Break zones in the distributions of alleles and species in alpine plants

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_24BD62077FEE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Break zones in the distributions of alleles and species in alpine plants
Journal
Journal of Biogeography
Author(s)
Thiel-Egenter C., Alvarez N., Holderegger R., Tribsch A., Englisch T., Wohlgemuth T., Colli L., Gaudeul M., Gielly L., Jogan N., Linder H.P, Negrini R., Niklfeld H., Pellecchia M., Rioux D., Schönswetter P., Taberlet P., Van Loo M., Winkler M., Gugerli F.
Working group(s)
IntraBioDiv Consortium
ISSN
0305-0270
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2011
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
38
Number
4
Pages
772-782
Language
english
Abstract
Aim  We test for the congruence between allele-based range boundaries (break zones) in silicicolous alpine plants and species-based break zones in the silicicolous flora of the European Alps. We also ask whether such break zones coincide with areas of large elevational variation.Location  The European Alps.Methods  On a regular grid laid across the entire Alps, we determined areas of allele- and species-based break zones using respective clustering algorithms, identifying discontinuities in cluster distributions (breaks), and quantifying integrated break densities (break zones). Discontinuities were identified based on the intra-specific genetic variation of 12 species and on the floristic distribution data from 239 species, respectively. Coincidence between the two types of break zones was tested using Spearman's correlation. Break zone densities were also regressed on topographical complexity to test for the effect of elevational variation.Results  We found that two main break zones in the distribution of alleles and species were significantly correlated. Furthermore, we show that these break zones are in topographically complex regions, characterized by massive elevational ranges owing to high mountains and deep glacial valleys. We detected a third break zone in the distribution of species in the eastern Alps, which is not correlated with topographic complexity, and which is also not evident from allelic distribution patterns. Species with the potential for long-distance dispersal tended to show larger distribution ranges than short-distance dispersers.Main conclusions  We suggest that the history of Pleistocene glaciations is the main driver of the congruence between allele-based and species-based distribution patterns, because occurrences of both species and alleles were subject to the same processes (such as extinction, migration and drift) that shaped the distributions of species and genetic lineages. Large elevational ranges have had a profound effect as a dispersal barrier for alleles during post-glacial immigration. Because plant species, unlike alleles, cannot spread via pollen but only via seed, and thus disperse less effectively, we conclude that species break zones are maintained over longer time spans and reflect more ancient patterns than allele break zones.Conny Thiel-Egenter and Nadir Alvarez contributed equally to this paper and are considered joint first authors.
Keywords
AFLP, allele distribution patterns, alpine plants, elevational range, European Alps, floristic areas, genetic structure, glacial survival, species distribution patterns
Web of science
Create date
12/01/2011 22:57
Last modification date
20/08/2019 13:03
Usage data