Genetic Diversity and Connectivity in Plant Species Differing in Clonality and Dispersal Mechanisms in Wetland Island Habitats

Sissi Lozada-Gobilard; Christian Schwarzer; Rodney Dyer; Ralph Tiedemann; Jasmin Joshi

doi:10.1093/jhered/esaa059

Genetic Diversity and Connectivity in Plant Species Differing in Clonality and Dispersal Mechanisms in Wetland Island Habitats

J Hered. 2021 Mar 12;112(1):108-121. doi: 10.1093/jhered/esaa059.

Authors

Sissi Lozada-Gobilard^{1

2}, Christian Schwarzer³, Rodney Dyer⁴, Ralph Tiedemann¹, Jasmin Joshi^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, Germany.
² The Botanical Garden, School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, G.S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
³ Plant Systematics and Biodiversity, Humboldt University of Berlin, Späth-Arboretum, Späthstr. 80/81, Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Center of Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
⁵ Institute for Landscape and Open Space, Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Seestrasse 10, Rapperswil, Switzerland.
⁶ Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Altensteinstr. 6, Berlin, Germany.

PMID: 33555304
DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa059

Abstract

In plants, long-distance dispersal is both attenuated and directed by specific movement vectors, including animals, wind, and/or water. Hence, movement vectors partly shape metapopulation genetic patterns that are, however, also influenced by other life-history traits such as clonal growth. We studied the relationship between area, isolation, plant-species richness, reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms with genetic diversity and divergence in 4 widespread wetland plant-species in a total of 20 island-like kettle-hole habitats surrounded by an intensive agricultural landscape. Our results showed that genetic parameters reflect the reproduction strategies with the highest genetic diversity being observed in the non-clonal, outcrossing Oenanthe aquatica compared to the clonal Lycopus europaeus, Typha latifolia, and Phragmites australis. Lycopus showed a positive relationship between genetic diversity and kettle-hole area, but a negative relationship with the number of neighboring kettle holes (less isolation). Genetic diversity increased with plant-species richness in the clonal species Phragmites and Lycopus; while it decreased in the non-clonal Oenanthe. Finally, genetic divergence and, therefore, connectivity differed between alternative dispersal strategies, where wind-dispersed Typha and Phragmites had a higher gene flow between the analyzed kettle holes compared with the insect-pollinated, hydrochorous Lycopus and Oenanthe. Our study provides information on genetic patterns related to reproduction and dispersal mechanisms of 4 common wetland species contributing to the understanding of the functioning of plant metacommunities occurring in kettle holes embedded in agricultural landscapes.

Keywords: Lycopus europaeus; Oenanthe aquatica; Phragmites australis; Typha latifolia; breeding systems; clonal growth; dispersal; genetic divergence; genetic diversity; kettle holes; landscape factors; metapopulations; wetlands.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Gene Flow
Genetic Variation*
Genetics, Population
Inbreeding
Islands
Linkage Disequilibrium
Plant Dispersal*
Poaceae / genetics*
Typhaceae / genetics*
Wetlands