Genetic diversity of the rare plant Anemone shikokiana (Makino) Makino (Ranunculaceae) inferred from AFLP markers

摘要

Anemone shikokiana (Makino) Makino, which is distributed only in Mt. Kunyu and Mt. Lao of Shandong Province in China and Mt. Shichui of Shikoku in Japan above 600 m in elevation, is a rare plant. This species has two obviously different habitats, the shrubs in mountain top and understory of the conifer and broadleaf mixed forest. In this study, the habitats and genetic diversity were analyzed for exploring the effects of habitats on the genetic diversity of A. shikokiana. Hanfengling and Taiboding of Mt. Kunyu, Hualiukou and Laoding of Mt. Lao were chosen as four representative plots for analysis and sampling. The levels of genetic diversity and population structure of four populations were examined using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. Six primer combinations produced a total of 474 replicated bands, of which 435 (91.77 %) were polymorphic among populations. The percentage of polymorphic bands within populations ranged from 62.45 to 68.14 %. The results were as follows: the genetic diversity among populations was much higher than that within populations; the genetic diversity in Mt. Kunyu was higher than that in Mt. Lao, the genetic diversity in the understory of conifer and broadleaf mixed forest was higher than it in shrubs of mountaintop. We think that the genetic diversity is related with geographic distance and habitats. The result of clustering is not fully in accordance with their geographical distributions, but in accordance with habitats. Based on our study, we concluded that this weed species potentially has broad adaptability, its genetic diversity is correlated to geographic distance and habitats, and attention should be paid to preserve every population and their habitats.