On the genetic variability in Taxus baccata

A few days ago, prof. Dr. Josep A. Rosselló (see photo), one of the most cellebrated specialists in Mediterranean plant philogeography, gave a lecture about its results on the study of the genetic variability in Valencian populations of Taxus baccata L., one of the most threatened species because of the climate warming. The conference as presented in the CIEF, in the frame of inner training related with SEMCLIMED project activities.
After a 3-years study, financed by the Generalitat Valenciana (also co-financed in 2005 and 2006 by the European Commission through the LIFE-Nature on Valencian high-mountain habitats), Dr. Rosselló concluded that the populations show low levels of variability, but that those living in Iberian and Baetic mountain systems show significant differences and their genetic material (i.e. seeds for reafforestation) must not be mixed.