Polodowcowa historia jodły pospolitej (Abies alba Mill.) w Polsce jako efekt migracji z różnych ostoi plejstoceńskich - dotychczasowy stan wiedzy

The paper reviews the current knowledge about the genetic variation, glacial and postglacial history of Polish populations of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). This species occurs in the mountainous forests of central and southern Europe, from the Pyrenees up to the Balkans, where it is important from both ecological and economical points of view. The current knowledge about glacial and postglacial history of fir has been obtained from palynological and genetic studies. During the last ice age A. alba survived in the refugia in southern Europe, the central Apennines, the south of the Balkan Peninsula and the Central Massif in France. Two other refugia remained isolated – one in Calabria in the south of the Apennines and one in the Pyrenees. Furthermore the most likely routes of postglacial recolonization of silver fir as well as the introgression zone between them have been identified. In Poland, silver fir reaches the north−eastern border of its natural range. Several earlier studies based on isozymes and DNA markers (mitochondrial and chloroplast) have reported that the Polish populations of fir are characterized by lower levels of genetic variation within populations and higher genetic differentiation between them than other coniferous species. Fir probably migrated to Poland from two glacial refugia located in the Balkan and Apennines Peninsula. Notwithstanding, a recent study on Polish silver fir populations carried out with mtDNA marker, strictly maternally inherited, indicated that the species migrated to the Polish territory from the refugium in western Europe. However, this study did not take into account the possibility of participation of pollen pool of Balkan origin in the formation of the Polish populations of fir. Until now, there have been only a few reports concerning the gene pool of fir in Poland. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement the knowledge about its genetic variation. In the course of several episodes of silver fir decline during the past century, its populations have decreased in size and currently are scattered throughout the entire European range. Reliable information on the distribution of genetic variation is a prere−quisite for proper management of forest genetic resources in a short−term and long−term perspective. The recognition of the existing genetic diversity is also the preliminary phase in development of an effective strategy for conservation of forest tree species gene pools.