Comparative study of genetic variation and differentiation of two pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) stands using microsatellite and allozyme loci

Abstract

In a comparative study four codominant microsatellite loci and seven allozyme gene loci have been used to investigate the genetic variation and differentiation of two pedunculate oak stands in North Germany. Both number and effective number of alleles were five to six times higher and the observed heterozygosity was three times higher for the microsatellite than for the allozyme loci. One stand showed an overall excess of homozygotes. In general the microsatellites were closer to Hardy–Weinberg expectation. The genetic distances between the two stands were distinctly higher for microsatellites. For most parameters microsatellites exhibited smaller interlocus variation than the allozymes. The different impact of population genetic processes on the genetic structure as assessed by microsatellites or allozymes is discussed.