Genomic variation of European beech reveals signals of local adaptation despite high levels of phenotypic plasticity.

ABSTRACT: Local adaptation is key for ecotypic differentiation and species evolution. Understanding underlying genomic patterns can allow the prediction of future maladaptation and ecosystem stability. Here, we report the whole-genome resequencing of 874 individuals from 100 range-wide populations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), an important forest tree species in Europe. We show that genetic variation closely mirrors geography with a clear pattern of isolation-by-distance. Genome-wide analyses for genotype-environment associations (GEAs) identify relatively few potentially adaptive variants after correcting for an overwhelming signal of statistically significant but non-causal GEAs. We characterize the single high confidence genomic region and pinpoint a candidate gene possibly involved in

SUBMITTER: Lazic D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11450180 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature