Anthropogenic fragmentation increases risk of genetic decline in the threatened orchid Platanthera leucophaea.

ABSTRACT: Protecting biodiversity requires an understanding of how anthropogenic changes impact the genetic processes associated with extinction risk. Studies of the genetic changes due to anthropogenic fragmentation have revealed conflicting results. This is likely due to the difficulty in isolating habitat loss and fragmentation, which can have opposing impacts on genetic parameters. The well-studied orchid, Platanthera leucophaea, provides a rich dataset to address this issue, allowing us to examine range-wide genetic changes. Midwestern and Northeastern United States. We sampled 35 populations of P. leucophaea that spanned the species' range and varied in patch composition, degree of patch isolation, and population size. From these populations we measured genetic parameters associa

SUBMITTER: Ellwanger C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8855017 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature