Abstract:Habitat fragmentation strongly affects the genetic diversity of plant populations, and this has always attracted much research interest. Although numerous studies have investigated the effects of habitat fragmentation on the genetic diversity of plant populations, fewer studies have compared species with contrasting breeding systems while accounting for phylogenetic distance. Here, we compare the levels of genetic diversity and differentiation within and among subpopulations in metapopulations (at fine-scale l… Show more
“…( a minimum, maximum, and mean distance between sampled populations of the three Zingiber species, b Z . zerumbet , c , d Z. corallinum , e , f Z. nudicarpum ; the figures of Z. corallinum and Z. nudicarpum utilized in this study are from Huang et al [ 44 ]) Fig. 5 Correlation between geographic distance and Nei’s genetic distance between local populations of Zingiber zerumbet within the microgeographic area …”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…( a minimum, maximum, and mean distance between sampled populations of the three Zingiber species, b Z . zerumbet , c , d Z. corallinum , e , f Z. nudicarpum ; the figures of Z. corallinum and Z. nudicarpum utilized in this study are from Huang et al [ 44 ])…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…nudicarpum , the genetic diversity of local populations of clonal Z. zerumbet at the microgeographic scale will be less affected by reduced gene flow because each individual contains most of the genetic variation within the population, similar to selfing Z . corallinum [ 44 ]. In addition, the clonal diversity of Z .…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…zerumbet (12.32% vs 27.46%) and selfing Z . corallinum (6.8% vs 43.2%) [ 44 ]. Compared to selfing plant species, obligatory clonal plant species should become more heterozygous for a particular allele in an individual small population fragment because of the absence of a capacity for sexual reproduction, thus resulting in a higher heterozygosity.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…All of the three Zingiber plants are highly ornamental and can be used medicinally [ 39 – 42 ]. Our previous studies comparing the genetic structure of the two closely related selfing and outcrossing Zingiber species at landscape level [ 43 ] and fine scale level [ 44 ] have shown that selfing Z . corallinum can maintain a high level of genetic diversity at both geographic scales, similar to that of outcrossing Z .…”
Background
There has always been controversy over whether clonal plants have lower genetic diversity than plants that reproduce sexually. These conflicts could be attributed to the fact that few studies have taken into account the mating system of sexually reproducing plants and their phylogenetic distance. Moreover, most clonal plants in these previous studies regularly produce sexual progeny. Here, we describe a study examining the levels of genetic diversity and differentiation within and between local populations of fully clonal Zingiber zerumbet at a microgeographical scale and compare the results with data for the closely related selfing Z. corallinum and outcrossing Z. nudicarpum. Such studies could disentangle the phylogenetic and sexually reproducing effect on genetic variation of clonal plants, and thus contribute to an improved understanding in the clonally reproducing effects on genetic diversity and population structure.
Results
The results revealed that the level of local population genetic diversity of clonal Z. zerumbet was comparable to that of outcrossing Z. nudicarpum and significantly higher than that of selfing Z. corallinum. However, the level of microgeographic genetic diversity of clonal Z. zerumbet is comparable to that of selfing Z. corallinum and even slightly higher than that of outcrossing Z. nudicarpum. The genetic differentiation among local populations of clonal Z. zerumbet was significantly lower than that of selfing Z. corallinum, but higher than that of outcrossing Z. nudicarpum. A stronger spatial genetic structure appeared within local populations of Z. zerumbet compared with selfing Z. corallinum and outcrossing Z. nudicarpum.
Conclusions
Our study shows that fully clonal plants are able not only to maintain a high level of within-population genetic diversity like outcrossing plants, but can also maintain a high level of microgeographic genetic diversity like selfing plant species, probably due to the accumulation of somatic mutations and absence of a capacity for sexual reproduction. We suggest that conservation strategies for the genetic diversity of clonal and selfing plant species should be focused on the protection of all habitat types, especially fragments within ecosystems, while maintenance of large populations is a key to enhance the genetic diversity of outcrossing species.
“…( a minimum, maximum, and mean distance between sampled populations of the three Zingiber species, b Z . zerumbet , c , d Z. corallinum , e , f Z. nudicarpum ; the figures of Z. corallinum and Z. nudicarpum utilized in this study are from Huang et al [ 44 ]) Fig. 5 Correlation between geographic distance and Nei’s genetic distance between local populations of Zingiber zerumbet within the microgeographic area …”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…( a minimum, maximum, and mean distance between sampled populations of the three Zingiber species, b Z . zerumbet , c , d Z. corallinum , e , f Z. nudicarpum ; the figures of Z. corallinum and Z. nudicarpum utilized in this study are from Huang et al [ 44 ])…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…nudicarpum , the genetic diversity of local populations of clonal Z. zerumbet at the microgeographic scale will be less affected by reduced gene flow because each individual contains most of the genetic variation within the population, similar to selfing Z . corallinum [ 44 ]. In addition, the clonal diversity of Z .…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…zerumbet (12.32% vs 27.46%) and selfing Z . corallinum (6.8% vs 43.2%) [ 44 ]. Compared to selfing plant species, obligatory clonal plant species should become more heterozygous for a particular allele in an individual small population fragment because of the absence of a capacity for sexual reproduction, thus resulting in a higher heterozygosity.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…All of the three Zingiber plants are highly ornamental and can be used medicinally [ 39 – 42 ]. Our previous studies comparing the genetic structure of the two closely related selfing and outcrossing Zingiber species at landscape level [ 43 ] and fine scale level [ 44 ] have shown that selfing Z . corallinum can maintain a high level of genetic diversity at both geographic scales, similar to that of outcrossing Z .…”
Background
There has always been controversy over whether clonal plants have lower genetic diversity than plants that reproduce sexually. These conflicts could be attributed to the fact that few studies have taken into account the mating system of sexually reproducing plants and their phylogenetic distance. Moreover, most clonal plants in these previous studies regularly produce sexual progeny. Here, we describe a study examining the levels of genetic diversity and differentiation within and between local populations of fully clonal Zingiber zerumbet at a microgeographical scale and compare the results with data for the closely related selfing Z. corallinum and outcrossing Z. nudicarpum. Such studies could disentangle the phylogenetic and sexually reproducing effect on genetic variation of clonal plants, and thus contribute to an improved understanding in the clonally reproducing effects on genetic diversity and population structure.
Results
The results revealed that the level of local population genetic diversity of clonal Z. zerumbet was comparable to that of outcrossing Z. nudicarpum and significantly higher than that of selfing Z. corallinum. However, the level of microgeographic genetic diversity of clonal Z. zerumbet is comparable to that of selfing Z. corallinum and even slightly higher than that of outcrossing Z. nudicarpum. The genetic differentiation among local populations of clonal Z. zerumbet was significantly lower than that of selfing Z. corallinum, but higher than that of outcrossing Z. nudicarpum. A stronger spatial genetic structure appeared within local populations of Z. zerumbet compared with selfing Z. corallinum and outcrossing Z. nudicarpum.
Conclusions
Our study shows that fully clonal plants are able not only to maintain a high level of within-population genetic diversity like outcrossing plants, but can also maintain a high level of microgeographic genetic diversity like selfing plant species, probably due to the accumulation of somatic mutations and absence of a capacity for sexual reproduction. We suggest that conservation strategies for the genetic diversity of clonal and selfing plant species should be focused on the protection of all habitat types, especially fragments within ecosystems, while maintenance of large populations is a key to enhance the genetic diversity of outcrossing species.
PremiseIncreased aridity and drought associated with climate change are exerting unprecedented selection pressures on plant populations. Whether populations can rapidly adapt, and which life history traits might confer increased fitness under drought, remain outstanding questions.MethodsWe utilized a resurrection ecology approach, leveraging dormant seeds from herbarium collections to assess whether populations of Plantago patagonica from the semi‐arid Colorado Plateau have rapidly evolved in response to approximately ten years of intense drought in the region. We quantified multiple traits associated with drought escape and drought resistance and assessed the survival of ancestors and descendants under simulated drought.ResultsDescendant populations displayed a significant shift in resource allocation, in which they invested less in reproductive tissues and relatively more in both above‐ and below‐ground vegetative tissues. Plants with greater leaf biomass survived longer under terminal drought; moreover, even after accounting for the effect of increased leaf biomass, descendant seedlings survived drought longer than their ancestors.ConclusionsOur results document rapid adaptive evolution in response to climate change in a selfing annual and suggest that shifts in tissue allocation strategies may underlie adaptive responses to drought in arid or semi‐arid environments. This work also illustrates a novel approach, documenting that under specific circumstances, seeds from herbarium specimens may provide an untapped source of dormant propagules for future resurrection experiments.
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