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ŠUMARSKI LIST 1-2/1966 str. 57     <-- 57 -->        PDF

PRESERVATION OF THE GENE POOL IN NATURAL STANDS FOR
GENETICAL RESEARCH*
(Introductory paper)
by


MIRKO VIDAKOVIĆ


Forestry Faculty, Zagreb, and Institute for Conifers, Jastrebarsko, Yugoslavia


and


L. ZUFA
Institute for Poplars, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia


CONCEPT


The term »gene pool« is defined by Dobzhansk y (1951) as the sum
total of different gens of a population in which the individual genes occur with
a definite frequency. According to Lerne r (1958), the gene pool represents
the sum total of alleles distributed among the members of one inbred population.
In a broader sense the gene pool or germplasm constitutes the sum total
of the hereditary material of a species (A 11 a r d 1960).


The improvement of each species depends and is based on its natural gene
pool. Therefore the knowledge and preservation of the gene pool of forest tree
species is of the greatest significance, and represents the first objective of every
well-conceived genetic programme (Schreine r 1962).


Under the pressure of evolutionary processes (natural and artificial
selection, etc.) the composition of the gene pool can be changed. Common
exploitation of forest trough retrogressive selection and poor selection of seed
have reduced the proportion of good genotypes and have influenced the change
of the composition of the gene pool in a negative direction in all forest tree
populations the world over. Such a negative influence of man has not ceased
even today, and through the disappearance of the elite genotypes and the
degradation of the gene pool the danger arises that the most valuable genetic
material will be lost (Minckler 1953). This problem was also discussed by
Lindquis t (1954), who described the disappearance of the valuable genotypes
of Scots Pine in Sweden.


VARIABILITY


In order to make a proper selection of the gene pool of natural forests a
knowledge of their genetic variability is of great importance.
Variability, diversity and dissimilarity are the basic characteristics of all
living beings, even of the individuals belonging to the same species. The


* The authors wish to express their thanks to Professor Howard B. Kriebel
who has read and corrected the manuscript.