability to shelter their genetic variety from main shifts in environmental circumstances. That is regardless of their ranges having shrunk and the variety of timber having fallen sharply throughout ice age cycles. These are the findings of a research by a European consortium collectively led by Uppsala and Helsinki Universities, published in Nature Communications (Phrases: Uppsala College).
“From a biodiversity perspective, this is very positive because these trees are keystone species on which many other species depend,” says Pascal Milesi, Affiliate Professor of Plant Ecology and Evolution at Uppsala College and first writer of the research.
The researchers aimed to research how the genetic variety of tree species was affected by the ice age cycles. Timber have lived via heat and chilly intervals. Over the past ice age, about 10,000 years in the past, the vary of timber was enormously decreased. Scientists due to this fact thought that genetic variety could be low. Nevertheless, it turned out to be simply the other – the species had excessive genetic variety and had been thus resilient to the drastic adjustments of their habitat.
“We believe the reason for this high genetic diversity is related to the way these tree species survived through the ice ages and to fact that tree pollen can travel thousands of kilometres, bringing together trees that grow far apart. This is a welcome sign. The evolutionary processes that were at play in the past may also be useful to cope with today’s rapid climate change,” Milesi says.
Along with scientists from 22 European analysis institutes, he studied seven species of forest timber widespread in Europe, gathering needles and leaves from round 3,500 timber in 164 totally different populations throughout Europe. Their DNA was then extracted and analysed.
“Contrary to what was long thought, the ice age cycles had little impact on the genetic diversity of these seven key species. This is mainly explained by a combination of unique characteristics, namely long generation time and the ability of their pollen to spread thousands of kilometres,” says Milesi.
In Sweden, the research targeted on Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch, which collectively make up a lot of the Swedish forest and are necessary for different life varieties. In addition they account for a lot of the timber in Swedish forestry, which suggests they’re important for the economic system and society.
“Due to the sixth mass extinction event and the ongoing biodiversity crisis, people can easily get the feeling that it is too late and be ready to give up. This study sends a positive signal about our forest and provides important information to help manage forest biodiversity in the face of climate change,” Milesi concludes.
The species studied are: Fagus sylvatica (European beech), Pinus pinaster (Maritime pine), Quercus petraea (Sessile oak), Betula pendula (Silver birch), Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), Picea abies (Norway spruce) and Populus nigra (Black poplar).
