AFLP diversity and spatial structure of Calycophyllum candidissimum (Rubiaceae), a dominant tree species of Nicaragua's critically endangered seasonally dry forest.

ABSTRACT: The Central American seasonally dry tropical (SDT) forest biome is one of the worlds' most endangered ecosystems, yet little is known about the genetic consequences of its recent fragmentation. A prominent constituent of this biome is Calycophyllum candidissimum, an insect-pollinated and wind-dispersed canopy tree of high socio-economic importance, particularly in Nicaragua. Here, we surveyed amplified fragment length polymorphisms across 13 populations of this species in Nicaragua to elucidate the relative roles of contemporary vs historical factors in shaping its genetic variation. Genetic diversity was low in all investigated populations (mean H_E=0.125), and negatively correlated with latitude. Overall population differentiation was moderate (Φ_ST=0.109, P<0.001), a

SUBMITTER: Davila-Lara A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5597786 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature