Phenotypic Variability and Genetic Diversity in a Clonal Trial in Northeastern China.

Combining phenotypic and genetic characteristics in a genetic variation study is of paramount importance to effectively orient the selection of producers' elite trees in a seed orchard. In total, 28 phenotypic characteristics and 16 microsatellite loci were used to analyze the clonal genetic variation, to characterize the genetic diversity, and to refine the genetic classifications of 110 clones grown in the Naozhi orchard in northeastern China. All clones were significantly different in most traits.

Relationships between population density, fine-scale genetic structure, mating system and pollen dispersal in a timber tree from African rainforests.

Owing to the reduction of population density and/or the environmental changes it induces, selective logging could affect the demography, reproductive biology and evolutionary potential of forest trees. This is particularly relevant in tropical forests where natural population densities can be low and isolated trees may be subject to outcross pollen limitation and/or produce low-quality selfed seeds that exhibit inbreeding depression. Comparing reproductive biology processes and genetic diversity of populations at different densities can provide indirect evidence of the potential impacts of logging.