Landscape genetic structure of a Streamside tree species Euptelea pleiospermum (Eupteleaceae): contrasting roles of river valley and mountain ridge

Abstract

We used landscape genetics and statistical models to test how landscape features influence connectivity or create barriers to dispersal for a mountain riparian tree species, Euptelea pleiospermum. Young leaves from 1078 individuals belonging to 36 populations at elevations of 900-2000 m along upper reaches of four rivers were genotyped using eight nuclear microsatellite markers. We found no evidence for the unidirectional dispersal hypothesis in E. pleiospermum within each river. The linear dispersal pattern along each river valley is mostly consistent with the "classical metapopulaton" model. Mountain ridges separating rivers were genetic barriers for this wind-pollinated tree species with anemochorous seeds, whereas river valleys provided important corridors for dispersal. Gene flow among populations along elevational gradients within each river prevails over gene flow among populations at similar elevations but from different rivers. This pattern of gene flow is likely to promote elevational range shifts of plant populations and to hinder local adaptation along elevational gradients. This study provides a paradigm to determine which of the two strategies (migration or adaptation) will be adopted by mountain riparian plants under climate warming.

Figure 1. Alternative models of gene flow for mountain plants inhabiting linear habitats along elevation gradients.

H, high elevation; L, low elevation. Different lower-case letters in different color ellipses represent different genetic groups.

Figure 2. Distribution of genetic diversity (A, allelic richness (A _R) and B, expected heterozygosity (H _E)) in 36 Euptelea pleiospermum populations along the four main rivers in the Shennongjia Mountains.

Circles indicate sampling locations, colors represent sample size (N), and circle size is proportional to the values of A _R or H _E. The white arrows indicate the flow direction of the four rivers (white lines).

Figure 3. Population structure ofEuptelea pleiospermum estimated by the programs STRUCTURE 2.3.4 (A) and TESS 2.3.1 (B).

Each individual is represented by a thin vertical line, which is partitioned into four colored segments that represent the individual’s estimated membership fractions in the four clusters. Black vertical lines separate individuals of different populations. Labels below the plot provide population codes, which are the same as in Table 1. Labels above the plot (Du River, Nan River, Xiangxi River and Yandu River) are sampling information.