Genetic diversity and structure of western white pine (Pinus monticola) in North America: a baseline study for conservation, restoration, and addressing impacts of climate change

Abstract

Western white pine (Pinus monticola) is an economically and ecologically important species in western North America that has declined in prominence over the past several decades, mainly due to the introduction of Cronartium ribicola (cause of white pine blister rust) and reduced opportunities for regeneration. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were used to assess the genetic diversity and structure among populations at 15 sites (e.g., provenances) across the native range of western white pine. The level of genetic diversity was different among 15 populations tested using 66 polymorphic AFLP loci. Nei's gene diversity (H E ) at the population level ranged from 0.187 to 0.316. Genetic differentiation (G ST ) indicated that 20.1% of detected genetic variation was explained by differences among populations. In general, populations below 45 o N latitude exhibited a higher level of genetic diversity than higher latitude populations. Genetic distance analysis revealed two major clades between northern and southern populations, but other wellsupported relationships are also apparent within each of the two clades. The complex relationships among populations are likely derived from multiple factors including migration, adaptation, and multiple glacial refugia, especially in higher latitudes. Genetic diversity and structure revealed by this study will aid recognition and selection of western white pine populations for species management and conservation programs, especially in consideration of current and future climate changes.

Landscape Biology of Western White Pine: Implications for Conservation of a Widely-Distributed Five-Needle Pine at Its Southern Range Limit

“…Our landscape study reveals values of genetic diversity for western white pine similar to a rangewide study of western white pine by Kim et al [47]. In earlier genetic studies of western white pine by Rehfeldt et al [50] and Richardson et al [51] found that Sierra Nevada populations had low growth potential but high cold tolerance, which may reflect the environmental conditions in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, with short, dry growing seasons.…”

“…Genetic diversity measures (H O and H E ) ranged from 0.231 to 0.259, and from 0.245 to 0.272, respectively (Table 2 and Figure 4). Expected heterozygosity was similar to values reported by Kim et al [47], derived from a limited number of samples of western white pine in California (mean H E = 0.269). The inbreeding coefficient (F IS ) ranged from 0.025 to 0.146, with all populations having positive values (Table 2 and Figure 4).…”

Intervarietal and intravarietal genetic structure in Douglas‐fir: nuclear SSRs bring novel insights into past population demographic processes, phylogeography, and intervarietal hybridization

“…; Strong ), P. monticola (Kim et al. ), Picea sitchensis (Gapare et al. ), P. glauca (Anderson et al.…”

“…The existence of northern refugia situated to the north of the ice sheet, such in the Queen Charlotte Islands and in Beringia, has been inferred by paleorecords and/or suggested by genetic surveys for other temperate and boreal conifers co-occurring with Douglas-fir such as Tsuga mertensiana (Hansen and Engstrom 1996), Pinus contorta (Hansen and Engstrom 1996;Godbout et al 2008;Strong 2010), P. monticola (Kim et al 2011), Picea sitchensis (Gapare et al 2005), P. glauca (Anderson et al 2006(Anderson et al , 2011(Anderson et al ), and P. mariana (G erardi et al 2010. Even for Douglasfir and for the Rocky Mountain variety in particular, Wei et al (2011) hypothesized on such possible northern refugium after the detection of an endemic cpDNA-type with unique and broad presence in BC.…”

Modeling Effects of Climate Change and Fire Management on Western White Pine (Pinus monticola) in the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA

“…Western white pine is a dominant seral species in mesic, montane forest ecosystems in northern Idaho and adjacent areas of Montana, Washington, and British Columbia (inland northwest); and is a minor but widespread seral component of drier forests in southern Oregon and subalpine habitats at the southern end of its distribution in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California [9,29] (Figure 2). Climate patterns in those areas where the species occurs most abundantly include short, warm summer seasons of low precipitation and cold winters with heavy snowfall, and climatic controls over distribution are lower-elevation moisture deficits and upper-elevation temperature deficits that limit both germination and survival of seedlings [30].…”