DNA Barcodes Confirm the Taxonomic and Conservation Status of a Species of Tree on the Brink of Extinction in the Pacific

Craig M Costion; W John Kress; Darren M Crayn

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0155118

DNA Barcodes Confirm the Taxonomic and Conservation Status of a Species of Tree on the Brink of Extinction in the Pacific

PLoS One. 2016 Jun 15;11(6):e0155118. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155118. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Craig M Costion^{1

2}, W John Kress¹, Darren M Crayn^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Botany Department, National Museum of Natural History, MRC 166, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, United States of America.
² Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, Cairns, QLD, Australia.
³ Centre for Tropical Environmental Sustainability Science, James Cook University Cairns Campus, Cairns, QLD, Australia.

Abstract

The taxonomic status of a single island, narrow range endemic plant species from Palau, Micronesia (Timonius salsedoi) was assessed using DNA barcode markers, additional plastid loci, and morphology in order to verify its conservation status. DNA barcode loci distinguished T. salsedoi from all other Timonius species sampled from Palau, and were supported by sequence data from the atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer region. Timonius salsedoi was only known from two mature individual trees in 2012. Due to its extremely narrow range and population size, it had previously been recommended to be listed as Critically Endangered Status under three separate IUCN Criteria. In 2014 a second survey of the population following a typhoon revealed that the only two known trees had died suggesting that this species may now be extinct. Comprehensive follow up surveys of suitable habitat for this species are urgently required.

MeSH terms

Conservation of Natural Resources / methods*
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / methods*
DNA, Plant / chemistry
DNA, Plant / genetics
Endangered Species
Extinction, Biological
Genome, Plastid / genetics
Geography
Pacific Ocean
Palau
Phylogeny
Population Density
Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase / genetics
Rubiaceae / anatomy & histology
Rubiaceae / classification
Rubiaceae / genetics*
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Species Specificity
Trees / anatomy & histology
Trees / classification
Trees / genetics*

Substances

DNA, Plant
RbcL protein, plastid
Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase

Grants and funding

Funding was provided by Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund: http://www.cepf.net/Pages/default.aspx - Threatened Endemic Plants of Palau, University of Adelaide, EF-Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Grant #56276 (Status: Closed, CI Funds: $36,025.17, Period: May 1, 2010-Apr 30, 2012), Polynesia-Micronesia (Polynesia-Micronesia), Strategic Category: Safeguard and restore threatened species. CMC received funding. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.