Genome size of alpine plants is not related to their resistance against frost and heat. Genome size is a variable trait in angiosperms, and it was suggested that large genome size represents a constraint in stressful environments. We measured genome size and resistance to frost and heat in 89 species of plants from tropical and temperate alpine habitats. Genome size of the species, ranging from 0.49 pg to 25.8 pg across the entire dataset, was not related to either frost or heat resistance in either group of plants. Genome size does not predict resistance to extreme temperatures in alpine plants and is thus not likely to predict plant responses to climate changes.

Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences University of Bergen Thormøhlens gate 53 5020 Bergen Norway

Department of Botany Faculty of Science Charles University Benátská 2 128 01 Prague Czech Republic

Department of Experimental and Functional Morphology Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences Dukelská 135 37901 Třeboň Czech Republic

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