Genetic Variation Within and Among Metal-Tolerant and Non-Tolerant Populations of Armeria maritima (Mill.) Willd. s.l. (Plumbaginaceae) in Central and Northeast Germany

Abstract

Six metal-tolerant populations and sub-populations of Armeria maritima ssp. halleri, ssp. hornburgensis, and ssp. bottendorfensis and two non-tolerant populations of ssp. elongata in Central and Northeast Germany have been analysed using RAPD markers. The populations show very strong genetic differentiation (Φ_ST = 0.46), corresponding gene flow between them is low (N_em = 0.29). A moderate positive correlation between the matrices of genetic and geographical distances was found between the seven populations and sub-populations of central Germany (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Calculated parameters of genetic variability are molecular variance, percentage of heterozygosity and percentage of polymorphic loci. A significant correlation between population size and parameters of genetic variability was not recognisable. Genetic structure was investigated by an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). The studied populations show strong genetic differentiation. Genetic variation within populations (“normal” as well as metalliferous) is higher (53.9 %) than among them (46.1 %). Six hypotheses of possible genetic relatedness between the studied populations have been tested by AMOVA. A data set structure above the populational level is hardly recognisable. It was impossible to combine the populations to edaphic (tolerant and “non-tolerant”) or taxonomic groups. A. maritima ssp. halleri of the north Harz mountains and ssp. hornburgensis are clearly separated from a geographical group containing all other populations (across taxonomic and edaphic boundaries). These results are a further indication for a polyphyletic origin of metal-tolerant populations of A. maritima s.l. by multiple colonizations of metalliferous sites from neighbouring populations on non-metalliferous soil.

Key words

Armeria maritima s.l - metal-tolerant populations - genetic variation - RAPD - AMOVA

References

• 1 Baumbach H., Volkmann H. K. M.. Dynamik, genetische Struktur und Schutz kleiner Populationen - das Beispiel von Armeria maritima ssp. hornburgensis. .  Mitt. florist. Kart. Sachsen-Anhalt. (2002);  7 3-24
• 2 Brunell M. S., Whitkus R.. RAPD marker variation in Eriastrum densifolium (Polemoniaceae): Implications for subspecific delimitation and conservation.  Systematic Botany. (1997);  22 (3) 543-553
• 3 Christiansen W.. Die mitteldeutschen Formenkreise der Gattung Armeria. .  Bot. Archiv. (1931);  31 247-265
• 4 Excoffier L.. AMOVA (ver. 1.55). Genetics and Biometry Laboratory. University of Geneva (1992)
• 5 Excoffier L., Smouse P., Quattro J.. Analysis of molecular variance inferred from metric distances among DNA haplotypes: Application to human mitochondrial DNA restriction data.  Genetics. (1992);  131 479-491
• 6 Fischer M., Matthies D.. RAPD Variation in relation to population size and plant fitness in the rare Gentianella germanica (Gentianaceae).  American Journal of Botany. (1998);  85 (6) 811-819
• 7 Hellwig F. H., Nolte M., Ochsmann J., Wissemann V.. Rapid isolation of total cell DNA from milligram plant tissue.  Haussknechtia. (1999);  7 29-34
• 8 Lefebvre C.. Self-fertility in maritime and zinc mine populations of Armeria maritima (Mill.)  Willd. Evolution. (1970);  24 571-577
• 9 Lefebvre C.. Outbreeding and inbreeding in a zinc-lead mine population of Armeria maritima. .  Nature. (1973);  243 96-97
• 10 Lefebvre C.. Population variation and taxonomy in Armeria maritima with special reference to heavy-metal-tolerant populations.  New Phytol.. (1974);  73 209-219
• 11 Lynch M., Milligan B. G.. Analysis of population genetic structure with RAPD markers.  Molecular Ecology. (1994);  3 91-99
• 12 Mantel N.. The detection of disease clustering and a generalized regression approach.  Cancer Research. (1967);  27 209-220
• 13 Mengoni A., Conelli C., Galardi F., Gabrielli R., Bazzicalupo M.. Genetic diversity and heavy metal tolerance in populations of Silene paradoxa L. (Caryophyllaceae): a random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis.  Molecular Ecology. (2000);  9 1319-1324
• 14 Miller M.. Tools for population genetic analysis (TFPGA) 1.3: A windows program for the analysis of allozyme and molecular population genetic data. (1997)
• 15 Nei M.. Genetic distance between populations.  American Naturalist. (1972);  106 (949) 283-292
• 16 Nei M.. Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals.  Genetics. (1978);  89 583-590
• 17 Nei M., Maruyama T., Chakraborty R.. The bottleneck effect and genetic variability in populations.  Evolution. (1975);  29 (1) 1-10
• 18 Nieto Feliner G., Fuertes Aguilar J., Rosello J. A.. Reticulation or divergence: the origin of a rare serpentine endemic assessed with chloroplast, nuclear and RAPD markers.  Plant Syst. Evol.. (2002);  231 19-38
• 19 Podani. J.. Syn-Tax-pc. Computer programs for multivariate data analysis in ecology and systematics. Version 5.0. Budapest; (1993)
• 20 Reinicke R.. Mönchgut. Rostock; K. Reich (1997)
• 21 Scanalytics .RFLPSCAN Plus Version 3.0. Billerica. MA. USA. (1996)
• 22 Schneider S. J., Kueffer M., Roessli D., Excoffier L.. Arlequin version 1.1. University of Geneva (1997)
• 23 Schubert R.. Zur Systematik und Pflanzengeographie der Charakterpflanzen der Mitteldeutschen Schwermetallpflanzengesellschaften.  Wiss. Z. Univ. Halle, math.-nat.. (1954);  3 863-882
• 24 Schubert R., Hilbig W., Klotz S.. Bestimmungsbuch der Pflanzengesellschaften Mittel- und Nordostdeutschlands. Jena; Gustav-Fischer-Verlag (1995)
• 25 Schulz A.. Über die auf schwermetallhaltigem Boden wachsenden Phanerogamen Deutschlands. 40. Jahresbericht des Westfälischen Provinzial-Vereins für Wissenschaft und Kunst. Münster; (1912)
• 26 Vekemans X., Lambert A., Lefebvre C.. Isozyme variation at the populational level in Armeria maritima. .  Belg. Journ. Bot.. (1992);  125 (2) 270-275
• 27 Vekemans X., Lefebvre C.. On the evolution of heavy-metal tolerant populations in Armeria maritima: Evidence from allozyme variation and reproductive barriers.  J. Evol. Biol.. (1997);  10 (2) 175-191
• 28 Wallroth F. W.. Monographischer Versuch über die Gewächsgattung Armeria Willd.  Beiträge zur Botanik. (1842);  1 (1) 168-218
• 29 Weidema I. R., Siegismund H. R., Philipp M.. Distribution of genetic variation within and among Danish populations of Armeria maritima, with special reference to the effects of population size.  Hereditas. (1996);  124 (2) 121-129
• 30 Williams J. G. K., Kubelik A. R., Livak K. J., Rafalski J. A., Tingey S. V.. DNA polymorphisms amplified by arbitrary primers are useful as genetic markers.  Nucleic Acids Research. (1990);  18 (22) 6531-6535
• 31 Wright S.. Isolation by distance.  Genetics. (1943);  28 139-156
• 32 Wright S.. The genetical structure of populations.  Annals of Eugenetics. (1951);  15 323-354
• 33 Wright S.. Evolution and the genetics of populations. Vol. IV - Variability within and among natural populations. Chicago; The University of Chicago Press (1978)

Section Editor: F. Salamini