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Narrow genetic base in forest restoration with holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) in Sicily

Une base génétique étroite dans les forêts de restauration de Quercus ilex L. en Sicile

Annals of Forest Science volume 64, pages 757–763 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

In order to empirically assess the effect of actual seed sampling strategy on genetic diversity of holm oak (Quercus ilex) forestations in Sicily, we have analysed the genetic composition of two seedling lots (nursery stock and plantation) and their known natural seed origin stand by means of six nuclear microsatellite loci. Significant reduction in genetic diversity and significant difference in genetic composition of the seedling lots compared to the seed origin stand were detected. The female and the total effective number of parents were quantified by means of maternity assignment of seedlings and temporal changes in allele frequencies. Extremely low effective maternity numbers were estimated (Nf e ≈ 2–4) and estimates accounting for both seed and pollen donors gave also low values (N e ≈ 35–50). These values can be explained by an inappropriate forestry seed harvest strategy limited to a small number of spatially close trees.

Résumé

De manière à évaluer empiriquement l’effet sur la diversité génétique de la stratégie couramment utilisée pour échantillonner des graines en forêts de chêne vert en Sicile, nous avons analysé la composition génétique de deux lots de semis (en pépinière et en plantation) et de leur peuplement naturel d’origine à l’aide de six marqueurs nucléaires microsatellites. Une réduction significative de la diversité génétique et des différences significatives dans la composition génétique des lots de semis comparés à leur peuplement d’origine ont été détectées. Le nombre de mères efficace et le nombre d’ascendants total efficace ont été quantifiés en recherchant l’origine maternelle des semis et par une quantification temporelle des fréquences alléliques. Des nombres efficaces extrêmement faibles ont été estimés pour les mères (Nf e ≈ 2–4) et les estimations concernant les deux parents sont aussi faibles (N e ≈ 35–50). Ces valeurs peuvent s’expliquer par une stratégie de récolte de graines inappropriée, se limitant à un très petit nombre de géniteurs spatiallement proches.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dip.to di Scienze Botaniche, Université di Palermo, Via Archirafi 38, 90123, Palermo, Italy

    Concetta Burgarella & Silvio Fici

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, NR4 7TJ, Norwich, UK

    Miguel Navascués

  3. Laboratoire d’Écologie, École Normale Supérieure, 46 Rue d’Ulm, 75230, Paris, France

    Miguel Navascués

  4. Dpto. Sistemas y Recursos Forestales, CIFOR-INIA, PO Box 8111, 28080, Madrid, Spain

    Álvaro Soto

  5. Dpto. Silvopascicultura, ETSI Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Álvaro Soto

  6. Dpto. de Ingeniería Forestal, ETSIAM, Universidad de Cordoba, Av. Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14080, Córdoba, Spain

    Ángel Lora

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  1. Concetta Burgarella
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  2. Miguel Navascués
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Correspondence to Concetta Burgarella.

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Burgarella, C., Navascués, M., Soto, Á. et al. Narrow genetic base in forest restoration with holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) in Sicily. Ann. For. Sci. 64, 757–763 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2007055

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Annals of Forest Science

ISSN: 1297-966X