11月22日，国际权威植物学期刊《新植物学家》（New Phytologist）在线刊出了武汉植物园在物种多样性与遗传多样性关系研究领域的最新成果（Contrasting relationships between species diversity and genetic diversity in natural and disturbed forest tree communities）。
武汉植物园植被生态学科组助理研究员魏新增在江明喜研究员的指导下，运用野外群落调查和分子标记技术相结合的方法，探讨了自然和干扰条件下山地植物群落物种多样性与群落优势种遗传多样性的关系及其形成机制。研究发现，在自然条件下，相同的海拔梯度格局是物种多样性与遗传多样性正相关关系的一种新的形成机制；同时指出，在干扰条件下，物种多样性降低而遗传多样性并未发生显著变化，进而破坏了二者的正相关关系。
与前人研究相比，该研究首次以长寿命生物有机体（树木）作为研究对象，探讨物种多样性和遗传多样性关系。结果指出，对于生命周期较长的生物有机体来说干扰并未使物种多样性和遗传多样性产生相同的变化趋势。这一论点颠覆了前人关于干扰后物种多样性和遗传多样性均降低的观点。
该研究得到国家自然科学基金项目资助。(生物谷 Bioon.com)
doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03957.x
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Contrasting relationships between species diversity and genetic diversity in natural and disturbed forest tree communities
Wei, Xinzeng; Jiang, Mingxi
This study aimed to reveal species–genetic diversity correlations (SGDCs) and their underlying mechanisms in natural and disturbed forests.A community survey and molecular analyses were carried out to compare species diversity (SD), the genetic diversity of the dominant tree species Euptelea pleiospermum (GD), the altitudinal patterns of SD and GD, SGDC, genetic differentiation (FST), community divergence (FST-C), effective population size (Ne), and recent migration rate between mountain riparian forests along the Yandu (natural) and Nan (disturbed) rivers.•In natural forests, both SD and GD showed a unimodal altitudinal pattern and GD was positively correlated with SD, whereas a unimodal pattern and positive SGDC were not found in the disturbed forests. SD and FST at the natural sites were higher than those at the disturbed sites. However, there were no significant differences in GD, FST-C, Ne or recent migration rate between the natural and disturbed sites.•A correlation between the patterns of SD and GD along a geographical gradient (e.g. altitude) is an important driver of positive SGDC. The absence of positive SGDC in the disturbed forests may result from reduced SD but unaffected GD, indicating nonparallel changes in SD and GD. This study furthermore cautions against generalizations about changes in SD and GD following disturbance.
