Genetic variability of natural populations and man-made stands of common pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Kremenets Hills and Maloe Polese

Abstract

Comparative analysis of 19 allozyme loci of Pinus sylvestris L was performed on three relic populations and six uneven-aged man-made stands to evaluate genetic variability of common pine in Kremenets Hills and Maloye Polesye. Low heterozygosity was characteristic of all natural populations and of four forest stands (Ho = 0.182–0.205), whereas in two forest stands the level of heterozygosity was noticeably higher (Ho = 0.245–0.300). Both allelic and genotypic variability of natural populations was reproducible in the man-made forest. However, the genetic distance between forest stands and natural populations was considerably higher than that among three natural populations (DNav = 0.014 and DNav = 0.003, respectively).