367
breeding programs. Definitions of management will mainly depend on the different
gene pool of each species, the population accessibility in private lands, and their
protection status under protected area systems or the absence of such condition.
Cedrela angustifolia still maintains important populations in many streams, in
places with low accessibility. In addition, some populations are preserved within
national or provincial natural protected areas, such as Calilegua National Park,
Baritú National Park, El Nogalar National Reserve, and La Florida Provincial Park,
respectively. The researches described in this chapter allowed us to propose priority
areas to be preserved for safeguard the remnant gene pool of C. angustifolia (Inza
et al. 2012) and also to provide a guide for appropriate sources of propagation material compatible with domestication and breeding purposes. Populations of C. angustifolia were assigned to three different priority areas for conservation, according to
its contribution to the total genetic diversity and uniqueness as suggested by Petit
et al. (1998). Baritú and La Florida populations were considered as maximum-priority populations because they have the highest diversity and exclusive genetic variants not present in the remaining Argentine populations. Fortunately, Baritú is a
national park nowadays, but La Florida as a provincial park has a lower conservation status. As first conclusion, the preservation status of La Florida should be
increased, and the use of both Baritú and La Florida protected areas should be
restricted to research purposes. Second, we assigned northern populations of the
Yungas, located in UBRB, to a high-priority conservation area due to their high
levels of genetic diversity and differentiation. Thus, it is advisable to promote the
protection status of El Nogalar National Reserve (including educational and tourism
purposes), as well as to turn to sustainable forest management those forests located
on private lands like San Andrés locality.
Maximum and high-priority areas are in agreement with the two areas proposed
by Brown et al. (2006) for biodiversity conservation of the Yungas, and the efforts
of species conservation should focus here. Eight remaining populations of central
and southern Yungas were considered as belonging to a medium-priority area of
conservation because of their moderate to low genetic diversity. However, they
should have proper management considering their genetic differentiation (between
them and with northern populations) and their critical locations. Los Pizarros is
located on the southern edge of the natural range of C. angustifolia, and Metán
population can act as stepping stone for gene flow between central and southern Yungas.
the increase of the protection status of La Florida Provincial Park and El Nogalar
National Reserve, as well as, the use restriction of Baritú National Park only for
research should be considered. Nevertheless, conservation only with protected areas
is not enough. Thus, a sustainable forest management on private lands is required to
preserve remaining C. angustifolia gene pool, which ensures evolutionary processes
for species adaptation to changing environmental conditions and social requirements for conservation and domestication purposes.
Cedrela balansae exhibits a more critical situation than C. angustifolia. The species occurs in the lower altitudinal stratum of the Yungas, which facilitates the
accessibility to its populations. Moreover, most of the remaining populations are
located on private lands at marginal locations of protected areas; only one of the
13 Patterns of Neutral Genetic Variation for High-Value Cedar Species…
breeding programs. Definitions of management will mainly depend on the different
gene pool of each species, the population accessibility in private lands, and their
protection status under protected area systems or the absence of such condition.
Cedrela angustifolia still maintains important populations in many streams, in
places with low accessibility. In addition, some populations are preserved within
national or provincial natural protected areas, such as Calilegua National Park,
Baritú National Park, El Nogalar National Reserve, and La Florida Provincial Park,
respectively. The researches described in this chapter allowed us to propose priority
areas to be preserved for safeguard the remnant gene pool of C. angustifolia (Inza
et al. 2012) and also to provide a guide for appropriate sources of propagation material compatible with domestication and breeding purposes. Populations of C. angustifolia were assigned to three different priority areas for conservation, according to
its contribution to the total genetic diversity and uniqueness as suggested by Petit
et al. (1998). Baritú and La Florida populations were considered as maximum-priority populations because they have the highest diversity and exclusive genetic variants not present in the remaining Argentine populations. Fortunately, Baritú is a
national park nowadays, but La Florida as a provincial park has a lower conservation status. As first conclusion, the preservation status of La Florida should be
increased, and the use of both Baritú and La Florida protected areas should be
restricted to research purposes. Second, we assigned northern populations of the
Yungas, located in UBRB, to a high-priority conservation area due to their high
levels of genetic diversity and differentiation. Thus, it is advisable to promote the
protection status of El Nogalar National Reserve (including educational and tourism
purposes), as well as to turn to sustainable forest management those forests located
on private lands like San Andrés locality.
Maximum and high-priority areas are in agreement with the two areas proposed
by Brown et al. (2006) for biodiversity conservation of the Yungas, and the efforts
of species conservation should focus here. Eight remaining populations of central
and southern Yungas were considered as belonging to a medium-priority area of
conservation because of their moderate to low genetic diversity. However, they
should have proper management considering their genetic differentiation (between
them and with northern populations) and their critical locations. Los Pizarros is
located on the southern edge of the natural range of C. angustifolia, and Metán
population can act as stepping stone for gene flow between central and southern Yungas.
the increase of the protection status of La Florida Provincial Park and El Nogalar
National Reserve, as well as, the use restriction of Baritú National Park only for
research should be considered. Nevertheless, conservation only with protected areas
is not enough. Thus, a sustainable forest management on private lands is required to
preserve remaining C. angustifolia gene pool, which ensures evolutionary processes
for species adaptation to changing environmental conditions and social requirements for conservation and domestication purposes.
Cedrela balansae exhibits a more critical situation than C. angustifolia. The species occurs in the lower altitudinal stratum of the Yungas, which facilitates the
accessibility to its populations. Moreover, most of the remaining populations are
located on private lands at marginal locations of protected areas; only one of the
13 Patterns of Neutral Genetic Variation for High-Value Cedar Species…