Conservation genomics of Casearia sylvestris Sw. in the Brazilian Savannah and Atlantic Forest of the State of São Paulo

Forest restorations and conservation units have been the main ways for the conservation of Brazilian Savannah (Cerrado) and Atlantic Forest biomes in Brazil, but little attention has been given to genetic diversity in the populations of plant species of these areas. Therefore, two studies were carried out with the objectives of: 1) Evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of Casearia sylvestris Sw. In forest restorations and in natural remnants of Atlantic Forest; 2) Study the genetic diversity and structure of natural populations of C. sylvestris from the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest of Brazil and verify the occurrence of positive selection in these populations. Genomic libraries of C. sylvestris were built and sequenced using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and double-digested restriction associated DNA (ddRADseq) techniques. Estimates of genetic diversity and differentiation were estimated for all populations (total number of alleles, heterozygosities, number of private alleles, allelic richness, inbreeding coefficients and fixation indices) and the genetic structuring study was performed through the discriminant analysis of components (DAPC). There were no significant differences between the estimates of diversity and genetic differentiation calculated in the first study, indicating that forest restorations have offered conservation conditions of genetic diversity. In the second study it was observed that the populations of C. sylvestris from Cerrado and Atlantic Forest are genetically structured. In addition, the occurrence of positive selection in the populations of these biomes was reported. It is concluded with these two studies that the model that the forest restorations were implemented in Brazil has made possible the conservation of the genetic diversity of the populations and that the differences in the environmental characteristics between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest can lead to the occurrence of microevolutionary events that lead local adaptation to these biomes (AU)