title: DNA Barcoding of Malagasy Rosewoods: Towards a Molecular Identification of CITES-Listed Dalbergia Species.
abstract: Illegal selective logging of tropical timber is of increasing concern worldwide. Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot and home to some of the world's most sought after tropical timber species. Malagasy rosewoods belong to the genus Dalbergia (Fabaceae), which is highly diverse and has a pantropical distribution, but these timber species are among the most threatened as a consequence of intensive illegal selective logging and deforestation. Reliable identification of Dalbergia species from Madagascar is important for law enforcement but is almost impossible without fertile plant material, which is often unavailable during forest inventories or when attempting to identify logged trees of cut wood. DNA barcoding has been promoted as a promising tool for species identification in such cases. In this study we tested whether DNA barcoding with partial sequences of three plastid markers (matK, rbcL and trnL (UAA)) can distinguish between Dalbergia from Madagascar and from other areas of its distributional range, and whether Malagasy species can be distinguished from one another. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Malagasy Dalbergia species studied form two monophyletic groups, each containing two subgroups, only one of which corresponds to a single species. We characterized diagnostic polymorphisms in the three DNA barcoding markers that allow rapid discrimination between Dalbergia from Madagascar and from other areas of its distribution range. Species identification success based on individual barcoding markers or combinations was poor, whereas subgroup identification success was much higher (up to 98%), revealing both the value and limitations of a DNA barcoding approach for the identification of closely related Malagasy rosewoods.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6110-6971
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hassold
authors.affiliation: Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.|ISYEB (UMR 7205), Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Porter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.affiliation: Zoo Zurich AG, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bauert
authors.affiliation: Silo National des Graines Forestiers, Ambatobe, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Razafintsalama
authors.affiliation: Silo National des Graines Forestiers, Ambatobe, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Lolona
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramamonjisoa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Widmer
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / Q000379:methods*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D035782:Dalbergia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D008270:Madagascar; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant