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Non-radioactive in situ Hybridization Protocol Applicable for Norway Spruce and a Range of Plant Species
Published on: April 17, 2009
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Tracing Scots Pine Expansion in Europe Using Patterns of Rare Alleles.
Chedly Kastally1,2, Jaakko S Tyrmi3,4, Catherine Bastien5
1Department of Forest Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland.
Ecology and Evolution
|November 18, 2025
Summary
Past climate shifts influenced European tree evolution. Pinus sylvestris shows low genetic structure, shaped by topography, dispersal, and demographic events, particularly in the Carpathian region.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Population genetics
- Forest ecology
Background:
- Climate oscillations significantly impact European tree species evolution through range shifts.
- Pinus sylvestris exhibits low genetic structure, but the underlying evolutionary drivers remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the factors shaping the genetic diversity and structure of Pinus sylvestris across Europe.
- To understand the role of topography, dispersal, and demographic history in the species' evolution.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 11,020 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from nuclear and organellar genomes.
- Sequencing of 185 Pinus sylvestris trees from 20 populations across Europe, including glacial refugia.
- Examination of rare alleles to assess population differentiation equilibrium.
Main Results:
- Identified three distinct gene pools: Carpathian-linked, Southwest European, and Italian.
- Chloroplast and mitochondrial genome variation indicated long-distance pollen dispersal homogenizes genetic diversity.
- Carpathian populations exhibited earlier and stronger demographic expansions than Italian or Southwest European populations.
Conclusions:
- Topography, dispersal, and timing of demographic events are crucial in shaping Pinus sylvestris evolution.
- Combining multiple marker types and analyzing allele rarity provides insights into fine-scale genetic structure.
- Pollen dispersal plays a significant role in homogenizing genetic diversity in this wind-pollinated species.
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