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Signatures of local adaptation in secondary metabolite profiles and candidate genes of Arnica montana along environmental gradients

Arnica montana is a characteristic species of acid, nutrient-poor grasslands in Central Europe. While it is still common in some montane regions e.g. the Alps and the Carpathians, A. montana is strongly declining in the lowland areas and is now endangered in many parts of Europe. The conservation of wild populations of A. montana is also of considerable commercial interest as it is a medicinal plant difficult to cultivate.
Because A. montana is largely self-incompatible the conservation and restoration of small isolated populations is a challenge since suitable donor populations need to be identified to enrich genetically impoverished populations with compatible and well adapted genotypes. A. montana shows a strong genetic differentiation among populations in Germany as microsatellite studies revealed.
Furthermore, local adaptation was observed in both genetic patterns using AFLP markers as well as in specific secondary plant components using metabolic fingerprints. Selection factors under discussion are e.g. slug herbivory as well as climate factors such as altitude via temperature and continentality.
The study of local adaptation of A. montana and its genetic basis on a range-wide scale will provide useful insights on the adaptive processes shaping the present distribution, will be able to guide management decisions and will allow us to make predictions about its adaptive potential to environmental change.
The aims of the project are:
1. Unraveling chemotype patterns in A. montana reflecting major environmental forces relevant for selection.
2. Identifying candidate genes driving local adaptation to the abiotic and biotic environment of Arnica populations.
3. Predicting range shifts of A. montana under climate change in response to local adaptation and herbivore distribution.

The project is embedded within the common platform for education and guiding of PhD students of the universities Geisenheim, Gießen and Marburg and financed by the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts. It is jointly led by Sascha Liepelt  from Marburg and Ilona Leyer from Geisenheim University. Further team members are Loris Capria (PhD student, Geisenheim), Eva Mosner and Klaus Eimert (senior scientists, Geisenheim).