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Genetic diversity and structure in two species of Leavenworthia with self-incompatible and self-compatible populations
Koelling, Vanessa A. Hamrick, J. L. Mauricio, Rodney
Koelling, Vanessa A.
Hamrick, J. L.
Mauricio, Rodney
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Abstract
Self-fertilization is a common mating system in plants and is known to reduce genetic diversity, increase genetic structure and potentially put populations at greater risk of extinction. In this study, we
measured the genetic diversity and structure of two cedar glade endemic species, Leavenworthia
alabamica and L. crassa. These species have self-incompatible (SI) and self-compatible (SC) populations
and are therefore ideal for understanding how the mating system affects genetic diversity and structure.
We found that L. alabamica and L. crassa had high species-level genetic diversity (He=0.229 and 0.183,
respectively) and high genetic structure among their populations (FST=0.45 and 0.36, respectively), but
that mean genetic diversity was significantly lower in SC compared with SI populations (SC vs SI, He for L.
alabamica was 0.065 vs 0.206 and for L. crassa was 0.084 vs 0.189). We also found significant genetic
structure using maximum-likelihood clustering methods. These data indicate that the loss of SI leads to
the loss of genetic diversity within populations. In addition, we examined genetic distance relationships
between SI and SC populations to analyze possible population history and origins of self-compatibility.
We find there may have been multiple origins of self-compatibility in L. alabamica and L. crassa.
However, further work is required to test this hypothesis. Finally, given their high genetic structure and
that individual populations harbor unique alleles, conservation strategies seeking to maximize specieslevel
genetic diversity for these or similar species should protect multiple populations.
Description
Date
2011
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Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
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Keywords
Leavenworthia, self-incompatibility, selfing, genetic diversity, mating system
Citation
Koelling, V. A., J. L. Hamrick, and R. Mauricio. 2011. Genetic diversity and structure in two species of
Leavenworthia with self-incompatible and self-compatible populations. Heredity 106: 310-318. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2010.59