6533b863fe1ef96bd12c78cd
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Genetic diversity in Cytisus aeolicus Guss. (Leguminosae), a rare endemite of the Italian flora
Angelo TroiaGiovanni CristofoliniLucia Contesubject
FloraGenetic diversityeducation.field_of_studyEcologyPopulation sizeAeolian islands allozyme electrophoresis conservation endangered species genetic erosion polyploidy biogeography evolution floraSettore BIO/02 - Botanica SistematicaPopulationSmall population sizePlant ScienceBiologyCritically endangeredEvolutionary biologySettore BIO/03 - Botanica Ambientale E ApplicataGenetic variabilityeducationEcology Evolution Behavior and SystematicsFounder effectdescription
ABSTRACT Cytisus aeolicus Guss, is an endemic plant restricted to the isles of Vulcano, Stromboli and Alicudi in the Aeolian archipelago. All known populations were assayed for genetic variability using enzyme polymorphism. Allozyme variation at 16 loci coding for 10 enzyme systems was examined. The great majority of loci turned out to be monomorphic or fixed heterozygous. The observed genetic depauperation is indicative of historical factors, such as the bottleneck effect associated with migration, and the founder effect in population re-establishment. The low genetic diversity is largely partitioned within rather than among populations, indicating that extant populations have not been established long enough for divergence to have occurred. The genetic uniformity, combined with the scattered distribution of small populations, and the negative shift of population size point to a critically endangered species. Strategies for conservation are considered.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-01-01 |