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AOBPreview published online on September 1, 2006
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcl182
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received February 21, 2006
Revised April 4, 2006
Accepted June 26, 2006

Article

Genetic Structure of Galitzkya macrocarpa and G. potaninii, Two Closely Related Endemics of Central Asian Mountain Ranges

K. WESCHE 1 *, I. HENSEN 1, and R. UNDRAKH 2

1 Institute of Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06099 Halle, Germany
2 Faculty of Biology, National University of Mongolia, PO Box 377, Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
K. WESCHE, E-mail: karsten.wesche{at}botanik.uni-halle.de


  Abstract

• Background and Aims Habitats in mountains are often isolated. Plants growing in these sites face severe dispersal limitations, but also difficulties for recruitment. The focus was laid on the magnitude of genetic differences among populations but also on the size of potentially occurring clones.

• Methods RAPD fingerprints were obtained from 23 populations in southern Mongolia. Sampling covered the entire distribution range of Galitzkya macrocarpa; samples of G. potaninii represented only the Mongolian part of its mainly northern Chinese range.

• Key Results The Mongolian endemic G. macrocarpa showed moderately strong population differentiation ({Phi}ST = 0·251), and limited evidence for isolation by distance. Local genetic diversity was not positively correlated to habitat size, and not reduced in peripheral populations. Clonal growth is possible, but most plants originate from sexual reproduction. In contrast, populations of G. potaninii were highly differentiated ({Phi}ST = 0·550); and the most remote outposts had reduced genetic diversity. In these areas, isolation is expected to date back to glacial times.

• Conclusions Effects of natural fragmentation differ among species. Both are rare, but G. macrocarpa appears to be able to maintain genetic diversity over its range. Clonal growth is an option in its mixed reproduction strategy and allows survival under harsh conditions. In contrast, genetic structure in G. potaninii gives reason for concern, and further studies on population dynamics are needed.

Keywords: Conservation, Galitzkya macrocarpa, Galitzkya potaninii, clonal growth, fragmentation, endemics, genetic diversity, isolation, Mongolia, mountains.
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