Early Forecasting and Monitoring System for Genetic Biodiversity Loss in Keystone Forest Tree Species

Abstract

Forests are our dearest treasure, who's resilience is compromised by strong and concerted pressure of global warming stressors. Forest resilience largely depends on high genetic diversity of key-stone forest tree species. Our consortium intends to team up scientists, sectoral agencies, forest owners and NGOs to create, pilot and implement a durable, transnational genetic diversity monitoring (GM) system that could effectively estimate genetic biodiversity and timely warn on coming declines for keystone forest tree species along BSR. The keystone tree species for forest ecosystems in BSR are: Quercus robur, Picea abies, Tilia cordata and Fraxinus excelsior. These species were selected as having the greatest impact on resilience and biodiversity of BSR forests. Our GM network via transnational teaming would safeguard the transition to a green and resilient forest-rich region in BSR. It could be a key initiative cascading similar networks in Europe, which will ultimately be merged into a pan-European network for safeguarding our forests. The GM system in each country consists of (a) network of GM plots for keystone forest tree species, (b) GM methods based on DNA genotyping, phenotyping and remote sensing, (c) common action plan for genetic diversity enrichment in case of detected declines, and (d) national legal implementation. GM is based on comparison of genetic diversity between generations of trees. http://www.lifegenmon.si/