A novel synthesis of two decades of microsatellite studies on European beech reveals decreasing genetic diversity from glacial refugia.

ABSTRACT: Genetic diversity influences the evolutionary potential of forest trees under changing environmental conditions, thus indirectly the ecosystem services that forests provide. European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is a dominant European forest tree species that increasingly suffers from climate change-related die-back. Here, we conducted a systematic literature review of neutral genetic diversity in European beech and created a meta-data set of expected heterozygosity (He) from all past studies providing nuclear microsatellite data. We propose a novel approach, based on population genetic theory and a min-max scaling to make past studies comparable. Using a new microsatellite data set with unprecedented geographic coverage and various re-sampling schemes to mimic common sampling

SUBMITTER: Stefanini C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9744708 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature