Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Allozyme diversity in relation to geographic distribution and population size inLathyrus vernus (L.) Bernh. (Fabaceae)

  • Published:
Plant Systematics and Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Lathyrus vernus (L.) Bernh. is a diploid, long-lived perennial and insect-pollinated herb with no special adaptation to long-distance dispersal. It occurs on neutral soil in deciduous forests throughout western Eurasia. Due to specific habitat preferences,L. vernus has a fragmented distribution with isolated populations. We investigated allozyme variation at eleven loci in 20 populations ofL. vernus from one geographically central region (the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic) and two geographically marginal regions (southern and central Sweden) in the species present-day distribution. There was a clear differentiation between the three regions and the genetic distance between the populations was highly correlated with geographic distance. The total genetic diversity (HT) was 0.354. The proportion of genetic diversity due to differentiation between regions, and to differentiation between populations within regions, accounted for 10% each. There was no difference in level of genetic diversity between the three regions. No significant difference in level of genetic diversity was found between small and large populations. The genetic diversity inL. vernus may either be a result of the long generation-time of the species or peculiarities in the post-glacial migration species, e.g. survival only in refugia far east of the sampled populations and/or migration as a continuous process not involving founder-events.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersson G., Birger S. (1912) Den norrlänska florans geografiska fördelning och invandrings-historia. Almqvist & Wiksell, Uppsala.

    Google Scholar 

  • Backéus I. (1999) The late Quaternary vegetation history of Sweden. Acta Phytogeogr. Suec. 84: 15–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett S. C. H., Husband B. C. (1990) The genetics of plant migration and colonization. In: Brown A. D. H., Clegg M. T., Kahler A. L., Weir B. S. (eds.) Plant Population Genetics. Breeding and Genetic Resources. Sunderland, Massachusetts, Sinauer Associates, pp. 254–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett S. C. H., Kohn J. R. (1991) Genetic and evolutionary consequences of small population size. In: Falk D. A., Holsinger K. E. (eds.) Genetics and Conservation of Rare Plants. Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett K. D., Tzedakis P. C., Willis K. J. (1991) Quarternary refugia of north European trees. Journal of Biogeography 18: 103–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Betancourt J. L., Schuster W. S., Mitton J. B., Anderson R. S. (1991) Fossil and genetic history of a pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) isolate. J. Ecol. 72: 1685–1697.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bossard J. L., Prowell D. P. (1998) Genetic estimates of population structure and gene flow: limitations, lessons and new directions. Trends Evol. Ecol. 13: 202–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brochmann C., Soltis D. E., Soltis P. S. (1992) Electrophoretic relationships and phylogeny of Nordic polyploids inDraba (Brassicaceae). Plant Syst. Evol. 182: 35–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broyles S. B. (1998) Postglacial migration and the loss of allozyme variation in northern populations ofAsclepias exaltata (Asclepiadaceae). Am. J. Bot. 85: 1091–1097.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cain M. L., Damman H., Muir A. (1998) Seed dispersal and the holocene migration of woodland herbs. Ecological Monographs 68: 325–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coates D. J. (1988) Genetic diversity and population genetic structure in the rare chittering grass wattle,Acacia anomala Court. Aust. J. Bot. 36: 273–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coyle B.F., Shark T. L., Feret P. O. (1982) Variation in leaf morphology among disjunct and continuous populations of river birch (Betula nigra L.). Silvae Genetica 31: 122–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford D. J., Wilson H. D. (1977) Allozyme variation inChenopodium fremontii. Syst. Bot. 2: 180–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Critchfield W. B. (1984) Impact of Pleistocene on the genetic structure of North American conifers. In: Lanner R. M. (ed.) Impact of Pleistocene on the genetic structure of North American conifers. Logan, UT., Utah State University, pp. 70–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cywnar L. C., MacDonald G. M. (1987) Geographic variation of lodgepole pine in relation to population history. Am. Nat. 129: 463–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demesure B., Comps B., Petit P. J. (1996) Chloroplast DNA phylogeography of the common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in Europe. Evolution 50: 2515–2520.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolan R. W. (1994) Population genetic structure and post-glacial migration in a rare prairie plant. Am. J. Bot. 81 (Suppl.): 51–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrlén J. (1993) Ultimate function of non-fruiting flowers inLathyrus vernus. Oikos 68: 45–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrlén J. (1994) Herbivory, pollen limitation and population dynamics inLathyrus vernus. Ph. D. Thesis. Dept. of Botany, Univ. of Stockholm, Sweden.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrlén J. (1997) Risk of grazing and flower number in a perennial herb. Oikos 80: 428–434.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrlén J., Eriksson O. (1996) Seedling recruitment in the perennial herbLathyrus vernus. Flora 191: 377–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falconer D. S. (1989) Introduction of Quantitative Genetics. 3rd ed. Longman, Essex, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferris C., Oliver R. P., Davy A. J., Hewitt G. M. (1993) Native oak chloroplasts reveal an ancient divide across Europe. Mol. Ecol. 2: 33–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furnier G. R., Adams W. T. (1986) Geographic patterns of allozyme variation in Jeffrey pine. Am. J. Bot. 73: 1009–1015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabrielsen T. M., Bachmann K., Jacobsen K. S., Brochmann C. (1997) Glacial survival does not matter: RAPD phylogeography of NordicSaxifraga oppositifolia. Mol. Ecol. 6: 831–842.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giles B. E., Goudet J. (1997) Genetic differentiation inSilene dioica metapopulations: Estimation of spatiotemporal effects in a successional plant species. Am. Nat. 149: 507–526.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godt M. J. W., Hamrick J. L. (1991) Genetic variation inLathyrus latifolius (Leguminosae). Am. J. Bot. 78: 1163–1171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guries R. P., Ledig F. T. (1982) Genetic diversity and population structure in pitch pine (Pinus nigra). Evolution 36: 387–402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halkka S. (1985) Chromosome counts in Finnish vascular plants. Ann. Bot. Fenn. 22: 315–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamrick J. L., Godt M. J. W. (1989) Allozyme diversity in plant species. In: Brown A. D. H., Clegg M. T., Kahler A. L., Weir B. S. (eds.) Plant population Genetics, Breeding and Genetic Variation in Plants. Sinauer Associates Inc., Sunderland, pp. 43–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt G. M. (1993) Postglacial distribution and species substructures: lessons from pollen, insects and hybrid zones. In: Lees D. R., Edwards D. (eds.) Evolutionary patterns and processes. Academic Press, London, pp. 97–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt G. M. (1996) Some genetic consequences of ice ages, and their role in divergence and speciation. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 58: 247–276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt G. M. (1999) Post-glacial re-colonization of European biota. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 68: 87–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins S. I., Richardson D. M. (1999) Predicting Plant Migration Rates in a Changing World; The Role of Long-Distance Dispersal. Am. Nat. 153: 464–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntley B., Birks H. J. B. (1983) An Atlas of Past and Present Pollen Maps for Europe: 0-13000 years ago. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hultén E., Fries M. (1986) Atlas of North European vascular Plants. Koeltz scientific books.

  • Jain S. K., Rai K. N., Singh R. S. (1981) Population biology ofAvena XI. Variation in peripheral isolates ofA. barbata. Genetica 56: 213–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kullman L. (1998) Non-analogous tree floras in the Scandes Mountains, Sweden, during the early Holocene: Macrofossil evidence of rapid geographic spread and response to palaeoclamate. Boreas 27: 153–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavrenko A. N., Sorditov N. P., Ulle Z. G. (1989) Chromosome numbers in some species of flowering plants of the Ural. Bot. Zurn. 74: 1059–1061.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesica P., Allendorf F. W. (1995) When are peripheral populations valuable for conservation? Conserv. Biol. 9: 753–760.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levin D. A. (1977) The organisation of genetic diversity inPhlox drummondii. Evol. 31: 477–494.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis P. O., Crawford D. J. (1995) Pleistocene refugium endemics exhibit greater allozymic diversity than widespread congeners in the genusPolygonella (Polygonaceae.). Am. J. Bot. 82: 141–149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahy G., Vekemans X., Jacquemart A., De Sloover J. (1997) Allozyme diversity and genetic structure in South Western populations of heather,Calluna vulgaris. New Phytol. 137(2): 325–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mantel N. (1967) The detection of disease clustering and generalized regression approach. Cancer Research 27: 209–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercure A., Ralls K., Koepfli K. P., Wayne R. K. (1993) Genetic subdivision among small canids: mitochondrial DNA differentiation of swift, kit, and arctic foxes. Evol. 47: 1313–1328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merilä J., Björklund M., Baker A. J. (1996) Genetic population structure and gradual northward decline of genetic variability in the greenfinch (Carduelis chloris). Evol. 50: 2548–2557.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitton J. B. (1989) Physiological and demographic variation associated with allozyme variation. In: Soltis D., Soltis P. (eds.) Isozymes in Plant Biology. Dioscorides, Portland Or., pp. 127–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitton J. B., Linhart Y. B., Sturgeon K. B., Hamrick J. L. (1979) Allozyme polymorphisms detected in mature needle tissue of ponderosa pine. J. Hered. 70: 86–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moran G. F., Hopper S. D. (1987) Conservation of the genetic resources of rare and widespread eucalyptus in remnant vegetation. In: Sauders D. A., Arnold G. W., Burbridge A. A., Hopkins A. J. M. (eds.) Nature Conservation: The role of Remnants of Native Vegetation. Surrey, Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, pp. 151–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nei M. (1973) Analyses of gene diversity in subdivided populations. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, 70: 3321–3323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nei M. (1978) Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals. Genetics 89; 583–590.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nei M., Maruyama T., Chakraborty R. (1975) The bottleneck effect and genetic variability in populations. Evol. 29: 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nesbø C. L., Fossheim T., Vøllestad L. A., Jakobsen K. S. (1999) Genetic divergence and phylogeographic relationships among European perch (Perca fluviatalis) populations reflect glacial refugia and post-glacial colonization. Mol. Ecol. 8: 1387–1404.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichols R. A., Hewitt G. M. (1994) The genetic consequences of long distance dispersal during colonization. Heredity 72: 312–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oberdorfer E. (1962) Pflanzensociologische Exkursionsflora für Süddeutschland und die angrenzenden Gebiete. 2nd ed. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ouborg N. J., Piquot Y., Van Groenendeal J. M. (1999) Population genetics, molecular markers and the study of dispersal in plants. J. Ecol. 87: 551–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pogan E., Wcislow H., Jankun A. (1980) Further studies in chromosome numbers of Polish Angiosperms, part XIII. Acta Biol. Cracov. Ser. Bot. 22: 37–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prentice H. C., White R. J. (1988) Variability, population size and isolation; the structuring of diversity in ÖlandGypsophila fastigiata. Acta Œcologica Œcol. Plant 9: 19–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prober S. M., Tompkins C., Moran G. G., Bell J. C. (1990) The conservation genetics ofEucalyptus paliformis L. Johnson et Blaxell andE. parviflora Cambage, two rare species from southeastern Australia. Aust. J. Bot. 38: 79–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prober S. M., Brown A. H. D. (1994) Conservation of the grassy white box woodlands: Population genetics and fragmentation ofEucalyptus albens. Conserv. Biol. 8: 1003–1013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raspé O., Jacquemart A.-L. (1998) Allozyme diversity and genetic structure of European populations ofSorbus aucuparia L. (Rosaceae: Maloideae). Heredity 81: 537–545.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sage R. D., Wolff J. O. (1986) Pleistocene glaciation, fluctuating ranges, and low genetic variability in a large mammal (Ovis dalli). Evol. 40: 1092–1095.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson J. F., Hopper S. D., James S. H. (1989) The mating system and population genetic structure in a bird-pollinated mallee,Eucalyptus rhodantha. Heredity 63: 383–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwaegerle K. E., Schaal B. A. (1979) Genetic variability and founder effect in the pitcher plant,Sarracenia purpurea L. Evol. 33: 1210–1218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Serenko L. V., Shvets I. V. (1989) Karyologicheskoe isuchenie bobovykk (Fabaceae) Belorussii. In: Tesizy II Symp. Plant Karyology Novosibirsk, pp. 66–68.

  • Soltis D. E., Gitzendanner M. A., Strenge P. S. (1997) Chloroplast DNA intraspecific phylogeography of plants from the Pacific Northwest of North America. Plant Syst. Evol. 206: 353–373.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sork V. L., Nason J., Campbell D. R., Fernandez J. F. (1999) Landscape approaches to historical and contemporary gene flow in plants. Trends Evol. Ecol. 14: 219–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swofford O. L., Selander R. B. (1989) BIOSYS-1: A computer program for the analysis of allelic variation in genetics. User's manual. Univ. Illinois. Urbana.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taberlet P., Fumagalli L., Wust-Saucy A-G., Cosson J-F. (1998) Comparative phylogeography and postglacial colonization routes in Europe. Mol. Ecol. 7: 453–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tigerstedt P. M. A. (1973) Studies on isozyme variation in marginal and central populations ofPicea abies. Hereditas 75: 47–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Treuren R., Bijlsma R., van Delden W., Ouborg N. J. (1991) The significance of genetic erosion in the process of extinction. I. Genetic differentiation inSalvia pratensis andScabiosa columbaria in relation to population size. Heredity 66: 181–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wendel J. F., Parks C. R. (1985) Genetic diversity and population structure inCamellia japonica L. (Theaceae). Am. J. Bot. 72: 52–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wendel J. F., Weeden N. F. (1989) Visualization and interpretation of plant isozymes. In: Soltis D., Soltis P. (eds.) Isozymes in Plant Biology. Dioscorides, Portland Or., pp. 5–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitlock M. C., McCauley D. E. (1999) Indirect measures of gene flow and migration: FST ≠ 1/(4Nm + 1). Heredity 82: 117–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright S. (1931) Evolution in Mendelian populations. Genetics 16: 97–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeh F. C., Layton C. (1979) The organization of genetic variability in central and marginal populations of logepole pine,Pinus contorta ssp.latifolia. Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 21: 487–503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeh F. C., O'Malley D. O. (1980) Enzyme variation in natural populations of Douglas-fir,Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, from British Columbia 1. genetic variation patterns in coastal populations. Silvae Genetica 29: 83–92.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systematic Botany, University of Lund, Östra Vallgatan 20, SE-223 61, Lund, Sweden

    K. Schiemann, T. Tyler & B. Widén

Authors
  1. K. Schiemann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Tyler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B. Widén
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schiemann, K., Tyler, T. & Widén, B. Allozyme diversity in relation to geographic distribution and population size inLathyrus vernus (L.) Bernh. (Fabaceae). Pl Syst Evol 225, 119–132 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00985462

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00985462

Key words

Search

Navigation