Memory of environmental conditions across generations affects the acclimation potential of scots pine

Long generation times have been suggested to hamper rapid genetic adaptation of organisms to changing environmental conditions. We examined if environmental memory of the parental Scots pines ( Pinus sylvestris L.) drive offspring survival and growth. We used seeds from trees growing under naturally dry conditions (control), irrigated trees (irrigated from 2003 to 2016), and formerly irrigated trees (“irrigation stop”; irrigated from 2003–2013;...