Genetic divergence of Deschampsia antarctica (Poaceae) population groups in the maritime Antarctic

• Published in: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
• Main Authors: Andreev, Igor O, Parnikoza, Ivan Yu, Konvalyuk, Iryna I, Metcheva, Roumiana, Kozeretska, Iryna A, Kunakh, Viktor A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021
• Subjects: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; Anvers Island; Argentine Islands; South Shetland Islands
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blab141; https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article-pdf/135/2/223/49171278/blab141.pdf

Abstract We used inter-simple sequence repeats and inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism markers to assess genetic variation in Deschampsia antarctica populations in the context of its uneven distribution in the northern and central maritime Antarctic. Genetic diversity and population structure and differentiation were assessed in nine populations from geographically isolated population groups of D. antarctica, including the South Shetland Islands, Anvers Island and the Argentine Islands regions. In total, 265 amplified DNA fragments were scored, of which 220 (83.0%) were polymorphic. The total sample showed low genetic diversity (unbiased expected heterozygosity = 0.081 and Shannon diversity index = 0.115) and high population differentiation (molecular variance among populations = 0.659). We also found a trend toward a decrease in genetic diversity and an increase in population differentiation toward the southern edge of the species range. Principal coordinates analysis of polymerase chain reaction data and Bayesian population structure analysis showed three main clusters, which included plants originating from three spatially isolated population groups. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean clustering of populations based on Nei’s genetic distances was mainly in agreement with this pattern. Testing of isolation by distance using the Mantel test demonstrated a significant correlation between genetic and ln-transformed geographical distance (r = 0.703). The data obtained indicate that the geographically isolated D. antarctica populations in the maritime Antarctic might form genetic clusters within the total range.