Phenotypic Plasticity of Growth Trajectory and Ontogenic Allometry in Response to Density for Eucalyptus Hybrid Clones and Families

Abstract

The results suggest that plasticity for growth traits and form of tropical Eucalyptus species is under genetic control and that the environment changes genetic co-variation through ontogeny. The findings confirm that a tree population with a narrow genetic basis (represented by clones) is sensitive to a changing environment, whereas a population with a broader genetic basis (full-sib family here) exhibits a more stable reaction.