Open AccessGenetic structure in the G enista ephedroides complex ( F abaceae) and implications for its present distribution
Author(s) -
De Castro Olga,
Véla Errol,
Vendramin Giuseppe Giovanni,
Gargiulo Roberta,
Caputo Paolo
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
botanical journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.872
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1095-8339
pISSN - 0024-4074
DOI - 10.1111/boj.12263
Subject(s) - biology , monophyly , biological dispersal , taxon , fabaceae , range (aeronautics) , genetic diversity , lineage (genetic) , botany , zoology , ecology , evolutionary biology , phylogenetics , clade , population , genetics , demography , materials science , sociology , gene , composite material
The present investigation investigated the genetic structure of a monophyletic group of endemic species belonging to the G enista ephedroides species group: G . bocchierii , G . cilentina , G . demarcoi , G . dorycnifolia , G . ephedroides , G . gasparrinii , G . insularis , G . numidica , G . tyrrhena subsp. tyrrhena , G . tyrrhena subsp. pontiana and G . valsecchiae , all distributed in the western Mediterranean. Using seven plastid microsatellites, 16 populations (288 individuals) were screened. Haplotype fixation was observed in particular for most of the T yrrhenian taxa (i.e. G . bocchierii , G . cilentina , G . demarcoi , G . ephedroides , G . gasparrinii , G . insularis , G . tyrrhena subsp. tyrrhena and G . valsecchiae ). However, although genetic diversity within populations was low [( h S = 0.132 (± 0.056)], a high level of total plastid DNA diversity [ h T = 0.866 (± 0.042)] was detected, and analysis of molecular variance indicated that variation is almost exclusively expressed among populations (95.25%). The plastid microsatellites identify two groups of taxa, one including S ardinian taxa and populations of G . tyrrhena subsp. pontiana and the other including two subgroups, one of which includes S icilian/ A eolian elements and the other with G . numidica / G . cilentina and G . dorycnifolia . Results allow us to consider G . cilentina as originating by recent anthropogenic dispersal and G . tyrrhena subsp. pontiana as a possible stabilized hybrid between local plants and members of the Sardinian group contributing the maternal lineage. The evolutionary history of the group possibly results from the effects of ancient events fostering geodispersal and range contraction, followed by more recent long‐range dispersal or geodispersion over Pleistocenic land bridges. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2015, 177 , 607–618.