Genetic variation in leaf traits and gas exchange responses to vapour pressure deficit in contrasting conifer species

Mechanistically predicting the evolutionary response of tree species to climate change requires an understanding of genetic variation in relevant traits. Here we compared the phenotypic and genetic variation in the Leaf Economics Spectrum (LES) traits and the response of gas exchange to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) in lodgepole pine (Pico) and white spruce (Pigl), an early and a late successional species dominating the boreal forests of western Canada. We measured gas exchange, foliar nitrogen and lamina mass to area ratio in 697 c. 30-year-old trees in two field progeny trials. We analysed the response of gas exchange rates to VPD using a novel quantitative genetic model, the function-valued trait approach. Pico showed greater phenotypic variation in the LES traits and greater genetic variation in photosynthetic rate than Pigl, but the species showed no significant difference in their phenotypic correlations between the LES traits. Pico showed a less sensitive stomatal response to VPD than Pigl and no significant genetic variation in stomatal sensitivity. In contrast, Pigl showed a positive correlation between the genetic values of stomatal sensitivity to VPD and stomatal conductance under low VPD. Our study region is projected to see an increase in VPD with climate change; the less sensitive and genetically diverse stomatal response to VPD in Pico could make this species more vulnerable to climate-change-induced droughts. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Automated summary

The study compared the phenotypic and genetic variation in Leaf Economics Spectrum (LES) traits and the response to gas exchange to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) between lodgepole pine and white spruce. It found that lodgepole pine exhibited greater phenotypic and genetic variation in LES traits and photosynthetic rate, but showed less sensitive stomatal response to VPD, which could make it more vulnerable to climate-change-induced droughts.