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Considering evolutionary processes in cycad conservation: identification of evolutionarily significant units within Dioon sonorense (Zamiaceae) in northwestern Mexico

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Abstract

Cycads are considered to be the most threatened plant group on Earth. Thus, the identification of important biological units for conservation is crucial for their management and protection. Taxonomic studies have enormously contributed to cycad conservation, since species descriptions formally recognize biodiversity components that can be considered in conservation. However, because multidisciplinary studies that evaluate the biodiversity within cycad species are almost non-existent intraspecific evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) have not been considered when making conservation plans. The cycad Dioon sonorense (Zamiaceae) has a relatively wide distribution range along a vegetation gradient in Northwest Mexico: the southern populations of D. sonorense occur in tropical forests, whereas the northern populations occur in more xeric environments in the Sonoran Desert. Although both habitats might have promoted important evolutionary trends within D. sonorense, only the southern populations are being conserved. Here, we evaluated whether intrinsic differentiation among populations of D. sonorense exists, and whether northern populations may merit attention in conservation programs. We analyzed the variation of genome-wide loci to evaluate the genetic structure among six populations. We found two clusters, northern and southern, that can be recognized using 361 neutral loci. Such genetic structure is consistent with the differentiation observed from the variation of 16 macromorphological and 9 epidermal traits. Southern and northern regions are clearly differentiated in genetic, morphological and anatomical analyses. These multidisciplinary results suggest that the northernmost populations of D. sonorense represent an ESU that should be included in conservation programs. This study highlights that the evaluation of intraspecific variation may contribute effective strategies for cycad conservation, and that evolutionary processes should be considered in the delimitation of conservation units.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Takuro Ito and Sonia Galicia for technical support. We are very grateful for the revision of two anonymous reviewers who gave critical comments that helped improve the manuscript. M.A.P.F. thanks Christopher Davidson and Sharon Christoph for partial financial support. Field specimens of D. sonorense were collected under permits No. SGPA/DGVS/12198 and SGPA/DGVS/08722 from SEMARNAT, Mexico.

Funding

This study was funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant in aid No. 16J11945 to J.S.G.O.) and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Grant CB-2011-01-169468 to A.P.V.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan

    José Said Gutiérrez-Ortega & Yasuyuki Watano

  2. Licenciatura en Biología, Universidad de Sonora, 83000, Hermosillo, Mexico

    Karen Jiménez-Cedillo

  3. Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva, Herbario Eizi Matuda, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, 29039, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico

    Miguel Angel Pérez-Farrera

  4. Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., 91070, Xalapa, Mexico

    Andrew P. Vovides

  5. Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 83250, Hermosillo, Mexico

    José F. Martínez & Francisco Molina-Freaner

  6. Instituto de Geología, Estación Regional del Noroeste, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 83250, Hermosillo, Mexico

    Francisco Molina-Freaner

  7. Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 1278-294 Sugadairakogen, Ueda, Nagano, 386-2204, Japan

    Ryosuke Imai & Yoshiaki Tsuda

  8. Kawatabi Field Science Center, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi, 989-6711, Japan

    Yu Matsuki & Yoshihisa Suyama

  9. Iriomote Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Uehara, Yaeyama, Okinawa, 907-1541, Japan

    Tadashi Kajita

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  1. José Said Gutiérrez-Ortega
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  2. Karen Jiménez-Cedillo
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  3. Miguel Angel Pérez-Farrera
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  7. Ryosuke Imai
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  8. Yoshiaki Tsuda
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  9. Yu Matsuki
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  10. Yoshihisa Suyama
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  11. Yasuyuki Watano
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  12. Tadashi Kajita
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Correspondence to José Said Gutiérrez-Ortega or Tadashi Kajita.

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Gutiérrez-Ortega, J.S., Jiménez-Cedillo, K., Pérez-Farrera, M.A. et al. Considering evolutionary processes in cycad conservation: identification of evolutionarily significant units within Dioon sonorense (Zamiaceae) in northwestern Mexico. Conserv Genet 19, 1069–1081 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-018-1079-2

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