<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Norway spruce forests decline in the Beskids raises concerns about reduction of genetic variation in a next generation of forest. We aim to determine whether the genetic diversity in declining spruce stands was successfully transmitted to its self-seeded progeny. Using three nuclear microsatellite markers, we carried out the genetic assessment of naturally regenerated progeny and compered them with their maternal stands at an initial stage of decline. We investigated three spruce stands from the Śląski and Żywiecki Beskid and one primeval forest from the Tatras, as a reference. We noticed a high level of gene diversity, allelic richness and an effective number of alleles in progeny of all stands, without differences between declining stands from the Beskids and the primeval forest. The gene diversity was similar in maternal trees and their offspring. Higher gene diversity and generally higher number of alleles were noticed in young generation of stands. Genetic identity between generations was high in analyzed seed stands and the highest in the primeval forest. The results we presented indicate no significant effect of drastic reduction in the population size due to the forest decline on the level of genetic variation in self-seeded progeny of Norway spruce from the Beskids.</p></abstract>

Norway spruce forests decline in the Beskids raises concerns about reduction of genetic variation in a next generation of forest. We aim to determine whether the genetic diversity in declining spruce stands was successfully transmitted to its self-seeded progeny. Using three nuclear microsatellite markers, we carried out the genetic assessment of naturally regenerated progeny and compered them with their maternal stands at an initial stage of decline. We investigated three spruce stands from the Śląski and Żywiecki Beskid and one primeval forest from the Tatras, as a reference. We noticed a high level of gene diversity, allelic richness and an effective number of alleles in progeny of all stands, without differences between declining stands from the Beskids and the primeval forest. The gene diversity was similar in maternal trees and their offspring. Higher gene diversity and generally higher number of alleles were noticed in young generation of stands. Genetic identity between generations was high in analyzed seed stands and the highest in the primeval forest. The results we presented indicate no significant effect of drastic reduction in the population size due to the forest decline on the level of genetic variation in self-seeded progeny of Norway spruce from the Beskids.

Forest decline has not reduced genetic diversity of naturally regenerated Norway spruce from the Beskids, Poland

Silvae Genetica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Norway spruce forests decline in the Beskids raises concerns about reduction of genetic variation in a next generation of forest. We aim to determine whether...

Forest decline has not reduced genetic diversity of naturally regenerated Norway spruce from the Beskids, Poland

Published Online: Jun 07, 2017

Page range: 270 - 278

Received: Dec 08, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2015-0025

Keywords
forest decline, genetic diversity, Norway spruce, Beskids, natural regeneration, primeval forest

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Forest decline has not reduced genetic diversity of naturally regenerated Norway spruce from the Beskids, Poland

Published Online: Jun 07, 2017

Page range: 270 - 278

Received: Dec 08, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2015-0025

Keywordsforest decline, genetic diversity, Norway spruce, Beskids, natural regeneration, primeval forest

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
forest decline, genetic diversity, Norway spruce, Beskids, natural regeneration, primeval forest