Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.

<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>, a cosmopolitan moss species known for its remarkable dispersal capacity, was selected as the focal organism to investigate the relationship between landscape features and genetic diversity. Our study encompassed samples collected from two distinct regions: th...

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Main Authors: Mahmoud Magdy, Olaf Werner, Jairo Patiño, Rosa María Ros
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/19/2785
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author Mahmoud Magdy
Olaf Werner
Jairo Patiño
Rosa María Ros
author_facet Mahmoud Magdy
Olaf Werner
Jairo Patiño
Rosa María Ros
author_sort Mahmoud Magdy
collection DOAJ
description <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>, a cosmopolitan moss species known for its remarkable dispersal capacity, was selected as the focal organism to investigate the relationship between landscape features and genetic diversity. Our study encompassed samples collected from two distinct regions: the Spanish Sierra Nevada Mountains (SN), characterized by a diverse landscape with an altitudinal difference of nearly 3500 m within a short distance, and the Murcia Region (MU) in Southeast Spain, characterized by a uniform landscape akin to the lowlands of Sierra Nevada. Genotyping analysis targeted three genetic regions: the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS), the chloroplast <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>16 region, and the mitochondrial <i>rpl</i>5-<i>rpl</i>16 spacer. Through this analysis, we aimed to assess genetic variability and population structure across these environmentally contrasting regions. The Sierra Nevada populations exhibited significantly higher haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.78 in the highlands and 0.67 overall) and nucleotide diversity (π% = 0.51 for ITS1) compared to the Murcia populations (Hd = 0.35, π% = 0.14). Further investigation unveiled that samples from the lowlands of Sierra Nevada showed a closer genetic affinity to Murcia than to the highlands of Sierra Nevada. Furthermore, the genetic differentiation between highland and lowland populations was significant (<i>Φ</i><sub>ST</sub> = 0.55), with partial Mantel tests and ResistanceGA analysis revealing a strong correlation between ITS1-based genetic diversity and landscape features, including altitude and bioclimatic variables. Our study elucidated potential explanations for the observed genetic structuring within <i>F. hygrometrica</i> samples’ populations. These included factors such as a high selfing rate within restricted habitats, a limited average dispersal distance of spores, hybrid depression affecting partially incompatible genetic lineages, and recent migration facilitated via human activities into formerly unoccupied areas of the dry zones of Southeast Spain.
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spelling doaj-art-e6a91c27628f449fa464cb3e7d42eb272025-08-20T01:47:37ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-10-011319278510.3390/plants13192785Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.Mahmoud Magdy0Olaf Werner1Jairo Patiño2Rosa María Ros3Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, Murcia University, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, Murcia University, 30100 Murcia, SpainIsland Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology, (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 Tenerife, SpainDepartment of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, Murcia University, 30100 Murcia, Spain<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>, a cosmopolitan moss species known for its remarkable dispersal capacity, was selected as the focal organism to investigate the relationship between landscape features and genetic diversity. Our study encompassed samples collected from two distinct regions: the Spanish Sierra Nevada Mountains (SN), characterized by a diverse landscape with an altitudinal difference of nearly 3500 m within a short distance, and the Murcia Region (MU) in Southeast Spain, characterized by a uniform landscape akin to the lowlands of Sierra Nevada. Genotyping analysis targeted three genetic regions: the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS), the chloroplast <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>16 region, and the mitochondrial <i>rpl</i>5-<i>rpl</i>16 spacer. Through this analysis, we aimed to assess genetic variability and population structure across these environmentally contrasting regions. The Sierra Nevada populations exhibited significantly higher haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.78 in the highlands and 0.67 overall) and nucleotide diversity (π% = 0.51 for ITS1) compared to the Murcia populations (Hd = 0.35, π% = 0.14). Further investigation unveiled that samples from the lowlands of Sierra Nevada showed a closer genetic affinity to Murcia than to the highlands of Sierra Nevada. Furthermore, the genetic differentiation between highland and lowland populations was significant (<i>Φ</i><sub>ST</sub> = 0.55), with partial Mantel tests and ResistanceGA analysis revealing a strong correlation between ITS1-based genetic diversity and landscape features, including altitude and bioclimatic variables. Our study elucidated potential explanations for the observed genetic structuring within <i>F. hygrometrica</i> samples’ populations. These included factors such as a high selfing rate within restricted habitats, a limited average dispersal distance of spores, hybrid depression affecting partially incompatible genetic lineages, and recent migration facilitated via human activities into formerly unoccupied areas of the dry zones of Southeast Spain.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/19/2785altitudinal gradientcp <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>16 spacercosmopolitan bryophytesrire moss populationnrITS sequencehaplotype diversity
spellingShingle Mahmoud Magdy
Olaf Werner
Jairo Patiño
Rosa María Ros
Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.
Plants
altitudinal gradient
cp <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>16 spacer
cosmopolitan bryophytes
rire moss population
nrITS sequence
haplotype diversity
title Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.
title_full Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.
title_fullStr Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.
title_full_unstemmed Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.
title_short Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i> Hedw.
title_sort landscape heterogeneity drives genetic diversity in the highly dispersive moss i funaria hygrometrica i hedw
topic altitudinal gradient
cp <i>rps</i>3-<i>rpl</i>16 spacer
cosmopolitan bryophytes
rire moss population
nrITS sequence
haplotype diversity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/19/2785
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