Abstract
Aims Platycladus orientalis (Cupressaceae) is an old-growth tree species which distributed in the imperial parks and ancient temples in Beijing, China. We aim to (1) examine the genetic diversity and reproductive traits of old-growth and young populations of P. orientalis to ascertain whether the older populations contain a higher genetic diversity, more private alleles and a higher reproductive output compared with younger populations; (2) determine the relationships between the age of the population and the genetic diversity and reproductive traits; and (3) determine whether the imperial parks and ancient temples played an important role in maintaining the reproductive capacity and genetic diversity of Platycladus orientalis. MethodsSamples from seven young (younger than 100 yrs.) and nine old-growth (older than 300 yrs.) artificial populations were collected. For comparison, three young and two old-growth natural populations were also sampled. Nine microsatellite loci were used to analyze genetic diversity parameters. These parameters were calculated using FSTAT version 2.9.3 and GenAlex v 6.41.Important FindingsThe old-growth artificial populations of P. orientalis have significantly higher genetic diversity than younger artificial populations and similar levels to those in extant natural populations. The imperial parks and ancient temples, which have protected these old-growth trees for centuries, have played an important role in maintaining the genetic diversity and reproductive capacity of this tree species.
Highlights
Old-growth tree populations are assumed to be potential resources of genetic diversity and high reproductive output; there is little relevant research and empirical evidence for this assertion [1,2,3]
The largest number of these trees (53.8%) consists of Platycladus orientalis (Cupressaceae), an evergreen tree species that originated in China, and that can live for centuries
There was no significant relationship between the average value of the diameters at breast height (DBH) of a population and the percentage of individuals with cones in the artificial populations
Summary
Old-growth tree populations are assumed to be potential resources of genetic diversity and high reproductive output; there is little relevant research and empirical evidence for this assertion [1,2,3]. A great number of imperial parks, tombs and ancient temples were established in Beijing, an old city with a long history as the capital of China. These sites provide a long-term stable environment (hundreds of years) for long-lived trees and protect the genetic diversity of these trees. Direct investigation of the genetic diversity and other characteristics of old-growth and young P. orientalis populations can help to determine the differences between these populations and provide empirical evidence for the assertion that the old-growth populations are genetically diverse and potential sources for obtaining seeds for conservation and reintroduction purposes
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