Fourteen simple-sequence repeats newly developed for population genetic studies in Prosopis africana (Fabaceae–Mimosoideae)

Abstract Background There is very limited genetic knowledge in Prosopis africana, an important sub-Saharan multi-purpose tree species. Availability of highly polymorphic genetic markers would be helpful for future genetic work. Findings Leaf samples from 15 trees were used to develop simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Size-selected fragments from genomic DNA were enriched for repeats and the library was analyzed on an Illumina MiSeq platform. Fourteen SSRs were selected and applied in two Burkinabe populations (40 adult trees each). The number of alleles varied from 4 to 20, evenness (effective number of alleles/observed number of alleles) averaged to 0.54 and unbiased heterozygosity ranged from 0.305 to 0.925 over all loci and populations. Null alleles were not detected. Conclusions Due to the high level of polymorphism and lack of null alleles the developed SSRs can be effectively employed in population genetic studies

Spatially explicit multi-threat assessment of food tree species in Burkina Faso : a fine-scale approach

Over the last decades agroforestry parklands in Burkina Faso have come under increasing demographic as well as climatic pressures, which are threatening indigenous tree species that contribute substantially to income generation and nutrition in rural households. Analyzing the threats as well as the species vulnerability to them is fundamental for priority setting in conservation planning. Guided by literature and local experts we selected 16 important food tree species (Acacia macrostachya, Acacia senegal, Adansonia digitata, Annona senegalensis, Balanites aegyptiaca, Bombax costatum, Boscia senegalensis, Detarium microcarpum, Lannea microcarpa, Parkia biglobosa, Sclerocarya birrea, Strychnos spinosa, Tamarindus indica, Vitellaria paradoxa, Ximenia americana, Ziziphus mauritiana) and six key threats to them (overexploitation, overgrazing, fire, cotton production, mining and climate change). We developed a species-specific and spatially explicit approach combining freely accessible datasets, species distribution models (SDMs), climate models and expert survey results to predict, at fine scale, where these threats are likely to have the greatest impact. We find that all species face serious threats throughout much of their distribution in Burkina Faso and that climate change is predicted to be the most prevalent threat in the long term, whereas overexploitation and cotton production are the most important short-term threats. Tree populations growing in areas designated as ‘highly threatened’ due to climate change should be used as seed sources for ex situ conservation and planting in areas where future climate is predicting suitable habitats. Assisted regeneration is suggested for populations in areas where suitable habitat under future climate conditions coincides with high threat levels due to short-term threats. In the case of Vitellaria paradoxa, we suggest collecting seed along the northern margins of its distribution and considering assisted regeneration in the central part where the current threat level is high due to overexploitation. In the same way, population-specific recommendations can be derived from the individual and combined threat maps of the other 15 food tree species. The approach can be easily transferred to other countries and can be used to analyze general and species specific threats at finer and more local as well as at broader (continental) scales in order to plan more selective and efficient conservation actions in time. The concept can be applied anywhere as long as appropriate spatial data are available as well as knowledgeable experts

Climate change threat magnitude levels ‘Very high’ and ‘High’ combined for all species.

<p>The criteria to define the threat levels are presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0184457#pone.0184457.t005" target="_blank">Table 5</a>.</p

Species richness map of 16 important food tree species and eco-climatic zones.

<p>The three eco-climatic zones (Sahelian zone: < 600mm/a, Sudano-Sahelian zone: 600–900 mm/a and Sudanian zone: > 900 mm/a) are defined by the annual rainfall [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0184457#pone.0184457.ref004" target="_blank">4</a>] and are represented in this map by the bioclimatic variable 12 from the WorldClim 1.4 dataset [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0184457#pone.0184457.ref041" target="_blank">41</a>].</p

<i>Boscia senegalensis</i>.

<p><b>Threat magnitude levels of (A) ‘Overexploitation’, (B) ‘Overgrazing’, (C) ‘Fire’, (D) ‘Climate change’, (E) ‘Cotton production’, (F) ‘Mining’ and (G) ‘Combined threat’.</b> The criteria to define the threat levels are presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0184457#pone.0184457.t005" target="_blank">Table 5</a>.</p

Combined threat layers by species.

<p>Combined threat layers by species.</p

Threat magnitude rating.

<p>Threat magnitude rating.</p

Expert survey results on threat sensitivity based on the consensus approach.

<p>Expert survey results on threat sensitivity based on the consensus approach.</p