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Genetic structure of continental and island Populations of the Mediterranean Endemic Cyclamen Balearicum (Primulaceae)
Author(s) -
Affre Laurence,
Thompson John D.,
Debussche Max
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.2307/2446019
Subject(s) - biology , mediterranean basin , ecology , population , gene flow , mediterranean climate , mediterranean islands , primulaceae , genetic diversity , balearic islands , genetic structure , genetic variation , demography , sociology , biochemistry , gene
Cyclamen balearicum is a self‐compatible perennial herb endemic to the western Mediterranean Basin. This species occurs in five geographically isolated terrestrial islands in southern France and on four Balearic islands. In this study, we compare genetic variability and differentiation within and among 11 terrestrial island populations and 17 true island populations. Of nine readable enzyme loci, five were polymorphic in both terrestrial and true islands. F statistics showed a significant heterozygote deficiency in all populations, probably due to high levels of autonomous selfing, restricted gene flow, and subsequent genetic drift. Genetic diversity was higher in terrestrial islands than on the Balearic islands, suggesting that the Balearic islands were colonized when they were in contact with the continent. Population differentiation was greater among terrestrial islands ( F st = 0.417 and G st = 0.344) than among true islands ( F st = 0.112 and G st = 0.093). Furthermore, differentiation among populations on the Basses Cévennes terrestrial island was greater ( F st = 0.254) than among populations on the true island of Mallorca ( F st = 0.163). The greater genetic differentiation among terrestrial islands could have been caused by genetic bottlenecks associated with changes in climate and human land use that may have reduced population sizes more severely in terrestrial islands in southern France than on the Balearic islands.