Molecular markers reveal little genetic differentiation among Aconitum noveboracense and A. columbianum (Ranunculaceae) populations

Abstract

Aconitum noveboracense, a rare, herbaceous perennial, is restricted to recently unglaciated areas in Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York, and federally classified as a threatened species. These populations may be disjuncts of the common congener, A. columbianum Nutt., which occurs in the mountains of the western United States. Morphological characters do not reliably separate these taxa. The identity of Black Hills populations, located between the ranges of the rare and common species, is also uncertain. We characterized genetic variation within and among the Aconitum populations in question using isozymes and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs). Isozymes indicate a high degree of similarity among all populations and a high level of genetic diversity in Black Hills populations. Of 97 scorable RAPD loci, 89.7% are polymorphic and clearly resolve most populations. Like isozymes, RAPDs indicate high levels of genetic diversity in the Black Hills and very strong similarity of these populations to A. columbianum from the Bighorn Mountains. Aconitum noveboracense populations show >80% similarity to A. columbianum populations. A population of A. uncinatum from Ohio shows the greatest differentiation from other populations. Therefore, both isozyme and RAPD data concur with the recent treatment of A. noveboracense and A. columbianum as a single species.

Phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary origin, taxonomic status, and genetic structure of the endangered local Lower Elbe river (Germany) endemic Oenanthe conioides (Nolte ex Rchb.f.) Lange (Apiaceae): ITS and AFLP evidence

“…Molecular methods in combination with traditional sources of evidence have repeatedly been used to assess the systematic status of rare and endangered plant taxa (Baskauf et al, 1994;Van Buren et al, 1994;Cole and Kuchenreuther, 2001;Klips, 1995;Walters and DeckerWalters, 1993;Wyatt et al, 1992) resulting in recognition, rejection, or change of formal systematic status. The phylogenetic relationship between Oe.…”

The genetic structure of endangered populations in the Cranberry Fritillary, Boloria aquilonaris (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae): RAPDs vs allozymes

“…LeCorre et al (1997), Mamuris et al (1999), Sun et al (1999) and Cole and Kuchenreuther (2001) found that clusters obtained with these markers differed. The larger number of loci resolved by RAPDs compared to allozymes, the selective neutrality of RAPDs and their ability to screen a larger part of the genome were cited as possible factors for the incongruences observed.…”

Implications of ITS sequences and RAPD markers for the taxonomy and biogeography of theOxytropis campestrisandO. arctica(Fabaceae) complexes in Alaska

“…barnebyana really is a distinct taxon deserving protection. Similar conservation questions were addressed, for example, in the midwestern North American taxa Aconitum noveboracense (Cole and Kuchenreuther, 2001) and Sedum integrifolium subsp. leedyi (Olfelt et al, 2001), and the Californian Eriastrum densifolium (Brunell and Whitkus, 1997) by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis.…”