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Poa annua L. in Antarctic: searching for the source of introduction

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Abstract

The level of polymorphism, genetic variability and relatedness of a population of Poa annua L. from South Shetlands Islands was studied and compared with results obtained for populations from two potential sources of introduction (Argentina—Ushuaia and Poland—Dziekanów Leśny) using the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) approach. Five primer pairs used for AFLP profiling amplified 226 scoreable DNA fragments that were used for Clustral and Factorial analyses. The level of molecular variability among all individuals from all the analysed populations reaches 30%. Clustral and Factorial analyses show that all populations formed clear-cut uniform groups according to their locations. However, population from King George Island show high variability. High genetic diversity may be related with escalated human activity at the area of Arctowski Station, favouring introductions of P. annua from many different sources and by many different vectors.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Professor Maria Olech from the Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University for providing assistance with the field and research work. I also would like to thank Professor Stanisław Rakusa-Suszczewski for establishing such a great Station.

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  1. Department of Antarctic Biology, Polish Academy of Science, Ustrzycka 10/12, 02-141, Warsaw, Poland

    Katarzyna J. Chwedorzewska

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  1. Katarzyna J. Chwedorzewska
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Correspondence to Katarzyna J. Chwedorzewska.

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Chwedorzewska, K.J. Poa annua L. in Antarctic: searching for the source of introduction. Polar Biol 31, 263–268 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0353-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0353-4

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