Genetic diversity in young and mature cohorts of cultivated and wild populations of Picea asperata Mast (Pinaceae), a spruce endemic in western China |
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Authors: | Zhong-Sheng Wang Hong Liu Wei-Xiang Xu Na Wei and Shu-Qing An |
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Institution: | (1) School of Life Science, Nanjing University, 210093 Nanjing, People’s Republic of China;(2) Department of Environmental Studies, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA;(3) Center for Tropical Plant Conservation, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Miami, FL 33156, USA |
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Abstract: | Dragon spruce (Mast) is a conifer endemic to western China and a popular species for reforestation programs of this region.
We used inter simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) molecular markers to conduct a population genetic study of nine geographically
close stands from three types of dragon spruce forests: (1) intact, (2) plantation, and (3) natural regenerated following
clearcut. Our main objective was to investigate the genetic structure of these populations and our expectation was that gene
flow was an important evolutionary force among them. We were unable to sample a large number of individuals in each cohort.
However, when young and mature cohorts from a particular stand were interpreted as a single unit, then sample size increased
significantly. The highest levels of genetic diversity were found in mature cohorts of the intact forests, the lowest in young
cohorts of these stands. Contrary to our expectations, low levels of gene flow existed between mature and young cohorts of
different forest types; and most gene flow occurred between cohorts belonging to the same stand. There were major differences
in the genetic structure of the three types of stands. Our results have conservation implications as the majority of wild
populations of dragon spruce are small and fragmented. Low gene flow among populations will lead to high levels of genetic
drift and a decline of genetic diversity within populations. |
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