En aquests darrers dies abans d’acabar l’any, la prestigiosa revista Plant Systematics and Evolution ha publicat en línia l’article dels membres del BioC Jordi López-Pujol, M. Carmen Martinell, Sergi Massó i Cèsar Blanché, juntament amb Llorenç Sàez (UAB), sobre la mínima diversitat genètica detectada a Coritospermum (=Ligusticum) huteri, endemisme extrem del cim del Puig Major, a l’illa de Mallorca.

L’article exposa els resultats de les anàlisis genètiques dutes a terme durant les campanyes de l’any 2009, finançades pel projecte CGL2007-60475/BOS, sobre biologia de poblacions petites, que s'afegeixen a les que s'han fet sobre Silene sennenii, Aquilegia paui i Dichoropetalum schottii. Els treballs de laboratori van comptar, a més, amb la col·laboració de Moisés Soto, del Jardín Viera y Clavijo.

López-Pujol, J.,  M. C. Martinell, S. Massó,  C. Blanché & L.  Sàez (2012) -The ‘paradigm of extremes’: extremely low genetic diversity in an extremely narrow endemic species, Coristospermum huteri (Umbelliferae).Plant Systematics and Evolution. Online First, DOI 10.1007/s00606-012-0732-3

Abstract
Low levels of genetic diversity in endemic species are generally attributable to the small size of their populations. This lack of genetic variability will, predictably, be more evident in those species that occur in only one or a very few localities with a total population consisting of a few dozen individuals, or sometimes fewer (i.e. ‘extremely narrow endemics’, ENEs). We used allozyme electrophoresis to survey the genetic variability of Coristospermum huteri, an endemic species from the island of Majorca (Balearic Islands, W. Mediterranean Basin) with a single natural population of about 100 individuals. As expected, allozyme variability was virtually nil for this species (P = 8.3 %, A = 1.08, He = 0.022), which seems to be a general rule for ENEs (mean He = 0.057). A founder effect associated with a dispersal event from the continent is probably behind the lack of genetic diversity in this highly threatened species. Preservation of the mountain summit where the plant is found (Puig Major) is essential for the survival of C. huteri, and would also guarantee the conservation of other ENEs and rare and threatened species.

Més informació

• Accés a l'article - Plant Systematics and Evolution / Springer
• Notícia 12/12/2012 - Portal BioC