Conspectus of the genus <i>Juniperus</i> L. growing in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Background. The genus Juniperus L. is the most numerous in the family Cupressaceae Bartl. and includes about 75 species. There are from 7 to 10 species of this genus in Kazakhstan. All types of juniper are widely used in folk medicine and play an important ecological role. The purpose of our work was to study the current status, systematics and distribution of juniper species. This will help to clarify and expand the information on the current location of Juniperus species in Kazakhstan and will be used in the future to study intra- and interspecific genetic diversity of the genus.Materials and methods. To study the distribution and make a conspectus of the Juniperus spp. growing in Kazakhstan, floristic reports, materials of plant explorations and the herbarium collections for the period from 1890 to 2021 obtained from the herbarium of the Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction (AA), herbarium materials of the Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology as well as the digital herbarium of the Lomonosov Moscow State University – Depository of Living Systems “Noah’s Ark” (MW) were analyzed.Results. As a result of the study, 630 herbarium sheets were processed and 70 locations of 7 juniper species growing in Kazakhstan belonging to 2 sections – Juniperus (=Oxycedrus Endl.) and Sabina Endl. – were identified. A conspectus of 7 juniper species identified during the analysis of the three above-mentioned herbarium collections was made. The main division of species is observed in the context of administrative and floristic regions of Kazakhstan. The greatest species concentration occurs in Southern, South-Eastern and Eastern Kazakhstan. The results of the study contribute to the inventory and search for previously forgotten places of growth for the genus Juniperus. Besides, the continuation of comprehensive botanical and molecular genetic studies on junipers will help to examine and preserve the genetic diversity of the species and conserve forest bioresources.

Comparing genetic differentiation and variation using ISSR and SCoT among Juniper plant markers in Saudi Arabia

“…Similar to our results, Ghorbanzadeh et al (2021) reported that the PIC fluctuated between 0.26 and 0.47. Furthermore, Yermagambetova et al (2022) investigated Juniperus species from central Asia and found the PIC value varied between 0.077 and 0.662, with an average of 0.43. The genetic variation between Juniperus species is significantly influenced by the geographical region, the primer employed, and the plant species.…”

Comparative analysis of chloroplast genomes of seven Juniperus species from Kazakhstan

“…Species in the genus are widely distributed in dry foothills or at mid to high altitudes of Central Asian mountains, including Kazakhstan [2]. In Kazakhstan, the genus representatives are mainly found on dry mountain slopes and in alpine and subalpine belts [3,4]. The country has eight species of Juniperus, including J. communis L., J. sibirica Burgsd., J. x media Dmitr., J. pseudosabina Fisch.…”

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Juniperus seravschanica Kom. Collected in Central Asia

“…This species can grow on a wide variety of substrates, from steep (up to 70°) rocky outcrops to nutrient-rich brown soils with a significant (up to 16%) humus content. This property plays an essential ecological role in water and soil protection, preventing destructive mudflows on mountain ranges [ 6 ]. Despite the wide distribution of this species in the region, a decrease in the number of natural populations has been observed.…”