Diversity and genetic structure in natural populations of Geonoma schottiana Mart (arecaceae): implications for conservation

Abstract

Geonoma schottiana is an underbrush palm which is found in high densities in tropical forests. This species is known for having an asynchronous fruit producing pattern, over all seasons of the year, thus being an important food source for frugivores. This work aims to determine the diversity and spatial genetic structure of two natural populations, referred to as MC I and MC II, of which 60 individuals were sampled, in Poço Bonito Biological Reserve, Lavras, Minas Gerais state. Results of 10 polymorphic isozyme loci indicated a high genetic diversity for the species (Ĥe= 0.428 and Ĥo = 0.570), with an mean number of alleles per locus of 2.0. Estimates of Cockerham's coancestry coefficients indicated an absence of intrapopulation (<img border=0 width=28 height=24 src="../../../../../../img/revistas/cerne/v17n2/a06car02.jpg" > or = -0.343) and interpopulation inbreeding (<img border=0 width=26 height=26 src="../../../../../../img/revistas/cerne/v17n2/a06car01.jpg" > or = -0.161), suggesting that on average populations are not endogamous. A high genetic divergence was found between populations (<img border=0 width=26 height=27 src="../../../../../../img/revistas/cerne/v17n2/a06car03.jpg"> = 13.5%), in comparison to most tropical species (<5%). Consequently, the estimated historical gene flow was low (<img border=0 width=26 height=27 src="../../../../../../img/revistas/cerne/v17n2/a06car04.jpg">m = 0.40). The analysis of spatial distribution of G. schottiana genotypes in MCI revealed a random distribution of genotypes. The high genetic diversity indices found suggest that the populations in question favor in situ genetic conservation, consequently favoring the conservation of riparian environments.

Genetic diversity and structure of Astrocaryum jauari (Mart.) palm in two Amazon river basins

“…(Eguiarte et al 1992), Geonoma schottiana Mart. (Silva et al 2011), Phoenix dactylifera Linn. (Arabnezhad et al 2012) and Oenocarpus bataua Mart.…”

Research Article Anthropization as a determinant factor in the genetic structure of Copernicia prunifera (Arecaceae).

“…Meanwhile, Silva et al (2011) studying two populations of Geonoma schottiana Mart. (Arecaceae) using isoenzymes, noted the absence of genetic structure in one population, while the other showed a weak and non-significant structure, with the Sp value equal to 0.006.…”

Research Article Population genetic structure of three species in the genus Astrocaryum G. Mey. (Arecaceae).

“…Other population genetic structure parameters, such as Wright's inbreeding coefficient and gene flow, have shown that, in general, genetic differentiation (F ST ) is low, indicating genetic variation higher within -rather than among -populations and a high gene flow among populations (Elshibli and Korpelainen, 2008;Martins-Corder et al, 2009;Shapcott et al, 2009;Namoff et al, 2011;Silva et al, 2011;Giovino et al, 2014;Nazareno and dos Reis, 2014;Oliveira et al, 2014;Moura et al, 2015). Recently, Ramos et al (2016) found a high level of genetic diversity, mostly within populations, for adults and seedlings in populations of A. aculeatum, and along with results for spatial genetic structure indicated short-distance seed dispersal and modest levels of pollen flow.…”