Ecotypic adaptation mechanisms of coastal and inland forest tree species to heatwaves in Northern Europe

Heatwaves and extreme heat events are continuously threatening the forests in Europe. The forests in Northern Europe inhabit cooler environments, making them more vulnerable to intensified heat events. After long-term adaptation, distinct tree ecotypes have evolved different adaptation strategies against heat stress, which could be stored as epigenetic memory and inherited by subsequent generations. In this study, we focus on physiological, metabolic, and molecular levels and try to reveal 1) how different tree ecotypes on a coastal island and in continental inland region respond to heatwave and heat shock stresses in the field; and 2) epigenetic responses in the seedlings sprouted from seeds upon the same heat stress in a greenhouse study. The results will contribute to improving our understanding of the ecotypic adaptation mechanisms among the dominant species and forecasting the future successional processes within the Nordic forests under the changing climate.