Genetic diversity and structure of Dorstenia elata (Moraceae) in an Atlantic Forest remnant

Abstract Plant species that show gregarious spatial distribution and endemism to the Atlantic Forest, such as Dorstenia elata, are particularly sensitive to the effects of genetic diversity loss. In the present study, we aimed to quantify the genetic diversity in native populations of this species in an Atlantic Forest remnant. The sample included three aggregates of individuals, and molecular characterization was performed with twelve ISSR primers. Intrapopulation analyses were based on the calculation of the Shannon index; total expected heterozygosity and the matrix of distances between pairs of individuals were also calculated. The obtained grouping dendrogram evinced the formation of two groups. Interpopulation investigations were based on the analysis of molecular variance and the estimate of historical gene flow. The results demonstrate that one group comprised the genotypes from two subpopulations, and the other contained exclusively the genotypes of a third subpopulation. The greatest genetic variability was observed within rather than among populations, indicating that the geographical distance and the road that divides the studied populations are not causing loss of genetic diversity.