Criterion – V: Genetic Diversity is Maintained

Consultant's Initials:

JL

Source:

CIFOR

 

Identification No. in source:

1.3

 

Final Identification No. (as reported in final list):

V

Class:

Ecological/

biophysical

Recommendation (after field testing)

Yes

Box A:

Enter the selected criterion as stated in the source document in this space:

Genetic Diversity

Box B: Attributes

Rated on a scale of 1-5, where 1=no/bad/unimportant and 5=yes/good/important

original revised original

revised

(a)

(j)

(a)

(j)

Precisely defined? (clear)

2

3

Will it produce replicable results? (reliable)

2

4

Diagnostically specific ? (valid)

2

3

Is it applicable for all landowners?

3

3

Sensitive?

2

3

Is it applicable to other areas/ecosystems? (robust)

3

3

Easy to detect, record and interpret?

2

3

How relevant is this criterion?

3

3

Useable?

2

3

Box C:

Justify your selection of the Criterion in Box A. Please ensure you discuss its relationship to theory:

Genetic diversity is the assortment of genes that have arisen through generations of migration and selection, and have enabled those species to adapt to their native environment. Conservation of genetic diversity includes in situ (on-site) conservation of genetic diversity is provided by parks and other protected areas, genetic and ecological conservation areas, reserved stands and planned natural regeneration, as well as ex situ (off-site)conservation measures including germplasm banks, seed orchards, clonal archives (produced by grafting or other means of asexual propagation), provenance tests and arboreta.

Genetic diversity is fundamental for populations of forest dwelling organisms to be able to adapt to changing environmental conditions, and as such, it underlies species as well as ecosystem diversity. Genetic diversity is essential to allow adaptation to environmental change. Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genes coding for particular traits present in populations. Most temperate forest trees are outcrossing with long distance dispersion of gametes, resulting in high levels of genetic variability within populations but often little differentiation between neighboring populations. Other forest species have different genetic strategies and structures. Almost all forest species develop specific adaptations under spatially different environmental conditions, and these adaptations are maintained by natural selection. Important factors in maintaining adequate levels of genetic diversity to allow for continued adaptation to environmental change are population size and reproductive success (Namkoong et al, submitted).

Box D:

Provide bibliographic references (if any) which support your selection of this Criterion for evaluation:

Box E:

Please name (give the reference of) the Criterion that overlap (come closest) to the Criterion that has been selected for evaluation:

CIFOR: 1.3 – few criteria or indicators dealt with genetics

Box F:

Please record your notes on evaluating the Criterion (Box A) here:

The area of gene conservation was largely ignored in the sets of C&I tested. During the North American test, we propose 3new indicators (see Boise indicators 1.6.1, 1.6.2, 1.6.3).

 

 

Box G: Geo-Political

Evaluate the geo-political scale on which the Criterion operates. Multiple-entries are possible but care should be taken to determine the primary thrust of the criterion.

Justify:

 original revised

(a)

(j)

Global

North America

Intermountain

X

X

West

Study area

X

X

Tenure

X

X

Site

Box H: Function
Classify Criterion according to whether it refers to the structure of the system (biophysical, social or management), function of the system, describes its composition or describes perturbations to the system.

Justify:

 original revised

(a)

(j)

Structure

Function

Composition

x

x

Perturbation

Box I: Linkages

Identify linkages between Criterion, to ensure that the same or similar information is not collected twice and to ascertain whether the necessary feedback loops exist between Criterion.
The Criterion has information value for the following areas:

Ecological /

Biophysical: X

Social: -

Economic: -

Forest Mngt: X

Yield & harvest:

Does not fit: -

Box J:

Final version of Criterion, state only if different to definition in Box A:

Genetic Diversity is Maintained