Genetic structure of two Ficus of species in South America

• Grant number: 13/25480-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2014
• End date: March 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo Pereira
• Grantee: Marjorie Géraldine Garcia Kerboul
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The current distribution of species can be related with past climatic events, which have let genetic signatures in populations. This project intends to investigate, at the continental scale, the spatial genetic structure of two tree species involved in obligate mutualistic association (F. citrifolia and F. pertusa), in order to identify the geographical patterns of genetic discontinuity or breaks between populations. To reach our objectives, we will use modern methods of genotyping at a large geographical scale, involving a large number of nuclear microsatellite markers, and complementary information from chloroplast microsatellite markers, as their inheritance is uniparental. F. citrifolia is the most widespread species of Ficus of the Americas, ranging from South Florida to Argentina. F. pertusa is also a widespread species, ranging from Southern Mexico to Santa Catarina state. In both study species, the diversity of morphological types could be correlated to a genetic structure following geographic features of the landscape genetic differentiation. Those morphs could also (in some cases) prove the existence of (non described) sub-species. We will collect 20 to 50 individuals per species for each of the locations along the species distributions. Herbarium information will be used to help define the sampling areas, according to the morphological discontinuity on the species. Standard population genetic parameters will be calculated to compare the genetic diversity between our populations for each species, but also between each species in the same location, when possible. Finally, we will investigate the possibility of isolation by distance for each population and test for range expansion and potential bottlenecks to get a picture of the demographic history of each species.