Genome sequence variation in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.): analysing adaptation and adaptability in an ecologically and economically major European forest tree species challenged by climate change.

The European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is a major keystone forest species, covering more than fifteen percent of European forests, and is a commercially important timber species. It is the focus of intensive, high-impact science in ecology, forestry, genetics and tree physiology. Notwithstanding its importance, genomic resources and a solid knowledge of the genomic bases of adaptation are lacking for the species.

The BEECHGENOMES project (2017-2020), funded by the France Génomique call and led by INRA-URFM (Ivan Scotti), will tackle two topics: (1) producing a reference genome sequence for European beech; (2) obtaining high density variant maps, through genotyping-by-sequencing, from a large sample (>2000 trees) collected throughout Europe; (3) identifying patterns of local adaptation at multiple scales, from stand to landscape to region to range. The BEECHGENOMES project has tight links to a former program (FLAG) and to a current H2020-funded program (GENTREE), both also led by INRA-URFM. The program will be carried out by a consortium of fourteen research teams from six countries.

The MAP below shows the wide choice of sampling sites for intensively studied sites (blue), regional transects (yellow, purple), latitudinal transect (red) and provenances in the provenance tests (green)

We are seeking candidates for a Ph. D. thesis on the project – see post

Contact: Ivan Scotti, ivan.scotti[at]inra.fr.