Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/A/S/2003/00356
Genetic diversity of tree populations in the Balkans, with implications for refugial structure.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr B Emerson, University of East Anglia, Biological Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor PC Tzedakis, University College London, Geography
- Grant held at:
- University of East Anglia, Biological Sciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Earth
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Global Change
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Palaeobiology
- Quaternary Science
- Population Genetics/Evolution
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- The world's biodiversity has been moulded by the Quaternary ice ages. These repeated major oscillations in climate caused species to move their ranges, adapt or go extinct. They have also promoted diversification. For temperate Europe the southern peninsulas of Iberia, Italy and the Balkans are seen to be particularly important as refugia during the ice ages, where species survived and from whence our present day biota colonized. The Balkan Peninsula is particularly rich in species and genetic races. It has a fossil record through the ice ages, and genetic studies indicate that many species colonized northward from there. There is much debate currently about the spatial and genetic structure of refugia, and the source of colonists for the rest of Europe. This project seeks to combine recent fossil pollen results, which identify refugial sites in the Last Glacial Maximum (20000ya) in Greece and the Balkans, with genetic studies using DNA sequence analysis of trees from refugial and non refugial sites. The oak and hornbeam are chosen as exemplars of temperate species with good fossil records. Informative chloroplast DNA regions will be identified and sequenced automatically for 1000 trees. This large dataset will be analysed by modern computer-based methods that take advantage of the sequence information. These analyses will allow us to test hypotheses concerning the structure and dynamics of refugial areas, and their role in colonizing non-refugial areas in the Balkans and then across Europe. These results will be of general relevance to understanding refugia worldwide, and particularly for conservation strategies in Europe.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/A/S/2003/00356
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £200,083
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - T&S | Total - Other Costs | Total - Equipment | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £85,532 | £17,434 | £39,932 | £17,840 | £39,346 |
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