Jean Beaulieu - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Jean Beaulieu

Research paper thumbnail of Genetics, Breeding, Improvement and Conservation of Pinus strobus in Canada

3 In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Samman, Safiya; Schlarbaum, Scott E.; Kriebel, Howard B., eds. 2004. B... more 3 In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Samman, Safiya; Schlarbaum, Scott E.; Kriebel, Howard B., eds. 2004. Breeding and genetic resources of five-needle pines: growth, adaptability and pest resistance; 2001 July 23–27; Medford, OR, USA. IUFRO Working Party 2.02.15. Proceedings RMRS-P-32. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. The authors are with the Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, 1055 du P.E.P.S., P.O. Box 3800, Sainte-Foy, QC, Canada, G1V 4C7. Tel.: (418) 648-5830, Fax: (418) 648-5849, e-mail: gdaoust@cfl.forestry.ca Abstract—The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the research work carried out in eastern Canada over the last 50 years to increase knowledge of the genetics of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), the most majestic conifer of eastern Canada. The intent of the paper is also to describe the accomplishments achieved in breeding and tree improvement by a number o...

Research paper thumbnail of Patterns of adaptive genetic variation in eastern white pine (<I>Pinus strobus</I>) from Quebec

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 1997

... Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 66.249.67.98 on 05/11/11 For personal use only. .... more ... Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 66.249.67.98 on 05/11/11 For personal use only. ... A regional provenance–progeny test was initiated in Que-bec in the 1980s. Data were collected on growth and phenol-ogy traits in greenhouse, nursery, and field tests. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Heritability and genetic correlations of wood characters of Upper Ottawa Valley white spruce populations grown in Quebec

The Forestry Chronicle, 1991

The degree of inheritance and the genetic correlations of white spruce wood characters were studi... more The degree of inheritance and the genetic correlations of white spruce wood characters were studied from 39 half-sib families of eight populations from the Upper Ottawa Valley, 19 years after planting. The results indicated that these characters differ significantly among half-sib families. Furthermore, the study showed that white spruce wood characters are genetically related. Strong genetic correlations exist between the characters of inner wood and those of outer wood. Moderate to strong genetic control of outer wood characters was found while inner wood characters were found to be much more influenced by environmental factors. Expected genetic gains from a sequential two-step selection strategy were calculated.

Research paper thumbnail of Publisher Correction: Genomic prediction for hastening and improving efficiency of forward selection in conifer polycross mating designs: an example from white spruce

Research paper thumbnail of Applications of computed tomography (CT) scanning technology in forest research: a timely update and review

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2019

Organic materials of woody plants are complex and show internal, structural, and morphological va... more Organic materials of woody plants are complex and show internal, structural, and morphological variations due to genetic and environmental influences. Variability can be observed in stems, branches, leaves, and roots. Nondestructive and noninvasive technologies have been proposed to assess this variability. Computed tomography (CT) scanning, originally designed for medical diagnostics, permits the measurement of wood properties in situ (e.g., wood density, moisture content, internal defects, annual growth) and crown traits that characterize branching pattern geometry and canopy space occupancy for small-sized trees. Since Wei et al.’s (2011, Can. J. For. Res. 41(11): 2120–2140, doi: 10.1139/x11-111 ) review on the assessment of wood quality for optimized manufacturing processes using a CT scanner, several important developments have occurred, motivating the preparation of an update. We provide technical clarifications about the scales of observation and resolution; report on recent ...

Research paper thumbnail of A ssisted migration of forest populations for adapting trees to climate change

Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Study of geographical variation in kiln-drying behavior of plantation-grown white spruce

Wood and Fiber Science, 2003

Whitc spruce (Pic.atr ,y1(111c,o (Moenchl Voss) is one of the most important tree species for ref... more Whitc spruce (Pic.atr ,y1(111c,o (Moenchl Voss) is one of the most important tree species for reforestotion in Canada. Ovcl-thc past 30 years, hundreds of thousands of hectares were planted. Plantationgrown wood will become an important source of supply for the lumber industry in the near future. Plantation wood i\ generally known to have a greater proportion of juvenile wood than that from natural stands. For this reason. cluality attributes of lumber from plantations might be considerably reduced, e\pccially after kiln-drying. However, these quality attributes might be influenced by the origin of the serd sources used for the reforestation program. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic variation in the effect of kiln-drying under restraint on shrinkage and warp of dimen\ion lumber processed from 26 provenances originating from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Region. Two drying treatments were applied, i.e. conventional and high-temperature drying. Analyses of v~iriance showed no significant dirferences among provenances for any type of shrinkage (longitudinal shrinkage. shrinkage in thickness. shrinkage in width) or warp (bow, crook, twist) measurements. For the cflkct of the drying treatment, it was significant only in the case of shrinkage in width. Kr\.\~.ortl.\: Kiln-drying. reslraint. shrinkage, warp, plantation CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

Research paper thumbnail of Research on hybrid poplars and willow species for fast-growing tree plantations: Its importance for growth and yield, silviculture, policy-making and commercial applications

The Forestry Chronicle, 2013

There is a growing interest in fast-growing hybrid poplar and willow plantations in Canada. This ... more There is a growing interest in fast-growing hybrid poplar and willow plantations in Canada. This interest can be explained both by the rapid growth rate and high yield potential of this type of production system. However, their establishment and maintenance require considerable investments. Research efforts on productivity comparisons between different clones or species, breeding, physiology, nutrition, silviculture, pest management, harvesting methods, social and economic issues and industrial transformation contribute to maximizing fibre production and minimizing production costs. The objective of this paper is to briefly describe a number of current or recently completed research studies on fast-growing hybrid poplar and willow plantations and to discuss their utility and impacts for practical applications.

Research paper thumbnail of Phenotypic correlations between juvenile-mature wood density and growth in black spruce

Wood and fiber …, 2000

Phenotypic correlations between juvenile-maturc wood density and growth were examined based on in... more Phenotypic correlations between juvenile-maturc wood density and growth were examined based on increment corc samplcs from two plantations, a provcnancc test and a commercial plantation, of black sprucc [Picerr murianu (Mill.) B.S.P.]. The ring density componcnts arc significantly correlated to their respective ring width components: earlywood and ring dcnsities are negatively correlatcd to ring and carlywood widths, respectively, whilc ring and latewood densities arc positively correlated to latcwood width. Thesc hold truc in both juvenile and mature wood. Howevcr, the correlation between rmg width and ring density decreases with increasing age. This suggcsts that the correlation between viood density and growth rate tends to lessen as the trec ages. For each character, the correlation brtween juvcnile and mature wood is significant but moderate. Thus, juvenile wood characters arc only indicativc of maturc wood oncs. On thc other hand, trecs with 12 growth rings from the pith wcrc gootl predictors of wood density ant1 radial growth of the whole tree. Individual growth rings from the juvenile-mature wood transition zone can be used to predict to some extcnt the wood density of either rnature wood or the whole tree.

Research paper thumbnail of Spline Models of Contemporary, 2030, 2060 and 2090 Climates for Michoacán State, México. Impacts on the Vegetation

Revista Fitotecnia Mexicana, 2012

Climate data from 149 weather stations of Michoacán State, at Western México, were extracted from... more Climate data from 149 weather stations of Michoacán State, at Western México, were extracted from a spline climate model developed for México’s contemporary climate (1961-1990), and for climate projected for the decades centered in years 2030, 2060 and 2090. The model was constructed using outputs from three general circulation models (GCMs: Canadian, Hadley and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics) from two emission scenarios (A “pessimistic” and B “optimistic”). Mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), annual degree days > 5 °C (DD5), and annual aridity index (DD50.5/MAP) were mapped for Michoacán at an 1 km2 scale, and means were estimated averaging all weather stations. The state average in GCMs and emission scenarios point out that mean annual temperature would increase 1.4 °C by year 2030, 2.2 °C by year 2060 and 3.6 °C by year 2090; whereas annual precipitation would decrease 5.6 % by year 2030, 5.9 % by year 2060 and 7.8 % by year 2090. Climate models can be ...

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison between genetic and environmental influences on lumber bending properties in young white spruce

Research paper thumbnail of Phenotypic Correlations among Growth and Selected Wood Properties in White Spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) †

Forests, 2019

We examined phenotypic relationships among radial growth-related, physical (i.e., related to wood... more We examined phenotypic relationships among radial growth-related, physical (i.e., related to wood density), and anatomical (i.e., related to tracheid dimensions) wood properties in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), in order to determine the strength and significance of their correlations. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to establish if all of the properties must be measured and to determine the key properties that can be used as proxies for the other variables. Radial growth-related and physical properties were measured with an X-ray densitometer, while anatomical properties were measured with a Fiber Quality Analyzer. Fifteen wood properties (tracheid length (TL) and diameter (TD), earlywood tracheid length (ETL) and diameter (ETD), latewood tracheid length (LTL) and diameter (LTD), ring width (RW), ring area (RA), earlywood width (EWW), latewood width (LWW), latewood proportion (LWP), ring density (RD), intra-ring density variation, earlywood den...

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic parameters and performance stability of white spruce somatic seedlings in clonal tests

Forest Ecology and Management, 2012

The commercial use of white spruce varieties produced by somatic embryogenesis (SE) permits incre... more The commercial use of white spruce varieties produced by somatic embryogenesis (SE) permits increased forest productivity compared to other reproductive technologies. However, the use of SE in clonal forestry requires an accurate assessment of genetic parameters and the performance stability of clones in plantations. For these reasons, two clonal tests were established of 52 white spruce somatic clones. In each clonal tests, we measured survival, bud dormancy, stem form, growth and branching characteristics of clones 4 years after outplanting. There was a large variability among clones for characteristics related to growth and branching. At this juvenile stage, the clonal heritability estimates for all characteristics remained low. Of all the characteristics studied, height had the highest heritability. The selection of the top 20 clones (38% of the clones) provided a genotypic gain in height of about 4% for the two planting sites, which is reasonable for such a low selection intensity. High genotypic correlations were observed between growth and branching characteristics. Although a significant site effect was observed for most characteristics, the genotype  site (G  E) interaction was low and consequently the correlation between the two sites for the same characteristic was high. The performance stability of the somatic clones at both sites indicates that opportunities exist for selection of clones that adapt and perform well over different ecological regions, permitting a tangible increase in forest productivity.

Research paper thumbnail of Densité et largeur des cernes des populations d'Épinettes blanches de la région forestière des Grands Lacs et du Saint-Laurent

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 1990

Twenty years after planting, X-ray densitometry and immersion were used to determine the relative... more Twenty years after planting, X-ray densitometry and immersion were used to determine the relative density of wood from 28 white spruce populations of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence forest region. The results showed the same pattern of radial variation in all populations. Wood density decreases for the first few years of growth, then stabilizes for a time, then increases slowly, but steadily. The relative density of wood from white spruce has a slight, negative correlation with the width of the annual growth rings, at either the individual or the population level. However, some populations and individuals do deviate from this trend. Though the populations showed some statistically significant differences in relative density, analysis of variance showed that 85 to 90% was attributable to differences among trees within the same population. This study confirmed the desirability of using relative density as the basis for making mass selections within fast-growing white spruce populations...

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting site index from climatic, edaphic, and stand structural properties for seven plantation-grown conifer species in Quebec

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2011

Models were built to relate site index to biophysical variables and stand structure for seven con... more Models were built to relate site index to biophysical variables and stand structure for seven conifer species grown in plantation. Reduced models without stand structure were also derived to allow the prediction of site index even when information on the stand is unavailable. Biophysical variables tested were degree-days, aridity, summer precipitation, vapour pressure deficit, and soil water-holding capacity. The stand structure was accounted for using a Shannon evenness index of diameter at breast height distribution. Both full and reduced models had low to moderate R2 values and were slightly biased for most of the species. The results indicate that while correlations between phytometric and biophysical site indices are rather weak, those between plantation yield predicted using both indices and volume observed in the field are reasonably high (above 0.80). The biophysical site index models derived in this study could be used for strategic planning to estimate plantation yield or ...

Research paper thumbnail of Gene mapping in white spruce (P. glauca): QTL and association studies integrating population and expression data

Research paper thumbnail of Metadata analysis indicates biased estimation of genetic parameters and gains using conventional pedigree information instead of genomic-based approaches in tree breeding

Scientific Reports

Forest tree improvement helps provide adapted planting stock to ensure growth productivity, fibre... more Forest tree improvement helps provide adapted planting stock to ensure growth productivity, fibre quality and carbon sequestration through reforestation and afforestation activities. However, there is increasing doubt that conventional pedigree provides the most accurate estimates for selection and prediction of performance of improved planting stock. When the additive genetic relationships among relatives is estimated using pedigree information, it is not possible to take account of Mendelian sampling due to the random segregation of parental alleles. The use of DNA markers distributed genome-wide (multi-locus genotypes) makes it possible to estimate the realized additive genomic relationships, which takes account of the Mendelian sampling and possible pedigree errors. We reviewed a series of papers on conifer and broadleaf tree species in which both pedigree-based and marker-based estimates of genetic parameters have been reported. Using metadata analyses, we show that for heritab...

Research paper thumbnail of Scanning the genome for gene single nucleotide polymorphisms involved in adaptive population differentiation in white spruce

Molecular Ecology, 2008

Conifers are characterized by a large genome size and a rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium, mo... more Conifers are characterized by a large genome size and a rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium, most often within gene limits. Genome scans based on noncoding markers are less likely to detect molecular adaptation linked to genes in these species. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of a genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scan focused on expressed genes in detecting local adaptation in a conifer species. Samples were collected from six natural populations of white spruce (Picea glauca) moderately differentiated for several quantitative characters. A total of 534 SNPs representing 345 expressed genes were analysed. Genes potentially under natural selection were identified by estimating the differentiation in SNP frequencies among populations (F ST) and identifying outliers, and by estimating local differentiation using a Bayesian approach. Both average expected heterozygosity and population differentiation estimates (H E = 0.270 and F ST = 0.006) were comparable to those obtained with other genetic markers. Of all genes, 5.5% were identified as outliers with F ST at the 95% confidence level, while 14% were identified as candidates for local adaptation with the Bayesian method. There was some overlap between the two gene sets. More than half of the candidate genes for local adaptation were specific to the warmest population, about 20% to the most arid population, and 15% to the coldest and most humid higher altitude population. These adaptive trends were consistent with the genes' putative functions and the divergence in quantitative traits noted among the populations. The results suggest that an approach separating the locus and population effects is useful to identify genes potentially under selection. These candidates are worth exploring in more details at the physiological and ecological levels.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic variation in seed size and germination patterns and their effect on white spruce seedling characteristics

Potential pollen contamination effects on progeny from an offside Douglas-fir seed orchard: 9-yea... more Potential pollen contamination effects on progeny from an offside Douglas-fir seed orchard: 9-year field results. Can J For Res 34: 981-984. TAKEUCHI, H., H. HANDA, T. OHGURO and M. OKAMURA (1989): Selection of resistant pine trees to the pine-wood nematode in Shikoku. Bull For Tree Breed Inst 7: 119-143 (in Japanese with English summary). TANG, D. Q. and Y. IDE (2001): Genetic variation in fruitfulness in a Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) seed orchard and its impact on the maintenance of genetic diversity in seedlots. Journal of Forest Research 6: 67-72. TERADA, M., T. TODA and T. NOGUCHI (1997): The selection of the nematode-resistant candidates from the damaged forest in the cold district. The control trees of the inoculation test in the breeding project on resistance to pine-wood nematodes in Tohoku. Bull Tohoku For Tree Breed Inst 27: 57-58 (in Japanese). *) TODA, T., Y. FUJIMOTO, K. NISHIMURA, H. YAMATE and S. FUYUNO (1989): Selection of resistant pine trees to the pine-wood nematode in Kyushu. Bull For Tree Breed Inst 7: 145-178 (in Japanese with English summary). TODA, T. (2004): Studies on the breeding for resistance to the pine wilt disease in Pinus densiflora and P. thunbergii Bull For Tree Breed Inst 20: 83-217 (in Japanese with English summary). TODA, T., M. TAJIME, K. NISHIMURA and H. TAKEUCHI (1993): Resistance breeding to the pine wood nematode in Kyushu district.-Progress of study after selection of the resistance clones-Bull For Tree Breed Inst 11: 37-88 (in Japanese with English summary).

Research paper thumbnail of Juvenile growth and crown morphological plasticity of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) planted along a natural light gradient: results after six years

Juvenile growth and crown morphological plasticity of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) plan... more Juvenile growth and crown morphological plasticity of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) planted along a natural light gradient: Results after six years by C. ~e s s i e r l , S. parent1, M. chengaoul and J. ~e a u l i e u~ ' Own were evident alongthe light ensoleillement. La hauteur total et le diamttre aprbs six ans gradient. This lack of crown mor~hological plasticity presumably avaient tendances & dkliner plus radicalement lorsque I'ensoleillecontributes to limiting the ability of white pine to grow and merit ktait sous les 30 % de pleine luminositC, ce qui confirmait compete in a very low light environment. Various silviculhd options le ~sultat d'essais merits M d s sous d a conditions conMl&s. are discussed in light of the results obtained in this study. Aucun changement significatif n'est apparu dans la morphologie de la cime en fonction du gradient d'ensoleillement. Ce manque Key words: Understory growth, white pine, understory planting, de plasticit6 au niveau de la morphologie de la cime conhibue m k mcrown morphology, silvicultural options, light gradient blablement B la capacite du pin blanc de croitre et de survivre dans un environnement de t&s faible lurninosit6. D i h n t e s options sylvicoles sont abord6es en fonction des r6sultat.s obtenus dans cette Ctude.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetics, Breeding, Improvement and Conservation of Pinus strobus in Canada

3 In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Samman, Safiya; Schlarbaum, Scott E.; Kriebel, Howard B., eds. 2004. B... more 3 In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Samman, Safiya; Schlarbaum, Scott E.; Kriebel, Howard B., eds. 2004. Breeding and genetic resources of five-needle pines: growth, adaptability and pest resistance; 2001 July 23–27; Medford, OR, USA. IUFRO Working Party 2.02.15. Proceedings RMRS-P-32. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. The authors are with the Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, 1055 du P.E.P.S., P.O. Box 3800, Sainte-Foy, QC, Canada, G1V 4C7. Tel.: (418) 648-5830, Fax: (418) 648-5849, e-mail: gdaoust@cfl.forestry.ca Abstract—The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the research work carried out in eastern Canada over the last 50 years to increase knowledge of the genetics of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), the most majestic conifer of eastern Canada. The intent of the paper is also to describe the accomplishments achieved in breeding and tree improvement by a number o...

Research paper thumbnail of Patterns of adaptive genetic variation in eastern white pine (<I>Pinus strobus</I>) from Quebec

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 1997

... Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 66.249.67.98 on 05/11/11 For personal use only. .... more ... Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 66.249.67.98 on 05/11/11 For personal use only. ... A regional provenance–progeny test was initiated in Que-bec in the 1980s. Data were collected on growth and phenol-ogy traits in greenhouse, nursery, and field tests. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Heritability and genetic correlations of wood characters of Upper Ottawa Valley white spruce populations grown in Quebec

The Forestry Chronicle, 1991

The degree of inheritance and the genetic correlations of white spruce wood characters were studi... more The degree of inheritance and the genetic correlations of white spruce wood characters were studied from 39 half-sib families of eight populations from the Upper Ottawa Valley, 19 years after planting. The results indicated that these characters differ significantly among half-sib families. Furthermore, the study showed that white spruce wood characters are genetically related. Strong genetic correlations exist between the characters of inner wood and those of outer wood. Moderate to strong genetic control of outer wood characters was found while inner wood characters were found to be much more influenced by environmental factors. Expected genetic gains from a sequential two-step selection strategy were calculated.

Research paper thumbnail of Publisher Correction: Genomic prediction for hastening and improving efficiency of forward selection in conifer polycross mating designs: an example from white spruce

Research paper thumbnail of Applications of computed tomography (CT) scanning technology in forest research: a timely update and review

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2019

Organic materials of woody plants are complex and show internal, structural, and morphological va... more Organic materials of woody plants are complex and show internal, structural, and morphological variations due to genetic and environmental influences. Variability can be observed in stems, branches, leaves, and roots. Nondestructive and noninvasive technologies have been proposed to assess this variability. Computed tomography (CT) scanning, originally designed for medical diagnostics, permits the measurement of wood properties in situ (e.g., wood density, moisture content, internal defects, annual growth) and crown traits that characterize branching pattern geometry and canopy space occupancy for small-sized trees. Since Wei et al.’s (2011, Can. J. For. Res. 41(11): 2120–2140, doi: 10.1139/x11-111 ) review on the assessment of wood quality for optimized manufacturing processes using a CT scanner, several important developments have occurred, motivating the preparation of an update. We provide technical clarifications about the scales of observation and resolution; report on recent ...

Research paper thumbnail of A ssisted migration of forest populations for adapting trees to climate change

Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Study of geographical variation in kiln-drying behavior of plantation-grown white spruce

Wood and Fiber Science, 2003

Whitc spruce (Pic.atr ,y1(111c,o (Moenchl Voss) is one of the most important tree species for ref... more Whitc spruce (Pic.atr ,y1(111c,o (Moenchl Voss) is one of the most important tree species for reforestotion in Canada. Ovcl-thc past 30 years, hundreds of thousands of hectares were planted. Plantationgrown wood will become an important source of supply for the lumber industry in the near future. Plantation wood i\ generally known to have a greater proportion of juvenile wood than that from natural stands. For this reason. cluality attributes of lumber from plantations might be considerably reduced, e\pccially after kiln-drying. However, these quality attributes might be influenced by the origin of the serd sources used for the reforestation program. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic variation in the effect of kiln-drying under restraint on shrinkage and warp of dimen\ion lumber processed from 26 provenances originating from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Region. Two drying treatments were applied, i.e. conventional and high-temperature drying. Analyses of v~iriance showed no significant dirferences among provenances for any type of shrinkage (longitudinal shrinkage. shrinkage in thickness. shrinkage in width) or warp (bow, crook, twist) measurements. For the cflkct of the drying treatment, it was significant only in the case of shrinkage in width. Kr\.\~.ortl.\: Kiln-drying. reslraint. shrinkage, warp, plantation CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

Research paper thumbnail of Research on hybrid poplars and willow species for fast-growing tree plantations: Its importance for growth and yield, silviculture, policy-making and commercial applications

The Forestry Chronicle, 2013

There is a growing interest in fast-growing hybrid poplar and willow plantations in Canada. This ... more There is a growing interest in fast-growing hybrid poplar and willow plantations in Canada. This interest can be explained both by the rapid growth rate and high yield potential of this type of production system. However, their establishment and maintenance require considerable investments. Research efforts on productivity comparisons between different clones or species, breeding, physiology, nutrition, silviculture, pest management, harvesting methods, social and economic issues and industrial transformation contribute to maximizing fibre production and minimizing production costs. The objective of this paper is to briefly describe a number of current or recently completed research studies on fast-growing hybrid poplar and willow plantations and to discuss their utility and impacts for practical applications.

Research paper thumbnail of Phenotypic correlations between juvenile-mature wood density and growth in black spruce

Wood and fiber …, 2000

Phenotypic correlations between juvenile-maturc wood density and growth were examined based on in... more Phenotypic correlations between juvenile-maturc wood density and growth were examined based on increment corc samplcs from two plantations, a provcnancc test and a commercial plantation, of black sprucc [Picerr murianu (Mill.) B.S.P.]. The ring density componcnts arc significantly correlated to their respective ring width components: earlywood and ring dcnsities are negatively correlatcd to ring and carlywood widths, respectively, whilc ring and latewood densities arc positively correlated to latcwood width. Thesc hold truc in both juvenile and mature wood. Howevcr, the correlation between rmg width and ring density decreases with increasing age. This suggcsts that the correlation between viood density and growth rate tends to lessen as the trec ages. For each character, the correlation brtween juvcnile and mature wood is significant but moderate. Thus, juvenile wood characters arc only indicativc of maturc wood oncs. On thc other hand, trecs with 12 growth rings from the pith wcrc gootl predictors of wood density ant1 radial growth of the whole tree. Individual growth rings from the juvenile-mature wood transition zone can be used to predict to some extcnt the wood density of either rnature wood or the whole tree.

Research paper thumbnail of Spline Models of Contemporary, 2030, 2060 and 2090 Climates for Michoacán State, México. Impacts on the Vegetation

Revista Fitotecnia Mexicana, 2012

Climate data from 149 weather stations of Michoacán State, at Western México, were extracted from... more Climate data from 149 weather stations of Michoacán State, at Western México, were extracted from a spline climate model developed for México’s contemporary climate (1961-1990), and for climate projected for the decades centered in years 2030, 2060 and 2090. The model was constructed using outputs from three general circulation models (GCMs: Canadian, Hadley and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics) from two emission scenarios (A “pessimistic” and B “optimistic”). Mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), annual degree days > 5 °C (DD5), and annual aridity index (DD50.5/MAP) were mapped for Michoacán at an 1 km2 scale, and means were estimated averaging all weather stations. The state average in GCMs and emission scenarios point out that mean annual temperature would increase 1.4 °C by year 2030, 2.2 °C by year 2060 and 3.6 °C by year 2090; whereas annual precipitation would decrease 5.6 % by year 2030, 5.9 % by year 2060 and 7.8 % by year 2090. Climate models can be ...

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison between genetic and environmental influences on lumber bending properties in young white spruce

Research paper thumbnail of Phenotypic Correlations among Growth and Selected Wood Properties in White Spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) †

Forests, 2019

We examined phenotypic relationships among radial growth-related, physical (i.e., related to wood... more We examined phenotypic relationships among radial growth-related, physical (i.e., related to wood density), and anatomical (i.e., related to tracheid dimensions) wood properties in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), in order to determine the strength and significance of their correlations. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to establish if all of the properties must be measured and to determine the key properties that can be used as proxies for the other variables. Radial growth-related and physical properties were measured with an X-ray densitometer, while anatomical properties were measured with a Fiber Quality Analyzer. Fifteen wood properties (tracheid length (TL) and diameter (TD), earlywood tracheid length (ETL) and diameter (ETD), latewood tracheid length (LTL) and diameter (LTD), ring width (RW), ring area (RA), earlywood width (EWW), latewood width (LWW), latewood proportion (LWP), ring density (RD), intra-ring density variation, earlywood den...

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic parameters and performance stability of white spruce somatic seedlings in clonal tests

Forest Ecology and Management, 2012

The commercial use of white spruce varieties produced by somatic embryogenesis (SE) permits incre... more The commercial use of white spruce varieties produced by somatic embryogenesis (SE) permits increased forest productivity compared to other reproductive technologies. However, the use of SE in clonal forestry requires an accurate assessment of genetic parameters and the performance stability of clones in plantations. For these reasons, two clonal tests were established of 52 white spruce somatic clones. In each clonal tests, we measured survival, bud dormancy, stem form, growth and branching characteristics of clones 4 years after outplanting. There was a large variability among clones for characteristics related to growth and branching. At this juvenile stage, the clonal heritability estimates for all characteristics remained low. Of all the characteristics studied, height had the highest heritability. The selection of the top 20 clones (38% of the clones) provided a genotypic gain in height of about 4% for the two planting sites, which is reasonable for such a low selection intensity. High genotypic correlations were observed between growth and branching characteristics. Although a significant site effect was observed for most characteristics, the genotype  site (G  E) interaction was low and consequently the correlation between the two sites for the same characteristic was high. The performance stability of the somatic clones at both sites indicates that opportunities exist for selection of clones that adapt and perform well over different ecological regions, permitting a tangible increase in forest productivity.

Research paper thumbnail of Densité et largeur des cernes des populations d'Épinettes blanches de la région forestière des Grands Lacs et du Saint-Laurent

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 1990

Twenty years after planting, X-ray densitometry and immersion were used to determine the relative... more Twenty years after planting, X-ray densitometry and immersion were used to determine the relative density of wood from 28 white spruce populations of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence forest region. The results showed the same pattern of radial variation in all populations. Wood density decreases for the first few years of growth, then stabilizes for a time, then increases slowly, but steadily. The relative density of wood from white spruce has a slight, negative correlation with the width of the annual growth rings, at either the individual or the population level. However, some populations and individuals do deviate from this trend. Though the populations showed some statistically significant differences in relative density, analysis of variance showed that 85 to 90% was attributable to differences among trees within the same population. This study confirmed the desirability of using relative density as the basis for making mass selections within fast-growing white spruce populations...

Research paper thumbnail of Predicting site index from climatic, edaphic, and stand structural properties for seven plantation-grown conifer species in Quebec

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2011

Models were built to relate site index to biophysical variables and stand structure for seven con... more Models were built to relate site index to biophysical variables and stand structure for seven conifer species grown in plantation. Reduced models without stand structure were also derived to allow the prediction of site index even when information on the stand is unavailable. Biophysical variables tested were degree-days, aridity, summer precipitation, vapour pressure deficit, and soil water-holding capacity. The stand structure was accounted for using a Shannon evenness index of diameter at breast height distribution. Both full and reduced models had low to moderate R2 values and were slightly biased for most of the species. The results indicate that while correlations between phytometric and biophysical site indices are rather weak, those between plantation yield predicted using both indices and volume observed in the field are reasonably high (above 0.80). The biophysical site index models derived in this study could be used for strategic planning to estimate plantation yield or ...

Research paper thumbnail of Gene mapping in white spruce (P. glauca): QTL and association studies integrating population and expression data

Research paper thumbnail of Metadata analysis indicates biased estimation of genetic parameters and gains using conventional pedigree information instead of genomic-based approaches in tree breeding

Scientific Reports

Forest tree improvement helps provide adapted planting stock to ensure growth productivity, fibre... more Forest tree improvement helps provide adapted planting stock to ensure growth productivity, fibre quality and carbon sequestration through reforestation and afforestation activities. However, there is increasing doubt that conventional pedigree provides the most accurate estimates for selection and prediction of performance of improved planting stock. When the additive genetic relationships among relatives is estimated using pedigree information, it is not possible to take account of Mendelian sampling due to the random segregation of parental alleles. The use of DNA markers distributed genome-wide (multi-locus genotypes) makes it possible to estimate the realized additive genomic relationships, which takes account of the Mendelian sampling and possible pedigree errors. We reviewed a series of papers on conifer and broadleaf tree species in which both pedigree-based and marker-based estimates of genetic parameters have been reported. Using metadata analyses, we show that for heritab...

Research paper thumbnail of Scanning the genome for gene single nucleotide polymorphisms involved in adaptive population differentiation in white spruce

Molecular Ecology, 2008

Conifers are characterized by a large genome size and a rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium, mo... more Conifers are characterized by a large genome size and a rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium, most often within gene limits. Genome scans based on noncoding markers are less likely to detect molecular adaptation linked to genes in these species. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of a genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scan focused on expressed genes in detecting local adaptation in a conifer species. Samples were collected from six natural populations of white spruce (Picea glauca) moderately differentiated for several quantitative characters. A total of 534 SNPs representing 345 expressed genes were analysed. Genes potentially under natural selection were identified by estimating the differentiation in SNP frequencies among populations (F ST) and identifying outliers, and by estimating local differentiation using a Bayesian approach. Both average expected heterozygosity and population differentiation estimates (H E = 0.270 and F ST = 0.006) were comparable to those obtained with other genetic markers. Of all genes, 5.5% were identified as outliers with F ST at the 95% confidence level, while 14% were identified as candidates for local adaptation with the Bayesian method. There was some overlap between the two gene sets. More than half of the candidate genes for local adaptation were specific to the warmest population, about 20% to the most arid population, and 15% to the coldest and most humid higher altitude population. These adaptive trends were consistent with the genes' putative functions and the divergence in quantitative traits noted among the populations. The results suggest that an approach separating the locus and population effects is useful to identify genes potentially under selection. These candidates are worth exploring in more details at the physiological and ecological levels.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic variation in seed size and germination patterns and their effect on white spruce seedling characteristics

Potential pollen contamination effects on progeny from an offside Douglas-fir seed orchard: 9-yea... more Potential pollen contamination effects on progeny from an offside Douglas-fir seed orchard: 9-year field results. Can J For Res 34: 981-984. TAKEUCHI, H., H. HANDA, T. OHGURO and M. OKAMURA (1989): Selection of resistant pine trees to the pine-wood nematode in Shikoku. Bull For Tree Breed Inst 7: 119-143 (in Japanese with English summary). TANG, D. Q. and Y. IDE (2001): Genetic variation in fruitfulness in a Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) seed orchard and its impact on the maintenance of genetic diversity in seedlots. Journal of Forest Research 6: 67-72. TERADA, M., T. TODA and T. NOGUCHI (1997): The selection of the nematode-resistant candidates from the damaged forest in the cold district. The control trees of the inoculation test in the breeding project on resistance to pine-wood nematodes in Tohoku. Bull Tohoku For Tree Breed Inst 27: 57-58 (in Japanese). *) TODA, T., Y. FUJIMOTO, K. NISHIMURA, H. YAMATE and S. FUYUNO (1989): Selection of resistant pine trees to the pine-wood nematode in Kyushu. Bull For Tree Breed Inst 7: 145-178 (in Japanese with English summary). TODA, T. (2004): Studies on the breeding for resistance to the pine wilt disease in Pinus densiflora and P. thunbergii Bull For Tree Breed Inst 20: 83-217 (in Japanese with English summary). TODA, T., M. TAJIME, K. NISHIMURA and H. TAKEUCHI (1993): Resistance breeding to the pine wood nematode in Kyushu district.-Progress of study after selection of the resistance clones-Bull For Tree Breed Inst 11: 37-88 (in Japanese with English summary).

Research paper thumbnail of Juvenile growth and crown morphological plasticity of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) planted along a natural light gradient: results after six years

Juvenile growth and crown morphological plasticity of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) plan... more Juvenile growth and crown morphological plasticity of eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) planted along a natural light gradient: Results after six years by C. ~e s s i e r l , S. parent1, M. chengaoul and J. ~e a u l i e u~ ' Own were evident alongthe light ensoleillement. La hauteur total et le diamttre aprbs six ans gradient. This lack of crown mor~hological plasticity presumably avaient tendances & dkliner plus radicalement lorsque I'ensoleillecontributes to limiting the ability of white pine to grow and merit ktait sous les 30 % de pleine luminositC, ce qui confirmait compete in a very low light environment. Various silviculhd options le ~sultat d'essais merits M d s sous d a conditions conMl&s. are discussed in light of the results obtained in this study. Aucun changement significatif n'est apparu dans la morphologie de la cime en fonction du gradient d'ensoleillement. Ce manque Key words: Understory growth, white pine, understory planting, de plasticit6 au niveau de la morphologie de la cime conhibue m k mcrown morphology, silvicultural options, light gradient blablement B la capacite du pin blanc de croitre et de survivre dans un environnement de t&s faible lurninosit6. D i h n t e s options sylvicoles sont abord6es en fonction des r6sultat.s obtenus dans cette Ctude.