Data from: Variation in seed traits, leaf phenology and growth performance among sessile oak provenances from Baden-Württemberg and Alsace
Data files
Apr 16, 2025 version files 662.77 KB
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Losch_et_al_Sessile_oak_growth_phenology_Data_v1.xls
658.43 KB
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README.md
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Abstract
Given the long lifespan of forest trees, their adaptation to climate change may lag behind the pace of global warming. In this context, it is crucial to explore the variation of fitness-related traits. Our study focuses on assessing the adaptive potential of sessile oak (Quercus petraea), specifically concerning seed characteristics, as well as leaf phenology and growth performance of seedlings. To investigate this, we conducted a common garden experiment in the field using seeds sampled from 15 relict and four regularly managed sessile oak provenances in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, and Alsace, France. In particular, we collected data of 57 open-pollinated families originating from 12 provenances (mostly 5 families per provenance, one case with 3 and one with 4 provenances). For the remaining 7 provenances, we used bulked seeds for the field trial. We assessed seed weight and germination rate, height in the first and second growth year (2021 and 2022, respectively), as well as budburst and leaf senescence in the second year (2022). We observed differences in budburst, with the provenances from higher altitude as well as from the Franconian Plateau (in Germany) flushing up to three days later than the provenances from lower altitudes in the other regions. We interpret this phenological behaviour as the result of adaptation to late frosts, which are more common in cold regions. Additionally, we found significant variation in seedling height. These findings highlight adaptive genetic processes in sessile oak populations and underscore the importance of preserving their genetic diversity as a valuable resource for future adaptation to climate change. Such adaptive differentiation should also be considered in seed sourcing. Taking climate change into account, forest reproductive material originating from colder parts of a provenance region should preferably be used locally and ideally enriched with provenances from lower altitude.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cfxpnvxjq
Description of the data and file structure
The dataset includes height and phenology (budburst, senescence) data of sessile oak seedlings, as well as information on seed weight, type of harvest (for the seeds) and germination rate
Files and variables
File: Losch_et_al_Sessile_oak_growth_phenology_Data.xls
Description: The dataset includes height and phenology (budburst, senescence) data of sessile oak seedlings, as well as information on seed weight, type of harvest (for the seeds) and germination rate
Spreadsheets:
- ‘seed_weight’: includes data on seed weight, germination rate and harvest type per open-pollinated family (single tree seed lots kept separately) or provenance (bulked seeds from several trees of a stand)
- ‘height_2021’: includes seedling height data in cm measured at the individual level (each row corresponds to one seedling) within each open-pollinated family or provenance in 2021
- ‘height_2022’: includes seedling height data in cm measured at the individual level (each row corresponds to one seedling) within each open-pollinated family or provenance in 2022
- ‘budburst_2022’: includes data on budburst collected between April 13rd and 28th 2022
- ‘senescence_2022’: includes data on senescence collected in between September 7th and December 14th 2022
Variables
- Within each spreadsheet, ‘tree_id’ denotes the ID of the mother tree of a family and ‘provenance_id’ denotes the ID of the provenance. In case individual tree seed lots were kept separatelly, ‘tree_id’ consists of five digits with the first three being identical with ‘provenance_id’. Also ‘type of harvest’ is included in all spreadsheets. ‘type of harvest’ provides information whether a seed lot or a seedling originates from ground or tree harvest of an individual tree (values: ‘ground’, ‘tree’, respectively) or a bulk of seeds of several trees harvested in the ground or from the tree (values: ‘bulked (ground)’, ‘bulked (tree)’, respectively).
- In the spreadsheed ‘seed_weight’, further variables include: ‘weight_sownseeds’ which denotes seed weigth in g (grams), ‘1000_seedweight’ which denotes the calculated weight of 1000 seeds in g (grams), ‘germinated seedlings’ which gives the interpolated number of germinated seedlings based on systematic sampling, ‘number_sown_seeds’ giving the number of seeds sown and ‘germination_rate’ which is the ratio of ‘germinated seedlings’ divided by ‘number_sown_seeds’.
- In the spreadsheets ‘height_2021’ and ‘height_2022’, the variables ‘height_dec_2021’ and ‘height_dec_2022’ denote seedling height in cm (centimeters) in the first and second year (2021 and 2022, respectively).
- In both spreadsheets ‘budburst’ and ‘senescence’, under ‘phase0’, ‘phase1’, ‘phase2’, ‘phase3’, ‘phase4’ and ‘phase5’ the number of seedlings is given that was assigned to the phenological phase 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, respectively at a given julian day, denoted under ‘julian day’. ‘phase0’ applies only to budburst, not to senescence. The phases (phenological scores) are described in the paper linked to this dataset. The respective julian day is given under ‘julian day’. ‘mean phase’ gives the weighted average phase within an open-pollinated averaged within family or provenance.
- In the spreadsheet ‘budburst’, the interpolated day a family or provenance reached phase 1 is given under ‘jd1’.
- In the spreadsheet ‘senescence’, the interpolated day a family or provenance reached phase 2 is given under ‘jd2’.
Code/software
Besides commercial alternatives, the file can be opened with any free or open spreadsheet calculator like e.g. LibreOffice Calc, Apache OpenOffice Calc, OnlyOffice, Gnumeric, etc.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- These data are on-line accessible only in DRYAD. Based on these data, statistical analysis was performed and Tables, Figures and a Supplementary Table were produced and are presented in the linked scientific publication.
Data was derived from the following sources:
- Own data measured by the co-authors and persons mentioned in the Acknowledgments of the linked paper.