Allozyme Variation in Natural Populations of the Italian Range of Pinus sylvestris L. : International Journal of Forest Genetics

2000

S. 205-209

Unselbständiges Werk

200084349

The genetic structure of eight populations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) - seven Alpine and one Apennine, representative of the Italian range of this species - has been studied by means of electrophoretic analysis of six enzyme systems (LAP, GOT, PGM, MDH, GDH, SKDH), for a total of 12 allozyme loci. On the whole, genetic diversity parameters show rather high values; the average value of expected heterozygosity according to Hardy-Weinberg (0.283) is higher and than the average value estimated for gymnosperms. Differentiation between populations is low, as revealed by parameters Gst (2.6 %) and Sigma (4.7 %), as well as by the mean values of genetic distance by Nei and Gegorius (0.013 and 0.075, respectively), as observed in most conifers. Nevertheless, the obtained results reveal a sharp differentiation of the Apennine population. this is one of the few relict indigenous populations of this species in the Ligurain-Emilian Apennine, remnants from glacial migrations. Because of its peculiarity, this relict population, whose intrapopulation genetic variation is almost as high as in the Alpine populations, is an important genetic resource that requires specific protection measures.