巨伞钟报春繁殖策略随海拔梯度的变异

巨伞钟报春(Primula florindae)是报春花属(Primula)的一种二型花柱植物,为青藏高原地区特有种。该研究于巨伞钟报春自然种群在色季拉山的分布下限(3 100m)至上限(林线4 350m)沿海拔梯度设立5个远离人为活动干扰的样点,并选取开花物候、花部结构性状、传粉昆虫、性分配、自然结实5个繁殖表征性状,通过分析比较不同海拔梯度样点的繁殖表征性状之间的差异,明确巨伞钟报春繁殖性状对海拔变化的适应策略,并探讨未来气候变化对巨伞钟报春的分布格局可能产生的影响。研究发现:(1)巨伞钟报春始花时间最早为中海拔种群,其次是低海拔种群,最晚为高海拔种群,而且随海拔高度上升,巨伞钟报春两种表型的花寿命均显著延长;花部结构面积显著增大;访花昆虫种类减少;性分配倾向于偏雌分配,各性状对于不同海拔之间异质环境的适应可能是巨伞钟报春在各海拔繁殖策略上表现出差异的主要原因。(2)随着海拔的上升,巨伞钟报春的开花数显著减少,但虫食数与虫食率也显著降低,最终不同海拔有效座果数和结籽数均无显著差异,表明巨伞钟报春通过应对不同环境形成相应的繁殖策略,在不同海拔均能保证恒定的繁殖成功率,并维持种群的稳定。(3)气候变化将会对巨伞钟报春的分布产生深远影响,其分布下限可能发生上移,但更高海拔地区现有的砂壤环境不适于巨伞钟报春的生长,且传粉昆虫在气候变化综合作用下的时空变异尚不明确,致使其分布上限上移空间有限。研究推测,未来100年内,巨伞钟报春的分布下限可能上移至其现今分布格局的中海拔地区,造成其分布区域缩小。     

Effect of plant traits and population structure on the female reproductive success of the endemic Primula elatior subsp. bergidensis (Primulaceae)

This study explores the possible causes of variation in female reproductive success of the subspecific taxon Primula elatior subsp. bergidensis, a distylic endemic to the north-western Iberian Peninsula, by analysing both vegetative and reproductive traits. In three populations, we marked vegetative and reproductive individuals either by mapping the spatial position of every individual (in one population), or by establishing permanent quadrats (in the remainder two populations). We recorded floral morph (pin or thrum), width and length of the largest leaf, scape length, and number of flowers produced; all individuals were monitored to estimate the number of fruits and seeds produced. The results show that the morph ratio did not differ significantly from 1:1 in any of the populations. The number of flowers per plant varied between populations, and longer scape length was associated with higher fruit set in all populations. Plant size, scape length, and population spatial structure all had major effects on reproductive success, but the strength—and in some cases the direction—of the effects varied among populations.     

中甸灯台报春与鹅黄灯台报春的系统演化

中甸灯台报春和鹅黄灯台报春在形态上较为相似,通常被认为是亲缘关系较近的物种。该研究选取核基因ITS序列和叶绿体trn L-F为分子标记,利用贝叶斯的方法构建系统树,在用两种分子标记构建的系统树中,两种报春均以0.81的支持率聚成一个分支,明确了两种报春的姐妹种关系。首先,通过选取两个物种的五个形态学性状,进行主成分分析,聚类结果中两种报春各自的个体分别聚在两块区域,表明两种报春的形态学性状产生了明显的分化,且中甸灯台报春的花部各性状值明显大于鹅黄灯台报春,表明花部综合征和繁育系统间的相关联系。然后,通过用8对SSR分子标记对两种报春进行STRUCTURE聚类分析,结果检测K的最适值为2,此时中甸灯台报春和鹅黄灯台报春的个体各自以不同颜色聚成界限清晰的两块区域,揭示了两种报春在分子水平上也产生了显著而稳定的分化,通过Ima2软件,依据叶绿体联合序列,计算了两种报春的分化时间大约是在更新世,推测这两个姐妹种的物种分化受更新世气候动荡和一些地质历史事件的影响。最后,运用maxent软件分析两个物种的生态位差异,结果表明最干季节降水量、年均降水量和季节性降水量对中甸灯台报春的分布有重要影响,最冷季节平均温度、最干月降水量、年均降水量和季节性降水量对鹅黄灯台报春的分布有重要影响,两个物种间的生态位产生了分化。由此推测,这种生态位的差异是物种分化的结果,同时也是物种间系统演化的重要驱动力。     

Initial determination of DNA polymorphism of some Primula veris L. populations from Kosovo and Austria

Primula veris L. (Primulaceae) is a long lived perennial and well known pharmaceutical plant, widely collected for these reasons in almost all SE Europe and particularly in Kosovo. The aim of the study is to determine molecular polymorphism of cowslip (P. veris L.) populations from Kosovo. DNA extracted from leaves were  investigated in details for presence of polymorphism. RAPD analyses were conducted using 20 different short primers. Genomic DNA amplification profiles were analyzed and processed using data labelling. Comparison between cowslip populations in genetic composition revealed that samples from Bogaj were too distinct on their own. Molecular variation was observed to be more within populations (73 %) as compared to among populations (27 %). On the other hand, genetic distance of populations revealed that the highest genetic distance is between Leqinat and Maja e Madhe. Mean values of expected heterozygosity were highest in Bogaj population, while lowest in Maja e Madhe population. The obtained results indicated that Bogaj population are more polymorphic. From the obtained data it can be concluded that RAPD markers provided a useful technique to study genetic diversity in P. veris L. populations. This technology allows identification and assessment of the genetic similarities and differences among plant populations.     

Further Analysis of Intraspecific Sequence Variation of Chloroplast DNA in Primula cuneifolia Ledeb. (Primulaceae): Implications for Biogeography of the Japanese Alpine Flora

Primula cuneifolia Ledeb. (Primulaceae), we analyzed intraspecific variation of the nucleotide sequences of non-coding regions of chloroplast DNA: the intergenic spacers between trnT (UGU) and the trnL (UAA) 5′exon, the trnL (UAA) 3′exon and trnF (GAA), and atpB and rbcL. In 20 populations of P. cuneifolia, 22 nucleotide substitutions and five insertions/deletions were inferred, and their genetic distances ranged from 0.001 to 0.008. Eight distinct haplotypes could be recognized and each haplotype was found to be geographically structured. Three major clades (the Northern, Hokkaido and Southern clades) were revealed in phylogenetic analyses of the haplotypes. The haplotypes of the Northern clade had a wider distribution area in the populations of Mt. Rausu and Rishiri Island of eastern and northern Hokkaido in Japan, northward to Unalaska Island in the Aleutians, and those of the Hokkaido clade were distributed in the populations of central Hokkaido and Mt. Iwaki of the northern Honshu in Japan; in addition, those of the Southern clade were observed only in the populations of the central Honshu. It was shown that the genetic diversifications of the Southern clade were higher than those of the Northern and Hokkaido clades. Furthermore, it was shown that the topology within the Southern clade was hierarchical, and the haplotypes of the Southern populations in the clade were derivative. From these results, we concluded that the cpDNA haplotypes of the three clades in P. cuneifolia arose and assumed the present distribution areas through several cycles of glacial advance and retreat in the Pleistocene. Received 24 June 1998/ Accepted in revised form 28 December 1998     

Species Biology of Primula sieboldii for the Conservation of its Lowland-habitat Population: I. Inter-clonal Variations in the Flowering Phenology, Pollen Load and Female Fertility Components

Abstract Intra-population variations of several characteristics related to fertility were assessed for a nature-reserve population of Primula sieboldii in the flood plain of the Arakawa River. Although there were large intra- and inter-clonal variations of fruit and seed sets as well as other female fertility components in the 13 clones examined, female fertility was generally low, except in a homomorph clone. Pollinator availability was assessed by continuous monitoring of insect visits with 8 mm film. No insect visits were recorded during the monitoring of total 68 flowers over 16 hours in the nature-reserve population. In contrast, a high pollinator visitation rate was recorded in a reference population of P. sieboldii on the flank of Mt. Yatugatake. Thus, the low rates of seed production in the nature reserve was due to a shortage of compatible pollens as a result of the limitation of pollinator availability. Stigmas of flowers in various clones occasionally were loaded with pollen grains whose sizes were not significantly different from those of anther pollens of the same flowers. However, pollen germination on stigmas was observed only in the flowers of a homo-morph clone whose flowers have pin-type stigmas and anthers with compatible thrum-type pollens at the same height. Exceptionally high fertility of the homo-morph clone would be associated with its inbreeding habit.     

Distribution range and ecological niche of Primula marginata Curtis (Primulaceae)

The distribution range of Primula marginata Curtis (Primulaceae) has never been fully characterized. In the present study, authors did a revision of the distribution range using herbaria material, database records and in situ populations' check-up. P. marginata was confirmed extending from Cottian to Maritime and Ligurian Alps, with few outlier occurrences in the northern Apennines. The localities previously reported from northern Piedmont (Val d'Ossola) were not confirmed. Maximum entropy model (Maxent) was used to simulate the potential distribution of P. marginata under current climate conditions. According to the distribution modelling performed, the species prefers rocky calcareous habitats mainly at high elevations, with abundant precipitation, but low moisture retention at soil level and marked temperature range between winter and summer seasons. The potential distribution area drawn by Maxent seemed to describe P. marginata at its maximum extension, and any future climate changes might cause limitations for the survival of the species.     

SMALL AND UGLY? PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES OF THE “SELFING SYNDROME” REVEAL COMPLEX EVOLUTIONARY FATES OF MONOMORPHIC PRIMROSE FLOWERS

One of the most common trends in plant evolution, loss of self‐incompatibility and ensuing increases in selfing, is generally assumed to be associated with a suite of phenotypic changes, notably a reduction of floral size, termed the selfing syndrome. We investigate whether floral morphological traits indeed decrease in a deterministic fashion after losses of self‐incompatibility, as traditionally expected, using a phylogeny of 124 primrose species containing nine independent transitions from heterostyly (heteromorphic incompatibility) to homostyly (monomorphic self‐compatibility), a classic system for evolution of selfing. We find similar overall variability of homostylous and heterostylous species, except for diminished herkogamy in homostyles. Bayesian mixed models demonstrate differences between homostylous and heterostylous species in all traits, but net effects across species are small (except herkogamy) and directionality differs among traits. Strongly drift‐like evolutionary trajectories of corolla tube length and corolla diameter inferred by Ornstein–Uhlenbeck models contrast with expected deterministic trajectories toward small floral size. Lineage‐specific population genetic effects associated with evolution of selfing may explain that reductions of floral size represent one of several possible outcomes of floral evolution after loss of heterostyly in primroses. Contrary to the traditional paradigm, selfing syndromes may, but do not necessarily evolve in response to increased selfing.     

Highly differentiated populations of the narrow endemic and endangered species Primula cicutariifolia in China,revealed by ISSR and SSR

The perennial herb Primula cicutariifolia Pax is an endangered and endemic species with narrow distribution in eastern Anhui and Zhejiang provinces of China. In this study, the levels of genetic variation and the pattern of genetic structure in five natural populations of P. cicutariifolia were assessed by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Both markers revealed that there was remarkably low genetic variation within populations (e.g., H_e = 0.19 and 0.18, for ISSR and SSR respectively) and high differentiation among populations (G_ST = 0.714 and 0.611; Φ_ST = 0.698 and 0.599, for ISSR and SSR respectively). The level of population genetic diversity was correlated to population size only detected by ISSR markers. The genetic structure of P. cicutariifolia may be explained by limited gene flow that was caused by habitat fragmentation and limited seeds and pollen dispersal ability, self breeding system and biennial life form. To protect and avoid disappearance of P. cicutariifolia, much more attentions should be paid to protect all the remnant populations and their habitats, and three management units, i.e. Tianmushan, Damodao, and Panan units, were proposed.