For the purposes of conserving ecological and associated cultural diversity it is crucial to understand demographic history, biogeographic and evolutionary process of species on its whole natural range. The species is comprehensively investigated throughout the European range. Nevertheless, the Caucasus ecoregion — where it has been grown undisturbed and unaltered — is generally outlooked from scientific research.

My PhD dissertation aims to fill this gap and deliver knowledge on the historical biogegraphic processes, past range dynamics and population genetics. The future climate change driven vulnerabilities are also evaluated. Finally, with obtained genetic data, population genetic metrics combination with climate and environmental data natural populations grown in the Caucasus are suggested for in situ and ex situ prioritization.

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