Conservation genetics of small relic populations of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) in the northern Apennines

Abstract

Small and isolated silver fir populations from the Emilian Apennines (northern Italy) were studied to assess their level of genetic variation and their relationship with Alpine populations. We investigated the variability of two chloroplast microsatellites to analyse the within‐population genetic variability of four peripheral and fragmented Apennine populations and to determine their phylogenetic relatedness to seven Alpine populations covering the entire distribution of silver fir in the Alps. Haplotypic richness and haplotype diversity as well as the fraction of private haplotypes were lower in Apennine populations, evidencing the genetic impoverishment of these stands. The among‐population genetic variability analysis revealed the genetic peculiarity of Apennine populations. Analysis of molecular variance showed that the highest level of the among‐population variation occurs between Alpine and Apennine regions. A neighbour‐joining dendrogram revealed a distinct Apennine cluster that included the closest Alpine population. Our genetic analysis supports a common origin for Emilian Apennine populations, suggesting that these populations are relicts of past large silver fir populations in the northern Apennines. Our results point to a relevant conservation value for these stands, to be considered in their management.

Keywords:

• cpSSR markers
• fragmentation
• genetic variability
• peripheral populations
• post‐glacial re‐colonisation

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a Life Nature LIFE97NAT/2 IT/4163 grant, co‐financed by the European Union and by the Emilia‐Romagna Region (Italy) project “Conservazione di abetaie e faggete appenniniche”. The authors wish to thank all the people who contributed to this project, in particular Giuseppe Vignali, Lamberto Baratozzi, Federica Frattini, Federica Arduini, Antonia Cavalieri, Barbara Ferrari and Susi Carboni and W. Wilde‐Menozzi for language revision. We would like to thank Marta Scalfi and an anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on the manuscript.