DOI: 10.5061/dryad.cfxpnvxjq
title: Data from: Variation in seed traits, leaf phenology and growth performance among sessile oak provenances from Baden-Württemberg and Alsace

description: Given the long lifespan of forest trees, their adaptation to climate
 change may lag behind the pace of global warming. In this context, it is
 crucial to explore the variation of fitness-related traits. Our study
 focuses on assessing the adaptive potential of sessile oak (Quercus
 petraea), specifically concerning seed characteristics, as well as leaf
 phenology and growth performance of seedlings. To investigate this, we
 conducted a common garden experiment in the field using seeds sampled from
 15 relict and four regularly managed sessile oak provenances in
 Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, and Alsace, France. In particular, we
 collected data of 57 open-pollinated families originating from 12
 provenances (mostly 5 families per provenance, one case with 3 and one
 with 4 provenances). For the remaining 7 provenances, we used bulked seeds
 for the field trial. We assessed seed weight and germination rate, height
 in the first and second growth year (2021 and 2022, respectively), as well
 as budburst and leaf senescence in the second year (2022). We observed
 differences in budburst, with the provenances from higher altitude as well
 as from the Franconian Plateau (in Germany) flushing up to three days
 later than the provenances from lower altitudes in the other regions. We
 interpret this phenological behaviour as the result of adaptation to late
 frosts, which are more common in cold regions. Additionally, we found
 significant variation in seedling height. These findings highlight
 adaptive genetic processes in sessile oak populations and underscore the
 importance of preserving their genetic diversity as a valuable resource
 for future adaptation to climate change. Such adaptive differentiation
 should also be considered in seed sourcing. Taking climate change into
 account, forest reproductive material originating from colder parts of a
 provenance region should preferably be used locally and ideally enriched
 with provenances from lower altitude.
description: # Data from: Variation in seed traits, leaf phenology and growth
 performance among sessile oak provenances from Baden-Württemberg and
 Alsace Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.cfxpnvxjq](10.5061/dryad.cfxpnvxjq) ##
 Description of the data and file structure The dataset includes height and
 phenology (budburst, senescence) data of sessile oak seedlings, as well as
 information on seed weight, type of harvest (for the seeds) and
 germination rate ### Files and variables #### File:
 Losch\_et\_al\_Sessile\_oak\_growth\_phenology\_Data.xls
 **Description:** The dataset includes height and phenology (budburst,
 senescence) data of sessile oak seedlings, as well as information on seed
 weight, type of harvest (for the seeds) and germination rate Spreadsheets:
 * 'seed_weight': includes data on seed weight, germination rate
 and harvest type per open-pollinated family (single tree seed lots kept
 separately) or provenance (bulked seeds from several trees of a stand) *
 'height_2021': includes seedling height data in cm measured at
 the individual level (each row corresponds to one seedling) within each
 open-pollinated family or provenance in 2021 * 'height_2022':
 includes seedling height data in cm measured at the individual level (each
 row corresponds to one seedling) within each open-pollinated family or
 provenance in 2022 * 'budburst_2022': includes data on budburst
 collected between April 13rd and 28th 2022 * 'senescence_2022':
 includes data on senescence collected in between September 7th and
 December 14th 2022 ##### Variables * Within each spreadsheet,
 'tree_id' denotes the ID of the mother tree of a family and
 'provenance_id' denotes the ID of the provenance. In case
 individual tree seed lots were kept separatelly, 'tree_id'
 consists of five digits with the first three being identical with
 'provenance_id'. Also 'type of harvest' is included in
 all spreadsheets. 'type of harvest' provides information whether
 a seed lot or a seedling originates from ground or tree harvest of an
 individual tree (values: 'ground', 'tree',
 respectively) or a bulk of seeds of several trees harvested in the ground
 or from the tree (values: 'bulked (ground)', 'bulked
 (tree)', respectively). * In the spreadsheed 'seed_weight',
 further variables include: 'weight_sownseeds' which denotes seed
 weigth in g (grams), '1000_seedweight' which denotes the
 calculated weight of 1000 seeds in g (grams), 'germinated
 seedlings' which gives the interpolated number of germinated
 seedlings based on systematic sampling, 'number_sown_seeds'
 giving the number of seeds sown and 'germination_rate' which is
 the ratio of 'germinated seedlings' divided by
 'number_sown_seeds'. * In the spreadsheets
 'height_2021' and 'height_2022', the variables
 'height_dec_2021' and 'height_dec_2022' denote
 seedling height in cm (centimeters) in the first and second year (2021 and
 2022, respectively). * In both spreadsheets 'budburst' and
 'senescence', under 'phase0', 'phase1',
 'phase2', 'phase3', 'phase4' and
 'phase5' the number of seedlings is given that was assigned to
 the phenological phase 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, respectively at a given julian
 day, denoted under 'julian day'. 'phase0' applies only
 to budburst, not to senescence. The phases (phenological scores) are
 described in the paper linked to this dataset. The respective julian day
 is given under 'julian day'. 'mean phase' gives the
 weighted average phase within an open-pollinated averaged within family or
 provenance. * In the spreadsheet 'budburst', the interpolated
 day a family or provenance reached phase 1 is given under 'jd1'.
 * In the spreadsheet 'senescence', the interpolated day a family
 or provenance reached phase 2 is given under 'jd2'. ##
 Code/software Besides commercial alternatives, the file can be opened with
 any free or open spreadsheet calculator like e.g. LibreOffice Calc, Apache
 OpenOffice Calc, OnlyOffice, Gnumeric, etc. ## Access information Other
 publicly accessible locations of the data: * These data are on-line
 accessible only in DRYAD. Based on these data, statistical analysis was
 performed and Tables, Figures and a Supplementary Table were produced and
 are presented in the linked scientific publication. Data was derived from
 the following sources: * Own data measured by the co-authors and persons
 mentioned in the Acknowledgments of the linked paper.