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Genetic diversity of pioneer populations: the case of Nassauvia argentea (Asteraceae: Mutisieae) on Volcán Lonquimay, Chile

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Abstract

Colonising populations do not always exhibit founder effects. Common explanations are high levels of immigration and/or reproduction, but few empirical tests have been done. We measured genetic diversity of Nassauvia argentea in terms of variation and divergence of plant populations that have colonised Volcán Lonquimay, Chile, following its latest eruption in 1988. Fifteen individuals from each of ten populations were analysed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Genetic variation and divergence were lower in colonising populations than established ones, but not significantly so (ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests, p < 0.05). No consistent or significant trends were obtained from regressions with demographic variables. Bayesian analysis of population structure reveals close relatedness among populations of all ages on the volcano. We concluded that no conspicuous founder effect has occurred in the genetic diversity of populations colonising a newly derived volcanic environment. An important implication of this is the role of proximity to source regions and species vigour in moulding genetic diversity of colonisers from different species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank: the Departamento de Botánica, Universidad de Concepción, for work, space and consultation of herbarium material (CONC) in Chile; the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) for permission to collect samples from Chilean National Parks; R. Hössinger and M. J. Parra for help with collecting; G. Kadlec for technical assistance; Dr. David Hulce at SoftGenetics for guidance on the appropriate use of GeneMarker for scoring of AFLPs and an anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on the manuscript. This project was funded by a grant from Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF grant P18446 to TFS). EG was supported by a UK Natural Environment Research Council Masters studentship via the University of York Biology Department.

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  1. Emily C. Green

    Present address: Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO, 10 5DD, UK

    Emily C. Green

  2. Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria

    Karin Tremetsberger

  3. Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ecologia y Biodiversidad (IEB), Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile

    Alejandra Jiménez

  4. Laboratorio de Invasiones Biológicas, Departamento de Manejo de Bosques y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile

    Alejandra Jiménez

  5. Laboratorio de Genómica y Biodiversidad (LGB), Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Bío Bío, Casilla 447, Chillán, Chile

    Susana Gómez-González

  6. Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Faculty Centre of Biodiversity, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria

    Tod F. Stuessy & Patricio G. López

  7. Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile

    Carlos M. Baeza

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  1. Emily C. Green
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Correspondence to Karin Tremetsberger.

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Green, E.C., Tremetsberger, K., Jiménez, A. et al. Genetic diversity of pioneer populations: the case of Nassauvia argentea (Asteraceae: Mutisieae) on Volcán Lonquimay, Chile. Plant Syst Evol 298, 109–119 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0527-y

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