From 1989 to 1996, 4 provenance tests were carried out, mainly in the northern half of France, in various pedo-climatic conditions. These tests concerned a large number of selected stands and French conservation units and included other European provenances (107 sessile oak and 17 pedunculate oak provenances for a total of 116). These provenances are also included in a European network of 23 sites in 6 countries, including sites where warmer and drier climatic conditions will be the future norm, thus exposing them to a wide variety of pedo-climatic conditions. Each provenance is represented by 10 to 15 plots. Each plot has 24 plants. The spacing between plants is 3 x 1.75 m for 1,904 plants/ha. At each site, survival rate, circumference, height and shape are recorded. Plant health is monitored regularly. The data collected will make it possible to describe how genetic variability is structured, to establish rules for selecting seed stands and transferring populations for reforestation operations, and to evaluate the behaviour of these populations in new climatic contexts. The network provides technical knowledge on the genetic resources of sessile and pedunculate oaks and their response to climate. These experimental sites are well identified and characterized (stand types, site conditions, silvicultural regime, history) and can also support complementary studies or research on themes other than those that led to their initial establishment. The data collected from all the sites are centralized and available for use in collaborative projects.
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Temperate species, genetic ressources
Quercus robur, Quercus petraea