Breeding and Genetic Resources of Five-needle Pines


Book Description

This volume presents 29 overview and research papers on the breeding, genetic variation, genecology, gene conservation, and pest resistance of five-needle pines ( Pinus L. subgenus Strobus Lemm.) from throughout the world. Overview papers provide information on past and present research as well as future needs for research on white pines from North America, Europe, and Asia. Research papers, more narrowly focused, cover various aspects of genetics. Throughout the distribution of five-needle pines, but particularly in many of the nine North American species, the pathogen Cronartium ribicola J.C. Fisch. continues to cause high levels of mortality and threatens ecosystems and plantations. Studies on genetic resistance to C. ribicola are described in papers from different regions of the world. Use of P. strobus as an exotic species in Europe and Russia and corresponding problems with white pine blister rust are discussed in several papers. Other papers focus on examining and exploiting patterns of genetic variation of different species.




Proceedings RMRS.


Book Description




Genetics, Genomics and Breeding of Conifers


Book Description

With contributions by internationally reputed researchers in the field, this book presents the implications of the genomic revolution for conifers—promoting a better understanding of the evolution of these organisms as well as new knowledge about the molecular basis of quantitative trait variation. Both of these discoveries play important roles in their domestication. Topics include cytogenetics, patterns of nucleotide diversity, genetic mapping, integration of molecular markers in breeding, transcriptomics, advances in proteomics and metabolomics in gymnosperms, and economic importance.




Challenges and Opportunities for the World's Forests in the 21st Century


Book Description

This book addresses the challenges and opportunities faced by the world’s forests posed by climate change, conservation objectives, and sustainable development needs including bioenergy, outlining the research and other efforts that are needed to understand these issues, along with the options and difficulties for dealing with them. It contains sections on sustainable forestry & conservation; forest resources worldwide; forests, forestry and climate change; the economics of forestry; tree breeding & commercial forestry; biotechnological approaches; genomic studies with forest trees; bio-energy, lignin & wood; and forest science, including ecological studies. The chapters are contributed by prominent organisations or individuals with an established record of achievement in these areas, and present their ideas on these topics with the aim of providing a ready source of information and guidance on these topics for politicians, policy makers and scientists for many years to come.




The Least Cost Path From Landscape Genetics to Landscape Genomics


Book Description

Ecosystems are the stage on which the play of evolution is acted, and ecosystems are complex, spatially structured and temporally varying. The purpose of this Research Topic is to explore critical challenges and opportunities for the transition from landscape genetics to landscape genomics. Landscape genetics has focused on the spatial analysis of small genetic datasets, typically comprised of less than 20 microsatellite markers, taken from clusters of individuals in putative populations or distributed individuals across landscapes. The recent emergence of large scale genomic datasets produced by next generation sequencing methods poses tremendous challenge and opportunity to the field. Perhaps the greatest is to produce, process, curate, archive and analyze spatially referenced genomic datasets in a way such that research is led by a priori hypotheses regarding how environmental heterogeneity and temporal dynamics interact to affect gene flow and selection. The papers in the Research Topic cover a broad range of topics under this area of focus, from reviews of the emergence of landscape genetics, to best practices in spatial analysis of genetic data. The compilation, like the emerging field itself, is eclectic and illustrates the scope of both the challenges and opportunities of this emerging field.




Intraspecific Genetic Diversity


Book Description

Population and evolutionary genetics have been quickly developing ?elds of biological research over the past decades. This book compiles our current understanding of genetic processes in natural populations. In addition, the book provides the author’s original ideas and concepts based on the data obtained by himself and his close coworkers. The author introduces his pioneering concept of population genetic stability,and much of thebook is concerned with the factors and conditions of such stability. Why does genetic stability matter so much? Altukhov argues that the sustainable use of natural resources, including genetic resources of popu- tions, critically depends on the maintenance of their stability. The preser- tion of well-adapted genetic characteristics from one generation to the next is essential for this stability. Traditionally, population genetics has been - cusedonevolution andthe role of evolutionary factorsinshapinggenetic structures of populations. While the idea of a population as a dynamic unit of evolution has been widely accepted, the signi?cance of genetic stability and its implications for the long-term survival of populations and species have not been fully appreciated.




Forest Health and Biotechnology


Book Description

The American chestnut, whitebark pine, and several species of ash in the eastern United States are just a few of the North American tree species that have been functionally lost or are in jeopardy of being lost due to outbreaks of pathogens and insect pests. New pressures in this century are putting even more trees at risk. Expanded human mobility and global trade are providing pathways for the introduction of nonnative pests for which native tree species may lack resistance. At the same time, climate change is extending the geographic range of both native and nonnative pest species. Biotechnology has the potential to help mitigate threats to North American forests from insects and pathogens through the introduction of pest-resistant traits to forest trees. However, challenges remain: the genetic mechanisms that underlie trees' resistance to pests are poorly understood; the complexity of tree genomes makes incorporating genetic changes a slow and difficult task; and there is a lack of information on the effects of releasing new genotypes into the environment. Forest Health and Biotechnology examines the potential use of biotechnology for mitigating threats to forest tree health and identifies the ecological, economic, and social implications of deploying biotechnology in forests. This report also develops a research agenda to address knowledge gaps about the application of the technology.




The Conifers: Genomes, Variation and Evolution


Book Description

This book is the first comprehensive volume on conifers detailing their genomes, variations, and evolution. The book begins with general information about conifers such as taxonomy, geography, reproduction, life history, and social and economic importance. Then topics discussed include the full genome sequence, complex traits, phenotypic and genetic variations, landscape genomics, and forest health and conservation. This book also synthesizes the research included to provide a bigger picture and suggest an evolutionary trajectory. As a large plant family, conifers are an important part of economic botany. The group includes the pines, spruces, firs, larches, yews, junipers, cedars, cypresses, and sequoias. Of the phylum Coniferophyta, conifers typically bear cones and evergreen leaves. Recently, there has been much data available in conifer genomics with the publication of several crop and non-crop genome sequences. In addition to their economic importance, conifers are an important habitat for humans and animals, especially in developing parts of the world. The application of genomics for improving the productivity of conifer crops holds great promise to help provide resources for the most needy in the world.