Black poplar: A model for gene resource conservation in forest ecosystems

Conservation of genetic resources of forest trees has become a major object ive for the management of forests. Much theoretical work has been devoted t o the subject, and implementation has already started at the local, nationa l, or international scales. Poplars are probably the most representative an d threatened forest tree species of old natural floodplain forests in the t emperate zone. Gene conservation needs to be integrated with intensive bree ding activities, habitat conservation and restoration. For Populus nigra, w hile research in genetics and ecology is reinforced, a combined conservatio n strategy is applied at the European scale; simultaneously, the conservati on of riparian ecosystems is also a priority. Research and application bene fit from each other. The question now is the evaluation of such an integrat ed strategy. Criteria and indicators for the follow-up of gene resource man agement are progressively developed, but still need to be tested on the ope rational scale.