THE FOREST GENE RESOURCES PROGRAM IN
BRANDENBURG (GERMANY)
CONCEPT AND STATUS
Ralf Kätzel Department of Forest Development and Monitoring
Karpacz, 25.06.14
Centre of Forest Research of Brandenburg
Eberswalde, Germany
Outline
1. Genetic and geographic differentiation in
Brandenburg
2. Status of genetic ressources (1993-2013)
3. What has been changed?/What do we need?
4. New regional concept for FGR
FOTO
1. Conditions in Germany
•Concept for Conservation and Management Guidlines for
Forest Genetic Resources (1985, 2000)
•Active Federal Working Group of all forest institutes for
coordination
•In situ conservation is the most important strategy for
(non)domestic species
•-> 3 phases (economically important species, rare
species, shrubs)
•Excellent data-base for GCU
•->10 years of experience in Genetic Monitoring (GM)
Brandenburg is different…
reference period 1961-1990
e.g. Climate
Water Balance
•Pure, sandy soils
•continental climate
•540 mm precipitation
Riek and Russ, 2014
Change
2005 -> 2095
1a Insland Vilm
2a Uckermark-Barnim
2b Märkische Schweiz
3a Middle Elbe
4a North- und Middle-
Thuringia
5a Heilbronn-Franken
5b Middlefranken
Genetic and geographic Differentiation
61
36
29
24
16 15 15
96 5
3 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
BB BW MV TH ST BY NW NI SN RP HE SL SH
Bundesland
Vo
rko
mm
en
Genetic and geographic differentiation
county
Num
be
r o
f p
op
ula
tions
Example: Pyrus pyraster
Genetic and geographic differentiation
total 36 populations with 904 Individuals
Example: Pyrus pyraster
BB01 BB02
BB03 ND-GE
ND-FB
SH-FK
TH-MS
TH-GT
TH-BB
NW-MB
HE-RH
RP-SG
RP-BB RP-BO
HE-SN
HE-GG
NW-MF
NW-WV
Genetic and geografic
differentiation
Leinemann et al., 2012, Plant Syst. Evol. 299: 369-378
Example: Coryllus avenella
DNA-Structures: 191 AFLP-Genloci
2. Forest Genetic Ressources in
Brandenburg
n = 1.319
48 species
Comercial species
Non-comercial species
Foreign species
Rare and endangered species
Rare and endangered species (62 %)
English yew Taxus baccata
Wild service tree Sorbus torminalis
Field maple Acer campestre
European bird cherry Prunus padus
Wild apple Malus sylvestris
Wild pear Pyrus pyraster
Grey alder Alnus incana
Black poplar Populus nigra
Wych elm Ulmus glabra
European white elm Ulmus laevis
Field elm Ulmus minor
Rural districts
Different objectives/priorities
commercial tree species rare and endangered species
1. Protection of genetic diversity
2. Guarantee of provenance
3. Genetic Monitoring
1. Estimation
2. Conservation of all
populations and species 3. Protection of genetic diversity and
provenances
4. Genetic Monitoring
mostly
In situ measures
mostly
Ex situ measures
3. What has been changed?
• Knowledge about :
-genetic structures of forests (regional climatic
distinctions, markers)
-evolutionary processes (survival, adaptability,
adaptedness, selection, epigenetic)
-regional ecological inventory (species, populations)
• Instruments for analysis, identification, evaluation and
documentation
• The European dimension for conservation
• Quantitative changes of selection factors (weather,
climate, soil, immission, pests, alien species e.g.)
What we need?
Species specific concepts (gcu based on zones)
Risk assessments of populations
Measures at regional level (gene conservation zones/ecological zones)
High information density of the gcu (control, analysis) vs. many gcu
Conservation of genetic processes (genetic systems) vs. genotypes
In situ -Measures need more control (regular visits) and monitoring for long time vs. more inventory
Interdisciplinary collaboration (forest monitoring, physiology, ecology …)
New concept for FGR
•Species specific inventory
concepts (53 species)
•Gene conservation zones (GCZ)
•Number of GCU per GCZ
•Criteria for inventory
•Evaluation of all GCU
•Measurements
•Expenses and responsibilities
•…
Regionalization of
gene conservation zones (GCZ)
Wuchsgebiete (8 von 11)
ggf. Sonderbiotope
Quantity of
gene conservation units (GCU)
In situ
Ex situ
ca. 1-3 gcu
size and frequency of tree
species der gene
conservation zone
(optimal: 10-12 GCU/BB)
ca. 1 gcu per Gene
conservation zone
3
2 1
2
2
1
1
1
Types of gene conservation
units (In situ)
Gene conservation reserve
small sources
Gene conservation stands
Highly competitive main tree species
Area > 10 ha,
Protection of the genetic systems
horsts, groups, individuals
Hot-spots for inventory
• Seed harvesting stands (1.445)
• Special forest nature reserve (28)
• Forest research und monitoring plots (2.636)
• Natura 2000 – area (12 habitat types, 3.000 ha)
Advantages and disadvantages:
In situ vs. Ex situ
Criteria In situ Ex situ
Expenses arrangement small high
Expenses control high small
Guarantee of conservation
Genetic diversity
limited
pot. higher
high
smaler
Tree species Main-, commercial species
rare
Plustrees
Ex situ plots
Species Area [Ha] Number of
clones / mother
trees
Remarks
Sorbus torminalis 1,5 82 from 17 stands
Quercus petraea 1,0
0,5
seedlings
46
18
Material from
about 350 year
old trees
Pyrus pyraster 0,5
72 from 7 main
areas
Malus sylvestris 1,0 18 from two main
stands in
Brandenburg
Populus nigra 0,5 17 mostly from the
river Odra
Prunus avium 3,5 3 x 40 from three
stands scattered
over Germany
Assessment with Indexes: IEZ
Ecological Genetic Conservation Index:
IEZ =NZU/NCD
NZU: number of environmental zones (strata) with GCU
NCD: number of zones (strata) within the distribution range in Brandenburg
European beech: 0.83
Scots pine: 0.63
Sessile oak: 0.57
Europ. white elm: 0.71
Black cherry: 0.83
