Gene Dispersion within a Population of Pinus sylvestris

Gene dispersion within a population was studied in a 2-hectare stand of 74 seed trees and 1100 seedlings. Isozyme markers were used to determine the genetic relationships among parental trees, embryos and seedling progenies. Paternity exclusion analyses were used to study multilocus progeny genotypes from certain parents. Results demonstrate large variation between trees in their capacity to contribute their genes through natural regeneration. The proportion of all genes dispersed into a specific distance interval from the source was estimated. The estimation procedure took into account the background of seedlings where parenthood was not excluded, but where the seedlings turned out to be unrelated. We found little evidence for clusters of progeny seedlings surrounding their parental tree. Within 15 m from a tree, approximately 5% of the genes originated from that tree and 95 % originated from other trees. We found no evidence for an increase in levels of inbreeding, or genetic substructuring in the seedling progeny stand relative to the parental seed trees. A mathematical model for pollen distribution was developed. According to this model, 90% of pollen was distributed more than 15 m from the source. It is concluded that the marker seed trees had a surprisingly low detectable genetic contribution to the regeneration. It seems likely that a considerable part of the new seedlings have parents among felled trees or from surrounding stands.