Range-wide patterns of allozyme variation in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii)

Abstract

Seeds from 104 geographical locations throughout the range of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) were analyzed at 20 enzyme loci to determine patterns of genetic variation and to make phylogenetic inferences. On average, the populations were polymorphic at 37% of the loci (range 5.0–65.0). Mean expected heterozygosity was 0.137 (range 0.021–0.239). Of the total genie diversity (HT = 0.182) observed, 24% was due to differentiation among populations. One Mexican population was genetically distinct from the rest of the species, which suggests the possibility of additional Pseudotsuga species in Mexico. The rest of the populations clustered into two groups corresponding to the recognized coastal and interior varieties. In addition, the interior variety separated into northern and southern subgroups near 44° latitude. Transition zones between the varieties were found to be narrower and more abrupt than has been suggested previously. Populations within the coastal variety and the northern interior subgroup averaged higher expected heterozygosity than the southern interior subgroup, but in the southern interior subgroup, populations were much more highly differentiated. Allozyme variation followed a latitudinal cline in the interior variety, but only weak geographical patterning was observed in the coastal variety. In general, genetic diversity decreased towards the periphery of the species range. Range-wide patterns of allozyme variation were similar to those in terpene studies, with the major exception that the Sierra Nevada seed sources in this study were closely aligned with the coastal variety rather than with the interior variety. Range-wide patterns of genetic variation in Douglas-fir largely reflect the evolutionary history of the species as revealed by paleobotanical studies.