Niche Analysis Research Articles

Assessing future suitability of tree species under climate change by multiple methods: a case study in southern Germany

We compared results derived using three different approaches to assess the suitability of common tree species on the Franconian Plateau in southern Germany under projected warmer and drier climate conditions in the period 2061-2080. The study area is currently a relatively warm and dry region of Germany. We calculated species distribution models (SDMs) using information on species’ climate envelopes to predict regional species spectra under 63 different climate change scenarios. We complemented this with fine-scale ecological niche analysis using data from 51 vegetation surveys in seven forest reserves in the study area, and tree-ring analysis (TRA) from local populations of five tree species to quantify their sensitivity to climatic extreme years. The SDMs showed that predicted future climate change in the region remains within the climate envelope of certain species (e.g. Quercus petraea), whilst for e.g. Fagus sylvatica, future climate conditions in one third of the scenarios are too warm and dry. This was confirmed by the TRA: sensitivity to drought periods is lower for Q. petraea than for F. sylvatica. The niche analysis shows that the local ecological niches of Quercus robur and Fraxinus excelsior are mainly characterized by soils providing favorable water supply than by climate, and Pinus sylvestris (planted) is strongly influenced by light availability. The best adapted species for a warmer and potentially drier climate in the study region are Acer campestre, Sorbus torminalis, S. aria, Ulmus minor, and Tilia platyphyllos, which should therefore play a more prominent role in future climate-resilient mixed forest ecosystems.

Television media old and new: A niche analysis of OTT, IPTV, and digital cable in Taiwan

Adopting Dimmick’s niche theory as its theoretical framework, this study used gratifications obtained and gratification opportunities to examine the competitive relationships among three television media—OTT, IPTV (MOD), and digital cable. Two research methods were employed, the first of which was to conduct 20 intensive interviews. The second method was to adopt a nationwide telephone survey that resulted in 1015 valid questionnaires. The data analysis yielded three conclusions. (1) Among the three media, OTT was the most competitive, while digital cable and MOD were almost equivalent in terms of their competitiveness. (2) The highest competition occurred between MOD and digital cable because the respondents perceived the two media to resemble one another more than OTT. (3) This study found OTT to be a generalist, while MOD and digital cable were specialists.

Extinction vs. Rapid Radiation: The Juxtaposed Evolutionary Histories of Coelotine Spiders Support the Eocene-Oligocene Orogenesis of the Tibetan Plateau.

Evolutionary biology has long been concerned with how changing environments affect and drive the spatiotemporal development of organisms. Coelotine spiders (Agelenidae: Coelotinae) are common species in the temperate and subtropical areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Their long evolutionary history and the extremely imbalanced distribution of species richness suggest that Eurasian environments, especially since the Cenozoic, are the drivers of their diversification. We use phylogenetics, molecular dating, ancestral area reconstructions, diversity, and ecological niche analyses to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of 286 coelotine species from throughout the region. Based on eight genes (6.5 kb) and 2323 de novo DNA sequences, analyses suggest an Eocene South China origin for them. Most extant, widespread species belong to the southern (SCG) or northern (NCG) clades. The origin of coelotine spiders appears to associate with either the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum or the hot period in early Eocene. Tibetan uplifting events influenced the current diversity patterns of coelotines. The origin of SCG lies outside of the Tibetan Plateau. Uplifting in the southeastern area of the plateau blocked dispersal since the Late Eocene. Continuous orogenesis appears to have created localized vicariant events, which drove rapid radiation in SCG. North-central Tibet is the likely location of origin for NCG and many lineages likely experienced extinction owing to uplifting since early Oligocene. Their evolutionary histories correspond with recent geological evidence that high-elevation orographical features existed in the Tibetan region as early as 40-35 Ma. Our discoveries may be the first empirical evidence that links the evolution of organisms to the Eocene-Oligocene uplifting of the Tibetan Plateau. [Tibet; biogeography; ecology; molecular clock; diversification.].

Climatic niche evolution is faster in sympatric than allopatric lineages of the butterfly genus Pyrgus.

Understanding how speciation relates to ecological divergence has long fascinated biologists. It is assumed that ecological divergence is essential to sympatric speciation, as a mechanism to avoid competition and eventually lead to reproductive isolation, while divergence in allopatry is not necessarily associated with niche differentiation. The impact of the spatial context of divergence on the evolutionary rates of abiotic dimensions of the ecological niche has rarely been explored for an entire clade. Here, we compare the magnitude of climatic niche shifts between sympatric versus allopatric divergence of lineages in butterflies. By combining next-generation sequencing, parametric biogeography and ecological niche analyses applied to a genus-wide phylogeny of Palaearctic Pyrgus butterflies, we compare evolutionary rates along eight climatic dimensions across sister lineages that diverged in large-scale sympatry versus allopatry. In order to examine the possible effects of the spatial scale at which sympatry is defined, we considered three sets of biogeographic assignments, ranging from narrow to broad definition. Our findings suggest higher rates of niche evolution along all climatic dimensions for sister lineages that diverge in sympatry, when using a narrow delineation of biogeographic areas. This result contrasts with significantly lower rates of climatic niche evolution found in cases of allopatric speciation, despite the biogeographic regions defined here being characterized by significantly different climates. Higher rates in allopatry are retrieved when biogeographic areas are too widely defined-in such a case allopatric events may be recorded as sympatric. Our results reveal the macro-evolutionary significance of abiotic niche differentiation involved in speciation processes within biogeographic regions, and illustrate the importance of the spatial scale chosen to define areas when applying parametric biogeographic analyses.

Novel soil-inhabiting clades fill gaps in the fungal tree of life

BackgroundFungi are a diverse eukaryotic group of degraders, pathogens, and symbionts, with many lineages known only from DNA sequences in soil, sediments, air, and water.ResultsWe provide rough phylogenetic placement and principal niche analysis for >40 previously unrecognized fungal groups at the order and class level from global soil samples based on combined 18S (nSSU) and 28S (nLSU) rRNA gene sequences. Especially, Rozellomycota (Cryptomycota), Zygomycota s.lat, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota are rich in novel fungal lineages, most of which exhibit distinct preferences for climate and soil pH.ConclusionsThis study uncovers the great phylogenetic richness of previously unrecognized order- to phylum-level fungal lineages. Most of these rare groups are distributed in different ecosystems of the world but exhibit distinct ecological preferences for climate or soil pH. Across the fungal kingdom, tropical and non-tropical habitats are equally likely to harbor novel groups. We advocate that a combination of traditional and high-throughput sequencing methods enable efficient recovery and phylogenetic placement of such unknown taxonomic groups.

Spatially Correlated Time Series and Ecological Niche Analysis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Afghanistan.

Leishmaniasis is the third most common vector-borne disease and a very important protozoan infection. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most common types of leishmaniasis infectious diseases with up to 1.2 million occurrences of new cases each year worldwide. A dynamic transmission multivariate time series model was applied to the data to account for overdispersion and evaluate the effects of three environmental layers as well as seasonality in the data. Furthermore, ecological niche modeling was used to study the geographically suitable conditions for cutaneous leishmaniasis using temperature, precipitation and altitude as environmental layers, together with the leishmaniasis presence data. A retrospective analysis of the cutaneous leishmaniasis spatial data in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2009 indicates a steady increase from 2003 to 2007, a small decrease in 2008, and then another increase in 2009. An upward trend and regularly repeating patterns of highs and lows were observed related to the months of the year, which suggests seasonality effect in the data. Two peaks were observed in the disease occurrence—January to March and September to December—which coincide with the cold period. Ecological niche modelling indicates that precipitation has the greatest contribution to the potential distribution of leishmaniasis.

Morphological and ecological divergence in South American canids

AbstractAimClosely related species are expected to be similar in their ecological attributes. However, clades colonizing new environments and diversifying due to ecological processes often show morphological and ecological divergence. Canids arrived in South America after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama and diversified to occupy a variety of habitats. We test whether the diversification of this group was followed by divergence in species niches. If ecological processes are associated with species divergences, we expect to see species occupying distinct climatic niches, showing divergent phenotypes, and showing a close association between their phenotypes and ecological attributes.LocationSouth AmericaMethodsWe use comparative and multivariate climatic niche analysis, geometric morphometric (skull and jaw), and distance‐based phylogenetic regressions to test whether the diversification of South American canids was followed by divergence in their climatic niches and phenotypic traits.ResultsWe found a pattern of continental niche occupancy (north to south) along a complex climatic gradient. As species diverged, they evolved distinct climatic tolerances. Climatic niche similarities are not related to species phylogenetic relationships, indicating that closely related species may have distinct climatic tolerances. Our morphological analysis also showed strong phenotypic divergence between species. Our results suggest that these differences were related to climatic and trophic niches. Results show divergent phenotypes in both the skull and jaw, and that there is a close association between phenotype and ecological strategies.Main conclusionsOur study integrates phylogenetic history, ecological and morphological data to study the evolution of South American canids. Canid colonization of South America was followed by species ecological divergences. Our results support the hypothesis that ecological processes are the main drivers of diversification of this clade and illustrate a complex biogeographical history of ecological diversification of canids at continental scale.

Abundancia y distribución del género Pinus en Capulálpam de Méndez, Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca

Se analizan los factores ambientales que determinan la abundancia y distribución de las diferentes especies comerciales y aprovechadas del género Pinus en el municipio de Capulálpam de Méndez, Oaxaca. Se utilizó la información de 636 sitios en áreas de aprovechamiento del inventario forestal del municipio llevado a cabo en 2013 para el Plan de Manejo 2015-2022, y 354 puntos adicionales de áreas con uso diferente al forestal. Se obtuvo información sobre la distribución espacial y análisis del nicho ecológico de los pinos, para lo cual se emplearon nueve variables climáticas y cuatro geográficas. Se encontraron 10 especies, de las cuales P. patula presentó mayor abundancia y P. chiapensis fue la menor. El análisis de correspondencia canónica indicó que la mayoría de los pinos analizados se asocian en mayor medida con las variables climáticas que con las geográficas a excepción de la latitud. El análisis de nicho mostró que las especies del género Pinus muestran alta marginalidad y baja tolerancia a procesos de cambio ambiental, donde una modificación al hábitat podría restringir o disminuir su abundancia y distribución, siendo P. chiapensis la especie de menor tolerancia y P. patula la de mayor amplitud de nicho.

Ecological niche and species distribution modelling of sea stars along the Pacific Northwest continental shelf

AbstractAimPopulations of several sea star species were devastated by a disease in 2013–2014 from Alaska to Baja California. However, their exact distributions and ecological requirements are unknown and better knowledge could help identify populations that are at risk. This study aimed to assess patterns of distribution and determine ecological requirements of several sea star species affected by the disease.LocationContinental shelf from southern Washington State to northern California, USA.MethodsA large occurrence dataset (5385 data points) of 11 taxa was gathered from bottom trawl surveys and underwater video footage, along with data for 13 oceanographic and seafloor environmental parameters. Species distribution modelling (Maxent) and ecological niche (outlying mean index) analyses were applied to these biotic and abiotic datasets.ResultsEach species showed contrasting ecological niches and modelled distributions, the main explanatory factors being depth, temperature, salinity, sediment mean grain size and the presence of rocky outcrops. Despite these species being recorded from Alaska to California, some sea stars showed very narrow distributions, whereas other taxa were widely distributed in the whole area.Main conclusionsThe modelled ecological niches and distributions of these 11 sea star taxa showed a high degree of differentiation. Because intertidal and shallow subtidal populations were drastically affected by the 2013–2014 disease, recovery will depend on health of subtidal populations and the ability of the species to disperse and recolonize shallower areas. Our study will serve as a useful reference of the species distributions before the disease started. This distributional data and assessment of influential environmental factors will be valuable for future predictions or studies of the effects of bottom‐contact ocean‐use activities on sea star species as well as the effects of climate change. Understanding habitat conditions favourable for these species may be helpful in managing population recovery following disease outbreaks or other catastrophic events.

Predicting range-shift success potential for tropical marine fishes using external morphology.

With global change accelerating the rate of species' range shifts, predicting which are most likely to establish viable populations in their new habitats is key to understanding how biological systems will respond. Annually, in Australia, tropical fish larvae from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are transported south via the East Australian Current (EAC), settling into temperate coastal habitats for the summer period, before experiencing near-100% mortality in winter. However, within 10 years, predicted winter ocean temperatures for the southeast coast of Australia will remain high enough for more of these so-called 'tropical vagrants' to survive over winter. We used a method of morphological niche analysis, previously shown to be an effective predictor of invasion success by fishes, to project which vagrants have the greatest likelihood of undergoing successful range shifts under these new climatic conditions. We find that species from the family of butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae), and the moorish idol, Zanclus cornutus, are most likely to be able to exploit new niches within the ecosystem once physiological barriers to overwintering by tropical vagrant species are removed. Overall, the position of vagrants within the morphospace was strongly skewed, suggesting that impending competitive pressures may impact disproportionately on particular parts of the native community.

Assessing the trophic niche of South American Terns integrating conventional and isotopie methods

Conventional dietary studies combined with stable isotope analysis allowed the characterisation of the trophic niche of South American Terns (Sterna hirundinacea) breeding in Argentina. Direct observation of prey deliveries during mate-and chick-provisioning showed that the diet of South American Terns comprised at least 18 prey items, mainly pelagic schooling fish with smaller proportions of marine invertebrates. Argentine Anchovy (Engraulis anchoita) was the main fish prey. Adults delivered a higher proportion of fish and smaller prey to their chicks than to their mates. Analysis of stable isotope ratios in blood samples, using Bayesian stable isotope mixing models, indicated that adult Terns used a higher proportion of marine invertebrates for self-feeding than for mate-or chick-provisioning. Analyses of stable isotopes ratios in blood samples from chicks were consistent with the determination of diet from direct observation, and indicated differences from adults in both the proportion of different prey in the diet and trophic niche. In addition, isotopic niche analysis showed that chicks had a significantly higher trophic position compared with self-feeding adults during both mate-provisioning and chick stages. The results highlight the importance of combining stable isotope and conventional methods to adequately assess the food requirements of a population during the breeding season.

Rapid genetic and ecological differentiation during the northern range expansion of the venomous yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium punctorium in Europe.

Although poleward range expansions are commonly attributed to global change, a complex interaction of ecological and evolutionary factors might contribute to expansion success. Here, we study the expansion of the yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium punctorium, a medically important species in Central Europe. Using microsatellite markers and DNA sequences, morphological and climate niche analyses, we identify factors associated with the spider's expansion success. Our results indicate that the species' initial expansion has been triggered by environmental change and preadaptation in the source populations. However, despite extensive gene flow, expanding populations maintain genetic and morphological differentiation from native ones, which is correlated with climatic niche differences. Moreover, expanding spiders might have temporarily escaped an eggsac parasite that causes high mortality in the native range. Hence, our results paint a complex picture of diverse factors associated with expansion success. We speculate that expanding populations might be capable of adapting to novel ecological conditions in northern Europe. This could allow a substantial range expansion, much farther than by environmental change alone. Our distribution model predicts that the spider will soon massively spread over most of northern Europe, bringing along considerable health concerns.

Genetic assessment of the threatened microendemic Pleurodeles poireti (Caudata, Salamandridae), with molecular evidence for hybridization with Pleurodeles nebulosus

Short-range endemics are high-priority conservation targets, and valuable information for their management can be obtained from assessments of genetic diversity and structure, including potential hybridization with related species, and the investigation of factors shaping their patterns of occurrence. The Edough ribbed newt, Pleurodeles poireti, is restricted to the Edough Peninsula in Algeria, and listed as Endangered in IUCN’s Red List. Its range is completely surrounded by the more widespread, closely related, Algerian ribbed newt, Pleurodeles nebulosus. Here we examined patterns of genetic diversity and structure in P. poireti using mtDNA sequences of the ND4 gene and a suite of 12 polymorphic microsatellites in a sample of 193 individuals from 46 populations covering the whole range of P. poireti and neighboring populations of P. nebulosus. We also investigated the influence of environmental variables (climate, topography, soil texture and plant cover) on the patterns of occurrence of both species. Genetic data allow fine scale delineation of the ranges of the two species and provide evidence for hybridization in several localities in a broad area of overlap. Niche analyses indicate that P. nebulosus and P. poireti tend to occupy similar niches and that the hybrid zone is not associated to an ecotone. This suggests that the range boundaries of the two species may be constrained by reciprocal exclusion, although in the case of P. poireti there are additional environmental constraints. These distributional patterns could be explained by high occupation of habitats by P. poireti, hindering the penetration of P. nebulosus by a ‘density blocking’ effect.

Initial response of fish trophic niche to hydrological alteration in the upstream of Three Gorges Dam

Damming is one of the dramatic impacts to river food webs due to habitat fragmentation and changes in the hydrological regimes. The world’s largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), has been constructed in the middle of Yangtze River since 2003. The objective of this study was to understand the effects of altered hydrological regime on the trophic structure of fish food web along the hydrological gradient in the TGD. Fish samples were collected from an upstream, a midstream and a downstream site of the Yangtze River upstream of the TGD in May and September of 2004. Muscle tissue of each fish species was determined for stable isotopic compositions (δ13C and δ15N) which were used to calculate isotope-based Bayesian community-wide trophic metrics. Stable isotope trophic niche analysis reveals reduced utilization of basal resource and trophic niche space at the midstream and downstream sites. By contrast, community trophic diversity and species redundancy were higher at the downstream than the upstream and midstream, likely as the result of reduced the spectrum of basal resources. These findings suggested that the negative impacts on the overall trophic niche space from reduced flow, increased water depth and stagnancy occurred only one year after the completion of the TGD. Altered hydrological regimes posed multiple impacts to the aquatic food web. Reduced flow and increased water depth within TGD has posed initial effects to the fish community trophic structure. Further collections ana analysis of ecological data to compare the fish trophic structure revealed in this study are needed to assess the long-term impacts of TGD on fish community structure and resources utilization.

Replacement or complement: A niche analysis of Yahoo news, television news, and electronic news

This study adopted the theory of the niche to investigate the competitive relationship between three news media—Yahoo news, television news, and electronic newspapers. Two research methods, intensive interviews and a nationwide telephone survey, were employed to collect data for this study. The telephone survey resulted in 1002 valid telephone calls. This study found that Yahoo news did not produce its own news, but it was perceived by the respondents to be equivalent to television news and that the respondents perceived the strengths of Yahoo news and television news to be very different. Therefore, this study predicts that the two media would be able to coexist in Taiwan’s news media market. Furthermore, the data from the niche analysis show that Yahoo news and television news were generalists, while electronic newspapers were specialists.

Patterns of abiotic niche shifts in allopolyploids relative to their progenitors.

Polyploidy has extensive genetic, physiological, morphological, and ecological ramifications. While the patterns underlying the genetic and morphological consequences of polyploidy are being rapidly elucidated, the effects on ecological niche are still largely unknown. This study investigated 13 allopolyploid systems in North America (10 ferns and three angiosperms) using digitized natural history museum specimens. The abiotic niches of the allopolyploids were compared with those of their diploid progenitors using ecological niche modeling, niche analyses, and multivariate analyses. We identified four patterns of niche shifts through our analyses: niche expansion, niche contraction, niche intermediacy, and niche novelty. The classification of these shifts depended on the amount of niche overlap and breadth between the polyploid and progenitors. The most common niche shift was niche intermediacy in which the polyploid inhabited a geographic range between that of the progenitors and had a high degree of niche overlap. Each polyploid had at least partial geographic sympatry and abiotic niche overlap with one of its progenitors, suggesting that biotic and/or microclimate factors may play a larger role in polyploid establishment than previously hypothesized. This study provides a baseline for future comparisons of the diverse outcomes of genome merger and duplication on abiotic niche preference.

Consistent differential resource use by sympatric lake (Coregonus clupeaformis) and round (Prosopium cylindraceum) whitefish in Lake Huron: a multi-time scale isotopic niche analysis

Lake (Coregonus clupeaformis) and round (Prosopium cylindraceum) whitefish are sympatric benthivores in Lake Huron that are thought to coexist via niche partitioning. However, little is known about long-term resource use and niche overlap across different temporal scales. We used a multiyear (2010–2012) and multi-tissue (liver, muscle, and bone layers) isotopic niche analysis to characterize and compare resource use by lake and round whitefish across several time scales. Lake whitefish consistently used more diverse, 13C-depleted (mean δ13C = −21.9‰) and 15N-enriched (mean δ15N = +9.3‰) resources than round whitefish (mean δ13C = −18.2‰; mean δ15N = +8.3‰). Niche overlap occurred only in liver, representing the spawning period, while niche segregation was highest in juvenile life stages. Individuals of both species made variable resource shifts among time periods, suggesting that spawning aggregations are composed of individuals representing a variety of feeding strategies and locations. Our study confirms that differential resource use is an important strategy for these fish as adults and demonstrates life-long niche partitioning beginning before age-2.

Picturing thermal niches and biomass of hydrothermal vent species

In community ecology, niche analysis is a classic tool for investigating species׳ distribution and dynamics. Components of a species׳ niche include biotic and abiotic factors. In the hydrothermal vent ecosystem, although composition and temporal variation have been investigated since these deep-sea habitats were discovered nearly 40 years ago, the roles and the factors behind the success of the dominant species of these ecosystems have yet to be fully elucidated. In the Lucky Strike vent field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), the dominant species is the mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus. Data on this species and its associated community were collected during four oceanographic cruises on the Eiffel Tower edifice and integrated in a novel statistical framework for niche analysis. We assessed the thermal range, density, biomass and niche similarities of B. azoricus and its associated fauna.Habitat similarities grouped mussels into three size categories: mussels with lengths ranging from 0.5 to 1.5cm, from 1.5 to 6cm, and mussels longer than 6cm. These size categories were consistent with those found in previous studies based on video imagery. The three size categories featured different associated fauna. The thermal range of mussels was shown to change with organism size, with intermediate sizes having a broader thermal niche than small or large mussels. Temperature maxima seem to drive their distribution along the mixing gradient between warm hydrothermal fluids and cold seawater. B. azoricus constitutes nearly 90% of the biomass (in g dry weight /m2) of the ecosystem. Mean individual weights were calculated for 39 of the 79 known taxa on Eiffel Tower and thermal ranges were obtained for all the inventoried species of this edifice. The analysis showed that temperature is a suitable variable to describe density variations among samples for 71 taxa. However, thermal conditions do not suffice to explain biomass variability. Our results provide valuable insights into mussel ecology, biotic interactions and the role of B. azoricus in the community.

Factors affecting the distribution and abundance of orchids in grasslands and herbaceous wetlands

Grasslands, wet meadows, fens, bogs, and marshes represent important ecosystems that host many orchid species. However, research on the joint effect of the multi-scalar abiotic drivers on orchid distribution and abundance in these habitats is limited. In this study, we investigated factors associated with the occurrence and abundance of 42 orchid taxa in grasslands and herbaceous wetlands of 29 mountains and the surrounding low altitude areas in western Serbia (eastern Dinaric Alps, southeastern Europe). Niche analysis of orchids was performed using outlying mean index analysis (OMI). In addition, we used similarity profile analysis (SIMPROF) to classify orchid taxa into ecological groups, multi response permutation procedure (MRPP) to analyse the differences in orchid composition between vegetation types, and indicator species analysis (ISA) to detect orchids with an affinity to a certain type of vegetation and geological bedrock. The most important gradients that separate orchids within the sampled environmental conditions were moisture, temperature, altitude and soil pH. Moreover, this study underlines the importance of certain vegetation types and geological bedrocks in determining the distribution and abundance of orchids. In total, eight ecological groups of orchids were distinguished. The results have shown that 11 orchid taxa are indicators of specific vegetation types, whereas 13 orchid taxa are indicators of specific bedrock types. The study area provides suitable conditions for survival of some rare and endemic orchid species that have southern limits of their distribution in this part of southeastern Europe. The study suggests that the joint effect of ecological factors, especially vegetation communities and bedrock types, is important to consider in the planning and management of orchid species conservation.

Inferring the roles of vicariance, climate and topography in population differentiation inSalamandra algira(Caudata, Salamandridae)

Integrating information from species occurrence data, environmental variables and molecular markers can provide valuable insights about the processes of population persistence and differentiation. In this study, we present the most comprehensive overview of the evolutionary history of the North African salamander Salamandra algira (Caudata, Salamandridae) to date, including analyses of climatic and topographical variables, and sequences of two mitochondrial and two nuclear DNA fragments, with a special focus on Algerian populations, under-represented in previous studies. Coalescent-based phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA data recover four well-supported population groups corresponding to described subspecies, with a western clade including populations in north-western Morocco (with two subclades corresponding to the subspecies tingitana and splendens), and an eastern clade including populations from north-eastern Morocco (subspecies spelaea) and Algeria (subspecies algira). Inferred split times between major clades date back to the Miocene, with additional splits within each major clade in the Plio-Pleistocene. Present climatic (aridity) and topographical factors account for geographical discontinuities across population groups and help identify potential areas of secondary contact between clades corresponding to the subspecies tingitana and splendens in the Rif mountains in Morocco. Niche analysis indicates the absence of phylogenetic signal in the use of environmental space in this species.