Genetic diversity of alpine Dryas octopetala populations at their southern distribution limit in Europe

The alpine species Dryas octopetala is present in the northern part of Greece, where it forms isolated populations in three mountainous regions: Falakron, Tzena and Orvilos. This study aimed at estimating the intrapopulation genetic diversity and the overall genetic structure of these southernmost European populations. A total of 20 Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used for studying the genetic patterns of populations. RAPD marker profiles revealed population differentiation, with Orvilos being the most differentiated population, indicating either genetic divergence or different lineage. Intrapopulation genetic diversity indices were relatively low in all populations. Findings emphasized the need for designing ex situ conservation management plans for conserving isolated alpine D. octopetala populations in the face of climate change.