Pluess, Anadrea R. and Stöcklin, Jürg. (2004) Genetic diversity and fitness in Scabiosa columbaria in the Swiss Jura in relation to population size. Conservation genetics, 5 (2). pp. 145-156.
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Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A5249085
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Abstract
Due to changes in land use, remnants of unfertilised, nutrient-poor calcareous grassland in the Swiss Jura are small in area and are highly fragmented. We selected 89 seed families from eleven populations of various sizes of Scabiosa columbaria for a study of molecular diversity, and used the same material in a greenhouse experiment to measure variation in fitness-related traits and the ability of populations to cope with competition. Using RAPD-PCR we detected 71 RAPD-phenotypes among 87 genotypes. Molecular diversity within populations was variable and relatively high, with an expected heterozygosity H-e ranging from 0.09 to 0.24. H-e, the Shannon index (SI) and the percentage of polymorphic bands were not correlated with population size, but the smallest populations had the lowest molecular diversity (H-e, SI). Population differentiation was moderate with 12 of the molecular diversity among populations. Measures of fitness in the greenhouse differed among seed families (P > 0.001), but not among populations. Mean above-ground biomass was largely reduced when plants had to compete with Bromus. Mean fitness of populations decreased when molecular diversity (H-e) was low, but only when plants had to compete with Bromus (P = 0.02). Accordingly, the relative competition ability of Scabiosa plants decreased when molecular diversity (H-e) was low (P = 0.01). Our results suggest an increased risk of local extinction of Scabiosa columbaria in the Swiss Jura caused by a decreased viability and reduced phenotypic plasticity due to genetic erosion in small populations.
Faculties and Departments: | 05 Faculty of Science > Departement Umweltwissenschaften > Ehemalige Einheiten Umweltwissenschaften > Pflanzenökologie (Körner) |
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UniBasel Contributors: | Stöcklin, Jürg |
Item Type: | Article, refereed |
Article Subtype: | Research Article |
Publisher: | Springer |
ISSN: | 1566-0621 |
e-ISSN: | 1572-9737 |
Note: | Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article |
Language: | English |
Identification Number: | |
edoc DOI: | |
Last Modified: | 13 Nov 2017 14:32 |
Deposited On: | 22 Mar 2012 13:58 |
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