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Australian Journal of Botany Australian Journal of Botany Society
Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Genetic variation and phylogeography of Psammosilene tunicoides (Caryophyllaceae), a narrowly distributed and endemic species in south-western China

Qing-Ying Zhang A B , Yu-Juan Zhao A and Xun Gong A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, China.

B Industrial Crops Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kunming 650205, China.

C Corresponding author. Email: gongxun@mail.kib.ac.cn

Australian Journal of Botany 59(5) 450-459 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT11024
Submitted: 24 January 2011  Accepted: 29 June 2011   Published: 5 September 2011

Abstract

Psammosilene tunicoides is a narrowly distributed and endemic species in south-western China. An investigation of sequence variation at two chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) regions (rpL16, trnQ-5′rps16) and one nuclear DNA (nDNA) locus (GPA1) were carried out to survey the population structure and population history of the species. Among the 22 populations across its geographical range, nine chloroplast haplotypes and 17 nuclear alleles were identified. Both cpDNA and nDNA consistently revealed high levels of population differentiation (GST = 0.604 and 0.540, respectively), suggesting a distinct phylogeographic structure (NST > GST, P < 0.01). This high genetic differentiation might be a combined effect of breeding system, limited pollen and seed dispersal and geographic isolation of populations. The level of haplotype diversities (cpDNA, hT = 0.575; nDNA, hT = 0.724) were high, but the nucleotide diversities (cpDNA, π = 0.00099; nDNA, π = 0.00105) were low. These results together with the star-like phylogenetic pattern and neutrality tests indicate that P. tunicoides has experienced a population expansion event in its evolution. Limited genetic exchange after population expansion was supported by the pronounced genetic differentiation among populations as well as evidence for ‘isolation-by-distance’ revealed by cpDNA. Due to high population subdivision and complex landscape, as many populations as possible should be considered for genetic conservation.


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