A brief overview of forest tree breeding activities in Iceland

Aðalsteinn SigurgeirssonIcelandic Forest Research

Photo: 25-year old clonal trial with poplar in S-Iceland, Rúnar Gunnarsson

With regard to forests and forestry, Iceland is a developing country that has

lost almost all of its forests

• In developing countries, resources, infrastructure, political support and long term thinking is often in short supply.

• Afforesting Iceland is a long-term project.

• Long-term projects require long-term support and long-term commitment.

“All we are not stares back at what we are.” (W.H. Auden)

• Present potential woodland cover: 40% of land area (Christof Wöll, 2008)

• Actual woodland cover (green: native/seminatural; red: cultivated)

Consequences of deforestation: soil erosion and gradual decline in productivity

„Iceland is a doomsday scenario

for the rest of the world“ (A. Arnalds, BBC,

2005)

Photo: Christof Wöll

Photo: Christof Wöll

The Icelandic woodland area is small, however it is growing

• In 2015, forests in Iceland cover 49.000 hectares– 11.000 ha of semi-natural birch forest – 38.000 ha of cultivated forest.

• 2010-15: area of forest has increased by 6.000 ha, mostly by afforestation. – “Other wooded land” (i.e. with woods that do not reach

5 m height at maturity), cover 146.000 ha, dominated by natural birch woodland

• Source: IFR-data in the Forest Resource Assessment of 2015 program and to State of European Forest 2015 program

Mógilsá (Icel. For. Res.), north of Reykjavík

Hamrahlíð, near Reykjavík

1958 2015

1915 2014

Buðlungavellir, near Hallormsstaður, E-Iceland

Icelandic forestry has a long history of trial-and-error

In front: One of many failed Scots pine plantations from the 1950-60s.

Despite many obstacles, forestry has become a viable investment opportunity – in Iceland!

How many tree species have been cultivated in Iceland?

Not known, but close to 2000Documented experience with 653 species of 106 genera of trees and shrubs10 of these are native, belonging to 6 genera

Source: Thorbergur Hjalti Jónsson

How well have they performed?

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Most of them, poorly!

93 with a „thriving score“

of 8-10

19 exotics with a score of over 9

Source: Einar Gunnarsson, Skógræktarritið 2014

86% of trees planted annually belong to five species

On average, 73% of seedlingsplanted each yearare exotics (Siberianlarch, Sitka & Lutzspruce, lodgepole pine,black cottonwood)

What is the major problem, for most tree species?

Climate

Low summer temperatures, despite a relatively long growing season• LT average temp‘s in July: Reykjavík =

Kiruna, N-Sweden (10°C)

Temperature fluctuations • Frequent, aseasonally warm winters

• sudden cold spells, with occasional killing frosts in spring & late summer

• LT average temperature in January: Reykjavík = Copenhagen, DK (+1°C)

Coastal (light blue) and inland (dark blue)climate (Christof Wöll, 2008)

Needless to say, there is such a thing as genetically determined, phenotypic variation

P = G + E (Phenotype = Genotype + Environment)

Adaptation to climate is one these factors, and climate can be quite variable on a 100,000 km2 Island.

tvístofnasveigur Plús-tré

Vargur

Figure: A.M.J.Robbins and B. Ditlevsen 1988.

Sitka spruce provenance trial in a frost hollow in Mosfell, S-Iceland

pl. 1996 (photo, Sept. 2012)

Northern P. xlutziiSouthernP. sitchensis

• By 2020, warming rates should eclipse historical bounds of the past 1,000 years — and likely at least 2,000 years —and keep rising.

• If greenhouse gas emissions continue on their current trend, the rate of warming will reach 0.2°C per decade and stay that high until at least 2100.

Climate models predict lesser warming around Iceland than many other northern areas.But considerable warming nevertheless.

Birch limit: 7,6°C

Potential woodland area: 89.000 km2

Source: Þorbergur Hjalti Jónsson & Björn Traustason (2011)

Potential range distribution of Betula pubescens by 2095, if warming from 2008 by 1,5°C (Scenario A1B: 2,8°C warming gobally, 2°C warming in Iceland)

Forest tree improvement

• Tree improvement is a long-term investment to increase the productivity of forest plantations by providing a source of improved planting stock that will result in increased growth, better form and wood quality, and improved insect and disease resistance.– Includes:

• Choice of species– Choice of provenance(s)

» Selection of and crosses between genotypes, via testing» Production of genetically improved seed or cuttings

» Deployment of improved material in practice

Long-term experiments with genetic resources of forests in Iceland

• Applied research on growth and adaptation of tree species and their provenance has been a central activity at Icelandic Forest Research, Mógilsá since its establishment in 1967.

• Long-term provenance trials have been established for most of those species that are considered of potential importance in Icelandic forestry.

– But also for several marginal – or „emerging“ species.

Photo: Sveinn Þorgrímsson

Long-term experiments with genetic resources in Iceland

Main goal in past has been „to find the proper provenance“ for the major regions in Iceland.

For the more important species the „search for the proper provenance“ is no longer of relevance – what is needed in Icelandic forestry is a breeding strategy for these species, based selection within material already imported.– To improve adaptation, production, quality and resistance.

Northern European Database of Long-Term Forest Experiments

http://noltfox.metla.fi• Initiated by Nordic Forest Research (SNS) in 1999.

• Database; currently 16.000+ long-term field experiments in the Nordic & Baltic countries + UK & Ireland.

NOLTFOX-database on “Genetic diversity and breeding”

• Exotic tree species, provenance trials, genetic variation among and within stands, progeny testing, clonal tests, seed orchards and clonal archives.

Location of long-term trials (Gen. div. & breeding) registered in NOLTFOX

• Finland: 2757 sites• Svíþjóð: 1687 sites• Lithauania: 243• UK: 237• Norway: 225• Denmark: 192• Iceland: 104• Latvia: 103• Estonia: 52• Ireland: 4 (?!)

Long-term field trials with genetic div. & breeding in Iceland (included in NOLTFOX)

• Alnus (A. viridis subsp.crispa, A. viridis subsp.sinuata, A. incana subsp.tenuifolia)

• Betula (B. pubescens, B. pendula, B. ermanni, B. platyphylla)

• Populus (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa)

• Salix– Fast growing exotics (Salix

alaxensis, S. hookeriana, (S. caprea))

– Slow growing natives for „ecol. Restoration“ (S. phylicifolia, S. lanata)

• Abies (A. lasiocarpa)• Larix (L. sibirica, L.

sukaczewii, L. decidua, and more)

• Pseudotsuga menziesii• Picea (P. abies, P. glauca, P.

sitchensis, P. xlutzii, o.fl.)• Pinus (P. contorta, P. sylvestris)

Now for something completely different; from Sweden, a country where government decisions are based on scientific evidence

• Genetically improved material from seed orchards will increase production by 10%.

• Even with a 10% return required, it is quite profitable to increase further investment in tree breeding in Sweden. – Review of the Swedish tree

breeding programme (Jan. 2011)

Tree improvement in Iceland (– beyond the provenance selection stage)

• Several small-scale projects are up and running on birch, larch, black cottonwood and Sitka spruce. – Birch: objective is to improve form and rate of growth (Embla), as

well as for non-forestry objectives (white bark, red-leaves, etc.)– Larch: objective is to improve adaptability, hardiness and form.

For that purpose, interspefic hybrids (L. sibirica x decidua) that express hybrid vigor are being produced for wider adapability to Icelandic conditions.

– Black cottonwood: The breeding objective is to improve rust resistance (Melampsora laricii-populina), as well as to improve adaptation, vigor and form.

– Sitka spruce: The breeding objective is to increase resistance to green spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum) attacks, as well as to improve growth vigor and form..

Siberian sources of Siberian larch suffering from larch canker, SW-

Iceland

Photo: Þorsteinn Tómasson

European and siberian larch in S-Iceland

Individual variation in resistance to Elatobium abietinum

Sitka spruce provenance & progeny trial, S-Iceland

A recent Sitka spruce seed orchard at

Tumastaðir, S-Iceland(2012)

Photos: Halldór Sverrisson

Height differences among 10 OP families of Lutz spruce in S-Iceland at age 9

Meðalhæð 10 fjölskyldna af sitkabastarði (kvæmi: Ninilchik)í Þrándaholti, Gnúpverjahreppi við 9 ára aldur

fjölskyldafj. 3 fj. 6 fj. 4 fj. 8 fj. 1 fj. 5 fj. 7 fj. 9 fj. 2 fj. 10

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Black cottonwood (Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa)

Black cottonwood on a glacial outwash plain

Photo: Halldór Sverrisson

Common denominator: To improve and ensure adaptation to present and future climate in Iceland

• Regardless of the forestry aim (timber, amenity, shelter, soil protection, land rehabilition)– Low mortality– Vigour (e.g., high growth rates)– Resistance (against pests, diseases, inclement

weather)• ... during the whole rotation.

• „Adaptation of populations, first and foremost, appears as a balance between selection for growth potential in mild climates and selection for cold tolerance in severe. “ (Rehfeldt et al. 2002 - Intraspecific responses to climate in Pinussylvestris)

If Icelanders intend to maximise return on investment from long-term investments in forestry, they must:

• not only apply the suitable silvicultural methods

• not only choose the „proper species“ or „best provenance“ from abroad

• They must invest in forest tree improvement

• and secure supply of „the best“ genetically improved seed.

Assigning priorities in forest tree breeding work

• In business accounting measures, long term can be a period of time that exceeds 12 months.

• There is, and always will be, a lack of resources for long-term projects, especially for those that take many years or decades to yield a return on investment (e.g. Tree improvement programs)– Því verður að gæta þess að sníða sér stakk eftir vexti

• Prioritise according to:– Importance of the species for production forestry– What characters should should be improved– How much resources and long-term commitments are realistic

for the organisation of the tree improvement program?

The swan song of afforestation in Iceland?

Naturally regenerated birch and lodgepole pine

S-Iceland

Good breeding is the result of good sense, some good nature, and a little self-denial for the sake of others.

- Lord Chesterfield

• (“Breeding” hefur margræða merkingu á ensku; getur t.d. þýtt: siðfágun, eldi eða kynbætur)