Contemporary pollen-mediated gene immigration reflects the historical isolation of a rare, animal-pollinated shrub in a fragmented landscape.

ABSTRACT: Fragmentation is generally considered to have negative impacts on widespread outbreeders but impacts on gene flow and diversity in patchy, naturally rare, self-compatible plant species remain unclear. We investigated diversity, gene flow and contemporary pollen-mediated gene immigration in the rare, narrowly distributed endemic shrub Calothamnus quadrifidus ssp. teretifolius. This taxon occurs in an internationally recognized biodiversity hotspot subjected to recent human-induced fragmentation and the condition of the remnants ranges from intact to highly degraded. Using microsatellites, we found that inbreeding, historically low gene flow and significant population differentiation have characterized the genetic system of C. quadrifidus ssp. teretifolius. Inbreeding arises from self-pollin

SUBMITTER: Sampson JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3907103 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature