Variation and genetic structure of Serratula lycopifolia populations (Vill.) Kern. (Asteraceae) in Poland and adjacent regions

Elżbieta Cieślak

doi:10.5586/asbp.2013.006

Abstract

AFLPs were used to analyze the genetic variability of <em>Serratula lycopifolia</em>, one of the rarest plant species in Central and Western Europe, in six populations from the Wyżyna Małopolska upland (Poland), White Carpathian Mts (Slovakia and Czech Republic) and Podolian Upland (Ukraine). The results of polymorphism, PCoA and neighbor-net analyzes showed similar and relatively low genetic variation and high genetic similarity of individuals within each Polish population but there were differences between those populations. The population from Slovakia also showed comparatively high intrapopulation homogeneity and evident genetic separation from the other studied populations. Intrapopulation genetic variation was higher in the Czech and Ukrainian populations. However, AMOVA analyses revealed no significant differentiation at population and regional levels. The estimated low genetic diversity in the populations from Poland and Slovakia may be due to genetic processes such as genetic drift and inbreeding in local populations resulting from their low abundance, and does not seem characteristic of the species as a whole. These genetic analyzes make it clear that the Polish and Slovakian populations need support programmes to maintain their genetic variation. Measures should focus on increasing the number of individuals in the populations and on protecting their habitat.

Highlights

The level of genetic variability within populations and the differences between them are important in maintaining the evolutionary potential of species, as these are key factors in adaptation to environmental changes [1,2,3,4]
For the Polish populations of Serratula lycopifolia, these analyses showed similar levels of within-population genetic variation, genetic divergence between populations, and high genetic similarity of individuals within each population; this was evident in the Górki village population (Pgr)
AMOVA revealed high variation within population and the absence of significant differences in genetic variation between regions. This result seems to indicate that the estimated low genetic variation in the Slovakian and the two Polish populations results from the influence of genetic processes such as genetic drift and inbreeding in local populations due to low abundance

Summary

Introduction

The level of genetic variability within populations and the differences between them are important in maintaining the evolutionary potential of species, as these are key factors in adaptation to environmental changes [1,2,3,4]. The abundance of populations varies within the geographical range, which can be divided into two parts: western, with disjunct populations, and southeastern, where the species range is continuous [15] This uneven distribution means that the level of endangerment differs across the species range. For the very small populations from Poland (Wyżyna Małopolska upland) and Slovakia (White Carpathian Mts) such analyses may yield additional information on the dynamics of changes in variation and their potential influence on the genetic variability and structure of these populations. In the Czech Republic there are 9 localities of Serratula lycopifolia in the southeastern part of the country: 5 in southern Moravia and 4 in the White Carpathians [20,22] One of the latter populations (Cbk) was included in the present study. The species grows in patches of xerothermic grassland associations of the order Festucetalia valesiacae (Festuco-Brometea class) [17]

Material and methods

Results

Findings

Discussion