Assisted gene flow by plant translocations is increasingly implemented for restoring populations of critically endangered species. The success in restoring genetically healthy populations may depend on translocation design, in particular the choice of the source populations. Highly clonal populations may show low genetic diversity despite large census sizes, and disrupted and geitonogamous pollination may result in selfing and inbreeding issues in the offspring intended for translocation. We carried out a genetic monitoring of translocated populations of the clonal Dianthus deltoides using 14 microsatellite markers and quantified fitness traits over two generations (transplants, F1 seed progeny and newly established individuals). Inbreeding levels were higher in the offspring used as transplants than in the adult generation of the source populations, as a result of high clonality and pollination disruption leading to self-pollination. The F1 generation in translocated populations showed high genetic diversity maintained across generations, diminished inbreeding levels, low genetic differentiation, pollen flow and genetic mixing between the four sources. New individuals were established from seed germination. Fitness patterns were a combination of inbreeding depression in inbred transplants and F1 progeny, heterosis in admixed F1 progeny, source population adaptive capacities, phenotypic plasticity, maternal effects and site environmental specificities. The strategy in the translocation design to mix several local sources, combined with large founding population sizes and ecological management has proved success in initiating the processes leading to the establishment of genetically healthy populations, even when source populations are highly clonal with low genetic diversity leading to inbreeding issues in the transplants.

中文翻译：

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混合基因库以防止克隆物种易位种群的近亲繁殖问题

通过植物易位辅助基因流动越来越多地用于恢复极度濒危物种的种群。恢复遗传健康种群的成功可能取决于易位设计，尤其是源种群的选择。尽管人口普查规模很大，但高度克隆的种群可能显示出较低的遗传多样性，并且受干扰的和异性配子授粉可能会导致用于易地的后代的自交和近亲繁殖问题。我们进行了克隆的迁地种群的遗传监测石竹 美洲黑使用 14 个微卫星标记和量化的两代（移植、F1 种子后代和新建立的个体）的健康性状。由于高克隆性和导致自花授粉的授粉中断，用作移植的后代的近交水平高于源种群的成年一代。易地种群中的 F1 代表现出跨代保持的高遗传多样性、近交水平降低、遗传分化低、花粉流动和四种来源之间的遗传混合。从种子萌发建立新个体。适应性模式是近交移植和 F1 后代的近交抑制、混合 F1 后代的杂种优势、源种群适应能力、表型可塑性、母体效应和场地环境特性。混合多个本地来源的易位设计策略，结合大的创始种群规模和生态管理已证明成功地启动了导致建立遗传健康种群的过程，即使在源种群高度克隆且遗传多样性低导致移植中的近亲繁殖问题。