Evidence of altitudinal gradient modifying genomic and chemical diversity in populations of Lychnophora pinaster Mart.

Abstract

Lychnophora pinaster Mart. (Asteraceae) is endemic to the Brazilian Cerrado. It is distributed along the altitudinal gradient of the mountainous ranges of the state of Minas Gerais. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of altitude on the genetic diversity of L. pinaster populations and the effects of altitude and climatic factors on essential oil chemical composition. Essential oils from L. pinaster populations from the north (North 01, North 02, and North 03, 700–859 m) and the Metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (MhBH 01 and MrBH 02, 1366–1498 m) were analyzed. SNP markers from L. pinaster in these regions and Campos das Vertentes (CV 01, CV 02, and CV 03, 1055–1292 m) were also analyzed. The main compounds in essential oils were 14-hydroxy-α-humulene (North 01 and North 03), cedr-8(15)-en-9-α-ol (North 02), 14-acetoxy-α-humulene (MrBH 01), and 4-oxo-15-nor-eudesman-11-ene (MrBH 02). Hierarchical cluster and heatmap analyses showed that the North and MrBH populations included five different groups, indicating the chemical composition of essential oils is distinct in each population. Furthermore, principal component analysis showed that higher altitudes (1366 m and 1498 m) in the MrBH influence the chemical composition of essential oils, and climatic factors determine the chemical composition in North region. The genetic diversity showed that most alleles are in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and imply high genetic variation and genetic polymorphisms between populations. Furthermore, the results of Mantel tests (R = 0.3861517; p = 0.04709529; R = 0.9423121; p = 0.02739726) also showed that higher altitude (>1360 m) shapes the genetic diversity at the MrBH. The genetic structure showed that higher altitudes (>1360 m) contribute to the structure of the MrBH populations, but not to North and CV populations. Therefore, the altitudinal ranges of Minas Gerais mountainous ranges determine the higher genetic and chemical diversity of L. pinaster populations.