Abstract
Illegal selective logging of tropical timber is of increasing concern worldwide. Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot and home to some of the world’s most sought after tropical timber species. Malagasy rosewoods belong to the genus Dalbergia (Fabaceae), which is highly diverse and has a pantropical distribution, but these timber species are among the most threatened as a consequence of intensive illegal selective logging and deforestation. Reliable identification of Dalbergia species from Madagascar is important for law enforcement but is almost impossible without fertile plant material, which is often unavailable during forest inventories or when attempting to identify logged trees of cut wood. DNA barcoding has been promoted as a promising tool for species identification in such cases. In this study we tested whether DNA barcoding with partial sequences of three plastid markers (matK, rbcL and trnL (UAA)) can distinguish between Dalbergia from Madagascar and from other areas of its distributional range, and whether Malagasy species can be distinguished from one another. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Malagasy Dalbergia species studied form two monophyletic groups, each containing two subgroups, only one of which corresponds to a single species. We characterized diagnostic polymorphisms in the three DNA barcoding markers that allow rapid discrimination between Dalbergia from Madagascar and from other areas of its distribution range. Species identification success based on individual barcoding markers or combinations was poor, whereas subgroup identification success was much higher (up to 98%), revealing both the value and limitations of a DNA barcoding approach for the identification of closely related Malagasy rosewoods.
Highlights
In recent years human-caused pressure on wildlife has increased dramatically, most notably in the tropics, as a consequence of increasing demand for animal and plant products and the PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0157881 June 30, 2016DNA Barcoding of Malagasy RosewoodsScience Center and the Ruebel Foundation Switzerland
We reduced the total number of 203 diagnostic character states identified by CAOS to the 17 diagnostic character states most relevant to distinguish between Malagasy and non-Malagasy Dalbergia, as well as between subgroups of Malagasy taxa (Table 2), following the recommendations of Jörger & Schrödl [46]
Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Malagasy Dalbergia species included in this study are not monophyletic but rather form two monophyletic groups
Summary
In recent years human-caused pressure on wildlife has increased dramatically, most notably in the tropics, as a consequence of increasing demand for animal and plant products and the PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0157881 June 30, 2016DNA Barcoding of Malagasy RosewoodsScience Center (http://www.plantsciences.uzh.ch/en/ research/fellowships/mercator.html) and the Ruebel Foundation Switzerland. In recent years human-caused pressure on wildlife has increased dramatically, most notably in the tropics, as a consequence of increasing demand for animal and plant products and the PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0157881. Science Center (http://www.plantsciences.uzh.ch/en/ research/fellowships/mercator.html) and the Ruebel Foundation Switzerland. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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