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Local-scale genetic structure in the peatmoss Sphagnum fuscum.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gunnarsson, U; Shaw, AJ; Lönn, M
Published in: Molecular ecology
January 2007

Sphagnum (peatmoss) dominates huge areas of the Northern Hemisphere and acts as a significant carbon sink on a global scale, yet little is known about the genetic structure of Sphagnum populations. We investigated genetic structure within a population of the common peatmoss Sphagnum fuscum, to assess local patterns of genetic diversity and the spatial extent of clones. One hundred seventeen shoots were sampled from five transects in Fuglmyra, central Norway, and sequenced for three anonymous DNA regions. Five neighbourhood patches were marked along each transect, and from each patch, five stems were sampled for molecular analyses. Seventeen haplotypes could be distinguished and two major groups of haplotypes differed by 12 mutational steps. The two major haplotype groups differed significantly in microhabitat association along the distance to groundwater table and the pH gradients, indicating microhabitat differentiation. The haplotypes within these groups were all genetically similar, differing by one or two mutations. The most common haplotype occurred in four transects separated by 250-m distance. Most of the molecular variation in the population was found among transects, and within patches. Large dominating clones within each transect resulted in low variation explained by the among-patch-within-transect component of spatial structure. Mutation appears to account for a larger proportion of the population variation than recombination. Within the population, vegetative growth and asexual reproduction from gametophyte fragments dominate as the main reproductive mode.

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Published In

Molecular ecology

DOI

EISSN

1365-294X

ISSN

0962-1083

Publication Date

January 2007

Volume

16

Issue

2

Start / End Page

305 / 312

Related Subject Headings

  • Sphagnopsida
  • Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
  • Norway
  • Mutation
  • Haplotypes
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genetic Variation
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecosystem
  • Demography
 

Citation

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Gunnarsson, U., Shaw, A. J., & Lönn, M. (2007). Local-scale genetic structure in the peatmoss Sphagnum fuscum. Molecular Ecology, 16(2), 305–312. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294x.2006.03144.x
Gunnarsson, U., A. J. Shaw, and M. Lönn. “Local-scale genetic structure in the peatmoss Sphagnum fuscum.Molecular Ecology 16, no. 2 (January 2007): 305–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294x.2006.03144.x.
Gunnarsson U, Shaw AJ, Lönn M. Local-scale genetic structure in the peatmoss Sphagnum fuscum. Molecular ecology. 2007 Jan;16(2):305–12.
Gunnarsson, U., et al. “Local-scale genetic structure in the peatmoss Sphagnum fuscum.Molecular Ecology, vol. 16, no. 2, Jan. 2007, pp. 305–12. Epmc, doi:10.1111/j.1365-294x.2006.03144.x.
Gunnarsson U, Shaw AJ, Lönn M. Local-scale genetic structure in the peatmoss Sphagnum fuscum. Molecular ecology. 2007 Jan;16(2):305–312.
Journal cover image

Published In

Molecular ecology

DOI

EISSN

1365-294X

ISSN

0962-1083

Publication Date

January 2007

Volume

16

Issue

2

Start / End Page

305 / 312

Related Subject Headings

  • Sphagnopsida
  • Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
  • Norway
  • Mutation
  • Haplotypes
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genetic Variation
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecosystem
  • Demography