The significance of genetic structure of Scots pine stands surviving the effect of unfavourable environmental factors under the presses of climate changes

Abstract

In the presented study we attempted to detect variation in the genetic diversity and inbreeding of scots pine population in Lithuania surviving attacks of needle eating forest pests under the resses of climate and air pollution changes. To genotype 150-200 sample trees with highly olymorphic nuclear SSR markers multiplexed with EST SSRs in each stand were chosen. 12 uclear microsatellite loci were studied. DNA was extracted from wood using the ATMAB-method. ree resistance to the unfavourable environmental factors was detected by applying long-term ata set on tree crown defoliation and stem increment dendrochronology. The obtained data svealed that tree competition indices have more significant effect on tree condition and iroductivity than their genotype and inbreeding. These findings indicated that the harm of insect lamage was quite similar for all trees independent of their genetic group. Only trees from genetic iroup with reduced genetic diversity demonstrated higher tree growth recovery rate and better crown condition (lover defoliation rate) than trees from genetic group with higher genetic diversity, n general, the environmental stresses reduced the genetic diversity of pine population when jroups of genetically similar trees and most sensitive to the injury of forest pest are eliminated eaving less genotypic variants in the stands but more resistance to this stress after the injuries.