Performance, genetic and ecological insights for the conservation of the endangered large pink, Dianthus superbus L. (Caryophyllaceae) in semi-natural grassland

ABSTRACT

The traditional management of hay meadows has allowed them to maintain a notable part of biodiversity currently threatened by recent changes in agricultural uses. In the North Eastern region of France, the large pink, Dianthus superbus L. (Caryophyllaceae), mainly grows in hay meadows, and its protected status implies a conservation strategy merging information about its demography, its genetic diversity and its ecology. This study has revealed that the population size of D. superbus is correlated with the trophic status of meadows, with a decrease from mesotrophic to eutrophic meadows. No relation has been established between population size and habitat size, spatial isolation or habitat connectivity. Moreover, AFLPs genetic fingerprints indicated equivalent genetic diversities among meadows, without impact of population size or habitat characteristics. The absence of genetic structure and the lack of population differentiation suggest a large genetic admixture at the regional scale. The most crucial issue for the conservation of D. superbus in the North Eastern region of France seems to be the modification of its habitat due to the eutrophication of hay meadows.

KEYWORDS:

• Arable species
• hay meadows
• mowing
• semi-natural grasslands
• conservation genetics
• mesotrophic species

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the National Botanical Conservatory of Franche-Comté and the Botanical Conservatory of Mulhouse for their help in sampling collection. The authors are also grateful to Caroline Calba for its proofreading of the manuscript. The authors thank the Société Botanique d’Alsace for data supplied from the Brunfels database on the Alsatian distribution of Dianthus superbus. This work was supported by the Conseil Général du Bas-Rhin, and the Société Botanique de France under the Grant 147726.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplementary data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Conseil Général du Bas-Rhin, and the Société Botanique de France under Grant 147726.

Notes on contributors

Laurent Hardion

Laurent Hardion is a lecturer at the University of Strasbourg. His research focuses on plant systematics, conservation biology and molecular ecology. Contribution: study design, molecular biology, data analyses, writing the article.

Marine Pouvreau

Marine Pouvreau is a botanist at the National Botanical Conservatory of Massif Central. Her research focuses on species conservation and plant communities. Contribution: study design, fieldwork, writing the article.

Eugénie Schwoertzig

Eugénie Schwoertzig is a doctor in Ecology. Her research focuses on Urban Ecology. Contribution: data analyses.

Michel Hoff

Michel Hoff is a retired lecturer at the University of Strasbourg and the curator of STR Herbarium. His research focuses on regional floras in Alsace, French Guiana and New Caledonia. Contribution: species distribution.

Julie Nguefack

Julie Nguefack is a botanist at the Botanical Conservatory of Alsace. Her research focuses on species conservation and plant communities. Contribution: study design, fieldwork.

Isabelle Combroux

Isabelle Combroux is a lecturer at the University of Strasbourg. Her research focuses on macrophyte communities and restoration ecology. Contribution: study design.