Mapping a giant (‘s) genome: Picea abies
Conifers make up one of the most successful groups of plants on Earth. Pines, spruces, and other coniferous species have dominated many forest ecosystems for millions of years. For instance, Earth’s oldest living individual plants belong to this group: the bristlecone pines in California; conifers are similarly Earth’s largest individual trees: the “giant Sequoias”. With…