I am a biologist mostly interested in ecology (understanding the interactions between living organisms and their environment both biotic and abiotic) and I am passionate for understanding the drivers of species range limits and distribution at various spatial and temporal scales and to link these drivers to the different physiological adaptations that were developed to maximize individual's fitness. I focused on trees for I found the dormancy-growth cycle of temperate and boreal trees most fascinating; these trees have to undergo impressive seasonal changes at the cellular level up to the organismal level that need to be in synchrony with the seasonal variation in air temperature and photoperiod. In addition, trees with continental-wide distributions grow under different climates and developed specific adaptations to their local climate, adaptations that are even to date largely misunderstood and underestimated. With the changing climate, quantifying these intra-species adaptations will be crucial for predicting future growth trajectories, species turn-over and distribution; a task not only important for the field of plant science but which proves critical for sustainable forest management and the economy of the forest sector.