CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY AND FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES IN SERBIA

The Republic of Serbia is ranked among the countries with high endemism and a very high floristic diversity. Forest genetic resources (FGR) take a significant place in the total biodiversity of Serbia, including about 250 indigenous tree species. This paper was aimed to give a review of the state of biodiversity and forest genetic resources in Serbia, and previous activities on conservation of these resources. Today we are recording a large number of various destructive activities, which significantly reduce areas under forests. Conservation of forest genetic resources should be considered as the efforts to preserve specific genotypes or populations and the combination of genes within them. The first step in the conservation of forest genetic resources provides the protection of biodiversity which is essential for present and future human well-being. The predominant form of FGR conservation in Serbia is in situ, which is mainly applied through the establishment of seed stands, but different types of ex situ conservation are also applied, through seed orchards, progeny tests, and provenance trials. An important gene pool is kept in the arboreta and botanical gardens.