High Nuclear Genetic Diversity, High Levels of Outcrossing and Low Differentiation Among Remnant Populations of Quercus petraea at the Margin of its Range in Ireland

Abstract

Consistent with a large effective population size in the historical migrant gene pool and/or with high gene flow among populations, high within-population diversity and low population differentiation was observed within Ireland. It is proposed that native Q. petraea populations in Ireland share a common phylogeographic history and that the present genetic structure does not reflect founder effects.