Allozyme Diversity and Population Genetic Structure in Korean Endemic Plant Species : II. Hosta yingeri (Liliaceae)

Levels of genetic diversity, population genetic structure, and gene flow in Hosta yingeri, a herbaceous perennial endemic to Taehuksan, Sohuksan, and Hong Islands, were investigated. Starch gel electrophoresis was conducted on leaves for 101 plants collected from three populations. Although the distribution of thespecies is restricted in the islands, it maintains high levels of genetic variatin; 64% of polymorphic loci in at least one population (Ps), the mean number of alleles per locus (Ap) of 1.92, and the mean effective number of alleles per locus (Aep) of 1.52. Overall, mean genetic diversity (Hep=0.250) was substantially higher than mean estimate for species with very similarlife history traits (0.102). Large populaton size, the persistence of multiple generations within populations, high fecundity, predominantly outcrossing breeding system, large size of pollinator visitation areas may be explanatory factors contributing the higher level of genetic diversity maintained within populations. Analysis of fixation indices showed an overall slight excess of heterozygotes (mean FIS=-0.066) relative to Hardy-Weinberg expectations, which may in part be due to the near self-incompatible breeding system in the species. Significant differences in allele frequencies among populaitns were found for 14 out of 16 polymorphic loci (P<0.05). Slightly more than 80% of the total variation in the species was common to all populations (GST=0.198). As expected, indirect estimate of the number of migrants per generation (Nm=0.45, calculated from mean GST) and nine private alleles found in the three populations indicate that gene movement among three isolated island populations was low.