High regional genetic differentiation of an endangered relict plant Craigia yunnanensis and implications for its conservation

doi:10.1016/j.pld.2016.07.002

Plant Diversity ›› 2016, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (05): 221-226.DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2016.07.002

• Articles • Previous Articles Next Articles

High regional genetic differentiation of an endangered relict plant Craigia yunnanensis and implications for its conservation

Jing Yang^a, Zerui Gao^b, Weibang Sun^a, Changqin Zhang^c

a. Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China;
b. Yunnan Tobacco Industrial Hi-tech Material CO., LTD, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China;
c. Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China

Received:2016-05-10 Revised:2016-07-25 Online:2021-11-05 Published:2016-10-25
Contact: Changqin Zhang
Supported by:
This study was funded by the National Science Foundation of China (NSFCU1302262), and the Department of Forestry of Yunnan Province, project name “Rescue and conservation of PSESP species Craigia yunnanensis”. It was also supported by the Science and Technology Research Program of Kunming Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIB2016005).

High regional genetic differentiation of an endangered relict plant Craigia yunnanensis and implications for its conservation

Jing Yang^a, Zerui Gao^b, Weibang Sun^a, Changqin Zhang^c

a. Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China;
b. Yunnan Tobacco Industrial Hi-tech Material CO., LTD, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China;
c. Kunming Botanical Garden, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China

通讯作者: Changqin Zhang
基金资助:
This study was funded by the National Science Foundation of China (NSFCU1302262), and the Department of Forestry of Yunnan Province, project name “Rescue and conservation of PSESP species Craigia yunnanensis”. It was also supported by the Science and Technology Research Program of Kunming Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIB2016005).

Abstract

Abstract: Of the genus Craigia, widespread in the Tertiary, only two relict species survived to modern times. One species is now possibly extinct and the other one, Craigia yunnanensis, is severely endangered. Extensive surveys have located six C. yunnanensis populations in Yunnan province, southwest China. Using fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), the genetic diversity and population structure of these populations were examined. It was found that genetic diversity of C. yunnanensis was moderate at the species level, but low at regional and population levels. Analysis of population structure showed significant genetic differentiation between Wenshan and Dehong regions, apparently representing two geographically isolated for long time refuges. There are also clear indications of isolation between populations, which, together with anthropogenically caused decline of population size, will lead to general loss of the species genetic variation with subsequent loss of adaptive potential. To conserve the genetic integrity of C. yunnanensis, we recommend that ex-situ conservation should include representative samples from every population of the two differentiated regions (e.g. Wenshan and Dehong). The crosses between individuals originated from different regions should be avoided because of a high risk of outbreeding depression. As all the extant populations of C. yunnanensis are in unprotected areas with strong anthropogenic impact, there is no alternative to reintroduction of C. yunnanensis into suitable protected locations.

Key words: Craigia yunnanensis, Isolation, AFLP, Genetic diversity, Population genetic structure, Conservation genetics

摘要： Of the genus Craigia, widespread in the Tertiary, only two relict species survived to modern times. One species is now possibly extinct and the other one, Craigia yunnanensis, is severely endangered. Extensive surveys have located six C. yunnanensis populations in Yunnan province, southwest China. Using fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), the genetic diversity and population structure of these populations were examined. It was found that genetic diversity of C. yunnanensis was moderate at the species level, but low at regional and population levels. Analysis of population structure showed significant genetic differentiation between Wenshan and Dehong regions, apparently representing two geographically isolated for long time refuges. There are also clear indications of isolation between populations, which, together with anthropogenically caused decline of population size, will lead to general loss of the species genetic variation with subsequent loss of adaptive potential. To conserve the genetic integrity of C. yunnanensis, we recommend that ex-situ conservation should include representative samples from every population of the two differentiated regions (e.g. Wenshan and Dehong). The crosses between individuals originated from different regions should be avoided because of a high risk of outbreeding depression. As all the extant populations of C. yunnanensis are in unprotected areas with strong anthropogenic impact, there is no alternative to reintroduction of C. yunnanensis into suitable protected locations.

关键词: Craigia yunnanensis, Isolation, AFLP, Genetic diversity, Population genetic structure, Conservation genetics

Jing Yang, Zerui Gao, Weibang Sun, Changqin Zhang. High regional genetic differentiation of an endangered relict plant Craigia yunnanensis and implications for its conservation[J]. Plant Diversity, 2016, 38(05): 221-226.

References

Avise, J.C., Hamrick, J.L., 1996. Conservation Genetics: Case Histories from Nature.Chapman and Hall, New York.
Barrett, S.C.H., Kohn, J.R., 1991. Genetic and evolutionary consequences of small population size in plants: implications for conservation. In: Falk, D.A., Holsinger, K.E. (Eds.), Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants. Oxford University Press, USA, pp. 3-30.
Bensch, S., ÅKesson, M., 2005. Ten years of AFLP in ecology and evolution: why so few animals? Mol. Ecol. 14, 2899-2914. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02655.x.
Corlett, R.T., 2016. Plant diversity in a changing world: status, trends, and conservation needs. Plant Divers. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2016.01.001.
Doyle, J.J., 1987. A rapid DNA isolation procedure for small quantities of fresh leaf tissue. Phytochem. Bull. 19, 11-15.
Earl, D.A., vonHoldt, B.M., 2012. STRUCTURE HARVESTER: a website and program for visualizing STRUCTURE output and implementing the Evanno method. Conserv.Genet. Resour. 4, 359-361. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9548-7.
Excoffier, L., Laval, G., Schneider, S., 2005. Arlequin (version 3.0): an integrated software package for population genetics data analysis. Evol. Bioinform. 1, 47-50.
Evanno, G., Regnaut, S., Goudet, J., 2005. Detecting the number of clusters of individuals using the software STRUCTURE: a simulation study. Mol. Ecol. 14, 2611-2620.
Fischer, M., Matthies, D., 1997. Mating structure and inbreeding and outbreeding depression in the rare plant Gentianella germanica (Gentianaceae). Am. J. Bot. 84, 1685-1685.
Frankham, R., Ballou, J.D., Briscoe, D.A., 2010. Introduction to Conservation Genetics.Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Frankham, R., 2012. How closely does genetic diversity in finite populations conform to predictions of neutral theory? Large deficits in regions of low recombination. Heredity 108, 167-178. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2011.66.
Foré, S.A., Hickey, R.J., Vankat, J.L., Guttman, S.I., Schaefer, R.L., 1992. Genetic structure after forest fragmentation: a landscape ecology perspective on Acer saccharum. Can. J. Bot. 70, 1659-1668.
Gao, Z.R., Zhang, C.Q., Han, Z.Q., Li, Z., Wei, J., Shi, H.L., 2012. Pollination biology and breeding system of Craigia yunnanensis in fragmented habitat. Chin. J. Ecol. 31, 2217-2224.
Gao, Z.R., Zhang, C.Q., Milne, R.I., 2010. Size-class structure and variation in seed and seedling traits in relation to population size of an endangered species Craigia yunnanensis (Tiliaceae). Aust. J. Bot. 58, 214-223. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/BT09190.
Ge, S., Hong, D.Y., Wang, H.Q., Liu, Z.Y., Zhang, C.M., 1998. Population genetic structure and conservation of an endangered conifer, Cathaya argyrophylla(Pinaceae). Int. J. Plant Sci. 159, 351-357.
Gitzendanner, M.A., Soltis, P.S., 2000. Patterns of genetic variation in rare and widespread plant congeners. Am. J. Bot. 87, 783-792.
Hamrick, J.L., Godt, M.J.W., 1996a. Conservation genetics of endemic plant species.In: Avise, J.S., Hamrick, J.L. (Eds.), Conservation Genetics: Case Histories from Nature. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp. 281-304.
Hamrick, J.L., Godt, M., 1996b. Effects of life history traits on genetic diversity in plant species. Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. B 351, 1291-1298.
Hedrick, P.W., Miller, P.S., 1992. Conservation genetics: techniques and fundamentals. Ecol. Appl. 2, 30-46.
Hoban, S., Schlarbaum, S., 2014. Optimal sampling of seeds from plant populations for ex-situ conservation of genetic biodiversity, considering realistic population structure. Biol. Conserv. 177, 90-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.06.014.
Jin, J., Kodrul, T.M., Liao, W., Wang, X., 2009. A new species of Craigia from the Eocene Changchang formation of Hainan Island, China. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 155, 80-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2009.02.003.
Juan, A., Crespo, M.B., Cowan, R.S., Lexer, C., Fay, M.F., 2004. Patterns of variability and gene flow in Medicago citrina, an endangered endemic of islands in the western Mediterranean, as revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Mol. Ecol. 13, 2679-2690. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2004.02289.x.
Kang, M., Ye, Q., Huang, H., 2005. Genetic consequence of restricted habitat and population decline in endangered Isoetes sinensis (Isoetaceae). Ann. Bot. 96, 1265-1274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mci277.
Kvaček, Z., Manchester, S.R., Zetter, R., Pingen, M., 2002. Fruits and seeds of Craigia bronnii (Malvaceae e Tilioideae) and associated flower buds from the late Miocene Inden Formation, Lower Rhine Basin, Germany. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 119, 311-324. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0034-6667(01)00135-X.
Kvaček, Z., 2004. Early Miocene records of Craigia (Malvaceae sl) in the most basin, North Bohemia-whole plant approach. J. Czech Geol. Soc. 49, 161-171.
Lewontin, R.C., 1972. The apportionment of human diversity. Evol. Biol. 6, 381-398.
Li, X.X., Ding, X.Y., Chu, B.H., Zhou, Q., Ding, G., Gu, S., 2008. Genetic diversity analysis and conservation of the endangered Chinese endemic herb Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (Orchidaceae) based on AFLP. Genetica 133, 159-166. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10709-007-9196-8.
Llorens, T.M., Ayre, D.J., Whelan, R.J., 2004. Evidence for ancient genetic subdivision among recently fragmented populations of the endangered shrub Grevillea caleyi (Proteaceae). Heredity 92, 519-526. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800444.
Loveless, M.D., Hamrick, J.L., 1984. Ecological determinants of genetic structure in plant populations. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 15, 65-95.
Lynch, M., 1991. The genetic interpretation of inbreeding depression and outbreeding depression. Evolution 45, 622-629.
Ma, Y.P., Chen, G., Grumbine, R.E., Dao, Z.L., Sun, W.B., Guo, H.J., 2013. Conserving plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP) in China. Biodivers.Conserv. 22, 803-809. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10531-013-0434-3.
Miller, M.P., 1997. Tools for Population Genetic Analyses (TFPGA) 1.3: a Windows Program for the Analysis of Allozyme and Molecular Population Genetic Data. Computer software distributed by author, vol. 4, p. 157.
Nei, M., 1978. Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals. Genetics 89, 583-590.
Nybom, H., 2004. Comparison of different nuclear DNA markers for estimating intraspecific genetic diversity in plants. Mol. Ecol. 13, 1143-1155. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2004.02141.x.
Pritchard, J.K., Stephens, M., Donnelly, P., 2000. Inference of population structure using multilocus genotype data. Genetics 155, 945-959.
Pritchard, H.W., et al., 2014. Innovative approaches to the preservation of forest trees. For. Ecol. Manag. 333, 88-98.
Rader, R., Edwards, W., Westcott, D.A., Cunningham, S.A., Howlett, B.G., 2011. Pollen transport differs among bees and flies in a human-modified landscape. Divers.Distrib. 17, 519-529.
Ren, H., et al., 2012. Wild plant species with extremely small populations require conservation and reintroduction in China. AMBIO 41, 913-917. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-012-0284-3.
Ruane, L.G., Dickens, M.E., Wall, M.E., 2015. Fitness consequences of short- and longdistance pollinations in Phlox hirsuta, an endangered species. Am. J. Bot. 102, 1659-1665. http://dx.doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1500270.
Slatkin, M.,1985. Gene flow in natural populations. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst.16, 393-430.
Tang, Y., Gilbert, M.G., Dorr, L.J., 2007. Flora of China, vol. 12. Science Press, Beijing.
Volis, S., 2015. Species-targeted plant conservation: time for conceptual integration.Isr. J. Plant Sci. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07929978.2015.1085203.
Volis, S., 2016. How to conserve threatened Chinese plant species with extremely small populations? Plant Divers. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pld.2016.05.003.
Vos, P., et al., 1995. AFLP: a new technique for DNA fingerprinting. Nucleic Acids Res. 23, 4407-4414. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nar/23.21.4407.
Wang, D.S., Xin, H., Xing, S.Y., Li, J.H., Liu, X.J., Wu, Q.K., 2014. Analysis of Tilia amurensis Ruprecht genetic diversity from Shandong province by AFLP markers.J. Fujian Agric. For. Univ. Nat. Sci. Ed. 43, 44-48.
Woodruff, D.S., 2001. Populations, species and conservation genetics. In: Levin, S.A.(Ed.), Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. Academic Press, London.
Yang, J., Zhao, L.L., Yang, J.B., Sun, W.B., 2015. Genetic diversity and conservation evaluation of a critically endangered endemic maple, Acer yangbiense, analyzed using microsatellite markers. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 60, 193-198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bse.2015.04.027.
Yeh, F.C., Yang, R.C., Boyle, T., 1999. PopGene Version 1.31: Microsoft Window-based Freeware for Population Genetic Analysis. University of Alberta and Tim Boyle, Centre for International Forestry Research.
Young, A., Boyle, T., Brown, T., 1996. The population genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation for plants. Trends Ecol. Evol. 11, 413-418.

[1]	Mustaqeem Ahmad, Ya-Huang Luo (罗亚皇), Sonia Rathee, Robert A. Spicer, Jian Zhang (张健), Moses C. Wambulwa, Guang-Fu Zhu (朱光福), Marc W. Cadotte, Zeng-Yuan Wu (吴增源), Shujaul Mulk Khan, Debabrata Maity, De-Zhu Li (李德铢), Jie Liu (刘杰). Multifaceted plant diversity patterns across the Himalaya: Status and outlook [J]. Plant Diversity, 2025, 47(04): 529-543.
[2]	Zhi-Li Zhou (周知里), Tial C. Ling, Jian-Li Zhao (赵建立), Xin-Zhi Wang (王欣之), Lin-Lin Wang (王林林), Li Li (李莉), Wen-Jing Wang (王雯婧), Dong-Rui Jia (贾东瑞), Zhi-Kun Wu (吴之坤), Xu-Dong Sun (孙旭东), Yong-Ping Yang (杨永平), Yuan-Wen Duan (段元文). Parallel loss of anthocyanins triggers the incipient sympatric speciation in an alpine ginger [J]. Plant Diversity, 2025, 47(03): 429-439.
[3]	Yu Feng, Chaochao Yan, Wen-Qin Tu, Yu-Mei Yuan, Jing-Bo Wang, Xiao-Juan Chen, Chang-Qiu Liu, Yundong Gao. Multi-disciplinary evidence illuminates the speciation history of a monophyletic yet dimorphic lily group [J]. Plant Diversity, 2025, 47(02): 189-200.
[4]	Jianchao Liang, Zhifeng Ding, Ganwen Lie, Zhixin Zhou, Zhixiang Zhang, Huijian Hu. Climate-driven environmental filtering determines hump-shaped elevational pattern of seed plant beta diversity in the central Himalayas [J]. Plant Diversity, 2025, 47(02): 264-272.
[5]	Hong Qian, Oriol Grau. Geographic patterns and ecological causes of phylogenetic structure in mosses along an elevational gradient in the central Himalaya [J]. Plant Diversity, 2025, 47(01): 98-105.
[6]	Zhiliang Yao, Xia Pan, Xin Yang, Xiaona Shao, Bin Wang, Yun Deng, Zhiming Zhang, Qiaoming Li, Luxiang Lin. Canopy structural heterogeneity drives α and β species-genetic diversity correlations in a Chinese subtropical forest [J]. Plant Diversity, 2025, 47(01): 106-114.
[7]	Linjiang Ye, Robabeh Shahi Shavvon, Hailing Qi, Hongyu Wu, Pengzhen Fan, Mohammad Nasir Shalizi, Safiullah Khurram, Mamadzhanov Davletbek, Yerlan Turuspekov, Jie Liu. Population genetic insights into the conservation of common walnut (Juglans regia) in Central Asia [J]. Plant Diversity, 2024, 46(05): 600-610.
[8]	Yixian Li, Xuyao Zhao, Manli Xia, Xinzeng Wei, Hongwei Hou. Temperature is a cryptic factor shaping the geographical pattern of genetic variation in Ceratophyllum demersum across a subtropical freshwater lake [J]. Plant Diversity, 2024, 46(05): 630-639.
[9]	Miao-Miao Li, Muditha K. Meegahakumbura, Moses C. Wambulwa, Kevin S. Burgess, Michael Möller, Zong-Fang Shen, De-Zhu Li, Lian-Ming Gao. Genetic analyses of ancient tea trees provide insights into the breeding history and dissemination of Chinese Assam tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) [J]. Plant Diversity, 2024, 46(02): 229-237.
[10]	Ting-Ting Zou, Sen-Tao Lyu, Qi-Lin Jiang, Shu-He Shang, Xiao-Fan Wang. Pre- and post-pollination barriers between two exotic and five native Sagittaria species: Implications for species conservation [J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(04): 456-468.
[11]	Hong Qian, Jian Zhang, Meichen Jiang. Global patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of flowering plants:Biodiversity hotspots and coldspots [J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(03): 265-271.
[12]	Han-Yang Lin, Miao Sun, Ya-Jun Hao, Daijiang Li, Matthew A. Gitzendanner, Cheng-Xin Fu, Douglas E. Soltis, Pamela S. Soltis, Yun-Peng Zhao. Phylogenetic diversity of eastern Asia-eastern North America disjunct plants is mainly associated with divergence time [J]. Plant Diversity, 2023, 45(01): 27-35.
[13]	Moses C. Wambulwa, Peng-Zhen Fan, Richard Milne, Zeng-Yuan Wu, Ya-Huang Luo, Yue-Hua Wang, Hong Wang, Lian-Ming Gao, Zuo-Ying Xiahou, Ye-Chuan Jin, Lin-Jiang Ye, Zu-Chang Xu, Zhi-Chun Yang, De-Zhu Li, Jie Liu. Genetic analysis of walnut cultivars from southwest China: Implications for germplasm improvement [J]. Plant Diversity, 2022, 44(06): 530-541.
[14]	Xiaxia Li, Lijun Qiao, Birong Chen, Yujie Zheng, Chengchen Zhi, Siyu Zhang, Yupeng Pan, Zhihui Cheng. SSR markers development and their application in genetic diversity evaluation of garlic (Allium sativum) germplasm [J]. Plant Diversity, 2022, 44(05): 481-491.
[15]	Ya-Zhou Zhang, Li-Shen Qian, Xu-Fang Chen, Lu Sun, Hang Sun, Jian-Guo Chen. Diversity patterns of cushion plants on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: A basic study for future conservation efforts on alpine ecosystems [J]. Plant Diversity, 2022, 44(03): 231-242.

High regional genetic differentiation of an endangered relict plant Craigia yunnanensis and implications for its conservation

High regional genetic differentiation of an endangered relict plant Craigia yunnanensis and implications for its conservation

PDF (PC)

Knowledge

Abstract

Cite this article

share this article

References

Related Articles 15

Recommended Articles

Metrics

Comments