FOR 5571: Using clonal oak phytometers to unravel acclimation and adaptation mechanisms of long-lived forest tree holobionts to ecological variations and climate change

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Climate change and global species loss are the major environmental threats to human well-being in the coming decades. However, despite more than 200 years of organized forestry and research, some fundamental knowledge is still missing about (i) the phenotypic plasticity of forest trees, (ii) about the interplay of trees with their microbial symbionts, and (iii) about how these interactions may facilitate acclimation (regulatory changes) and adaptation (A&A) based on genetic changes of trees and/or their symbionts. Therefore PhytOakmeter seeks to derive such patterns and mechanisms of acclimation and adaptation (A&A) of a holobiont tree model by setting up substantial experimental resources to develop a new tree model. In practice, we will establish (i) a tree model system with sufficient -omics resources to facilitate the investigation of A&A patterns from a holobiont perspective in forest trees, (ii) mesocosm experiments ranging from complete environmental and stress control to mesocosm experiments with partly natural environments, (iii) relate experimental findings mostly gained from saplings to observations on mature trees, and (iv) establish the monitoring of model trees under a broad range of natural conditions, including extreme sites. Specifically, we will mainly work on three experimental platforms with the clone DF159 to (i) perform controlled experiments in two Ecotrons that expose the holobiont to two moderate droughts (previous year and current year for longer-term, spring and summer for shorter term stress memory) and above- and below-ground herbivory, respectively; (ii) expose oak clonal saplings in the canopy of mature trees in comparison to resident canopy twigs and saplings at ground level; and (iii) assess clonal oak saplings released across Germany and Europe for analyzing A&A mechanisms under a wide range of environmental conditions. In Subproject 1 - Epigenetic acclimation to abiotic and biotic stress in clonal oaks - we will investigate methylation changes and Transposable Elements in relation to the drought and herbivory treatment of the three experimental Platforms.