Exploring species limits in two closely related Chinese oaks.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The species status of two closely related Chinese oaks, Quercus liaotungensis and Q. mongolica, has been called into question. The objective of this study was to investigate the species status and to estimate the degree of introgression between the two taxa using different approaches.

Methodology/principal findings

Using SSR (simple sequence repeat) and AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) markers, we found that interspecific genetic differentiation is significant and higher than the differentiation among populations within taxa. Bayesian clusters, principal coordinate analysis and population genetic distance trees all classified the oaks into two main groups consistent with the morphological differentiation of the two taxa rather than with geographic loc

SUBMITTER: Zeng YF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2994836 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature