In situ conservation of forest genetic resources at the locality „Duboka” in the National Park „Kopaonik” – Serbia

Abstract

In situ conservation in Serbia is mainly presented in protected areas, such as national parks. National Park „Kopaonik” is one of five national parks in Serbia, which covers a total area of 11,969.04 ha, including 13 localities with a protection regime of the first degree. Forest genetic resources in the National Park „Kopaonik“ are affected by various biotic and abiotic threats which lead to their genetic erosion. This research aimed to identify rare, endangered, relict, endemic, and vulnerable forest trees at the locality „Duboka”, to assess their degree of endangerment and propose conservation measures. The locality „Duboka” covers an area of 144.03 ha, at an altitude of between 1020 and 1780 m. By terrain reconnaissance, a total of 18 forest tree species, and 27 species in the shrub layer were identified, which indicates a significant biodiversity of this locality. Nine forest tree species belong to the categories of rare (rowan and wych elm), rare-endangered (silver birch), relict (European hop-hornbeam), endemic (Balkan maple), and vulnerable species (aspen, wild cherry, wild pear, and whitebeam) in Serbia. Among those species, it is very important to conserve the available gene pool of European hop-hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia Scop.), which is a very rare, relict species that occurs only in the locality „Duboka” in the entire area of Kopaonik, and the Balkan maple (Acer heldreichii Orph. ex Boiss.), an endemic species whose range is drastically decreasing on the entire Balkan peninsula. The measures of conservation and monitoring of individual genotypes or groups of trees have been defined, and an assessment of the variability of gene pool using genetic markers was proposed. In situ conservation units will include sites where all nine rare, endangered, relict, endemic, and vulnerable forest tree species were selected and georeferenced. The implementation of the proposed measures is expected in the following period.