Genetic diversity and demographic analysis of an endangered tree species Diplopanax stachyanthus in subtropical China: implications for conservation and management

Conservation genetics of the threatened plant species Physaria filiformis (Missouri bladderpod) reveals strong genetic structure and a possible cryptic species

“…Estimates of genetic diversity within populations of a rare species can be compared to those of closely related species with similar life history characteristics to identify populations that have experienced losses in genetic diversity through processes associated with small population size and fragmentation, such as inbreeding, genetic drift, and genetic bottlenecks [9][10][11]; such information may therefore indicate populations in need of intensive conservation efforts to halt the loss of genetic diversity. Analyses to understand genetic structure and the partitioning of genetic diversity within and among populations can be used to help understand life history attributes (such as mating systems and breeding systems [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]), migration and habitat connectivity [21][22][23][24][25], and the demographic history of populations [26][27][28]. Using both neutral markers and those under selection, genetic data can be used to delineate conservation units [29,30], which can help facilitate the design of strategies to most effectively conserve the genetic diversity of a rare species in the face of limited resources [31,32].…”

Allopatric divergence and hybridization within Cupressus chengiana (Cupressaceae), a threatened conifer in the northern Hengduan Mountains of western China

“…Moreover, a species may comprise several genetically distinct evolutionary units, each of which warrants conservation in its own right (Palsbøll, Berube, & Allendorf, 2007). In recent decades, genetic markers that have been used to define CUs have included microsatellite loci (short sequence repeats; Wang, Liang, Hao, Chen, & Liu, 2018), nuclear DNA (nrDNA; Shang et al, 2015), chloroplast DNA (cpDNA; Feng, Xu, & Wang, 2018; Petit, El Mousadik, & Pons, 1998) and mitochondrial DNA (Moritz, 1994; Torres‐Cambas, Ferreira, Cordero‐Rivera, & Lorenzo‐Carballa, 2017). However, these markers only yield a few variable loci, and so are generally inadequate for characterizing the population genetic structure of species with complex demographic history and adaptive patterns (Funk et al, 2012).…”

Cryptic divergences and repeated hybridizations within the endangered “living fossil” dove tree (Davidia involucrata) revealed by whole genome resequencing

“…Therefore, accurately determining conservation units can prevent both the underestimation of the necessary protection units for endangered species and the misallocation of resources on abundant species ( Frankham et al., 2010 ). The recognition of cryptic lineages has become increasingly apparent due to advancements in molecular techniques ( Moritz, 1994 ; Petit et al., 1998 ; Pfenninger and Schwenk, 2007 ; Wang et al., 2009 ; Jörger and Schrödl, 2013 ; Shang et al., 2015 ; Torres-Cambas et al., 2017 ; Feng et al., 2019 ). Beyond their implications for conservation, the presence of such lineages and hybridizations also challenges our understanding of population connectivity ( Pante et al., 2015 ), speciation ( Seehausen, 2009 ) and even ecosystem functioning ( Brodersen and Seehausen, 2014 ).…”