Does the seed bank contribute to the build-up of a genetic extinction debt in the grassland perennial Campanula rotundifolia?

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Habitat fragmentation threatens global biodiversity. Many plant species persist in habitat fragments via persistent life cycle stages such as seed banks, generating a species extinction debt. Here, seed banks are hypothesized to cause a temporal delay in the expected loss of genetic variation, which can be referred to as a genetic extinction debt, as a possible mechanism behind species extinction debts.

Methods

Fragmented grassland populations of Campanula rotundifolia were examined for evidence of a genetic extinction debt, investigating if the seed bank contributed to the extinction debt build-up. The genetic make-up of 15 above- and below-ground populations was analysed in relation to historical and current levels of habitat fragmentation, both separat

SUBMITTER: Plue J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5591413 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature