%0 Review article
%T Evolutionary forces influencing variation among populations of Pinus sylvestris
%A Eriksson, Gösta
%D 1998
%J Silva Fennica
%V 32
%N 2
%R doi:10.14214/sf.694
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/694
%X The evolutionary forces influencing genetic differentiation among  populations are identified. Natural selection, random genetic drift, and  mutations promote differentiation while phenotypic plasticity and gene  flow delay or prevent differentiation. Evolution is a dynamic force  which leads to instability and absence of any perfection in the adaptive  process. Natural selection acts mainly on phenotypes and only  indirectly on the components of important breeding traits. In the  northern part of the distribution of Scots pine there is a large among-  and within-population variation in survival. The high among-population  variation occurs in spite of an assumed high gene flow. Biomass is a  product of many components and it also shows a high population  variation. Many markers are neutral and such markers will not reveal  adaptive variation.