Monika Dering

University of Life Sciences in Poznań · Department of Silviculture

Scots pine is one of the most widely occurring pines, but future projections suggest a large reduction in its range, mostly at the southern European limits. A significant part of its range is located in the Caucasus, a global hot-spot of diversity. Pine forests are an important reservoir of biodiversity and endemism in this region. We explored demo...

Predicting species-level effects of climatic changes requires unraveling the factors affecting the spatial genetic composition. However, disentangling the relative contribution of historical and contemporary drivers is challenging. By applying landscape genetics and species distribution modeling, we investigated processes that shaped the neutral ge...

The climate drives species distribution and genetic diversity; the latter defines the adaptability of populations and species. The ongoing climate crisis induces tree decline in many regions, compromising the mitigation potential of forests. Scientific-based strategies for prioritizing forest tree populations are critical to managing the impact of...

Due to global climate cooling and aridification since the Paleogene, members of the Neogene flora were extirpated from the Northern Hemisphere or were confined to a few refugial areas. For some species, the final reduction/extinction came in the Pleistocene, but some others have survived climatic transformations up to the present. This has occurred...

The last glacial period is known to have greatly influenced the demographic history of temperate forest trees, with important range contractions and post‐glacial expansions that led to the formation of multiple genetic lineages and secondary contact zones in the Northern Hemisphere. These dynamics have been extensively studied for European and Nort...

With funding from the Polish National Science Center (UMO-2017/26/E/NZ8/01049), the genetic diversity and landscape genetics of natural chestnut populations in the South Caucasus were investigated. Seventeen populations from Georgia and four populations from Azerbaijan were examined using microsatellite markers. Populations from Georgia were chosen...

Integrative phylogeographic studies supported by morphometric analysis and genetic data provide significant insights into the postglacial recolonization history and other factors shaping current distributions of plant species, including major forest-forming trees in Europe. However, genomic resources and phylogeographic knowledge of shrub species r...

Climatic changes significantly impact forest ecosystems, inevitably affecting forestry and forest-related industry. Considering that most forests are actively managed, there is a need to define the future risks and set a strategy for forestry and silviculture in a changing world. This review provides insight into the new challenges and opportunitie...

As many tree species populations are being degraded by climate change, adaptive conservation, and forest management, such as assisted gene flow (AGF), can provide the genetic variation needed to adapt to climate change. The core of this strategy is to assist the adaptation process in populations at risk of climate maladaptation by introducing indiv...

The climate drives species distribution and genetic diversity; the latter defines the adaptability of populations and species. The ongoing climate crisis induces tree decline in many regions, compromising the mitigation potential of forests. Scientific-based strategies for prioritising forest tree populations are critical to managing the impact of...

Due to global climate cooling and aridification since the Paleogene, the members of the Neogene flora were extirpated from the Northern Hemisphere or were confined to a few refugial areas. For some species, the final reduction/extinction came in the Pleistocene, but some others have survived climatic transformations up to the present. This has occu...

This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Viscum album L. (Mistletoe) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of Britain and Ireland: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, r...

The Mediterranean Basin is one of the 36 global hotspots of biodiversity and it is rich in endemic tree species. The complex geological history of the region throughout the Neogene and Quaternary periods that were marked with several palaeoclimatic transformations was a major factor triggering the genetic divergence of lineages in tree species in t...

Rubus kaznowskii (Rosaceae), a new bramble species from south-central Poland. Supplementary materials

Based on field research in south-central Poland, supplemented with a review of herbarium materials, we identified a stable bramble biotype with a range large enough (190 km distance between the outermost stands) to be described as a new regional agamic species, Rubus kaznowskii sp.nov. It belongs to the series Subthyrsoidei(sect. Corylifolii). Alth...

The commonly observed negative relationship between stomatal density (SD) and atmospheric CO2 has led to SD being proposed as an indicator of atmospheric CO2 concentration. The use of SD as a proxy for CO2, however, has been hampered by an insufficient understanding of intraspecific variation of this trait. We hypothesized that SD in Pinus sylvestr...

Caspian poplar (Populus caspica Bornm.) is an endemic species from Hyrcanian forests and classified as endangered in Iran. However, there is little information about population genetic structure of remnant populations that could support the development of the suitable conservation strategy for this species. This study was designed to understand how...

The Caucasus ecoregion is located between the Black and the Caspian Sea and extends from southern Russia, throughout Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan up to Iran. The prominent feature of the region is high biodiversity and endemism. The outstanding biological richness made the Caucasus one of the 36 global hotspots of biodiversity. The Caucasia...

This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC (Midland hawthorn) (C. oxyacanthoides Thuill.) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habi...

New nuclear microsatellite markers (SSRs) were developed for Aesculus hippocastanum, a relict tree species from the Balkan Peninsula. The development of microsatellites was done using the Illumina MiSeq PE300 platform. Out of a set of 500 SSRs designed, a subset of 13 loci was tested using 290 individuals from seven natural populations. Twelve spec...

Individual differences in male reproductive success drive genetic drift and natural selection, altering genetic variation and phenotypic trait distributions in future generations. Therefore, identifying the determinants of reproductive success is important for understanding the ecology and evolution of plants. Here, based on the spatially‐explicit...

Cupressus atlantica is a narrow endemic species of semi-arid and sub-humid habitats in the western High Atlas, Morocco. We explored the possible dynamics of the species’ range under climatic changes using species distribution modelling (SDM) to identify populations vulnerable to range changes. Additionally, we investigated the spatial genetic struc...

The cover image is based on the Letter A fingerprint of climate change across pine forests of Sweden by Jacek Oleksyn, Tomasz P. Wyka, et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13587. Photo Credit: Jacek Kamczyc

The objective of this study was to investigate pollen morphology and ranges of intraspecific variability of Abies alba Mill. Pollen grains were collected from nine clonal seed orchards of A. alba in the Sudety Mountains, (South-Western Poland). At each seed orchard, 4–6 grafts were selected. Each individual (graft) was represented by 30 pollen grai...

Climate change has likely altered high‐latitude forests globally, but direct evidence remains rare. Here we show that throughout a ≈1000‐km transect in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in Sweden, mature trees in ≈2015 had longer needles with shorter lifetimes than did trees in ≈1915. These century‐scale shifts in needle traits were detected...

Iszkuło G., Armatys L., Dering M., Ksepko M., Tomaszewski D., Ważna A., Giertych M. J. 2020. Jemioła jako zagrożenie dla zdrowotności drzewostanów iglastych. Sylwan 164 (3): 226−236. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.26202/sylwan.2019121. The forest area infected by mistletoe (Viscum album L.) in Europe has been increasing in recent years. The highest poten...

Juniperus thurifera is a key element of the forest communities in arid and semi-arid areas of the western Mediterranean. Previous genetic and morphological investigations suggested that Algerian populations are genetically more similar to European than to Moroccan populations and advocated their recognition at the variety rank. We aimed to investig...

Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) is an endemic and relict species from the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot and a popular ornamental tree. Knowledge about the evolutionary history of this species remains scarce. Here, we ask what historical and ecological factors shaped the pattern of genetic diversity and differentiation of this specie...

Pleistocene climatic changes affected the current distribution and genetic structure of alpine plants. Some refugial areas for the high elevation species have been proposed in the Alps, but whether they could survive on nunataks, is still controversial. Here, the spatial genetic structure in Salix serpillifolia revealed by chloroplast (cpSSR) and n...

This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Aesculus hippocastanum L. (horse‐chestnut) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biot...

Mediterranean Cupressus taxa (C. atlantica, C. dupreziana and C. sempervirens) exemplify a schizo-endemic distribution resulting from vicariant speciation related to climate-induced contraction and fragmentation of their ancestral geographical range. Here, we investigate the evolutionary history of Mediterranean Cupressus taxa and the phylogeograph...

Aesculus hippocastanum is a well-known species, which is popular because of its ornamental value. However, data on the demographic structure and potential distribution of A. hippocastanum are limited. The invasion of Cameraria ohridella into Europe has harmed those trees growing in artificial sites, but the presence of this insect in natural stands...

Prunus serotina Ehrh. (black cherry) is one of the most important invaders in the European forests, but existing studies have given limited insight into demo-genetic factors underpinning the process of species invasion. Fine-scale genetic structure (FSGS) may deliver important knowledge on genetics of invasion contributing to efficient management o...

Aim Scots pine is one of the dominant tree species in forest ecosystems of the temperate and boreal zones in Eurasia. Since the Tertiary, it has persisted also in the Mediterranean region, forming relict populations. In this study, we investigate range-wide genetic diversity of Scots pine, aiming to provide comprehensive information on the phyloge...

Embryogenic cultures of plants are exposed to various stress factors both in vitro and during cryostorage. In order to safely include the plant material obtained by somatic embryogenesis in combination with cryopreservation for breeding programs, it is necessary to monitor its genetic stability. The aim of the present study was the assessment of so...

Reconstruction of the glacial and postglacial history of a species, including life-history traits, provides valuable insights into the relationships between ecological and genetic factors shaping phylogeographic patterns. Clonality appears as a trait of high importance for survival in northern refugia. In the present study, the phylogeographic stru...

Taxus baccata L. has a scattered distribution and the decline of yew woodlands is observed across the entire species range. Passively protected populations in the central and northern part of their distribution are declining without human intervention. However, the establishment of new yew populations is observed in habitats that have been signific...

In plants, the spatial genetic structure (SGS) is shaped mainly by gene dispersal and effective population density. Among additional factors, the mode of DNA inheritance and dioecy influence SGS. However, their joint impact on SGS remains unclear, especially in the case of paternally inherited DNA. Using theoretical approximations and computer simu...

Juniperus drupacea is an eastern Mediterranean mountain tree with a disjunct geographical range. We hypothesized that this disjunct occurrence (the Peloponnese in Europe and the Taurus and Lebanon Mountains in Asia) should be reflected in the patterns of genetic and morphological diversity and differentiation. Nuclear microsatellite markers (nSSR)...

Random genetic drift, natural selection and restricted gene dispersal are basic factors of the spatial genetic structure (SGS) in plant populations. Clonal reproduction has a profound effect on population dynamics and genetic structure and thus emerges as a potential factor in contributing to and modelling SGS. In order to assess the impact of clon...

In the present study, a genetic analysis of nuclear microsatellites was conducted in Abies cilicica populations growing in West Taurus, East Taurus, and Lebanon mountains to obtain evidence for significant genetic differentiation. Despite range fragmentation, all examined populations tended to maintain a relatively high level of genetic diversity (...

The phenotypic differentiation of relic P. sylvestris in southern Europe and southwestern Asia was verified using thirty-two populations sampled from the Iberian Peninsula, Massif Central, Balkan Peninsula, Crimea and Anatolia. Twenty-one morphological and anatomical needle traits and 18 cone morphological characteristics were examined to describe...

We aimed to investigate inter-year variability in mating system and paternity in an experimental Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) clonal seed orchard that was established with five geographically distinct populations. Using five nuclear microsatellite markers, we analysed 1396 progeny of five mother trees representing each of the populations...

Despite Juniperus spp. being an important component of Mediterranean arid and semi-arid ecosystems, there is a lack of complex studies on their biogeographical patterns. Using 16 morphological cone and seed traits and three nuclear microsatellite markers, we investigated the morphological and genetic variability of seven Mediterranean and Macarones...

The origin of the Norway spruce in the Gołdap Forest District from the north-eastern part of Poland was verified using the maternally inherited mitochondrial marker mtl5-D02, which in Poland displays a geographical specifity. We analyzed 730 trees from 29 populations and 21 plus trees. These populations included four reserves, four registered seed...

A vitrification method enabled efficient cryopreservation of embryogenic tissue (ETs) of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) at −196 °C in liquid nitrogen (LN). Correctly formed, normal somatic embryos were generated from ETs that had been thawed after removal from LN. The pregrowth-dehydration method involved preculture of ETs with sucrose (0.25–1.00 M...

Białowieża Primeval Forest lies within the boreal part of the Norway spruce range, which, according to pollen data, was formed by a refugium located in the Russian Upland. However, recent genetic studies have indicated that spruce from the Eastern Carpathian refugium also occurs in Białowieża Forest. In order to investigate whether the Norway spruc...

In this article, we examined the effects of the two modes of regeneration (natural vs. artificial) on the genetic diversity of Quercus robur (L.) and Quercus petrea (Matt.) Liebl. populations. Using nuclear microsatellite markers, we investigated the genetic diversity of two-species oak seed stands (Jamy and Legnica, Poland) and their progeny – nat...

The goal of the work was to define where migration routes of Norway spruce running from its Weichselian refuges could have intersected and formed a hybrid zone. Based on available pollen data, we have hypothesized that the central European disjunction, also called the “spruceless zone”, could be an overlapping area of boreal and southern ranges.The...

Picea abies (L.) Karst is one of the most important coniferous species of Europe from both ecological and economical points of view. Traditional methods for the gene pool conservation and biodiversity maintenance in forest ecosystems have been practiced in many countries. For progress in this field using highly poly-morphic genetic molecular marker...

The goal of this study was to investigate the postglacial recolonization pathways of the white oaks Quercus robur and Quercus petrea in Poland, and especially to evaluate the impact of Iberian refugium in this part of Europe. Chloroplast DNA polymorphism of 310 individuals older than 200 years was analyzed. Six haplotypes in total were found to dif...

We used morphological analysis to assess species composition of natural regenerations and progeny plantations established from two mixed oak stands in Jamy and Legnica, Poland. Despite equal proportions of pedunculate (Quercus robur) and sessile oak (Quercus petrea) in seed stands, the species composition differed strikingly. In all progeny populat...

Taxus baccata L. is a rare and endangered species with restricted occurrence. One or two-year-old yew seedlings occur quite frequently in natural stands of the species, but older seedlings are rarely observed. Therefore we investigated the relationship between light intensity and the growth rate of ten-year-old seedlings of the European yew Taxus b...

Results of artificial fertilization of P. uliginosa with P. sylvestris and P. mugo are presented and discussed. P. sylvestris and P. mugo are thought to be the parental species of P. uliginosa. Two grafts of one P. uliginosa clone from Arboretum of the Institute of Dendrology in Kórnik, Poland were used as mother individuals. One individual of P. s...