Using Protected Areas to Secure Forest Tree Genetic Diversity in Hyrcanian forest (Application to the endemic and endangered Populus caspica

The planning of the protected areas and their effectiveness in maintaining the genetic diversity of species remain challenging. The severe degradation and anthropogenic activities in plain regions of the Hyrcanian forest and designing several national parks that have been proceeding for at least three decades provide an opportunity to assess the role of protected areas in conserving genetic diversity. Populus caspica Bornm. is an endemic species from Hyrcanian forests and classified as endangered in Iran. For this study, ۳۵۹ trees from ۲۰ populations (including three national parks from eastern, central, and western parts) distributed throughout the plain region of the Hyrcanian forest, were selected to evaluate the genetic diversity parameters using ۱۴ microsatellite markers. The highest allelic richness, private alleles, and gene diversity were observed in populations located within national parks, i.e. Ashrafieh, Noor and Loove. Significant reduction in effective population size and a genetic bottleneck were not observed in popualtions in national parks, while about ۵۰ percent of other populations (۸ from ۱۷) are under bottleneck effect. STRUCTURE analysis showed the existence of at leasttwo genetic clusters with strict geograohic background but estimated average gene flow was low - the average proportion of the migrants detected among populations was ۰.۰۰۸. We concluded that designing a protected area for the maintenance of the genetic diversity of Populus caspica is a very good strategy to reduce the risk of the extinction of this species in the near future.