Effect of the intensive exploitation and forest fragmentation in the genetic structure of P. oleifolius in the Colombian Central Andes.

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Demographic expansion in America over the last decades generated a negative impact in the Andean highland forests and species of the Podocarpaceae family. In Colombia, six species of this family have been recorded for the Andes belonging to three principal genera: Podocarpus, Prumnopitys and Retrophyllun. One the most endangered species is Podocarpus oleifolius, because the industry attractiveness. The central Andes Mountains constitutes a fragmented forest landscape and populations of P. oleifolius have been severely reduced. We hypothesized that forest fragmentation in the Andean Mountains joined with the individuals selective cutting, have been contributed to the lost of individuals and also to the loss of genetic diversity guiding an inbreeding effect in the populations of P. oleifolius. We characterized the genetic diversity of P. oleifolius and assayed five microsatellites markers previously published in 10 central Andes native populations. This allowed to us to assess the genetic diversity pattern among populations of P. oleifolius by measuring the H-W equilibrium, allele richness, genetic distances by FST and population structure. We found evidence of the negative impact of the forest fragmentation in this species, such a homogenous population and observed heterozygosity excess, suggested as a conseque

RESUMEN: Demographic expansion in America over the last decades generated a negative impact in the Andean highland forests and species of the Podocarpaceae family. In Colombia, six species of this family have been recorded for the Andes belonging to three principal genera: Podocarpus, Prumnopitys and Retrophyllun. One the most endangered species is Podocarpus oleifolius, because the industry attractiveness. The central Andes Mountains constitutes a fragmented forest landscape and populations of P. oleifolius have been severely reduced. We hypothesized that forest fragmentation in the Andean Mountains joined with the individuals selective cutting, have been contributed to the lost of individuals and also to the loss of genetic diversity guiding an inbreeding effect in the populations of P. oleifolius. We characterized the genetic diversity of P. oleifolius and assayed five microsatellites markers previously published in 10 central Andes native populations. This allowed to us to assess the genetic diversity pattern among populations of P. oleifolius by measuring the H-W equilibrium, allele richness, genetic distances by FST and population structure. We found evidence of the negative impact of the forest fragmentation in this species, such a homogenous population and observed heterozygosity excess, suggested as a conseque