ArticleAnnals of botany2019
Widespread co-occurrence of multiple ploidy levels in fragile ferns (Cystopteris fragilis complex; Cystopteridaceae) probably stems from similar ecology of cytotypes, their efficient dispersal and inter-ploidy hybridization.
Article in Annals of botany, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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7 citing papers in PubMed, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Frequent origins and unidirectional gene-flow sustain cytotype coexistence in a mixed-ploidy species.BMC plant biology · 2026Article
- Global diversification of the common moonwort ferns (Botrychium lunaria group, Ophioglossaceae) was mainly driven by Pleistocene climatic shifts.Annals of botany · 2025Article
- Interploidy gene flow via a 'pentaploid bridge' and ploidy reduction in Cystopteris fragilis fern complex (Cystopteridaceae: Polypodiales).Plant reproduction · 2023Article
- Morphological and environmental differentiation as prezygotic reproductive barriers between parapatric and allopatric Campanula rotundifolia agg. cytotypes.Annals of botany · 2023Article
- So Closely Related and Yet So Different: Strong Contrasts Between the Evolutionary Histories of Species of theFrontiers in plant science · 2020Article
- Intricate Distribution Patterns of Six Cytotypes ofFrontiers in plant science · 2020Article
- Unfurling an improved method for visualizing mitotic chromosomes in ferns.Applications in plant sciencesArticle
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9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsPolyploidy has played an important role in the evolution of ferns. However, the dearth of data on cytotype diversity, cytotype distribution patterns and ecology in ferns is striking in comparison with angiosperms and prevents an assessment of whether cytotype coexistence and its mechanisms show similar patterns in both plant groups. Here, an attempt to fill this gap was made using the ploidy-variable and widely distributed Cystopteris fragilis complex.
methodsFlow cytometry was used to assess DNA ploidy level and monoploid genome size (Cx value) of 5518 C. fragilis individuals from 449 populations collected over most of the species' global distributional range, supplemented with data from 405 individuals representing other related species from the complex. Ecological preferences of C. fragilis tetraploids and hexaploids were compared using field-recorded parameters and database-extracted climate data. KEY
resultsAltogether, five different ploidy levels (2x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 8x) were detected and three species exhibited intraspecific ploidy-level variation: C. fragilis, C. alpina and C. diaphana. Two predominant C. fragilis cytotypes, tetraploids and hexaploids, co-occur over most of Europe in a diffuse, mosaic-like pattern. Within this contact zone, 40 % of populations were mixed-ploidy and most also contained pentaploid hybrids. Environmental conditions had only a limited effect on the distribution of cytotypes. Differences were found in the Cx value of tetraploids and hexaploids: between-cytotype divergence was higher in uniform-ploidy than in mixed-ploidy populations.
conclusionsHigh ploidy-level diversity and widespread cytotype coexistence in the C. fragilis complex match the well-documented patterns in some angiosperms. While ploidy coexistence in C. fragilis is not driven by environmental factors, it could be facilitated by the perennial life-form of the species, its reproductive modes and efficient wind dispersal of spores. Independent origins of hexaploids and/or inter-ploidy gene flow may be expected in mixed-ploidy populations according to Cx value comparisons.
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