Many studies have reported that hydraulic properties vary considerably between tree species, but little is known about their intraspecific variation and, therefore, their capacity to adapt to a warmer and drier climate. Here, we quantify phenotypic divergence and clinal variation for embolism resistance, hydraulic conductivity and branch growth, in four tree species, two angiosperms (Betula pendula, Populus tremula) and two conifers (Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris), across their latitudinal distribution in Europe. Growth and hydraulic efficiency varied widely within species and between populations. The variability of embolism resistance was in general weaker than that of growth and hydraulic efficiency, and very low for all species but Populus tremula. In addition, no and weak support for a safety vs. efficiency trade-off was observed for the angiosperm and conifer species, respectively. The limited variability of embolism resistance observed here for all species except Populus tremula, suggests that forest populations will unlikely be able to adapt hydraulically to drier conditions through the evolution of embolism resistance.

BIOGECO INRA Université de Bordeaux Pessac France

Climatic Change and Climate Impacts Institute for Environmental Sciences Geneva Switzerland

Department of Forest Botany Dendrology and Geobiocoenology Mendel University Zemědělská 3 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Forest Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland

Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group Wageningen University and Research Wageningen The Netherlands

Forest Research Centre School of Agriculture University of Lisbon Tapada da Ajuda Lisboa Portugal

Natural Resources Institute Finland Latokartanonkaari 9 Helsinki Finland

PIAF INRA Université Clermont Auvergne Clermont Ferrand France

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems Zurich Switzerland

Università degli Studi di Padova Dep TeSAF Legnaro Italy

Wageningen Environmental Research Wageningen The Netherlands

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