Conservation genetics of an arctic species,Saxifraga rivularisL., in Britain

Abstract

Genetic diversity in British populations ofSaxifraga rivularisL. (Saxifragaceae) was assessed using isozymes, RAPDs, inter-SSRs and RFLPs of two non-coding chloroplast DNA regions. Low levels of variation were detected: only five molecular phenotypes were recovered, polymorphic for a single RAPD band andPgdenzyme phenotype. The problem of drawing conservation recommendations from studies that show low levels of marker variation is discussed, and the importance of recognizing the limits of molecular genetic data in conservation biology is emphasized.