Abstract
Estimates of genetic differentiation at intra- and interspecific level are often hindered by the lack of suitable molecular markers. Low phylogeographic resolution limits development of appropriate conservation strategies especially in case of endangered forest tree species with small and disjunct distribution. In this study, we assessed fine-scale genetic structure of relict and endangered peat bog pine (Pinus uliginosa) and two other closely related European pine species (Pinus mugo and Pinus uncinata) using a set of 15 newly developed maternally inherited and seed-mediated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers and two previously known polymorphic mtDNA regions (nad1, nad7). Three main groups, corresponding in general to three investigated species were revealed in the haplotype network analysis. However, only P. uncinata was clearly distinct at all levels of analysis, whereas great genetic similarity and haplotype sharing was observed between P. uliginosa and P. mugo. Strong phylogeographic structure was found in P. uliginosa that showed high differentiation at relatively short geographical distance among populations and the existence of mitochondrial lineages of different evolutionary history. Hybridization with other pine species has likely contributed to genetic differentiation of P. uliginosa as indicated by contemporary distribution of mtDNA haplotypes. The research emphasizes the importance of accurate assessments of genetic structure of endangered species with complex evolutionary history for development of efficient conservation strategies.
Highlights
Assessments of eco-evolutionary mechanisms that shape genetic structure of populations are of key importance to understand the influence of past and ongoing environmental changes on plant ecosystems
The average haplotype diversity was very similar for P. mugo (Hd = 0.87) but substantially lower for P. uncinata (Hd = 0.53)
Haplotype H50 was exclusive to P. uncinata, H6 was almost fixed in P. mugo from Carnic Alps and occurred at low frequency in other dwarf mountain pine populations but was detected in three peat bog pine populations (UL_POL_Z, UL_POL_W, UL_GER_MI) [see Supporting Information—Table S3]
Summary
Assessments of eco-evolutionary mechanisms that shape genetic structure of populations are of key importance to understand the influence of past and ongoing environmental changes on plant ecosystems. European hard pine taxa contain several species intensively studied due to their ecological and social value including representatives of the Pinus mugo complex (Wang et al 1999; Gernandt et al 2005; Eckert and Hall 2006) It contains closely related taxa, some undergoing severe population decline and being hard to delimit in an unambiguous way due to low resolution of available biometric and molecular markers (Christensen 1987; Hamernik and Musil 2007). One of the most intriguing representatives of the complex is the peat bog pine (Pinus uliginosa) It is a single-stemmed tree up to 20 m in height, inhabiting humid and nutrient-sparse bog environments in lowlands. In some populations no more than 100 specimens of peat bog pine have been left (Danielewicz and Zieliński 2000) and this taxon is considered as highly endangered and protected, at least on national scale (Polish Plants Red Book)
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