Abstract
Cynips quercusfolii is an oak gall wasp species distributed across the western Palearctic region. In this study, C. quercusfolii adults were used to investigate the possible effects of past climatic fluctuations and topography on the genetic structure of this species in Turkey. For this, the partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b gene (cyt b) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) ITS2 region of 294 individuals from 38 populations covering the distribution of this species in Turkey were sequenced. The sequences generated 125 mtDNA haplotypes and 30 nDNA alleles. High variation was revealed in Turkish populations of C. quercusfolii (h = 0.7328 and π = 0.0102 for cyt b, and h = 0.5865 and π = 0.0058 for ITS2). Demographic analyses and high haplotype versus low nucleotide diversity indicated that C. quercusfolii populations might have undergone a series of expansions and contractions in the past. Phylogenetic analyses showed that this species is structured geographically between east and west due to a major physical barrier, the Anatolian Diagonal. Furthermore, divergence times of the lineages implied that deep splits occurred before the Pleistocene, while intermediate to shallow splits were associated with climatic changes during the Pleistocene. We conclude that ongoing geological events and associated climatic cycles were responsible for the current population genetic structure of this species in Turkey.
Highlights
Turkey is one of the most interesting places in the world due to the richness of species and their high genetic diversity (Gür, 2016) and has attracted a great deal of attention because of its geographic location and complicated geological history (Okay, 2008)
Eighteen amino acids (12.5%) showed substitutions when all cyt b sequences were translated into amino acids
Most C. quercusfolii populations showed a high level of genetic diversity, where the average haplotype (h) and nucleotide diversity (π) for the cyt b gene were h = 0.7328 ± 0.0955, and π = 0.0102 ± 0.0068, respectively (Table 1)
Summary
Turkey is one of the most interesting places in the world due to the richness of species and their high genetic diversity (Gür, 2016) and has attracted a great deal of attention because of its geographic location and complicated geological history (Okay, 2008). The Anatolian Diagonal, running from northeastern Turkey to south-eastern Anatolia, is the most effective physical barrier dividing eastern Anatolia from the western part (Davis, 1971). Turkey is located at the junction of three phytogeographical regions: the Mediterranean in the south and western part of Anatolia, the Euro-Siberian in the northern part of Turkey and the Irano-Turanian region covering eastern, south-eastern and central Anatolia (Zohary, 1973). It has been suggested that this mountain belt creates altitudinal differences on both sides that are associated with different ecological conditions, supporting distinct floristic and faunistic elements in Turkey by dividing the Irano-Turanian region into eastern and western parts (Ekim & Güner, 1986; Gür, 2016)
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