Abstract Detail

Genetics

Rodriguez-Pena, Rosa A. [1], Wolfe, Andrea D. [1], Robbins, M.D. [2], Johnson, Robert [3], L.A, Johnson [3], C.D., Anderson [4], N.J., Ricks [4], K.M., Farley [4], M.R., Steven [4].

Population genetics and geographic patterns among varieties of Penstemon scariosus.

Penstemon scariosus is a complex of four varieties (var. albifluvis, var. cyanomontanus, var. garrettii, var. scariosus) with narrow morphological boundaries. This species occurs mostly in central to northeastern Utah with a few scattered populations of var. garrettii just over the border into southern Wyoming and slightly more populations of var. cyanomontanus and var. albifluvis just over the border into northwest Colorado. Penstemon scariosus var. garrettii is the taxon with the widest distribution and the largest populations. In this study, we used 10 microsatellite markers and AFLP data to investigate the population genetic structure of P. scariosus. We sampled a total of 422 individuals (172 of var. albifluvis; 32 of var. cyanomontanus; 152 of var. garrettii, and 65 of var. scariosus). Our results indicate that genetic differentiation among populations is generally low. The highest F_ST value (0.22) and the lowest N_m (1.79) were found between P. scariosus var. cyanomontanus and var. scariosus, and the lowest F_ST (0.08) and N_m (5.8) were between P. scariosus var. cyanomontanus and var. garrettii. The AMOVA shows that most of the genetic variation is within populations (86.6%). Inbreeding coefficients (F_is) were high in P. scariosus var. garrettii (0.32) and P. scariosus var. scariosus (0.34). The Bayesian analysis STRUCTURE identified 3 distinct clusters; the first cluster included all populations identified as P. scariosus var. albifluvis, the second cluster included all individuals of P. scariosus var. cyanomontanus in addition to 30 individuals from P. scariosus var. garrettii, and the third cluster has the rest of the individuals identified as P. scariosus var. garrettii and all individuals of P. scariosus var. scariosus. A MEMGENE analysis reveals a positive correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance (r²=0.30, P-value=1e-04) indicating that a high proportion of the genetic variation is due to geographic distance. Finally, this study provides insight into variety delimitation that could be used in conservation efforts.

1 - Ohio State University, Department Of Ecology, Evolution, And Organismal Biology, 318 W. 12th Avenue, COLUMBUS, OH, 43210-1293, USA
2 - United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research Laboratory, 690 N. 1100 E, Logan, UT, 84322 , USA
3 - Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences , 3115A Monte L. Bean Museum, Provo, UT, USA
4 - Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences , 5131 Life Sciences Building, Provo, UT, USA

Keywords:
Plantaginaceae
Penstemon
Conservation genetics
population genetics
taxa delimitation.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 11, Genetics
Location: 105/Savannah International Trade and Convention Center
Date: Monday, August 1st, 2016
Time: 4:45 PM
Number: 11013
Abstract ID:570
Candidate for Awards:Margaret Menzel Award