Data from: Genetic diversity maintained among fragmented populations of a tree undergoing range contraction ...

• Main Authors: Borrell, James S., Wang, Nian, Nichols, Richard A., Buggs, Richard J. A.
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Dryad 2018
• Subjects: molecular ecology; Betula nana; Holocene; Dwarf birch
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.v75rj24; https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.v75rj24

Dwarf birch (Betula nana) has a widespread boreal distribution but has declined significantly in Britain where populations are now highly fragmented. We analysed the genetic diversity of these fragmented populations using markers that differ in mutation rate: conventional microsatellites markers (PCR-SSRs), RADseq generated transition and transversion SNPs (RAD-SNPs), and microsatellite markers mined from RADseq reads (RAD-SSRs). We estimated the current population sizes by census and indirectly, from the linkage disequilibrium found in the genetic surveys. The two types of estimate were highly correlated. Overall we found genetic diversity to be only slightly lower in Britain than across a comparable area in Scandinavia where populations are large and continuous. Whilst the ensemble of British fragments maintain diversity levels close to Scandinavian populations, individually they have drifted apart and lost diversity; particularly the smaller populations. An ABC analysis, based on coalescent models, ... : Betula_nana_PCR-SSR_markersMicrosatellite markers for 1066 Betula nana individuals from 39 populations in Great Britain and Scandinavia. Dataset is stored in genepop format, with each allele coded by three digits.Betula_nana_PCRSSR.txtBetula_nana_RAD-SSR_markersMicrosatellite markers identified in silico from raw RAD-seq reads for 187 Betula nana individuals, from 36 populations, in Great Britain and Scandinavia. These individuals are a subset of those covered by the Betula_nana_PCRSSR.txt dataset. Dataset is stored in genepop format, with each allele coded by three digits. For details of the scripts used to generate these data, see https://github.com/JamesBorrell/RAD-SSR_extraction_scriptsBetula_nana_RADSSR.txt ...