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Genetic assessment of Abies koreana (Pinaceae), the endangered Korean fir, and conservation implications

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Abstract

To establish a management plan for endangered and rare species, genetic assessment must first be conducted. The genetic characteristics of plant species are affected by demographic history, reproductive strategy, and distributional range as well as anthropological effects. Abies koreana E. H. Wilson (Pinaceae), Korean fir, is endemic to Korea and found only in sub-alpine areas of the southern Korean Peninsula and Jejudo Island. This species has been designated as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to a continuous decline in its range and population fragmentation. We genotyped 176 individuals from seven natural populations and two afforested populations on the Korean Peninsula using 19 microsatellite loci. STRUCTURE analysis revealed two genetic clusters in natural populations (F st  = 0.040 and R st  = 0.040) despite low differentiation. We did not detect a significant reduction in genetic diversity or the signature of a genetic bottleneck despite population fragmentation and small population size. We deduced that this species exhibits a metapopulation structure, with the population on Jirisan Mountain acting as a source of genetic diversity for other local small populations on the Korean Peninsula, through contemporary asymmetric gene flow. However, the majority of afforested individuals on the Korean Peninsula originated from a different gene cluster. Thus, we recommend a conservation strategy that maintains two genetically unique clusters.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), funded by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) of the Republic of Korea (#NIBR201507101). We are grateful to the Korea National Park Service for permission to collect valuable samples. The authors thank Dr. Ji Hong An and Ms. Jaram Hong for technical assistance.

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  1. Jeong-Ki Hong

    Present address: Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju, 37242, South Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, 22755, South Korea

    Myounghai Kwak, Jeong-Ki Hong, Byoung Yoon Lee & Min Hwan Suh

  2. Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju, 37242, South Korea

    Jin Hee Park

  3. Warm Temperate and Subtropical Forest Research Center of the National Institute of Forest Science, Seogwipo, 63582, South Korea

    Chan Soo Kim

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  1. Myounghai Kwak
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  2. Jeong-Ki Hong
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Correspondence to Myounghai Kwak.

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Kwak, M., Hong, JK., Park, J.H. et al. Genetic assessment of Abies koreana (Pinaceae), the endangered Korean fir, and conservation implications. Conserv Genet 18, 1165–1176 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-017-0968-0

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