Genetic structure of populations and differentiation in forest trees

Abstract

Electrophoretic techniques permit population biologists to analyze genetic structure of natural populations by using large numbers of allozyme loci. Several methods of analysis have been applied to allozyme data, including chi-square contingency tests, F-statistics, and genetic distance. This paper compares such statistics for pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) with those gathered for other plants and animals. On the basis of these comparisons, we conclude that pitch pine shows significant differentiation across its range, but appears to be less differentiated than many other organisms. Data for other forest trees indicate that they, in general, conform to the pitch pine model. An open breeding system and a long life cycle probably are responsible for the limited differentiation observed in forest trees. These conclusions pertain only to variation at allozyme loci, a class that may be predominantly neutral with respect to adaptation, although gene frequencies for some loci were correlated with climatic variables.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the symposium on isozymes of North American forest trees and forest insects; July 27, 1979; Berkeley, California

Citation

Guries ,Raymond P.; Ledig, F. Thomas. 1981. Genetic structure of populations and differentiation in forest trees. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-48. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Stn, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: p. 42-47