Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants
If genetic variation is often positively correlated with population sizes and the presence of nearby populations and suitable habitats, landscape proxies could inform conservation decisions without genetic analyses. For six Florida scrub endemic plants (Dicerandra frutescens, Eryngium cuneifolium, H...
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doaj-bfd0f856c2e4497bab91d68bf5ebab152020-11-24T22:23:53ZengHindawi LimitedInternational Journal of Ecology1687-97081687-97162010-01-01201010.1155/2010/503759503759Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub PlantsEric S. Menges0Rebecca W. Dolan1Roberta Pickert2Rebecca Yahr3Doria R. Gordon4Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862, USAFriesner Herbarium, Butler University, 4600 Sunset Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46208, USAArchbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FL 33862, USARoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, EH3 5LR, Edinburgh Scotland, UKThe Nature Conservancy, Department of Botany, University of Florida, P.O. Box 118526, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAIf genetic variation is often positively correlated with population sizes and the presence of nearby populations and suitable habitats, landscape proxies could inform conservation decisions without genetic analyses. For six Florida scrub endemic plants (Dicerandra frutescens, Eryngium cuneifolium, Hypericum cumulicola, Liatris ohlingerae, Nolina brittoniana, and Warea carteri), we relate two measures of genetic variation, expected heterozygosity and alleles per polymorphic locus (APL), to population size and landscape variables. Presettlement areas were estimated based on soil preferences and GIS soils maps. Four species showed no genetic patterns related to population or landscape factors. The other two species showed significant but inconsistent patterns. For Liatris ohlingerae, APL was negatively related to population density and weakly, positively related to remaining presettlement habitat within 32 km. For Nolina brittoniana, APL increased with population size. The rather weak effects of population area/size and both past and current landscape structures suggest that genetic variation needs to be directly measured and not inferred for conservation planning.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/503759 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Eric S. Menges Rebecca W. Dolan Roberta Pickert Rebecca Yahr Doria R. Gordon |
spellingShingle |
Eric S. Menges Rebecca W. Dolan Roberta Pickert Rebecca Yahr Doria R. Gordon Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants International Journal of Ecology |
author_facet |
Eric S. Menges Rebecca W. Dolan Roberta Pickert Rebecca Yahr Doria R. Gordon |
author_sort |
Eric S. Menges |
title |
Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants |
title_short |
Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants |
title_full |
Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants |
title_fullStr |
Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants |
title_full_unstemmed |
Genetic Variation in Past and Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based on Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants |
title_sort |
genetic variation in past and current landscapes: conservation implications based on six endemic florida scrub plants |
publisher |
Hindawi Limited |
series |
International Journal of Ecology |
issn |
1687-9708 1687-9716 |
publishDate |
2010-01-01 |
description |
If genetic variation is often positively correlated with population sizes and the presence of nearby populations and suitable habitats, landscape proxies could inform conservation decisions without genetic analyses. For six Florida scrub endemic plants (Dicerandra frutescens, Eryngium cuneifolium, Hypericum cumulicola, Liatris ohlingerae, Nolina brittoniana, and Warea carteri), we relate two measures of genetic variation, expected heterozygosity and alleles per polymorphic locus (APL), to population size and landscape variables. Presettlement areas were estimated based on soil preferences and GIS soils maps. Four species showed no genetic patterns related to population or landscape factors. The other two species showed significant but inconsistent patterns. For Liatris ohlingerae, APL was negatively related to population density and weakly, positively related to remaining presettlement habitat within 32 km. For Nolina brittoniana, APL increased with population size. The rather weak effects of population area/size and both past and current landscape structures suggest that genetic variation needs to be directly measured and not inferred for conservation planning. |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/503759 |
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