First EVOLTREE Conference 2021
Genomics and Adaptation in Forest Ecosystems

Sessions & Keynote

• Book of abstracts

  You can download the PDF of the Book of abstracts here

• 

  Session 1: Climate change genomics

  Chair: Dr. Pascal Milesi, Uppsala University, SciLife Laboratory, Sweden

  Keynote speaker
  Prof. Dr. John Kelly, University of Kansas, USA
  Measuring the genome-wide response to natural selection in natural plant populations

  Animal and plant species undergo cycles of contractions and expansions as a result of global environmental changes. Genome diversity is therefore the result of the complex interplay between demographic history and adaptation. Population and quantitative genomic approaches aim at disentangling these two effects and allow to i) quantify genome-wide response to natural selection, ii) describe the genetic architecture of adaptations or, to some extent, iii) predict individual / population / species response to climate change. In this cession, we welcome studies investigating such question from -omics data (SNPs, structural variants, RNA, etc.) coupled or not with phenotypic or ecological data. Simulation or modelling-based studies are also welcome.

  Oral presentations

  Sekely, Jill Terese:
  Disentangling local adaptation drivers in the Andean Nothofagus pumilio

  Coq--Etchegaray, Domitille:
  Genome-wide association study of leaf specialized metabolites in sessile oak (Quercus petraea) provenances

  Singh, Pooja:
  Convergence in local adaptation to climate in conifers across North America and Europe in the integration of genomic and transcriptomic data for phenotype prediction.

  David-Schwartz, Rakefet:
  Hybridization and adaptation to environmental drought in Pinus

  Lind, Brandon:
  How off are genetic offset predictions? Lessons from common gardens and three clades of conifers

  Posters

  Meger, Joanna:
  Genomic signatures of natural selection at phenology-related genes in a widely distributed tree species Fagus sylvatica L.

  Rellstab, Christian:
  Range-wide signatures of genetic adaptation to drought in two widespread European tree species

  Roskilly, Beth:
  Rangewide patterns of climate adaptation in western larch

  Wehenkel, Christian:
  Genome-wide scans for detecting adaptation to local environment in Populus tremuloides, a keystone North American tree species

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  Session 2: Genomics of interactions

  Chair: Dr. Martina Peter, WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland

  Keynote speaker
  Dr. Annegret Kohler, INRAE Nancy, France
  The evolution of mycorrhizal genomes and transcriptome

  In nature, organisms do not live and evolve in isolation, but interact with various living beings throughout their life histories. Long-lived trees provide a variety of resources and habitats for an enormous diversity of associated organisms including microbes, fungi, insects, and parasites whose interactions range from beneficial to detrimental. These complex interrelations vary in space and time and may range from gene-to-gene interactions that lead to co-adaptation to associations between partners that have little effect on each other. In this session we welcome studies that provide genomic insights into host-associate interactions in forest ecosystems, whether they are  experiments with single candidate gene studies, field studies investigating temporal and spatial patterns of associations with genome-wide scans, or comparative studies spanning millions of years of co-evolution.

  Oral presentations

  Dauphin, Benjamin:
  Genomic determinants of ectomycorrhiza formation in a basidiomycete with poplar

  Tiret, Mathieu:
  Implementing group selection in forest tree breeding

  Gaudet, Muriel:
  Genomic insight into the variable resistance of Castanea sativa Mill. to Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu

  Heinzelmann, Renate:
  Genome-wide analyses of climate change and anthropogenic impacts on the Dothistroma needle blight pathogen of pines

• 

  Session 3: Past demography and post-glacial recolonization

  Chair: Prof. Dr. Tanja Pyhäjärvi, University of Helsinki, Finland

  Keynote speaker
  Dr. Parul Johri, Indiana University, USA
  The role of non-adaptive evolutionary processes in shaping genomic variation

  The amount and distribution of molecular variation along the genome is a result of both historic demographic events and adaptive changes. Analysis of both is required for understanding the underlying processes. Many forest trees and associated species have experienced drastic changes in the past both in terms of geographical location and amount of breeding individuals. In this session, we will delve into inferring pre- and post-glacial demographic changes from genomic and genetic data. We welcome studies on demographic inference, phylogeography, population structure, and joint inference of adaptive and demographic factors. Also studies integrating demographic analysis with e.g. pollen or climate records are welcome.

  Oral presentations

  Ojeda, Dario:
  The impact of rainforest area reduction in the Guineo-Congolian region on the tempo of diversification and habitat shifts in the Berlinia clade (Leguminosae)

  Giles Pérez, Gustavo Ibrahim:
  Unravelling the mechanisms driving pre-zygotic isolation in a fir species-complex from central Mexico

  Kastally, Chedly:
  Genomic assessment of Scots pine expansion in Europe

  Gugerli, Felix:
  Highlights from two decades of Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra) research on the distribution of genetic diversity in response to multi-facetted evolutionary forces

  Posters:
  Danusevicius, Darius:
  Prospects of ancient DNA genotyping: an example with 11000 years old pines from the bottom of the Baltic sea

  Lazic, Desanka:
  Detecting genomic signatures of ecological speciation and parallel evolution in oaks

  Degen, Bernd:
  Targeted sequencing reveals large scale genetic structure of pedunculate oak at both nuclear and plastid genome in Europe

  Bruxaux, Jade:
  Large distribution but low differentiation: how can we explain the Scots pines paradox?

  Niskanen, Alina K:
  Fine-scale genetic structure in the Scots pine

  Leunda, Maria:
  Ancient DNA can provide insights into past and future genetic diversity of forests

  Coşgun, Sevil:
  Exploring cryptic Mediterranean Abies alba stands to check a genetic climate impact hypothesis and vegetation model projections

• 

  Session 4: Innovative methods and approaches

  Chair: Dr. Katrin Heer, Philipps University Marburg, Germany

  Keynote speaker
  Prof. Dr. Katie Lotterhos, Northeastern University, USA
  Adaptation and climate change: what are we missing?

  Studying the genomic basis of adaptation and understanding the dynamics of adaptation in times of climate change is a challenging task. Even more so, if the study organisms are large and long-lived organisms such as trees for which approaches such as multigeneration experiments cannot be realized. In this session, we will discuss innovative and creative research methods designed to overcome these limitations. Such approaches include, for example, the joint analysis of genetic data and data stored in the temporal archive of trees – their tree rings, modelling approaches that integrate genomic information or an in-depth analysis of the genetic architecture of trees.

   

  Oral presentations

  Oral presentations:
  Karunarathne, Piyal:
  An improved and more sensitive detection of copy number variants (CNVs) from SNPs: An R package for detecting paralogs

  Cervantes, Sandra:
  Haploid selection in predominantly diploid Pinus sylvestris

  Abdou Rahmane:
  eQTLs are key players in the integration of genomic and transcriptomic data for phenotype prediction.

  Robledo-Arnuncio, Juan Jose:
  Genomic scans of selection from prospective cohort mortality studies in trees

  Zacharias, Melanie:
  Genetic signatures of drought stress tolerance in contrasting treeline ecotones of a widespread conifer in Alaska

  Posters:
  Maghuly, Fatemeh:
  Proteomic profiles of middle and late stage of Jatropha curcas seed reveal key pathways operating maturation process

  Ulaszewski, Bartosz:
  Complete chloroplast genomes of Fagus sylvatica L. reveal sequence conservation in the inverted repeat and the presence of allelic variation in NUPTs

  Kesälahti, Robert Sebastian:
  Optimising exome capture of Pinus sylvestris using species-specific repetitive DNA blocker

  Booker, Tom R.:
  Methods for identifying the gene

• 

  Session 5: Conservation strategies

  Chair: Dr. Marjana Westergren, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

  Keynote speaker
  Prof. Dr. Jelena Aleksić, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, Belgrad, Serbia
  Tailoring conservation to suit Serbian spruce

  This session looks at the link between genetic, genomic and environmental data and forest genetic resource conservation. We seek examples of how genetic, genomic, and environmental data can help develop in situ and ex situ conservation strategies, how these strategies are or could be applied locally and regionally, and how breeding could be used to conserve genetic resources and support their adaptation to biotic and abiotic stressors. We welcome oral and poster presentations of concepts and case studies, especially applied ones from around the world.

  Oral presentations

  Fussi, Barbara:
  Genetic markers support the selection of conservation units and seed stands for rare tree species – white elm, field maple, yew and service tree

  Arenas Jiménez, Sebastian:
  Contribution of regional and local soil variation to genetic differentiation in a Mexican fir

  Jiménez Ramírez, Azucena:
  Spatial versus temporal genetic variation in early fitness traits of Pinus sylvestris from contrasting edaphic environments

  Semizer-Cuming, Devrim:
  In the search for climate resilient oaks (Quercus spp.) to better conserve forests

  Rudow, Andreas:
  Swiss genetic conservation units project—a pragmatic approach towards a long-term perspective of the conservation of forest genetic resources

  Posters:
  Geue, Julia C.:
  Landscape genomics of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst): a range-wide investigation of local adaptation

  Belton, Samuel Patrick:
  GeneNet: Mapping the genetics of Ireland’s native forests in a European context

  Ribeiro-Barros, Ana I.:
  Biodiversity dynamics in the Miombo-Mopane woodlands: the case of the Niassa Special Reserve and Limpopo National Park, Mozambique

  Rathore, Dheeraj Singh:
  Studying the genetic diversity and resilience of four commercially important broadleaved tree species in Ireland

• 

  Session 6: Towards climate-smart forests

  Chair: Dr. Charalambos Neophytou, BOKU, Vienna, Austria

  Keynote speaker
  Dr. Santiago González-Martínez, INRAE Pierroton, France
  Using genomics to improve predictions of population responses of forest trees in the face of climate change

  Thus far, a body of genetic and genomic studies have dealt with predicting adaptive responses of forest tree species to climate change. In practice, however, seed transfer guidelines are rather focused on local seed sources which are still commonly used to regenerate forests. In this session, we focus on the contribution of genetic and genomic research towards adaptation of forest management to the needs of climate change. We are particularly interested in studies serving as a basis to inform seed transfer guidelines. Moreover, we welcome application-oriented contributions focusing on the genetic diversity and adaptive capacity of forest reproductive material, as well as on genetic and genomic aspects in silviculture under a changing climate.

  Oral presentations

  Candido Ribeiro, Rafael:
  Adaptive genetic variation associated with drought hardiness in coastal and interior Douglas-fir and its interplay with cold hardiness

  Lachmuth, Susanne:
  Using standardized genomic offsets to inform climate-smart seed transfer in North American red spruce conservation

  Olsson, Sanna:
  Diagnostic genetic markers to ascertain the origin of forest reproductive material: a case study with Pinus pinaster

  Reutimann, Oliver:
  Abiotic factors predict taxonomic composition and genetic admixture in closely located populations of hybridizing oak (Quercus spp.) species

  Curtu, Alexandru-Lucian:
  Conservation of genetic resources of oak species more adapted to a drier and hotter climate – Quercus pedunculiflora in Romania

  Posters:
  Jiménez Ramírez, Azucena:
  Measuring recent effective gene flow among large populations in Pinus sylvestris: local pollen shedding does not preclude substantial long-distance pollen immigration

  Liepe, Katharina Julie:
  European hornbeam – not only a servant, but rather future candidate to add value

  Jansen, Simon:
  Is the grass always greener on the other side? Identifying seed sources for oak forests in a changing climate

  Kastally, Chedly:
  Studying the impacts of tree improvement on adaptation at the phenotypic and genomic level on Scots pine

  Kurz, Mirjam:
  Tracing the origin of Oriental beech plantations across Western Europe and reporting hybridization with European beech

Dates & Venue

Organization

Organizing committee (contact us if you have questions, evoltree@wsl.ch):

Felix Gugerli, WSL

Christian Rellstab, WSL

Susanne Senn-Raschle, WSL

Scientific committee:

Dr. Felix Gugerli, WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Dr. Katrin Heer, Philipps University Marburg, Germany

Dr. Pascal Milesi, Uppsala University, SciLife Laboratory, Sweden

Dr. Charalambos Neophytou, BOKU, Vienna, Austria

Dr. Martina Peter, WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Prof. Dr. Tanja Pyhäjärvi, University of Helsinki, Finland

Dr. Christian Rellstab, WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Dr. Marjana Westergren, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Evoltree Working Group "Biannual Evoltree Conference"

Dr. Lucian Curtu, University of Brasov, Romania

Dr. Felix Gugerli, WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland (head)

Dr. Katrin Heer, Philipps University Marburg, Germany

Dr. Miran Lanšćak, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Jastrebarsko, Croatia

Dr. Sanna Olsson, INIA Madrid, Spain

Dr. Annika Perry, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh, UK

Prof. Dr. Tanja Pyhäjärvi, University of Helsinki, Finland

Dr. Christian Rellstab, WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Dr. Nataša Šibanc, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dr. Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin, CNR-IBBR, Florence, Italy