Intraspecific variation in Fagus sylvatica

Intraspecific variation in beech (Fagus sylvatica)

My main research interest is to measure the intraspecific trait and genetic variation in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) to determine how it responds to climate-change driven changes in the environment. To do so, we're using a blend of ecological genomics and remote sensing tools.

With Prof. Meredith Schuman at the Department of Geography at the University of Zurich, we aim to disentangle the within-species trait variation explained by the genotype vs. the environment. Since 2021, we run a common garden experiment with 200 beech seedlings from different regions in Europe and measure suite of phenotypic traits, some as simple as plant height, others more complex, such as leaf spectroscopy, canopy reflectance or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We also have data on the whole genome sequence of most of these seedlings to link our phenotypic data to the underlying genetic variation.

In spring/summer 2023, MSc students Jolanda Klaver and Dave Kurath conducted a drought experiment with the 2-year old beech seedlings to see how the genetic variation among the plants is reflected in their drought responses. Their work is now published in Journal of geophysical research: Biogeosciences.

The common garden experiment will continue for a few more years and we will be tracking the seedling's growth a bit longer. Curious to see what they will tell us over these next few years!

A short summary of the experiment (in German) can be found here.