Genetic differentiation between local populations of Ips typographus in the high Tatra Mountains range

Many studies have addressed the question of dispersal potential of Ips typographus, however the approach of molecular ecology have been used only in a few of them. Moreover, none of them has done it on fine scale of just one mountain range. Molecular analysis using a set of six polymorphic microsatellite markers was applied in this study. Adult beetles of I. typographus collected in 22 localities of the High Tatra Mountains were used for the study of genetic differentiation between rapidly expanded local populations of bark beetles after windstorm calamities in spruce stands. Almost none genetic differentiation among local populations or among larger spatial units has been revealed. Analyses did not indicate isolation of populations by distance or formation of population structure. This suggests high potential of I. typographus to disperse over large distances and even the possibility to overcome high mountains ridges.