AFLP-based assessment of the effects of environmental heavy metal pollution on the genetic structure of pioneer populations of Suillus luteus

• Published in: The New phytologist 2004-11, Vol.164 (2), p.297-303
• Main Authors: Muller, L. A. H., Lambaerts, M., Vangronsveld, J., Colpaert, J. V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism); amplified fragment length polymorphism; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Basidiomycetes; Biological and medical sciences; Ecological genetics; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; ectomycorrhizae; ectomycorrhizas; Evolutionary genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genetic adaptation; Genetic diversity; genetic polymorphism; Genetic variation; Geography; heavy metal tolerance; Heavy metals; metal tolerance; mycorrhizal fungi; Parasitism and symbiosis; Pine trees; Plant physiology and development; pollutants; Population genetics; Population structure; Soil pollution; Suillus luteus; Symbiosis; Terrestrial environment, soil, air
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2004.01190.x

• The effects of environmental heavy metal pollution on the genetic structure of pioneer populations of the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Suillus luteus were assessed. • Sporocarps were collected from nine different locations and characterized by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Six of the sampling sites were contaminated with heavy metals and were dominated by tolerant individuals. Considerable genetic diversity was found within geographic subpopulations, but no reduction of the genetic diversity of populations inhabiting contaminated soils was observed. Neither did significant clustering of subpopulations inhabiting contaminated soils occur. Overall, the genetic differentiation between subpopulations was low, but Bayesian inference indicated the presence of two genetically differentiated clusters of individuals, which may correspond to different intercompatibility groups in S. luteus. • Heavy metal contamination seems to have a limited influence on the genetic structure of populations of S. luteus. Loss of diversity may have been prevented by sexual reproduction and rapid evolution of the tolerance trait or initial genetic bottlenecks may have been reduced by admixture and recurrent migration from surrounding populations colonizing noncontaminated soils.