High genetic diversity in a clonal relict Alexgeorgea nitens (Restionaceae): implications for ecological restoration
Elizabeth Sinclair A B C D , Siegfried Krauss B C , Belinda Cheetham A B and Richard Hobbs A CA Environmental Science, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
B Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Fraser Avenue, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.
C Present address: School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: esinclair@iinet.net.au
Australian Journal of Botany 58(3) 206-213 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT09193
Submitted: 30 October 2009 Accepted: 24 February 2010 Published: 5 May 2010
Abstract
The importance of genetic issues associated with the sourcing of propagules is increasingly recognised for successful ecological restoration. A consideration of life history traits has contributed to ‘best-guess’ scenarios on the appropriate location and desirable properties of local provenance source populations, but these can lack precision. For clonal species, population genetic structure and variation will depend on the balance between the extent and growth rate of asexual clones, sexual reproduction, pollen dispersal, and subsequent seed dispersal and recruitment. We assessed patterns of population genetic structure and variation for Alexgeorgea nitens (Nees) L. Johnston & B. Briggs (Restionaceae), a dioecious, clonal, perennial species, with novel life history traits. Our results show high levels of genetic diversity within populations, and surprisingly low levels of population differentiation (ΦST = 0.17). We suggest that the high genetic diversity observed within these populations reflects extensive pollen dispersal and successful seeding (sexual reproduction) and recruitment events, even though direct observations of seedling recruitment are rare. In this case, a ‘best-guess’ propagule-sourcing scenario based on life-history traits that appear to limit dispersal capability does not predict the extent of high local genetic diversity and weak population genetic structure in A. nitens.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to R. Taylor, M. Drobel, G. Zawko, A. Batty, N. Swarts, B. Newman, D. Close, R. Barrett, M. Barrett for help in the field; R. Barrett for field and voucher material identifications; K. Dixon for useful discussions. All specimens were collected under valid CALM (SW009725) and Kings Park permits (2004–07). This research was funded by an ARC linkage grant (LP0348958) and the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority.
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