Mating system estimates and effective population numbers for an isolated noble fir (Abiesprocera) clonal seed orchard in Denmark

Abstract

The mating system of a seed orchard of noble fir (Abiesprocera Rehd.) in Denmark was analyzed, with variation being found at two unlinked isozyme loci. Comparison of allele frequencies in the pollen pool fertilizing the upper and the lower parts of the trees showed a homogeneous distribution. There was no difference in the outcrossing rates estimated for cones harvested at the top and the lowermost branches carrying cones. Both were slightly greater than 1, as was the combined estimate that did not differ significantly from 1. The clones present in the seed orchard are outcrossing, and the allele frequencies found in the pollen pool agree with the frequencies found in the clones of the seed orchard on average. However, the allele frequencies varied significantly between the 20 families, suggesting that the pollen pool has been variable within the seed orchard. The inbreeding and variance effective population numbers were estimated by assuming that the differences in flowering reflected variation in gamete contribution from the clones to the offspring. The inbreeding effective population number was found to be 65% of the total number of clones. The variance effective population number was 121% of the number of clones when it was assumed that a large number of offspring were harvested from every clone.