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The project includes 11 partners which represent various fields in forest genetics, ecology, botany, forestry, and private enterprise. The following list gives names and addresses of principal investigators and invlolved researchers, and it illustrates the responsibilities of each partner.
Please contact these responsible persons (marked in bold) for more detailed information.

Partner 1 (Top)	Prof. Dr. Gerhard Müller-Starck (Coordinator)
Gerhard Müller-Starck Roland Schubert Gerd Maack	Lehrbereich Forstgenetik, Forstwissenschaftliche Fakultät, München (LMU), Am Hochanger 13,D- 85354 Freising (Germany)

Monitoring of genetic variation within and among populations of Larix decidua (together with Partner 11) and Pinus mugo at the experimental areas in AT, CH, DE, FR, IT by means of isoenzyme and DNA markers

Genetic commparison between adult populations and natural regeneration in order to quantifiy the adaptive potential of future generations and genetic loads (inbreeding)

Genetic characterization of commercial seed-lots from Partner 4 in contrast to the material from natural regeneration; providence for the supply of end-users with genetically improved reproductive material (afforestation, supplemental artificial regeneration) in order to contribute to the restoration of high elevated forest ecosystems

Partner 2 (Top)	Dr. Thomas Geburek
Thomas Geburek Margarethe Breitenbach-Dorfer Berthold Heinze Michael Mengl	Forstliche Bundesversuchsanstalt, Institut für Forstgenetik Hauptstrasse 7, 1140 Wien (Austria)

This group will focus on silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) and on Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) (cooperation with Partners 5, 6, 8, 10). In case of silver fir, emphasis is put on the study of populations in the Kötschachtal, because this region is assumed to be the mingling zone of the two postglacial immigration routes. Comparisons between young and adult trees will allow some insights into the selection regimes. Besides the macrogeographical genetic pattern of silver fir in the Alps, comparisons of different age classes will furnish data that are important for selection regime that should be also acting in nurseries. Autochthonous Norway spruce topodemes in the Piceetum subalpinum and Piceetum montanum will be selected. Genetic screening of the material will be performed by applying standard isozyme techniques. In addition, sequenced tagged sites (STS) will be employed as neutral or nearly neutral genetic markers.

Partner 3 (Top)	Raphael Klumpp
Raphael Klumpp Alfred Pitterle H.-P. Lang	Universität für Bodenkultur, Institut für Waldbau Peter-Jordan-Straße 70, 1190 Wien (Austria)

The Institute of Silviculture will provide data and material (buds, seeds) of all Austrian research plots in assistance to the transect supervisor of Austria (Partner 2). Pinus cembra will be analyzed from all plots in cooperation with Partners 9 and 10. All data, stand characteristics and genetic findings will be included in a common project data bank. In our function as Reference Group for Seed Technology, we will focus on nursery practices in young plantations of commercial plantlets inside and outside the habitat (origin) of the respective provenance (close cooperation with Partner 4). These experiments will give both, a feed back to prove the consistency of usual recommendations in planting provenances in distinct elevations for additional tree species, and it will provide data to assess the difference in genetic sustainability between planting and sowing. Furthermore, data will be available to assess the adabtability of provenances to changing climate.

Partner 4 (Top)	Dr. Kurt Ramskogler
Johannes Maierhofer Kurt Ramskogler	LIECO-Liechtenstein Forstpflanzenges. m.b.H., A - 8775 Kalwang 102 b (Austria)

Aims of this group are the supply of forest reproductive material well suited for high elevation afforestation and improved afforestation techniques (material holder). Species will be Picea abies, Larix decidua, Pinus cembra and Pinus mugo (including the genetic inventories performed by other partners of the project). The establishment of a field experiment at different elevations will point out the impact of rearing techniques on the adaptedness and adaptibility of forest reproductive material on the long-term. Upon this basis, optimal nursery techniques will be designed for different species. Field tests with differently reared material will further allow conclusions regarding optimal afforestation techniques

Partner 5 (Top)	Dr. Bruno Fady
Bruno Fady Jean Michel Favre Sylvain Jeandroz	INRA, Unité des Recherches Forestièrs Méditerranéennes, Avenue A. Vivaldi, F-84000 Avignon (France) J.M. Favre and S. Jeandroz: Université Henri Poincaré, Laboratoire de Biologie Forestière, BP239, F-54506 Vandoeuvre cedex, (France)

The aim of this group is to study i) the genetic diversity along latitudinal and elevational gradients and ii) the local spatial structuration of genetic diversity of two predominant species in high elevated Alpine forest ecosystems : Abies alba and Picea abies. In this project, partner 5 is responsible for sampling all plant material from the 3 French transects : Boréon (Alpes Maritimes), Névache (Hautes Alpes) and Ste Foy Tarentaise (Savoie). It is also responsible for installing a permanent plot (intensive ly studied plot, ISP) where all trees relevant to this project are mapped, sampled and genotyped. The French ISP is located on the Mont Ventoux (Vaucluse) where Abies alba is recolonizing an ecosystem dominated by Pinus uncinata (s.l.) and Picea abies. Partner 5 is also responsible i) for genotyping (isozymes) all Abies alba samples from France and part of Switzerland and ii) for extracting DNA from all Picea abies samples from France, sending extracted DNA to partners involved in DNA genotyping and conducting RAPD analyses in French Picea abies material. Cooperation takes place withall partners except partner 4. Results on i) genetic differentiation along elevational gradients, ii) gene flow between sampling areas and between individuals within sampling areas as well as iii) mating system parameters in correlation to local genetical, ecological and sylvicultural structuration are particularly expected from this study.

Partner 6 (Top)	Dr. Monika Konnert
Monika Konnert Manfred Bauer	Bayerische Landesanstalt für forstliche Saat- und Pflanzenzucht, Abt.IV Biochemisch-genetische Analyse, Forstamtsplatz 1, D-83317 Teisendorf (Germany)

It is the aim of this group to study the genetic variation of Abies alba and Picea abies in mixed montain forests as well as genetic aspects of natural regeneration in high elevation forest ecosystems (cooperation with partner 2, 5, 8, 10). Partner 6 is responsible for the establishment of two transects in the Bavarian Alps and for sampling in the expeimental plots along these transects. A further task is the genotyping of German Abies alba samples and German and French Picea abies samples from mature and juvenile trees using isoenzymes.

Partner 7 (Top)	Florian Scholz
Florian Scholz Ronald Bialozyt	Institut für Forstgenetik, Abteilung Ökologische Genetik, Sieker Landstraße 2, 22927 Großhansdorf (Germany)

Systems analysis methods (computer simulation) of the possible impact of anthropogenous activities and environmental stress factors on the genetic structure of alpine tree populations. Also analyse adaptability of the different populations.

Empirical data from the other groups will be used as input data for models such as ECO-GENE.

Partner 8 (Top)	Dr. Michele Morgante
Michele Morgante Ivan Scotti Federica Magni	Dipartimento di Produzione Vegetale e Tecnologie Agrarie, Università degli Studi di Udine, Via della Scienze, 208, I-33100 Udine (Italy)

The aim of this group is to monitor genetic variation within and among populations of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) at the experimental plots in AT, CH, DE, FR, IT by means of nuclear microsatellites. P8 is responsible for extracting DNA from spruce green material collected within the two Italian transects (I1 & I2) and shipping isolated DNA to partners involved in DNA genotyping (P9, P10); P8 is also responsible for genotyping spruce samples coming from all the transects using nSSR. Finally, this partner has the function as the reference group for nuclear DNA markers. The focus of our analyses is to study the genetic differentiation along latitudinal and elevational gradients and to quantify intra- and interpopulational genetic variation.

Partner 9 (Top)	Dr. Giovanni G. Vendramin
Giovanni G. Vendramin Marco Michelozzi Antonella Madaghiele Raffaello Giannini Maria Anzidei	Istituto Miglioramento Genetico Piante Forestali C.N.R., Via Atto Vannucci 13, 50134 Firenze (Italy)

Analysis of the level and distribution of the genetic variability, based on microsatellites (nuclear and chloroplast genome), of Pinus cembra within and among different populations in relation to the different climatic conditions and to seed-dispersal vectors

Analysis of the genetic diversity in different life-cycle phases (adult, seeds, seedlings) in populations growing in different environmental conditions

Estimation of mating system parameters in different populations and evaluation of the influence of the ecological factors (e.g. stand density) on the mating events; colonizing capabilities of Pinus cembra will be taken into account

Analysis of the effects of the anthropogenic factors on the genetic structure and on the adaptability of this species. Different types of DNA markers, mainly based on PCR methods, will be used

Partner 10 (Top)	Dr. Josef Senn
Josef Senn Christoph Sperisen Felix Gugerli Reiner Finkeldey Urs Büchler Fabienne Bourquin	Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft (WSL), Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf (Switzerland)

Genetic variation will be monitored in natural populations of Norway spruce (Picea abies)and Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra) in the different transects defined within this project. Genetic diversity within and among populations, between adult and juvenile populations, and in seed lots will be assessed. In the case of Swiss stone pine, trees in an experimental afforestation at „Stillberg" will be analysed. This stand, planted in 1975, is located at the alpine timberline and is exposed to extreme environmental conditions. Survival and growth of the planted trees are regularly monitored. Pinus cembra will be examined for selection under extreme environmental conditions. Genetic variation will be monitored by using different types of markers including isozymes and DNA markers. Variation in the nuclear genome will be assessed by isozyme gene markers. Variation in the genome of mitochondria will be monitored by DNA markers (in cooperation with partner 9). These markers are currently developed and validated within the project „Development of rapid molecular Screening Methods" funded by the EU programme "Biotechnology".

Partner 11 (Top)	Dr. François Felber
François Felber François Bretagnolle Corinne Humbert-Droz-Zeroual Philippe Kuepfer	Institut de Botanique Université de Neuchâtel, Chantemerle 18 CH-2007 Neuchâtel (Switzerland)

Our part will be the genetic analysis by means of isozyme and molecular markers of Larix decidua. We shall determine the genetic structure of the populations as a function of their location, of their ecology and of several life stages (adults, natural regeneration and seed lots). The comparative analysis of the data will allow to determine the geographical and ecological factors influencing the dynamics of forests. It will constitute a basis for the management of the forests in the Alps, with the perspective of climate change. Sampling, laboratory analyses and exploitation of results will be co-ordinated with all groups. Particular links will be kept with Partner 1, working on the same species. Further links with respect to the utilisation of primers and microsatellites will be elaborated with partners 1 and 9.

© F. Gugerli - last update: 23.02.99