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High Genetic Differentiation (high + genetic_differentiation)
Selected AbstractsGenetic variation within the Lidia bovine breedANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 4 2008J. Cañón Summary The results of an exhaustive data collection from a bovine population with a low level of exchangeability, the Lidia breed, are presented. A total of 1683 individuals from 79 herds were sampled and genetic diversity within and among lineages was assessed using 24 microsatellite loci on 22 different chromosomes. Expected heterozygosity ranged between 0.46 and 0.68 per lineage and there was significant inbreeding in the lineages, which included several farms [mean FIS = 0.11, bootstrap 95% confidence interval (0.09, 0.14)], mainly because of the high genetic divergence between herds within those lineages. High genetic differentiation between lineages was also found with a mean FST of 0.18 [bootstrap 95% confidence interval (0.17, 0.19)], and all pairwise values, which ranged from 0.07 to 0.35, were highly significant. The relationships among lineages showed weak statistical support. Nonetheless, lineages were highly discrete when analysed using correspondence analysis and a great proportion of the individuals were correctly assigned to their own lineage when performing standard assignment procedures. [source] Population genetics suggests effectiveness of habitat connectivity measures for the European tree frog in SwitzerlandJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Sonia Angelone Summary 1.,Governmental authorities in many countries financially support the implementation of habitat connectivity measures to enhance the exchange of individuals among fragmented populations. The evaluation of the effectiveness of such measures is crucial for future management directions and can be accomplished by using genetic methods. 2.,We retraced the population history of the European tree frog in two Swiss river valleys (Reuss and Thur), performed comprehensive population sampling to infer the genetic structure at 11 microsatellite markers, and used first-generation migrant assignment tests to evaluate the contemporary exchange of individuals. 3.,Compared with the Thur valley, the Reuss valley has lost almost double the number of breeding sites and exhibited a more pronounced genetic grouping. However, similar numbers of contemporary migrants were detected in both valleys. In the Reuss valley, 81% of the migration events occurred within the identified genetic groups, whereas in the Thur valley migration patterns were diffuse. 4.,Our results show that the connectivity measures implemented in the Reuss valley facilitated effective tree frog migration among breeding sites within distances up to 4 km. Nevertheless, the Reuss valley exhibited high genetic differentiation, which reflected the impact of barriers to tree frog movement such as the River Reuss. By contrast in the Thur valley, a larger number of breeding sites have been preserved and high admixture indicated exchange of individuals at distances up to 16 km. 5.,Synthesis and applications. We show that genetic methods can substantiate the effectiveness of connectivity measures taken in conservation management at the landscape scale. We urge responsible authorities from both river valleys to continue implementing connectivity measures and to create a dense network of breeding sites, as spatial gaps of 8 km are rarely traversed by tree frogs. [source] ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Cycads in the insular South-west Pacific: dispersal or vicariance?JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2008Gunnar Keppel Abstract Aim, Cycads constitute an ancient plant group that is generally believed to disperse poorly. However, one group of cycads (subsection Rumphiae) is thought to have dispersed relatively recently from a Malesian source area westwards to East Africa and eastwards into the Pacific, using a floatation-facilitating layer in their seeds. We use morphological and allozyme characters to investigate the relationships among the species within this group and to deduce whether the wide distribution was achieved by recent dispersal (as evidenced by high genetic similarity) or more distant vicariance events (high genetic differentiation). Location, We examined specimens collected throughout the range of subsection Rumphiae, from East Africa through Southeast Asia to Tonga in the South-west Pacific. Methods, We investigated relationships within subsection Rumphiae of the genus Cycas by analysing 18 variable (11 informative) morphological characters and 22 allozyme loci for seven of the 10 species currently assigned to this taxon. Results, Distinctive morphological characters are few and fail to resolve relationships within the group. Allozyme data show that species within this subsection are closely related and suggest that there are two groups within the subsection, one comprising Cycas thouarsii (East Africa) and C. edentata (the Philippines), and the other the remaining species (from Malesia and the Pacific). The Australian species C. silvestris is sister to subsection Rumphiae in the morphological analysis but is closely allied to C. rumphii (nested within the subsection) in the allozyme analysis, suggesting that Rumphiae may be paraphyletic and that characters thought to be taxonomically important may need to be re-evaluated. Main conclusions, Cycads within subsection Rumphiae are closely related, and the wide distribution of this group was probably achieved through relatively recent oceanic dispersal events. Separate events probably account for the dispersal of these cycads into the Pacific and to Africa. The origin and distribution of C. silvestris (Australia) could be explained by a dispersal event from New Guinea or may have resulted from a former land connection between Australia and New Guinea. [source] Population Genetic Structure of the Medicinal Plant Vitex rotundifolia in China: Implications for its Use and ConservationJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 9 2008Yuan Hu Abstract Vitex rotundifolia L. is an important plant species used in traditional Chinese medicine. For its efficient use and conservation, genetic diversity and clonal variation of V. rotundifolia populations in China were investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat markers. Fourteen natural populations were included to estimate genetic diversity, and a large population with 135 individuals was used to analyze clonal variation and fine-scale spatial genetic structure. The overall genetic diversity (GD) of V. rotundifolia populations in China was moderate (GD = 0.190), with about 40% within-population variation. Across all populations surveyed, the average within-population diversity was moderate (P = 22.6%; GD = 0.086). A relatively high genetic differentiation (Gst = 0.587) among populations was detected based on the analysis of molecular variance data. Such characteristics of V. rotundifolia are likely attributed to its sexual/asexual reproduction and limited gene flow. The genotypic diversity (D = 0.992) was greater than the average values of a clonal plant, indicating its significant reproduction through seedlings. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed a clear within-population structure with gene clusters of approximately 20 m. Genetic diversity patterns of V. rotundifolia in China provide a useful guide for its efficient use and conservation by selecting particular populations displaying greater variation that may contain required medicinal compounds, and by sampling individuals in a population at >20 m spatial intervals to avoid collecting individuals with identical or similar genotypes. [source] Low genetic diversity and high genetic differentiation in the critically endangered Omphalogramma souliei (Primulaceae): implications for its conservationJOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS EVOLUTION, Issue 2 2009Yuan HUANG Abstract Omphalogramma souliei Franch. is an endangered perennial herb only distributed in alpine areas of SW China. ISSR markers were applied to determine the genetic variation and genetic structure of 60 individuals of three populations of O. souliei in NW Yunnan, China. The genetic diversity at the species level is low with P=42.5% (percentage of polymorphic bands) and Hsp=0.1762 (total genetic diversity). However, a high level of genetic differentiation among populations was detected based on different measures (Nei's genetic diversity analysis: Gst=0.6038; AMOVA analysis: Fst=0.6797). Low level of genetic diversity within populations and significant genetic differentiation among populations might be due to the mixed mating system in which xenogamy predominated and autogamy played an assistant role in O. souliei. The genetic drift due to small population size and limited current gene flow also resulted in significant genetic differentiation. The assessment of genetic variation and differentiation of the endangered species provides important information for conservation on a genetic basis. Conservation strategies for this rare endemic species are proposed. [source] Population structure and intraspecific aggression in the invasive ant species Anoplolepis gracilipes in Malaysian BorneoMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 7 2007JOCHEN DRESCHER Abstract Invasive species are one of the main sources of the ongoing global loss of biodiversity. Invasive ants are known as particularly damaging invaders and their introductions are often accompanied by population-level behavioural and genetic changes that may contribute to their success. Anoplolepis gracilipes is an invasive ant that has just recently received increased attention due to its negative impact on native ecosystems. We examined the behaviour and population structure of A. gracilipes in Sabah, Malaysia. A total of 475 individuals from 24 colonies were genotyped with eight microsatellite markers. Intracolonial relatedness was high, ranging from 0.37 to 1 (mean ± SD: 0.82 ± 0.04), while intercolonial relatedness was low (0.0 ± 0.02, range ,0.5,0.76). We compared five distinct sampling regions in Sabah and Brunei. A three-level hierarchical F-analysis revealed high genetic differentiation among colonies within the same region, but low genetic differentiation within colonies or across regions. Overall levels of heterozygosity were unusually high (mean HO = 0.95, mean HE = 0.71) with two loci being entirely heterozygous, indicating an unusual reproductive system in this species. Bioassays revealed a negative correlation between relatedness and aggression, suggesting kinship as one factor facilitating supercolony formation in this species. Furthermore, we genotyped one individual per nest from Sabah (22 nests), Sarawak (one nest), Brunei (three nests) and the Philippines (two nests) using two mitochondrial DNA markers. We found six haplotypes, two of which included 82.1% of all sequences. Our study shows that the sampled area in Sabah consists of a mosaic of differently interrelated nests in different stages of colony establishment. While some of the sampled colonies may belong to large supercolonies, others are more likely to represent recently introduced or dispersed propagules that are just beginning to expand. [source] Genetic variation and structure in six Rhododendron species (Ericaceae) with contrasting local distribution patterns in Hong Kong, ChinaMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 7 2000Sai-Chit Ng Abstract Genetic variability of six rhododendrons with contrasting local distribution patterns in Hong Kong was assessed by starch gel electrophoresis. Rhododendron championiae, R. hongkongense and R. simiarum are locally rare with disjunct distributions, R. moulmainense is restricted and R. farrerae and R. simsii are common. For each species, 13,18 allozyme loci representing 12,16 enzyme systems were scored. The six species showed similar levels of genetic variations (HT ranged from 0.209 to 0.386 and AT ranged from 2.4 to 4.1) which are high compared to plants with similar life history traits. Genetic structure, in contrast, varied greatly between species, with FST ranging from 0.056 to 0.393. The three rarest species had high genetic differentiation (FST and FPT) and distinct geographical patterns, while the other three had low differentiation and little or no geographical structure. These differences are attributed to both present distributions and historical changes following deforestation within the last 1000 years. The conservation implications of these results are discussed. [source] Genetic structure of Mycosphaerella graminicola populations in IranPLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2010M. Abrinbana To provide insight into the genetic structure of Mycosphaerella graminicola populations in Iran, a total of 221 isolates were collected from naturally infected wheat fields of five major wheat-growing provinces and analysed using AFLP markers and mating-type loci. All populations showed intermediate to high genotypic diversity. In the Golestan and Ardabil populations two mating types were found at near-equal frequencies, whilst all populations were in gametic disequilibrium. Moreover, clonal haplotypes were identified in different sampling sites within a field in both the Khuzestan and Fars provinces, demonstrating that pycnidia are probably the primary source of inoculum. All five populations had low levels of gene diversity and had private bands. Low levels of gene flow and high genetic differentiation were observed among populations and different clustering methods revealed five genetically distinct groups in accordance with the sampling areas. The Golestan and East Azarbaijan populations were more genetically differentiated than the others. Random genetic drift, selection and geographic barriers may account for the differentiation of the populations. The results of this study indicate a population structure of M. graminicola in Iran contrasting to that of most other countries studied. [source] Genetic differentiation in pointing dog breeds inferred from microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA sequenceANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2008D. Parra Summary Recent studies presenting genetic analysis of dog breeds do not focus specifically on genetic relationships among pointing dog breeds, although hunting was among the first traits of interest when dogs were domesticated. This report compares histories with genetic relationships among five modern breeds of pointing dogs (English Setter, English Pointer, Epagneul Breton, Deutsch Drahthaar and German Shorthaired Pointer) collected in Spain using mitochondrial, autosomal and Y-chromosome information. We identified 236 alleles in autosomal microsatellites, four Y-chromosome haplotypes and 18 mitochondrial haplotypes. Average FST values were 11.2, 14.4 and 13.1 for autosomal, Y-chromosome microsatellite markers and mtDNA sequence respectively, reflecting relatively high genetic differentiation among breeds. The high gene diversity observed in the pointing breeds (61.7,68.2) suggests contributions from genetically different individuals, but that these individuals originated from the same ancestors. The modern English Setter, thought to have arisen from the Old Spanish Pointer, was the first breed to cluster independently when using autosomal markers and seems to share a common maternal origin with the English Pointer and German Shorthaired Pointer, either via common domestic breed females in the British Isles or through the Old Spanish Pointer females taken to the British Isles in the 14th and 16th centuries. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence indicates the isolation of the Epagneul Breton, which has been formally documented, and shows Deutsch Drahthaar as the result of crossing the German Shorthaired Pointer with other breeds. Our molecular data are consistent with historical documents. [source] Differentiation among disjunct populations of agamospermous species of Hieracium section Cernua (Asteraceae) in Central European subalpine habitatsBOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2008MICHA, RONIKIER A morphological survey and assessment of genetic diversity using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) were applied to study the variability of two agamospermous species of Hieracium section Cernua R. Uechtr. characterized by disjunct, subalpine distributions: H. silesiacum (Western Carpathians and Eastern Sudetes) and H. vierhapperi (Western Carpathians and Eastern Alps). Contrasting patterns were revealed. In H. silesiacum, no genetic or morphological differences were found between its remote populations from the Sudetes and the Tatry mountains, suggesting a recent dispersal. In contrast, distinct morphological differentiation of population in the Nízke Tatry mountains was confirmed by high genetic differentiation; the analysis indicated independent origin of this population and gave grounds for taxonomic separation and description of a new species, H. austrotatricum. In H. vierhapperi, genetic differentiation and slight morphological difference (colour of achenes) was observed between disjunct populations from the Carpathians and the Alps. The data suggest long-term isolation of these populations resulting in pronounced independent history. High number of markers monomorphic for all populations supports the existing hypothesis of common sexual ancestors from H. section Cernua involved in the origin of these polyploid taxa. No or only minor morphological differentiation within the taxa indicates high stability of apomictic populations of Hieracium. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158, 93,105. 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