Project with University of Forestry

 

IBER is a partner in the implementing of the planned activities of the project "Structure of  Glacial refugia on the Balkan Peninsula and in Bulgaria – analysis of the model of genera Tilia and Ulmus", supported financially by the Science Fund of Bulgaria (contract № KP-06-N26/4, 07.12.2018), with base organization University of Forestry.

 

The main objective of the project is to explore the structure of the glacial refugia and to identify the micro-refugia for the tree species of the genera Tilia and Ulmus in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula.

Balkan Peninsula is one of the main European glacial refugia for many plant species.
The species were selected due to their patterns of distribution – scattered as single trees and small groups within the main forest formations.

 

The preliminary hypothesis is that in Bulgaria and in Balkan Peninsula there are several micro-refugia situated in localities where the conditions were optimal for the development of a particular species during the last glaciations. The micro-refugia will be identified by means of highly informative genetic markers: haploid markers of chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA, and nuclear genetic markers, mostly microsatellites. The identification and localization of the micro-refugia of the target species will help the elucidation of their evolution during the Holocene, on the one hand, and will serve as a basis for delineation of seed zones and conservation of their genetic resources, on the other.

The objective is specified in the following main tasks:

The studies on the glacial refugia and evolution of the species during the Holocene will provide valuable information for conservation of their genetic resources and will allow precise re-evaluation of the breeding zones for collection of reproductive material.