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.本数据集涵盖叶片解剖数据（叶片薄壁组织各层厚度）、叶中脉维管性状（导管面积、密度及其衍生参数）以及木质部细胞壁的纳米力学特性（弹性模量、黏附力、能量耗散与变形量）。研究对象为15个欧洲山毛榉种源，其种源地覆盖该物种的整个自然分布范围。该试验林分（斯洛伐克中部塔莱试验点）于1998年设立，栽植材料为2年生实生苗，隶属于由瑟嫩研究所格罗尚斯多夫森林遗传学研究所牵头协调的山毛榉国际种源试验。叶片解剖性状通过光学显微镜观测获取，维管性状采用荧光显微镜采集，细胞壁纳米力学特性则通过原子力显微镜（atomic-force microscopy, AFM）测定。每个种源选取4棵植株采集阳生叶片，每棵树取1片叶片进行分析，原子力显微镜检测仅在其中8个种源中开展。本研究旨在解析所测性状的地理分布趋势及其与种源地气候的关联，以揭示该物种潜在的适应性变异模式。