Conservation implications of population genetic structure in a threatened orchid Cypripedium tibeticum

Jian-Ling Guo; Wen-Juan Cao; Zhi-Min Li; Yong-Hong Zhang; Sergei Volis

doi:10.1016/j.pld.2018.12.002

Conservation implications of population genetic structure in a threatened orchid Cypripedium tibeticum

Plant Divers. 2018 Dec 31;41(1):13-18. doi: 10.1016/j.pld.2018.12.002. eCollection 2019 Feb.

Authors

Jian-Ling Guo¹, Wen-Juan Cao¹, Zhi-Min Li¹, Yong-Hong Zhang¹, Sergei Volis²

Affiliations

¹ Life Science Department, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China.
² Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650204, China.

Abstract

Cypripedium tibeticum is a threatened orchid which efficient conservation requires knowledge of its extent and structure of genetic variation. Using two chloroplast DNA fragments (rps16 and trnL-F), we analyzed 157 individuals from 9 populations representing the species range in China. Seven haplotypes were identified. C. tibeticum had high total genetic diversity (H _T = 0.80) with major contribution to this diversity made by among-population component (G _ST = 0.64, Φ _ST = 0.86). However, despite high population differentiation there was no clear phylogeographic structure. The populations CY and DC made the greatest contribution to the total gene diversity as well as allelic richness. The possible mechanisms and implications of these findings for conservation of the species are discussed.

Keywords: Conservation strategy; Cypripedium tibeticum; East Himalaya-Hengduan mountains; Orchid genetic diversity; Population differentiation.