leaf anatomy, vascular traits and nanomechanical cell-wall properties in European beech provenances

The file contains leaf anatomical data (thickness of individual leaf parenchyma layers), vascular traits of leaf midrib (vessel area and density and derived parameters), and nanomechanical properties of xylem cell walls (modulus of elasticity, adhesion, energy dissipation and deformation), which were studied in 15 provenances of European beech, originating from sites distributed across the whole range of the species. The trial plot (locality Tale in central Slovakia) was established in 1998 with 2-years-old seedling within the international provenance experiment with beech coordinated by the Institute of Forest Genetics of Thuenen Institute Grosshansdorf. Leaf anatomy was studied using light microscopy, while fluorescent microscopy was used to acquire vascular traits and atomic-force microscopy for nanomechanical cell-wall traits. Sun leaves were collected from 4 trees per provenances, 1 leaf per tree was analyzed. AFM was done in a subset of 8 provenances. The aim of the study was assessing geographical trends of the studied traits and their association with climate at the sites of origin to reveal potential adaptive variation patterns.