Conservation genetic inferences in the carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia alata (Sarraceniaceae)

Abstract

Conservation geneticists make inferences about their focal species from genetic data, and then use these inferences to inform conservation decisions. Since different biological processes can produce similar patterns of genetic diversity, we advocate an approach to data analysis that considers the full range of evolutionary forces and attempts to evaluate their relative contributions in an objective manner. Here we collect data from microsatellites and chloroplast loci and use these data to explore models of historical demography in the carnivorous Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia alata. Findings indicate that populations of S. alata exhibit high degrees of population genetic structure, likely caused by dispersal limitation, and that population sizes have decreased in western populations and increased in eastern populations. These results provide new insight to the management and conservation of plants restricted to small, declining populations isolated in increasingly scarce and highly threatened habitat, including other rare and endangered species of Sarracenia.

Clonality, genetic variation, and the origin of isolated western populations of the carnivorous plant,Sarracenia alata1

“…The values for diversity from AFLPs (this study) and from microsatellites (Koopman and Carstens 2010) in S. alata are comparable to those observed by Nybom (2004) for short-lived perennials that possess a breeding system that is a mixture between selfing and outcrossing.…”

“…Our major goal was to determine the importance of clonal (vegetative) spread within these populations. Although genetic diversity has been reported for populations of several species of Sarracenia (e.g., Schwaegerle and Schaal 1979, Wang et al 2004, Karberg and Gale 2006, Furches et al 2013, including S. alata (Koopman andCarstens 2010, Zellmer et al 2012), no study has examined the importance of clonal spread in any Sarracenia species. The data generated in this study also allowed us to examine the probable mechanisms by which these populations were established.…”

Long‐Term Outcomes of Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) Establishment

“…Salvage logging operations occur on a scale that is not compatible with protecting small isolated populations of Venus flytraps and thus machinery should be kept out of areas likely to include Venus flytraps. Jennings and Rohr (2011) listed agriculture, including wood and pulp harvesting, as the most common threat to carnivorous plants worldwide, while Koopman and Carstens (2010) linked declining populations of pitcher plants in Louisiana to multi‐use land management not focused on rare plants.…”

Population history of the two carnivorous plants Drosera peltata var. nipponica and Drosera rotundifolia (Droseraceae) in Korea

“… Notes: Assay, ISO = isozymes, SSR = microsatellites, RAPD = randomly amplified polymorphic DNA; G ST , F ST , or θ depending on studies. Source references, a Wolf et al (2006); b Godt et al (1997); c Godt et al (1995); d Wallace (2002); e Lesica et al (1988); f Koopman and Carstens (2010); g Godt and Hamrick (1996); h Wang et al (2004); i Godt and Hamrick (1998) and unpublished data (cited in Wang et al[2004]); j Godt and Hamrick (1999); k Parisod et al (2005), introduced populations in Switzerland; l Karberg and Gale (2006); m Karberg and Gale (2010). * Values were calculated using pooled samples that included subspecies and varieties.…”