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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Main Authors: Eric S. Menges, Rebecca W. Dolan, Roberta Pickert, Rebecca Yahr, Doria R. Gordon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2010-01-01
Series:International Journal of Ecology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/503759
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spelling 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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