K. Isik et N. Kara, ALTITUDINAL VARIATION IN PINUS-BRUTIA TEN. AND ITS IMPLICATION IN GENETIC CONSERVATION AND SEED TRANSFERS IN SOUTHERN TURKEY, Silvae Genetica, 46(2-3), 1997, pp. 113-120
Seed collections along 2 elevational transects, 1 in the central part
and the other on the western edge of the Antalya basin were made to st
udy within-and between-population variation for growth characteristics
of Pinus brutia TEN.. Four common garden experiments were established
at different elevations along the western transect. In addition, seed
samples from 4 populations along a third elevational transect on the
far eastern edge of the basin were collected to perform isoenzyme anal
yses. Population parameters for 6-year height growth showed that middl
e elevation populations have better performance and better uniformity
than lower-and higher-elevation populations within each of the 4 test
sites. They also exhibit higher adaptational plasticity and higher sta
bility under varying environmental conditions. Furthermore, isoenzyme
analyses indicated that middle-elevation populations have a higher het
erozygosity level and higher numbers of alleles per locus. Our results
based on growth and isoenzyme analyses indicate that middle-elevation
populations of P. brutia present higher genetic variability for in si
tu conservation, and they can serve much wider elevational zones for a
fforestation and reforestation purposes than the lower and higher elev
ation populations. Therefore, they should be given high priority in fo
rest tree breeding and selection activities in the region.