Reassessment of diversity and analysis of distribution in Tulipa (Liliaceae) in Uzbekistan

The diversity and distribution of the genus Tulipa in Uzbekistan are discussed; 34 taxa of Tulipa are recognized in Uzbekistan. The taxa were mapped using GIS software and their distributions were analyzed. Six species are endemic to the country. A national check‐list of Tulipa was created based on the classification developed by Zonneveld (2009). ‘Hot spot’ areas of tulip diversity in Uzbekistan are western Tien‐Shan (18 taxa), the western Pamir–Alay mountains (18 taxa) and the Turan lowland (5 taxa). An assessment of rare tulip species according to IUCN red list categories and criteria was performed for the first time for Uzbekistan. Evaluation of the latest classification of Tulipa clearly shows that further studies are required to arrive at a natural classification of the genus.     

Tulipa intermedia sp. nov. (Liliaceae) from the Ferghana Depression,Uzbekistan

A new species, Tulipa intermedia, collected in the Ferghana Depression is described. The new species belongs to section T. sect. Kolpakowskianae Raamsd. ex Zonn. & Veldkamp. It is similar to T. scharipovii Tojibaev and T. talassica Lazkov but is distinguished by morphological characters of bulbs and flowers and by its ecology, growing only in Artemisia steppe on plains and in low foothills with gravelly slopes. From T. scharipovii, the new species differs by non‐coriaceous and strongly prolongated bulb tunics, pubescence of tunics, shorter stem, shape of outer petals and filaments, and by its pale yellow (not green) bottle‐shaped ovary. Two varieties of T. intermedia differing in the colour of tepals and filaments were observed growing together and are formally described.     

Defining critical habitat for plant species with poor occurrence knowledge and identification of critical habitat networks

We applied spatial distribution and reserve selection modeling to identify critical habitat network for 50 critically endangered plant species of Uzbekistan. We created maps of relative habitat suitability, converted them into maps of species critical habitat, and the latter served as input to the spatial conservation prioritization program Zonation. Although all studied species were extremely rare, the extent of their predicted critical habitat ranged from 2.6 to 15,508 km² and did not correlate with the number of occurrence records. It appears that the extent of the threatened species predicted suitable area is an indicator of whether the species rarity is inherent due to vary narrow ecological niche or caused solely by anthropogenic activity. This has important conservation implications. Imperiled species from the first category are less amenable (if at all) to such conservation actions as trans- or relocation (i.e. there is no alternative to protecting the last remaining populations). Species from the second group can potentially grow in many more locations than they currently occupy, and therefore, for these species, translocation can be the most appropriate strategy when their last remaining locations are degraded or can not be protected for whatever reason. Based on results of nature reserve design that utilized SDM-predicted maps for 50 imperiled species, we recommend adding new areas to the existing network of protected areas to cover critical habitats of highly threatened plant species. The highest priority for adding have the territories harboring critical habitat of disproportionally high number of imperiled species, and we found that they all are concentrated in the eastern part of Uzbekistan.

     

A comparative analysis of complete plastid genomes from Prangos fedtschenkoi and Prangos lipskyi (Apiaceae)

Prangos fedtschenkoi (Regel & Schmalh.) Korovin and P. lipskyi Korovin (Apiaceae) are rare plant species endemic to mountainous regions of Middle Asia. Both are edificators of biotic communities and valuable resource plants. The results of recent phylogenetic analyses place them in Prangos subgen. Koelzella (M. Hiroe) Lyskov & Pimenov and suggest they may possibly represent sister species. To aid in development of molecular markers useful for intraspecific phylogeographic and population‐level genetic studies of these ecologically and economically important plants, we determined their complete plastid genome sequences and compared the results obtained to several previously published plastomes of Apiaceae. The plastomes of P. fedtschenkoi and P. lipskyi are typical of Apiaceae and most other higher plant plastid DNAs in their sizes (153,626 and 154,143 bp, respectively), structural organization, gene arrangement, and gene content (with 113 unique genes). A total of 49 and 48 short sequence repeat (SSR) loci of 10 bp or longer were detected in P. fedtschenkoi and P. lipskyi plastomes, respectively, representing 42–43 mononucleotides and 6 AT dinucleotides. Seven tandem repeats of 30 bp or longer with a sequence identity ≥90% were identified in each plastome. Further comparisons revealed 319 polymorphic sites between the plastomes (IR, 21; LSC, 234; SSC, 64), representing 43.8% transitions (Ts), 56.1% transversions (Tv), and a Ts/Tv ratio of 0.78. Within genic regions, two indel events were observed in rpoA (6 and 51 bp) and ycf1 (3 and 12 bp), and one in ndhF (6 bp). The most variable intergenic spacer region was that of accD/psaI, with 21.1% nucleotide divergence. Each Prangos species possessed one of two separate inversions (either 5 bp in ndhB intron or 9 bp in petB intron), and these were predicted to form hairpin structures with flanking repeat sequences of 18 and 19 bp, respectively. Both species have also incorporated novel DNA in the LSC region adjacent to the LSC/IRa junction, and BLAST searches revealed it had a 100 bp match (86% sequence identity) to noncoding mitochondrial DNA. Prangos‐specific primers were developed for the variable accD/psaI intergenic spacer and preliminary PCR‐surveys suggest that this region will be useful for future phylogeographic and population‐level studies.     

Translocation of Otostegia bucharica,a highly threatened narrowly distributed relict shrub

Translocation is a recognized means of rescuing imperiled species but the evidence for the long-term success of translocations is limited. We report the successful translocation of reproductive individuals of a critically endangered shrub Otostegia bucharica from a site facing imminent habitat destruction into a nearby natural population of the species. The relocated plants were visited the year after planting and 13 years later to assess short-and long-term plant survival. Significant percentage of plants that survived transplanting shock and very dry spring following transplanting(around 36%), and further decrease of this number in the next 12 years by only 14%, indicated that O. bucharica is amenable to translocation using reproductive plants. Based on results of species distribution modeling, and failed attempts of ex situ cultivation, we propose introduction of this species into areas with suitable climatic and soil conditions.However, because there is currently no nature reserve in Uzbekistan having suitable conditions for the species under the present climate and that expected in the near future, and because all known habitats of O. bucharica are exposed to the very strong anthropogenic pressure, establishment of a new protected area, awareness building and involvement of local community in conservation activities are required to prevent extinction of this extremely rare species.