Data from: Time to get moving: assisted gene flow of forest trees

In recent decades, experimental design, phenotyping methods, climatic data and statistical analyses have improved greatly and refined but not radically changed knowledge of clines. The maintenance of local adaptation despite high gene flow suggests selection for local adaptation to climate is strong. Concerns over maladaptation resulting from climate change have motivated many new genecological and population genomics studies; however, few jurisdictions have implemented assisted gene flow (AGF), the translocation of pre-adapted individuals to facilitate adaptation of planted forests to climate change.

Here, we provide evidence that temperate tree species show clines along climatic gradients sufficiently similar for average patterns or climate models to guide AGF in the absence of species-specific knowledge. Composite provenancing of multiple seed sources can be used to increase diversity and buffer against future climate uncertainty. New knowledge will continue to refine and improve AGF as climates warm further.

Usage notes

Population mean phenotypes for 19 conifer species compiled from 23 previous studies This Excel file contains one sheet of metadata, and 23 spreadsheets of phenotypic data. Each spreadsheet of data includes results from one study for one species from one common garden. Data provided includes unique codes to identify each population, the latitude, longitude, elevation, mean annual temperature (C), and mean summer precipitation (in units of 100 mm), the number of families within population that were tested, and the total number of individuals that were tested.

Phenotypic traits include height growth in varying units (see associated publication), the timing of spring phenological events in days relative to a reference date, and the timing of fall phenological events relative to a reference date. Aitken and Bemmels 2016 Dryad dataset.xlsx