Abstract
Patterns of variation at 27 allozyme loci were investigated in the endangered endemic plantMegaleranthis saniculifolia. Levels of allozyme variation (A = 1.47,P = 40%,He = 0.088) were also compared with other endemic plant species. Genetic divergence between populations was very high (G st = 0.271 ), with moderate to high interpopulation differentiation, which probably arose through historical bottlenecks in a landscape of habitat fragmentation and/or human influence. The percentage of polymorphic loci, heterozygosity, and mean number of alleles per locus were positively related to population size, probably due to the stochastic loss of rare alleles in the smaller populations. Individuals in the small and marginal populations (TB, KD, and CJ) showed higher proportions of fixed loci. These ecologically marginal populations were typically more distant from the nearest neighboring population and were more genetically distinct from one another. The genetic structure of the current population ofM. saniculifolia is probably the result of local extinctions of intervening populations. This, in turn, is due to the Pleistocene climatic change and increased habitat destruction. A positive association appears to exist between genetic diversity and population size. Although these small population sizes are more sensitive to stochastic events, securing a certain number of individuals from the three larger populations (SB, JB, and TG) could be accomplished as part of a conservation strategy. In addition, it is important to prioritize populations in different regions in order to limit population declines caused by large-scale environmental catastrophes.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Barrett SCH, Kohn JR (1991) Genetic and evolutionary consequences of small population size in plants: Implications for conservation,In DA Falk, KE Holsinger, eds, Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 3–30
Boots BN, Getis A (1988) Point Pattern Analysis. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills
Chang CS, Kim H, Kim YS (2001) Reconsideration of rare and endangered plant species in Korea based on the IUCN Red List Categories. Kor J Plant Taxon31: 107–142
Chang CS, Kim H, Park TY (2003) Patterns of allozyme diversity in several selected rare species in Korea and implications for conservation. Biodivers Conserv12: 529–544
Chang CS, Kim H, Park TY, Maunder M (2004) Low levels of genetic variation among southern peripheral populations of the threatened herb,Leontice microrhyncha (Berberidaceae) in Korea. Biol Conserv119: 387–396
Choi DY (2002) Conservation strategy based on genetic structure and mating system of rare plants,Kirengeshoma koreana Nakai andMegaleranthis saniculifolia Ohwi. M.S. thesis. Seoul National University, Seoul
Coates DJ, Hamley RJ (1989) Systematic and evolutionary inferences from isozyme studies in the genusEremaea (Myrtaceae). Aust Syst Bot3: 59–74
Conkle MT, Hodgskiss P, Nunally L, Hunter S (1982) Starch Gel Electrophoresis of Conifer Seeds: A Laboratory Manual. General Technical Report PSVV-64. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest and Range Experiment Station, Washington DC
Donnelly KP (1978) Simulations to determine the variance and edge effect of total nearest neighbourhood distance,In I Hodder, ed, Simulation Methods in Archeology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 91 -95
Ellstrand NC, Elam DR (1993) Population genetic consequences of small population size: Implications for plant conservation. Ann Rev Ecol Syst24: 217–242
Fahrig L (2003) Effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. Ann Rev Ecol Evol Syst34: 487–515
Falk DA (1992) From conservation biology to conservation practice: Strategies for protecting plant diversity,In PL Fiedler, SK Jain, eds, Conservation Biology: Theory and Practice of Nature Conservation and Management. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 396–431
Frankham R, Ballou JD, Briscoe DA (2002) Introduction to Conservation Genetics. Cambridge University Press, New York
Hamrick JL, Godt MJW (1989) Allozyme diversity in plant species,In AH Brown, MT Clegg, AL Kahler, BS Weir, eds, Plant Population Genetics, Breeding and Genetic Resources. Sinauer, Sunderland, pp 43–63
Hamrick JL, Godt MJW (1996) Conservation genetics of endemic plant species.In JC Avise, JL Hamrick, eds, Conservation genetics, Chapman and Halll, New York, pp 81–304
Hamrick JL, Godt MJW, Murawski DA, Loveless MD (1991) Correlations between species traits and allozyme diversity: Implications for biological conservation,In DA Falk, KE Holsinger, eds, Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 75–86
Hedrick PW (1985) Genetics of Populations. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Portola Valley
Holsinger KE, Gottlieb LD (1991) Conservation of rare and endangered plants: Principles and prospects,In DA Falk, KE Holsinger, eds, Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 195–208
Im HT (1992) Plant geographical study for the plant of Cheju. Kor J Plant Taxon22: 219–234
Im RJ (1996) Flora Coreana. Vol 2. The Science and Technology Publishing House, Pyongyang
Kephart SR (1990) Starch gel electrophoresis of plant isozyme: A comparative analysis of techniques. Amer J Bot75: 1114–1119
Kim MY, Lee ST (1987) Palynotaxonomic relationship ofMegaleranthis saniculifolia Ohwi to the relative species (Ranunculaceae). Kor J Plant Taxon17: 13–20
Lee HS, Jang JE, Yoo DL, Ryu SY (2003) Effects of temperature and gibberellin treatments on seed germination ofMegaleranthis saniculifolia. J Kor Soc Hort44: 388–392
Lee S (1990) On the taxonomic position ofTrollius chosenensis Ohwi (Ranunculaceae). Kor J Plant Taxon20: 1–8
Lee TB (1980) Illustrated Flora of Korea. Hyangmoonsa, Seoul
Lesica P, Allendorf FW (1995) When are peripheral populations valuable for conservation? Conservat Biol9: 753–760
Linhart YB, Premoli AC (1993) Genetic variation inAletes acaulis and its relative, the narrow endemichumilis (Apiaceae). Amer J Bot80: 598–605
Lu, R, Waller DM, David P (2005) Genetic variability is correlated with population size and reproduction in American wild-rice(Zizania palustris var.palustris, Poaceae) populations. Amer J Bot92: 990–997
Neel MC, Ellstrand NC (2001) Patterns of allozyme diversity in the threatened plantErigeron parishii (Asteraceae). Amer J Bot88: 810–818
Nei M (1978) Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals. Genetics89: 583–590
Pellmyr O (1989) The cost of mutualism: Interactions betweenTrollius europaeus and its pollinating parasites. Oecologia78: 53–59
Pellmyr O (1992) The phylogeny of a mutualism: Evolution and coadaptation betweenTrollius and its seed-parasitic pollinators. Biol J Lin Soc47: 337–365
Sage RD, Wolff JO (1986) Pleistocene glaciation, fluctuating ranges, and low genetic variability in a large mammal (Cmsdalli). Evolution40: 1092–1095
SAS Institute Inc. (1997) SAS/STAT Guide for Personal Computers, ver. 6. Cary
Siegel S (1959) Nonparamatic Statistics. McGraw-Hill, Tokyo
Soltis DE, Haupier CH, Darrow DC, Gastony GJ (1983) Starch gel electrophoresis of ferns: A compilation of grinding buffers, gel and electrode buffers, and staining schedules. Amer Fern J73: 9–27
Swofford DL (1981) BIOSYS-1: A computer program for the analysis of allelic variation in population genetics and biochemical systematics. Release 7. Illinois National History Survey
Takhtajan A (1986) Floristic Regions of the World. University of California Press, Berkeley
Tomimatsu H, Ohara M (2003) Genetic diversity and local population structure of fragmented populations ofTrillium camschatcense (Trilliaceae). Biol Conserv109: 249–258
Wendel JF, Weeden NF (1989) Visualization and interpretation plant isozymes,In DE Soltis, PS Soltis, eds, Isozyme in Plant Biology. Dioscorides Press, Portland, pp 5–45
Wright S (1951) The genetic structure of populations. Genetics16: 97–159
Wright S (1965) The interpretation of population structure by F-statistics with special regard to systems of mating. Evolution19: 395–420
Yoo KO, Lee WT, Oh YJ (1999) External morphology and vegetation ofMegaleranthis saniculifolia populations in four different habitats. Kor J Plant Res4: 312–323
Young A, Boyle T, Brown T (1996) The population genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation for plants. Trends Ecol Evol11: 413–418
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chang, CS., Choi, D.Y., Kim, H. et al. Patterns of allozyme variation in relation to population size of the threatened plantMegaleranthis saniculifolia (Ranunculaceae) in Korea. J. Plant Biol. 48, 339–350 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03030575
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03030575