Strong isolation by distance revealed among Cyperus papyrus populations in the Rift Valley lakes, Lake Victoria, and isolated wetlands of Kenya

摘要: Abstract Many aquatic plant populations occur in isolated habitats surrounded by land masses which can act as barriers to gene flow, unless other mechanisms exist facilitate connectivity. This isolation together with life history processes influences greatly genetic diversity and structure among of species. We assessed clonal diversity, variation, Cyperus papyrus that large geographical scale freshwater wetlands Kenya using eight nuclear microsatellite markers. A total 60 alleles were found across 14 populations. The measures varied widely populations, both Lakes Naivasha Victoria displaying higher allelic than wetlands. C. maintained relatively high levels at species level ( P  = 79%, T  = 25, H E  = 0.41, O  = 0.40) comparable plants. Whereas, two monoclonal suggested recent founder effects, we attributed variation different sexual reproduction perennation AMOVA revealed overall differentiation F ST  = 0.250, p  = 0.001) from very low  = 0.014) within lakes  = 0.565) Lake Victoria–Rift Valley Lack implicated hydrochorous dispersal. Mantel test showed significant isolation-by-distance whereas a PCoA Bayesian analysis individuals grouped according drainage basins. hypothesized connectivity distant locations could be migratory waterfowl or herbivores (through endozoochory epizoochory) historical inter-basin connection.