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Valli AT, Chondrogiannis C, Grammatikopoulos G, Iatrou G, Trigas P. Conservation of Micromeria browiczii (Lamiaceae), Endemic to Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece). PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10040778. [PMID: 33921110 PMCID: PMC8071367 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The massive decline in biodiversity due to anthropogenic threats has led to the emergence of conservation as one of the central goals in modern biology. Conservation strategies are urgently needed for addressing the ongoing loss of plant diversity. The Mediterranean basin, and especially the Mediterranean islands, host numerous rare and threatened plants in need of urgent conservation actions. In this study, we assess the current conservation status of Micromeria browiczii, a local endemic to Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece), and estimate its future risk of extinction by compiling and assessing scientific information on geographical distribution, population dynamics and reproductive biology. The population size and the geographical distribution of the species were monitored for five years. The current population of the species consists of 15 subpopulations. Considerable annual fluctuation of population size was detected. The species is assessed as Endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature threat categories. According to population viability analysis results, its extinction risk was estimated to be 5.6% over the next 50 years, when six of the fifteen subpopulations (40%) might become extinct. The investigation of certain aspects of the species’ biology yielded important data necessary to identify critical aspects for its survival and to propose conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Thalassini Valli
- Laboratory of Systematic Botany, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +306986850009
| | - Christos Chondrogiannis
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rio, 26504 Patras, Greece; (C.C.); (G.G.)
| | - George Grammatikopoulos
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rio, 26504 Patras, Greece; (C.C.); (G.G.)
| | - Gregoris Iatrou
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rio, 26504 Patras, Greece;
| | - Panayiotis Trigas
- Laboratory of Systematic Botany, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece;
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Conservation Genetics of Four Critically Endangered Greek Endemic Plants: A Preliminary Assessment. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13040152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean basin constitutes one of the largest global biodiversity hotspots, hosting more than 11,000 endemic plants, and it is recognised as an area with a high proportion of threatened taxa. Nevertheless, only a tiny fraction of the threatened Mediterranean endemics have their genetic diversity assessed, and we are unaware if and how climate change might impact their conservation status. This is even more pronounced in Eastern Mediterranean countries with a rich endemic flora, such as Greece, which hosts a large portion of the plant taxa assessed at the European level under the IUCN criteria. Using inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers and species distribution models, we analysed the genetic diversity and investigated the impacts of climate change on four critically endangered and extremely narrow and rare Greek island endemic plants, namely Aethionema retsina, Allium iatrouinum, Convolvulus argyrothamnos, and Saponaria jagelii. All four species are facing intense anthropogenic threats and display moderate genetic diversity (uHe: 0.254–0.322), while climate change is expected to have a profound impact on their range size during the coming decades. A combination of in- and ex-situ measures, such as population reinforcement and seed bank conservation, are urgently needed in order to preserve these highly threatened and rare Greek endemics.
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Valli AT, Koumandou VL, Iatrou G, Andreou M, Papasotiropoulos V, Trigas P. Conservation biology of threatened Mediterranean chasmophytes: The case of Asperula naufraga endemic to Zakynthos island (Ionian islands, Greece). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246706. [PMID: 33606745 PMCID: PMC7894959 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Asperula naufraga is a rare and threatened obligate chasmophyte, endemic to Zakynthos island (Ionian islands, Greece). In this study, we provide a combined approach (including monitoring of demographic and reproductive parameters and study of genetic diversity) to assess the current conservation status of the species and to estimate its future extinction risk. The five subpopulations of A. naufraga were monitored for five years (2014-2018). Population size markedly fluctuated between 68-130 mature individuals during the monitoring period. The extent of occurrence (EOO) was estimated at 28.7 km2 and the area of occupancy (AOO) was 8 km2. Stage-structure recordings were similar for all subpopulations, characterized by high proportions of adult and senescent individuals, following a common pattern, which has been observed in other cliff-dwelling plants. Preliminary genetic analysis with SSRs markers revealed low heterozygosity within subpopulations and significant departure from H-W equilibrium, which combined with small population size suggest increased threat of genetic diversity loss. Our results indicate that the species should be placed in the Critically Endangered (CR) IUCN threat category, while according to Population Viability Analysis results its extinction risk increases to 47.8% in the next 50 years. The small population size combined with large fluctuations in its size, low recruitment and low genetic diversity, indicate the need of undertaking effective in situ and ex situ conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Thalassini Valli
- Laboratory of Systematic Botany, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vassiliki Lila Koumandou
- Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology & Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Gregoris Iatrou
- Division of Plant Biology, Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Marios Andreou
- Nature Conservation Unit, Frederick University, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | - Panayiotis Trigas
- Laboratory of Systematic Botany, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Fernández-Mazuecos M, Jiménez-Mejías P, Martín-Bravo S, Buide ML, Álvarez I, Vargas P. Narrow endemics on coastal plains: Miocene divergence of the critically endangered genus Avellara (Compositae). PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2016; 18:729-38. [PMID: 27039878 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Critically endangered species representing ancient, evolutionarily isolated lineages must be given priority when allocating resources for conservation projects. Sound phylogenetic analyses and divergence time estimations are required to detect them, and studies on their population genetics, ecological requirements and breeding system are needed to understand their evolutionary history and to design efficient conservation strategies. Here we present the paradigmatic case of Avellara, a critically endangered monotypic genus of Compositae inhabiting a few swamps in the west-southwest Iberian coastal plains. Our phylogenetic and dating analyses based on nuclear (ITS) and plastid (matK) DNA sequences support a Miocene (>8.6 Ma) divergence between Avellara and closely related genera, resulting in marked morphological and ecological differentiation. We found alarmingly low levels of genetic diversity, based on AFLPs and plastid DNA sequences, and confirmed the prevalence of clonal reproduction. Species distribution modelling suggested a large macroclimatically suitable area for Avellara in the western Iberian Peninsula, but its apparently narrow microecological requirements restrict its distribution to peatlands with low-mineralised waters. Although five populations have been recorded from Spain and Portugal in the past, its current distribution may be reduced to only one population, recurrently found in the last decade but threatened by herbivory and habitat degradation. All this confirms the consideration of Avellara as a threatened species with high phylogenetic singularity, and makes it a flagship species for plant conservation in both Spain and Portugal that should be given priority in the design of in situ and ex situ conservation programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fernández-Mazuecos
- Real Jardín Botánico (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - P Jiménez-Mejías
- Real Jardín Botánico (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - S Martín-Bravo
- Área de Botánica, Departamento de Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Bioquímica, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - M L Buide
- Área de Botánica, Departamento de Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Bioquímica, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - I Álvarez
- Real Jardín Botánico (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - P Vargas
- Real Jardín Botánico (RJB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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Genetic variation in Aechmea winkleri, a bromeliad from an inland Atlantic rainforest fragment in Southern Brazil. BIOCHEM SYST ECOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2014.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Conservation biology of Chionodoxa lochiae and Scilla morrisii (Asparagaceae): Two priority bulbous plant species of the European Union in Cyprus. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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