Delayed plant genetic responses to forest edge dynamics and their conservation implications

Understanding genetic responses to forest dynamics is essential for predicting the long-term viability of understory plant populations and for developing effective conservation strategies. We investigated genetic extinction debt and colonization credit in broad-leaved enchanter's nightshade (Circaea lutetiana), a clonal forest understory species, across its European range. Using pooled genotype-by-sequencing data from 40 forest edge and core populations, we examined to what extent population size, latitude, and historical changes in forest configuration may predict genetic diversity. Historical forest configuration profoundly shaped present-day genetic diversity. Long-established forest edge populations exhibited significantly reduced allelic richness (-9%) compared with core populations, indicating the partial payoff of a genetic extinction debt. In contrast, populations from recently established forest edges maintained allelic richness similar to core populations, suggesting delayed population genetic responses to land-use changes. Finally, populations established in areas that were afforested during the past 250 years exhibited lower allelic richness (-10%) than historical forest core populations, indicating a delay in genetic recovery and thus a potential genetic colonization credit. Our results highlight that C. lutetiana populations are not at equilibrium with the current forest configuration, underscoring the role of lagged genetic responses across very long periods. Population size, and to a lesser extent connectivity, further mediated genetic diversity, with smaller, isolated populations being particularly vulnerable to genetic erosion. Given the limited research on delayed evolution in forest understory species, our results improve understanding of extinction risk dynamics and underscore the need for history-informed restoration efforts.

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Publication Details

Journal
Conservation Biology
Published
2026-04-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70297
Primary Topic
Genetic diversity and population structure
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Delayed plant genetic responses to forest edge dynamics and their conservation implications

Pieter De Frenne, Gerrit Peeters, Filip Vandelook, Hanne De Kort et al.
Conservation Biology
Genetic diversity and population structure
article

Delayed plant genetic responses to forest edge dynamics and their conservation implications

Pieter De Frenne, Gerrit Peeters, Filip Vandelook, Hanne De Kort, Monika Wulf, Kasper van Acker, Jaan Liira, Jolina Paulssen, Jannis Till Feigs, Lina Jocienė, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Jörg Brunet, Dieter Deforce, Leonie Mazalla, Jan Plue, Orsolya Valkó, Réka Fekete, Eugenija Kupčinskienė, Per‐Ola Hedwall, Anna Orczewska, Yannick Gansemans, Balázs Déak, Olivier Honnay, Timo Conradi, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh, Tobias Naaf, Lore Hostens, Martin Diekmann, Elissar Alam, Edvina Krokaitė-Kudakienė, Siyu Huang, Christophe Metsu, Sarah Plößner, Sander de Beer
article en

Abstract

Understanding genetic responses to forest dynamics is essential for predicting the long-term viability of understory plant populations and for developing effective conservation strategies. We investigated genetic extinction debt and colonization credit in broad-leaved enchanter's nightshade (Circaea lutetiana), a clonal forest understory species, across its European range. Using pooled genotype-by-sequencing data from 40 forest edge and core populations, we examined to what extent population size, latitude, and historical changes in forest configuration may predict genetic diversity. Historical forest configuration profoundly shaped present-day genetic diversity. Long-established forest edge populations exhibited significantly reduced allelic richness (-9%) compared with core populations, indicating the partial payoff of a genetic extinction debt. In contrast, populations from recently established forest edges maintained allelic richness similar to core populations, suggesting delayed population genetic responses to land-use changes. Finally, populations established in areas that were afforested during the past 250 years exhibited lower allelic richness (-10%) than historical forest core populations, indicating a delay in genetic recovery and thus a potential genetic colonization credit. Our results highlight that C. lutetiana populations are not at equilibrium with the current forest configuration, underscoring the role of lagged genetic responses across very long periods. Population size, and to a lesser extent connectivity, further mediated genetic diversity, with smaller, isolated populations being particularly vulnerable to genetic erosion. Given the limited research on delayed evolution in forest understory species, our results improve understanding of extinction risk dynamics and underscore the need for history-informed restoration efforts.

Conservation Biology
Meise Botanic Garden (BE), University of Debrecen (HU), University of Bremen (DE), Vytautas Magnus University (LT), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE), Ghent University (BE), Institute of Ecology and Botany (HU), Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (DE), HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research (HU), Ecologie microbienne (FR), University of Bayreuth (DE), University of Tartu (EE), University of Silesia in Katowice (PL), KU Leuven (BE)
KU Leuven
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 17%
Genetic diversity and population structure
DOISourceOpenAlex
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