Genetic diversity in Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, Clade Mimosoid) and its correlation with species richness of Stryphnodendron Mart. and related genera

Biodiversity is organized in three fundamental hierarchical levels in nature: diversity of genes within species, diversity of species in communities, and diversity of ecosystems. The analyses of the Species-Genetic Diversity Correlation (SGDC) are important for understanding the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying the patterns of biodiversity in time and space and, at the same time, have contributed to the planning of the simultaneous conservation of these levels. Thus, SGDC can be important to establish a framework to evaluate diversity patterns and develop conservation programs in widely explored areas such as the Brazilian Cerrado, generating knowledge for species of great ecological and economic importance. An example is Stryphnodendron adstringens, a tree that occurs in the Brazilian Cerrado and has medicinal properties. In this study, SGDC analyses were applied to verify if there is a correlation between the genetic diversity of S. adstringens and the diversity of species of Stryphnodendron and other phylogenetically related genera. Ecological niche modeling procedures were used to estimate the occurrence area and species diversity of Stryphnodendron and related genera in the Brazilian Cerrado, which enabled the construction of maps of environmental suitability. The alpha-SGDC and beta-SGDC correlations were calculated in two different situations, one using microsatellite genetic data and the other using chloroplastidal DNA (cpDNA) genetic data. The analyses revealed a significant negative relationship between the haplotypic diversity of S. adstringens and the diversity of species of Stryphnodendron and other genera. The negative alpha-SGDC detected is an indication that to develop a conservation plan for the set of species analyzed, it is necessary to combine conservation strategies that cover more than one level of biological diversity.

Automated summary

Biodiversity is organized in three levels: within-species genetic diversity, between-species community diversity, and ecosystem diversity. Species-Genetic Diversity Correlation (SGDC) analysis is important for understanding biodiversity patterns and planning conservation efforts. In this study, SGDC analysis revealed a negative correlation between the genetic diversity of Stryphnodendron adstringens and the species diversity of Stryphnodendron and related genera. This suggests that conservation strategies should consider multiple levels of biodiversity.