Allozyme Variation in Six Flowering Plant Species Characterizing Ullung Island, Korea

Abstract

A preliminary allozyme study on six populations of Fagus multinervis (endemic to the Ullung Island), Pinus parviflora, Hepatica maxima (endmic to the Island), Campanula takesimana (endemic to the Island), Tiarella polyphylla, and Thymus quinquecostatus var. japonicus on the Ullung Island from Korea was made. Populations of F. multinervis and P. parviflora maintain moderate levels of allozyme variation (mean expected heterozygosity of 0.253 in F. multinervis and 0.149 in P. parviflora), whereas those of H. maxima (0.032), C. takesimana (0.021), T. polyphylla (0.016), and T. quinquecostatus var. japonicus (0.066) maintain low levels of allozyme diversity within populations. For the latter four taxa, factors such as founder effect, genetic drift associated with small population size, and probable inbreeding contributed to their situation.