Optimising the conservation of genetic diversity of the last remaining population of a critically endangered shrub

Thomas, William J. W.; Anthony, Janet M.; Dobrowolski, Mark P.; Krauss, Siegfried L.

doi:10.1093/aobpla/plab005

Cited by 8 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…One potential strategy suggested in studies on biodiversity conservation of threatened species consists of the preservation of tissue culture, an in vitro cultivation of isolated live tissue, enabling the propagation of species facing difficulties with natural reproduction ( Paiva and Paiva, 2001 ; Santos et al, 2019 ). Protocols to apply tissue culture techniques for conservation of endangered species have been successfully developed (e.g., Sherif et al, 2018 ; Choudary et al, 2020 ; Lerin et al, 2021 ; Mishra et al, 2020 ), and such an approach has been used to conserve the narrow endemic species Styphelia longissima ( Thomas et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

One Step Away From Extinction: A Population Genomic Analysis of A Narrow Endemic, Tropical Plant Species

Teixeira

Nazareno

2021

Front. Plant Sci.

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Intraspecific genetic variation plays a fundamental role in maintaining the evolutionary potential of wild populations. Hence, the assessment of genetic diversity patterns becomes essential to guide biodiversity conservation policies, particularly for threatened species. To inform management strategies for conservation of Mimosa catharinensis – a narrow endemic, critically endangered plant species – we identified 1,497 unlinked SNP markers derived from a reduced representation sequencing method (i.e., double digest restriction site associated DNA sequencing, or ddRADseq). This set of molecular markers was employed to assess intrapopulation genetic parameters and the demographic history of one extremely small population of M. catharinensis (N=33) located in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Contrary to what is expected for narrow endemic and threatened species with small population sizes, we observed a moderate level of genetic diversity for M. catharinensis [uHE(0%missing data)=0.205, 95% CI (0.160, 0.250); uHE(30%missing data)=0.233, 95% CI (0.174, 0.292)]. Interestingly, M. catharinensis, which is a lianescent shrub with no indication of seed production for at least two decades, presented high levels of outcrossing [t(0%missing data)=0.883, SE±0.0483; t(30%missing data)=0.909, SE±0.011] and an apparent absence of inbreeding [F(0%missing data)=−0.145, 95% CI (−0.189, −0.101); F(30%missing data)=−0.105, 95% CI (−0.199, −0.011)]. However, the reconstruction of demographic history of M. catharinensis indicated that the population should be suffered a recent bottleneck. Our population genomic study tackles a central issue in evolution and conservation biology and we expect that it will be useful to help safeguard the remaining genetic diversity reported for this unique genetic resource.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

One Step Away From Extinction: A Population Genomic Analysis of A Narrow Endemic, Tropical Plant Species

Teixeira

Nazareno

2021

Front. Plant Sci.

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“…Genetic quality of the seeds collected for transplant propagation depends on whether there was effective contemporary pollen dispersal among individuals and populations (Hardy et al, 2004;Vergeer et al, 2004;Menges, 2008;Ritchie and Krauss, 2012;Aguilar et al, 2019). When most seed progeny are genetically related and belong to a few large families, consisting of full sibs (sharing both parents) and half sibs (sharing one of the two parents), or of selfed offspring (in case of self-compatible species), the number of compatible mates can be reduced and high levels of inbreeding may be expected in the next generation (Aguilar et al, 2019;Thomas et al, 2021). Therefore, it is important to verify that parentage contributions were spread over a maximum of parents, especially in case of small populations.…”

Section: Contemporary Pollen Flow and Effective Population Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, seed production may be reduced and of poor quality (Vergeer et al, 2004;Wiberg et al, 2016;Aguilar et al, 2019;Tierney et al, 2020). Small populations may also consist in remnant, senescing populations, with old, possibly highly clonal, individuals still holding historical (pre-fragmentation) genetic variation (e.g., Van Geert et al, 2015;Gargiulo et al, 2019;Thomas et al, 2021;. However, in the current habitat fragmentation context, contemporary gene flow may be restricted due to spatial isolation and pollination disruption (e.g., Ghazoul, 2005;Aguilar et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, in the current habitat fragmentation context, contemporary gene flow may be restricted due to spatial isolation and pollination disruption (e.g., Ghazoul, 2005;Aguilar et al, 2008). As a result, the seed progeny intended to be used as source for translocation may be genetically depauperate and inbred (Van Geert et al, 2008;Van Rossum, 2008;Thomas et al, 2021;Van Rossum and Le Pajolec, 2021). Small, isolated populations may also become genetically differentiated from each other, as a result of inbreeding and genetic drift (Ottewell et al, 2016;Wiberg et al, 2016), with the risk of outbreeding depression (Edmands, 2007;Barmentlo et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Criteria for selecting populations using genetic tools are detailed in many guidelines for plant translocations (e.g., Maschinski and Albrecht, 2017;Commander et al, 2018;Pazzaglia et al, 2021), and practical studies investigating the genetic status of populations for designing translocations are increasing (e.g., Berjano et al, 2013;Wiberg et al, 2016;Van Rossum and Raspé, 2018;St. Clair et al, 2020;Garcia-Jacas et al, 2021;Gargiulo et al, 2021;Thomas et al, 2021;, but studies combining the use of molecular DNA markers and fitness-related quantitative traits for assessing the genetic status still remain uncommon (Gentili et al, 2018;Borrell et al, 2019). Molecular markers allow for quantifying genetic diversity, inbreeding levels, parentage and sibship, pollen and seed dispersal and therefore gene flow, identifying mating processes, and possible pollination failure (e.g., Hardy et al, 2004;Carroll and Fox, 2008;Llaurens et al, 2008;Jones and Wang, 2010;Bragg et al, 2020;Van Rossum and Hardy, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessing Population Genetic Status for Designing Plant Translocations

Rossum

Pajolec

Raspé

et al. 2022

Front. Conserv. Sci.

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Assisted gene flow interventions such as plant translocations are valuable complementary techniques to habitat restoration. Bringing new genetic variants can contribute to increasing genetic diversity and evolutionary resilience, counteract inbreeding depression and improve plant fitness through heterosis. Large, highly genetically variable populations are usually recommended as sources for translocation. Unfortunately, many critically endangered species only occur as small populations, which are expected to show low genetic variation, high inbreeding level, paucity of compatible mates in self-incompatible species, and increased genetic divergence. Therefore, assessment of population genetic status is required for an appropriate choice of the source populations. In this paper, we exemplify the different analyses relevant for genetic evaluation of populations combining both molecular (plastid and nuclear) markers and fitness-related quantitative traits. We assessed the genetic status of the adult generation and their seed progeny (the potential translocation founders) of small populations of Campanula glomerata (Campanulaceae), a self-incompatible insect-pollinated herbaceous species critically endangered in Belgium. Only a few small populations remain, so that the species has been part of a restoration project of calcareous grasslands implementing plant translocations. In particular, we estimated genetic diversity, inbreeding levels, genetic structure in adults and their seed progeny, recent bottlenecks, clonal extent in adults, contemporary gene flow, effective population size (Ne), and parentage, sibship and seed progeny fitness variation. Small populations of C. glomerata presented high genetic diversity, and extensive contemporary pollen flow within populations, with multiple parentage among seed progenies, and so could be good seed source candidates for translocations. As populations are differentiated from each other, mixing the sources will not only optimize the number of variants and of compatible mates in translocated populations, but also representativeness of species regional genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is no immediate threat to population persistence, but small Ne, restricted among-population gene flow, and evidence of processes leading to genetic erosion, inbreeding and inbreeding depression in the seed progeny require management measures to counteract these trends and stochastic vulnerability. Habitat restoration facilitating recruitment, flowering and pollination, reconnecting populations by biological corridors or stepping stones, and creating new populations through translocations in protected areas are particularly recommended.

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Genetic diversity assessment of Helichrysum arenarium (Asteraceae) for the genetic restoration of declining populations

Van Rossum,

Godé,

Baruca Arbeiter

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench (Asteraceae) is a self‐compatible, insect‐pollinated herb occurring in sand grasslands, and is declining and endangered in many parts of its European distribution range. A recovery plan of H. arenarium has been conducted in southern Belgium, involving plant translocations. We developed multiplex genotyping protocol for nine microsatellite markers previously published for Helichrysum italicum and two newly developed microsatellite markers for H. arenarium. Eleven polymorphic loci were associated (pooled) in two multiplex panels, to assess the genetic status of the only small remaining population in Belgium and of three large German populations used as seed source for propagating transplants. The small Belgian population was characterized by high clonality, with only two, however heterozygous, genets detected. The three large German populations showed high genetic diversity (He ranging from 0.635 to 0.670) and no significant inbreeding coefficient values, despite expectations of geitonogamous selfing. Management practices (grazing livestock) increasing seed dispersal distances, inbreeding depression at early stages of development, and mechanisms preventing or delaying selfing might be hypothesized to explain the observed patterns. The two Belgian genotypes remained within genetic variation range of German populations so that the high genetic differentiation between Belgian and German populations (FST values ranging from 0.186 to 0.206) likely resulted from genetic drift effects and small sample size. Transplants obtained from seeds sampled from the three large source populations from Germany constitute a highly diverse, noninbred gene pool, and are thus of high genetic quality for plant translocations.

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Optimising the conservation of genetic diversity of the last remaining population of a critically endangered shrub

Cited by 8 publications

References 66 publications

One Step Away From Extinction: A Population Genomic Analysis of A Narrow Endemic, Tropical Plant Species

One Step Away From Extinction: A Population Genomic Analysis of A Narrow Endemic, Tropical Plant Species

Assessing Population Genetic Status for Designing Plant Translocations

Genetic diversity assessment of Helichrysum arenarium (Asteraceae) for the genetic restoration of declining populations

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