Spatial genetic structure of sympatric populations of eremanthus species in Brazil: implications for management

Abstract

There is a consensus that a complex network of factors shapes the genetic diversity in natural populations. Several processes of environmental change influence the allelic dynamics of the species. Therefore, genetic variation evaluation is essential for the conservation, management and understanding of the phylogenetic relationships among species. This study aimed to estimate the diversity and intrapopulation spatial genetic structure of three sympatric tree species of the genus Eremanthus in Brazil accessed by ISSR markers. The study found that Eremanthus glomerulatus presented the values of genetic diversity superior to the Eremanthus erythropappus and Eremanthus incanus. The genetic diversity of Nei (h) ranged from 0.36 to 0.40 and the Shannon genetic diversity index (I) from 0.50 to 0.57. Coancestry was observed in these three species with implications for seed collection. The data obtained in this study can guide conservation projects for the genus Eremanthus, contributing to the sustainable management of populations that coexist in the same habitat.