scholarly journals Floral Trait and Mycorrhizal Similarity between an Endangered Orchid and Its Natural Hybrid

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 550
Author(s):  
Jacopo Calevo ◽  
Miriam Bazzicalupo ◽  
Martino Adamo ◽  
Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna ◽  
Samuele Voyron ◽  
...  

Hybridization can often lead to the formation of novel taxa which can have traits that resemble either or both parental species. Determining the similarity of hybrid traits to parental taxa is particularly important in plant conservation, as hybrids that form between rare and common taxa may more closely resemble a rare parental species, thereby putting the rare parental taxon at further risk of extinction via increased backcrossing and introgression. We investigated the floral (morphological and chemical) traits and orchid mycorrhizal (OrM) fungal associations of the endangered orchid Orchis patens, its more common sister species O. provincialis, and their natural hybrid O. × fallax in natural sympatric populations. We found that both morphological and chemical floral traits of O. × fallax are shared by the parents but are more similar to O. patens than O. provincialis. OrM fungi were shared among all three taxa, indicating that the availability of OrM fungi should not represent a barrier to establishment of individuals of any of these taxa. These results suggest that O. × fallax may be able to expand its distribution within a similar niche to O. patens. This highlights the importance of quantifying differences between hybrids and parental taxon in species conservation planning.

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Popiołek ◽  
B. Rozenblut-Kościsty ◽  
M. Kot ◽  
W. Nosal ◽  
M. Ogielska

AbstractParasitic fauna of water frogs was mainly studied in the second half of the 20th century. However, these studies were done without differentiation into species and hybrids and pooled the 3 taxa as “water frogs” or “green frogs”. The aim of this study was to make an inventory of helminth species as well as their prevalence and intensity of infection in the two parental species (Pelophylax ridibundus and P. lessonae) and the hybrid (P. esculentus) of water frogs from 3 big populations composed of hundreds or thousands of individuals inhabited natural and seminatural landscapes in Poland. Eight helminth species were found: Polystoma integerrimum, Diplodiscus subclavatus, Opisthoglyphe ranae, Gorgodera cygnoides, Haematoloechus variegatus, Oswaldocruzia filiformis, Cosmocerca ornata and Acanthocephalus ranae. The results were compared with data from other, polish and European studies. Additionally we compared the level of infection among water frog taxa.


Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 285
Author(s):  
Enrico Lunghi ◽  
Fabio Cianferoni ◽  
Stefano Merilli ◽  
Yahui Zhao ◽  
Raoul Manenti ◽  
...  

Speleomantes are the only plethodontid salamanders present in Europe. Multiple studies have been performed to investigate the trophic niche of the eight Speleomantes species, but none of these studies included hybrid populations. For the first time, we studied the trophic niche of five Speleomantes hybrid populations. Each population was surveyed twice in 2020, and stomach flushing was performed on each captured salamander; stomach flushing is a harmless technique that allows stomach contents to be inspected. We also assessed the potential divergence in size and body condition between natural and introduced hybrids, and their parental species. Previously collected data on Speleomantes were included to increase the robustness of these analyses. In only 33 out of 134 sampled hybrid Speleomantes we recognized 81 items belonging to 11 prey categories. The frequency of empty stomachs was higher in females and individuals from natural hybrid populations, whereas the largest number of prey was consumed by males. We compared the total length and body condition of 685 adult salamanders belonging to three types of hybrids and three parental (sub)species. Three group of salamanders (one hybrid and two parental species) showed significantly larger size, whereas no difference in body condition was observed. This study provided novel ecological information on Speleomantes hybrid populations. We also provided insights into the potential divergence between hybrids and parental species in terms of size and body condition. We discuss our findings, and formulate several hypotheses that should be tested in the future.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingmar Staude ◽  
Josiane Segar ◽  
Corey Thomas Callaghan ◽  
Emma Ladouceur ◽  
Jasper Meya ◽  
...  

Global commitments to species conservation have failed to halt systematic widespread declines in plant species. Current policy interventions, such as protected areas and legal species legislation, remain insufficient, and there is an urgent need to engage novel approaches and actors in conservation. Here, we propose that urban conservation gardening, namely the cultivation of declining native plant species in public and private green spaces, can be one such approach. Conservation gardening can address key (a)biotic drivers of species decline, act as a critical dispersal pathway and increase the occupancy of declining native species. We identify policy mechanisms to upscale conservation gardening to a mainstream activity by reforming the existing horticultural market into an innovative nature protection instrument. This involves incentivizing the integration of the native seed sector, leveraging existing certification and labelling schemes, promoting consumer access, as well as building citizen-science projects to foster public engagement. Mainstreamed conservation gardening can be an economically viable, sustainable, and participatory measure that complements traditional approaches to plant conservation.


1978 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 319 ◽  
Author(s):  
SD Hopper ◽  
DJ Coates ◽  
AH Burbidge

The suspected occurrence of natural hybridization between Eucalyptus preissiana Schau, and E. Buprestium F. Muell, near West Mount Barren was investigated through a study of morphometric and reproductive parameters in allopatric and sympatric populations of these species. While E. Preissiana and E. buprestium were morphometrically distinct in allopatry, a small number of intermediate individuals occurred in one of the two sympatric populations examined. These intermediates set less fruit per plant than the parental species on average, a fact consistent with the hypothesis that they were hybrids showing partial F2 breakdown. The demonstration that New Holland honeyeaters (Phylidonyris novae-hollandiae) carried pollen of both parental species in a sympatric population was interpreted as further evidence in support of the occurrence of hybridization. The possible hybrid status of E. chrysantha Blakely & Steedman was investigated through determining its morphometric relationships in a multivariate analysis of E. sepulcralis F. Muell., E. Preissiana and E. buprestium. E. chrysantha was intermediate between E. sepulcralis and E. preissiana, and distinguishable from E. preissiana-E. buprestium hybrids in this analysis. The taxonomic and evolutionary implications of the study are discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Pliszko

Abstract Solidago ×niederederi is a natural hybrid between S. canadensis and S. virgaurea, which occurs sporadically in synanthropic habitats together with the parental species. The hybrid was reported from seven countries in Central and Northern Europe and its presence emphasizes the invasive character of S. canadensis. A new locality of the hybrid was found in Mieruniszki village in the Zachodniosuwalskie Lakeland in NE Poland in 2011 (ATPOL square: FB06). Solidago ×niederederi grew on fallow land, at the edge of planted birchen shrubbery and its population comprised two small clumps. Current data suggest that the hybrid is a casual alien in the Polish flora, however, it has the potential to become established by clonal growth or restricted sexual reproduction.


2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 186
Author(s):  
Allen Lowrie ◽  
John G. Conran

The natural hybrid Drosera � sidjamesii Lowrie & Conran from Lake Gnangarra north of Perth, Western Australia is described and defined as a cross between D. nitidula Planch. subsp. omissa Marchant & Lowrie auct. non Diels and D. pulchella Lehm., between which it shows a high degree of intermediacy for almost all characters. Cytological examination of the hybrid and its parents confirms that the former at 2n = 46 is a combination of the 2n = 28 in D. nitidula subsp. omissa and 2n = 18 in D. pulchella. The hybrid grows along a narrow ecotone between the parental species, largely on sandy peat and along a presumed soil moisture/elevation gradient caused by the nearby lake. Nevertheless, within this ecotone the hybrid is significantly more frequent than either parental species, with D. pulchella mainly growing in peat soils closer to the lake and D. nitidula subsp. omissa on white sand further from the water. Field observations of morphotypes also suggest that the hybrid has arisen several times at the site, and that a limited number of plants at the site are becoming fertile and setting seed.


2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Lowrie ◽  
John G. Conran

The natural hybrid Drosera × sidjamesii Lowrie & Conran from Lake Gnangarra north of Perth, Western Australia is described and defined as a cross between D. nitidula Planch. subsp. omissa Marchant & Lowrie auct. non Diels and D. pulchella Lehm., between which it shows a high degree of intermediacy for almost all characters. Cytological examination of the hybrid and its parents confirms that the former at 2n = 46 is a combination of the 2n = 28 in D. nitidula subsp. omissa and 2n = 18 in D. pulchella. The hybrid grows along a narrow ecotone between the parental species, largely on sandy peat and along a presumed soil moisture/elevation gradient caused by the nearby lake. Nevertheless, within this ecotone the hybrid is significantly more frequent than either parental species, with D. pulchella mainly growing in peat soils closer to the lake and D. nitidula subsp. omissa on white sand further from the water. Field observations of morphotypes also suggest that the hybrid has arisen several times at the site, and that a limited number of plants at the site are becoming fertile and setting seed.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 501 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-139
Author(s):  
VIKTOR O. NACHYCHKO ◽  
YEVHEN V. SOSNOVSKY

Thymus ×porcii is a natural hybrid between T. pannonicus and T. pulegioides, occurring within the co-occurrence range of its parental species in the forest and forest-steppe zones of Europe. Taxonomy and nomenclature of this hybrid present a longstanding puzzle due to the lack of critical evaluations of the original material as well as conflicting taxonomic interpretations of the parent taxa both at specific and intraspecific levels. The present paper attempts to clarify these issues, arguing against the synonymic treatment and/or consolidation of T. pannonicus and T. pulegioides, which is accepted in modern taxonomies apparently as a result of nomenclatural confusion related to T. pannonicus typification. Based on morphology and reported molecular data, it is proposed to treat T. pannonicus and T. pulegioides as separate species, each containing two varieties being well-distinguished by the presence or absence of leaf indumentum: T. pannonicus var. latifolius (glabrous leaves) and T. pannonicus var. pannonicus (pubescent leaves), and T. pulegioides var. pulegioides (glabrous leaves) and T. pulegioides var. vestitus (pubescent leaves). In view of such treatment, T. ×porcii is divided into three nothovarieties, representing natural crosses between different varieties of the parent species. Namely, in addition to the typical T. ×porcii nothovar. porcii [T. pannonicus var. latifolius × T. pulegioides var. pulegioides] (with T. ×pilisiensis and T. ×goginae as the taxonomic synonyms), we describe a new nothovariety T. ×porcii nothovar. calvariensis [T. pannonicus var. pannonicus × T. pulegioides var. pulegioides], and propose a new nomenclatural combination T. ×porcii nothovar. opizii [T. pannonicus × T. pulegioides var. vestitus] based on the previously published name T. ×opizii. On the basis of original material examination, two collections from BP are designated here as the lectotypes of T. ×porcii (≡ T. ×porcii nothovar. porcii) and T. ×pilisiensis respectively, and one specimen from PR is designated as the lectotype of T. ×opizii (≡ T. ×porcii nothovar. opizii). Main diagnostic traits of T. ×porcii nothovarieties and their parental taxa are compared and discussed.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 303 (2) ◽  
pp. 141 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARCIN NOBIS ◽  
ARKADIUSZ NOWAK ◽  
AGNIESZKA NOBIS ◽  
SYLWIA NOWAK ◽  
JUSTYNA ŻABICKA ◽  
...  

Stipa ×fallax nothosp. nov. (Poaceae), from western Pamir Alai Mts (Tajikistan), is described and illustrated. Field observation, numerical analyses of morphology, and pollen grain viability data show that it originated from hybridization between S. drobovii and S. macroglossa subsp. macroglossa, species representing sections Smirnovia and Stipa, respectively. Stipa ×fallax is morphologically close to S. ×alaica and S. ×hissarica, but is distinguished by its shortly pilose lower part of the awn and densely pubescent leaves. Characters distinguishing S. ×fallax from its parental species as well as similar hybrid taxa in section Smirnovia that also grow in Central Asia are presented. The micromorphology of lemmas and leaves of S. ×fallax and its parental species was examined by scanning electron microscopy. We also propose the new combination Stipa drobovii var. iskanderkulica (Tzvelev) M.Nobis & A.Nowak.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julián Lescano ◽  
Dardo Marti ◽  
Diego Baldo ◽  
Martín Pereyra ◽  
Sergio Rosset

AbstractThe frog genus Odontophrynus is a composite of diploid and tetraploid populations and species that are widely distributed in South America. Some of the several genetic studies on this group report the production of artificial hybrids but only a single case of natural hybridization has been documented, in southern Brazil. In this study we report the finding of an interspecific natural hybrid specimen in central Argentina. We present morphological and cytogenetical evidence that the diploid taxa Odontophrynus cordobae and O. occidentalis are the parental species. The hybrid genome exhibited problematic pairing and segregation of homeologue chromosomes during meiosis, and the production of non-reduced gametes.


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