Cerastium je rod koji obuhvata oko 200 vrsta zeljastih biljaka, široko rasprostranjenih u umerenim i hladnim oblastima, s centrom diverziteta na Balkanskom poluostrvu i u zapadnoj Aziji. Mi ćemo proučavati evoluciju visoko poliploidnih grupa višegodišnjih balkanskih i alpskih vrsta (npr., grupe C. alpinum i C. banaticum) i njihovih veza sa arktičkim taksonima. Među taksonima koji će biti istraživani je balkanska endemična vrsta Cerastium dinaricum, Natura 2000 vrsta, te, s toga, vrsta od visokog prioriteta za očuvanje širom EU.

Koordinatori:
M. Niketić and B. Frajman

Selected results
The rare mountain plant Cerastium dinaricum is endemic to the Dinaric mountains. Employing amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), nuclear ribosomal ITS and plastid ndhJ-trnT sequences as well as relative genome size data, we examined the species’ phylogeographic structure in order to provide a basis for the designation of tailored conservation strategies. Analyses of various datasets congruently revealed two genetic groups with NW/SE vicariant distribution. a, population graphs based on AFLP profiles; b, NeighbourNet diagram based on AFLPs; c, Nei`s gene diversity; d, frequency down weighted marker values; e, STRUCTURE clustering of the AFLP data from separate analyses of the NW and the SE group; f, statistical parsimony network and geographic distribution of plastid DNA haplotypes.