Estudio genómico del potencial adaptativo frente al cambio climático en coníferas sensibles a la sequía

Abstract

Conifers constitute one of the oldest lineages of spermatophytes, being the mostwidely distributed among the gymnosperms. The Pinaceae family is considered the most abundant, inhabiting a wide range of environmental conditions. This diversity makes this group suitable as an experimental system to carry out studies on the response of forests to environmental variations. In this PhD thesis, four species of this family have been used: Abies marocana, Abies pinsapo, Cedrus atlantica and Pinus uncinata.A. marocana, A. pinsapo and C. atlantica are endemic and relict tree species, listed as endangered by the IUCN. These three species, and marginally P. uncinata, are located in the Mediterranean basin, where the effects of climate change are expected to be worse than in other regions. Some of the populations of these species are likely near to their limit of tolerance. Indeed, rapid responses to changing climate are already being observed, such as large-scale growth decline, dieback, and mortality events.