Genetic poverty of an extremely specialized wetland species,Nehalennia speciosa: implications for conservation (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Abstract

Oligo- and mesotrophic wetlands, such as bogs, fens and swamps, have become more and more restricted in Europe, and wetland species related to them have increasingly been threatened. Due to increasing habitat fragmentation, the exchange of individuals of these species among sites and, as a consequence, gene flow has been reduced or even eliminated. Therefore, we analysed the genetic structure of 11 populations of an endangered stenotopic damselfly, Nehalennia speciosa (Odonata: Coenagrionidae), in Poland and Lithuania by means of allozyme electrophoresis of 14 gene loci. The overall genetic diversity of all populations was low (A: 1.32; H: 2.6%; Ptot: 29.2%), and no significant differences were observed among the different groupings of populations (degree of fragmentation, habitat type and size, population size). The genetic differentiation among populations was also low (FST: 2.0%) and no regional groups were detected. A low degree of isolation by distance was observed for genetic distances. Taking into account these results, the conservation effort for this species should be focused on large local populations and not necessarily on metapopulation structures. Furthermore, N. speciosa could be (re-)introduced in extinct patches and seemingly suitable localities. Genetically, such relocations should be feasible due to the generally high genetic homogeneity of populations.

Genetic homogeneity of the Sedgling Nehalennia speciosa (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) indicates a single Würm glacial refugium and trans‐Palaearctic postglacial expansion

“…The low genetic diversity and differentiation of N . speciosa have been recently confirmed by (1) results obtained for two other genes (COI and ITS1) from four localities in Russia and Japan (Suvorov 2011) and (2) results of a regional allozyme study restricted to Poland and Lithuania (Bernard and Schmitt 2010). Furthermore, N .…”

“…The low genetic diversity and differentiation of N. speciosa have been recently confirmed by (1) results obtained for two other genes (COI and ITS1) from four localities in Russia and Japan (Suvorov 2011) and (2) results of a regional allozyme study restricted to Poland and Lithuania (Bernard and Schmitt 2010). Furthermore, N. speciosa is also morphologically uniform, and no subspecific division has been recognized all over its trans-Palaearctic range (Belyshev and Haritonov 1981;R Bernard, unpublished data).…”

Effects of recent and past climatic shifts on the genetic structure of the high mountain Yellow‐spotted ringlet butterfly Erebia manto (Lepidoptera, Satyrinae): a conservation problem

“…However, the genetic diversities of the rather local populations in the Vosges, the French Massif Central and, less so, the southern Carpathians more reflect the genetic diversities of rare or local endemic mountain species (e.g. Britten et al ., ; Debinski, ; Haubrich & Schmitt, ; Dieker et al ., ) or other rare species (Gadeberg & Boomsma, ; Bereczki et al ., ; Bernard & Schmitt, ).…”

Genetic implications of phylogeographical patterns in the conservation of the boreal wetland butterflyColias palaeno(Pieridae)

“…However, phylogeographical knowledge of species associated with comparatively cold wetland habitats, such as oligotrophic bogs, often exhibiting a boreo‐montane distribution, is still rather limited (but see Šula & Spitzer, ). Our knowledge is mostly restricted to ecological analyses (Krogerus, ; Coulson & Butterfield, ) and some studies concerning local and regional genetic structures (Bernard & Schmitt, ; Buczkowska et al ., ; Rasic & Keyghobadi, ). Consequently, phylogeographical studies of European bog species, one of the pillars of conservation planning, are still scarce (Nève, ; Bernard et al ., ; Jermakowicz et al ., ).…”