Genetic diversity of larch at the north of Primorskii Krai and limits of Larix olgensis A. Henry distribution.

The genetic diversity of four mtDNA fragments and five microsatellite loci of cpDNA was examined in six larch population samples from the territory of the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve (northern Primor'e). In order to identify possible species-specific differences between the samples, the latter were collected at transects along the shore of the Sea of Japan and at different distances from the sea. Based on a number of morphological characters, some authors suggest that Olgan larch ( Larix olgensis A. Henry) grows in the shoreline part of the reserve and, moving inland, it is replaced by Gmelin larch ( Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr.). According to the other data, the northern border of the Olgan larch range does not reach the reserve territory. The data obtained were compared to those obtained previously for three samples from the south of Primor'e, including those for the locus classicus of Olgan larch. In the examined larch individuals (186, for mtDNA and 200, for cpDNA), a total of five mitotypes and 52 chlorotypes were recovered. According to the results of the AMOVA test, the proportion of variations accounted for the differences among all Larix population samples examined over both types of markers was higher ( N = 0.435, for mtDNA and R = 0.041, for cpDNA) than that for the differences among the population samples within the reserve ( N = 0.079, for mtDNA and R = 0.005, for cpDNA). No differences were detected between the groups of shoreline and continental populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]