487
with ostensibly superior productive qualities: Campo Durán. This provenance
belongs to the “Salteño” morphotype of the species, which differs from the
“Chaqueño” and “Santiagueño” morphotypes (the former has a much smaller distribution range in Argentina) (Verga et al. 2009). Its excellent productive performance
in the multiple environments in which it has been tested (it even exhibits better
growth than the local morphotypes; López Lauenstein et al. 2019; see Chap. 10)
encourages its cultivation throughout the region. However, we still do not know if
this outstanding behavior during the first years of implantation (the oldest trials with
this provenance are 7 years old) will continue until the final cutting. Likewise, we
have no knowledge about the tolerance of this genetic pool to withstand possible
extreme climatic events of low recurrence that might characterize the implantation
sites but do not occur at the home environment.
Returning to the dilemma between authenticity and functionality, the balance
between these two objectives can be found by resorting to the definition and use of
Operational Genetic Management Units (OGMU: Pastorino and Gallo 2009;
Pastorino et al. 2015). These are groups of geographically contiguous natural populations with a certain genetic similarity, which are expected to respond similarly to
a given management decision. Among those management decisions is the use of
their genetic pools for planting the species in a specific site. In other words, it is
expected that the genetic pools of the different provenances of an OGMU will show
the same adaptation and adaptability to a plantation site considered.
A first approach to the OGMU definition can be based on genetic information
provided by neutral genetic markers. The OGMU obtained in this way are what we
call Genetic Zones (GZ). Although neutral markers allow us to deduce demostochastic processes and thus reconstruct the demographic history of the populations that comprise the species, they do not provide information about adaptation
processes they have undergone or about their adaptability to future conditions. For
this, information based on adaptive markers or variation in quantitative traits, that is,
with expression in the phenotype, should be added. We called Provenance Regions
(PR) to the OGMU so defined. Alternatively, we can infer PR through the environmental conditions of each natural population, assuming that adaptation of the last
generation to those conditions by itself alone modulates the genetic pools of each
population (e.g., Vergara 2000).
According to its definition, each of the OGMU comprises multiple natural populations. In this way, applying the concept of authenticity at the OGMU level, instead
of restricting it to the population level, would allow mixing the genetic pools of
different populations and thus gain genetic diversity even while maintaining a
genetic pool with its own identity (Pastorino et al. 2017). We have started to walk
the path of OGMU definition in Argentina with species such as Austrocedrus chilensis (Pastorino and Gallo 2009; Pastorino et al. 2015; see Chap. 6), Nothofagus
alpina and Nothofagus obliqua (Azpilicueta et al. 2013, 2017; see Chaps. 3 and 4),
and Nothofagus pumilio and Nothofagus antarctica (Soliani et al. 2017; see Chap. 5).
The definition of OGMU can also be useful to guide the selection of suitable
provenances for a plantation site when the local provenance no longer exists, or as
18 Questions, Perspectives and Final Considerations of Planting Native Species…
with ostensibly superior productive qualities: Campo Durán. This provenance
belongs to the “Salteño” morphotype of the species, which differs from the
“Chaqueño” and “Santiagueño” morphotypes (the former has a much smaller distribution range in Argentina) (Verga et al. 2009). Its excellent productive performance
in the multiple environments in which it has been tested (it even exhibits better
growth than the local morphotypes; López Lauenstein et al. 2019; see Chap. 10)
encourages its cultivation throughout the region. However, we still do not know if
this outstanding behavior during the first years of implantation (the oldest trials with
this provenance are 7 years old) will continue until the final cutting. Likewise, we
have no knowledge about the tolerance of this genetic pool to withstand possible
extreme climatic events of low recurrence that might characterize the implantation
sites but do not occur at the home environment.
Returning to the dilemma between authenticity and functionality, the balance
between these two objectives can be found by resorting to the definition and use of
Operational Genetic Management Units (OGMU: Pastorino and Gallo 2009;
Pastorino et al. 2015). These are groups of geographically contiguous natural populations with a certain genetic similarity, which are expected to respond similarly to
a given management decision. Among those management decisions is the use of
their genetic pools for planting the species in a specific site. In other words, it is
expected that the genetic pools of the different provenances of an OGMU will show
the same adaptation and adaptability to a plantation site considered.
A first approach to the OGMU definition can be based on genetic information
provided by neutral genetic markers. The OGMU obtained in this way are what we
call Genetic Zones (GZ). Although neutral markers allow us to deduce demostochastic processes and thus reconstruct the demographic history of the populations that comprise the species, they do not provide information about adaptation
processes they have undergone or about their adaptability to future conditions. For
this, information based on adaptive markers or variation in quantitative traits, that is,
with expression in the phenotype, should be added. We called Provenance Regions
(PR) to the OGMU so defined. Alternatively, we can infer PR through the environmental conditions of each natural population, assuming that adaptation of the last
generation to those conditions by itself alone modulates the genetic pools of each
population (e.g., Vergara 2000).
According to its definition, each of the OGMU comprises multiple natural populations. In this way, applying the concept of authenticity at the OGMU level, instead
of restricting it to the population level, would allow mixing the genetic pools of
different populations and thus gain genetic diversity even while maintaining a
genetic pool with its own identity (Pastorino et al. 2017). We have started to walk
the path of OGMU definition in Argentina with species such as Austrocedrus chilensis (Pastorino and Gallo 2009; Pastorino et al. 2015; see Chap. 6), Nothofagus
alpina and Nothofagus obliqua (Azpilicueta et al. 2013, 2017; see Chaps. 3 and 4),
and Nothofagus pumilio and Nothofagus antarctica (Soliani et al. 2017; see Chap. 5).
The definition of OGMU can also be useful to guide the selection of suitable
provenances for a plantation site when the local provenance no longer exists, or as
18 Questions, Perspectives and Final Considerations of Planting Native Species…