Range-wide genetic differentiation of Eugenia dysenterica (Myrtaceae) populations in Brazilian Cerrado

Publication date: April 2015 Source:Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, Volume 59 Author(s): Ana Clara de Oliveira Ferraz Barbosa , Rosane Garcia Collevatti , Lázaro José Chaves , Ludymila Barbosa Silva Guedes , José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho , Mariana Pires de Campos Telles The analysis of geographic patterns in genetic variation has been one of the most important current tools to understand ecological and evolutionary processes underlying population structure. However, inferring such processes from population data may be misleading if biased geographic samples are analyzed. Here we expand previous analyses of Eugenia dysenterica population structure in Brazilian Cerrado, analyzing a larger number of populations distributed throughout a broader geographic region covering most of species' range. We provide new estimates of genetic diversity and population structure based on SSR markers from both neutral and genic regions, using several cluster and ordination techniques. These analyzes reveal a continuous northwestern-southeastern gradient in population differentiation, and not two distinct clusters of populations as suggested in some previous studies. This more comprehensive analysis also reinforces that a simple process of stochastic differentiation do not explain the observed patterns. Moreover, we conclude that explanations for population differentiation may focus on why genetic diversity decreases toward southeastern populations and not necessarily on b...

Source: Biochemical Systematics and Ecology - March 20, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research