Papers

Peer-reviewed
Dec, 2015

Recovery of genetic diversity in threatened plants through use of germinated seeds from herbarium specimens

PLANT ECOLOGY
  • Naoyuki Nakahama
  • ,
  • Yuki Hirasawa
  • ,
  • Tsubasa Minato
  • ,
  • Masahiro Hasegawa
  • ,
  • Yuji Isagi
  • ,
  • Takashi Shiga

Volume
216
Number
12
First page
1635
Last page
1647
Language
English
Publishing type
Research paper (scientific journal)
DOI
10.1007/s11258-015-0547-8
Publisher
SPRINGER

The reintroduction of ex situ conserved individuals is an important approach for conserving threatened plants and reducing extinction risk. In this study, we elucidated the effects on the genetic diversity of wild populations of Vincetoxicum pycnostelma Kitag. [=Cynanchum paniculatum (Bunge) Kitag.] by modelling the genetic consequences of reintroducing plants using the germinated seeds of herbarium specimens. This semi-natural grassland herb is threatened in Japan. First, we tested the germinability of seeds from herbarium specimens collected from nine sites in Kinki and Tokai districts, Japan (one specimen per site, total 206 seeds). Next, we analysed the genetic diversity and structure of germinated seedlings and the current wild individuals using nine polymorphic microsatellite markers. Germination was observed for 38 seeds (18.4 %) from four specimens collected 3-18 years prior to the study. Although the genetic diversity of the specimens' seeds was lower than that of the wild population because of the small sample size, the seedlings from specimens taken from three sites had unique alleles that did not exist in the wild populations. Consequently, viable herbarium specimens' seeds with unique alleles could be useful resources for recovering the genetic diversity in threatened wild plant populations.

Link information
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-015-0547-8
Web of Science
https://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=JSTA_CEL&SrcApp=J_Gate_JST&DestLinkType=FullRecord&KeyUT=WOS:000368419800005&DestApp=WOS_CPL
ID information
  • DOI : 10.1007/s11258-015-0547-8
  • ISSN : 1385-0237
  • eISSN : 1573-5052
  • Web of Science ID : WOS:000368419800005

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