<p>This manuscript was accepted for publication at the Botanical Journal of the Linean Society on December 27, 2013.</p>
<p>Broad scale chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) studies of beech (<em>Fagus sylvatica</em> L.) populations suggested the existence of glacial refugia and introgression zones in the south-eastern part of Europe. We choose a possible refugium of beech in northern Greece, Mt. Paggeo, which hosts a private cpDNA haplotype for beech, to conduct a fine-scale genetic study. We attempt to confirm or reject the hypothesis of the existence of a small scale refugium and gain understanding of the ecological and topographical factors affecting the spatial distribution of cpDNA haplotypes in the area. Our results reveal a high haplotype diversity in Mt. Paggeo, while the overall distribution of haplotypes show no significant correlation with the ecological characteristics of the beech forests. However, the private haplotype is found in high frequencies in beech forests located within or near ravines having a high spatial overlap with a relict vegetation type, occurring in ecological conditions found mainly within ravines. This result emphasises the importance of topography in the existence of glacial refugia in the wider area. Furthermore, haplotypes originating from two more widespread beech lineages in Greece are found on Mt. Paggeo, indicating a possible mixing of populations originating from a local refugium with populations from different remote refugia that possibly migrated in the area after the last glaciation.</p
