Genetic diversity in conifer stands: Evaluation, maintenance and improvement
Maintaining an "optimum" level of genetic diversity is often espoused as a reason to avoid plantation forestry as it is commonly practiced in the Southeast. Natural regeneration with selective harvesting is expected to yield a more diverse population than planting with seed orchard based seedlings and clearcutting. Whether or not this philosophy is valid is dependent upon the measure of diversity, the level of diversity in the originating population, seed dispersal patterns, reproductive phenology, natural selection, genetic drift, etc. Small, patchy highly related groups of trees are possible in naturally regenerated forests and successive generations may become inbred or extremely narrow in their genetic base. Effective population size, coancestry levels, and heterozygosity levels are all valid measures of genetic diversity, but each must be used in the proper context. As we attempt to discuss genetic diversity we must consider "what we want", "what we mean", and how we are going to measure it. Keywords: Pinus taeda, effective size
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Author(s): George R. Askew, Yousry A. El-Kassaby
Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 1993
Section: Closing Session