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Conservation genetics of an ex situ population of Primula reinii var. rhodotricha, an endangered primrose endemic to Japan on a limestone mountain

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Abstract

Primula reinii var. rhodotricha is a perennial herb endemic to the limestone slope of Mt. Buko, located approximately 50 km northwest of central Tokyo, Japan. In recent years, its natural population size has decreased markedly due to limestone mining, and this species has been assigned to the ‘Critically Endangered (CR)’ category on the latest Japanese Red List. Although a remnant population of this species has been protected by a mining company outside their historical distribution range on Mt. Buko, the ex situ conservation of this endangered plant has been difficult because of insufficient low seed production. The genetic status of ex situ P. reinii var. rhodotricha and related species were investigated to develop an effective conservation plan for this species. Microsatellite analysis indicated that the ex situ population harbors lower genetic diversity than sister taxa, providing molecular evidence for the recent critical status designation of the ex situ population, whereas the presence of rare alleles may imply further potential for seed reproduction by outcrossing. Therefore, an appropriate propagation strategy that considers genetic diversity is needed for restoration and recovery of this critically endangered ex situ primrose population.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Chichibu Taiheiyo Cement Corporation for their valuable support. We thank Drs. Saneyoshi Ueno and Naoko Kitamoto for providing microsatellite markers. This work was financially supported by Mr. Hiroshi Okamoto, ProNatura Foundation Japan, Support Society of Faculty of Education and Human Science, Yokohama National University, and the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (ERTDF 4-1403) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. We are grateful to Misato Wakai, Honami Sugawara, Yasuyuki Ojima, Kazuhiro Fukushima, and Saki Sugihara, undergraduate and graduate students in the Kurata laboratory (Yokohama National University) for help in sample collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida Nihonmatsu, Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, 606-8501, Japan

    Masaya Yamamoto & Hiroaki Setoguchi

  2. Graduate School of Education, Yokohama National University, 79-2 Tokiwadai, Kanagawa, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, 240-8501, Japan

    Kaoruko Kurata

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  1. Masaya Yamamoto
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  2. Kaoruko Kurata
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Correspondence to Masaya Yamamoto.

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Yamamoto, M., Kurata, K. & Setoguchi, H. Conservation genetics of an ex situ population of Primula reinii var. rhodotricha, an endangered primrose endemic to Japan on a limestone mountain. Conserv Genet 18, 1141–1150 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-017-0966-2

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