Molecular-Genetic Methods in Plant Ecology

Molecular-genetic analysis is widely used in various fields of science. In particular, molecular ecology for environmental assessment is the basis of the modern methodological base. Different species and populations contain a large pool of genetic variability, which plays a major role in the adaptation of species to various environmental conditions. A significant part of this variability does not have a clear phenotypic expression, which greatly complicates the study of the huge genetic potential of genera, species, and populations. More convenient markers for studying these issues are seed proteins and DNA, which are characterized by significant intraspecific polymorphism and independence from the external conditions of plant development; the most suitable methods are the electrophoresis of seed storage proteins and all methods for the PCR amplification of genomic DNA. This review shows the role of molecular-genetic methods in solving traditional environmental issues related to taxonomy, phylogeny, evolution, the study of genetic variability, and the identification of inbreeding depression in natural and artificially created populations of endemic, rare, and endangered species, as well as in their certification (by barcoding) and creating DNA genebanks.