Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in Europe
Abstract We conducted a large‐scale population genetic survey of genetic diversity of the host grass Festuca rubra s.l., which fitness can be highly dependent on its symbiotic fungus Epichloë festucae, to evaluate genetic variation and population structure across the European range. The 27 studied p...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4997 |
| _version_ | 1818411778874277888 |
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| author | Maria von Cräutlein Päivi H. Leinonen Helena Korpelainen Marjo Helander Henry Väre Kari Saikkonen |
| author_facet | Maria von Cräutlein Päivi H. Leinonen Helena Korpelainen Marjo Helander Henry Väre Kari Saikkonen |
| author_sort | Maria von Cräutlein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We conducted a large‐scale population genetic survey of genetic diversity of the host grass Festuca rubra s.l., which fitness can be highly dependent on its symbiotic fungus Epichloë festucae, to evaluate genetic variation and population structure across the European range. The 27 studied populations have previously been found to differ in frequencies of occurrence of the symbiotic fungus E. festucae and ploidy levels. As predicted, we found decreased genetic diversity in previously glaciated areas in comparison with nonglaciated regions and discovered three major maternal genetic groups: southern, northeastern, and northwestern Europe. Interestingly, host populations from Greenland were genetically similar to those from the Faroe Islands and Iceland, suggesting gene flow also between those areas. The level of variation among populations within regions is evidently highly dependent on the postglacial colonization history, in particular on the number of independent long‐distance seed colonization events. Yet, also anthropogenic effects may have affected the population structure in F. rubra. We did not observe higher fungal infection rates in grass populations with lower levels of genetic variability. In fact, the fungal infection rates of E. festucae in relation to genetic variability of the host populations varied widely among geographical areas, which indicate differences in population histories due to colonization events and possible costs of systemic fungi in harsh environmental conditions. We found that the plants of different ploidy levels are genetically closely related within geographic areas indicating independent formation of polyploids in different maternal lineages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T10:36:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f725bd6619e748718c0054ae247f6a37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T10:36:50Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-f725bd6619e748718c0054ae247f6a372022-12-21T23:05:53ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582019-03-01963661367410.1002/ece3.4997Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in EuropeMaria von Cräutlein0Päivi H. Leinonen1Helena Korpelainen2Marjo Helander3Henry Väre4Kari Saikkonen5Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Helsinki FinlandNatural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Helsinki FinlandDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre University of Helsinki Helsinki FinlandDepartment of Biology University of Turku Turku FinlandBotanical Museum, Finnish Museum of Natural History University of Helsinki Helsinki FinlandNatural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) Helsinki FinlandAbstract We conducted a large‐scale population genetic survey of genetic diversity of the host grass Festuca rubra s.l., which fitness can be highly dependent on its symbiotic fungus Epichloë festucae, to evaluate genetic variation and population structure across the European range. The 27 studied populations have previously been found to differ in frequencies of occurrence of the symbiotic fungus E. festucae and ploidy levels. As predicted, we found decreased genetic diversity in previously glaciated areas in comparison with nonglaciated regions and discovered three major maternal genetic groups: southern, northeastern, and northwestern Europe. Interestingly, host populations from Greenland were genetically similar to those from the Faroe Islands and Iceland, suggesting gene flow also between those areas. The level of variation among populations within regions is evidently highly dependent on the postglacial colonization history, in particular on the number of independent long‐distance seed colonization events. Yet, also anthropogenic effects may have affected the population structure in F. rubra. We did not observe higher fungal infection rates in grass populations with lower levels of genetic variability. In fact, the fungal infection rates of E. festucae in relation to genetic variability of the host populations varied widely among geographical areas, which indicate differences in population histories due to colonization events and possible costs of systemic fungi in harsh environmental conditions. We found that the plants of different ploidy levels are genetically closely related within geographic areas indicating independent formation of polyploids in different maternal lineages.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4997CpDNAEpichloë festucaeFestuca rubragenetic structurepostglacial colonization historysymbiotic microbes |
| spellingShingle | Maria von Cräutlein Päivi H. Leinonen Helena Korpelainen Marjo Helander Henry Väre Kari Saikkonen Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in Europe Ecology and Evolution CpDNA Epichloë festucae Festuca rubra genetic structure postglacial colonization history symbiotic microbes |
| title | Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in Europe |
| title_full | Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in Europe |
| title_fullStr | Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in Europe |
| title_short | Postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of Festuca rubra in Europe |
| title_sort | postglacial colonization history reflects in the genetic structure of natural populations of festuca rubra in europe |
| topic | CpDNA Epichloë festucae Festuca rubra genetic structure postglacial colonization history symbiotic microbes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4997 |
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