Reintroduction of the endangered and endemic plant species Cochlearia bavarica—Implications from conservation genetics

نویسندگان

  • Franziska Kaulfuß
  • Christoph Reisch
چکیده

Population reintroduction is a common practice in conservation, but often fails, also due to the effects of inbreeding or outbreeding depression. Cochlearia bavarica is a strongly endangered plant species endemic to Bavaria in Germany, constantly declining since the late 1980s. Therefore, population reintroduction is intended. In this study, we analyzed genetic diversity within and genetic differentiation between all 32 remnant populations of the species in Swabia and Upper Bavaria using amplified fragment length polymorphisms. Our aim was to increase reintroduction success by providing data to avoid negative effects of inbreeding and outbreeding and to preserve the natural genetic pattern of the species. Genetic diversity within populations was low but similar to other rare and endemic species and varied strongly between populations but did not depend on population size. Our analysis revealed a strong geographic pattern of genetic variation. Genetic differentiation was strongest between Swabia and Upper Bavaria and at the population level, whereas differentiation between subpopulations was comparatively low. Isolation by distance and genetic differentiation was stronger among populations from Upper Bavaria than from Swabia. From the results of our study, we derived recommendations for a successful reintroduction of the species. We suggest using rather genetically variable than large populations as reintroduction sources. Moreover, the exchange of plant material between Swabia and Upper Bavaria should be completely avoided. Within these regions, plant material from genetically similar populations should preferably be used for reintroduction, whereas the exchange among subpopulations seems to be possible without a negative impact on genetic variation due to natural gene flow.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Population size and identity influence the reaction norm of the rare, endemic plant Cochlearia bavarica across a gradient of environmental stress.

Habitat degradation and loss can result in population decline and genetic erosion, limiting the ability of organisms to cope with environmental change, whether this is through evolutionary genetic response (requiring genetic variation) or through phenotypic plasticity (i.e., the ability of a given genotype to express a variable phenotype across environments). Here we address the question whethe...

متن کامل

Wild plant species with extremely small populations require conservation and reintroduction in China.

China is exceptionally rich in biodiversity, with more than 30000 vascular plant species that include many endemic genera, species of ancient origin, and cultivated plants (Yang et al. 2005). Because of rapid economic development, population growth, pollution, and continuing resource exploitation, China’s plant diversity faces severe threats. According to the Chinese National Report on Biodiver...

متن کامل

Investigation of flora, life form and geographical distribution of plant species in north-west of Ludab region, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, Iran

Ludab region, known for its unique landscape comprising a vast fertile plain surrounded by high mountains and covered by loose oak forests, is a part of Boyer-Ahmad County in southern Zagros mountain range (West Iran) with an area of 87,715 km2 located 110 km north-west of the capital city, Yasuj. The aim of this research is to assess floristic elements, life forms, chorology, and en...

متن کامل

Phylogeny of gazelles in some islands of Iran based on mtDNA sequences: Species identification and implications for conservation

Different species of gazelles are among the most endangered mammals on the Asian steppes and occur in the central, southern and northwestern regions of Iran. The previous conservation efforts in this region have been incomplete due to confusion about the phylogenetic relationship among various populations. So that, different conservation programs such as ex-situ breeding and transfer of captive...

متن کامل

Plant genetic diversity in the Canary Islands: a conservation perspective.

The Canary Islands are an Atlantic volcanic archipelago with a rich flora of ∼570 endemic species. The endemics represent ∼40% of the native flora of the islands, and ∼20% of the endemics are in the E (endangered) category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A review of allozyme variation in 69 endemic species belonging to 18 genera and eight families is presented. The averag...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:

دوره 7  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2017