Cryptic population structure at the northern range margin of the service tree .

Climate change has aroused interest in planting warm- and drought-adapted trees in managed forests and urban areas. An option is to focus on tree species that occur naturally, but have centers of distribution in warmer and drier areas. However, in order to protect the species pool of genetic diversity, efforts of planting and promotion should be informed by knowledge on the local genetic diversity.

Reduced pollinator service in small populations of Arabidopsis lyrata at its southern range limit.

Even though a high fraction of angiosperm plants depends on animal pollinators for sexual reproduction, little is known how pollinator service changes across the ranges of plant species and whether it may contribute to range limits. Here, we tested for variation in pollinator service in the North American Arabidopsis lyrata from its southern to northern range edge and evaluated the driving mechanisms. We monitored insect pollinators using time-lapse cameras in 13 populations over two years and spotted 67 pollinating insect taxa, indicating the generalist nature of this plant-pollinator system.

Novel microsatellite markers for the high-alpine Geum reptans (Rosaceae).

Premise Of The Study: Geum reptans reproduces by outcrossing or by the formation of stolons. Sexual and clonal reproduction are not exclusive and occur mostly simultaneously. We developed novel microsatellite primers for this species, which will be used in a study about local adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, and random molecular divergence of alpine plants.

New microsatellite markers for Anthyllis vulneraria (Fabaceae), analyzed with Spreadex gel electrophoresis.

Premise Of The Study: New microsatellite primers were developed for the diploid herb Anthyllis vulneraria. These primers will be used in upcoming studies focusing on random genetic variation, local adaptation, and phenotypic plasticity in alpine plants. •

Methods And Results: The new primers were adjusted to separate PCR amplicons (70 to 170 bp) on precast Spreadex gels using horizontal gel electrophoresis.

Distribution of bulbil- and seed-producing plants of Poa alpina (Poaceae) and their growth and reproduction in common gardens suggest adaptation to different elevations.

Premise Of The Study: The European Alps harbor a spatially heterogeneous environment. Plants can be adapted genetically to this heterogeneity but may also respond to it by phenotypic plasticity. We expected the important fodder grass Poa alpina to be adapted to elevation either genetically or plastically.

Pollen dispersal and gene flow within and into a population of the alpine monocarpic plant Campanula thyrsoides.

Background And Aims: Gene flow by seed and pollen largely shapes the genetic structure within and among plant populations. Seed dispersal is often strongly spatially restricted, making gene flow primarily dependent on pollen dispersal within and into populations. To understand distance-dependent pollination success, pollen dispersal and gene flow were studied within and into a population of the alpine monocarpic perennial Campanula thyrsoides.

AFLP markers reveal high clonal diversity and extreme longevity in four key arctic-alpine species.

We investigated clonal diversity, genet size structure and genet longevity in populations of four arctic-alpine plants (Carex curvula, Dryas octopetala, Salix herbacea and Vaccinium uliginosum) to evaluate their persistence under past climatic oscillations and their potential resistance to future climate change. The size and number of genets were determined by an analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphisms and a standardized sampling design in several European arctic-alpine populations, where these species are dominant in the vegetation. Genet age was estimated by dividing the size by the annual horizontal size increment from in situ growth measurements.