Population structure and conservation biology of the endangered fern Trichomanes speciosum Willd. (Hymenophyllaceae) at its northern distributional limit.

摘要

Gametophytic material was collected during 1996 from 37 populations at 22 sites in southwest Scotland, while sporophytic material was collected from 4 colonies at 3 sites. Starch gel electrophoresis was used to characterise banding patterns of 11 enzyme systems. Three of the 11 enzymes systems were variable: glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase. Variation observed at the variable loci gave 30 possible multilocus phenotypes, 7 in gametophytes while 2of which were present in sporophytic material. Two of these multilocus phenotypes covered large areas while the others are confined to one or more localized sites. The authors suggest that prevailing climatic conditions limits sporophyte production notinbreeding or lack of genetic variation. Implications for in situ conservation are discussed.