Genetic diversity of Impatiens parviflora DC. populations in relation to abiotic and biotic environment

Abstract

Impatiens parviflora has emerged in Europe in the early 1800s and areas occupied by this species are still increasing. Within former century wide studies have been performed concerning phytosociology and physiology of I. parviflora growing in Central and Western Europe. In a contrast to the other widely spread aliens, like Heracleum spp., Fallopia spp. or Impatiens glandulifera, Impatiens parviflora was already forgotten, when molecular investigation of invaders started and till now remains among the least genetically examined aliens. Data concerning routes and consequences of the spread of this species in more Eastern and Northern parts of the continent are extremely poor. Present study is aimed at evaluation of molecular diversity of I. parviflora populations growing in Eastern Baltic with special stress for relations between genetic diversity and abiotic and biotic environment. Twenty-one populations of I. parviflora were selected in the way to cover all the territory of Lithuania. When selecting populations for sampling, attention was paid to reflect habitat diversity, including both urban and semi-natural sites. Dominant DNA markers were chosen for examination of populations applying Bayessian Structure analysis. In addition, associated species, their projection coverage were recorded and Ellenberg indicatory values (EIV) were calculated. For each site several environment features were recorded and populations were grouped according to each parameter into 2-4 clusters: water source and its proximity; traffic intensity / road vicinity, proximity to human buildings. Nei‘s genetic distances among populations differed up to 4 times. Molecular diversity among populations was much higher than intrapopulation diversity.[...]