TY  - JOUR
AU  - Aleksić, Jelena M.
AU  - Mataruga, Milan
AU  - Danicić, Vanja
AU  - Cvjetković, Branislav
AU  - Milanović, Djordjije
AU  - Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe
AU  - Avanzi, Camilla
AU  - Piotti, Andrea
PY  - 2022
UR  - https://imagine.imgge.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1557
AB  - Studying how genetic diversity is transmitted between generations is critical for assessing the survival prospects of fragmented forest tree populations. This is especially urgent in the case of rare, endangered species that are at high risk of extinction and/or exceptionally susceptible to climate change, and are thus to be prioritised for conservation initiatives. We performed the first assessment of gene flow patterns by parentage analysis in the IUCN red-listed Serbian spruce [Picea omorika (Pan.c.) Purk.], within a Genetic Conservation Unit (GCU) which was exposed to fire disturbance 30 years ago. Parentage analysis was based on assigning the parentage of 104 juveniles to all the adult trees (48) present in the 2.8 ha population. All individuals were genotyped at 11 highly informative nuclear microsatellite markers. We found that fire disturbance triggered natural regeneration, usually poor to absent in Serbian spruce, and boosted pollen immigration (66%), which is reported as rather modest among undisturbed populations of this species. Seed immigration was absent, coherently with what was previously hypothesised for natural, undisturbed populations. Thus, the immigration of new gametes into the studied Serbian spruce population was accomplished exclusively through pollen gene flow, at a rate sufficient to counteract, at least in the short term, genetic drift. Furthermore, the abundant post-disturbance pollen immigration most likely accounts for the lack of fine-scale spatial genetic structure (SGS) in the juvenile cohort, contrary to the SGS observed in the adult cohort which is amongst the strongest ever recorded in anemophilous forest tree species. Finally, as generally found in forest trees, individual reproductive success was uneven among individuals, with 25% of local adults siring 70% of the sampled juveniles. Our results on post-disturbance gene flow patterns in the only Serbian spruce population with reportedly abundant regeneration complement the outcomes of previous genetic studies while providing essential information for the dynamic management and conservation of this rare and endangered species severely threatened by climate warming. Tracking the temporal development of gene flow parameters and the consequences of gene flow on genetic diversity are two cornerstones of future forest genetic monitoring programs, which are particularly important for GCUs. In particular, monitoring the genetic diversity of forest regeneration is deemed as the key for understanding changes that otherwise would remain mostly untraceable in long-lived organisms such as forest trees.
PB  - Elsevier, Amsterdam
T2  - Forest Ecology and Management
T1  - High pollen immigration but no gene flow via-seed into a Genetic Conservation Unit of the endangered Picea omorika after disturbance
VL  - 510
DO  - 10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120115
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Aleksić, Jelena M. and Mataruga, Milan and Danicić, Vanja and Cvjetković, Branislav and Milanović, Djordjije and Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe and Avanzi, Camilla and Piotti, Andrea",
year = "2022",
abstract = "Studying how genetic diversity is transmitted between generations is critical for assessing the survival prospects of fragmented forest tree populations. This is especially urgent in the case of rare, endangered species that are at high risk of extinction and/or exceptionally susceptible to climate change, and are thus to be prioritised for conservation initiatives. We performed the first assessment of gene flow patterns by parentage analysis in the IUCN red-listed Serbian spruce [Picea omorika (Pan.c.) Purk.], within a Genetic Conservation Unit (GCU) which was exposed to fire disturbance 30 years ago. Parentage analysis was based on assigning the parentage of 104 juveniles to all the adult trees (48) present in the 2.8 ha population. All individuals were genotyped at 11 highly informative nuclear microsatellite markers. We found that fire disturbance triggered natural regeneration, usually poor to absent in Serbian spruce, and boosted pollen immigration (66%), which is reported as rather modest among undisturbed populations of this species. Seed immigration was absent, coherently with what was previously hypothesised for natural, undisturbed populations. Thus, the immigration of new gametes into the studied Serbian spruce population was accomplished exclusively through pollen gene flow, at a rate sufficient to counteract, at least in the short term, genetic drift. Furthermore, the abundant post-disturbance pollen immigration most likely accounts for the lack of fine-scale spatial genetic structure (SGS) in the juvenile cohort, contrary to the SGS observed in the adult cohort which is amongst the strongest ever recorded in anemophilous forest tree species. Finally, as generally found in forest trees, individual reproductive success was uneven among individuals, with 25% of local adults siring 70% of the sampled juveniles. Our results on post-disturbance gene flow patterns in the only Serbian spruce population with reportedly abundant regeneration complement the outcomes of previous genetic studies while providing essential information for the dynamic management and conservation of this rare and endangered species severely threatened by climate warming. Tracking the temporal development of gene flow parameters and the consequences of gene flow on genetic diversity are two cornerstones of future forest genetic monitoring programs, which are particularly important for GCUs. In particular, monitoring the genetic diversity of forest regeneration is deemed as the key for understanding changes that otherwise would remain mostly untraceable in long-lived organisms such as forest trees.",
publisher = "Elsevier, Amsterdam",
journal = "Forest Ecology and Management",
title = "High pollen immigration but no gene flow via-seed into a Genetic Conservation Unit of the endangered Picea omorika after disturbance",
volume = "510",
doi = "10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120115"
}

Aleksić, J. M., Mataruga, M., Danicić, V., Cvjetković, B., Milanović, D., Vendramin, G. G., Avanzi, C.,& Piotti, A.. (2022). High pollen immigration but no gene flow via-seed into a Genetic Conservation Unit of the endangered Picea omorika after disturbance. in Forest Ecology and Management
Elsevier, Amsterdam., 510.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120115

Aleksić JM, Mataruga M, Danicić V, Cvjetković B, Milanović D, Vendramin GG, Avanzi C, Piotti A. High pollen immigration but no gene flow via-seed into a Genetic Conservation Unit of the endangered Picea omorika after disturbance. in Forest Ecology and Management. 2022;510.
doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120115 .

Aleksić, Jelena M., Mataruga, Milan, Danicić, Vanja, Cvjetković, Branislav, Milanović, Djordjije, Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe, Avanzi, Camilla, Piotti, Andrea, "High pollen immigration but no gene flow via-seed into a Genetic Conservation Unit of the endangered Picea omorika after disturbance" in Forest Ecology and Management, 510 (2022),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120115 . .

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Mataruga, Milan
AU  - Piotti, Andrea
AU  - Danicić, Vanja
AU  - Cvjetković, Branislav
AU  - Fussi, Barbara
AU  - Konnert, Monika
AU  - Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe
AU  - Aleksić, Jelena M.
PY  - 2020
UR  - https://imagine.imgge.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1370
AB  - Key message High levels of genetic diversity, pronounced genetic structure and limitations to gene flow in Serbian spruce, a rare and endangered tree species from the refugial Balkan region, point towards a "one population-one unit" strategy for assembling a network of Genetic Conservation Units (GCUs) for its dynamic conservation. On the other hand, genetic information also permits to prioritize populations for conservation based on their contribution to genetic diversity and differentiation. Context Serbian spruce, Picea omorika (Panc.) Purk., is a rare, IUCN red-listed European conifer endemic to the Balkan region. Its current rigid conservation (without any intervention allowed in similar to 30 remnant populations) and the extant network of Genetic Conservation Units (four natural populations and three planted stands from the western part of the species range, in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, RS-BH) might be ineffective in preserving the species' genetic diversity. Aims To facilitate implementation of dynamic conservation of Serbian spruce by re-assessing the number and size of remnant populations in RS-BH and updating genetic knowledge on these understudied western Serbian spruce populations. Methods Comprehensive field survey in RS-BH, genotyping 689 individuals from 14 western populations with ten highly informative nuclear EST-SSRs and analytical methods for prioritizing populations for conservation based on their contribution to the geographical structuring of genetic diversity. Results The genetic diversity of western Serbian spruce populations (Ae = 2.524, H-E = 0.451) is comparable with what was found for eastern ones; they are highly genetically differentiated (Hedrick's G'(ST) = 0.186; Jost's D = 0.097) and comprise ten distinct gene pools. Effective population size is often  gt = 15. As much as 14% of alleles is not preserved in the extant GCUs established in natural populations. Eight populations positively contribute to within-population genetic diversity, four to genetic differentiation, and two are globally important in terms of diversity and differentiation. Although wildfires may contribute to admixture of different gene pools, re-establishment from seeds from extirpated populations has likely prevailed in studied populations. Conclusions A larger network of GCUs is required for the dynamic conservation of western Serbian spruce populations. A "one population-one unit" strategy, with 14 GCUs, would represent the safest approach to conserve species extant genetic variation in this part of the species range. Nonetheless, a strategy to prioritize populations for conservation based on their contribution to allelic diversity has been put forward. Given the rapid global warming and peculiarities of Serbian spruce distribution, habitat and life history traits, conservation measures based on a rigorously designed GCU network are urgent for its rescue and survival.
PB  - Springer France, Paris
T2  - Annals of Forest Science
T1  - Towards the dynamic conservation of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) western populations
IS  - 1
VL  - 77
DO  - 10.1007/s13595-019-0892-1
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Mataruga, Milan and Piotti, Andrea and Danicić, Vanja and Cvjetković, Branislav and Fussi, Barbara and Konnert, Monika and Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe and Aleksić, Jelena M.",
year = "2020",
abstract = "Key message High levels of genetic diversity, pronounced genetic structure and limitations to gene flow in Serbian spruce, a rare and endangered tree species from the refugial Balkan region, point towards a "one population-one unit" strategy for assembling a network of Genetic Conservation Units (GCUs) for its dynamic conservation. On the other hand, genetic information also permits to prioritize populations for conservation based on their contribution to genetic diversity and differentiation. Context Serbian spruce, Picea omorika (Panc.) Purk., is a rare, IUCN red-listed European conifer endemic to the Balkan region. Its current rigid conservation (without any intervention allowed in similar to 30 remnant populations) and the extant network of Genetic Conservation Units (four natural populations and three planted stands from the western part of the species range, in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, RS-BH) might be ineffective in preserving the species' genetic diversity. Aims To facilitate implementation of dynamic conservation of Serbian spruce by re-assessing the number and size of remnant populations in RS-BH and updating genetic knowledge on these understudied western Serbian spruce populations. Methods Comprehensive field survey in RS-BH, genotyping 689 individuals from 14 western populations with ten highly informative nuclear EST-SSRs and analytical methods for prioritizing populations for conservation based on their contribution to the geographical structuring of genetic diversity. Results The genetic diversity of western Serbian spruce populations (Ae = 2.524, H-E = 0.451) is comparable with what was found for eastern ones; they are highly genetically differentiated (Hedrick's G'(ST) = 0.186; Jost's D = 0.097) and comprise ten distinct gene pools. Effective population size is often  gt = 15. As much as 14% of alleles is not preserved in the extant GCUs established in natural populations. Eight populations positively contribute to within-population genetic diversity, four to genetic differentiation, and two are globally important in terms of diversity and differentiation. Although wildfires may contribute to admixture of different gene pools, re-establishment from seeds from extirpated populations has likely prevailed in studied populations. Conclusions A larger network of GCUs is required for the dynamic conservation of western Serbian spruce populations. A "one population-one unit" strategy, with 14 GCUs, would represent the safest approach to conserve species extant genetic variation in this part of the species range. Nonetheless, a strategy to prioritize populations for conservation based on their contribution to allelic diversity has been put forward. Given the rapid global warming and peculiarities of Serbian spruce distribution, habitat and life history traits, conservation measures based on a rigorously designed GCU network are urgent for its rescue and survival.",
publisher = "Springer France, Paris",
journal = "Annals of Forest Science",
title = "Towards the dynamic conservation of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) western populations",
number = "1",
volume = "77",
doi = "10.1007/s13595-019-0892-1"
}

Mataruga, M., Piotti, A., Danicić, V., Cvjetković, B., Fussi, B., Konnert, M., Vendramin, G. G.,& Aleksić, J. M.. (2020). Towards the dynamic conservation of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) western populations. in Annals of Forest Science
Springer France, Paris., 77(1).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-019-0892-1

Mataruga M, Piotti A, Danicić V, Cvjetković B, Fussi B, Konnert M, Vendramin GG, Aleksić JM. Towards the dynamic conservation of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) western populations. in Annals of Forest Science. 2020;77(1).
doi:10.1007/s13595-019-0892-1 .

Mataruga, Milan, Piotti, Andrea, Danicić, Vanja, Cvjetković, Branislav, Fussi, Barbara, Konnert, Monika, Vendramin, Giovanni Giuseppe, Aleksić, Jelena M., "Towards the dynamic conservation of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) western populations" in Annals of Forest Science, 77, no. 1 (2020),
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-019-0892-1 . .