Identification of genes as molecular markers to understand and assess adaptation of Douglas-fir to drought stress and climatic change

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Climate acts as selective force on the genetic and physiological growth response of trees and thereby leads to an adaptation to local climate conditions. Our project aims at understanding the diversity of drought responses amongst tree provenances from environmentally different habitats. This will be achieved by linking phenotypic variation (as expressed in e.g. gene expression, growth responses or isotopic composition) with allelic variation in candidate genes using an association genetics approach. For this purpose, intraspecific differences amongst various provenances of Douglas-fir will be studied to assess the diversity of responses to drought. Through this approach we will be able to understand adaptability, vulnerability or resistance of Douglas-fir provenances to future climatic conditions. This project complements projects 2, 3 and 4 outlined in the general research concept, which aim to understand the diversity of drought responses of Douglas-fir on different spatial and temporal scales, by providing genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological and phenotypic levels of the drought response of Douglas-fir.