scholarly journals Genetic Structure of Natural Populations of Wild Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) in Australia

1986 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 255 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Dry ◽  
JJ Burdon

The genetic structure of 11 wild populations of H. annuus occurring in New South Wales and Queensland was determined by isozyme analysis. Considerable isozyme diversity was found among loci within and between populations, with three to five alleles being identified at each of 10 loci. Mean levels of heterozygosity ranged from o� 19 to O� 38 and gene diversity values from 0�29 to O� 52. In all populations Wright's fixation indices were positive (0�09-0� 51) suggesting a degree of inbreeding. Differences in the level of genetic differentiation between populations were not correlated with geographic distance. Indeed, notable genetic diversity was detected between six sites occurring within a 2-km radius of Gunnedah, N.S.W., where the genetic distance relationships were D = 0�13 � 0'08, the same as those between popUlations throughout the region.

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 279 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Searle ◽  
J. C. Bell ◽  
G. F. Moran

Twenty-three isozyme loci were used to examine genetic diversity within and between 19 natural populations of Acacia mearnsii De Wild. selected to represent its entire geographic range. Acacia mearnsii was found to have moderate genetic diversity (species level gene diversity HT = 0.201) with the majority (89.2%) of variation occurring within populations. All measures of population diversity were higher in the northern (New South Wales) than the southern (Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania) populations. There was some evidence of differentiation between populations but no strong clustering at a regional level.


2008 ◽  
Vol 59 (7) ◽  
pp. 627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtenay E. Mills ◽  
Wade L. Hadwen ◽  
Jane M. Hughes

Through the use of mitochondrial DNA (ATP8 gene), the prediction of intermediate genetic structuring was investigated in two species of estuarine glassfish (Ambassis marianus and Ambassis jacksoniensis) (Perciformes : Ambassidae) to determine the possibility of a generalised ‘estuarine’ genetic structure. Individuals were collected from estuaries in eastern Australia between Tin Can Bay (Queensland) in the north and Kempsey (New South Wales) in the south. Analysis of the haplotype frequencies found in this region suggested panmictic populations with star-like phylogenies with extremely high levels of genetic diversity, but with no correlation between geographic distance and genetic distance. Non-significant FST and ΦST suggested extensive dispersal among estuaries. However, Tajima’s D and Fu’s FS values suggest ‘mutation–genetic drift equilibrium’ has not been reached, and that population expansions occurring 262 000 (A. marianus) and 300 000 (A. jacksoniensis) years ago may obscure any phylogeographic structuring or isolation by distance. The finding of panmixia was contrary to the prediction of genetic structuring intermediate between that of marine fish (shallowly structured) and freshwater fish (highly structured), suggesting high dispersal capabilities in these species.


1999 ◽  
Vol 89 (8) ◽  
pp. 639-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. McDonald ◽  
J. Zhan ◽  
J. J. Burdon

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers were used to determine the genetic structure of Australian field populations of the barley scald pathogen Rhynchosporium secalis. Fungal isolates were collected by hierarchical sampling from five naturally infected barley fields in different geographic locations during a single growing season. Genetic variation was high in Australian R. secalis populations. Among the 265 fungal isolates analyzed, 214 distinct genotypes were identified. Average genotype diversity within a field population was 65% of its theoretical maximum. Nei's average gene diversity across seven RFLP loci was 0.54. The majority (76%) of gene diversity was distributed within sampling site areas measuring ≈1 m2; 19% of gene diversity was distributed among sampling sites within fields; and 5% of gene diversity was distributed among fields. Fungal populations from different locations differed significantly both in allele frequencies and genotype diversities. The degree of genetic differentiation was significantly correlated with geographic distance between populations. Our results suggest that the R. secalis population in Western Australia has a different genetic structure than populations in Victoria and South Australia.


1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
DG Worthington ◽  
DJ Ferrell ◽  
SE NcNeill ◽  
JD Bell

Populations of four species of juvenile fish- Rhabdosargus sarba, Acanthopagrus australis, Achoerodus viridis and Girella tricuspidata-were sampled from a seagrass bed in Botany Bay, New South Wales. Fish were collected eight times between 22 March 1990 and 22 February 1991, using a small seine-net. Growth rates were calculated from the progression of cohorts in length-frequency distributions. Cohorts of R. sarba, A. australis and A. viridis grew most slowly during winter (0.02, 0.04 and 0.21 mm day-1, respectively); growth then increased, peaking just prior to the loss of the cohort from the habitat (0.3 1, 0.24 and 0.39 mm day-1). Populations of R. sarba, A. australis and A. viridis were comprised of one or two cohorts that remained in the habitat for at least 3-4 months. Conversely, up to seven cohorts of G. tricuspidata were found between October and February, and most cohorts did not remain in the habitat for more than 2 months. As a result, there were only two confident estimates of growth for G. tricuspidata: 0.23 mm day-1 between October and November, and 0.34 mm day-1 between January and February. Individuals of each species were also kept in a flow-through 4000-L tank of sea water. Growth of cohorts of fish kept in the tank was very similar to that found in natural populations during the same time period. The rates of recruitment and loss of cohorts from seagrass can be rapid and these factors must be considered in designing a sampling programme to assess growth by analysis of length-frequency distributions.


PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mari-Carmen Pineda ◽  
Beatriz Lorente ◽  
Susanna López-Legentil ◽  
Creu Palacín ◽  
Xavier Turon

Spatio-temporal changes in genetic structure among populations provide crucial information on the dynamics of secondary spread for introduced marine species. However, temporal components have rarely been taken into consideration when studying the population genetics of non-indigenous species. This study analysed the genetic structure ofStyela plicata,a solitary ascidian introduced in harbours and marinas of tropical and temperate waters, across spatial and temporal scales. A fragment of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) was sequenced from 395 individuals collected at 9 harbours along the NW Mediterranean coast and adjacent Atlantic waters (> 1,200 km range) at two time points 5 years apart (2009 and 2014). The levels of gene diversity were relatively low for all 9 locations in both years. Analyses of genetic differentiation and distribution of molecular variance revealed strong genetic structure, with significant differences among many populations, but no significant differences among years. A weak and marginally significant correlation between geographic distance and gene differentiation was found. Our results revealed spatial structure and temporal genetic homogeneity inS. plicata, suggesting a limited role of recurrent, vessel-mediated transport of organisms among small to medium-size harbours. Our study area is representative of many highly urbanized coasts with dense harbours. In these environments, the episodic chance arrival of colonisers appears to determine the genetic structure of harbour populations and the genetic composition of these early colonising individuals persists in the respective harbours, at least over moderate time frames (five years) that encompass ca. 20 generations ofS. plicata.


2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
RE Woods ◽  
FD Ford

This study examined aspects of behaviour in a captive colony of smoky mice, Pseudomys fumeus, over a two year period. Wherever possible behaviours observed in the captive population are compared to data collected in a study of a wild population in south-eastern New South Wales. This paper provides the first recorded observations of behavior in this species. Both captive and wild populations of P. fumeus display strictly nocturnal circadian activity rhythms. In the captive study, P. fumeus were found to exhibit social interactions similar to some previously studied Pseudomys species. However, in the wild, the species was found to communally nest during the breeding season, behaviour not observed in other Pseudomys from similar habitats. P. fumeus in captivity can have more than two litters in one breeding season which suggests that their reproductive parameters are more flexible than previous studies of wild populations have shown. Field data indicate that post-partum oestrus can occur in this species, and that gestation lasts for approximately 30 days, although these observations are based on a small sample.


Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3515 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANDREW M BAKER ◽  
THOMAS Y MUTTON ◽  
STEVE VAN DYCK

Antechinus mysticus sp. nov. occurs in coastal Australia, ranging from just north of the Queensland (Qld)/New SouthWales (NSW) border to Mackay (mid-east Qld), and is sympatric with A. flavipes (Waterhouse) and A. subtropicus VanDyck & Crowther in south-east Qld. The new species can be distinguished in the field, having paler feet and tail base thanA. flavipes and a greyish head that merges to buff-yellow on the rump and flanks, compared with the more uniform brownhead and body of A. subtropicus and A. stuartii Macleay. Features of the dentary can also be used for identification: A.mysticus differs from A. flavipes in having smaller molar teeth, from A. subtropicus in having a larger gap between frontand rear palatal vacuities, and from A. stuartii in having a generally broader snout. Here, we present a morphologicalanalysis of the new species in comparison with every member of the genus, including a discussion of genetic structure andbroader evolutionary trends, as well as an identification key to species based on dental characters. It seems likely that theknown geographic range of A. mysticus will expand as taxonomic focus on the genus is concentrated in south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales.


BMC Genetics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katerina Nikolouli ◽  
Antonios A. Augustinos ◽  
Panagiota Stathopoulou ◽  
Elias Asimakis ◽  
Anastasios Mintzas ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is a cosmopolitan agricultural pest of worldwide economic importance and a model for the development of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) for fruit flies of the Tephritidae family (Diptera). SIT relies on the effective mating of laboratory-reared strains and natural populations, and therefore requires an efficient mass-rearing system that will allow for the production of high-quality males. Adaptation of wild flies to an artificial laboratory environment can be accompanied by negative effects on several life history traits through changes in their genetic diversity and symbiotic communities. Such changes may lead to reduced biological quality and mating competitiveness in respect to the wild populations. Profiling wild populations can help understand, and maybe reverse, deleterious effects accompanying laboratory domestication thus providing insects that can efficiently and effectively support SIT application. Results In the present study, we analyzed both the genetic structure and gut symbiotic communities of natural medfly populations of worldwide distribution, including Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. The genetic structure of 408 individuals from 15 distinct populations was analyzed with a set of commonly used microsatellite markers. The symbiotic communities of a subset of 265 individuals from 11 populations were analyzed using the 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing of single individuals (adults). Genetic differentiation was detected among geographically distant populations while adults originated from neighboring areas were genetically closer. Alpha and beta diversity of bacterial communities pointed to an overall reduced symbiotic diversity and the influence of the geographic location on the bacterial profile. Conclusions Our analysis revealed differences both in the genetic profile and the structure of gut symbiotic communities of medfly natural populations. The genetic analysis expanded our knowledge to populations not analyzed before and our results were in accordance with the existing scenarios regarding this species expansion and colonization pathways. At the same time, the bacterial communities from different natural medfly populations have been characterized, thus broadening our knowledge on the microbiota of the species across its range. Genetic and symbiotic differences between natural and laboratory populations must be considered when designing AW-IPM approaches with a SIT component, since they may impact mating compatibility and mating competitiveness of the laboratory-reared males. In parallel, enrichment from wild populations and/or symbiotic supplementation could increase rearing productivity, biological quality, and mating competitiveness of SIT-important laboratory strains.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243446
Author(s):  
O. Selma Klanten ◽  
Michelle R. Gaither ◽  
Samuel Greaves ◽  
Kade Mills ◽  
Kristine O’Keeffe ◽  
...  

The common or weedy seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, is an iconic and endemic fish found across temperate reefs of southern Australia. Despite its charismatic nature, few studies have been published, and the extent of population sub-structuring remains poorly resolved. Here we used 7462 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify the extent of population structure in the weedy seadragon along the temperate southeast coast of Australia. We identified four populations, with strong genetic structure (FST = 0.562) between them. Both Discriminant Analysis of Principle Components (DAPC) and Bayesian clustering analyses support four distinct genetic clusters (north to south: central New South Wales, southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania). In addition to these genetic differences, geographical variation in external morphology was recorded, with individuals from New South Wales shaped differently for a few measurements to those from the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria). We posit that these genetic and morphological differences suggest that the Victorian population of P. taeniolatus was historically isolated by the Bassian Isthmus during the last glacial maximum and should now be considered at least a distinct population. We also recorded high levels of genetic structure among the other locations. Based on the genomic and to a degree morphological evidence presented in this study, we recommend that the Victorian population be managed separately from the eastern populations (New South Wales and Tasmania).


1998 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 411
Author(s):  
S.M. Attard ◽  
S.C. Mckillup

Within Australia the northern short-nosed bandicoot, Isoodon macrourus, occurs in coastal areas from the Kimberleys to the monsoonal tropics of the Northern Territory and from Cape York Peninsula to the Hawkesbury River, New South Wales (Gordon 1983). The reproductive ecology of I. macrourus has been studied in two captive (Hall 1983; Gemmell 1988) and five natural populations (Gordon 1971, 1974; Gemmell 1982; Hall 1983; Friend 1990; Kem- per et al. 1990; Budiawan 1993). Three of the latter (Darwin, the Mitchell Plateau and Townsville) were in the tropics; breeding at these sites occurred dur- ing the wetter months of the year but not during the summer of 1982/3 in Darwin when the monsoon failed (Friend 1990) or during the relatively dry winter/spring of 1991 in Townsville (Budiawan 1993), suggesting a dependence on rainfall (Friend 1990; Budiawan 1993). We report on differences in the reproduction, growth and development of I. macrourus in Rockhampton, Queensland, from March - October 1993 at four adjacent sites which received different amounts of artificial watering.


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