Synthetic map of gene diversity

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 96.0047

Key words (English)

Quercus petraea; Quercus robur; diversity; cpDNA; provenance; differentiation; migration

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: FAIR1-CT95-0297

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 4.3 Biomedical/Health research

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

INRA (F), NFV (D), BFH (D), FC (UK), DLO (NL), CNR (I), FLR (DK), ARCS (A), NERC (UK), CIMA-IKT (E), ARB (DK), UDESAM (F), OMMI (HU)

Abstract (English)

TThe project aimed at the description of patterns of genetic variation of two important oak species (Quercus petraea and Q. robur) throughout Europe. Quercus pubescens has been included as a closely related species in Switzerland. Different types of molecular gene markers were used to assess variation patterns of natural oak forests throughout Europe, and quantitative, polygenic traits were observed in field trials.
The Swiss partner has mainly been involved in the assessment of genetic variation patterns of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA). DNA of the chloroplasts is maternally inherited in oaks and cpDNA polymorphisms are useful to retrace postglacial migration routes of oaks. Patterns of genetic variation of cpDNA of oaks are characterized by large amounts of differentiation among populations and little diversity within populations. In consequence, cpDNA polymorphisms are ideal tools to infer the origin of translocated populations if large scale natural patterns of genetic variation are known.
Material was collected from 148 sampling sites in Switzerland; five trees were sampled from most sites. A total of 12 different haplotypes were observed. Two types dominate in Switzerland with a combined frequency of more than 96 %. These types are associated with two different glacial refugia, one in Italy and the other possibly in Southeastern Europe. The distribution of these types is geographically structured. A strong differentiation among sites was observed, but only low levels of variation within populations. The results suggest that some regions of Switzerland (e.g. Ticino) were recolonized by oaks from only a single refugium. The regions north of the Alps were recolonized by oaks from different refugia. The Alps formed only a partial barrier during recolonization. No differentiation among the species Q. robur, Q. petraea, and Q. pubescens was evident, i.e the same haplotypes were observed in the three species.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 96.0047