Genetic Analysis of Superior Clones and Identification of Specific Marker of Elite Clones of Pinus kesiya

In the present study, the genetic distances between 85 superior clones from seven natural populations of Pinus kesiya var. langbianensis were analyzed by RAPD-PCR assays, and then, a UPGMA cluster diagram was established based on the genetic distances to reveal their genetic relationship. In addition, specific markers of elite clones were identified by carefully comparing the fingerprints of the 85 clones. The results showed that the 85 P. kesiya clones were divided into three groups at a genetic distance of 0.59. Two specific markers that were able to distinguish some elite clones from others were identified. The results may provide a molecular basis for the identification and selection of elite clones of Pinus kesiya var. langbianensis.

Incorporating topographic factors in nonlinear mixed-effects models for aboveground biomass of natural Simao pine in Yunnan,China

A total of 128 Simao pine trees （Pinus kesiya var. langbianensis） from three regions of Pu＇er City, Yunnan Province, People＇s Republic of China, were destructively sampled to obtain tree aboveground biomass （AGB）. Tree variables such as diameter at breast height and total height, and topographical factors such as altitude, aspect of slope, and degree of slope were recorded. We considered the region and site quality classes as the ran- dom-effects, and the topographic variables as the fixed- effects. We fitted a total of eight models as follows： least- squares nonlinear models （BM）, least-squares nonlinear models with the topographic factors （BMT）, nonlinear mixed-effects models with region as single random-effects （NLME-RE）, nonlinear mixed-effects models with site as single random-effects （NLME-SE）, nonlinear mixed-ef- fects models with the two-level nested region and site random-effects （TLNLME）, NLME-RE with the fixed-ef- fects of topographic factors （NLMET-RE）, NLME-SE with the fixed-effects of topographic factors （NLMET-SE）, and TLNLME with the fixed-effects of topographic factors （TLNLMET）. The eight models were compared by modelfitting and prediction statistics. The results showed： model fitting was improved by considering random-effects of region or site, or both. The models with the fixed-effects of topographic factors had better model fitting. According to AIC and BIC, the model fitting was ranked as TLNLME 〉 NLMET-RE 〉 NLME-RE.〉 NLMET-SE 〉 TLNLMET 〉 NLME-SE 〉 BMT 〉 BM. The differences among these models for model prediction were small. The model pre- diction was ranked as TLNLME 〉 NLME-RE 〉 NLME- SE 〉 NLMET-RE 〉 NLMET-SE 〉 TLNLMET 〉 BMT 〉 BM. However, all eight models had relatively high prediction precision （〉90 %）. Thus, the best model should be chosen based on the available data when using the model to predict individual tree AGB.

Growth and yield of nine pine species in Angola

A species introduction experiment including several tropical pines and eucalypts was established in 1966/1967 in the Tchianga research station in Angolan Highlands. Despite 27 years of political conflict （1975-2002） and lack of management, the research experiment has remained relatively well conserved. We measured the best conserved plots that were 41 years old in 2007 to obtain information on the growth of different pine species. We calculated stand characteristics including basal area, dominant height, mean diameter, and stand volume for Pinus patula Schiede ex Schiltdl. Et Cham., Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl., Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon, Pinus devoniana Lindl., Pinus chiapensis （Martinez） Andresen, Pinus elliottii Engelm., Pinus greggii Engelm. Ex Parl., Pinus montezumae Lamb. and Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl. The growing stock volume at 41 years was the highest in P. pseudostrobus, 1,325 m3^· ha^-1, followed by P. kesiya with 1,200 m^3· ha^-1. The widely planted P. patula had growing stock volume of 892 m^3· ha-^1. P. oocarpa and P. pseudostrobus had the highest stand basal area, over 80 m^2·ha^-1. Using increment core analyses we studied the temporal development of stand characteristics. Analysis of the mean annual increment （MAI） showed that rotation lengths of 20-30 years would maximize wood production. With these rotation lengths, the MAI of P. pseudostrobus would be 35 m^3· ha^-1. Other productive species were P. kesiya, P. ooearpa and P. chiapensis. P. patula had a maximum MAI of 20 m^3· ha^-1. P. greggii had the lowest mean annual volume production, only about 13 m^3· ha^-1.