Intraspecific differentiation in seed flooding tolerance of Echinochloa crusgalli var.zelayensis population in shores of a giant reservoir along altitudinal gradients

Aims In a large dam-regulated reservoir with regular hydrological pattern and strong flooding gradients across shore elevations,plants inhabiting in different shore elevations have to confront long-lasting flooding of differential in tensities every year.Such persistent stress may lead to intraspecific differentiation of flooding tolerance in seeds.Echinochloa crusgalli var.zelayensis is a dominant annual plant in the shores of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR),which plays an important role in the shore vegetation.The objective of this study is to check whether intraspecific differentiation of seed flooding tolerance has occurred among E.crusgalli var.zelayensis populations in the TGR shores and whether such differentiation is associated with weak seed dispersal.Methods We collected seeds of E.crusgalli var.zelayensis from different populations in the TGR shores,and then placed them at four elevations in the shores flooded by reservoir impoundment.Parameters reflecting seed flooding tolerance including post-flooding percentage of intact seeds,seed germinability and seedling emergence rate were investigated for the seeds from different populations and undergoing flooding of different intensities.Floating time of seeds and speed of water level rise during impoundment were examined,and used to quantify dispersal potential of seeds in the shores of the TGR when flooded.Important Findings Both intact seed percentage and final seedling emergence rate after flooding significantly declined with increasing shore elevations where the seeds were collected,indicating that intraspecific differentiation in seed flooding tolerance has occurred among E.crusgalli var.zelayensis populations in the TGR shores after 7-year operation of the reservoir.The distanee of seeds transported by rising water during reservoir impoundment was limited due to short-floating time of the seeds and relatively low speed of water level rise in the reservoir.This would be favourable to the development of intraspecific differentiation in seed flooding tolerance.

Distribution and Phylogeography of Caryopteris incana (Lamiaceae) Based on Chloroplast DNA Sequences in West Kyushu, Japan

Caryopteris incana is a continental plant, transferred to Japan from continental Asia via a land bridge between the Korean Peninsula and Tsushima Islands during a glacial period. It currently grows wild in West Kyushu, Japan. In a previous study, we investigated the distribution of C. incana in the Tsushima Islands and confirmed the genetic structure of populations by using chloroplast DNA sequence analysis, suggesting that different haplotypes were distributed in the same area. Thus, it seemed that populations of C. incana throughout the Tsushima Islands colonized at different times;each haplotype had remained within its population without mixing. In this study, we conducted fieldwork to construct a detailed distribution map in West Kyushu excluding the Tsushima Islands. Additionally, we confirmed genetic structure of the C. incana population in these areas by using chloroplast DNA sequence analysis to study the intraspecific phylogenetic relationship of C. incana in Japan. We confirmed 37 natural populations in 257 locations throughout West Kyushu excluding the 72 natural populations in the Tsushima Islands. We also confirmed a recent decreasing trend in the number of natural populations in the Nagasaki Mainland. Using the leaves of individuals cultivated from seeds collected from each natural population, we analyzed the chloroplast DNA sequence variations. Among the investigated populations, sequence variations were confirmed in six regions of chloroplast DNA, and those haplotypes were mainly classified into two groups distributed in different areas on the phylogenetic tree. This finding revealed that the common ancestor of C. incana in Japan diverged early into two groups, followed by a fragmentation in population distribution for each area. The haplotype network almost reflected the geographical distribution on haplotypes. However, several haplotypes that were distributed in other areas were confirmed in the Nagasaki Mainland, suggesting a complicated distribution formation in the past.