Low genetic diversity and weak population differentiation in Firmiana danxiaensis,a tree species endemic to Danxia landform in northern Guangdong,China |
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Affiliation: | 1. Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China;2. Administrative Committee of Mount Danxia National Park, Shaoguan 512300, China;1. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt;2. Department of Phytochemistry and Plant Systematics, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza, Egypt;1. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand;2. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Bream Bay Aquaculture Park, PO Box 147, Ruakaka 0151, New Zealand |
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Abstract: | Danxia landform, a unique type of petrographic geomorphology, sporadically occurs in southern China. There are about 400 rare or threatened plants and animals in this landform, but little information on genetic aspects of these species has been available. Of them, Firmiana danxiaensis is a dominant tree species endemic to Mount Danxia, a typical Danxia landform in northern Guangdong, China. In this study, we examined genetic diversity and population structure of F. danxiaensis, in comparison with two other narrowly distributed Firmiana species, Firmiana hainanensis and Firmiana kwangsiensis, which grow in non-Danxia-landform regions. Nine microsatellite markers were used to investigate genetic diversity and differentiation in a total of 256 individuals from nine populations of F. danxiaensis, three of F. hainanensis, and one of F. kwangsiensis. The results showed that F. danxiaensis had the lowest genetic diversity (HE = 0.364 ± 0.019) among the three species, but weak population structure similar to another Firmiana species (FST = 0.042 and 0.020, respectively). This low genetic diversity observed in F. danxiaensis is possibly due to confined natural distribution range and strong selective pressure in soils of Danxia landform, which may also be true for other endemic species in Danxia landform. For the long term survival of these endemic species, habitat conservation and anthropogenic introduction to similar habitats such as the adjacent Danxia landform areas should be two major strategies. |
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Keywords: | Danxia landform Microsatellite markers Genetic variation |
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