Genetic Diversity and Structure of Rear Edge Populations of Sorbus aucuparia (Rosaceae) in the Hyrcanian Forest

Abstract

Sorbus aucuparia (Rosaceae) is a small tree species widely distributed in Eurasia. The Hyrcanian forest is the southernmost distribution limit of this species. Severe habitat degradation and inadequate human interventions have endangered the long-term survival of this species in this region, and it is necessary to develop and apply appropriate management methods to prevent the loss of its genetic diversity. In this study, we used 10 SSR markers in order to evaluate the genetic diversity of this taxon. Leaf samples were collected from five known populations of S. aucuparia throughout its distribution area in the Hyrcanian forest. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.61 (ASH) to 0.73, and according to the M-ratio, all populations showed a significant reduction in effective population size, indicating a genetic bottleneck. Global FST was not statistically significant and attained the same values with and without excluding null alleles (ENA) correction (FST = 0.12). Bayesian analysis performed with STRUCTURE defined two genetic clusters among the five known populations, while the results of discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) identified three distinct groups. The average proportion of migrants was 22. In general, the gene flow was asymmetrical, with the biggest differences between immigration and emigration in Barzekoh and Asbehriseh. The Mantel test showed that there was no significant correlation between genetic distance (FST) and geographic distance in S. aucuparia. The best pathway for theoretical gene flow is located across the coast of the Caspian Sea and significant spatial autocorrelation was observed in only one population. In order to reduce the extinction risk of very small and scattered populations of S. aucuparia in the Hyrcanian forest, it is very important to establish and/or enhance the connectivity through habitat restoration or genetic exchange.

Rowanberry—A Source of Bioactive Compounds and Their Biopharmaceutical Properties

“…It bears drought well, if the drought is not prolonged [ 20 , 22 ]. This species is distributed across the entire Northern Hemisphere, ranging from low to high altitudes and extending from the Atlantic coasts of Europe to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia and eastern China [ 24 , 25 ]. The spread of Sorbus Aucuparia in Europe is shown in Figure 2 .…”

Morphological variation in blackthorn (<i>Prunus spinosa</i> L.) populations in the Northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula - Absence of geographical and environmental structure

“…Such species usually lack any form of population structure, as they generally do not follow the patterns of isolation by distance (IBD) or isolation by environment (IBE). is has been confirmed for various fruitbearing species, like Sorbus aucuparia L. (Sulimanec et al, 2023;Yousefzadeh et al, 2021) and S. torminalis (L.) Crantz. (Demesure et al, 2000;Kučerová et al, 2010), Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill.…”

The Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Cell-Protective Properties of Bioactive Compounds Extracted from Rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.) Fruits In Vitro

“…Sorbus aucuparia L. represents one such under-exploited forest fruit, commonly recognized as rowanberry or mountain ash, being part of the Rosaceae family. Sorbus aucuparia L. is a slender tree that can reach a height of 15–20 m and thrives in the Northern Hemisphere at varying altitudes, spreading from the European Atlantic coastlines to the Kamchatka Peninsula and the eastern part of China [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Its fruits have a spherical shape and are frequently reddish orange, containing 2–3 elongated stones [ 7 , 8 ].…”