To learn more about the map elements, please download the "Pan-European strategy for genetic conservation of forest trees"
This distribution map has been developed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (partly based on the EUFORGEN map) and released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)
Caudullo, G., Welk, E., San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., 2017. Chorological maps for the main European woody species. Data in Brief 12, 662-666. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2017.05.007
The following experts have contributed to the development of the EUFORGEN distribution maps:
Fazia Krouchi (Algeria), Hasmik Ghalachyan (Armenia), Thomas Geburek (Austria), Berthold Heinze (Austria), Rudi Litschauer (Austria), Rudolf Litschauer (Austria), Michael Mengl (Austria), Ferdinand Müller (Austria), Franz Starlinger (Austria), Valida Ali-zade (Azerbaijan), Vahid Djalal Hajiyev (Azerbaijan), Karen Cox (Belgium), Bart De Cuyper (Belgium), Olivier Desteucq (Belgium), Patrick Mertens (Belgium), Jos Van Slycken (Belgium), An Vanden Broeck (Belgium), Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge (Belgium), Dalibor Ballian (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Alexander H. Alexandrov (Bulgaria), Alexander Delkov (Bulgaria), Ivanova Denitsa Pandeva (Bulgaria), Peter Zhelev Stoyanov (Bulgaria), Joso Gracan (Croatia), Marilena Idzojtic (Croatia), Mladen Ivankovic (Croatia), Željka Ivanović (Croatia), Davorin Kajba (Croatia), Hrvoje Marjanovic (Croatia), Sanja Peric (Croatia), Andreas Christou (Cyprus), Xenophon Hadjikyriacou (Cyprus), Václav Buriánek (Czech Republic), Jan Chládek (Czech Republic), Josef Frýdl (Czech Republic), Petr Novotný (Czech Republic), Martin Slovacek (Czech Republic), Zdenek Špišek (Czech Republic), Karel Vancura (Czech Republic), Ulrik Bräuner (Denmark), Bjerne Ditlevsen (Denmark), Jon Kehlet Hansen (Denmark), Jan Svejgaard Jensen (Denmark), Kalev Jðgiste (Estonia), Tiit Maaten (Estonia), Raul Pihu (Estonia), Ülo Tamm (Estonia), Arvo Tullus (Estonia), Aivo Vares (Estonia), Teijo Nikkanen (Finland), Sanna Paanukoski (Finland), Mari Rusanen (Finland), Pekka Vakkari (Finland), Leena Yrjänä (Finland), Daniel Cambon (France), Eric Collin (France), Alexis Ducousso (France), Bruno Fady (France), François Lefèvre (France), Brigitte Musch (France), Sylvie Oddou-Muratorio (France), Luc E. Pâques (France), Julien Saudubray (France), Marc Villar (France), Vlatko Andonovski (FYR Macedonia), Dragi Pop-Stojanov (FYR Macedonia), Merab Machavariani (Georgia), Irina Tvauri (Georgia), Alexander Urushadze (Georgia), Bernd Degen (Germany), Jochen Kleinschmit (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Volker Schneck (Germany), Richard Stephan (Germany), H. H. Kausch-Blecken Von Schmeling (Germany), Georg von Wühlisch (Germany), Iris Wagner (Germany), Heino Wolf (Germany), Paraskevi Alizoti (Greece), Filippos Aravanopoulos (Greece), Andreas Drouzas (Greece), Despina Paitaridou (Greece), Aristotelis C. Papageorgiou (Greece), Kostas Thanos (Greece), Sándor Bordács (Hungary), Csaba Mátyás (Hungary), László Nagy (Hungary), Thröstur Eysteinsson (Iceland), Adalsteinn Sigurgeirsson (Iceland), Halldór Sverrisson (Iceland), John Fennessy (Ireland), Ellen O'Connor (Ireland), Fulvio Ducci (Italy), Silvia Fineschi (Italy), Bartolomeo Schirone (Italy), Marco Cosimo Simeone (Italy), Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin (Italy), Lorenzo Vietto (Italy), Janis Birgelis (Latvia), Virgilijus Baliuckas (Lithuania), Kestutis Cesnavicius (Lithuania), Darius Danusevicius (Lithuania), Valmantas Kundrotas (Lithuania), Alfas Pliûra (Lithuania), Darius Raudonius (Lithuania), Robert du Fays (Luxembourg), Myriam Heuertz (Luxembourg), Claude Parini (Luxembourg), Fred Trossen (Luxembourg), Frank Wolter (Luxembourg), Joseph Buhagiar (Malta), Eman Calleja (Malta), Ion Palancean (Moldova), Dragos Postolache (Moldova), Gheorghe Postolache (Moldova), Hassan Sbay (Morocco), Tor Myking (Norway), Tore Skrøppa (Norway), Anna Gugala (Poland), Jan Kowalczyk (Poland), Czeslaw Koziol (Poland), Jan Matras (Poland), Zbigniew Sobierajski (Poland), Maria Helena Almeida (Portugal), Filipe Costa e Silva (Portugal), Luís Reis (Portugal), Maria Carolina Varela (Portugal), Ioan Blada (Romania), Alexandru-Lucian Curtu (Romania), Lucian Dinca (Romania), Georgeta Mihai (Romania), Mihai Olaru (Romania), Gheorghe Parnuta (Romania), Natalia Demidova (Russian Federation), Mikhail V. Pridnya (Russian Federation), Andrey Prokazin (Russian Federation), Srdjan Bojovic (Serbia) , Vasilije Isajev (Serbia), Saša Orlovic (Serbia), Rudolf Bruchánik (Slovakia), Roman Longauer (Slovakia), Ladislav Paule (Slovakia), Gregor Bozič (Slovenia), Robert Brus (Slovenia), Katarina Celič (Slovenia), Hojka Kraigher (Slovenia), Andrej Verlič (Slovenia), Marjana Westergren (Slovenia), Ricardo Alía (Spain), Josefa Fernández-López (Spain), Luis Gil Sanchez (Spain), Pablo Gonzalez Goicoechea (Spain), Santiago C. González-Martínez (Spain), Sonia Martin Albertos (Spain), Eduardo Notivol Paino (Spain), María Arantxa Prada (Spain), Alvaro Soto de Viana (Spain), Lennart Ackzell (Sweden), Jonas Bergquist (Sweden), Sanna Black-Samuelsson (Sweden), Jonas Cedergren (Sweden), Gösta Eriksson (Sweden), Markus Bolliger (Switzerland), Felix Gugerli (Switzerland), Rolf Holderegger (Switzerland), Peter Rotach (Switzerland), Marcus Ulber (Switzerland), Sven M.G. de Vries (The Netherlands), Khouja Mohamed Larbi (Tunisia), Murat Alan (Turkey), Gaye Kandemir (Turkey), Gursel Karagöz (Turkey), Zeki Kaya (Turkey), Hasan Özer (Turkey), Hacer Semerci (Turkey), Ferit Toplu (Turkey), Mykola M. Vedmid (Ukraine), Roman T. Volosyanchuk (Ukraine), Stuart A'Hara (United Kingdom), Joan Cottrell (United Kingdom), Colin Edwards (United Kingdom), Michael Frankis (United Kingdom), Jason Hubert (United Kingdom), Karen Russell (United Kingdom), C.J.A. Samuel (United Kingdom).
Status of Salix alba conservation in Europe
White willow is highly polymorphic and has high allelic diversity, heterozygosity, and genetic diversity both within and between populations, as expected from a dioecious species with seed dispersed by wind and water (Rungis et al., 2017; Değirmenci et al., 2021). Larger populations in intact habitats were shown to have the highest genetic diversity in Türkiye, although Turkish populations do show evidence of genetic bottlenecking in the recent past (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019).
Human-mediated migration of seeds or vegetative material may have increased the species’ genetic diversity and heterozygosity but also reduced genetic differentiation between distant populations (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019). Despite this, white willow shows some genetic grouping. For example, Turkish populations were grouped into five different genetic groups, with geographically close populations typically clustering into the same group (Değirmenci et al., 2021). However, across Europe genetic differentiation between populations is low and gene flow is moderate (Meneghetti et al., 2007).
Genetic diversity in white willow is not evenly distributed between or within river systems (Değirmenci et al., 2021). Genetic diversity is expected to be higher in midstream and downstream populations of white willow than in upstream populations, but in Türkiye only midstream populations have higher genetic diversity (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019). This could be because downstream populations have been fragmented and damaged by human activity (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019). White willow populations in different river basins are often genetically differentiated. In Türkiye, this may be because such populations originate from different founder populations (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019). However, genetic differences correlate with geographic distance. This may be because white willow seeds have a short period of viability, making long-distance gene flow difficult and further isolating fragmented subpopulations (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019; Değirmenci et al., 2021). Some research shows an absence of significant isolation by distance, suggesting barriers to gene flow between river systems are from geographical and/or ecological barriers (e.g., climatic differences), or past fragmentation (Değirmenci et al., 2021).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Hybridization between willow (Salix) species is common, with many hybrids being artificially produced, and cultivars of white willow being in use for a long time, increasing the level of artificial hybridization the species has experienced in its history (Meneghetti et al., 2007; Rungis et al., 2017). The taxonomic status and identification of cultivars, subspecies, or species is thus disputed and difficult (Rungis et al., 2017).
White willow is closely related to crack willow (Salix fragilis), and the two species may share common ancestry (Meneghetti et al., 2007). Hybrids and introgression between white willow and crack willow do occur but are rare, typically with fertilization by white willow pollen (Meneghetti et al., 2007; Rungis et al., 2017). However, white willow and crack willow are genetically distinct and well differentiated, suggesting that introgressive hybridization is not widespread (Meneghetti et al., 2007; Rungis et al., 2017).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
High genetic diversity and sexual and vegetative reproductive capacity in white willow suggests the species will be resilient to habitat fragmentation and climate change (Değirmenci et al., 2021). However, many willow habitats in river systems have been highly fragmented, damaged, or removed by human activities such as dam construction, urbanization, and agriculture (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019).
White willow is useful in phytoremediation of riverbanks, ecosystem rehabilitation, and short-rotation plantations for biomass production, making its future management and conservation key to protect the species against future threats (Değirmenci et al., 2021). In situ conservation should prioritize populations with high genetic diversity and/or unique alleles. Larger populations of white willow on river systems have higher genetic diversity than smaller populations and thus could be targeted for future genetic resource conservation or selection (Değirmenci, Acar, and Kaya, 2019). Ex situ conservation is also necessary to capture genetic resources from isolated populations and distinct genetic clusters for future breeding and restoration before genetic resources are further damaged by human activities (Değirmenci et al., 2021).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Genetic Characterisation of Salix alba and its GCUs
Availability of FRM
FOREMATIS
Contacts of experts
NA
Further reading
Orlović, S., Pajević, S., Klašnja, B., Galić, Z., and Marković, M. 2006. Variability of physiological and growth characteristics of white willow (Salix alba L.) clones. Genetika, 38(2): 145–152.
Triest, L., De Greef, B., Vermeersch, S., Van Slycken, J., and Coart, E. 1999. Genetic variation and putative hybridization in Salix alba and S. fragilis (Salicaceae): evidence from allozyme data. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 215: 169–187.
References
Değirmenci, F.O., Acar, P., and Kaya, Z. 2019. Consequences of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity and structure of Salix alba L. populations in two major river systems of Turkey. Tree Genetics & Genomes, 15(4): 59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-019-1365-2
Değirmenci, F.Ö., Çiftçi, A., Acar, P., and Kaya, Z. 2021. Genetic diversity and population structure of Salix alba across river systems in Turkey and their importance in conservation management. Plant Ecology & Diversity, 14(5–6): 293–304.
Meneghetti, S., Barcaccia, G., Paiero, P., and Lucchin, M. 2007. Genetic characterization of Salix alba L. and Salix fragilis L. by means of different PCR-derived marker systems. Plant Biosystems, 141(3): 283–291.
Rungis, D., Laivins, M., Gailite, A., Korica, A., Lazdina, D., Skipars, V., and Veinberga, I. 2017. Genetic analysis of Latvian Salix alba L. and hybrid populations using nuclear and chloroplast DNA markers. iForest-Biogeosciences and Forestry, 10(2): 422–429.
If you notice any error in the contents of this species page, please contact euforgen@efi.int
See details
Designed by Newtvision
