Genetic diversity of Galium cracoviense, G. oelandicum and G. sudeticum (Rubiaceae)

Galium sect. Leptogalium Lange in NE Europe is represented by few, local endemic species which occur in the area covered by the continental ice sheet in the Pleistocene period. They are: G. cracoviense Ehrend. in S Poland, G. oelandicum (Sterner & Hyl.) Ehrend. in SE Sweden and G. sudeticum Taus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae
Main Authors: Elżbieta Cieślak, Zbigniew Szeląg
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Polish Botanical Society 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5586/asbp.2010.034
https://doaj.org/article/93ff9b08d79e45e08aa9c95b3da779c6
Description
Summary:Galium sect. Leptogalium Lange in NE Europe is represented by few, local endemic species which occur in the area covered by the continental ice sheet in the Pleistocene period. They are: G. cracoviense Ehrend. in S Poland, G. oelandicum (Sterner & Hyl.) Ehrend. in SE Sweden and G. sudeticum Tausch in SW Poland and N Czech Republic. 55 individuals from five populations of these species were analysed using AFLP markers. A total of 193 AFLP bands were detected using three combinations of primers; out of them 159 proved polymorphic (82.4%). The lowest values of Shannon's index and Nei's gene diversity were noted for G. oelandicum and the highest ones for G. sudeticum. The results indicate a relatively high level of genetic variability in each of endemic species in spite of that the studied species occupy very small areas and are represented by a low number of populations. We conclude that additional, demographic and genetic studies are necessary to monitor potential decrease of populations' size resulting mainly from the mechanical destruction of plants and their habitats caused by intense tourism or other human activities (as agriculture, e.g. grazing).