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Enzyme polymorphism, morphometric variation and population structure in a restricted endemic, Silene diclinis (Caryophyllaceae)

PRENTICE, HONOR C. LU orcid (1984) In Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 22(2). p.125-143
Abstract

Silene diclinis is a dioecious perennial herb, restricted to a small area of the SE Spanish province of Valencia. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and morphometric analysis were carried out on cultivated material derived from seed collected from the main population of S. diclinis at Játiva. Only two out of 26 inferred enzyme loci showed substantial variation. There was some indication of population subdivision in both. The esterase locus also showed homozygote excess within the population as a whole and within one subpopulation. Morphological characters showed significant differentiation between subpopulations. Low allozyme variability characterizes populations of most endemic species that have been investigated. Isolation and... (More)

Silene diclinis is a dioecious perennial herb, restricted to a small area of the SE Spanish province of Valencia. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and morphometric analysis were carried out on cultivated material derived from seed collected from the main population of S. diclinis at Játiva. Only two out of 26 inferred enzyme loci showed substantial variation. There was some indication of population subdivision in both. The esterase locus also showed homozygote excess within the population as a whole and within one subpopulation. Morphological characters showed significant differentiation between subpopulations. Low allozyme variability characterizes populations of most endemic species that have been investigated. Isolation and historical events may have been as important as population size or edaphic specialization in causing this low variability. But S. diclinis resembles other outbreeding plants in showing population structure and homozygote excess, suggesting restricted within‐population gene flow. Mechanisms that may restrict gene flow in S. diclinis include environmentally‐induced differences in flowering time, poor seed dispersal and possibly short pollinator foraging distances. Morphological variability and the incidence of developmental abnormalities are speculatively linked with homozygosity. Storage of genetic diversity in space can occur in restricted as well as widespread species and sampling for gene banking should then be spatially representative. Silene diclinis is threatened by continued habitat loss and consequent genetic erosion; its long‐term future may depend on the gene bank and the botanic garden.

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author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
conservation, electrophoresis, endemic, gene banking, multivariate morphometries, population structure, restricted gene flow, Silene diclinis
in
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
volume
22
issue
2
pages
125 - 143
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:0021543777
ISSN
0024-4066
DOI
10.1111/j.1095-8312.1984.tb01674.x
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
4f6c6cb4-41d2-4663-acdf-7507df16c351
date added to LUP
2021-10-12 17:31:41
date last changed
2021-11-26 12:22:18
@article{4f6c6cb4-41d2-4663-acdf-7507df16c351,
  abstract     = {{<p>Silene diclinis is a dioecious perennial herb, restricted to a small area of the SE Spanish province of Valencia. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and morphometric analysis were carried out on cultivated material derived from seed collected from the main population of S. diclinis at Játiva. Only two out of 26 inferred enzyme loci showed substantial variation. There was some indication of population subdivision in both. The esterase locus also showed homozygote excess within the population as a whole and within one subpopulation. Morphological characters showed significant differentiation between subpopulations. Low allozyme variability characterizes populations of most endemic species that have been investigated. Isolation and historical events may have been as important as population size or edaphic specialization in causing this low variability. But S. diclinis resembles other outbreeding plants in showing population structure and homozygote excess, suggesting restricted within‐population gene flow. Mechanisms that may restrict gene flow in S. diclinis include environmentally‐induced differences in flowering time, poor seed dispersal and possibly short pollinator foraging distances. Morphological variability and the incidence of developmental abnormalities are speculatively linked with homozygosity. Storage of genetic diversity in space can occur in restricted as well as widespread species and sampling for gene banking should then be spatially representative. Silene diclinis is threatened by continued habitat loss and consequent genetic erosion; its long‐term future may depend on the gene bank and the botanic garden.</p>}},
  author       = {{PRENTICE, HONOR C.}},
  issn         = {{0024-4066}},
  keywords     = {{conservation; electrophoresis; endemic; gene banking; multivariate morphometries; population structure; restricted gene flow; Silene diclinis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{125--143}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Biological Journal of the Linnean Society}},
  title        = {{Enzyme polymorphism, morphometric variation and population structure in a restricted endemic, Silene diclinis (Caryophyllaceae)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.1984.tb01674.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1095-8312.1984.tb01674.x}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{1984}},
}