Abstract
The complex geological and ecological processes that have generated high levels of biodiversity and endemism in the Baja California Peninsula have been the subject of intensive study. However, relatively little is known about phylogeography of the iconic endemic palm species of this region. We therefore analyzed a total of 2,294 bp of chloroplast and 738 bp of nuclear sequence data in 169 samples of five native palm species from Baja California, Sonora and Guadalupe Island. We found that Washingtonia and Brahea palms had low levels of genetic diversity and were highly structured, with the majority of species and major geographic regions being characterized by distinct haplotypes. We also found strong support for currently recognized species in Washingtonia, but our results were less clear cut for Brahea due to haplotype sharing. Furthermore, patterns of population structure were broadly consistent with historical vicariant events such as the inundation of the Isthmus of La Paz, the formation of the Sea of Cortez, and the more recent colonization and isolation of Guadalupe Island's palms. Our findings contribute toward a growing appreciation of the complexity of plant responses to past geological changes and also provide valuable baseline genetic data on relict American palm species.
Highlights
Spatial patterns of species abundance and distribution are of a fundamental importance as they contribute toward virtually every facet of ecological knowledge from conservation to the understanding of ecosystem function and structure
Our initial prediction regarding the levels of genetic diversity and phylogeography of Washingtonia and Brahea were only partially confirmed
Ecological barriers like sea channels appear to be responsible for high levels of isolation between groups on either side of the barrier
Summary
Spatial patterns of species abundance and distribution are of a fundamental importance as they contribute toward virtually every facet of ecological knowledge from conservation to the understanding of ecosystem function and structure. W. robusta is locally distributed near Cataviña and Sierra Asamblea and is more common in the southern half of the Baja peninsula (Minnich et al, 2011) It occurs on the Mexican mainland, where it is restricted to a few riparian canyons at the southern edge of the Sonoran Desert and appears to be relictual, being geographically and ecologically the most narrowly distributed palm species in the region (Felger & Joyal, 1999). These genera share similar life histories and habitat requirements yet both occupy the northern limit of the Arecaceae distributional range, are endemic and locally rare.
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