Genetic variation and structure within 3 endangered Calanthe species (Orchidaceae) from Korea: inference of population-establishment history and implications for conservation

It is thought that the warm-temperate vegetation of Korea, which at present is limited to southern coastal areas, was founded by individuals from glacial refugia putatively located in southern Japan and/or southern China. Two scenarios of postglacial recolonization can be hypothesized: 1) extant Korean populations are derived from multiple source populations or, 2) they originated from a single source. To test which of these scenarios is more likely, we surveyed patterns of genetic diversity in 3 congeneric terrestrial orchids that are typical of Korean warm-temperate vegetation, Calanthe discolor, C. sieboldii, and C. reflexa. In total, we studied 14 populations with 17 allozyme loci. To complement the study, we also tested the 2 scenarios with previous population-genetics data reported for other warm-temperate plant species native to Korea. Levels of genetic variation in the 3 Calanthe species were substantially higher than those typical of allozyme-based studies in other terrestrial orchid species, which clearly suggest a pattern of postglacial recolonization fitting the first scenario. However, previous studies with native Korean species showed equivocal patterns and suggest conflicting scenarios. The Calanthe species studied here and the previous genetic surveys conducted on other species indicate that the establishment of contemporary warm-temperate vegetation in Korea has been diverse since deglaciation. From a conservation perspective, C. reflexa should be regarded as endangered in Korea, needing special attention to preserve its current genetic diversity and to prevent further decreases in population sizes.