Genetic diversity and crossing rate of Myroxylon peruiferum, a species with phytotherapeutic potential, aiming at genetic enrichment in an area under forest restoration process

Author(s)

Ellida de Aguiar Silvestre

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
• Defense date: 2016-12-08

Examining board members

Maria Imaculada Zucchi; Prianda Rios Laborda; Evandro Marsola de Moaraes; André Olmos Simões; Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues

• Advisor: Maria Imaculada Zucchi; Pedro Henrique Santin Brancalion

Abstract

Currently, ecological restoration is emerging as a promising and effective activity to recover biodiversity and ecosystem services where they have been lost and/or reduced. The Atlantic Forest is the Brazilian biome where the impacts from these disturbances are more pronounced. Genetic diversity is important for studies of restoration, because its variation may affect the rates of inbreeding and compromise the perpetuation of the reintroduced native species and, therefore, the success of restoring in the long term. The objectives of this project were to describe the mating system of the Myroxylon peruiferum L.f.; to evaluate the genetic diversity and structuring of the species in commercial nurseries in the state of São Paulo and nature and restored populations in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest with microsatellite and SNPs markers. To study the mating system, seeds were collected from a natural remnants area of Brazilian Atlantic Forest, totaling 200 seedlings (20 seeds of each mother-tree). To study the genetic diversity in M. peruiferum seedlings, samples were collected in four commercial nurseries. To compare remnant and restored areas, individuals were sampled in four contrasting populations of the species (two natural areas and two restored areas). The results showed that the population of M. peruiferum presents a mixed-mating system and evidence the biparental inbreeding. We propose that at least 47 seed-trees are needed for seed collection efforts associated with conservation and forest restoration outcomes, which will provide a sample of seeds with an effective size that will enable the avoidance of an inbreeding depression. The genetic diversity of M. peruiferum seedlings was low, indicating the need to improve seed collection systems and buying seedlings of various nurseries in the same region for use in the same restoration project. The results of the population parameters estimates suggest that there is no significant difference of genetic diversity and endogamy among remnant and restored populations indicating similar levels of genetic diversity and the success of restoration projects. The findings of this study can assist researchers and managers in future conservation projects of the species and use in the ecological restoration (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/06431-0 - Genetic diversity and mating system of Myroxylon peruiferum, a species with phytoterapic potential, aiming the genetic enrichment in the area in forest restoration process.
• Grantee: Ellida de Aguiar Silvestre
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate