Spatial genetic structure of Taxus baccata L. relict population

The English yew, Taxus baccata L. currently shows a distribution from North Africa to Europe. While its range of distribution is wide, the English yew, locally, over the last few centuries, has been reduced in small isolated populations, often comprising few scattered trees, probably due to climate change and/or anthropogenic disturbances such as overexploitation and forest fires. Therefore, it was included in several conservation actions and forests hosting English yew have been designated as protected areas by the European Community (Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC). In the Central and Northern part of Sardinia, English yew trees are scattered in the woods of oak forests. Sometimes, for example in Sos Niberos, in the Marghine mountains, we find the English yew in quite pure stands, characterized by majestic old trees. In this work, we studied the genetic structure of relict population of Taxus baccata L. on Monte Gennargentu in the Gennargentu and the Gulf of Orosei National Park, using molecular markers. The population has low genetic variability rates and the progenies analyses highlighted high levels of inbreeding thus suggesting that the isolation and fragmentation of the population are leading to genetic drift.