Variation of leaf and fruit descriptors in Q. pubescens - Q. virgiliana complex in

Romania

Nicolae Sofletea, Lucian Alexandru Curtu, Mihai Cristian EnescuUNIVERSITY TRANSILVANIA of BRASOV

The high adaptability of these taxa to water and temperature stress may be used for buffering the negative effects of climate warming

An alternative would be the introduction of the two species in the regions expected to become drier in the future in order to replace the existing species that are no sufficiently adapted to water and temperature stress

Consequently, our interest for these taxa will increase in the future

The current taxonomic status of Quercus virgiliana is still unclear :

Separate species ?

Intraspecific unit of Q . pubescens ?

It is even not recognized as a taxon or infrataxon !

The aim of our study was to offer the first data on morphological variability of these taxa in Romania based on leaf and fruit descriptors used in taxonomical determinations by means of statistical tools

This data will be used in the future to explore the genetic variability of Romanian populations, for breeding programs, conservation of genetic resources, regulations on the movement of forest reproductive material a.s.o.

StandLeaf and fruit variable

PU BS NL NV LLmm

PLmm

LWmm

SWmm

WPmm

OB%

PR%

LDR%

PV%

LWR%

lped

mmLped

mm

Ciucurovax 4.23 3.93 8.92 2.16 82.68 15.27 30.04 13.19 43.84 53.02 15.83 55.53 24.45 36.41 3.4 4.7

SD 0.90 0.82 1.09 1.01 14.96 2.42 5.33 3.53 8.72 3.91 2.75 12.59 11.65 2.62 1.5 2.9

MuntiiMacinului

x 4.28 3.98 8.37 1.86 79.77 13.79 26.08 11.79 44.82 56.25 14.85 54.85 22.02 32.91 2.5 3.8

SD 0.82 0.90 1.24 1.25 10.91 2.98 3.97 3.03 6.41 4.13 3.06 11.24 13.63 4.73 1.7 2.9

Petisx 4.74 4.08 10.32 2.62 79.90 12.55 27.33 11.07 41.57 58.04 14.07 59.21 26.25 35.64 2.8 2.4

SD 0.72 0.93 1.23 1.40 11.81 3.09 5.19 3.72 7.34 5.37 2.98 11.04 15.85 4.59 1.72 2.21

ClisuraDunarii

x 4.12 4.86 11.11 2.30 88.97 11.43 29.19 10.84 49.08 55.28 11.54 63.25 21.57 33.23 -

SD 0.74 1.06 2.16 1.25 17.08 4.01 4.71 3.87 9.79 4.81 3.57 11.36 13.24 4.75 -

All standsx 4.44 4.12 9.60 2.25 80.51 13.26 27.83 11.84 43.08 54.78 14.25 57.42 23.80 34.74 2.6 3.5

SD 0.79 0.92 1.43 1.22 13.69 3.12 4.80 3.53 8.06 4.55 3.09 11.55 13.59 4.17 1.64 2.67

ANOVA

AF 0.69 0.82 2.14 1.15 2.04 1.14 0.95 0.43 1.30 1.15 0.13 0.21 1.15 1.88 0.27 0.77

p 0.55 0.48 0.09 0.32 0.11 0.33 0.41 0.73 0.27 0.32 0.93 0.88 0.33 0.13 0.76 0.46

WF 2.42 1.99 1.66 2.14 1.54 1.47 2.75 2.83 1.63 1.52 1.94 1.60 2.05 4.60 1.62 2.02

p 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.05 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.06 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.07 0.01

Table 1. Mean values (x), standard deviations (SD) and ANOVA for leaf and fruit descriptors

CharacterPhytocoenosis

CharacterPhytocoenosis

Ciucurova Muntii

Macinului

Petis Clisura

Dunării

Ciucurova Muntii

Macinului

Petis Clisura

Dunării

A. LL as a reference variable B. PL as a reference variable

PU -0.08 -0.25 -0.47 -0.25 PU -0.08 -0.17 -0.1 0.02

BS -0.06 -0.16 -0.19 0 BS -0.06 -0.07 -0.4 -0.81

NL 0.57 -0.01 0.21 0.71 NL -0.12 -0.2 -0.3 -0.37

NV 0.16 -0.04 0.21 -0.36 NV 0.41 0.26 0.02 -0.49

PL 0.23 0.11 0.31 0.1 LL 0.23 0.11 0.31 0.1

LW 0.92 0.67 0.72 0.66 LW 0.28 0.15 0.37 0.42

SW 0.45 0.7 0.53 0.51 SW 0.06 0.01 0.29 0.28

WP 0.92 0.87 0.82 0.87 WP 0.07 0.18 0.31 -0.27

0.11 -0.11 -0.03 -0.13 -0.14 0.2 0.07 -0.6

PR -0.69 -0.49 -0.31 -0.47 PR 0.59 0.8 0.8 0.85

LDR 0.08 -0.37 -0.04 -0.28 LDR 0.12 0.1 -0.1 -0.14

PV -0.01 -0.01 0.13 -0.58 PV -0.42 0.27 0.11 -0.29

LWR 0.05 -0.32 -0.16 -0.49 LWR 0.33 0.06 0.17 0.39

L ped0.09 L ped

0.35

Table 2. Correlations between leaf and fruit descriptors

Principal Component Analysis (PCA):

The general conclusion resulted from the PCA diagrames is that in Ciucurova, Petis and Clisura Dunarii phytocoenoses the principal components generate a single morphological group specific to Q. pubescens

Our data indicate that only a very small number of trees could be intermediates between Q. pubescens and Q. virgiliana

PCA for leaves and fruits descriptorsin Petis phytocenosis

In Macinului Mountains phytocoenosis, although the leaf and cupula descriptors do not differentiate clearly the specimens with characters of Q. virgiliana, there is a small tendency to form two morphological groups, especially on fruit descriptors

Macinului Mountains: a. PCA for leaves b. PCA for fruits

When analysing all of the material, the first two components of PCA explain 45.4% of total variation, from which 26,2 % on the first axis (with great influence caused by LL and WP, followed by SW and PV), respectivelly 19,2 % on the second axis (with great influence caused by NV and LDR, followed by PV and PR). In addition, BS and PL in Clisura Dunarii location and LW in Ciucurova phytocoenosis were responsable for a greater variation at intraphytocoenotic level

PCA for leaves descriptors of all trees in the four phytocoenoses

The trees sampled in different phytocoenoses are dispersed : they do not form separate groups

+ Clisura Dunării▪ CiucurovaX Măcinului Mountains● Petiş