Embracing biodiversity: multispecies population genomics of leafless Bossiaea species shows novel taxa, population dynamics and conservation strategies

Eilish S. McMaster; Jia-Yee S. Yap; Keith L. McDougall; Elizabeth A. James; Neville Walsh; Nic Jario; Jessica Peterie; Maurizio Rossetto

doi:10.1071/SB23031

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Contents Vol 37(3)

Embracing biodiversity: multispecies population genomics of leafless Bossiaea species shows novel taxa, population dynamics and conservation strategies

Eilish S. McMaster

^A ^B ^* , Jia-Yee S. Yap

^A , Keith L. McDougall ^C , Elizabeth A. James ^D , Neville Walsh

^D , Nic Jario ^E , Jessica Peterie ^F and Maurizio Rossetto

^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.

^B School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.

^C Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic. 3083, Australia.

^D Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia.

^E Office of Nature Conservation, Environment Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, ACT Government, 480 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson, ACT 2602, Australia.

^F Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, 48–52 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo, NSW 2830, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: eilish.mcmaster@botanicgardens.nsw.gov.au

Handling Editor: Katharina Nargar

Australian Systematic Botany 37, SB23031 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB23031

Submitted: 28 November 2023 Accepted: 8 May 2024 Published: 4 June 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Leafless Bossiaea species are a unique group of plants endemic to Australia that present intriguing challenges in taxonomy and conservation because of their morphological simplicity and often small, disjunct populations. We employed whole genome reduced representation sequencing (DArTseq) to enhance our understanding of the population dynamics, diversity and taxonomy of leafless Bossiaea species. Our dataset comprised 52,539 single-nucleotide polymorphisms across 283 samples from 7 leafless Bossiaea species, including 6 listed threatened species. We examined population structure, phylogenetic relationships, kinship and gene flow within and among populations. On the basis of our population-genomic analyses, we propose recognition of the novel taxon Bossiaea vombata subsp. orientalis and a change in status from species (B. milesiae) to subspecies for B. fragrans subsp. milesiae. Additionally, we show extensive clonal reproduction across species and limited gene flow at distances of >1 km, shedding light on the challenges faced by these species. We advocate a coordinated approach to conservation, focusing on restoring self-sustaining populations and leveraging genetic rescue strategies. By addressing the population dynamics of multiple species simultaneously in taxonomically challenging lineages, we can make informed choices to safeguard biodiversity and evolutionary potential.

Keywords: Bossiaea, conservation, conservation genetics, DArTseq, Fabaceae, Faboideae, genomics, population genetics, taxonomy.

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