Ecología, genética y epigenética
de las plantas raras
Carlos M. Herrera
Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC
1
OUTLINE
Distribution of rarity
Correlates of ecological marginality
The cascade of ecological effects
Patterns of genetic diversity
A look into the future: epigenetics
3
OUTLINE
Distribution of rarity
Correlates of ecological marginality
The cascade of ecological effects
Patterns of genetic diversity
A look into the future: epigenetics
5
8
Rarity is unequally distributed
Wid
esp
read
sp
ecie
s
Endemic species
Lavergne et al. 2004. Oikos.
9
Totté et al. 2015. Folia Geobot.
Rarity is unequally distributed
Mean altitude of endemic species
Mean altitude of widespread species
Nu
mb
er o
f sp
ecie
sN
um
ber
of
spec
ies
11
Rare plants often live in marginal, stressful habitats
Anthyllis ramburii
Viola cazorlensis
Fumana baetica
12
OUTLINE
Distribution of rarity
Correlates of ecological marginality
The cascade of ecological effects
Patterns of genetic diversity
A look into the future: epigenetics
13
Correlates of ecological marginality
Soil toxicity
Water stress
Low productivity
Slow population turnover
Population fragmentation
14
Correlates of ecological marginality
Soil toxicity
Water stress
Low productivity
Slow population turnover
Population fragmentation
IMPAIRED POLLINATOR SERVICE
19
OUTLINE
Distribution of rarity
Correlates of ecological marginality
The cascade of ecological effects
Patterns of genetic diversity
A look into the future: epigenetics
Aquilegia cazorlensis
Rock crevices and sandy soils at high elevations
Aquilegia vulgaris
Damp meadows on deep soils at mid elevations
24
Despite lower pollinator service, the endemic species has a higher fruit set than the widespread congener
27
Exclusion of pollinators reveals extensive autonomous self-pollination in the endemic species
28
Withoutpollinators
Withoutpollinators
With
With
30
Stressful habitats
Reduced pollinator service and diversity
Spontaneousautogamy
Increasedinbreeding
Habitat features
Pollinator diversityand abundance
Reproductive traits
Populationgenetics
31
OUTLINE
Distribution of rarity
Correlates of ecological marginality
The cascade of ecological effects
Patterns of genetic diversity
A look into the future: epigenetics
32
The conventional scenario: rare plants are genetically impoverished
Stachys maritimaLópez-Pujol et al. 2002. Plant Biol.
Antirrhinum subbaeticumJiménez et al. 2002. Heredity
33
The emerging consensus: most rare Mediterranean plants are not genetically depauperate
Examples:
Androcymbium gramineum. Caujapé-Castells & Pedrola-Monfort. 2004. Conserv Genet.
Antirrhinum charidemi. Forrest et al. 2017. Bot J Linn Soc. 2017.
Convolvulus boissieri. Salmerón-Sánchez et al. 2014. Bot J Linn Soc.
Jurinea pinnata. Salmerón-Sánchez et al. 2014. Plant Soil.
Rosmarinus tomentosus. Martín & Hernández Bermejo. 2000. Heredity.
Viola cazorlensis. Cánovas et al. 2015. Syst Biodiv.
34
Paired comparisons of congeneric species reveal that rare species are genetically more diverse than widespread ones
35
Paired comparisons of congeneric species reveal that rare species are genetically more diverse than widespread ones
Aquilegia cazorlensis vulgaris
36
Paired comparisons of congeneric species reveal that rare species are genetically more diverse than widespread ones
Viola cazorlensis odorata
37
Paired comparisons of congeneric species reveal that rare species are genetically more diverse than widespread ones
Convolvulus boissieri arvensis
38
OUTLINE
Distribution of rarity
Correlates of ecological marginality
The cascade of ecological effects
Patterns of genetic diversity
A look into the future: epigenetics
39
“Epigenetic”
Heritable changes in phenotype or gene expression that are independent of primary DNA sequence
Richards. 2006. Nature Rev Genet.
40
DNA cytosine methylation
Histone modification
Chromatin remodeling
RNA interference (RNAi)
Main epigenetic molecular mechanisms in plants
41
DNA cytosine methylation ←
Histone modification
Chromatin remodeling
RNA interference (RNAi)
Main epigenetic molecular mechanisms in plants
42Cubas et al. 1999. Nature.
Linaria vulgaris
Epigenetic variation is heritable and related to phenotypic variation
43
Ecological divergence between species is related toepigenetic differences
Paun and Chase. 2011. Mol Phyl Evol.
Dactylorhiza
44
Epigenetic diversity of populations tends to be greater than genetic diversity
Shannon's information index (I)
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Pe
rce
nta
ge
of lo
ci
0
10
20
30
40
Methylation-susceptible (N = 172 loci)
Non-methylated (N = 105 loci)
45
Pairwise genetic distance
Pair
wis
e ep
igen
etic
dis
tan
ce
Epigenetic variation is largely unrelated to genetic variation
46
Intraspecific epigenetic variation relates to variation in ecological factors
EPIGENETIC PC1 SCORE
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
PER
CEN
T P
LAN
T EA
TEN
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
(MSAP markers fingerprints)
49
OUTLINE
Distribution of rarity
Correlates of ecological marginality
The cascade of ecological effects
Patterns of genetic diversity
A look into the future: epigenetics