Genetic variation among 11 <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies concolor</Emphasis> populations based on allozyme analysis

In order to obtain information on the genetic structure of Abies concolor and the genetic variation among 11 populations introduced from America to China, allozyme analysis based on starch gel electrophoresis technology was used. 24 loci of 10 allozyme systems were mensurated, and the genetic structure and genetic diversity of the 11 populations of A. concolor evaluated. The results show that the genetic variation among is significant, and the genetic variation within A. concolor populations is more important. In contrast with other conifers, the variation of A. concolor is above the average level of conifers, and higher than the same level of Abies. The percentage of polymorphic loci (P) was 62.5%, the number of alleles per locus (A) 2.08, the number of effective alleles per locus (A _e) was 1.37, the expected heterozygosity (H) 0.204, and the Shannon information index (I) 0.351 7. There is a short genetic distance (D=0.061) and a low gene flow (N _m=0.839 4) among the 11 introduced populations of A. concolor with high genetic variation. The genetic differentiation coefficient (G _st) was 0.229 5, which is higher than that of the mean in Abies or Pinus. Supported by National 948 Project of China (Grant No. 2000-04-27)]