<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> We compared within-population variability and degree of population differentiation for neutral genetic markers (RAPDS) and eight quantitative traits in Central American populations of the endangered tree, Cedrela odorata. Whilst population genetic diversity for neutral markers (Shannon index) and quantitative traits (heritability, coefficient of additive genetic variation) were uncorrelated, both marker types revealed strong differentiation between populations from the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica and the rest of the species’ distribution. The degree of interpopulation differentiation was higher for RAPD markers (FST = 0.67 for the sampled Mesoamerican range) than for quantitative traits (QST = 0.30). Hence, the divergence in quantitative traits was lower than could have been achieved by genetic drift alone, suggesting that balancing selection for similar phenotypes in different populations of this species. Nevertheless, a comparison of pair-wise estimates of population differentiation in neutral genetic markers and quantitative traits revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.66) suggesting that, for C. odorata, neutral marker divergence could be used as a surrogate for adaptive gene divergence for conservation planning. The utility of this finding and suggested further work are discussed.</abstract>

We compared within-population variability and degree of population differentiation for neutral genetic markers (RAPDS) and eight quantitative traits in Central American populations of the endangered tree, Cedrela odorata. Whilst population genetic diversity for neutral markers (Shannon index) and quantitative traits (heritability, coefficient of additive genetic variation) were uncorrelated, both marker types revealed strong differentiation between populations from the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica and the rest of the species’ distribution. The degree of interpopulation differentiation was higher for RAPD markers (FST = 0.67 for the sampled Mesoamerican range) than for quantitative traits (QST = 0.30). Hence, the divergence in quantitative traits was lower than could have been achieved by genetic drift alone, suggesting that balancing selection for similar phenotypes in different populations of this species. Nevertheless, a comparison of pair-wise estimates of population differentiation in neutral genetic markers and quantitative traits revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.66) suggesting that, for C. odorata, neutral marker divergence could be used as a surrogate for adaptive gene divergence for conservation planning. The utility of this finding and suggested further work are discussed.

Contrasting Quantitative Traits and Neutral Genetic Markers for Genetic Resource Assessment of Mesoamerican Cedrela Odorata

Silvae Genetica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

We compared within-population variability and degree of population differentiation for neutral genetic markers (RAPDS) and eight quantitative traits in Central...

Contrasting Quantitative Traits and Neutral Genetic Markers for Genetic Resource Assessment of Mesoamerican Cedrela Odorata

Published Online: Oct 19, 2017

Page range: 281 - 292

Received: Jun 13, 2005

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sg-2005-0041

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.