Genetic structure of twoProsopisspecies in Chaco areas: A lack of allelic diversity diagnosis and insights into the allelic conservation of the affected species

Abstract

The Gran Chaco is the largest continuous region of the South American dry forest, spanning Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil. Prosopis rubriflora and Prosopis ruscifolia are typical tree species of chaquenian area forests, which have been subjected to continuous fragmentation caused by cattle raising. This study evaluated P. rubriflora and P. ruscifolia in areas with varying levels of disturbance. We investigated the contemporary genetic diversities of both species in areas with distinct anthropogenic disturbances. Even with a lower heterozygote frequency, disturbed areas can provide important storage for alleles, allowing the maintenance of diversity. The genetic diversity of P. rubriflora was surprisingly similar to that of P. ruscifolia (H e = 0.59 and H e = 0.60, respectively) even with very different distribution ranges of both species. However, P. ruscifolia exhibited a higher intrapopulation fixation index than P. rubriflora. P. rubriflora showed evidence of bottlenecking in 64% of the sampled areas, while P. ruscifolia showed such evidence in 36% of the sampled areas. Additionally, P. rubriflora had two distinct populations due to its disjunctive geographic distribution, whereas P. ruscifolia had a single population that exhibited few signs of population structure in some areas, possibly due to the main pollinators presenting a short range of dispersion. Our results suggest that 42 Chaco areas should be conserved to retain the minimum of 500 individuals necessary to maintain genetic diversity for 100–1,000 generations. This study improves our understanding of these two Prosopis species and provides information for the conservation of their genetic diversities.

Characterization and selection of markers associated with resistance analogous genes as input for genetic analysis of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.

“…populations collected at different sites in Qatar in Asian continent using other primers like ISSR and RAPD markers, where Elmeer and Almalki (2011) found a total of 190 bands in 29 ISSR primers and 19 bands of 7 RAPD primers with an average polymorphism of more than 99% in all genotypes, being able to distinguish between the two species. Nevertheless Alves et al (2018), researching Prosopis rubriflora Hassl. and Prosopis ruscifolia Griseb.…”

Sustainability Agenda for the Pantanal Wetland: Perspectives on a Collaborative Interface for Science, Policy, and Decision-Making

“…It is remarkable that most of the few endemic and rare plants of the Pantanal (see Pott & Pott, 2009;Wood, Urbanetz, & Scotland, 2016) do occur in vegetation types that are often affected by unsustainable management practice, such as the replacement of the native vegetation by cultivated pastureland. The absence of adequate management strategies for some rare and endemic species have compromised the genetic diversity of their populations (Alves et al, 2018b). The challenge is to overcome the pressure for distorted "intensification" concept of land use in the Pantanal, often assumed solely as an increased extension of cultivated pastures, with consequential simplification of the landscape and decrease habitat quality and availability for wildlife.…”

Microsatellites are important for forest genetic resources conservation in Brazilian biomes

“…Only two studies (5.3 %) with microsatellites were recorded in Pantanal, one of which was performed also in Cerrado. Microsatellites employed by Alves et al (2018a) in collections of Prosopis rubriflora and Prosopis ruscifolia from Cerrado and Pantanal resulted in similar levels of genetic diversity for both species (H E = 0.59 and H E = 0.60 respectively) and there was evidence of genetic bottleneck in 64 % of P. rubriflora sampled area and in 36 % of P. rusciflia sampled areas.…”