Assessing the genetic diversity of Myrsine umbellata (Primulaceae) in Brazilian Atlantic Forest remnants - an important step towards reforestation efforts

Abstract The investigation of genetic diversity in natural populations of species that show potential for use in reforestation programs is a key step in making management decisions. However, reforestation programs with native species in Brazil are still rarely based on a genetic understanding of the seed matrices used for seedling production. This is also the case for Myrsine umbellata, a dioecious shrub within the family Primulaceae that has been used in reforestation programs in Brazil, mainly due to its high production capacity of fruits attractive to the avifauna. The goal of this study was to measure intra- and interpopulational genetic diversity in natural populations of M. umbellata in six forest remnants of the Atlantic Forest using ISSR markers. The results revealed that the intrapopulational genetic diversity was greater than the genetic diversity among the studied populations. For this reason, the cultivation of seedlings from seeds obtained in more than one population seems the most appropriate strategy for reforestation purposes. Even though the most isolated populations are also the ones with highest genetic structure, all populations of M. umbellata included in this study revealed to be an important germplasm bank conserved in situ.摘要 对具备再造林应用潜力的物种自然种群开展遗传多样性调查，是制定科学经营管理决策的关键步骤。然而，巴西本土物种的再造林项目仍极少基于对苗木培育所用种子源株的遗传认知开展。伞花铁仔（Myrsine umbellata）作为报春花科（Primulaceae）下的雌雄异株灌木，同样面临这一现状；该物种因果实丰产且对鸟类具有吸引力，已被应用于巴西的再造林项目中。本研究以大西洋森林6处森林残遗片段中的伞花铁仔自然种群为研究对象，采用ISSR标记（Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat）对其种群内及种群间的遗传多样性进行测定。结果显示，伞花铁仔的种群内遗传多样性高于所研究种群间的遗传多样性。据此，采用多个种群来源的种子培育苗木，似乎是适配再造林目标的最优策略。尽管隔离程度最高的种群同时具有最高的遗传结构分化，但本研究涉及的所有伞花铁仔种群均为重要的原位保存种质资源库。