INSTYTUT DENDROLOGII

Genetic differentiation of Pinus sylvestris among southernmost populations of the species in Europe and Asia

The studies were carried out on the basis of needles and cones biometry and genetic variation based on 32 populations of Pinus sylvestris from the Mediterranean areas, as well as Turkey and the Crimea. The results have established a detailed anatomical and morphological variability of needles and cones and represent the diversity of the population on the basis of marker nad1 H/I in mtDNA. On the basis of morphology and anatomy of needles population was divided into two distinct groups: 1) the Iberian and 2) consisting of the southern population to the east of the Pyrenees: the Massif Central, the Balkans, Anatolia and the Crimean peninsula. The groups differ mainly in the presence of different types of sclerenchymatic cells. Measurements of cones differentiate studied Pinus sylvestris populations to a lesser extent. Nevertheless, among the studied populations we can distinguish the same groups as on the basis of needles.

Mitochondrial marker nad1 H / I is highly specific for different parts of the range of Scots pine, indicating the uniqueness of the population of the Iberian Peninsula. Studies showed two mitotypes, where the b mitotype occurs only in refugia, predominantly on the Iberian Peninsula. Mitotype a prevails in the eastern and northern part of the range of the species. Detection of the b mitotype in the one population in Turkey, its presence in the Balkans and the dominance of the Iberian Peninsula seems to confirm the hypothesis of a tertiary division of the northern population characterized by domination of the a mitotype and southern type of the b mitotype.

It was found that the level of both morphological variations based on the characteristics of needles and the cones are significantly higher than the genetic. The results of all studies are consistent and studies based on the biometric characteristics of needles, cones, and genetic analysis confirmed the existence of the western and eastern group of the population.