Kara, N., Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Akdeniz University, Antalya, 07058, Turkey, Akdeniz University, Antalya, 07058, Turkey

Isik, K., Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Akdeniz University, Antalya, 07058, Turkey
 

The aim of this study was to describe the genetic structure of Pinus brutia TEN. subsp. brutia (NAHAL, 1983) growing at different elevations in the Taurus Mountains in Turkey, and to use these data to define seed collection and transfer zones. Isoenzyme analysis was performed on the maternal tissue of seeds to investigate the relationship between allele frequencies and altitude of populations occurring ever a narrow geographic region in the vicinity of Antalya, in southern Turkey. Twenty-three loci encoding 14 enzyme systems were analyzed and 17 of these loci (69.6%), encoding 10 enzyme systems, were found to be polymorphic (69.6%). The mean genetic diversity within populations (H(s)) was 0.263 and the mean total genetic diversity (H(t)), 0.278, therefore, the proportion of total diversity among populations (G(st)) was only 0.053; the mean degree of inbreeding within populations (F(is)) was 0.167. Deficiency of heterozygotes was found in the Mnr-1, Mdh-4, 6Pgd-2 and Mpi loci. The results indicate that most of the genetic diversity in P. brutia is within populations. Significant relations were found between allele frequencies and altitude in Mdh-1, Mdh-4 and Skdh-1, Aco and Gdh enzyme systems. These results support earlier conclusions, based on several different methods of genetic research, concerning the existence of altitudinal clinal variation in Pinus brutia. subsp. brutia in the various traits analyzed. Hence, the importance of defining seed collection and transfer zones.