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Genetic poverty of an extremely specialized wetland species, Nehalennia speciosa: implications for conservation (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2009

R. Bernard  and
T. Schmitt
R. Bernard*
Affiliation:
Department of General Zoology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, PL-61-614 Poznan, Poland
T. Schmitt
Affiliation:
Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Wissenschaftspark, Trier-Petrisberg Gebäude 24, D-54286 Trier, Germany
*
*Author for correspondence Fax: (0048) 618295636 E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Oligo- and mesotrophic wetlands, such as bogs, fens and swamps, have become more and more restricted in Europe, and wetland species related to them have increasingly been threatened. Due to increasing habitat fragmentation, the exchange of individuals of these species among sites and, as a consequence, gene flow has been reduced or even eliminated. Therefore, we analysed the genetic structure of 11 populations of an endangered stenotopic damselfly, Nehalennia speciosa (Odonata: Coenagrionidae), in Poland and Lithuania by means of allozyme electrophoresis of 14 gene loci. The overall genetic diversity of all populations was low (A: 1.32; H: 2.6%; Ptot: 29.2%), and no significant differences were observed among the different groupings of populations (degree of fragmentation, habitat type and size, population size). The genetic differentiation among populations was also low (FST: 2.0%) and no regional groups were detected. A low degree of isolation by distance was observed for genetic distances. Taking into account these results, the conservation effort for this species should be focused on large local populations and not necessarily on metapopulation structures. Furthermore, N. speciosa could be (re-)introduced in extinct patches and seemingly suitable localities. Genetically, such relocations should be feasible due to the generally high genetic homogeneity of populations.

Keywords

conservation geneticsgenetic diversityallozyme electrophoresisdragonflyNehalennia speciosaPolandLithuania
Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 100 , Issue 4 , August 2010 , pp. 405 - 413
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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