Genetic diversity of natural psammophilous populations of Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. on Polish seacoast dunes

Hypogymnia physodes is a lichenized fungus of the family Parmeliaceae. The aim of this study was to compare the level of genetic diversity in eight psammophilous and three epiphytic populations of this species from the Baltic coast in Poland, based on randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. In the reactions with nine primers, 153 fragments were obtained, of which 133 were polymorphic. In one reaction, from 0 (for lich2 primer) to 55 (for C02 primer) amplicons were obtained. A Dice’s genetic similarity index matrix was constructed based on the results of RAPD marker polymorphism examination. The values of similarity indices ranged from 0.00 to 0.73. Results of this study confirm the separateness of all three epiphytic populations from those found on sand dunes (100% support, UPGMA/1000 trees).