biodiversidad - Convención Trópico 2012

BR20
GENETIC DIVERSITY OF TWO ENDANGERED TREE SPECIES
IN CHILE: ALTERNATIVES TO THEIR CONSERVATION.
Rolando García 1 , Basilio Carrasco 2 , Patricio Peñailillo, Luis Letelier, Raúl
Herrera, Blas Lavandero, Mario Moya and Peter DS Caligari.
Instituto de Biología Vegetal y Biotecnología. Universidad de Talca. 2
Norte 685, Talca. Chile.
1
Current address: Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales.
Universidad Católica del Maule. Avda. San Miguel Nº 3605, Casilla 617,
Talca. Chile.
2 Current address: Facultad de Agronomía. Pontificia Universidad Católica
de Chile. Vicuña Mackenna 4860 Código Postal 6904411 Macul, Santiago,
Chile.
Instituto de Biología Vegetal y Biotecnología. Universidad de Talca. 2
Norte 685, Talca. Chile.
Author for correspondence: Dr. Rolando García González. Facultad de
Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Católica del Maule. Avda. San
Miguel Nº 3605, Casilla 617, Talca. Chile.
Fax: +56-71-200276 Tel: 56-71-203497. E-mail: rgarciag@ucm.cl
Gomortega keule (Molina) Baillon and Notophagus alessandrii (Espinosa)
are rare Chilean species classified as endangered and currently under
conservation. Current conservation of these species is carried out by
privates and government agencies but more based on an empirical
criterion than a well defined management strategy. In this context, little is
known about the genetic variability among the different populations
growing in the Chilean Coastal Mountains. Here, we report a study to
evaluate the genetic variability and population structure of G. keule and N.
alessandrii over its entire distribution in Chile. Sampling was carried out
considering the total number of individuals in each geographic
population. 25 ISSR primers for 223 and 286 individuals were tested to
evaluate genetic variability among G. keule and N. alessandrii,
respectively. Genetic variability and population structure were analyzed
through different approaches. Results showed a moderate to high genetic
diversity for the species (G. keule Ф ST = 0.24; %P=70.99 %; Ho= 0.4627 and
N. alessandrii Ф ST = 0.16; %P=68.45 %; Ho= 0.33) and variation in genetic
diversity for all the geographic populations tested. Despite the fact that
these species have been highly affected by human intervention and
destruction of their habitats, a high level of genetic diversity was found
but which that can be explained by their previous distribution and current
natural regeneration system. Genetic diversity data should be considered
to develop a management strategy for both the protected areas and
isolated populations still surviving inside pine and eucalyptus plantations.