Genetic structure and differentiation of 13 Siberian dwarf pine populations from Kamchatka peninsula, Sakhalin and Kunashir Islands were studied using 28 allozyme loci (Adh-1, Adh-2, Fdh, Fest-2, Gdh, Got-1, Got-2, Got-3, Idh-1, Lap-2, Lap-3, Mdh-1, Mdh-2, Mdh-3, Mdh-4, Mnr-1, Pepca, 6pgd-2, 6pgd-3, Pgi-1, Pgi-2, Pgm-1, Pgm-2, Skdh-1, Skdh-2, Sod-2, Sod-3, Sod-4). Twenty six loci were polymorphic in total (93%). Mean allele number per loci (NA) was 2.2, mean heterozygosity HE=23%. Levels of intrapopulation genetic variability in most populations were close to mean values. Observed interpopulation differentiation was the highest (FST=0.07) at populations from the southern part of Kamchatka and the lowest (FST=0.01) between two populations from the northern part of the peninsula and between two populations from Sakhalin. Relatively high level of genetic subdivision (FST=0.04) was revealed among Kunashir Island populations growing at restricted range with contrasting ecological conditions. Genetic differentiation across dwarf Siberian pine populations from Kamchatka was close to the one for populations from the Baikal Lake region where the species grows at different environmental conditions. Total differentiation among populations from the Pacific region was FST=0.07. Nei genetic distances (DN) varied from 0.006 (between two Sakhalin populations) to 0.063 (among populations from Kamchatka and Kunashir). Multi-dimensional scaling revealed clusters of populations by geographic origin and demonstrated high differentiation among Kunashir populations and among Kamchatka populations. This may be an evidence of high adaptability level of populations to environmental conditions. Thus, high levels of interpopulation differentiation of Pinus pumila depend not only on geographic origin, but on growing conditions too. The study is supported by the Programs of Fundamental Research (PFR) of the Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences «Biological Diversity and the Gene Pools», «The Origin of Biosphere and Evolution of Geo- and Biological Systems», and by PFR of Division of Biological Sciences «Biological Resources of Russia».

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