Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Tree seed supply chains Genetic bottlenecks in the restoration of Araucaria nemorosa David Boshier & Chris Kettle

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Location of New Caledonia

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide What are the impacts of human interventions on trees? 13 of the 19 species of Araucaria

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide What are the impacts of human interventions on trees?

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide A. rulei endangered A. muelleri lower risk – conservation dependent

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Araucaria nemorosa – critically endangered (IUCN) monoecious flowers, self-compatible, wind pollinated, wind dispersed

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide

A. nemorosa

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide

Study Compared genetic diversity in plants from i.cones collected from trees vs ii.seed from forest floor

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Where & how should we conserve?

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Production of ripe cones in six natural populations PopulationCodeArea (ha) NSample size # of trees >15cm dbh # of trees with cones # cones/ trees with cones Mean dbh (cm) Minimum dbh of trees with cones (cm) KaanuaN > VaneN > New ForestN315.2 > ,2,3, Mini NuriN51.28 < ,2,7, Foret NordN ,1,1,3, Natasha’sN71.48 < ,

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide How big is “big enough”? 50/500 rule (Franklin 1980) 50 - inbreeding depression to acceptable level sufficient for new variation from mutation to replace that lost by genetic drift refers to effective population size (N e ) rather than survey numbers (N) – so may need many more! in trees N e smaller than N due to: overlapping generations, dioecy, asynchronous flowering, fecundity differences between individuals

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Genetic diversity, % rare alleles (<0.1), inbreeding coefficients in: adults (A), wild seedlings (W), nursery seedlings (N) PopulationCodeSample type A E (S.E.) H e (S.E.) % rare alleles F IS NeNe KaanuaN1A9.53 (2.46) 0.72 (0.09) * KaanuaN1W8.83 (1.90) 0.71 (0.09) *30 KaanuaN1N2.81 (0.46) 0.46 (0.09) n.s.1 Foret NordN6A6.12 (1.11)0.65 (0.07) n.s. Foret NordN6W5.59 (0.90) 0.62 (0.07) *11 Foret NordN6N6.40 (0.87) 0.69 (0.05) *N/C

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Theory direct impacts decrease pop. size increase spatial isolation decrease densities change local environment genetic processes genetic drift gene flow mating - inbreeding selection

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Bottleneck  genetic drift

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide Your mission draw out the seed supply chain design a strategy for the collection and use of germplasm Objective – ensure the maintenance of genetic diversity in the on-going restoration efforts for this threatened species

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide How? Step 1 - map out the seed/germplasm supply chain for A. nemorosa Draw a flow diagram of the chain, from the source to the final user, within the field of restoration (from seed tree  to a new plant in its final use). The map should identify players (individuals, institutions) and processes in the chain (what the players do) influences of the chain on genetic variation (bottlenecks, selection, genetic drift) limiting social factors in the chain (e.g. policies/laws, business, institutions or resources)

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide

How? Step 2 – analysis What are the genetic risks associated with the actual system of seeds? Specific recommendations to improve the situation, dealing with the diversity within the seed system (e.g. practical methods of collecting germplasm that ensure genetic diversity in restoration efforts)

Forest Genetic Resources Training Guide