Genetic differentiation of Quercus robur in the South-Ural

We studied the genetic composition of 200 pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) trees at nine nuclear microsatellite gene loci. We sampled nine locations in an area of 1100 km by 400 km in the South-Ural. The question was to analyse the genetic differentiation of the oaks at the south-east edge of the species distribution area. We observed relatively high values of genetic differentiation and fixation (delta=0.387, F_ST=0.0652, F_ST(Hedrick)=0.407) compared to values from the centre of the species distribution range. Bayesian clustering analysis revealed three genetic groups. Presence of all genetic groups was detected at all locations, but oak trees in the extreme east of the Ural Mountains were genetically most different. We hypothesise that genetic drift influenced the observed pattern.