Environmental and Historical Determinants of Patterns of Genetic Differentiation in Wild Soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc).

Shui-Lian He,Ting-Shuang Yi,Yun-Sheng Wang,De-Zhu Li

doi:10.1038/srep22795

Shui-Lian He, Ting-Shuang Yi + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1038/srep22795

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Abstract

Wild soybean, the direct progenitor of cultivated soybean, inhabits a wide distribution range across the mainland of East Asia and the Japanese archipelago. A multidisciplinary approach combining analyses of population genetics based on 20 nuclear microsatellites and one plastid locus were applied to reveal the genetic variation of wild soybean, and the contributions of geographical, environmental factors and historic climatic change on its patterns of genetic differentiation. High genetic diversity and significant genetic differentiation were revealed in wild soybean. Wild soybean was inferred to be limited to southern and central China during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and experienced large-scale post-LGM range expansion into northern East Asia. A substantial northward range shift has been predicted to occur by the 2080s. A stronger effect of isolation by environment (IBE) versus isolation by geographical distance (IBD) was found for genetic differentiation in wild soybean, which suggested that environmental factors were responsible for the adaptive eco-geographical differentiation. This study indicated that IBE and historical climatic change together shaped patterns of genetic variation and differentiation of wild soybean. Different conservation measures should be implemented on different populations according to their adaptive potential to future changes in climate and human-induced environmental changes.

Highlights

Wild soybean, the direct progenitor of cultivated soybean, inhabits a wide distribution range across the mainland of East Asia and the Japanese archipelago
A multidisciplinary approach combining analyses of population genetics based on 20 nuclear microsatellites and one plastid locus were applied to reveal the genetic variation of wild soybean, and the contributions of geographical, environmental factors and historic climatic change on its patterns of genetic differentiation
A stronger effect of isolation by environment (IBE) versus isolation by geographical distance (IBD) was found for genetic differentiation in wild soybean, which suggested that environmental factors were responsible for the adaptive eco-geographical differentiation

Summary

Introduction

The direct progenitor of cultivated soybean, inhabits a wide distribution range across the mainland of East Asia and the Japanese archipelago. This study indicated that IBE and historical climatic change together shaped patterns of genetic variation and differentiation of wild soybean. East Asia exhibits high topographic complexity and climate variability and harbours high levels of diversity of temperate plant species[26]. This region has never been directly impacted by extensive and unified www.nature.com/scientificreports/. Wild soybean is mainly distributed in open habitats with frequent human activities, and its distribution region has been significantly fragmented and reduced by land exploitation and utilization This species is even extinct in the wild in some regions and has been listed as a rare and endangered plant in China[31].

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