Key message Genetic variability of Araucaria angustifolia populations in Argentina was moderate-to-low and reduced by logging. Some studied populations and the plantation are valuable gene pools for conservation and management. Abstract The main forces shaping genetic variability of woody species in fragmented forest are the geographical distribution and demographic history of populations. We conducted molecular analyses to evaluate how these factors have affected Araucaria angustifolia genetic variability in the Argentinean Parana Forest and to identify valuable gene pools for conservation and management purposes. Using 706 polymorphic AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) markers, we analyzed nine native populations with different logging history and one plantation (312 individuals) of an uncertain origin. Average genetic diversity for the native populations was moderate-to-low (He = 0.128) in accordance with their marginal location within Araucaria's range. In general, genetic diversity of populations decreases from east to west with increasing distances from the main area of species distribution on southern Brazil. Logging may have been responsible for further reduction of genetic variability in the more intensely exploited populations of the southern region and in some private fields. The moderate genetic differentiation among populations (Φ PT = 0.080) suggests an increase in the genetic structure of remnant populations because of fragmentation. UPGMA and Bayesian analyses agreed with the geographic location of populations. Populations from the southern Provincial Parks at Araucaria's range edges grouped and differed genetically more from other populations. The highest genetic diversity of the plantation (He = 0.155) suggests that its individuals could have originated from seeds collected from different and/or highly variable sources of Brazil and the northeast of Argentina.
Increased tree mortality associated with hotter-drought events has rarely been recorded in mature commercial plantations. However, we report a recent (2021-2022 warm season) event of this kind that occurred across the Mesopotamian region of Argentina, South America. We aimed to elucidate the mortality timing, rate, and magnitude associated with environmental and stand characteristics at local scale to determine which conditions make these productive systems more vulnerable to extreme climatic events. Using Sentinel-2 satellite images and field-data we estimated the canopy mortality from November 2021 to October 2022, in Pinus spp afforestations (mainly P. taeda). We found that spatio-temporal heterogeneity in canopy mortality was associated with variation in soil and topographic characteristics, but not in stand age and size. Highest-extent, earlier, and advancing faster canopy mortality was observed in shallow soils, while the lowest mortality occurred at depressed and waterlogged areas. Intermediate levels of mortality were observed in deep soils (>1 m), where relatively higher mortality occurred in areas with shallow water table signs, inhibiting deep root development. Our results suggest that sites allowing a deeper rooting system and/or where soil water availability is expected to be higher and long-lasting could represent areas with low-mortality risk for fast-growing pine plantations.
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