Understanding population structure and historical demography of Litsea auriculata (Lauraceae), an endangered species in east China

Detecting how historical and contemporary factors contribute to genetic divergence and genetic structure is a central question in ecology and evolution. We examine this question by intergrating population genetics with ecological niche modelling of Litsea auriculata (Lauraceae), which is endangered...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2017-12, Vol.7 (1), p.17343-16, Article 17343
Main Authors: Geng, Qifang, Sun, Lin, Zhang, Peihua, Wang, Zhongsheng, Qiu, Yingxiong, Liu, Hong, Lian, Chunlan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Climate change
Demography
Endangered & extinct species
Endangered species
Environmental factors
Gene flow
Genetic structure
Geography
Humanities and Social Sciences
Lauraceae
Litsea
multidisciplinary
Population
Population genetics
Population structure
Rivers
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
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Summary:Detecting how historical and contemporary factors contribute to genetic divergence and genetic structure is a central question in ecology and evolution. We examine this question by intergrating population genetics with ecological niche modelling of Litsea auriculata (Lauraceae), which is endangered and native to east China. Geographical and environmental factors including climatic fluctuations since the last glacial maximum (LGM) have also contribute to population demography and patterns of genetic structure. L . auriculata populations underwent expansion after divergence and dramatically decreased to the current small size with relative population bottlenecks due to climate changes. Populations separated by physical geographical barrier including geographic distance and Yangtze River, as a result contemporary gene flow among L . auriculata populations showed drastic declines in comparison with historical gene flow, resulting in a high level of population divergence. Thus, patterns of genetic structure of L . auriculata can result from both geographic and environmental factors including climate changes. This information is helpful in forming conservation strategies for L . auriculata in China.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-16917-x