diversity of plant genetic resources collected during ... 21, 2015 · diversity of plant genetic...

B. Gixhari et al. XIth Int. Symposium Tirana, 21.12. 2015 1

Diversity of Plant Genetic Resources Collected During

SEEDNet Project

Belul Gixhari1, Sidorela Kumaraku2, Emiljano Bega2

1Albanian genebank, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania2Plant Protection Department, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania


INTRODUCTION

• Albania is very rich in biological and landscape diversity (cultivated crops

• & wild plant species (~3250 species, more than 29% of European Flora).

• This diversity is attributable to the country geographic position.

• Plant genetic resources (PGR) play a key role in contributing to the

sustainable development of agriculture.

• Wild plant species provide an invaluable source of genes.

• The information on plants biodiversity in Albania is generally lacking

especially in terms of species.

• There are taxonomic groups (especially CWR) which are unknown or have

not been studied.


INTRODUCTION

• Geographic information systems (GIS) are useful tools for eco-geographical

analysis.

• Diversity indices serve as valuable tools that enable researchers to quantify

diversity in a community and describe its numerical structure.

• Albania genebank maintains more than 4100 accessions, including more

than 140 species of cultivated and wild plants.

• Because the Albanian territory has highly heterogeneous environmental

conditions, the aim of this study was to assess the geographic distribution,

genetic diversity of plant genetic resources collected during SEEDNet Project

in 2009-2010.


MATERIALS AND METHODS

Geographic distribution:

• The study used the ex situ data of PGR present in Albanian Gene Bank

(AGB) database, &

• External SEEDNet data collated from SEEDNet collecting missions during

2009 and 2010.

• The study was conducted in ten districts of Albania: Berat (BR), Dibra (DI),

Elbasan (EL), Fieri (FR), Gjirokaster (GJ), Kukes (KU), Lezha (LE),

Shkoder (SH), Tirana (TR), and Vlora (VL).

• Each taxon /plant species /or population entered into the GIS analysis, as

presence points.

• The geographic areas (or grid cells) of 1 x 1 km, and 10 x 10 km were used.

• The analysis focuses on the diversity at the species levels (unit of alpha

diversity).


MATERIALS AND METHODS

The measurement of diversity and geographic distribution was realized:

• analyzing the number of observations per species and per district, and

• the area of occupancy by a specific species (= abundance/rarity of a particular

species).

Diversity indices:

• Species richness (S), Simpson index (1–D), Shannon (H) and Brillouin index

(B), and Evenness (e^H/S), and Equitability (J) indices were the diversity

indices and richness estimators used.

• Diversity indices and richness estimators were calculated and mapped using

DIVA-GIS and CAPFITOGEN tools.


RESULTS AND DISCUTION

Collecting and quality data:

Data quality:

firstly geo-referenced or presence data were checked for inconsistencies.

data points without coordinates were removed from ex situ PGR data.

points with incorrect coordinates were assigned coordinates where possible.

duplicate or doubtful data were removed.

plant species were screened carefully to resolve any scientific name conflicts.

the accessions not present physically in gene-bank were also removed.

Geographic distribution:

After checking the presence/absence data, in total only 1319 presence points (689

ex situ genebank presence data + 630 external SEEDNet verified data) were

compiled and used to evaluate the geographic distribution, and diversity of PGR

collected in 10 Counties of Albania during SEEDNet period 2009-2010 (Fig. 1).



• Geospatial analysis detects areas of high alpha diversity were EL and KO

County areas.

• At the 2nd were SH, TR and VL County areas, and at the 3rd range were FR,

BR and DI district areas.

• Combination of diversity indices (Simpson, Shannon, Brillouin, and alpha

diversity index, found the areas with high plant species diversity were EL,

KO, SH, TR and VL County areas.

• Comparison of relative abundance, equitability and evenness indices show that

diversity of TR, KO, FR and DR Counties areas were more abundant and

numerically more equal than other areas = presence of more undisturbed

habitats.

• The diversity collected from the undisturbed habitats /areas is much higher

than in the other areas that seems to be relatively more highly disturbed

habitats.

(Table 1).


RESULTS AND DISCUTIONTable 1. Comparison of diversity indices according to 10 districts of Albania

Simpson_1-D> 0.80; Shannon_H > 2.20; Brillouin B > 2.0; Fisher-alpha > 6.0;

Evenness (e^H/S) > 0.70; Equitability_J > 0.80,



Comparisons of AGB ex situ data and SEEDNet collecting data

• Ex situ collecting data of AGB before SEEDNet was compound by 689

accessions of 28 genera and 20 plant species.

• The external SEEDNet collecting data contributed to the total of

ex situ data with 630 accession of 36 plant species and 27 genera.

• From a total of 27 genera and 36 plant species collected from SEEDNet Project

in Albania during 2009-2010, there were 12 new genera and 17 new plant

species (alleles) not collected before by any other collecting mission.

• Presence of new species / alleles is attributable to 175 accessions collected far

than 10 km from ex situ data of Albanian genebank.



Similarities and correlations between observed areas:

• Cluster analysis method using similarity and correlation matrix data proved

the presence of similarity and diversity among areas in comparison.

• Cluster analysis found high similarity among County of VL and SH, GJ, KO,

FR and TR Counties (coefficient of correlation r range from 78% to 89%).

• High similarity was also found between County of FR and VL, and SH

County areas (coefficient of correlation r range from 70% to 86%) (Table 2,

Figure 2).

• Presence of high species diversity in EL, KO, VL and SH Counties suggests

presence of a greater number of species and more relative stable ecosystems

exist in these areas.



Similarities and correlations between observed areas:

• Cluster analysis method using similarity and correlation matrix data proved

the presence of similarity and diversity among areas in comparison.

• Cluster analysis found high similarity among County of VL and SH, GJ, KO,

FR and TR Counties (coefficient of correlation r range from 78% to 89%).

• High similarity was also found between County of FR and VL, and SH

County areas (coefficient of correlation r range from 70% to 86%).

• Presence of high species diversity in EL, KO, VL and SH Counties suggests

presence of a greater number of species and more relative stable ecosystems

exist in these areas.

(Table 2, Figure 2).


Table 2. Similarity and Correlation matrix among ten Counties of Albania


Fig. 2. Cluster similarity dendrogram among ten SEEDNet areas


COCLUSION

Spatial analysis found significant diversity differences

between ten observed areas, and detects the areas of high

diversity were EL, KO, SH, TR and VL areas.

Contribution of SEEDNet Project was: 630 accessions (27

genera; 36 species), collected in 10 district of Albania.

The SEEDNet collecting missions has collected in 486 new

sites and founded 12 new genera and 17 new species

(alleles) not collected before by any other collecting missions.


COCLUSION

Comparisons of diversity indices using cluster analysis method

on correlation matrix found high similarity among County of

VL and SH, GJ, KO, FR and TR Counties (coefficient of

correlation r range from 78% to 89%).

Presence of high species diversity in EL, KO, VL and SH

Counties suggests presence of a greater number of species and

more relative stable ecosystems exist in these areas.


REFERENCES

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http://data.gbif.org/


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