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 Pinus heldreichii conservation in Europe
Bosnian pine has low genetic diversity and high genetic differentiation, with Italian populations having lower genetic diversity than Greek populations (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008). In some Bosnian pine populations, 88% of genetic variation is within populations (Naydenov et al., 2005). The species is patchily distributed and many populations, such as those in Italy, are small and isolated, which has resulted in a loss of genetic diversity through random genetic drift and mating among relatives (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008; Hodžić et al., 2020). Being a pioneer species, Bosnian pine is self-fertile. This is a selective advantage when pollen flow is low, such as during recolonization after fires, but also tends to reduce genetic diversity (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008).
Bosnian pine populations show high genetic and morphological variation between populations in Greece, central Europe, and Italy, even among populations in close geographical proximity (Naydenov et al., 2005). The species shows geographic genetic structuring, with a strong correlation between seed morphological traits and latitude, longitude, and altitude, and a significant correlation between morphological variation and geographic distances (Hodžić et al., 2020). Several factors have contributed to genetic differentiation in Bosnian pine, including the long isolation of populations in glacial refugia and the long distances between them, which resulted in the tree adapting to different and extreme climatic conditions. Small effective population sizes after glacial depression, different fire regimes, and human disturbance have also contributed to the species’ genetic differentiation (Naydenov et al., 2005; Hodžić et al., 2020).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Italian and Greek populations of Bosnian pine were at one time considered different species: Pinus heldreichii and Pinus leucodermis. However, they have since been identified as belonging to the same genetic lineage, with divergence among peripheral Italian stands being as large as between Italian and Greek stands (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008). Some authors identify four botanical varieties of Bosnian pine – Pinus heldreichii var. typica, Pinus heldreichii var. leucodermis, Pinus heldreichii var. pancici, and Pinus heldreichii var. longiseminis, – and these, along with interspecific hybrids, and intermediate and transitional forms, make Bosnian pine taxonomy confusing (Nikolić et al., 2015).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Bosnian pine is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of threatened species as a Species of Least Concern but may be subject to local risks such as illegal logging (Hodžić et al., 2020). The natural distribution of Bosnian pine is currently very limited and fragmented, and forest fires can reduce population sizes, with consequent losses in seedling genetic diversity, limiting gene flow and increasing genetic drift (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008). Intensive grazing reduces natural regeneration and may also lead to local extinction when adult trees die (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008).
Protected areas such as national parks are effective conservation measures already in use (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008). However, conservation must consider social, economic, and legal issues, and there is a need to compile knowledge on existing forest genetic resources. This information is available for the Italian and Greek populations but is still lacking for the rest of the natural range (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008).
Exotic Bosnian pine material should not be grown in the vicinity of remaining natural stands, and natural regeneration should be monitored and assisted by sowing locally collected seeds if needed (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008). Ex situ conservation should be used if forests are under pressure or if their genetic resources are of particular interest (for example marginal Italian populations) (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008). Given the high level of self-fertilization, inbreeding, and low outcrossing rates of this species, seeds should be collected from many trees that are at least 100 m apart (Vendramin, Fineschi, and Fady, 2008; Hodžić et al., 2020).
The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in August 2024.
Genetic Characterisation of Pinus heldreichii and its GCUs
Availability of FRM
FOREMATIS
Pinus heldreichii syn. Pinus leucodermis - Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use for Bosnian pine
Publication Year: 2008The main strategy adopted so far for the conservation of this species is linked with national parks and other protected areas. In Bulgaria for example, Bosnian pine is conserved in the Pirin National Park (where a 1200- year-old tree has been recorded) and in the Slavyanka Biosphere Reserve which includes the largest Bosnian pine habitat on the Balkan Peninsula. In Albania, 159 ha of P. heldreichii are located within national parks and recently established integrated nature reserves. In Italy, Bosnian pine is conserved in the Pollino National Park and Serbia has three natural reserves for the species. Throughout the former Yugoslavian republics, Bosnian pine is a protected species.
Conserving the diversity of Bosnian pine must include not only ecological and genetic considerations at local and landscape scales but also social, economic and legal issues. While national parks and nature reserves are a necessary first step for conserving this species, another indispensable step is acquiring and compiling knowledge on existing forest genetic resources. This information is available for the Italian and Greek populations but is still lacking for the rest of the natural range.
Designating in situ gene conservation units where appropriate forest management strategies are used is an efficient way of conserving the genetic resources of a target species, while making evolutionary changes possible over time. Genetic diversity and adaptability can be conserved from one generation to the next by conserving sufficiently large populations of locally adapted trees and allowing natural regeneration from a large-enough number of parents. Forest stands of more than 20 hectares, established from local seed sources and managed for nature conservation, could qualify as gene conservation units for Bosnian pine.
Exotic or unknown Bosnian pine material should not be grown within the remaining stands or in their vicinity. Natural regeneration should be closely monitored and assisted by sowing locally collected seeds if needed.
Bosnian pine also needs to be protected from two common man-made disturbances: forest fires and over-grazing. The Italian populations are under a particularly intense threat from both. Fires can cause rapid and drastic reduction of the population size by killing adult trees with consequent losses in seedling genetic diversity and adaptive potential. Intensive grazing prevents natural regeneration and may also lead to local extinction when adult trees die.
Ex situ conservation should be used if forests are under pressure or if their genetic resources are of particular interest (for example the marginal Italian populations). Ex situ stands must be established with care to represent the original genetic diversity of a population. Given the high inbreeding and low outcrossing rates of this species, ideally seeds should be collected from a large number of trees (approx. 100) and from trees growing at least 100 meters apart. Ecological conditions of the ex situ conservation site should be comparable to those of the original sites, possibly with lower environmental stress. Such an ex situ collection exists in southern Italy (Pollino mountain, Calabria), covering approximately 60 hectares.
Contacts of experts
NA
Further reading
No available research.
References
Hodžić, M.M., Hajrudinović-Bogunić, A., Bogunić, F., Marku, V., and Ballian, D. 2020. Geographic variation of Pinus heldreichii Christ from the Western Balkans based on cone and seed morphology. Dendrobiology, 84: 81–93.
Naydenov, K.D., Tremblay, F.M., Bergeron, Y., Alexandrov, A., and Fenton, N. 2005. Dissimilar patterns of Pinus heldreichii Christ. populations in Bulgaria revealed by chloroplast microsatellites and terpenes analysis. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 33(2): 133–148.
Nikolić, B., Ristić, M., Bojović, S., Krivošej, Z., Matevski, V., and Marin, P.D. 2015. Population variability of essential oils of Pinus heldreichii from the Scardo‐Pindic Mountains Ošljak and Galičica. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 12(2): 295–308.
Vendramin, G.G., Fineschi, S., and Fady, B. 2008. EUFORGEN Technical Guidelines for genetic conservation and use for Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii). Rome, Bioversity International. 6 pages.
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