Reduced genetic variation in populations of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina subsp. serotina, Rosaceae) at its western range limit in Kansas

Abstract

We compared genetic variation at five nuclear simple sequence repeat loci between three populations of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina subsp. serotina) at the edge of its western range in Kansas to four populations from within the range interior. Although within-population expected heterozygosity did not differ between edge and core populations, allelic richness was significantly lower in the edge populations. This finding is consistent with a loss of rare alleles due to genetic drift in demographically unstable edge populations.