Genetic uniformity and the decline of red spruce

Journal Article · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Bioscience; (USA)

OSTI ID:5029634

This brief note examines current research that suggests genetic uniformity as a cause of red spruce decline. Although acid rain and ozone have been implicated in the decline of the species, dieback has been observed evening areas where pollution is low. In addition, the dieback is not observed in other species. Researchers have analyzed the seeds of approximately 500 red spruce trees representing 13 boreal and Montane populations from southern Appalachia to Canada. Of 42 gene loci examined, on the average only 8% of the genes were heterozygousand only 31% were polymorphic.

• OSTI ID: 5029634
• Journal Information: Bioscience; (USA), Vol. 39:5; ISSN 0006-3568
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SPRUCES
SPECIES DIVERSITY
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL EXTINCTION
GENES
GENETICS
MORTALITY
OZONE
PLANT BREEDING
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGY
CONIFERS
PINOPHYTA
PLANTS
POLLUTION
RAIN
TREES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)