Ubiquitous genetic diversity in ISSR markers between and within populations of the asexually producing moss Pleurochaete squarrosa

Abstract

Abstract. This paper provides an analysis of genetic\ud variability in local populations of the clonal\ud moss Pleurochaete squarrosa, a Mediterranean\ud moss typical of post-fire recovery, and characterised\ud by asexual reproduction. ISSR (Internal\ud Simple Sequence Repeats) primers and trnLUAA\ud (intron of plastid gene for Leu tRNA) length\ud polymorphism were employed to evaluate genetic\ud structure in five southern Italy populations of this\ud moss. Both molecular tools highlight high values\ud of genetic diversity with geographic structure of\ud sampled populations and a low gene flow among\ud the investigated sites. Gene diversity is significant\ud at every hierarchical level of sampling, and generally\ud increases from lower to higher hierarchical\ud levels. Among other factors, the ubiquitous genetic\ud variability detected in P. squarrosa can be\ud related to continuous, occasionally massive, shortrange\ud recruitment of propagules, and to the high\ud degree of intermingling, both favoured by the\ud modality of vegetative reproduction and growth\ud occurring in the species

Molecular biodiversity in the moss Leptodon smithii (Neckeraceae) in relation to habitat disturbance and fragmentation

“…Genetic variation is investigated by using internal simple sequence repeat (ISSR), which are molecular markers already employed by other authors Hassel et al 2005;Spagnuolo et al 2007) in studies concerning moss populations, providing easily available data, to obtain currently used molecular indices and information on the genetic structure of the investigated populations. All results are discussed in relation to population ecology and habitat disturbance and fragmentation.…”

Clonal diversity and geographic structure in Pleurochaete squarrosa (Pottiaceae): different sampling scale approach

“…At this site we have already carried out a local-scale analysis (Spagnuolo et al 2007). For the small-scale analysis, 56 shoots were analysed in a grid of 35 cm 9 40 cm with mesh of 5 cm 9 5 cm ( Fig.…”

“…Lindb. (Pottiaceae) exhibits a high level of genetic diversity; spore and propagule recruitment, the modality of vegetative reproduction and somatic mutations were suggested among the most probable causes of the high intra-specific molecular diversity observed (Spagnuolo et al 2007). For this species, Grundmann et al (2006Grundmann et al ( , 2007Grundmann et al ( , 2008 reported a differentiation between American and European populations, limited gene flow, and a higher genetic diversity in the Mediterranean Basin than that observed in the rest of Europe, where a pattern of postglacial recolonisation from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans is proposed.…”

“…For this species, Grundmann et al (2006Grundmann et al ( , 2007Grundmann et al ( , 2008 reported a differentiation between American and European populations, limited gene flow, and a higher genetic diversity in the Mediterranean Basin than that observed in the rest of Europe, where a pattern of postglacial recolonisation from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans is proposed. The presence in Europe of two haplotypes (A and B) of the intron of the plastid gene for Leu tRNA (trnL) having different lengths (Spagnuolo et al 2007) is interesting. If we consider the very low level of chloroplast diversity in Europe (Korpelainen et al 2004;Shaw et al 2004;McDaniel and Shaw 2003), the trnL variation could identify the principal genetic lineages within the species.…”

“…This paper describes our investigation of genetic variation in P. squarrosa using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers to estimate clonal size and structure, to check for a relationship between genetic variability and vegetative growth pattern, and to evaluate sampling and site influences on the genetic structure, by choosing different sampling strategies and scales (small, local and large scales). In addition, in local sampling, we adopted the same sampling pattern as reported in Spagnuolo et al (2007), but a site with different ecological conditions (microclimate and substrate) was chosen, to estimate their possible influence on genetic structure. Moreover, the two trnL haplotypes previously found over a large area and including 40 populations in three continents were investigated, so that we could estimate their intercontinental distribution, their origin and their possible use as markers of the geographic distribution of the principal genetic lineages.…”