Genetic structure of needle morphological and anatomical traits of Pinus yunnanensis

Pinus yunnanensis Franch. is an particular conifer tree species in Yunnan–Guizhou plateau in southwest China. The morphological and anatomical traits of needles are important to evaluate geographic variation and population dynamics of conifer species. Seedlings from seven populations of P. yunnanensis were analyzed, looking at 22 morphological and anatomical needle traits. The results showed that variations among and within populations were significantly different for all traits and the variance components within populations were generally higher than that among populations in the most tested needle traits. The proportions of three-needle fascicle were significantly different among populations. The traits related to needle size in both morphology and anatomy were positive with latitude and negative with annual temperature and precipitation. Ratio indices, including mesophyllarea/vascular bundle area, mesophyll area/resin canals area, vascular bundle area/resin canals area and mesophyll area/(resin canals area and vascular bundle area), were negatively correlated with elevation and positively correlated with the annual mean temperature, showing some fitness feature for the populations. Needle traits were more significantly correlated with longitude than with other four environmental factors. Needle length was significantly correlated with almost all environmental factors. First four principal components accounted for 81.596 % of the variation with eigenvalues [1; the differences among populations were mainly dependent on needle width,stomatal density, section areas of vascular bundle, total resin canals, and mesophyll, as well as area ratio traits.Seven populations were divided into three categories by Euclidean distance. Variations in needle traits among the populations have shown systematic microevolution in terms of geographic impact on P. yunnanensis. This study would provide empirical data to characterize adaptation and genetic variation of P. yunnanensis, which would be helpful for management of genetic resources and reasonable utilization of them in future.     

Classification of Tomicus Species

Both morphological characters and a portion of of 28S rDNA sequences were used to identifying Tomicus species.The specimens were classed into groups with the following characters: 1) granules or punctures on interstria 2 on the declivity of the elytra;2) length of the elytral interstrial hairs and hairs arising from punctures;3) arrangement of pronotal punctures and hairs.These characters could be clearly examined under a binocular microscope at 30×magnification and they were applicable and valuable for the forest entomologists to identify Tomicus species.The phylogenetic tree established with difference in 28S rDNA sequence of D2 region revealed that the specimens of each group identified by morphological characters were also grouped together.The genetic distances of intra-species, inter-species and inter-genus were not overlapped. Genetic divergence of 28S rDNA was also useful for identifying Tomicus species.     

Analysis of genetic diversity for wild and captive green peafowl populations by random amplified polymorphic DNA technique

The genetic diversity of the populations for 14 wild green peafowls (Pavo muticus) and 18 captive green peafowls was investigated by using the technology of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Totally 161 and 166 amplified bands were obtained by using 23 arbitrary primers to amplify the genomic DNA of wild and captive green peafowls respectively. The results showed that the average relative genetic distance of the wild and captive green peafowls populations was 0.0555 and 0.1355, respectively, and difference of the average relative genetic distances between the two populations was 0.1635. The Shannon diversity index for the wild and captive green peafowl populations was 0.4348 and 1.0163, respectively, which means that there exists significant difference in genetic diversity between the two populations, and the genetic diversity of wild green peafowl was low. The two populations originated from two different families according to analysis by the UPGMA method. This research can provide the theoretical basis for supervising genealogies management of peafowl populations.     

Genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of natural Pinus koraiensis population

Genetic diversities and genetic differentiations of the four Pinus koraiensis populations （Gaofeng Forestry Farm at Tangwanghe in Yichun City, Erdaobaihe Town in the Changbai Mountains, Shcngshan Forestry Farm in Heihe City, in China, and the suburb of Vladivostok City in Russia） were analyzed by using ISSR PCR technique. The results of 15 primers amplification showed that the ratio of polymorphic site of P koralensis population was 60.7%. Euch primer had 3.6 polymorphic sites, The diversity levels of the four P. koraiensis populations were rather higher compared with those of other Pinaceae species. The genetic diversity levels of t： koraiensis populations grown in the center region were higher than those grown in the edge zone. The genetic diversity of r3 koraiensis mainly came from the interiot of the population, accounting for 73% of total genetic diversity. There were no positive correlation between genetic distances and geographical distances for the four P koraiensis populations. The gradual decrease of natural distribution region of P. koraiensis was due to anthropic destroy and environmental factors （i.e. fire and wind throw）, rather than the lower genetic diversity.     

Evaluation of early growth performance of 41 clones of teak(Tectona grandis Linn. f.) at four microsites in Purwakarta,Indonesia

Teak(Tectona grandis Linn. f.), one of the mostvalued tree species in the world, is slow-growing with a long period until it can be harvested;therefore, ensuring that only high-quality seedlings or clones are selected for planting is critical. The main objective was to determine performance and repeatability of selected clones in terms of growth and survival rates in different micro-environments. A 2-year clonal trial using 41 clones and a local seedling of teak as a control were grown at 4 microsites differing in spacing, soil fertility and alley crops to assess tree height, diameter and survival rate that was evaluated in Purwakarta, West Java, Indonesia using a randomized complete block design with four replicates of each clone at each microsite. Teak growth was influenced by clone(p < 0.01), microsite(p < 0.05) and clone 9 micrositeinteraction(p<0.01). The interaction clone 9 microsite resulted in several potential superior clones that differed in terms of growth rates at each microsite. On the basis of diameter only, superior clones(nos. 14, 18, 24, 30 and 37)were identified. Repeatability estimated was Rc2= 0.84 for diameter and Rc2= 0.77 for height. Growth performance of teak trees varied among microsites. Repeatability values for diameter and height characters were high. The effect of variable growth on each clone was influenced by genetic factors, environmental factors and the interaction of genetics 9 environment. Microsite significantly affected growth of teak clones. Clone 9 microsite interaction significantly affected growth of clones and led to the growth of superior clones at each microsite.     

Genetic diversity and conservation of two threatened dipterocarps(Dipterocarpaceae) in southeast Vietnam

Two threatened dipterocarp species,Dipterocarpus costatus and Dipterocarpus alatus are well-known endangered species in lowland forests of southeastern Vietnam,primarily from habitat loss and over-exploitation of their wood.To develop conservation strategies for these species,we analyzed 242 samples using nine microsatellite markers to determine the genetic variability within and among five populations of D.alatus and three of D.costatus,representing the natural range of dipterocarps in Southeast Vietnam.Results indicated low levels of genetic variability within populations with an average gene diversity of 0.223 for D.alatus and 0.152 for D.costatus.Results of bottleneck tests indicated a reduction in population size of both species(P>0.05).Genetic differentiation among populations was high(FST=0.347 for D.costatus and 0.274 for D.alatus),indicating limited gene flow(Nm=0.662 for D.costatus and 0.47 for D.alatus)and isolated populations related to geographical distances.Analysis of molecular variance showed high genetic variation within populations(72.92%for D.alatus and 60.81%for D.costatus)compared to among populations.Bayesian analysis and UPGMA tree also indicated the two optimal genetic clusters related to geographical distances.These results will provide a platform for the conservation,management and restoration of these species.     

Genetic diversity analysis of Sinojackia microcarpa,a rare tree species endemic in China,based on simple sequence repeat markers

Although most Sinojackia species are endangered, they contribute greatly to the biodiversity of local ecosystems. Sinojackia microcarpa, an endangered species, is distributed only in three provinces of eastern China. Determining the genetic diversity of S. microcarpa provides key information for germplasm evaluation and species conservation. Here we used simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to investigate the genetic diversity of eight natural populations of S. microcarpa. Leaf samples were collected from 144 individuals in 8 wild populations. The 156 bands were generated from 14 pairs of informative SSR primers, with an average percentage of polymorphic bands of 45.67%. The average values of Nei’s genetic diversity (He) and Shannon’s diversity index (I) were 0.1007 and 0.1658, respectively. The total genetic variation of S. microcarpa existed mainly within the eight populations, rather than among populations, and reached 86.41%. A cluster analysis showed that the eight wild populations of S. microcarpa could be classified into four groups, at a threshold of 4.0, based on an analysis of the SSR genotypes. Furthermore, there was a significant association between the phylogenetic relationships and the geographic locations of the S. microcarpa populations. In particular, populations from Fuyang, Jiande, and Lin’an in Zhejiang Province had close phylogenetic relationships and geographic distances. In addition, these three populations had the highest genetic diversity and the most individuals, suggesting that these three locations may be the S.microcarpa distribution center. This study serves as a model for studying the genetic diversity of endangered plant species.     

Fertility variation in endemic populations of Ehrami black pine(Pinus nigra Arnold. subsp. pallasiana var. pyramidata)

Fertility variation and effective number of parents were estimated in the 100 individuals from each of three plantation populations(P1, P2 and P3) of the endangered Pinus nigra. subsp. pallasiana var. pyramidata established in the Isparta–Golcuk district in southern Turkey in 1990. Potential relations between cone yield and growth characters(height, diameter at breast height,diameter at base and crown diameter) were also investigated. Large differences were found among populations and within populations for cone production and growth characters. Mean cone production was eight(ranging from6.5 in P2 to 9.1 in P1) for the three populations. The 10 most productive individuals for cones produced 32% of the total cones in P1, 39% in P2 and 34% in P3; 21, 16 and 6individuals, respectively did not produce any cones in the populations. According to the correlation analyses, the relation between cone yield and growth characters changed for the populations, while height, diameter at breast height and crown diameter were positively significantly correlated(r = 0.182, 0.135 and 0.209; p B 0.05) with cone production for the three populations. Fertility variation was1.81 in total of three populations, ranging from 1.72 in P3 to 3.45 in P1). Effective number of parents was 142(55.2of number of parents censused; 29%, P1; 49.8%, P2;58.3%, P3).     

Variability in cone,seed and seedling characteristics of Pinus kesiya Royle ex. Gordon

Investigations were made to determine the nature and extent of variations present for 10 morphological characters of cone,seed and seedlings of 17 plus trees(PTs)of Pinus kesiya growing in eastern Himalayas(Meghalaya state) of India.The significant variations has been observed in cone weight,cone length,cone diameter,seed length,seed diameter,seed weight,number of seeds per cone,seed germination,seedling height and seedling collar diameter among different PTs of the species.Significant positive correlation(p \ 0.01) between seed weight,cone length and cone diameter showed that seed weight in P.kesiya depend more on the cone size.Seed germination is found positively correlated(p \ 0.01) with seed weight,seed diameter,cone size and number of seeds per cone in the study.Among geographical factors,latitude and altitude are found positively correlated(p \ 0.05) with cone weight and seed diameter,respectively.The genetic parameters for seed,cone and seedlings of PTs of P.kesiya also showed a wide range of variability in terms of variance,coefficient of variability,broad sense heritability,genetic advance and genetic gain.Seed weight,seeds per cone and seedling diameter showed high heritability values([75) coupled with maximum genetic gain.Traits with such values indicate the presence of good amount of heritable additive components and are under strong genetic control.The findings of the study revealed that PTs expressed both phenotypic and genotypic differences in the seed,cone and seedling characters,which may be attributed to the differences in genetic makeup of various PTs and environmental factors i.e.genotypic and environmental interaction.The presence of high variability in P.kesiya PTs for different characters provide further opportunities to improve the population in subsequent generations so as to establish this species as an important timber tree to be grown on less fertile and degraded soils in its distributional ranges.     

Genetic diversity and differentiation of fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Drury) populations

The molecular variation and genetic relationships among five populations of the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea Drury) in China were assessed using microsatellite technology. Ten microsatellite primers, producing polymorphic bands, were used across 300 samples. The percentage of polymorphic loci (PPB) was 98.36%; the percentage of polymorphic loci in five populations ranged from high to low in the following order: Cangzhou population, Yantai population, Qinhuangdao population, Dandong population, and Shijiazhuang population. The results showed that 34.38% of the total genetic variation of the fall webworm (GST) occurs among populations, while most variation (65.62%) exists within populations. Nei’s genetic distances ranged from 0.1386 to 0.3224. Using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), Nei’s genetic distances were analyzed by a clustering technique and the dendrogram shows that population differentiation is closely related to the time and geographic origin of the invasion. The major factors impacting genetic diversity of fall webworm populations are longitude, the plain area ratio, annual precipitation, latitude and time of invasion. The formation of genetic structure is correlated with characteristics of the life history and invasion ecology of the species.     

Quantification by allometric equations of carbon sequestered by Tectona grandis in different agroforestry systems

Non destructive methods for quantification of carbon seques-tration in tropical trees are inadequately developed. We described a stan-dardized method for estimating carbon stock in teak (Tectona grandi...     

Growth characteristics, stress-wave velocity, and Pilodyn penetration of 15 clones of 12-year-old Tectona grandis trees planted at two different sites in Indonesia

Tree improvement programs for teak (Tectona grandis) have mainly focused on breeding of trees with superior growth characteristics. However, improvement in wood quality should be included in breeding programs for high yield and high quality timber. In the present study, growth characteristics [stem diameter (D), tree height (H), and bole volume (V)], stress-wave velocity (SWV), and Pilodyn penetration (Py) were measured for 15 clones of 12-year-old teak trees planted at two different sites in Indonesia to clarify the variations in tree growth characteristics, SWV, and Py among clones, their repeatability, interaction between genotype and environment, and correlations between measured characteristics. Significant differences of all measured characteristics were found among 15 clones at both sites. Their repeatability showed relatively moderate to high values in both sites. These results indicate that these characteristics are closely related to genetic factors. Significant interaction between genotype and environment was found in all measured characteristics. In addition, SWV and Py showed lower interaction between genotype and environment than growth characteristics. No significant correlation was found between growth characteristics and SWV. These results suggest that wood properties and growth characteristics of teak trees can be improved by application of an appropriate tree breeding program.     

Effects of elevation and season on nutrient composition of leaves and green pods of Moringa stenopetala and Moringa oleifera

The baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) is of large socioeconomic importance. However, domesticated plant material of baobab is rarely available to African farmers, and very limited pre-breeding knowledge is available. To evaluate genetic differentiation between geographical origins we compared vigor and leaf morphology of trees from 17 West African and 13 East African provenances of baobab. Seedlings were grown and evaluated in a common garden test at Bamako, Mali. Germination was assessed and growth measured 3 and 12?months after germination. Leaf morphology (leaf length, leaflet number, petiole length and diameter and leaflet border) were assessed after 12?months. Significant differences between the provenances were observed for both growth rate and leaf morphology. West African provenances in general grew faster than East African provenances, but leaf characters did not reveal a particular geographic structure, and the correlations between geographic distances and multivariate Mahalanobis distances were not significant. The correlations between leaf morphological traits and climatic data were in general low at the provenance level. However, the number of leaflets was significantly higher for provenances from drier areas. Two years increment at a field site also varied significantly between the provenances, where West African provenances confirmed their tendency to higher growth rate. Still, trees are young and results regarding both growth data and leaf characteristics should be confirmed when the trees are closer to maturity.     

An explicit stem profile model for forked and un-forked teak (Tectona grandis) trees in West Africa

Studies on stem profile of teak (Tectona grandis) hardly exist. This can be possibly attributed to the occurrence of forks that is prevalent on teak trees. Stem profile model was therefore developed for teak in West Africa, which took into account the occurrence of forks. Trees were destructively sampled from Moist Evergreen Forest (MEF), Moist Semi-deciduous Forest (MSDF), Dry Semi-deciduous Forest (DSDF) and Savannah ecological zones in both Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire for the study. A single set of parameters could be used explicitly to predict stem profile of any teak tree, irrespective of country, eco-climatic zone, edaphic variables, site index, tree age, stand density and tree competition. The model efficiency and root mean square error (in relative diameter) were calculated to be 0.97 and 0.053, respectively. The relative position of the forks along the stem bole, with respect to total tree height, was highly variable and did not follow any particular trend, except higher value for the first fork in the Moist Evergreen Forest zone. However, average tree height to the first fork decreased along the ecological gradient from MEF, MSDF and DSDF to Savannah. The extent of diameter reduction due to the forks could be predicted. Relative tree form for zero-forked, one-forked and two-forked trees was calculated to be 0.39, 0.36 and 0.33, respectively. Relative loss of stem volume due to one fork and two forks was estimated to be 6.5 and 13.9%, respectively. The measured stem volume when related to the corresponding predicted value yielded coefficient and intercept not significantly different from unity and zero, respectively, with an r² value of 0.97.     

Genetic diversity of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) populations in northeastern and northwestern China as revealed by ISSR markers

As a N₂-fixing tree species, sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is well adapted to arid regions and is utilized for multiple purposes in China. Current knowledge of genetic variability of H. rhamnoides is limited in terms of rangewide distributions. Eleven natural populations of sea buckthorn in northeastern and northwestern China were analyzed to detect genetic variation among and within populations, by use of ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeats) markers. Using eight primers, 207 polymorphic loci were observed, ranging in size from 250 to 2500 bp. The coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst = 0.0679) showed that the total molecular variance of 11 populations was mainly existed within populations. The genetic variation within and among the 11 populations was 93.21 and 6.79%, respectively. No significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances of the populations was found using ISSR markers. Our study provides a population-level genetic profile for further investigation and conservation of genetic diversity of sea buckthorn.     

Genetic variation in natural populations of Abies nephrolepis Max. in South Korea

Abies nephrolepis Max. is a fir species occurring in Northeast China, the extreme southeast of Russia and Korea. In Korea, A. nephrolepis is one of only three native fir species growing in high, mountainous areas with a disjunct distribution. We investigated genetic variation in A. nephrolepis by examining 24 ISSR polymorphic loci in 248 individuals representing eight natural populations in Korea. The level of intra-population genetic diversity (H _e = 0.240) was similar to or slightly lower than that of plants with similar ecological traits and life history. Most of the genetic diversity was allocated among individuals within populations (G _ST = 0.082, Φ_ST = 0.041) and the number of migrants per generation (N _m ) was 5.56. Nei’s genetic distances were small (D = 0.027) and unrelated to geographic distances between populations. Implications for the conservation of genetic variation in A. nephrolepis in South Korea were discussed.     

地理隔离对西南藏区山杨居群遗传结构影响的SRAP分析

采用SRAP分子标记技术,对分布于我国西南3个藏族地区山杨9个居群130个个体进行了遗传结构分析。结果表明,筛选出的7对引物组合共检测到多态性条带(AP)99条,多态性条带百分比(PPB)为59.28%。采用POPGENE软件分析,山杨9个居群平均多态位点百分率(PPB)为33.80%,Nei’s基因多样性指数(H)和Shannon’s信息指数(I)分别为0.130 9和0.213 7,较东北地区山杨具有偏低的遗传多样性。遗传分化系数Gst=0.325 5,表明遗传变异主要存在于居群内个体间。地理距离与遗传距离之间具有弱相关关系(r=0.349,P=94.5%),山脉阻隔效应是导致西南藏族地区山杨居群间遗传分化的主要因素。UPGMA聚类表明,甘孜地区4个居群与迪庆地区的维西居群具有较近的亲缘关系,迪庆地区的德钦、香格里拉居群和昌都地区2个居群的遗传相似度较高。基于西南藏族地区山杨遗传结构分析,建议实施就地保护的同时,建立山杨种质资源库,促进不同居群间的基因交流。     

Genetic analysis and conservation of endangered medicinal tree species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Taxus wallichiana</Emphasis> in the Himalayan region

Taxus wallichiana is one of the most important medicinal tree species of the Himalayan region. Leaf and bark of the species yield an important drug called taxol, which is used for treatment of many types of cancer. There is a serious threat to the existence of the species due to over exploitation in its native habitat. Adequate information on the nature and the extent of genetic diversity in this important species is required for developing suitable strategy for its conservation. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) were used to assess genetic variation in nine natural populations of T. wallichiana from western part of the Himalayan ranges. Both the markers revealed low genetic diversity in these populations. Average heterozygosity for AFLP and RAPD were 0.3715 and 0.3072, respectively. Φ_ST values derived from molecular variance were 0.0855 and 0.1005 for AFLP and RAPD, respectively, whereas the corresponding G_ST values were 0.1796 and 0.2140. Most part of the genetic variation was present within the populations. However, between population variation was low but statistically significant, which suggested that the sampled populations might not constitute a single panmictic population. Cluster analysis and Mantel’s correlation revealed that genetic differentiation broadly followed geographic distribution of the populations. T. wallichiana thus urgently needs to be conserved using both in situ and ex situ conservation approaches.     

An analysis of the pattern of genetic variation in Vitellaria paradoxa using RAPD markers

Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertn. is one of the most economically and socially important tree species in the Sudano-Sahelian region. Little is known of the pattern of variation within its natural range. Eight populations covering most of the natural range from Senegal to Uganda were sampled and leaves of 118 individual trees were collected. An analysis of molecular diversity was carried out using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Fifteen random primers generated 67 polymorphic and 15 monomorphic RAPD loci ranging from size 1670 bp to 280 bp. Shannon's diversity index varied from Central Africa/Ndele (0.374) to Uganda/Amoya (0.350) but the differences between populations were smaller than the population standard errors. Correspondence analysis of unrooted neighbour-joining trees suggested that genetic distances between populations were correlated with geographic distances. This trend was confirmed by a Mantel test giving a coefficient of correlation between genetic and geographic distances of R = 0.88 (P = 0.0001). Result of AMOVA (analyses of molecular variance) showed that 14.8% (P = 0.002) of the RAPD variation was distributed among populations. Nested analysis of variance indicated that variance between the western and eastern groups of population represented 8.7% (P = 0.001) of the total variation and the variation amongst populations within group was 9.5% (P = 0.001). Eighty two percent of the variation was explained by variation amongst individuals within populations. The origin of genetic structure and level of diversity may be explained by the glacial refugia, the biological traits of Vitellaria paradoxa and by the impact of semi-domestication. Based on these results, sampling options of the natural populations are suggested for in or ex situ conservation. For the development of Vitellaria paradoxa breeding population, the sampling should consist of many individual trees selected within a few populations to capture a large proportion of variation.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Variation in seed and seedling traits among natural populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonobalanus doichangensis</Emphasis> (A. Camus) Forman (Fagaceae), a rare and endangered plant in southwest China

The extent of genetic variation in seed and seedling traits of Trigonobalanus doichangensis, a rare and endangered tree in southwest China, was evaluated at the population level. Seeds were collected from four natural populations in the south and southwest Yunnan province, China. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between populations were observed in seed length, seed weight and seedling morphological characters. The analyses revealed that none of the seed and seedling traits had significant correlations with the geo-climatic variables of the populations. Among seed and seedling traits, significant correlations (P < 0.05) were discovered among seed length, seed weight and height of 30-day-old seedlings. Significant correlation (r = 1.00, P < 0.01) occurred also between the height and root collar diameter of 4-year-old seedlings. With the exception of seed width and seed germination percentage, 51–96% of total variation in other seed and seedling related traits was attributed to population effect, as determined by the broad sense heritability. In conclusion, these observations on variation in seed and seedling traits should be a reference point, when considering seed collection of this species for ex situ conservation and species restoration.