Genesis of the karelian birch. an ecogenetic hypothesis

Abstract

Relying on the analysis of data from the literature and own findings the authors develop and specify the previously postulated ecological-genetic hypothesis of the curly birch origins, which is based on the concept of interactions between specific natural-climatic factors and conditions in the north-western continental Europe during so-called Little Ice Age (LIA), the high genetic polymorphism, and the adaptive nature of many anatomical-morphological traits and physiological-biochemical characteristics of the representatives of the genus Betula L. growing in the area. The various facts and observations in favour of the ecological-genetic hypothesis of the origins of curly birch are reported.

Keywords

curly (Karelian) birch Betula pendula Roth var. Carelica (Merclin) Hämet-Ahti / origins / north-western continental Europe / natural-climatic factors / polymorphism / adaptation

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Vetchinnikova L.V., Titov A.F.