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Assessment and Implications of Intraspecific and Phenological Variability in Monoterpenes of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) Foliage

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Abstract

Scots pine populations contain individuals with widely differing amounts and composition of monoterpenes and exist as one of two chemotypes: with or without Δ3-carene. We investigated the significance for ecological studies of two types of variation in monoterpenes: (1) the inherent variability in the concentration of monoterpenes or their relative amounts in needles of seedlings, saplings, and mature trees; and (2) phenological variation in developing needles. The relative composition of needle monoterpenes in 5-year-old saplings changed during the needle development period until the final composition was reached upon needle maturity. Changes in composition depended on chemotype. Needles of the “no-Δ3-carene” chemotype had higher absolute concentrations of α-pinene, β-pinene, camphene, and total monoterpenes than “Δ3-carene” chemotype. For the “Δ3-carene” chemotype, the relative concentration of Δ3-carene during the needle growing season and immediately after emergence of seedlings was higher compared to that reached at needle maturity. Repeated removal of single needles (at weekly intervals during growth) from 5-year-old saplings did not influence the composition of monoterpenes. Within a natural Scots pine dominated woodland, 18% of mature Scots pines (N = 574) belonged to the “no-Δ3-carene” chemotype. Chemotypic variation within populations means that the statistical power with which differences in monoterpene concentrations can be detected is lower when sampling from the whole population compared to sampling within chemotypes. Reduction of this background variation and accounting for chiral variation if present, would significantly aid efficiency, interpretation, and understanding of processes in chemical and ecological research. One method for achieving this is the screening of plants for chemotypes before the establishment of experiments or field sampling regimes. We present a summary of suitable analytical methods for needle tissue that facilitates this prior screening.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department for funding this study; Joan Beaton and Diane Smith for raising the seedlings and other assistance; David Elston of Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland for advice; and Bob Mayes, Simon Thirgood, and anonymous referees for critically reviewing the manuscript. We thank the Balmoral Estate and the National Trust for Scotland, Mar Lodge Estate for access to the study sites. JOR would like to acknowledge support by the Australian Research Council and the Joseph William Gottstein Memorial Trust fellowship, and traveling grants by the Journal of Experimental Biology and the Society of Experimental Biology.

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  1. Vera Thoss

    Present address: School of Chemistry, University of Wales, Bangor, LL57 2UW, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK

    Vera Thoss & Glenn R. Iason

  2. School of Biological Sciences, Cruickshank Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK

    Vera Thoss

  3. School of Plant Science and CRC for Sustainable Production Forestry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 7001

    Julianne O’Reilly-Wapstra

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  1. Vera Thoss
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Thoss, V., O’Reilly-Wapstra, J. & Iason, G.R. Assessment and Implications of Intraspecific and Phenological Variability in Monoterpenes of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) Foliage. J Chem Ecol 33, 477–491 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9244-3

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