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Abstract
Eisenia nordenskioldi is the dominant earthworm species in many tundra and boreal habitats. Nothing is known about the genetic diversity of this species along the elevation gradient in China. This study sampled 28 individuals in the E. nordenskioldi complex from Wuling Mountain, northern China, to examine their external morphology and genetic diversity. Mt. Wuling is the southern limit of the distribution of the E. nordenskioldi complex. The specimens from Mt. Wuling were classified into three groups along an elevation gradient. Mismatch distribution analysis suggested that the Pleistocene glaciations possibly did not significantly affect the distribution of earthworm species in this region. We also found that elevation affected the genetic diversity, but not the external morphology of E. nordenskioldi. Given the altitudinal genetic diversity within the E. nordenskioldi complex, the phylogeography of this species provides important information for the zoogeographic reconstruction of the mountains in northern China. With the relatively limited sample size, the result is not conclusive, and further studies need to be conducted in the future to verify the results.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe vertical zonation of mountain climates results in the formation of diverse, unique habitats for animals, plants, and microorganisms, giving rise to vertical differences in the biome along altitude gradients [1]
The E. nordenskioldi complex is separated into two species: E. nordenskioldi from northern and western Russia and Eisenia nordenskioldi from southern and southeastern Russia [13]
E. n. nordenskioldi from Russia, while unpigmented E. n. pallida from Korea [21] formed a separate branch within Eisenia nordenskioldi from southern and southeastern Russia
Summary
The vertical zonation of mountain climates results in the formation of diverse, unique habitats for animals, plants, and microorganisms, giving rise to vertical differences in the biome along altitude gradients [1]. Xu et al [2] showed that altitude did not affect the overall abundance of epigeic soil animals on Mt. Dongling but did affect the distribution of various functional feeding groups of animals at different altitudes. Few studies have examined earthworm diversity along an altitude gradient [3]. One suggested that the difference in earthworm species richness along an elevation gradient in the mountains of northeastern Puerto Rico was due to a combination of biotic and soil physical and chemical factors [4].
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