Is A critically endangered Vatica bantamensis Burck (Dipterocarpaceae) endemic to West Java, Indonesia experiencing a genetic bottleneck?
摘要
Vatica bantamensis is an endemic tree from Ujung Kulon National Park, West Java (UKNP). It is critically endangered due to its small and effective population size and habitat specialization to the slope and ridge topography. Considering the importance of this endemic species for long-term habitat conservation and species preservation, this study aims to determine the genetic diversity and population structures of V. bantamensis using multiplexed inter-simple sequence repeats genotyping-by-sequencing (MIG-seq). A total of 35 parent trees and 49 saplings collected showed a very low level of genetic diversity. The saplings exhibit slightly lower genetic variation (He = 0.00296) compared to the trees (He = 0.00313), suggesting a potential decrease in genetic diversity over the recruited generation. The Ho values for both parents (Ho = 0,0024) and saplings (Ho = 0,00227) were slightly lower than the He values, suggesting there may be discrepancies in forces. Vatica bantamensis exhibits a low inbreeding coefficient (FIS) of 0.0036 (trees) and 0.00402 (saplings), indicating that the population is predominantly outcrossed. Analyses of population structure, spatial autocorrelation, and phylogenetic relationships suggest that all samples are closely related and form a single population with obvious population structure. A nationwide conservation effort is required, including the reintroduction of seed orchards from ex-situ areas to enrich the genetic diversity of the UKNP population.