Population genetics of the widespread shrub Forsythia suspensa (Oleaceae) in warm-temperate China using microsatellite loci: implication for conservation.

The identification of population structure and genetic diversity is fundamentally important for effective management and conservation of species. This study used nine microsatellite loci to investigate the genetic diversity and structure of Forsythia suspensa. Our findings revealed that the genetic diversity of F. suspensa ( H = 0.721) was lower than that of other seed plants in China. Microsatellite data demonstrated a significant population differentiation within F. suspensa ( F = 0.113, P < 0.001). Mantel's test and redundancy analysis indicated that geographical distance, temperature, and latitude significantly correlated with the population genetic differentiation of F. suspensa. Bayesian analysis of the population structure supported that F. suspensa should be divided into two genetic groups. Ecological niche models indicated that the two groups might be isolated by the area with low climatic suitability. Based on the genetic information of F. suspensa, we propose that the populations with high levels of genetic diversity (P3, P7, P12, and P16) and high number of rare alleles (P2, P5, P6, P9, P11, P17, and P18) from the two subdivided 'gene pools' should be prioritized for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]