Promoting resilience of UK tree species to novel pests and pathogens: ecological and evolutionary solutions (PROTREE).
Lead Research Organisation:
James Hutton Institute
Department Name: Ecological Sciences
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The project will take advantage of existing experimental resources that the consortium has been building for the past few years. These include living experiments (a reciprocal transplant experiment on 3 contrasting sites including 21 native provenances; a glasshouse provenance-progeny trial; field provenance-progeny and provenance trials) and genetic and genomic resources (a large database of mutations across the Scots pine genome and capability for high-throughput genotyping; reference genome for Dothistroma; genetic markers for Dothistroma and pine tree Lappet moth). These existing resources will be made available to the project at no cost.
We will assess distribution and variation in the threat organisms using surveys and genotyping, and study pathogen evolution by characterising genetic changes in samples from different populations. We will assess variation in the host using population genomics (high-density genotyping of samples from multiple populations in trials) and quantitative genetics (analysis of variation in phenotypic traits and extended phenotype - resistance, phenology, morphology, needle chemistry, needle endophyte community). Data from the biological studies will be unified in a spatially-structured database and used, with data on distribution, density and regeneration rates to model the introduction and spread of threat organisms and their interaction with a variable pine population. The models will be used to test scenarios for management change that emerge from stakeholder interactions.
We will use workshops, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with stakeholders (identified through stakeholder analysis) to identify, test and refine options for building resilient pine populations. This will be a dynamic process, with ongoing interaction between natural and social scientists in the consortium, and with stakeholders. Finally, we will create a template for extending the analysis to other tree species.
We will assess distribution and variation in the threat organisms using surveys and genotyping, and study pathogen evolution by characterising genetic changes in samples from different populations. We will assess variation in the host using population genomics (high-density genotyping of samples from multiple populations in trials) and quantitative genetics (analysis of variation in phenotypic traits and extended phenotype - resistance, phenology, morphology, needle chemistry, needle endophyte community). Data from the biological studies will be unified in a spatially-structured database and used, with data on distribution, density and regeneration rates to model the introduction and spread of threat organisms and their interaction with a variable pine population. The models will be used to test scenarios for management change that emerge from stakeholder interactions.
We will use workshops, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with stakeholders (identified through stakeholder analysis) to identify, test and refine options for building resilient pine populations. This will be a dynamic process, with ongoing interaction between natural and social scientists in the consortium, and with stakeholders. Finally, we will create a template for extending the analysis to other tree species.
Planned Impact
See main sections of proposal submitted by CEH
Organisations
- James Hutton Institute (Lead Research Organisation)
- Economic and Social Research Council (Co-funder)
- Forestry Commission Scotland (Co-funder)
- Scottish Government (Co-funder)
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Co-funder)
- Natural Environment Research Council (Co-funder)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Collaboration)
- Royal Holloway, University of London (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Glenn Iason (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Beaton J
(2022)
Phenotypic trait variation in a long-term multisite common garden experiment of Scots pine in Scotland.
in Scientific data
Downie J
(2021)
Location, but not defensive genotype, determines ectomycorrhizal community composition in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings.
in Ecology and evolution
Gosney BJ
(2014)
Genetic and ontogenetic variation in an endangered tree structures dependent arthropod and fungal communities.
in PloS one
Kastally C
(2022)
Taming the massive genome of Scots pine with PiSy50k, a new genotyping array for conifer research.
in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
Mitchell R
(2016)
How to Replicate the Functions and Biodiversity of a Threatened Tree Species? The Case of Fraxinus excelsior in Britain
in Ecosystems
Perry A
(2016)
Has Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) co-evolved with Dothistroma septosporum in Scotland? Evidence for spatial heterogeneity in the susceptibility of native provenances.
in Evolutionary applications
| Description | We have quantified phytochemical variation in native populations of Scots pine trees in compounds and suites of compounds which are associated with low growth rates of the Pine tree lappet moth. This is significant because these early results point to the existence of tree-resistance to this insect, a population of which has recently established in the UK. Once a lappet moth caterpillar reaches a mature pine tree it cannot easily change to another one, and so if the tree's chemical composition means that the caterpillar cannot grow successfully, then it will not mature fully to pupation, and its population size will be unlikely to reach large numbers that could cause significant damage to Scots pine woodlands. |
| Exploitation Route | Our findings indicate that further work to identify resistant chemotypes of trees that might be selected for insect resistance would be beneficial. |
| Sectors | Environment |
| Description | Development of new policies, programmes and bodies focussed on tree health research; wider awareness of need for careful definition of resilience in tree health context. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Learning to adapt to an uncertain future: linking genes, trees, people and processes for more resilient treescapes (newLEAF) |
| Amount | £1,002,489 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/V019813/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2021 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | Visiting Research Fellowship - Animal Ecology Emeritus Foundation |
| Amount | 100,000 kr (SEK) |
| Organisation | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | Sweden |
| Start | 03/2017 |
| End | 03/2019 |
| Title | Long-term multi-site Scots pine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes and phenotypes for marker-trait association analysis |
| Description | This dataset contains data pertaining to the phenotypes (height and budburst) and genotypes (via SNP array) for a subset of trees from a long term multi-site Scots pine experimental trial. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Advance on use of genomic tools to undertake improvement and breeding of Scots pine. |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/52248442-a50f-4fc0-a73e-31c61cd27df9 |
| Title | Scots pine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) for Axiom array |
| Description | This dataset contains ~50,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, DNA mutations) for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and closely related members of the Pinus mugo complex, which were selected for inclusion on a 50K SNP Axiom array |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Major advance in high-throughput genotyping capability for Scots pine, facilitating studies based on large experimental trials and large collections from the field. |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/cbaa464a-ac18-42bf-8518-c746d8d97270 |
| Title | Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes and phenotypes for marker-trait association analysis of three pine species grown in a glasshouse |
| Description | This dataset contains details of the phenotypes (height, bud set and budburst) and genotypes (via SNP array) of trees from a common garden multi-species pine (Pinus sylvestris, Pinus mugo and Pinus uncinata) glasshouse trial between 2010 and 2013. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Advance in understanding capability of marker-trait association approach for predicting trait values in European pine species. |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/55118e26-cf5c-41d6-9157-738fce6bdddf |
| Description | Investigation into the extended phenotype of forest trees |
| Organisation | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| Department | Department of Wildlife Fish & Environmental Studies |
| Country | Sweden |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Glenn Iason has contributed to research of Swedish collaborators investigating the extended phenotype of Norway Spruce, specifically the crown invertebrates. He assisted the lead collaborator (Dr Petter Axelsson) with statistical analysis and production of a paper using similar common garden approaches, as those adopted in the BBSRC- PROTREE project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This collaboration was initiated by the lead partner Dr Petter Axelsoon of SLU, Umea, Sweden. |
| Impact | Axelsson, E.P.; Iason, G.R.; Julkunen-Tiitto, R.; Whitham, T.G. (2015) Host genetics and environment drive divergent responses of two resource sharing gall-formers on Norway spruce: a common garden analysis. PLoS ONE, 10, e0142257 |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Relative importance of tree species and genotypic diversity for above- and belowground processes in boreal forest |
| Organisation | Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Department | School of Biological Sciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Jointly originated the project with the PI Prof Koricheva Contribute to chemical analysis of plant and soil material for parameters relevant to above and below ground processes in boreal forest |
| Collaborator Contribution | Originated the project and led on grant writing and winning |
| Impact | None as yet |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Conference attendance and poster presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at and poster presentation at Innovation in plant biosecurity conference. FERA, Sand Hutton, York. 16-17th March 2017. Identifying resistance traits in Scots pine to the pine tree lappet moth |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | PROTREE Project Knowledge Exchange |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Stakeholder report and engagement meeting - interacting with members of forestry industry and NGOs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015 |
| Description | Presentation to PROTREE Annual meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Summary of research to date on : Genetic and environmental components of pine resistance to the pine-tree lappet moth presented to the PROTREE project team consisting of collaborating scientists and stakeholder advisory panel. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Stakeholder workshop on Ecologiical Resilience |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Leading stakeholder engagement workshop on Ecosystem Resilience at Ecosystems and Land Use Stakeholder Engagement Group meeting, at SG Victoria Quay 14th November 2016. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |