Genetic diversity of Lithuania populations of Juniperus communis L. in relation to habitat differences

Cupressaceae family genus Juniperus L. consist of evergreen aromatic shrubs or small trees widely spread in the Northern hemisphere. Common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) is an important component of forest ecosystems also widely used in the pharmaceutical, spicy, ornamental, and fragrant plant in Baltic countries. Molecular studies of this species included analyses using AFLP, ISSR, ITS [1] and SSR [2] markers. Main research has been performed in Southern and Western parts of Europe. However till now not enough attention has been paid considering biology and ecology of common juniper in more Northern parts of Europe. J. communis is the third common species among conifers naturally growing in Lithuania. Our study aimed at evaluation of extent of polymorphic ISSR loci of Lithuania populations of common juniper differing in habitats and geography. Samples were collected fourteen populations (140 juniper individuals) in five habitats distributed along all geographical range of Lithuania. Main types of the habitat was a coastal brown dunes covered with natural coniferous forest (Pinus sylvestris); Juniperus communis scrubs; subcontinental moss; scots pine forests; transition mires and quaking bogs, xero-thermophile fringes. Only female adults growing at least in 5 m distance were used. DNA was extracted by modificied CTAB method [3] from the current-year needles. Fifteen selected ISSR primers were applied. The genetic variability within population of J. communis was meaningly higher than genetic variability among population. The high within population variability may be related to the dioecious nature of J. communis. Compared two subcontinental moss Scots pine forests type populations and 2 transition mires and quaking bogs type populations of the same geography, their percentage of polymorphic loci were 65.05±4.03, and 60.38±0.59, respectively, was found statistical significant differences (p