<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> In this study, the genetic diversity of Populus cathayana Rehd was investigated using microsatellite markers. In a total of 150 individuals collected from six natural populations in the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China, a high level of microsatellite polymorphism was detected. At the seven investigated microsatellite loci, the number of alleles per locus ranged from 5 to 16, with a mean of 11.3, the observed heterozygosities across populations ranged from 0.408 to 0.986, with a mean of 0.792, and the expected heterozygosities across populations ranged from 0.511 to 0.891, with a mean of 0.802. The proportion of genetic differentiation among populations accounted for 37.3% of the whole genetic diversity. The presence of such a high level of genetic diversity could be attributed to the features of the species and the habitats where the sampled populations occur: The southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is regarded as the natural distribution and variation center of the genus Populus in China. Variation in environmental conditions and selection pressures in different populations, and topographic dispersal barriers could be factors associated with the high level of genetic differentiation found among populations. The populations possessed significant heterozygosity excesses, which may be due to extensive population mixing at the local scale. The cluster analysis showed that the populations are not strictly grouped according to their geographic distances but the habitat characteristics also influence the divergence pattern. In addition, we suggest that population SHY should be regarded as an ecologically divergent species of P. cathayana.</p></abstract>

In this study, the genetic diversity of Populus cathayana Rehd was investigated using microsatellite markers. In a total of 150 individuals collected from six natural populations in the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China, a high level of microsatellite polymorphism was detected. At the seven investigated microsatellite loci, the number of alleles per locus ranged from 5 to 16, with a mean of 11.3, the observed heterozygosities across populations ranged from 0.408 to 0.986, with a mean of 0.792, and the expected heterozygosities across populations ranged from 0.511 to 0.891, with a mean of 0.802. The proportion of genetic differentiation among populations accounted for 37.3% of the whole genetic diversity. The presence of such a high level of genetic diversity could be attributed to the features of the species and the habitats where the sampled populations occur: The southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is regarded as the natural distribution and variation center of the genus Populus in China. Variation in environmental conditions and selection pressures in different populations, and topographic dispersal barriers could be factors associated with the high level of genetic differentiation found among populations. The populations possessed significant heterozygosity excesses, which may be due to extensive population mixing at the local scale. The cluster analysis showed that the populations are not strictly grouped according to their geographic distances but the habitat characteristics also influence the divergence pattern. In addition, we suggest that population SHY should be regarded as an ecologically divergent species of P. cathayana.

Population Genetic Survey of Populus cathayana Originating From Southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China Based on SSR Markers

Silvae Genetica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

In this study, the genetic diversity of Populus cathayana Rehd was investigated using microsatellite markers. In a total of 150 individuals collected from six...

Population Genetic Survey of Populus cathayana Originating From Southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China Based on SSR Markers

Published Online: Oct 19, 2017

Page range: 116 - 122

Received: Apr 01, 2005

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2005-0018

Keywords
Genetic differentiation, Genetic diversity, Heterozygosity excess, Microsatellites, Populus cathayana

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Population Genetic Survey of Populus cathayana Originating From Southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China Based on SSR Markers

Published Online: Oct 19, 2017

Page range: 116 - 122

Received: Apr 01, 2005

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2005-0018

KeywordsGenetic differentiation, Genetic diversity, Heterozygosity excess, Microsatellites, Populus cathayana

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Genetic differentiation, Genetic diversity, Heterozygosity excess, Microsatellites, Populus cathayana