Genetic variation within and among populations of a dominant desert tree Haloxylon ammodendron (Amaranthaceae) in China.
OBJECTIVE
China is one of the countries most severely affected by desertification. Haloxylon ammodendron (Amaranthaceae) is an ecologically important component of the desert ecosystem and is one of the main tree species used for restoration, yet we know little about its genetic structure.


METHODS
Genetic variation within and between nine populations of H. ammodendron from two regions of China was investigated using ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) markers.


RESULTS
Eight primers used in this study amplified 219 reproducible bands of which 184 (84 %) were polymorphic. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed high genetic variation within populations (97.63 %) and low genetic differentiation between regions (0.62 %) and among populations (1.75 %).


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that the present genetic structure could have arisen by high levels of gene flow. The gene flow among populations observed here is probably mainly attributable to pollen movement. The genetic structure also has important implications in ecological restoration practice.
Sheng
Yan
Y
Laboratory of Quantitative Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
Zheng
Weihong
W
Pei
Kequan
K
Ma
Keping
K
D027703:Amaranthaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D003889:Desert Climate; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005843:Geography; D010802:Phylogeny; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics
D018744:DNA, Plant; D005819:Genetic Markers