Challenges and opportunities for conservation of forest genetic resources |
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Authors: | Om P Rajora Alex Mosseler |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Life Sciences Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4J1, Canada;(2) BioGenetica Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada;(3) Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic Forestry Centre, P.O. Box 4000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5P7, Canada |
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Abstract: | Increased use of forest resources and a shrinking forestland base threaten the sustainability of forest genetic resources
and highlight the importance of conservation and sustainable management of these resources. As forest trees are normally the
keystone species of forest ecosystems, their continued existence is essential for many floral and faunal associations of these
ecosystems. Major concepts, challenges and opportunities for conservation of forest genetic resources are briefly discussed
in this paper. The major challenges include population decline and population structure changes due to forest removal and
conversion of forest land to other uses,forest fragmentation, forestry practices, climate change, disease conditions,introduced
pests, atmospheric pollution, and introgressive hybridization. Developing scientifically sound conservation strategies, maintaining
minimum viable population sizes, and deployment of genetically engineered organisms represent other important challenges in
conservation. The usefulness of various biochemical and molecular genetic markers, adaptive traits, and genetic diversity
measures for developing conservation strategies for in situ and ex situ genetic resource conservation are also discussed. Major opportunities for conservation of forest genetic resources include:
use of molecular genetic markers and adaptive traits for developing conservation strategies; in situ conservation through natural reserves,protected areas, and sustainable forest management practices; ex situ conservation through germplasm banks, common garden archives, seed banks, DNA banks, and tissue culture and cryopreservation;
incorporation of disease, pest, and stress tolerance traits through genetic transformation;plantation forestry; and ecological
restoration of rare or declining tree species and populations. Forest genetic resource conservation and resource use should
be considered complementary rather than contradictory to each other.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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Keywords: | adaptive traits gene and genetic resource conservation genetic and ecological restoration genetic diversity and population genetic parameters minimum viable population size molecular markers sustainable forest management |
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