Journal
HEREDITY
Volume 91, Issue 3, Pages 284-292Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/sj.hdy.6800334
Keywords
Orchidaceae; microsatellites; ITS; reproductive isolation; habitat differentiation
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Using fast-evolving microsatellites, more slowly evolving ITS markers and performing habitat analyses, we demonstrated a drastic genetic divergence and significant habitat differentiation between early- and late-flowering variants of plants morphologically belonging to Gymnadenia conopsea ssp conopsea. The two phenological variants can either be found in separate or in mixed populations. Information from microsatellite markers and ITS sequences indicated the occurrence of an early historical split between the two flowering-time variants, a split that has been maintained until the present time even within sympatric populations. Early-flowering variants were also far more genetically diverse, had more alleles per microsatellite locus and a wider habitat amplitude than late-flowering variants. As a comparison, we included G. odoratissima in the sequencing study. We found G. odoratissima to be most closely related to the early-flowering type. This indicates a more ancient divergence event between the two flowering-time variants within G. conopsea ssp conopsea than between the two different species G. odoratissima and the early-flowering variant of G. conopsea. Possible explanations to the results arrived at and possible mechanisms maintaining the genetic separation are discussed.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available