Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Prosopis Species
Summary
Prosopis, a genus of leguminous trees and shrubs native to arid and semi-arid regions worldwide, exhibits remarkable genetic variation that underpins its ecological resilience and economic value. Species within this genus display a range of adaptive strategies, including drought tolerance, nitrogen fixation and seed dormancy, which have enabled colonisation of challenging habitats from South American dry forests to North African deserts. Investigations of genetic diversity and population structure in Prosopis have employed molecular markers such as simple sequence repeats (SSRs), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs), coupled with analyses of heterozygosity, fixation indices and clustering algorithms. Overall, most Prosopis populations harbour high levels of allelic richness and heterozygosity, while exhibiting relatively low differentiation among populations across broad geographic scales. However, anthropogenic pressures, habitat fragmentation and elevation gradients can induce genetic bottlenecks, alter gene flow and promote population substructure. Moreover, interspecific hybridisation and introgression are frequent, challenging taxonomic boundaries but offering opportunities for adaptive trait transfer. Understanding these patterns is critical for in situ conservation, reforestation initiatives and breeding programmes aimed at enhancing drought resilience and restoring degraded landscapes.
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Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Prosopis Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in genetic diversity and population structure in prosopis species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Simple sequence repeat (SSR): A DNA marker based on short tandem repeats, highly polymorphic and used to assess genetic variation.
Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): A single base-pair variation in the genome, useful for high-resolution population analyses.
Heterozygosity: The proportion of individuals carrying two different alleles at a given locus, reflecting genetic variability.
Fixation index (FST): A statistic measuring genetic differentiation among populations, with higher values indicating greater structure.
Introgression: The incorporation of genetic material from one species into the gene pool of another through repeated backcrossing.
References
- Genetic structure of two Prosopis species in Chaco areas: A lack of allelic diversity diagnosis and insights into the allelic conservation of the affected species. Ecology and Evolution (2018).
- Genetic diversity and differentiation among Prosopis alba (Leguminosae) populations from dry valleys of Bolivia with different levels of human disturbance and altitude. Ecology and Evolution (2018).
- Genetic Characterization of an Endangered Chilean Endemic Species, Prosopis burkartii Muñoz, Reveals its Hybrids Parentage. Plants (2020).
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