Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.
Ann Bot. 2010 Aug;106(2):243-54. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcq102. Epub 2010 Jun 2.
The gene flow through pollen or seeds governs the extent of spatial genetic structure in plant populations. Another factor that can contribute to this pattern is clonal growth. The perennial species Arabidopsis lyrata ssp. petraea (Brassicaceae) is a self-incompatible, clonal species found in disjunctive populations in central and northern Europe.
Fourteen microsatellite markers were employed to study the level of kinship and clonality in a high-altitude mountain valley at Spiterstulen, Norway. The population has a continuous distribution along the banks of the River Visa for about 1.5 km. A total of 17 (10 m x 10 m) squares were laid out in a north-south transect following the river on both sides.
It is shown that clonal growth is far more common than previously shown in this species, although the overall size of the genets is small (mean diameter = 6.4 cm). Across the whole population there is no indication of isolation by distance, and spatial genetic structure is only visible on fine spatial scales. In addition, no effect of the river on the spatial distribution of genotypes was found.
Unexpectedly, the data show that populations of small perennials like A. lyrata can behave like panmictic units across relatively large areas at local sites, as opposed to earlier findings in central Europe.
花粉或种子的基因流控制着植物种群的空间遗传结构的程度。另一个可能导致这种模式的因素是克隆生长。多年生物种拟南芥 lyrata ssp. petraea（十字花科）是一种自交不亲和的克隆物种，分布在中欧和北欧的不连续种群中。
使用 14 个微卫星标记来研究挪威 Spiterstulen 高海拔山谷中亲缘关系和克隆性的水平。该种群在维斯河两岸约 1.5 公里长的范围内连续分布。在一条南北走向的河流两侧，总共布置了 17 个（10 m x 10 m）正方形。
结果表明，尽管总体基的大小较小（平均直径= 6.4 cm），但克隆生长比以前在该物种中显示的更为常见。整个种群没有表现出距离隔离的迹象，空间遗传结构仅在精细的空间尺度上可见。此外，没有发现河流对基因型空间分布的影响。
出乎意料的是，数据表明，像拟南芥这样的小型多年生植物的种群在当地较大的相对区域内可以表现为泛化的单位，而不是在中欧的早期发现。
