Data from: Epigenetic variation predicts regional and local intraspecific functional diversity in a perennial herb

The ecological significance of epigenetic variation has been generally inferred from studies on model plants under artificial conditions, but the importance of epigenetic differences between individuals as a source of intraspecific diversity in natural plant populations remains essentially unknown. This paper investigates the relationship between epigenetic variation and functional plant diversity by conducting epigenetic (methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphisms, MSAP) and genetic (amplified fragment length polymorphisms, AFLP) marker-trait association analyses for 20 whole-plant, leaf and regenerative functional traits in a large sample of wild-growing plants of the perennial herb Helleborus foetidus from ten sampling sites in southeastern Spain. Plants differed widely in functional characteristics, and exhibited greater epigenetic than genetic diversity, as shown by percent polymorphism of MSAP fragments (92%) or markers (69%) greatly exceeding that for AFLP ones (41%). After controlling for genetic structuring and possible cryptic relatedness, every functional trait considered exhibited a significant association with at least one AFLP or MSAP marker. A total of 27 MSAP (13.0% of total) and 12 AFLP (4.4%) markers were involved in significant associations, which explained on average 8.2% and 8.0% of trait variance, respectively. Individual MSAP markers were more likely to be associated with functional traits than AFLP markers. Between-site differences in multivariate functional diversity was directly related to variation in multilocus epigenetic diversity after multilocus genetic diversity was statistically accounted for. Results suggest that epigenetic variation can be an important source of intraspecific functional diversity in H. foetidus, possibly endowing this species with the capacity to exploit a broad range of ecological conditions despite its modest genetic diversity.

表观遗传变异（epigenetic variation）的生态学意义，此前多通过人工条件下的模式植物研究推导得出，但自然植物种群中个体间的表观遗传差异作为种内多样性来源的重要性，目前仍基本不明。本研究针对西班牙东南部10个采样点的多年生草本植物嚏根草（*Helleborus foetidus*）的大量野生植株样本，针对20项整株、叶片及繁殖功能性状，开展表观遗传（甲基化敏感扩增多态性（methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphisms, MSAP））与遗传（扩增片段长度多态性（amplified fragment length polymorphisms, AFLP））的标记-性状关联分析，以探究表观遗传变异与植物功能多样性之间的关联。供试植株的功能性状差异显著，且表观遗传多样性高于遗传多样性：MSAP片段多态率达92%、标记多态率达69%，远高于AFLP标记的41%。在控制遗传结构与潜在隐秘亲缘关系的影响后，本研究涉及的所有功能性状均与至少一个AFLP或MSAP标记存在显著关联。总计有27个MSAP标记（占总标记数的13.0%）与12个AFLP标记（占4.4%）参与了显著关联，二者分别可解释平均8.2%与8.0%的性状变异。单个MSAP标记相较于AFLP标记，更易与功能性状形成关联。在统计控制多位点遗传多样性的影响后，各采样点间的多变量功能多样性差异，与多位点表观遗传多样性的变异呈直接相关关系。研究结果表明，表观遗传变异可作为嚏根草（*Helleborus foetidus*）种内功能多样性的重要来源，即便该物种的遗传多样性较低，仍可能使其具备利用广泛生态条件的能力。