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 Fagus orientalis conservation in Europe
Across its range, oriental beech typically has high genetic diversity, low genetic differentiation, and high gene flow among populations (Müller et al., 2019). Genetic diversity of oriental beech is higher than related species such as European beech (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). Populations of oriental beech in Türkiye have high genetic diversity, possibly because this area contained glacial refugia (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). Populations in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran have also been shown to have high genetic diversity (Salehi, Vendramin, and Calagari, 2011). Only around 5% of genetic diversity is between populations, showing low genetic differentiation, at least in Iranian populations (Salehi, Vendramin, and Calagari, 2011). However, certain markers do indicate high genetic differentiation among populations and geographic regions, suggesting multiple origins of the oriental beech populations across its range (Salehi, Vendramin, and Calagari, 2010).
Oriental beech shows a discontinuous pattern of genetic variation as it has adapted to local conditions, such as elevation (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). In Iranian populations, a correlation between genetic differentiation or diversity and elevation was not found, which suggests gene flow along altitudinal gradients remains high (Salehi, Vendramin, and Calagari, 2011). However, significant correlation between genetic diversity and geographic distance was found, showing an isolation-by-distance effect despite homogeneous groups of populations within Iran (Salehi, Vendramin, and Calagari, 2010). Additionally, a clinal variation of increasing genetic diversity from west to east is observed within oriental beech populations, with south-eastern European populations containing higher haplotype diversity than those from western Europe (Müller et al., 2019).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
The separation of oriental beech and European beech as independent species is a recent event (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). However, their status as subspecies or species and their phylogeny still needs to be clarified, especially as no clear species-specific alleles have been identified, despite clear genetic differentiation between the two tree species (Müller et al., 2019). The morphological variance of oriental beech varies from west to east, with overlapping variability in morphological types where its distribution overlaps with European beech (Müller et al., 2019). Hybridization between the two species has occurred in the transaction zone of their ranges in Greece (Müller et al., 2019). The presence of high genetic diversity and intermediate phenotypes within oriental beech populations in Greece where the species overlaps with European beech indicates introgression has taken place (Müller et al., 2019).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
In Türkiye, many oriental beech populations are fragmented, originate from vegetative reproduction in managed stands, and have undergone improper silvicultural treatments, negatively affecting the genetic base of stands (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). Oriental beech has been cleared for agriculture and struggles to naturally regenerate under dense vegetation cover or on steep slopes, limiting its current distribution (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). Oriental beech also rarely has mast years and suffers from diseases and predators of seeds and seedlings, meaning artificial regeneration is often necessary (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009).
Oriental beech forests that have undergone extensive management and vegetative propagation should be gradually regenerated through seedlings rather than stem sprouting (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). This allows preservation of genetic resources, which is important for genetic variation and conservation of biological diversity. Preservation of existing populations should be a priority (Güney, Turna, and Kulaç, 2022). Vegetative reproduction is possible but not easy on a mass scale in oriental beech, demonstrating the importance of seed collection (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009).
Setting up seed stands and gene conservation forests as part of in situ programmes will ensure genetic diversity is conserved (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009). The minimum requirement for in situ programmes is that the origin of the reproductive material is known, and its adaptive characters are appropriate for the ecological conditions at the regeneration site, with attention given to altitude zones and geographic distances (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009; Güney, Turna, and Kulaç, 2022). A system for the control of reproductive material should be applied and recommendations for proper use of different reproductive material should be developed (Kandemir and Kaya, 2009).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Genetic Characterisation of Fagus orientalis and its GCUs
Availability of FRM
FOREMATIS
Fagus orientalis - Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use for oriental beech
Publication Year: 2009Conservation of oriental beech genetic resources is carried out mainly by setting up seed stands and gene conservation forests as part of in situ programmes. Seed collected from these areas can be used for reforestation following the seed transfer zones. Furthermore, there are other conservation programmes such as national parks and nature conservation areas which harbour oriental beech stands that can be used as seed sources. There is no information concerning ex situ conservation of oriental beech genetic resources. In reforestation programmes the minimum requirement should be that the origin of the reproductive material is known and its adaptive characters should be appropriate for the ecological conditions at the regeneration site. For this purpose, the “Guidelines for oriental beech seed transfer zones”, (Atalay, 1992) based on climate, soil and bedrock characteristics could be used until new seed transfer guidelines are prepared. These guidelines were prepared for the natural range of oriental beech in Turkey, but could be used as a reference by neighbouring countries.
A system for the control of reproductive material should be applied and recommendations for proper use of different reproductive material should be developed. The Council Directive 1999/105/EC on the marketing of forest reproductive material provides basic definitions of current categories of reproductive material. In years with abundant seed of oriental beech, seed lots should be harvested and stored in sufficient amounts, even though it is expensive and difficult to maintain the viability of seeds in storage.
Seed stands alone may not fulfil the actual requirements for the conservation of genetic resources of oriental beech, especially those populations located in extreme habitats and refuge areas. Therefore, there may be a need for gene conservation forests to be set up from natural stands and managed according to proper silvicultural plans, to ensure the potential for successful natural regeneration. The objective is to maintain the potential for continuous future evolution of the population. It has been suggested that gene conservation forests should cover certain minimum areas in order to maintain sufficient amounts of genetic variability. An approximate estimate would be 100 ha including core and buffer zones. However, the area could be smaller to conserve locally adapted populations. Such forests may also contain other tree species if they are admixed with oriental beech.
The establishment of ex situ conservation plantations of oriental beech may be necessary in order to conserve the genetic variation of threatened populations that cannot be maintained at the original site, such as relic populations. The objective will be to establish a new population that maintains as much as possible of the original genetic variability and allows long-term adaptation to the local conditions at the planting site. It can be established by planting seedlings, but also by direct sowing. Stands of 10 ha are generally recommended for this purpose.
Social Broadleaves Network: Report of the fifth meeting (Temperate Oaks and Beech network)
Social Broadleaves Network: Report of the third meeting
Social Broadleaves Network: Report of the second meeting
Social Broadleaves Network: Report of the first meeting
Contacts of experts
NA
Further reading
N/A
References
Güney, D., Turna, İ., and Kulaç, Ş. 2022. Effects of geoclimatic features on morphogenetic variability in Fagus orientalis. Austrian Journal of Forest Science, 139(4): 289–318.
Kandemir, G. and Kaya, Z. 2009. EUFORGEN Technical Guidelines for genetic conservation and use of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis). Rome, Bioversity International. 6 pp.
Müller, M., Lopez, P.A., Papageorgiou, A.C., Tsiripidis, I., and Gailing, O. 2019. Indications of genetic admixture in the transition zone between Fagus sylvatica L. and Fagus sylvatica ssp. orientalis Greut. & Burd. Diversity, 11(6): 90. https://doi.org/10.3390/d11060090
Salehi, S.P., Vendramin, G.G., and Calagari, M. 2010. Genetic diversity and differentiation of Fagus orientalis Lipsky in Hyrcanian forests revealed by nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers. Conservation Genetics, 11: 2321–2331.
Salehi, S.P., Vendramin, G.G., and Calagari, M. 2011. Altitudinal genetic variations among the Fagus orientalis Lipsky populations in Iran. Iranian Journal of Biotechnology, 9(1): 11–20.
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