Conservation of forest resources through improved seed quality and seedling stress resilience in conifers

我们的项目汇集了一批领先的种子和胁迫研究生物学家，以及不列颠哥伦比亚省林业部、加拿大林业局和工业合作伙伴，以应对当前的两大挑战：(1)缺乏足够和健康的种子和幼苗来对抗气候变化导致的宝贵本土针叶树种的衰退，以及(2)种子在处理和加工过程中因损坏而在储存过程中失去萌发能力。1.气候变化和与之相关的自然环境变化已导致一些针叶树种急剧减少，预计未来还会有更多的树种受到影响。受影响非常严重的两种树种是黄柏和白皮松。黄柏是一种具有重要经济和文化价值的本土针叶树种；白皮松是林线上重要但濒危的关键树种，为从熊到鸟的野生动物提供营养和避难所，并防止土壤侵蚀。由于气候变化压力，包括冰冻、干旱以及对病原体和昆虫食草动物的敏感性，这两个高海拔物种正在死亡。保护和恢复这两个有价值的物种需要可靠的种子生产和可用于重新造林的强壮健康的苗木。我们的项目使用最先进的技术，包括无损成像和其他方法来可视化水分通量和胁迫保护代谢物的分布，以创建一个全面的知识库，了解环境对种子到幼苗再生的影响及其与抗逆性的联系。我们重点研究种子成熟较早的环境如何影响幼苗较晚的“抗逆性”--其抵御寒冷、干旱和病原体等胁迫的能力。2.其他具有经济和生态重要性的针叶树种，如冷杉、西部红柏和铁杉，可产生足够数量的种子，但种子库面临挑战，因为种子的种皮中含有树脂小泡，在准备储存期间很容易损坏。这种损害导致种子寿命不佳和发芽减少；研究其根本原因，以防止种子损失。

Our project brings together a multidisciplinary group of leading seed and stress research biologists, along with the BC Ministry of Forests, Canadian Forest Service, and industrial partners to tackle two major current challenges: (1) lack of sufficient and healthy seeds and seedlings to fight the climate-change induced decline of valuable native conifer species, and (2) loss of germination capacity during storage of seeds due to their damage during handling and processing. 1. Climate change and the associated changes in natural environments have led to dramatic declines in several conifer species, and many more are predicted to be affected in the future. Two species that have been very negatively affected are yellow cypress and whitebark pine. Yellow cypress is a native conifer of great economic and cultural importance; whitebark pine is an important yet endangered keystone species of the timberline that provides nutrition and refuge for wildlife from bears to birds, and prevents soil erosion. These two high elevation species are dying due to climate-change stresses including freezing, drought, and susceptibility to pathogens and insect herbivores. The conservation and restoration of these two valuable species requires reliable seed production and strong healthy seedlings that can be used for reforestation. Our project uses state-of-the-art technologies, including non-destructive imaging and other methods to visualize water flux and profiles of stress-protective metabolites, to create a comprehensive knowledge base of environmental influences on seed-to-seedling regeneration and its connection to stress hardiness. We focus on how the environment during earlier seed maturation influences the later 'stress resilience' of the seedling - its ability to withstand stresses such as cold, drought and pathogens. 2. Other conifer species of economical and ecological importance, such as the true-firs, western red cedar, and hemlocks, produce seeds in sufficient quantity, but seed banks face challenges because the seeds contain resin vesicles in their seed coats that are easily damaged during preparation for storage. This damage leads to poor seed longevity and reduced germination; the underlying causes are studied so that losses of seeds are prevented.