Genetic variation of European silver fir (Abies alba MILL.) in the Western Carpathians

Genetic structure of 26 populations of silver fir from the Western Carpathians and 4 reference populations from Moravia (Bohemian Quadrangle) was studied by means of isozyme gene markers. Polymorphisms of 18 isozyme gene loci were surveyed. Allele frequencies at 5 loci - Idh-B, 6Pgd-A, Per-A, Lap-A, Aco - revealed geographic clines in the East-West direction. Another 4 genes (Aco-A4, Got-A1, Got-B1 and Dia-A1) appeared to be area-specific. The Western-Carpathian populations showed average heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.101-0.110, expected heterozygosity (H e) 0.104-0.120, and effective number of alleles per locus (ν) 0.122-0.137. The corresponding parameters were somewhat lower in Moravia (H o= 0.097, He= 0.099, v= 1.108). Geographic distribution of genetic parameters in the studied populations can be explained by different Postglacial phylogeny of silver fir in the Western Carpathians and Bohemian Quadrangle, and by adaptation to specific site and climatic conditions.