Allozyme variation in natural populations of Eurasian pines. IV. Population structure and genetic variation in geographically related and isolated populations of Pinus nigra Arnold on the Crimean Peninsula

Eight natural populations of Pinus nigra ARN, occurring on the Crimean peninsula were investigated by starch-gel electrophoresis. A total of 70 alleles were observed at 24 loci. Interpopulation genetic diversity was about 2% of the total genetic diversity. NEI's genetic distance coefficient ranged from 0.005 to 0.022 among populations and averaged 0.012. The level of gene flow was 18.98 migrants per generation. The results of the analysis of gene diversity, genetic differentiation and gene flow demonstrated that the P. nigra populations studied had similar genetic structures. Estimated parameters of genetic variation showed that in P. nigra more than 66% of loci were polymorphic and the mean expected and observed heterozygosity values were 0.248 and 0.241, respectively, which allowed to regard the P. nigra as one of the most highly variable members of the genus Pinus.