Conservation of Genetic Diversity of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in a Central European National Park Based on cpDNA Studies

Abstract

In the old pine stands of national parks, it is possible to observe genetic processes in a state free from disturbance by humans. Studies of this type make it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the conservation of genetic variation and its transfer between generations. The present study was conducted in the largest national forest park in Poland, located in the Central European pine area. The oldest stands of Kampinos National Park and their natural descendants were selected for detailed analyses. The main objective of the study was to compare the mother pine stand, excluded from forest management, with its progeny generations on the basis of their chloroplast DNA (cpDNA), which was used as a diagnostic tool. The results demonstrate significant genetic difference between the maternal and progeny generations of the studied sites. The degree of variation observed in the maternal generation haplotypes in the present study was found to be reduced in the next generation. A significant proportion of the genetic diversity of the studied stands was also lost in the subsequent progeny generation. The obtained results allow conclusions to be drawn about the genetic processes taking place in valuable old-growth forests.