Plant developmental stage influences responses of Pinus strobiformis seedlings to experimental warming

Seedling emergence, survival, morphological and physiological traits, and oxidative stress resistance of southwestern white pine (Pinus strobiformis Engelm.) were studied in response to warming treatments applied during embryogenesis, germination, and early seedling growth. Daytime air temperature surrounding cones in tree canopies was warmed by +2.1°C during embryo development. Resulting seeds and seedlings were assigned to three thermal regimes in growth chambers, with each regime separated by 4°C to encompass the wide range of temperatures observed over space and time across the species’ range, plus the effect of heat waves coupled with a high carbon emissions scenario of climate warming. The embryo warming treatment reduced percent seedling emergence in all germination and growth environments and reduced mortality of seedlings grown in the warmest environment. Warm thermal regimes during early seedling growth increased subsequent seedling resistance to oxidative stress and transpirational water use. Experimental warming during seed development, germination, and seedling growth affected seedling emergence and survival. Oxidative stress resistance, morphology, and water relations were affected only by warming imposed during germination and seedling growth. This work explores potential outcomes of climate warming on multiple dimensions of seedling performance and uniquely illustrates that plant responses to heat vary with plant developmental stage in addition to the magnitude of temperature change.