No difference in frost hardiness between high and low altitude<i>Pinus sylvestris</i>(L.) offspring

Abstract

Abstract Seedlings representing offspring from 46 Swedish natural stands of Pinus sylvestris (L.) from latitude 63° to 68° and altitude 75 to 675 m were artifically frost hardened and tested for autumn frost hardiness using artifical freeze testing in a programmable freezing chamber. A clinal variation in frost hardiness was observed over latitude. Altitude had no effect on the frost hardiness. The results are discussed in relation to the reproduction‐ and migration biology of P. sylvestris. Key words: Freezing testgeographic orginnatural populationScots pine