PowerPoint-Pr

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Genetic variability of important forest tree
species in Southern Germany as revealed by
isozyme and DNA-markers consequences for a
sustainable forest management in view of climate
change
Dr. Monika Konnert Bavarian Institution for
Forest Seeding and Planting (ASP) at Teisendorf,
Germany
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Since 1991 isozyme analysis since 1998 DNA
analysis
over 25 different species most important
Abies, Fagus, Picea, Acer, Quercus, Douglas fir

Practical implications - provenance
recommandations - provenance control - gene
conservation - genetically sustainable forest
management
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Why genetic studies on Abies alba ?

• A. alba is an important component of mixed
  forests with high adaptability
• By nature A. alba is the most important conifer
  in Bavaria. Today it has a small fraction of only
  2 of the growing stock
• Its dramatic decrease has changed the genetic
  composition and reduced the genetic diversity
• A. alba is considered one of the most important
  species under climate change

Species composition in Bavarian forests
So far more than 250 Abies populations have been
analyzed 18 isozyme loci, 10 nSSR loci, 3
cpSSR loci
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Results
- Geographic clines in allele frequency at
several gene-loci
- Clinal variation of diversity
Frequencies of allele IDH-B3 in A. alba
populations from Southern Germany
Genetic diversity (vgam) of fir populations from
Southern Germany
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Results
Distinct genetic groups throughout Bavaria
Bavarian Alps.
Southeast Bavaria
Northeast Bavaria
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Results
Singular haplotypes in seed lots from Bavarian
stands
Frequencies of singular haplotypes in reference
samples from Abies alba seed lots
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Why genetic studies on Fagus sylvatica ?

• F. sylvatica is the most common broadleaved tree
  species in Bavaria
• In view of climate change F. sylvatica will be
  one of the most important tree species for future
  forest ecosystems in Bavaria
• As far as possible F. sylvatica is regenerated
  naturally influence of management practices
• It is increasingly planted on conversion sites.
  The genetic composition of the plant material
  used is of great importance

Species composition in Bavarian forests
So far more than 300 beech populations have been
analyzed 20 isozyme loci, 7 nSSR loci
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Results
Genetic variation of beech in managed and
unmanaged stands from Bavaria
Natural reserve (unmanaged)
Genetic
Managed stand
Parameters
min
max
min
max
Multiplicity (A/L)
2,25
2,94
2,47
2,75
Diversity (ne)
1,27
1,45
1,32
1,40

vgam
88
307
155
275
Heterozygosity
0,21
0,32
0,24
0,29
a
Differentiation between
5,0
4,8
populations
Frequency of allele PGM-A2 in beech stand from
different regions
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Results
Genetic diversity in 4 old beech stands (red) and
their natural regeneration (green) in Bavaria
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Why genetic studies on Picea abies ?
- P. abies is one of the most important tree
species in forest ecosystems from Bavaria.
- P. abies consists largely of non-autochthonous
(planted) material of unknown origin
- P.abies is more and more damaged (bark
beetle) and affected by storms.
- Even under climate change P. abies will remain
an important component of Alpine forest
ecosystems.
Species composition in Bavarian forests
So far now more than 100 populations have been
analyzed 23 isozyme loci, 14 STS loci
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Results
Genetic variation in adult and juvenile
populations from alpine transects
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Results
Genetic variation in 6 Norway spruce populations
determined by isozyme and STS-markers
Genetic distances determined by means of isozymes
(above diagonal) and STS-markers (below diagonal).
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Why genetic studies on Acer pseudoplatanus ?
- A. pseudoplatanus is the most important
noble hardwood from Bavaria.
- A. pseudoplatanus is an important species
in mixed mountain forests and in subalpine
spruce forests
- A. pseudoplatanus is favored under climate
change.
- A. pseudoplatanus is often harvested and
planted for reforestation.
Species composition in Bavarian forests
So far more than 40 populations have been
analyzed 14 isozyme loci, 7 nSSR loci, 8
cpSSR loci
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Results
Frequencies of specific alleles in 3 mature
stands and seed harvested in the stand
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Results
Distribution of length variants of the
chloroplast microsatellite marker ccmp10 in
Bavaria
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Why genetic studies on Douglas fir ?
- Douglas fir is one of the most interesting
non- autochtonous species in Bavaria from an
ecological and economical point of view
- Under climate change Douglas fir is
considered an adequate replacement for
spruce, which is rather instable
- Growth performance in Douglas fir is highly
provenance dependent
Species composition in Bavarian forests
So far now more than 150 populations have been
analyzed 16 isozyme loci
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Results
Differentiation and identification of races of
Douglas fir on the basis of allele frequencies at
locus 6PGDH-A
green Douglas fir (coastal type)
grey Douglas fir (inland type)
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Gene flow
b) Seed dispersal (e.g. fir )
a) Pollen flow (e.g. beech)

• Pollen dispersal distance 5 120m
• Number of effective pollen donors 12 to 26
• Proportion fullsibs 8,4 bzw. 3,9
• Selfing 1

• Seed dispersal distance 80 280 m
• No drift
• High seed dispersal even in closed stands.

Cremer 2009
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Management regime
Diversity of silver fir in Plenter forests in
comparison with evenaged forests Red Plenter
forests, Yellow evenaged forests
blue mean value

• genetic diversity and heterozygosity lower in
  unevenaged stands

- more rare alleles in Plenter forests
better conservation of genetic
multiplicity over a long time period        
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Artificial regeneration Influence of growing
conditions on the genetic structure of beech
seedlings
The local genetic information of the natural
regeneration (NR) of beech, here illustrated as
genetic structure at gene locus Genort PGM-A, is
maintained in the seed and in the seedlings
raised in open seedbeds (SO) and in the
greenhouse (SG).
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Recommendations for provenance use e.g. Silver
fir
Provenance regions of silver fir in Germany
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Control of forest reproductive material

• by legal regulations (Law on FRM)
• plausibility checks on documents

?
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Control of forest reproductive material
Proof of identity of seed lots through
discrimination of cpDNA-microsatellite haplotypes
in silver fir - 3 cpDNA- microsatellite loci
endosperm analysis - x seeds from
the seed lot
Only haplotypes from mother trees should be
found!
Haplotypes in the seed lot G-138-E 12,5
C-131-F 40,0 F-131-D 12,5 D-130-D
5,0 D-136-F 2,5 E-131-D 7,5
E-132-F 5,0 F-136-D 5,0
X-136-F 10
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Control of forest reproductive material
Seed harvest
Mixture of seed harvests
Reference sample R1 mixture
Plant production
Refernce sample R4 Sample from the seed mixture
Reference sample R2 Single tree samples
Plant sample P
Comparison seed sample (R1, R2,R4) - seedling
sample
by means of genetic markers (DNA, isozymes)
Drawn in the forest, during harvest .
Samples from seedlings are drawn when plants are
delivered to the owner
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Concluding remarks
- recognize the importance of forest genetic
diversity in mitigating the impacts of climate
change
- adaptation strategies to climate change cannot
rely only on self-regulation of ecosystems
human interference is necessary
- promote forest management practices that
support the maintenance and increase of
genetic diversity
- accelerate adaptation of forest trees through
tree breeding and provenance transfer

• conserve genetic resources need for a common
  action plan

• based on knowledge on the genetic variation and
  funtioning of the genetic system of forest
  tree

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Thank you for your attention!