Locally adapted ecotypes can constitute an important part of the biodiversity, especially in young floras with few endemic species. However, the origins, distinctness and conservation value of many ecotypes remain uncertain because genetic data are lacking or no common-garden study has been carried out. In the present study, we evaluated the distinctness and genetic structure of a phenotypically deviating morph of Rhinanthus angustifolius, growing in calcareous spring fens on the Baltic island of Gotland. Using data from a common-garden experiment and analyses of nuclear microsatellite variation, we compared fen populations on Gotland with conspecific populations from habitats more typical of the study species. We also included the fen specialist R. osiliensis from the Baltic island of Saaremaa in the molecular analyses to make further inferences about the origin of the Gotlandic fen morph. Our data indicate that the Gotlandic fen populations constitute a phenotypically and genetically distinct ecotype that most likely has evolved at least two times on Gotland after the last ice age. In congruence with previous studies, we also infer that fen ecotypes have evolved independently on Gotland and Saaremaa. We propose a varietal status for the Gotlandic fen ecotype and give recommendations for the conservation of this taxon.

中文翻译：

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Rhinanthus春分生态型的进化：末次冰河时代后斯堪的纳维亚平行起源的遗传证据

适应当地的生态型可以构成生物多样性的重要组成部分，特别是在特有物种很少的年轻植物群中。然而，由于缺乏遗传数据或没有进行公共花园研究，许多生态型的起源、独特性和保护价值仍然不确定。在本研究中，我们评估了生长在波罗的海哥特兰岛的钙质春季沼泽中的 Rhinanthus angustifolius 的表型偏差形态的独特性和遗传结构。使用来自普通花园实验的数据和核微卫星变异的分析，我们将哥特兰岛上的芬种群与来自更典型的研究物种栖息地的同种种群进行了比较。我们还包括了 fen 专家 R. 来自波罗的海萨列马岛的 osiliensis 进行分子分析，以进一步推论哥特兰岛 fen morph 的起源。我们的数据表明，哥特兰岛群构成了一个表型和遗传上不同的生态型，很可能在最后一个冰河时代之后在哥特兰岛进化了至少两次。与之前的研究一致，我们还推断，芬生态型在哥特兰岛和萨列马岛独立进化。我们提出了哥特兰沼泽生态型的品种地位，并就保护该分类群提出了建议。我们还推断，芬生态型在哥特兰岛和萨列马岛独立进化。我们提出了哥特兰沼泽生态型的品种地位，并就保护该分类群提出了建议。我们还推断，芬生态型在哥特兰岛和萨列马岛独立进化。我们提出了哥特兰沼泽生态型的品种地位，并就保护该分类群提出了建议。