Integration of genetic and seed fitness data to the conservation of isolated subpopulations of the Mediterranean plant Malcolmia littorea.

Plant autoecology and population genetics provide a perspective on the likelihood of natural regeneration, which is critical when designing conservation strategies for endangered species. The threatened coastal plant Malcolmia littorea (Brassicaceae) was sampled across its European distribution and studied for genetic diversity and seed fitness, with the aim of providing information for the conservation of isolated and declining populations. Nine microsatellite markers (five chloroplast and four nuclear) were analysed to assess population genetic diversity and structure and to conduct a spatial analysis using the software DIVA-GIS. Germination percentages and rates were assessed by incubating the seeds under eight constant temperatures (0-27 °C). The genetic diversity was found to be similar among subpopulations (chloroplast H = 0.04-0.17; nuclear Ho  = 0.20-0.37), with no correlation between subpopulation diversity and the area of occupancy (AOO). The subpopulations were found to be clustered in three genetic groups, and three of them were identified as conservation priorities due to their unique genetic composition. The germination study revealed a significant influence of the maternal environment and AOO on seed germination, with the smaller subpopulations showing lower germination percentages (P < 0.05). These results highlight the importance of obtaining information on isolated subpopulations through different experimental approaches (e.g. seed germination plus population genetics) to enable planning of effective conservation actions. For M. littorea, seed collection for both in situ and ex situ conservation should take into account the local adaptation of the subpopulation and the genetic structure of the species.

Comparison of ISSR and RAPD markers to characterize three Chilean Nothofagus species.

The present study is the first report of fingerprinting on three Chilean Nothofagus species using ISSR and RAPD markers; 61 Nothofagus nervosa, 32 Nothofagus obliqua and 32 Nothafagus dombeyi individual trees, sampled from collection and natural sites, were analyzed. Among 45 primers tested, the 6 ISSR and 6 RAPD primers selected for the analysis generated a total of 63 ISSR and 42 RAPD fragments. A high proportion of polymorphic bands, ranging from 97% and 80%, was found using both markers. A similar number of private and marker bands was generated by both markers in all the species examined and one discriminant ISSR fragment was obtained for N. dombeyi. Jaccard and Dice similarity indices were used to evaluate pairwise genetic divergence; cluster analysis of the similarity matrices was performed to estimate the intra- and inter-specific genetic diversity, and PCA analysis was employed to evaluate the resolving power of the markers to differentiate between the species. These analyses, carried out for both markers, allowed us to identify three main groups corresponding to the three Nothofagus species. The results of the present study can be seen as a starting point for future researches on the population and evolutionary genetics of these species.