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seed genetics



though i am no geneticist to say the least, it is obvious that by virtue
of sexual reproduction each individual in a population is genetically
unique.  The same is true of populations within a meta-population or
region--each population is genetically distinct.  The question really is
one of degree--how distinct are they from eachother?  Though it can never
hurt to use site-specific seed and plant material, more often than not for
any given species, the severity of this genetic differentiation is
unknown.  For restoration I think the attitude has been "better safe than
sorry", and this is good but clearly not scientific. 

Furthermore, regarding the northernmost Big Tree groves in Placer Big
Trees, there are several young individuals which were planted by an
ambitious and well-meaning group years ago, but the seed was from southern
groves of Sequoiadendron.  Lately there has been a lot of noise about
removing the imports, so that their pollen does not sire north-south Big
Tree offspring.  Again, probably better safe than sorry, but does anyone
know for sure that the infusion of some slightly different genome into
this grove will be detrimental?  Is nature as simple as that?  The
variables are so many, not just mean annual temp. or mean July temp., that
we can't possibly know until we try.  I don't advocate vigilanteism with
regard to the genetics of California's populations of all species, but
gene flow is natural, even if we sometimes drive it...

dan segal
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