Advances in Forest Tree Genomics Evolution and Adaptation

Forest trees are foundational to global terrestrial ecosystems, sustaining biodiversity, regulating climate, and providing essential ecosystem services. As climate change accelerates—bringing rising temperatures, extreme droughts, and shifting precipitation patterns—understanding how forest trees adapt to changing environments has become one of the most urgent scientific challenges of our time. Genomic approaches now offer unprecedented power to decode the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying tree adaptation, enabling evidence-based strategies for forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable management.Rapid advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have transformed the field of forest tree genomics. Long-read sequencing, Hi-C scaffolding, and pan-genome assembly now allow researchers to resolve complex genomic regions associated with adaptive traits, while population genomics, landscape genomics, and common garden experiments can precisely identify loci under natural selection. Complementary multi-omic approaches—including transcriptomics, epigenomics (DNA methylation, histone modifications), and metabolomics—are further revealing how genetic variation interacts with environmental cues to shape phenotypic plasticity and long-term adaptive responses.This research is critical for predicting how forest ecosystems will respond to future climate change, identifying vulnerable populations, and developing resilient tree varieties. By integrating genomic data with ecological and evolutionary theory, we can uncover the genetic basis of key adaptive traits such as drought tolerance, cold hardiness, pest resistance, and phenological timing. These insights not only advance our fundamental understanding of plant evolution but also directly inform practical applications in forestry, conservation biology, and climate change mitigation.This Research Topic focuses on genomic insights into forest tree evolution and ecological adaptation. We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, methods papers, and perspective pieces covering, but not limited to, the following topics:• Population and landscape genomics of local adaptation in forest trees• Genomic signatures of adaptation to extreme environments (drought, heat, cold, salinity)• Epigenetic regulation of phenotypic plasticity and transgenerational adaptation• Gene family evolution associated with stress responses and environmental adaptation• Genomic basis of phenological shifts in response to climate change• Comparative genomics of adaptive evolution across tree lineages• Structural variation and its role in adaptive divergence• Genomic prediction of climate change vulnerability and assisted migration• Genomic tools for conservation genetics and restoration of threatened tree species• Multi-omic integration to dissect complex adaptive traits• Genomic selection for climate-resilient forest tree breeding Topic editors: Hang Ye, Yi Ling Wang, Meng Dang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80800/advances-in-forest-tree-genomics-evolution-and-adaptation