Abstract
AbstractAimHigh mountain regions exhibit a much stronger environmental heterogeneity and a more complex glacial history than lowland regions. In this study, we compared the genetic variation of plant species occurring in different altitudinal zones. We tested the assumption that environmental and historic differences among high mountain regions and lowlands result in different patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation.LocationCentral Europe and the European Alps.MethodsWe first compiled a data set on genetic variation of 179 plant species occurring in Central Europe and the European Alps measured by AFLPs from the literature. Then, we compared genetic diversity and differentiation between species occurring in the lowland, montane, subalpine and alpine vegetation zone with the help of linear models. Geographic distance among sampled populations, plant frequency and three plant traits (life span, mating system and pollination mode) were included into the models, to account for their potential effects on level of genetic variation.ResultsOur analysis revealed different patterns of genetic variation in plant species occurring in the alpine and non‐alpine zone. Genetic differentiation was significantly higher among populations of species from the alpine than subalpine, montane or lowland zone. In contrast, genetic diversity was significantly lower within populations from the alpine zone compared to the other zones.Main conclusionsWe argue that the observed pattern of genetic variation most likely results from restricted gene flow, both past and present, among spatially and environmentally isolated populations in alpine habitats.
Highlights
High mountain regions belong to the most species-rich areas worldwide (Körner, 2004, 2014)
Geographic distance and frequency had a positive effect on ΦST values and genetic differentiation was significantly higher in annual than in perennial species (Table 1; Table S2), which confirms the patterns of genetic differentiation demonstrated in previous studies (Hamrick & Godt, 1996; Nybom & Bartish, 2000; Reisch & Bernhardt-Römermann, 2014)
Previous studies demonstrated a strong impact of life history traits on genetic variation
Summary
High mountain regions belong to the most species-rich areas worldwide (Körner, 2004, 2014). Topographic complexity is a strong driver of species richness (Coblentz & Riitters, 2004; Irl et al, 2015; Stein et al, 2014); different exposure and inclination of mountain slopes with specific microclimate in combination with different geological substrates and soils and the related nutrient and water availability form a multitude of different microhabitats containing characteristic and locally adapted species (Körner, 2004). This process of ecological speciation is intensified by geographic speciation due to reduced connectivity among isolated mountain regions (Smyčka et al, 2017). The lower level of complexity and the stronger impact of human activity all together result in a lower number of microhabitats per unit of area and species richness decreases in Central Europe from the south to the north (Mutke et al, 2010)
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