GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATION IN THE INBREEDING DEPRESSION OF SCOTS PINE

The magnitude of inbreeding depression caused by recessive mutations in a population is dependent on the mutation rate and on the intensity of selection against the mutations. We studied geographical differences in the level of early inbreeding depression of Scots pine in a common garden experiment. The mean abortion rate of experimentally self-pollinated seeds was significantly lower (75.4%) among trees that originated from northern populations (66-69°N) than among trees from more southern (60-62°N) populations (86.5%). Thus, the number of embryonic lethal equivalents was lower in the northern populations (4.5) than in the southern ones (6.9). The outcrossing rate at the mature seed stage was slightly lower in the northern populations (average 0.93) than in the southern one (0.99). The estimated selfing rate at the zygote stage varied from 0-0.28 in the populations. The reduction in the magnitude of inbreeding depression in the north may have been caused by increased levels of self-fertilization in the northern populations. The proportion of self-fertilized seedlings and adults was very small in all populations (F ≈ 0), indicating high inbreeding depression also in later life stages. The high level of inbreeding depression in the partially selfing Scots pine can be explained by mutation-selection balance only if the mutation rate is high.