Genetic variation in fall cold hardiness in coastal Douglas-fir in western Oregon and Washington

Genetic variation in fall cold damage in coastal Doualas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii) was measured by exposing excised branches of seedlings from 666 source locations grown in a common garden to freezing temperatures in a programmable freezer. Considerable variation was found among populations in fall cold hardiness of stems, needles, and buds compared with bud burst, bud set, and biomass growth after 2 years. Variation in fall cold hardiness was strongly correlated (r = 0.67) with cold-season temperatures of the source environment. Large population differences corresponding with environmental gradients are evidence that natural selection has been important in determining genetic variation in fall cold hardiness, much more so than in traits of bud burst (a surrogate for spring cold hardiness), bud set, and growth. Seed movement guidelines and breeding zones may be more restrictive when considering genetic variation in fall cold hardiness compared with growth, phenology, or spring cold hardiness. A regional stratification system based on ecoregions with latitudinal and elevational divisions, and roughly corresponding with breeding zones used in Oregon and Washington, appeared to be adequate for minimizing population differences within regions for growth and phenology, but perhaps not fall cold hardiness. Although cold hardiness varied among populations, within-population and within-region variation is sufficiently large that responses to natural or artificial selection may be readily achieved.