Genetic impacts of habitat loss on the rare Banded Ironstone Formation endemic Ricinocarpos brevis (Euphorbiaceae)
Siegfried L. Krauss A B C and Janet Anthony A BA Kings Park Science, Botanic Garden and Parks Authority, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kattidj Close, Kings Park, WA 6005, Australia.
B School of Biological Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: siegy.krauss@dbca.wa.gov.au
Australian Journal of Botany 67(3) 183-193 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT18131
Submitted: 29 June 2018 Accepted: 30 September 2018 Published: 24 October 2018
Abstract
Ricinocarpos brevis (Euphorbiaceae) is a declared rare species currently known from only three Banded Ironstone Formation (BIF) ranges (Perrinvale, Johnston and Windarling Ranges) in the Yilgarn region of Western Australia. The present study assessed the potential impact of proposed mining on genetic diversity within R. brevis. Approximately 30 plants were sampled from each of 14 sites across the known distribution of R. brevis. Genetic variation and its spatial structure was assessed with 144 polymorphic AFLP markers that were generated by two independent primer pairs: M-CTG/P-AC (81 markers) and M-CTA/P-AC (63 markers). Hierarchical spatial genetic structure was assessed by an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), Mantel tests of association between genetic- and geographic-distance and ordination. Specific attention was given to the extent of genetic differentiation of the three populations on the Windarling Range W4 deposit, which was proposed for mining operations. Strong genetic differentiation (ΦPT = 0.186–0.298) among the three ranges was found. Genetic differentiation of the Johnston Range populations from Windarling and Perrinvale was greater than expected under isolation by distance predictions, suggesting adaptive genetic differentiation driven by site environmental differences, reflected by differences in plant community, substrate and landscape features. In contrast, genetic differentiation among the three Windarling Range regions (W2, W3, W4) was weaker (ΦPT = 0.055–0.096). Mean pairwise ΦPT = 0.078 for the 10 Windarling sites, which was unchanged with the removal of the W4 populations. In addition, none of the markers scored were unique to the W4 populations. Thus, for this set of markers, the removal of plants on the Windarling Range W4 deposit had little impact on genetic diversity within R. brevis. Strong concordance in results from the independent datasets generated by the two AFLP primer pairs provides overall support for the conclusions drawn.
Additional keywords: AFLP, BIF, mining impact, narrow endemic, population genetic variation, rare, spatial genetic structure.
References
Bensch S, Akesson M (2005) Ten years of AFLP in ecology and evolution: why so few animals? Molecular Ecology 14, 2899–2914.| Ten years of AFLP in ecology and evolution: why so few animals?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blandford D (2012) Notes on the soils of the Windarling Range area in relation to Ricinocarpos brevis.
Bonin A, Ehrich D, Manel S (2007) Statistical analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism data: a toolbox for molecular ecologists and evolutionists. Molecular Ecology 16, 3737–3758.
| Statistical analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism data: a toolbox for molecular ecologists and evolutionists.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Butcher R (2007) New taxa of ‘leafless’ Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae, formerly Tremandaceae) from Western Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 20, 139–160.
| New taxa of ‘leafless’ Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae, formerly Tremandaceae) from Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Butcher R, Byrne M, Crayn DM (2007) Evidence for convergent evolution among phylogenetically distant rare species of Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae), formerly Tremandaceae) from Western Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 20, 126–138.
| Evidence for convergent evolution among phylogenetically distant rare species of Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae), formerly Tremandaceae) from Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Butcher PA, McNee SA, Krauss SL (2009) Genetic impacts of habitat loss on the rare endemic Tetratheca paynterae subsp. paynterae. Conservation Genetics 10, 1735–1746.
| Genetic impacts of habitat loss on the rare endemic Tetratheca paynterae subsp. paynterae.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Butcher PA, Bradbury D, Krauss SL (2011) Limited pollen-mediated dispersal and partial self-incompatibility in the rare ironstone endemic Tetratheca paynterae subsp. paynterae increase the risks associated with habitat loss. Conservation Genetics 12, 1603–1618.
| Limited pollen-mediated dispersal and partial self-incompatibility in the rare ironstone endemic Tetratheca paynterae subsp. paynterae increase the risks associated with habitat loss.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Byrne M, Krauss SL, Millar MA, Elliot CP, Coates DJ, Yates C, Binks R, Nevill P, Nistelberger H, Wardell-Johnson G, Robinson T, Butcher R, Barrett M, Gibson N (2018) Persistence and stochasticity are key determinants of genetic diversity in plants associated with banded iron formation inselbergs. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
| Persistence and stochasticity are key determinants of genetic diversity in plants associated with banded iron formation inselbergs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Carlson J, Tulsieram L, Glaubitz J, Luk V, Kauffeldt C, Rutledge R (1991) Segregation of random amplified DNA markers in F1 progeny of conifers. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 83, 194–200.
| Segregation of random amplified DNA markers in F1 progeny of conifers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Coates DJ (2000) Defining conservation units in a rich and fragmented flora: implications for the management of genetic resources and evolutionary processes in south-west Australian plants. Australian Journal of Botany 48, 329–339.
| Defining conservation units in a rich and fragmented flora: implications for the management of genetic resources and evolutionary processes in south-west Australian plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Department of Environment and Conservation (2011) ‘Ricinocarpos brevis Interim Recovery Plan 2011–2016. Interim Recovery Plan No. 312.’ (Department of Environment and Conservation: Perth, WA)
Elith J, Leathwick JR (2009) Species distribution models: ecological explanations and prediction across space and time. Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics 40, 677–697.
| Species distribution models: ecological explanations and prediction across space and time.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ellstrand NC, Elam DR (1993) Population genetic consequences of small population size: implications for plant conservation. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 24, 217–242.
| Population genetic consequences of small population size: implications for plant conservation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Frankham R (2005) Genetics and extinction. Biological Conservation 126, 131–140.
| Genetics and extinction.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gibson N, Coates DJ, Thiele KR (2007) Taxonomic research and the conservation status of flora in the Yilgarn banded iron formation ranges. Nuytsia 17, 1–12.
Gibson N, Yates CJ, Dillon R (2010) Plant communities of the ironstone ranges of south western Australia: hotspots for plant diversity and mineral deposits. Biodiversity and Conservation
| Plant communities of the ironstone ranges of south western Australia: hotspots for plant diversity and mineral deposits.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gibson N, Meissner R, Markey AS, Thompson WA (2012) Patterns of plant diversity in ironstone ranges in arid south western Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 77, 25–31.
| Patterns of plant diversity in ironstone ranges in arid south western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Halford D, Henderson R (2007) A taxonomic revision of Ricinocarpos Desf. (Euphoriaceae: Ricinocarpeae, Ricinocarpinae). Austrobaileya 7, 399–401.
Hamrick JL, Godt MJW (1996) Effects of life history traits on genetic diversity in plant species. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 351, 1291–1298.
| Effects of life history traits on genetic diversity in plant species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Howard RK (2015) Lessons drawn from iron ore mining in the Yilgarn region of Western Australia. In ‘Mining in ecologically sensitive landscapes’. (Ed. M Tibbett) pp. 95–107. (CRC Press: Bocca Raton, FL, USA)
Krauss SL (2000) Accurate gene diversity estimates from amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Molecular Ecology 9, 1241–1245.
| Accurate gene diversity estimates from amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ladd P, Nield A, Enright N (2011) Pollination biology of Tetrathecae paynterae ssp. paynterae and Ricinocarpus brevis on Windarling ironstone ridge W3. Unpublished report prepared for Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore Pty Ltd, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia.
McNee S (2011) ‘Ricinocarpos brevis summary of research and monitoring conducted during 2003 to 2010.’ (Western Botanical: Bassendean, WA)
Meudt HM, Clarke AC (2007) Almost forgotten or latest practise? AFLP applications, analyses and advances. Trends in Plant Science 12, 106–117.
| Almost forgotten or latest practise? AFLP applications, analyses and advances.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mueller UG, Wolfenbarger LL (1999) AFLP genotyping and fingerprinting. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 14, 389–394.
| AFLP genotyping and fingerprinting.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Newman D, Pilson D (1997) Increased probability of extinction due to decreased genetic effective population size: experimental populations of Clarkia pulchella. Evolution 51, 354–362.
| Increased probability of extinction due to decreased genetic effective population size: experimental populations of Clarkia pulchella.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Peakall R, Smouse PE (2012) GENALEX 6.5: genetic analysis in Excel. Population genetic software for teaching and research – an update. Bioinformatics 28, 2537–2539.
| GENALEX 6.5: genetic analysis in Excel. Population genetic software for teaching and research – an update.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sexton JP, Hangartner SB, Hoffmann AA (2014) Genetic isolation by environment or distance: which pattern of gene flow is most common? Evolution 68, 1–15.
| Genetic isolation by environment or distance: which pattern of gene flow is most common?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner SR, Lewandrowski W, Elliott CP, Merino-Martin LM, Miller BP, Stevens JC, Erickson TE, Merritt DJ (2017) Seed ecology informs restoration approaches for threatened species in water-limited environments: a case study on the short-range Banded Ironstone endemic Ricinocarpos brevis (Euphorbiaceae). Australian Journal of Botany 65, 661–677.
| Seed ecology informs restoration approaches for threatened species in water-limited environments: a case study on the short-range Banded Ironstone endemic Ricinocarpos brevis (Euphorbiaceae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vos P, Hogers R, Bleeker M, Rijans M, Lee TVD, Hornes M, Frijters A, Pot J, Kuiper M, Zabeau M (1995) AFLP: a new technique for DNA fingerprinting. Nucleic Acids Research 23, 4407–4414.
| AFLP: a new technique for DNA fingerprinting.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wang IJ, Bradburd GS (2014) Isolation by Environment. Molecular Ecology 23, 5649–5662.
| Isolation by Environment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation (WA DEC) (2009) Declared Flora Database and Rare Flora Files. DEC, Perth, WA.
