Oreshkova N. V. Intraspecific Genetic Differentiation of the Cajanderi Larch (Larix cajanderi) in the North-East Asia

© Oreshkova N. V., 2014

The study of intraspecific genetic differentiation of the Cajanderi larch (Larix cajanderi Mayr.) was carried out in the north-east of Asia – in Magadan region and on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Genetic diversity of the larch was investigated using eight nuclear microsatellite loci (bcLK056, bcLK066, bcLK224, bcLK232, bcLK260, bcLK235, UAKLly6, UBCLXtet-1-22). The highest levels of genetic variability parameters were detected in the population of L. cajanderi in Magadan region (N_A = 4.531; N_E = 2.624; H_O = 0.528; H_E= 0.523). In the Kamchatka populations this parameters were N_A = 3.489; N_E = 2,030; H_O = 0.383; H_E = 0.440. Overall, the obtained values for the main indicators of genetic polymorphism demonstrate a fairly high average level of genetic diversity in the Cajanderi larch in the Far North-East of Asia (N_A = 3.767; N_E = 2.191; H_O = 0.422; H_E = 0.463).Significant genetic differences between L. cajanderi samples from Magadan region and Kamchatka (F_ST = 0.117; D_N = 0.362) suggests early isolation of the larch on the peninsula. Deficiency of heterozygote genotypes was revealed in all investigated larch populations in Kamchatka, related to high degree of inbreeding (F = 0.138). Excess of heterozygote genotypes was observed in the Magadan populations of L. cajanderi (F = –0.029), which was probably due to the action of balancing selection in favor of heterozygotes.