Juniperus communis L. is increasingly threatened in many parts of Europe, including the Baltic region. Our present study was aimed at evaluation of genetic diversity of J. communis populations of Lithuania. Fourteen selected populations differed in geography and habitats (coastal brown dunes covered with natural Scots pine forests, further referred as B; J. communis shrubs, F; transition mires and quaking bogs, D; subcontinental moss Scots pine forests, G; xero-thermophile fringes, E). Molecular variance was analyzed among populations (140 individuals, in total), employing 14 Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Percentage of polymorphic loci differed between populations belonging to the different habitat type, being the highest for population representing habitat F (68.2%) and the lowest for populations D (42.9%). The data demonstrate the possibility to underestimate or overestimate this parameter if some habitat populations are bypassed. Means per population of Nei's gene diversity and Shannon's information indexes, were 0.158 and 0.239, respectively. Significant correlation between genetic and geographic distance of populations of J. communis was documented by Mantel test. Bayesian analysis of ISSR data has separated populations of Southern Lithuania from Northern part. Juniperus communis populations representing different habitats showed moderate interpopulation variance at ISSR loci. In ISSR-based dendrograms, individuals were correctly allocated to populations, even in case of populations growing in 0.5 km vicinity (habitats D and G). Among all populations the most distinct one was representing habitat of J. communis shrubs (F) protected by EUNIS. Principal coordinate analysis of weighted averages of Ellenberg's indicator values (EIV) for herbaceous species, separated populations according to habitat type, while the same type analysis of ISSR data allowed distinguishing E habitat populations from populations of all other habitat type but G. Our study shows that on the local (Lithuanian) scale, molecular variance between populations of J. communis at ISSR loci might be related to habitat type. For evaluation and preservation of diversity of J. communis, different assessment methods should be included and management strategies should be directed in the way to retain variety of habitats encompassing both widely spread and less common ones.
Common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) is an important conifer from the ecological and economical point of view. In some areas of the distribution range, it is a widely studied species. Up till now insufficient attention has been paid to junipers growing in the Baltic countries where it is one of three natural conifers and important forest tree species. Recently, molecular markers-based diversity of Lithuanian populations of J. communis was determined, although related biological and ecological variables remain undisclosed. The present study is aimed at the evaluation of biotic and abiotic environment of J. communis according to plant species composition. Fourteen sites with J. communis were selected in the territory of Lithuania. At each site undergrowth trees and shrubs, herbaceous species, dwarf shrubs, and mosses were recorded and the abundance of each species was evaluated. Abiotic environment characteristics were obtained using Ellenberg's indicator values (EIV) of the plant species neighbouring junipers. In the sites with J. communis, 80 species of herbs and dwarf shrubs belonging to 18 families were registered. The largest variety of herbaceous species and dwarf shrubs (18-22 per site) was registered for sites representing xero-thermophile fringes. Species coverage data recorded in the sites in most cases allowed to group sites according to their habitats. Despite rather small territory of the present survey (latitude (N) 56°07'-54°11' , longitude (E) 21°06'-26°30'), the ranges of indexes for environment factors of juniper sites were rather wide: 6.0-7.3 for light, 3.0-5.8 for temperature, 3.7-5.3 for continentality, 4.2-7.8 for soil moisture, 2.7-7.4 for soil reaction, and 2.7-4.4 for soil nitrogen. Among the sites selected by us, the most contrasting in terms of EIV were locations representing coastal brown dunes covered with natural Scots pine forests and xero-thermophile fringes. Keywords INTRODUCTIONJuniperus species are substantial elements of present-day forests (Garcia et al., 2000;Adams, 2011) and some of them are on the border of extinction (Lima et al., 2010;Rumeu et al., 2011;Silva et al., 2011). This historically old genera is important for providing information about evolution of plants in Late Glacial period (Koller et al., 2005;Li et al., 2011, Veski et al., 2012. Juniperus contains economically valuable species used for medicinal purposes (Muto et al., 2008;Kusari et al., 2009), perfume industry (Lawrence, 1984, flavoring of food and alcoholic beverages (Maarse, 1991;Vichi et al., 2007). These circumstances point out the need of comprehensive knowledge about Juniperus species.Juniperus communis is widely distributed over the Northern hemisphere, growing in Europe and three other continents. Junipers have been examined by molecular and biochemical markers in various regions of their natural occurrence (Canary Islands, Greece, Germany, UK, Russia, Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Cuba, Mexico, Utah, Texas, etc. (Adams et al., 2003;Adams, 2011). Examination of variabl...
Ammonia is one of the most important aerial pollutants which might affect morphology of conifers. The purpose of our study was to assess morphological and histological parameters of the needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing under elevated concentration (up to 17.5 µg m ). The investigation of the seasonal dynamics of the needle morphology (length, width, thickness) and the thickness of the needle tissues in the cross-section (epidermis, hypodermis, mesophyll and central cylinder tissues -transfusion parenchyma and sclerenchyma) in most other cases did not reveal statistically significant differences between the trees growing in ammonia-polluted and relatively clean sites. It was true for both middle-aged and young age stands. Under the elevated concentration of air-ammonia, only some tendencies were observed for thicker needles (up to 1.05 times), thicker adaxial mesophyll (up to 1.10 times) and adaxial transfusion parenchyma (up to 1.06 times) of the needles. For middle-aged stands significant (p < 0.01) needle age differences were observed according to the abaxial and adaxial mesophyll thickness (up to 1.21 times thicker in 1-yearold needles), the same was true for the needles of the young age stand (up to 1.25 times). At the end of August, the average length of 1-year-old needles was 76 mm, width 1.7 mm and thickness 0.76 mm. For some histological parameters statistically significant (p < 0.05) seasonal differences were observed: the thickness of adaxial transfusion parenchyma was decreasing and the sclerenchyma width was increasing within the June-August period.
For the study of the ionomic parameters of Juniperus communis needles, fourteen sites covering most of the territory of Lithuania and belonging to distinct habitats (coastal brown dunes covered with natural Scots pine forests (G), Juniperus communis scrubs (F), transition mires and quaking bogs (D), subcontinental moss Scots pine forests (G), and xero-thermophile fringes) were selected. Concentrations of macro-, micro-, and non-essential elements were analyzed in current-year needles, sampled in September. According to the concentrations of elements in J. communis needles, the differences between the most contrasting populations were as follows: up to 2-fold for Mg, N, K, Ca, and Zn; 2- to 7-fold for P, Na, Fe, Cu, Al, Cr, Ni, and Pb; and 26- to 31-fold for Mn and Cd. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni in needles of J. communis did not reach levels harmful for conifers. When compared to all other habitats (B, F, G, and E), the populations from transition mires and quaking bogs (D) had significantly lower concentrations of main nutritional elements N (12176 µg/g d. m.), P (1054 µg/g d. m.), and K (2916 µg/g d. m.). In Juniperus communis scrubs (F), a habitat protected by EUNIS, the concentration of K in the needles was highest, while Zn and Cu concentrations were the lowest. Principal component (PC) analyses using concentrations of 15 elements as variables for the discrimination of populations or habitats allowed authors to distinguish F and B habitats from the E habitat (PC1) and F and D habitats from the G habitat (PC2). Discriminating between populations, the most important variables were concentrations of P, N, Mg, Ca, Cu, and K. Discriminating between habitats, the important variables were concentrations of N and P.
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