Genetic diversity and populations structure in pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.)

Abstract

Electrophoretic studies of protein polymorphisms in plants have focused upon herbaceous species, primarily inbreeding annuals, in efforts to characterize the levels and patterns of genic variation within and between populations (Clegg and Allard, 1972; Gottlieb, 1973, 1975; Levin, 1975, 1978; Levy and Levin, 1975; Schaal, 1975; Roose and Gottlieb, 1976; Brown et al., 1978; and others). These studies have indicated that predominantly outbreeding species maintain higher levels of intrapopulation variation than predominantly inbreeding species, while inbreeders exhibit a greater degree of population differentiation than outbreeders (Brown, 1979; Hamrick et al., 1979). This relationship is by no means perfect as Levin (1978) points out, because of differences in ecological requirements, breeding systems, dispersal mechanisms, evolutionary history, and other factors which affect the genetic system (Grant, 1958, 1971; Brown, 1979; Hamrick et al., 1979). Whether long-lived perennials such as forest trees conform to the general pattern is still an open question.

Citation

Guries, Raymond P.; Ledig, F. Thomas. 1982. Genetic diversity and populations structure in pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.). Evolution 36(2):387-402