Format: ORAL

Tim Claerhout1, 2, Diederik Strubbe3, Ramn Castillo Torres4, Marie-Stphanie Samain3, 5, Lars. W. Chatrou3, Emily Veltjen3

1 Hortus botanicus - Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands 2 Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands 3 Ghent University, Gent, Belgium 4 Fundación Progressio, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 5 Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Pátzcuaro, Mexico

On the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, five endemic species of Magnolia occur, all of which are threatened with extinction. Little is known about their distribution and genetic health, hampering targeted conservation actions. The objective of this study was to assess the potential distribution and the genetic health of the Magnolias of Hispaniola, and to formulate concrete guidelines for effective conservation management. Using species distribution modelling (SDM), we predicted habitat suitability for the Magnolias of Hispaniola. Using 17 SSR markers, we genotyped 417 individuals of the three endangered Magnolia species from the Dominican Republic, to test for genetic structure and degree of inbreeding. The SDM and genetic data confirm the recognition of the four studied Magnolia as species. The studied individuals of the three Dominican Magnolias are structured into five populations which show ample genetic diversity and little inbreeding overall. For conservation management, we propose, on the one hand, to focus on exploration using the SDM results. On the other hand, we propose to focus on protection and reinforcement using the genetic and occurrence data. Our study exemplifies how integrating different research techniques, as well as working closely with conservation practitioners, may lead to a better understanding regarding the requirements for an effective conservation plan.