Genetic discontinuity revealed by chloroplast microsatellites in eastern North American Abies (Pinaceae)

Abstract

Development of conservation strategies for Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) in the southern Appalachian Mountains depends in part on recognition of the extent to which Fraser fir is genetically distinct from the closely related balsam (A. balsamea) and intermediate (A. balsamea var. phanerolepis) fir. These sibling species have exhibited intergrading, clinal variation in morphological, chemical, and genetic characteristics in prior research. Chloroplast microsatellite markers were polymerase chain reaction amplified from genomic DNA samples of 78 individuals representing the geographic ranges of Fraser, balsam, and intermediate fir. Gene diversity levels at two loci ranged among taxa from 0.65 to 0.84. Allele frequencies demonstrated significant differentiation among taxa, with R(ST) values of 0.36 and 0.10. Haplotype diversity and D(SH) were highest for balsam fir and lowest for intermediate fir. A haplotype network analysis based on allele size distribution for the two loci revealed two distinct clusters of haplotypes and population-specific haplotypes. Ninety-two percent of the haplotypes in one cluster were from balsam fir and intermediate fir, and 84% of the haplotypes in the other cluster were from Fraser fir and intermediate fir. The genetic differentiation of chloroplast DNA markers provides justification for the recognition of Fraser fir as a distinct Management Unit (MU) for conservation purposes, regardless of its taxonomic classification.

Determination of Genetic Variation Between Populations of Abies nordmanniana subsp. bornmulleriana Mattf According to Some Seed Characteristics

“…al., 2010;Şevik, 2010), isosymes analysis (Bilgen and Kaya, 2007;Turna, 2003) and DNA markers (Clark et. al., 2000;Goldstein, 1995 Shea (1990) reported that the variation among the populations is small (1,3%) but significant in Abies Lasiocarpa.…”

Variability of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) progeny from the Tisovik Reserve expressed in needle traits and chloroplast microsatellite DNA

“…Besides, these markers may provide information on paternity, and with high diversity of cpSSR haplotypes, they might inform about the number of fathers contributing to progeny lines. The cpSSR markers were also used in studies of population structure, gene flow, and demographic history of populations (Morgante et al 1997;Echt et al 1998;Provan et al 1998;Vendramin et al 1999;Clark et al 2000;Semerikova & Semerikov 2007;Dzialuk et al 2009). …”

Assessing Plant Genetic Diversity by Molecular Tools

“…CpDNA has been preserved well within the genome, and consequently has been employed widely for studying plant populations through the use of PCR-RFLP and PCR sequencing approaches [40]. They are also employed in the detection of hybridization/introgression [41], in the analysis of genetic diversity [42] and in obtaining the phylogeography of plant populations [43,44].…”