Data from: Evaluating genomic data for management of local adaptation in a changing climate: a lodgepole pine case study

We evaluate genomic data, relative to phenotypic and climatic data, as a
basis for assisted gene flow and genetic conservation. Using a common
garden trial of 281 lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) provenances from
across western Canada, we compare genomic data to phenotypic and climatic
data to assess their effectiveness in characterizing the climatic drivers
and spatial scale of local adaptation in this species. We find that
phenotype-associated loci are equivalent or slightly superior to climate
data for describing local adaptation in seedling traits, but that climate
data is superior to bulk genomic data that have not been selected for
phenotypic associations. We also find agreement between the climate
variables associated with genomic variation and with 20-year heights from
a long-term provenance trial, suggesting that genomic data may be a viable
option for identifying climatic drivers of local adaptation where
phenotypic data are unavailable. Genetic clines associated with the
experimental traits occur at broad spatial scales, suggesting that
standing variation of adaptive alleles for this and similar species does
not require management at scales finer than are indicated by phenotypic
data. This study demonstrates that genomic data are most useful when
paired with phenotypic data, but can also fill some of the traditional
roles of phenotypic data in management of species for which phenotypic
trials are not feasible.