Population structure and genie diversity in tamarack, Larixlaricina (Du Roi) K. Koch

Abstract

Levels of electrophoretically detectable variation at 19 loci were estimated in 36 populations representing the natural range of Larixlaricina (Du Roi) K. Koch. Results of this survey indicated that the species has levels of genic variation comparable with those of other species of woody perennials with extensive transcontinental ranges. There was no evidence of significant departures from Hardy–Weinberg expectation. However, on average, populations of this species were more differentiated and more genetically divergent from one another compared with many randomly mating tree species. A discriminant analysis of the genotypic structure of the populations analyzed indicated a general east versus west pattern, with populations in the Great Lakes basin being further differentiated. Present-day population distribution, population density, and reinvasion routes after the last glaciation could account for the observed patterns of genic variation.

Genetic variation in European larch (Larix decidua Mill)

“…Levels of genetic distances and gene diversity among provenances of L decidua reveal very similar average values for L laricina (Cheliak et al, 1988); however, the average number of alleles per locus is higher in L decidua. On the other hand, L occidentalis (Fins and Seeb, 1986) differs considerably from L laricina and L decidua by relatively low genetic variability as well as genetic distances among populations.…”

“…These investigations underline the fact that European larch is a highly variable species. Allozyme surveys estimating gene diversity among populations are not known for Larix decidua, but within the genus Larix for L laricinia (Cheliak et al, 1988) and for L occidentalis (Fins and Seeb, 1986). However, for L decidua from Poland segregation studies of allozyme loci are already available (Mejnartowicz and Bergmann, 1975;Kosinski and Szmidt, 1984;Mejnartowicz, 1990a, b, 1991) (Cheliak and Pitel, 1985;Fins and Seeb, 1986;Lewandowski and Mejnartowicz, 1990a, b;Ying and Morgenstern, 1990) were the basis for genetic interpretation of the zymograms.…”

Delineation of seed zones for European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in the Czech Republic based on isozyme gene markers

“…The figure 3). The result was a matrix of allelic frequencies for 459 points (27 divisions [5] for Larix laricina, Merkle et al [19] for Pseudotsuga menziesii and Yeh et al [29] for Pinus contorta. Similar to the case of four conifers investigated by Westfall and Conkle [28], it led to overlapping groups and did not allow any clear territorial divisions.…”

Genetic diversity and population structure of red spruce (Picea rubens)

“…Electrophoretic studies of allozyme variation provide valuable estimates of population genetic structure, phylogenetic relationships, and mating systems of forest trees (Cheliak et al 1988;Tremblay and Simon 1989;Jacobs et al 1984;Plessas and Strauss 1986;Fins and Seeb 1986;Surles et al 1989;Shaw and Allard 1979;Guries and Ledig 1979;Wheeler et al 1983;Wheeler and Guries 1982;Misenti and DeHayes 1989;Li and Adams 1989;Boyle and Morgenstern 1987). Assessments of range-wide variation in allozymes of red spruce have not been reported and are of particular importance in red spruce because of reported decline of the species, the relatively low levels of variation reported from common garden and phenotypic studies, and the uncertainty of levels of introgression between red and black spruce.…”