engleski

Morphological variability of Ulmus glabra Huds. in northwestern Croatia

Threats to biodiversity of European elms can be mainly attributed to the destruction of habitat by exploitation of natural goods, introduction of new elm species and spontaneous hybridization with ornamental species. The great danger lies in extremely high susceptibility of elms of the Ulmus Heybr. section to the Ophiostoma novo-ulmi Brasier pathogenic fungus, which has resulted in immense dieback of adult trees throughout Europe. In this research, our goal was to assess interpopulation and intrapopulation variability of the wych elm in northwestern Croatia. Material for the morphometric analysis was sampled in 5 natural populations (Ivanščica, Kalnik, Macelj, Medvednica, Strahinščica). We measured 10 foliar morphological traits and analysed data by means of modern multivariate statistical methods. Overall variability coefficient ranged from 11, 95 % for angle between the main leaf vein and the line defined by the leaf base, and the point of the leaf edge where leaf lamina is widest to 52, 50 % for the leaf base asymmetry trait. Partitioning of variance indicated that differences among trees in a single population accounted for the most of variability determined. Accordingly, the amount of variation attributable to differences among populations was considerably smaller. Cluster analysis and UPGMA dendrogram proved that the most similar populations were Ivanščica and Strahinščica, followed by population Macelj, whereas populations Kalnik and Medvednica formed distant group.

Ulmus glabra; morphological traits; interpopulational variability; intrapopulational variability; Croatia

nije evidentirano