Phylogeography of Arabidopsis halleri (Brassicaceae) in mountain regions of Central Europe inferred from cpDNA variation and ecological niche modelling.

Pawel Wasowicz,Adam Rostanski,Pierre Saumitou-Laprade,Alicja A Babst-Kostecka,Andrzej Pasierbinski,Maxime Pauwels,Ewa M Przedpelska-Wasowicz

doi:10.7717/peerj.1645

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate phylogeographical patterns present within A. halleri in Central Europe. 1,281 accessions sampled from 52 populations within the investigated area were used in the study of genetic variation based on chloroplast DNA. Over 500 high-quality species occurrence records were used in ecological niche modelling experiments. We evidenced the presence of a clear phylogeographic structure within A. halleri in Central Europe. Our results showed that two genetically different groups of populations are present in western and eastern part of the Carpathians. The hypothesis of the existence of a glacial refugium in the Western Carpathians adn the Bohemian Forest cannot be rejected from our data. It seems, however, that the evidence collected during the present study is not conclusive. The area of Sudetes was colonised after LGM probably by migrants from the Bohemian Forest.

Highlights

A phylogeographical approach has been used in numerous studies addressing the Quaternary history of the flora of Europe, shaped by repeated range contractions during cold periods and subsequent extension of available habitats during warmer periods (Hewitt, 2000; Hewitt, 2004)
How to cite this article Wasowicz et al (2016), Phylogeography of Arabidopsis halleri (Brassicaceae) in mountain regions of Central Europe inferred from cpDNA variation and ecological niche modelling
In the light of these considerations, we focused our study on the poorly investigated area covering the Carpathians, Sudetes, Bohemian Forest and Harz Mountains in order to reconstruct the phylogeographic history of this montane species Arabidopsis halleri

Summary

Introduction

A phylogeographical approach has been used in numerous studies addressing the Quaternary history of the flora of Europe, shaped by repeated range contractions during cold periods and subsequent extension of available habitats during warmer periods (Hewitt, 2000; Hewitt, 2004). These range oscillations, altering the patterns of gene flow, have been found to contribute to the genetic differentiation that can be detected between. There is, still little molecular evidence for the existence of ‘‘northern refugia’’ in Central Europe (Daneck et al, 2011)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion