No genetic adaptation of the Mediterranean keystone shrub Cistus ladanifer in response to experimental fire and extreme drought

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199119
• Publication Date: 2018-06-20T14:15:27Z
• Authors: Iván Torres; Antonio Parra; José M. Moreno; Walter Durka
• Keywords: Population bottleneck; Local adaptation

In Mediterranean ecosystems, climate change is projected to increase fire danger and summer drought, thus reducing post-fire recruitment of obligate seeder species, possibly affecting the population genetic structure. We performed a genome-wide marker study, using AFLP markers, on individuals from one Central Spain Cistus ladanifer L. that established after experimental survived during four subsequent years under simulated drought implemented with rainout shelter system. explored effects treatments diversity, spatial structure presence outlier loci suggestive selection. found no effect or any diversity metrics. Analysis Molecular Variance showed very low differentiation among treatments. Neither nor altered small-scale population. Only locus was significantly associated treatment, but inconsistently across detection methods. are likely affect makeup emerging C. ladanifer, despite reduced caused by drought. The lack suggests random, non-selective process consequences this keystone, drought- tolerant species.