Dr. Monika Konnert

1. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Genetic variability of important forest tree species in Southern Germany as revealed by isozyme and DNA-markers; consequences for a sustainable forest management in view of climate change Dr. Monika Konnert Bavarian Institution for Forest Seeding and Planting (ASP) at Teisendorf, Germany

2. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Since 1991 – isozyme analysis since 1998 – DNA – analysis over 25 different species; most important: Abies, Fagus, Picea, Acer, Quercus, Douglas fir Practical implications: - provenance recommandations - provenance control - gene conservation - genetically sustainable forest management

3. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Why genetic studies on Abies alba ? • A. alba is an important component of mixed forests with high adaptability • By nature A. alba is the most important conifer in Bavaria. Today it has a small fraction of only 2 % of the growing stock • Its dramatic decrease has changed the genetic composition and reduced the genetic diversity • A. alba is considered one of the most important species under climate change Species composition in Bavarian forests So far more than 250 Abies populations have been analyzed – 18 isozyme loci, 10 nSSR loci, 3 cpSSR loci

4. 0,10 – 0,25 0,25 – 0,35 > 0,35 Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results - Geographic clines in allele frequency at several gene-loci - Clinal variation of diversity Frequencies of allele IDH-B3 in A. alba populations from Southern Germany Genetic diversity (vgam) of fir populations from Southern Germany

5. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Distinct genetic groups throughout Bavaria Bavarian Alps. Southeast Bavaria Northeast Bavaria

6. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Singular haplotypes in seed lots from Bavarian stands Frequencies of singular haplotypes in reference samples from Abies alba seed lots

7. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Why genetic studies on Fagus sylvatica ? • F. sylvatica is the most common broadleaved tree species in Bavaria • In view of climate change F. sylvatica will be one of the most important tree species for future forest ecosystems in Bavaria • As far as possible F. sylvatica is regenerated naturally – influence of management practices • It is increasingly planted on conversion sites. The genetic composition of the plant material used is of great importance Species composition in Bavarian forests So far more than 300 beech populations have been analyzed – 20 isozyme loci, 7 nSSR loci

8. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Genetic variation of beech in managed and unmanaged stands from Bavaria Natural reserve (unmanaged) Genetic Managed stand Parameters min max min max Multiplicity (A/L) 2,25 2,94 2,47 2,75 Diversity (ne) 1,27 1,45 1,32 1,40 vgam 88 307 155 275 Heterozygosity 0,21 0,32 0,24 0,29 a Differentiation between 5,0 % 4,8 % populations Frequency of allele PGM-A2 in beech stand from different regions

9. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Genetic diversity in 4 old beech stands (red) and their natural regeneration (green) in Bavaria

10. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Why genetic studies on Picea abies ? - P. abies is one of the most important tree species in forest ecosystems from Bavaria. - P. abies consists largely of non-autochthonous (planted) material of unknown origin - P.abies is more and more damaged (bark beetle) and affected by storms. - Even under climate change P. abies will remain an important component of Alpine forest ecosystems. Species composition in Bavarian forests So far now more than 100 populations have been analyzed – 23 isozyme loci, 14 STS loci

11. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Genetic variation in adult and juvenile populations from alpine transects

12. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Genetic variation in 6 Norway spruce populations determined by isozyme and STS-markers Genetic distances determined by means of isozymes (above diagonal) and STS-markers (below diagonal).

13. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Why genetic studies on Acer pseudoplatanus ? - A. pseudoplatanus is the most important noble hardwood from Bavaria. - A. pseudoplatanus is an important species in mixed mountain forests and in subalpine spruce forests - A. pseudoplatanus is favored under climate change. - A. pseudoplatanus is often harvested and planted for reforestation. Species composition in Bavarian forests So far more than 40 populations have been analyzed – 14 isozyme loci, 7 nSSR loci, 8 cpSSR loci

14. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Frequencies of specific alleles in 3 mature stands and seed harvested in the stand

15. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Distribution of length variants of the chloroplast microsatellite marker ccmp10 in Bavaria

16. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Why genetic studies on Douglas fir ? - Douglas fir is one of the most interesting non- autochtonous species in Bavaria from an ecological and economical point of view - Under climate change Douglas fir is considered an adequate replacement for spruce, which is rather instable - Growth performance in Douglas fir is highly provenance dependent Species composition in Bavarian forests So far now more than 150 populations have been analyzed – 16 isozyme loci

17. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Results Differentiation and identification of races of Douglas fir on the basis of allele frequencies at locus 6PGDH-A „green“ Douglas fir (coastal type) „grey“ Douglas fir (inland type)

18. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Gene flow b) Seed dispersal (e.g. fir ) a) Pollen flow(e.g. beech) • Pollen dispersal distance 5 – 120m • Number of effective pollen donors 12 to 26 • Proportion fullsibs: 8,4% bzw. 3,9% • Selfing: 1 % • Seed dispersal distance: 80 – 280 m • No drift • High seed dispersal even in closed stands. Cremer 2009

19. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Management regime Diversity of silver fir in „Plenter“ forests in comparison with evenaged forests Red = „Plenter“ forests, Yellow = evenaged forests blue = mean value • genetic diversity and heterozygosity lower in unevenaged stands -more rare alleles in „Plenter“ forests; better conservation of genetic multiplicity over a long time period        

20. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Artificial regeneration – Influence of growing conditions on the genetic structure of beech seedlings The local genetic information of the natural regeneration (NR) of beech, here illustrated as genetic structure at gene locus Genort PGM-A, is maintained in the seed and in the seedlings raised in open seedbeds (SO) and in the greenhouse (SG).

21. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Recommendationsfor provenance use – e.g. Silver fir Provenance regions of silver fir in Germany

22. New possibilities of control by means of molecular markers Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Control of forest reproductive material by legal regulations (Law on FRM) plausibility checks on documents ?

23. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Control of forest reproductive material Proof of identity of seed lotsthrough discrimination of cpDNA-microsatellite haplotypes in silver fir - 3 cpDNA- microsatellite loci; endosperm analysis - x seeds from the seed lot Only haplotypes from mother trees should be found! Haplotypes in the seed lot G-138-E 12,5 % C-131-F 40,0 % F-131-D 12,5 % D-130-D 5,0 % D-136-F 2,5 % E-131-D 7,5 % E-132-F 5,0 % F-136-D 5,0 % X-136-F 10 %

24. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Control of forest reproductive material Seed harvest Mixture of seed harvests Reference sample R1 mixture Plant production Refernce sample R4 Sample from the seed mixture Reference sample R2 Single tree samples Plant sample P Comparison seed sample – (R1, R2,R4) - seedling sample by means of genetic markers (DNA, isozymes) Drawn in the forest, during harvest . Samples from seedlings are drawn when plants are delivered to the owner

25. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Concluding remarks - recognize the importance of forest genetic diversity in mitigating the impacts of climate change - adaptation strategies to climate change cannot rely only on self-regulation of ecosystems; human interference is necessary - promote forest management practices that support the maintenance and increase of genetic diversity; - accelerate adaptation of forest trees through tree breeding and provenance transfer • conserve genetic resources – need for a common action plan • based on knowledge on the genetic variation and funtioning of the genetic system of forest tree

26. Treebreedex – feb. 2010 Bucarest, Romania Thank you for your attention!