1. |
- Brunhoff, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Glacial survival or late glacial colonization? Phylogeography of the root vole (Microtus oeconomus) in north-west Norway
- 2006
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 33:12, s. 2136-2144
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim It has been proposed that the root vole subspecies, Microtus oeconomus finmarchicus, survived the last glacial period on islands on the north-west coast of Norway. The Norwegian island of Andoya may have constituted the only site with permanent ice-free conditions. Geological surveys and fossil finds from Andoya demonstrate that survival throughout the last glacial maximum was probably possible for some plants and animals. In this study we aim to infer the recent evolutionary history of Norwegian root vole populations and to evaluate the glacial survival hypothesis. Methods DNA sequence variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was studied in 46 root voles from 19 localities. Location Northern Fennoscandia and north-west Russia with a focus on islands on the north-west coast of Norway. Results The phylogeographical analyses revealed two North European phylogroups labelled 'Andoya' and 'Fennoscandia'. The Andoya phylogroup contained root voles from the Norwegian islands of Andoya, Ringvassoya and Reinoya and two localities in north-west Russia. The Fennoscandian phylogroup encompassed root voles from the three Norwegian islands of Kvaloya, Hakoya and Arnoya and the remaining specimens from Norway, northern Sweden and Finland. Nucleotide diversity within the Andoya and Fennoscandian phylogroups was similar, ranging from 0.5% to 0.7%. Main conclusions Both our genetic data and previously published morphological data are consistent with in situ glacial survival of root voles on Andoya during the last glacial maximum. However, the level of genetic diversity observed in the extant island populations, the past periods of severe climatic conditions on Andoya and the ecology of the root vole are somewhat difficult to reconcile with this model. A biogeographical scenario involving late glacial recolonization along the northern coasts of Russia and Norway therefore represents a viable alternative. Our results demonstrate that complex recolonization and extinction histories can generate intricate phylogeographical patterns and relatively high levels of genetic variation in northern populations.
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2. |
- Bruun, Hans Henrik, et al.
(author)
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Nested communities of alpine plants on isolated mountains: relative importance of colonization and extinction
- 2003
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 30:2, s. 297-303
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim This paper seeks to investigate whether alpine floras on isolated mountains in boreal forest show nestedness, and, if that is the case, to determine whether selective extinction or colonization is the likely cause of the observed patterns. Location Isolated mountains in the boreal coniferous forests of northern Sweden (province of Norrbotten, c. 66°N; 18°E). The timberline in the region probably has been 300-400 m above the present some thousands of years before present, potentially covering these mountains. Methods A data matrix of twenty-seven alpine plant species on twenty-seven isolated mountains was subjected to nested subsets analysis. Extinction probability was assumed to increase with decreasing area, and colonization probability was assumed to decrease with increasing isolation. By sorting the data matrix by these factors and sequentially computing the degree of nestedness, we were able to determine whether the alpine floras were structured mainly by selective extinction or mainly by differential colonization. Results When ordered by decreasing area the data matrix was significantly more nested than random, but that was not the case when ordered by decreasing isolation. Ordering by maximum altitude also produced significant nestedness. Main conclusions Contrary to the conventional view that isolated mountains were completely covered with boreal forest some thousands of years ago, the nestedness patterns of alpine plants indicate that many of them survived the forest period on the isolated mountains, probably on cliffs and slopes too steep for the formation of closed forest.
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3. |
- Connor, Simon E., et al.
(author)
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The ecological impact of oceanic island colonization - a palaeoecological perspective from the Azores
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 39:6, s. 1007-1023
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim In many cases, human colonization drastically modified the ecosystems of remote oceanic islands before scientists arrived to document the changes. Palaeoecological records before and after human colonization provide insights into the original ecosystems and an assessment of subsequent human impact. We used pollen analysis to compare the impact of 15th century colonization of the Azores with that of natural disturbances such as volcanic eruptions and climate changes. Location Azores archipelago, Atlantic Ocean. Methods Sediment records from three highland sites in the Azores (on the islands of Pico and Flores) were dated radiometrically and analysed palynologically. Pollen taxa were classified as native, endemic or introduced based on comparison with flora lists. Data were statistically zoned and temporal trends identified using detrended correspondence analysis. Results Human colonization of the Azores resulted in rapid, widespread, persistent vegetation changes on a scale unprecedented in the last 2700 years, detectable through the decline of dominant trees, the spread of grasses and fire-tolerant species, the introduction of exotic plants, evidence for grazing and fire, and changes to soils and moisture availability. During the same period, volcanic eruptions appear to have had more localized impacts on the vegetation, lasting 5001000 years and favouring endemic taxa. The effect of late Holocene climatic changes on the highland vegetation of the Azores seems to have been minor. Palaeoecological data indicate that at least two plant species went extinct on Pico after human colonization and that some plants regarded as introduced were almost certainly part of the original flora of the islands. Despite a consistent signal of human impact, compositional differences between Juniperus brevifolia communities on Pico and Flores remained after colonization. Main conclusions Human colonization had a greater impact on the pristine vegetation of Pico and Flores than climatic changes and volcanic activity during recent millennia. The similarity between post-colonization changes on the Azores and other oceanic islands suggests a consistent pattern and scale to historical-era human impact on otherwise pristine ecosystems. These characteristics could be used to further elaborate biogeographical theory and direct conservation efforts towards species that appear most susceptible to human activity.
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4. |
- de Dinechin, Marc, et al.
(author)
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Speciation chronology of rockhopper penguins inferred from molecular, geological and palaeoceanographic data
- 2009
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 36:4, s. 693-702
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Southern Ocean is split into several biogeographical provinces between convergence zones that separate watermasses of different temperatures. Recent molecular phylogenies have uncovered a strong phylogeographic structure among rockhopper penguin populations, Eudyptes chrysocome sensu lato, from different biogeographical provinces. These studies suggested a reclassification as three species in two major clades, corresponding, respectively, to warm, subtropical and cold sub-Antarctic watermasses rather than to geographic proximity. Such a phylogeographic pattern, also observed in plants, invertebrates and fishes of the Southern Ocean, suggests that past changes in the positions of watermasses may have affected the evolutionary history of penguins. We calculated divergence times among various rockhopper penguin clades and calibrated these data with palaeomagmatic and palaeoceanographic events to generate a speciation chronology in rockhopper penguins. Southern Ocean. Divergence times between populations were calculated using five distinct mitochondrial DNA loci, and assuming a molecular clock model as implemented in mdiv. The molecular evolution rate of rockhopper penguins was calibrated using the radiochronological age of St Paul Island and Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean. Separations within other clades were correlated with palaeoceanographic data using this calibrated rate. The split between the Atlantic and Indian populations of rockhopper penguins was dated as 0.25 Ma, using the date of emergence of St Paul and Amsterdam islands, and the divergence between sub-Antarctic and subtropical rockhopper penguins was dated as c. 0.9 Ma (i.e. during the mid-Pleistocene transition, a major change in the Earth's climate cycles). The mid-Pleistocene transition is known to have caused a major southward shift in watermasses in the Southern Ocean, thus changing the environment around the northernmost rockhopper penguin breeding sites. This ecological isolation of northernmost populations may have caused vicariant speciation, splitting the species into two major clades. After the emergence of St Paul and Amsterdam islands in the subtropical Indian Ocean 0.25 Ma, these islands were colonized by penguins from the subtropical Atlantic, 6000 km away, rather than by penguins from the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, 5000 km closer.
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5. |
- Giesecke, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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The effect of past changes in inter-annual temperature variability on tree distribution limits
- 2010
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 37:7, s. 1394-1405
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim The northern limits of temperate broadleaved species in Fennoscanndia are controlled by their requirements for summer warmth for successful regeneration and growth as well as by the detrimental effects of winter cold on plant tissue. However, occurrences of meteorological conditions with detrimental effects on individual species are rare events rather than a reflection of average conditions. We explore the effect of changes in inter-annual temperature variability on the abundances of the tree species Tilia cordata, Quercus robur and Ulmus glabra near their distribution limits using a process-based model of ecosystem dynamics. Location A site in central Sweden and a site in southern Finland were used as examples for the ecotone between boreal and temperate forests in Fennoscandia. The Finnish site was selected because of the availability of varve-thickness data. Methods The dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS was run with four scenarios of inter-annual temperature forcing for the last 10,000 years. In one scenario the variability in the thickness of summer and winter varves from the annually laminated lake in Finland was used as a proxy for past inter-annual temperature variability. Two scenarios were devised to explore systematically the effect of stepwise changes in the variance and shape parameter of a probability distribution. All variability scenarios were run both with and without the long-term trend in Holocene temperature change predicted by an atmospheric general circulation model. Results Directional changes in inter-annual temperature variability have significant effects on simulated tree distribution limits through time. Variations in inter-annual temperature variability alone are shown to alter vegetation composition by magnitudes similar to the magnitude of changes driven by variation in mean temperatures. Main conclusions The varve data indicate that inter-annual climate variability has changed in the past. The model results show that past changes in species abundance can be explained by changes in the inter-annual variability of climate parameters as well as by mean climate. Because inter-annual climatic variability is predicted to change in the future, this component of climate change should be taken into account both when making projections of future plant distributions and when interpreting vegetation history.
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6. |
- Giesecke, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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Towards an understanding of the Holocene distribution of Fagus sylvatica L.
- 2007
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 34:1, s. 118-131
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Understanding the driving forces and mechanisms of changes in past plant distribution and abundance will help assess the biological consequences of future climate change scenarios. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether modelled patterns of climate parameters 6000 years ago can account for the European distribution of Fagus sylvatica at that time. Consideration is also given to the role of non-climatic parameters as driving forces of the Holocene spread and population expansion of F. sylvatica. Location Europe. Methods European distributions were simulated using a physiologically-based bioclimatic model (STASH) driven by three different atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) outputs for 6000 years ago. Results The three simulations generally showed F. sylvatica to have potentially been as widespread 6000 years ago as it is today, which gives a profound mismatch with pollen-based reconstructions of the F. sylvatica distribution at that time. The results indicate that drier conditions during the growing season 6000 years ago could have caused a restriction of the range in the south. Poorer growth conditions with consequently reduced competitive ability were modelled for large parts of France. Main conclusions Consideration of the entire European range of F. sylvatica showed that no single driving force could account for the observed distributional limits 6000 years ago, or the pattern of spread during the Holocene. Climatic factors, particularly drought during the growing season, are the likely major determinants of the potential range. Climatic factors are regionally moderated by competition, disturbance effects and the intrinsically slow rate of population increase of F. sylvatica. Dynamic vegetation modelling is needed to account for potentially important competitive interactions and their relationship with changing climate. We identify uncertainties in the climate and pollen data, as well as the bioclimatic model, which suggest that the current study does not identify whether or not climate determined the distribution of F. sylvatica 6000 years ago. Pollen data are better suited for comparison with relative abundance gradients rather than absolute distributional limits. These uncertainties from a study of the past, where we have information about plant distribution and abundance, argue for extreme caution in making forecasts for the future using equilibrium models.
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7. |
- Gritti, Emmanuel, et al.
(author)
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Vulnerability of Mediterranean Basin ecosystems to climate change and invasion by exotic plant species
- 2006
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 33:1, s. 145-157
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim To assess at a broad scale the vulnerability of Mediterranean vegetation to alien plant invasion under different climatic and disturbance scenarios. Location We simulated the vegetation biogeography and dynamics on five of the main islands of the Mediterranean Basin: Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Crete and Lesvos. Methods We used LPJ-GUESS, a generalized ecosystem model based on dynamic processes describing establishment, competition, mortality and ecosystem biogeochemistry. We simulated the vegetation distribution and dynamics using a set of plant functional types (PFTs) based on bioclimatic and physiological parameters, which included tree and shrub PFTs defined especially for the Mediterranean. Additionally, two invasive PFTs, an invasive tree type and an invasive herb type, were defined and used to estimate the vulnerability to invasion of a range of different ecosystems. The model was used to simulate climate changes and associated changes in atmospheric [CO2] to 2050 according to two Special Report on Emissions Scenarios climate scenarios (A1Fi and B1) combined with mean disturbance intervals of 3 and 40 years. Results The simulations and scenarios showed that the effect of climate change alone is likely to be negligible in many of the simulated ecosystems, although not all. The simulated progression of an invasion was highly dependent on the initial ecosystem composition and local environmental conditions, with a particular contrast between drier and wetter parts of the Mediterranean, and between mountain and coastal areas. The rate of ecosystem disturbance was the main factor controlling susceptibility to invasion, strongly influencing vegetation development on the shorter time scale. Main conclusions Further invasion into Mediterranean island ecosystems is likely to be an increasing problem: our simulations predict that, in the longer term, almost all the ecosystems will be dominated by exotic plants irrespective of disturbance rates.
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8. |
- Henningsson, Sara, et al.
(author)
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Does migration promote or restrict circumpolar breeding ranges of arctic birds?
- 2008
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 35:5, s. 781-790
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: Migration has been suggested to promote large breeding ranges among birds because of the greater mobility of migratory compared to non-migratory species, but migration has also been suggested to restrict breeding ranges because of evolutionary constraints imposed by the genetical migration programme. We aim to investigate the association between migration and the breeding ranges of both land birds and pelagic birds breeding in the Arctic region. Location: The Arctic region. Methods: Information on breeding and wintering range and migratory status of bird species breeding in the Artic tundra biome was compiled from the literature. The association between breeding range, migration distance, primary winter habitat and phylogeny was tested using multivariate general linear models (GLM) and pair-wise Mann-Whitney U tests. Phylogenetic effects were tested for using Mantel’s permutation tests. Results: We found different relationships depending on the species’ major winter habitat. Among birds that are pelagic during winter, long-distance migrants have the largest breeding ranges, while among terrestrial birds, residents and short-distance migrants have the largest breeding ranges. Breeding ranges of coastal birds of all migratory distance classes are comparatively restricted. Main Conclusions: As a new explanation for this pattern we suggest that the possibility to colonize large winter ranges is a key factor for the subsequent expansion of breeding ranges in the Arctic bird communities and possibly also in bird communities of other regions of the world. Because of the reversal in relative extent of continents and oceans between the hemispheres, longitudinally wide winter ranges are more likely for long-distance than short-distance migrants among pelagic birds, while the reverse holds true for birds that use terrestrial winter habitats. For coastal birds both continents and oceans form barriers restricting colonisation of extensive winter quarters and consequently also of extensive breeding ranges regardless of the distance to the winter quarters.
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9. |
- Henningsson, Sara, et al.
(author)
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Patterns and determinants of shorebird species richness in the circumpolar Arctic
- 2005
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 32:3, s. 383-396
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim The intention with this study was first to investigate and describe the broad-scale geographical patterns of species richness of breeding shorebirds (Charadriiformes; families: Charadriidae, Scolopacidae and Haematopodidae) throughout the arctic tundra biome. Secondly, after compensating for the positive relationship between net primary productivity (NPP) and species richness, the relative importance of additional ecological and historical variables for species richness was investigated. The main variables considered are NPP, length of snow- and ice-free season, accessibility of regions depending on migratory flyway systems, tundra area at Pleistocene (120 and 20-18 ka bp) and Holocene (8 ka bp) times, and tundra area at present. Methods Information on shorebird species breeding distributions was compiled from distribution atlases and species accounts. The breeding distributions of shorebirds with ranges partly or completely in the Arctic (a total of 50 species) were mapped in ArcView 3.2 to create a raster grid layer of shorebird species richness at a 1degrees latitude x longitude resolution. The total and mean species richness value was calculated per each 10degrees of longitude sector of the Arctic. The relationships between species richness and the different climatic and environmental variables were analysed on the basis of this sector-wise division of the arctic tundra. The influence of each variable on species richness was investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses (multivariate linear regression and general linear model). Results We found that patterns of breeding shorebird species richness in the Arctic tundra biome are to a large degree determined by the NPP, the length of the snow- or ice-free season, the diversity of migratory flyways, as well as the historical extent of tundra habitat area during the maximum cooling of the last glacial period. Essentially, two main regions are distinguishable in the circumpolar Arctic regarding shorebird community richness. These are a species-rich Beringia-centred region and a species-poor Atlantic-centred region. Main conclusions The underlying explanations to these major trends may primarily be attributed to factors that operate at present through accessibility of areas from contemporary migration flyways, as well as processes that operated in the past during and after the last glacial cycle. The most prominent influence on the shorebird diversity was found for NPP in combination with the diversity of migratory flyways. These flyways provide the links between breeding and wintering resources, often separated by huge distances, and the geographical and ecological conditions associated with the shorebirds' migration seem to be of particular importance for their breeding diversity in different sectors of circumpolar tundra.
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10. |
- Kuchta, Shawn, et al.
(author)
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Closing the ring: historical biogeography of the salamander ring species Ensatina eschscholtzii
- 2009
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 36:5, s. 982-995
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The salamander Ensatina eschscholtzii Gray is a classic example of a ring species, or a species that has expanded around a central barrier to form a secondary contact characterized by species-level divergence. In the original formulation of the ring species scenario, an explicit biogeographical model was proposed to account for the occurrence of intraspecific sympatry between two subspecies in southern California (the 'southern closure' model). Here we develop an alternative ring species model that is informed by the geomorphological development of the California Coast Ranges, and which situates the point of ring closure in the Monterey Bay region of central coastal California (the 'Monterey closure' model). Our study has two aims. The first is to use phylogenetic methods to evaluate the two competing biogeographical models. The second is to describe patterns of phylogeographical diversity throughout the range of the Ensatina complex, and to compare these patterns with previously published molecular systematic data. Western North America, with a focus on the state of California, USA. We obtained mitochondrial DNA sequence data from 385 individuals from 224 populations. A phylogeny was inferred using Bayesian techniques, and the geographical distributions of haplotypes and clades were mapped. The two biogeographical ring species models were tested against our Bayesian topology, including the associated Bayesian 95% credible set of trees. High levels of phylogeographical diversity were revealed, especially in central coastal and northern California. Our Bayesian topology contradicts the Monterey closure model; however, 0.08% of the trees in our Bayesian 95% credible set are consistent with this model. In contrast, the classic ring species biogeographical model (the southern closure model) is consistent with our Bayesian topology, as were 99.92% of the trees in our 95% credible set. Our Bayesian phylogenetic analysis most strongly supports the classic ring species model, modified to accommodate an improved understanding of the complex geomorphological evolution of the California Coast Ranges. In addition, high levels of phylogeographical diversity in central and northern California were identified, which is consistent with the striking levels of allozymic differentiation reported previously from those regions.
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11. |
- Rundgren, Mats, et al.
(author)
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Plant survival in Iceland during periods of glaciation?
- 1999
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 26:2, s. 387-396
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: The paper addresses the classical question of possible plant survival in Iceland during the last glacial period in the light of a palaeobotanical record from northern Iceland, spanning the period 11,300-9000 BP, including the Younger Dryas stadial. We review the Late Cenozoic fossil plant record, the past debate on glacial plant refugia in Iceland, and the evidence for ice-free areas during the Weichselian. Location: The investigated lake sediment record comes from Lake Torfadalsvatn, which is situated in the northwestern part of the Skagi peninsula in northern Iceland. Methods: The sediment chronology was constructed from the occurrence of the Vedde Ash and the Saksunarvatn ash, two well-dated Icelandic tephras, together with the results from five AMS and conventional radiocarbon dates performed on bulk sediment samples. The vegetational reconstruction was based on detailed pollen analysis of the sediment sequence. Results: The pollen analysis revealed that many of the taxa present in the area prior to the Younger Dryas stadial continued to produce pollen during that cold event. The more or less immediate reappearance of a few other pollen taxa at the Younger Dryas-Preboreal boundary suggests that these plants also survived, even if they did not produce sufficient pollen to be recorded during the Younger Dryas stadial. Main conclusions: We conclude that the relatively high plant diversity found in high Arctic areas and present-day nunataks in Iceland and Greenland, together with the fact that many plant species were able to survive the Younger Dryas stadial on the Skagi peninsula, suggest that species with high tolerance for climate fluctuations also survived the whole Weichselian in Iceland. This conclusion is supported by recent palaeoclimatic data from ice-cores and deep-sea sediments, indicating that Icelandic climate during the last glacial was only occasionally slightly colder than during the Younger Dryas stadial.
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12. |
- Struwe, Lena, et al.
(author)
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Spatial evolutionary and ecological vicariance analysis (SEEVA), a novel approach to biogeography and speciation research, with an example from Brazilian Gentianaceae
- 2011
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 38:10, s. 1841-1854
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Spatial evolutionary and ecological vicariance analysis (SEEVA) is a simple analytical method that evaluates environmental or ecological divergence associated with evolutionary splits. It integrates evolutionary hypotheses, phylogenetic data, and spatial, temporal, environmental and geographical information to elucidate patterns. Using a phylogeny of Prepusa Mart. and Senaea Taub. (Angiospermae: Gentianaceae), SEEVA is used to describe the radiation and ecological patterns of this basal gentian group across south-eastern Brazil. Location Latin America, global. Methods Environmental data for 151 geolocated botanical collections, associated with specimens from seven species, were compiled with ARCGIS, and were matched with geolocated base layers of eight climatological variables, as well as one each of geological, soil type, elevational and vegetation variables. Sister groups were defined on the basis of the six nested nodes that defined the phylogenetic tree of these two genera. A (0, 1)-scaled divergence index (D) was defined and tested for each of 12 environmental and for each of the six phylogenetic nodes, by means of contingency analyses. We contrast divergence indices of nested clades, allopatric and sympatric sister clades. Results The level of ecological divergence between sister clades/species, defined in terms of D measures, was substantial for five of six nodes, with 21 of 72 environmental comparisons having D > 0.75. Soil types and geological age of bedrock were strongly divergent only for basal nodes in the phylogeny, by contrast with temperature and precipitation, which exhibited strong divergence at all nodes. There has been strong divergence and progressive occupation of wetter and colder habitats throughout the history of Prepusa. Nodes separating allopatric sister clades exhibited larger niche divergence than did those separating sympatric sister clades. Main conclusions SEEVA provides a multi-source, direct analysis method for correlating field collections, phylogenetic hypotheses, species distributions and georeferenced environmental data. Using SEEVA, it was possible to quantify and test the divergence between sister lineages, illustrating both niche conservatism and ecological specialization. SEEVA permits elucidation of historical and ecological vicariance for evolutionary lineages, and is amenable to wide application, taxonomically, geographically and ecologically.
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13. |
- Tyler, Torbjörn
(author)
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Detecting migration routes and barriers by examining the distribution of species in an apomictic species complex
- 2000
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 27:4, s. 979-988
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim The distribution of taxa ('microspecies') in the apomictic species complexes Hieracium L. sect. Hieracium and H. sect. Vulgata (Griseb.) Willk. and Lange have been analysed to test whether the geographical distribution of species within each complex will reflect historical processes and phenomena, e.g. historical barriers to migration and range expansion. It is argued that apomictic species can be used for phylogeographic analysis in the same way as organelle haplotypes or multilocus genotypes. Location The investigated area is the Nordic countries excluding Iceland, together with the Baltic islands of Saarema (Estonia) and Rugen (Germany). Methods The presence or absence of 160 species of H. sect. Hieracium and 165 species of H. sect. Vulgata was recorded in 39 geographical areas. Based on this dataset, Jaccard similarity indices were calculated and subjected to UPGMA cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS). Results For both species complexes, the larger water surfaces were found to represent discontinuities in species composition, interpreted as migration barriers. Some inland migration barriers were also indicated, e.g. in northern-central Sweden. The Scandes seems to have constituted a migration barrier for H. sect. Vulgata. Some areas in southwestern Sweden represent discontinuities in the distribution of species within H. sect. Hieracium. Main conclusions The revealed geographical patterns in species composition, as well as the differences in the patterns for the two species complexes, are readily explainable as reflecting historical migration routes and barriers. Further analysis using apomictic taxa as 'markers' may give important phylogeographic insights. The pros and cons of using microspecies, as opposed to molecular markers, in historical biogeography is discussed.
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14. |
- Tyler, Torbjörn
(author)
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Geographical distribution of allozyme variation in relation to post-glacial history in Carex digitata, a widespread European woodland sedge
- 2002
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 29:7, s. 919-930
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim To investigate the distribution, and broad-scale geographical patterns, of variation, in the widespread boreo-nemoral woodland herb Carex digitata throughout its native European range. To interpret the revealed geographical pattern of variation in terms of glacial survival, post-glacial migration and inter-regional gene-flow. Location The whole of Europe divided into twenty-five geographical regions. Methods Genetic variation at nine polymorphic allozyme loci was analysed in 10-25 individuals from 66 populations from throughout the European range of C. digitata . Allele frequencies were calculated both at the level of populations and at the level of geographical regions, and these frequencies were used to calculate the Cavalli-Sforza chord distance (CSCD). CSCD between neighbouring regions were presented on geographical maps. CSCD at both the population and the regional level were subjected to UPGMA cluster analysis. Standard measures of genetic diversity were calculated and divided into within population, region and species components. Results Most alleles had a scattered distribution throughout, but several alleles were mainly found in Fennoscandia and regional allelic richness was the highest here. Cluster analysis on the level of populations did not recover any geographical structure. However, genetic distances between regions, each consisting of 1-4 populations, revealed a clear geographical pattern. Genetic distances were low between (1) Scandinavian and British regions and (2) between Mediterranean regions, moderate between Central European regions and high between far-east European and Caucasian regions. Main conclusions A post-glacial scenario involving independent glacial survivals in south-eastern European Russia, the Caucasian Mountains, the Mediterranean area and central Europe is proposed. Northern Europe (i.e. Fennoscandia) appears to have been colonized through many independent long-distance dispersals from different extra-Fennoscandian populations. High regional population densities in Fennoscandia are assumed to have facilitated accumulation of genetic variation and inter-regional gene-flow as compared with more southern populations which are generally of restricted size and appear to have been mutually isolated and subjected to strong genetic drift.
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15. |
- Perrigo, Allison L., et al.
(author)
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What's on your boots : an investigation into the role we play in protist dispersal
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 39:5, s. 998-1003
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- D. M. Wilkinson (2010, Journal of Biogeography, 37, 393–397) suggested that anthropogenic dispersal is an understudied and potentially important factor in terrestrial protist biogeography. We investigated human footwear as a potential vector of dictyostelids, a diverse group of amoebae that includes both geographically restricted and cosmopolitan species. Eighteen pairs of boots were examined and dictyostelids were isolated from nearly all samples larger than 5.0 g. In total, six dictyostelid isolates were recovered, corresponding to four species –Dictyostelium minutum, D. sphaerocephalum, D. leptosomopsis and a new species, Polysphondylium sp. 1. Myxogastrid amoebae and acrasid-like aggregations were also observed. Thus anthropogenic dispersal of naked amoebae appears to occur. The possible role of variations in dictyostelid fruiting body morphologies in dispersal potential is also discussed. These results support Wilkinson’s proposal and suggest that dictyostelids may be a useful group with which to study anthropogenic dispersal of terrestrial protists.
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16. |
- Elmberg, Johan, 1960-, et al.
(author)
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Abundance-distribution relationships on interacting trophic levels : the case of lake-nesting waterfowl and dytiscid water beetles
- 2000
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. - 0305-0270 ; 27:4, s. 821-827
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim To compare patterns in local abundance, regional distribution and body size in waterfowl and dytiscid beetles sampled from the same lakes. Location Thirty Swedish lakes, 56-63 degrees N. Methods Birds were censused repeatedly, at which time submerged activity traps were placed on the littoral to catch invertebrates. Avian patterns were analysed separately for four different selections of species, each motivated on functional or phylogenetical grounds. Patterns in dytiscid beetles have been described earlier in Nilsson, Elmberg & Sjoberg (1994). Results Although there were large differences between individual lakes, there was no significant latitudinal gradient at the lake level in either species richness or abundance in any of the bird groupings. Lakes which were rich in species and numbers of dytiscid beetles were also rich in species and numbers of all four waterfowl groups. Three of the four bird groups conform with the general pattern of widely distributed species being more abundant locally, as do dytiscid beetles in the same lakes. Body mass and local abundance were correlated in one of the four birds groups only, i.e. dabbling ducks, (Anas spp.). Main conclusions We find evidence for a similar and positive local abundance-distribution relationship in dytiscid beetles and waterfowl breeding in the same lakes, but no common general pattern in local abundance vs. body size.
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17. |
- Aggemyr, Elsa, et al.
(author)
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Landscape structure and land use history influence changes in island plant composition after 100 years
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 39:9, s. 1645-1656
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim We investigated how current and historical land use and landscape structure affect species richness and the processes of extinction, immigration and species turnover. Location The northern part of the Stockholm archipelago, Baltic Sea, Sweden. We resurveyed 27 islands ranging from 0.3 to 33 ha in area. Methods We compared current plant survey data, cadastral maps and aerial photographs with records obtained from a survey in 1908, using databases and a digital elevation model to examine changes in plant community dynamics in space and time. We examined the effects of local and landscape structure and land use changes on plant species dynamics by using stepwise regression in relation to eight local and three landscape variables. The eight local variables were area, relative age, shape, soil heterogeneity, bedrock ratio, number of houses, forest cover change, and grazing 100 years ago. The three landscape variables were distance to mainland, distance to closest island with a farm 100 years ago, and structural connectivity. Hanskis connectivity measure was modified to incorporate both connectivity and fragmentation. Results The investigated islands have undergone drastic changes, with increasing forest cover, habitation, and abandonment of grassland management. Although the total species richness increased by 31% and mean island area by 23%, we found no significant increase in species richness per unit area. Local variables explain past species richness (100 years ago), whereas both local and landscape variables explain current species richness, extinctions, immigrations and species turnover. Grazing that occurred 100 years ago still influences species richness, even though grazing management was abandoned several decades ago. The evidence clearly shows an increase in nitrophilous plant species, particularly among immigrant species. Main conclusions This study highlights the importance of including land use history when interpreting current patterns of species richness. Furthermore, local environment and landscape patterns affect important ecological processes such as immigration, extinction and species turnover, and hence should be included when assessing the impact of habitat fragmentation and land use change. We suggest that our modified structural connectivity measure can be applied to other types of landscapes to investigate the effects of fragmentation and habitat loss.
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18. |
- Andersson, Elisabeth, et al.
(author)
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Plant dispersal in boreal rivers and its relation to the diversity of riparian flora
- 2000
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 27:5, s. 1095-1106
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim The paper has four major objectives: (1) to determine whether diaspore mimics accurately represent dispersal dynamics of real diaspores in a free-flowing river; (2) to estimate distance travelled and reasons for stranding of floating diaspores along a free-flowing river; (3) to test if species composition and seedling recruitment vary with the ability of the riverbank to trap waterborne drift; and (4) to compare diaspore dispersal in a free-flowing river with that in a regulated river where current velocity has been reduced. Location The field work was conducted in two 7th-order boreal rivers in northern Sweden, the free-flowing Vindel River and the regulated Ume River. Methods We performed a series of dispersal experiments. We tested the usefulness wooden cubes of diaspore mimics for performing dispersal experiments by releasing cubes and achenes of Helianthus annuus and compare their dispersal patterns in the free-flowing Vindel River. We used the cubes to identify 50-m long sections along the river with different trapping capacity, i.e. the number of stranded diaspore mimics within a 50-m section. We then related the number of stranded diaspore mimics to the vascular plant flora, the proportions of species with long or short floating times (i.e. more than or less than 2 days, respectively), the number of seedlings, and to environmental variables within the sections. We also released wooden cubes in a run-of-river impoundment to determine the dispersal capacity of diaspores in a regulated river. Results The cubes were useful as diaspore mimics. They dispersed similarly to achenes of H. annuus. The stranding pattern of diaspore mimics was significantly associated with water current. Species richness of vascular plants per 50-m section increased with the number of stranded mimics. Seedling recruitment, and the proportions of species with short-floating and long-floating diaspores, did not vary with the number of stranded mimics. The ability of a river to transport diaspores downstream was strongly reduced by impoundment. Main conclusions We conclude that patterns of species richness of riparian vegetation is in part determined by the ability of the riverbank to trap waterborne diaspores, but differences in floating ability among species did not affect the species composition along free-flowing rivers.
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19. |
- Appelhans, Marc S., et al.
(author)
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Age and historical biogeography of the pantropically distributed Spathelioideae (Rutaceae, Sapindales)
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 39:7, s. 1235-1250
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim The family Rutaceae (rue family) is the largest within the eudicot order Sapindales and is distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions of both the New World and the Old World, with a few genera in temperate zones. The main objective of this study is to present molecular dating and biogeographical analyses of the subfamily Spathelioideae, the earliest branching clade (which includes eight extant genera), to interpret the temporal and spatial origins of this group, ascertaining possible vicariant patterns and dispersal routes and inferring diversification rates through time. Location Pantropics. Methods A dataset comprising a complete taxon sampling at generic level (83.3% at species level) of Spathelioideae was used for a Bayesian molecular dating analysis (beast). Four fossil calibration points and an age constraint for Sapindales were applied. An ancestral area reconstruction analysis utilizing the dispersalextinctioncladogenesis model and diversification rate analyses was conducted. Results Dating analyses indicate that Rutaceae and Spathelioideae are probably of Late Cretaceous origin, after which Spathelioideae split into a Neotropical and a Palaeotropical lineage. The Palaeotropical taxa have their origin inferred in Africa, with postulated dispersal events to the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, Madagascar and Southeast Asia. The lineages within Spathelioideae evolved at a relatively constant diversification rate. However, abrupt changes in diversification rates are inferred from the beginning of the Miocene and during the Pliocene/Pleistocene. Main conclusions The geographical origin of Spathelioideae probably lies in Africa. The existence of a Neotropical lineage may be the result of a dispersal event at a time in the Late Cretaceous when South America and Africa were still quite close to each other (assuming that our age estimates are close to the actual ages), or by Gondwanan vicariance (assuming that our age estimates provide minimal ages only). Separation of land masses caused by sea level changes during the Pliocene and Pleistocene may have been triggers for speciation in the Caribbean genus Spathelia.
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20. |
- Blake, S., et al.
(author)
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Seed dispersal by Galápagos tortoises
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 39:11, s. 1961-1972
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Large-bodied vertebrates often have a dramatic role in ecosystem function through herbivory, trampling, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. The iconic Galápagos tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra) are the largest extant terrestrial ectotherms, yet their ecology is poorly known. Large body size should confer a generalist diet, benign digestive processes and long-distance ranging ability, rendering giant tortoises adept seed dispersers. We sought to determine the extent of seed dispersal by Galápagos tortoises and their impact on seed germination for selected species, and to assess potential impacts of tortoise dispersal on the vegetation dynamics of the Galápagos. Location Galápagos, Ecuador. Methods To determine the number of seeds dispersed we identified and counted intact seeds from 120 fresh dung piles in both agricultural and national park land. To estimate the distance over which tortoises move seeds we used estimated digesta retention times from captive tortoises as a proxy for retention times of wild tortoises and tortoise movement data obtained from GPS telemetry. We conducted germination trials for five plant species to determine whether tortoise processing influenced germination success. Results In our dung sample, we found intact seeds from >45 plant species, of which 11 were from introduced species. Tortoises defecated, on average, 464 (SE 95) seeds and 2.8 (SE 0.2) species per dung pile. Seed numbers were dominated by introduced species, particularly in agricultural land. Tortoises frequently moved seeds over long distances; during mean digesta retention times (12days) tortoises moved an average of 394m (SE 34) and a maximum of 4355m over the longest recorded retention time (28days). We did not find evidence that tortoise ingestion or the presence of dung influenced seed germination success. Main conclusions Galápagos tortoises are prodigious seed dispersers, regularly moving large quantities of seeds over long distances. This may confer important advantages to tortoise-dispersed species, including transport of seeds away from the parent plants into sites favourable for germination. More extensive research is needed to quantify germination success, recruitment to adulthood and demography of plants under natural conditions, with and without tortoise dispersal, to determine the seed dispersal effectiveness of Galápagos tortoises.
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21. |
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22. |
- Buerki, Sven, et al.
(author)
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An evaluation of new parsimony-based versus parametric inference methods in biogeography : a case study using the globally distributed plant family Sapindaceae
- 2011
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 38:3, s. 531-550
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Recently developed parametric methods in historical biogeography allow researchers to integrate temporal and palaeogeographical information into the reconstruction of biogeographical scenarios, thus overcoming a known bias of parsimony-based approaches. Here, we compare a parametric method, dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis (DEC), against a parsimony-based method, dispersal-vicariance analysis (DIVA), which does not incorporate branch lengths but accounts for phylogenetic uncertainty through a Bayesian empirical approach (Bayes-DIVA). We analyse the benefits and limitations of each method using the cosmopolitan plant family Sapindaceae as a case study. Location World-wide. Methods Phylogenetic relationships were estimated by Bayesian inference on a large dataset representing generic diversity within Sapindaceae. Lineage divergence times were estimated by penalized likelihood over a sample of trees from the posterior distribution of the phylogeny to account for dating uncertainty in biogeographical reconstructions. We compared biogeographical scenarios between Bayes-DIVA and two different DEC models: one with no geological constraints and another that employed a stratified palaeogeographical model in which dispersal rates were scaled according to area connectivity across four time slices, reflecting the changing continental configuration over the last 110 million years. Results Despite differences in the underlying biogeographical model, Bayes-DIVA and DEC inferred similar biogeographical scenarios. The main differences were: (1) in the timing of dispersal events - which in Bayes-DIVA sometimes conflicts with palaeogeographical information, and (2) in the lower frequency of terminal dispersal events inferred by DEC. Uncertainty in divergence time estimations influenced both the inference of ancestral ranges and the decisiveness with which an area can be assigned to a node. Main conclusions By considering lineage divergence times, the DEC method gives more accurate reconstructions that are in agreement with palaeogeographical evidence. In contrast, Bayes-DIVA showed the highest decisiveness in unequivocally reconstructing ancestral ranges, probably reflecting its ability to integrate phylogenetic uncertainty. Care should be taken in defining the palaeogeographical model in DEC because of the possibility of overestimating the frequency of extinction events, or of inferring ancestral ranges that are outside the extant species ranges, owing to dispersal constraints enforced by the model. The wide-spanning spatial and temporal model proposed here could prove useful for testing large-scale biogeographical patterns in plants.
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23. |
- Campbell, Colin
(author)
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The influence of vegetation type, soil properties and precipitation on the composition of soil mite and microbial communities at the landscape scale
- 2010
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 37, s. 1317-1328
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The influence of vegetation type and soil properties differed between groups of soil organisms, albeit in a predictable manner, across the 12 sites. Organisms directly associated with plants (fungi), and organisms with microhabitat and resource preferences (Oribatida) were strongly responsive to changes in habitat type. The response of organisms not directly associated with plants (bacteria, archaea) depended on differences in soil properties, while organisms with less clear microhabitat and resource preferences (Mesostigmata) were not strongly responsive to either vegetation type or soil properties. These results show that it is possible to predict the impact of habitat change on specific soil organisms depending on their ecology. Moreover, the community composition of all groups was related to variation in precipitation within the study area, which shows that external factors, such as those caused by climate change, can have a direct effect on belowground communities.
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24. |
- Eidesen, P. B., et al.
(author)
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Repeatedly out of Beringia: Cassiope tetragona embraces the arctic
- 2007
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 34:9, s. 1559-1574
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Eric Hulten hypothesized that most arctic plants initially radiated from Beringia in the Late Tertiary and persisted in this unglaciated area during the Pleistocene glaciations, while their distribution ranges were repeatedly fragmented and reformed elsewhere. Whereas taxonomic and fossil evidence suggest that Cassiope tetragona originated in Beringia and expanded into the circumarctic area before the onset of the glaciations, lack of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variation may suggest that colonization was more recent. We address these contradictory scenarios using high-resolution nuclear markers. Location Circumpolar Arctic. Methods The main analysis was by amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP), while sequences of chloroplast DNA verified the use of Cassiope mertensiana as an outgroup for C. tetragona. Data were analysed using Bayesian clustering, principal coordinates analyses, parsimony and neighbour-joining, and measures of diversity and differentiation were calculated. Results The circumpolar C. tetragona ssp. tetragona was well separated from the North American C. tetragona ssp. saximontana. The genetic structure in ssp. tetragona showed a strong east-west trend, with the Beringian populations in an intermediate position. The highest level of diversity was in Beringia, while the strongest differentiation in the data set was found between the populations from the Siberian Arctic west of Beringia and the remainder. Main conclusions The results are consistent with a Beringian origin of the species, but the levels and geographical patterns of differentiation and gene diversity suggest that the latest expansion from Beringia into the circumarctic was recent, possibly during the current interglacial. The results are in accordance with a recent leading-edge mode of colonization, particularly towards the east throughout Canada/Greenland and across the North Atlantic into Scandinavia and Svalbard. As fossils demonstrate the presence of the species in North Greenland 2.5-2.0 Ma, as well as in the previous interglacial, we conclude that C. tetragona expanded eastwards from Beringia several times and that the earlier emigrants of this woody species became extinct. The last major westward expansion from Beringia seems older, and the data suggest a separate Siberian refugium during at least one glaciation.
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25. |
- Espeland, Marianne, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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The effect of environmental diversification on species diversification in New Caledonian caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae)
- 2010
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 37:5, s. 879-890
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim To test whether environmental diversification played a role in the diversification of the New Caledonian Hydropsychinae caddisflies. Location New Caledonia, south-west Pacific. Methods The phylogeny of the New Caledonian Hydropsychinae caddisflies was hypothesized using parsimony and Bayesian methods on molecular characters. The Bayesian analysis was the basis for a comparative analysis of the correlation between phylogeny and three environmental factors: geological substrate (ultrabasic, non-ultrabasic), elevation and precipitation. Phylogenetic divergence times were estimated using a relaxed clock method, and environmental factors were mapped onto a lineage-through-time plot to investigate the timing of environmental diversification in relation to species radiation. The correlation between rainfall and elevation was tested using independent contrasts, and the gamma statistic was calculated to infer the diversification pattern of the group. Results The diversification of extant Orthopsyche–Caledopsyche species began in the Middle–Late Oligocene, when much of the island of New Caledonia was covered by ultrabasic substrate and mountain forming was prevalent. Most lineages originated in the Middle–Late Miocene, a period associated with long-term climate oscillation. Optimization of environmental factors on the phylogeny demonstrated that the New Caledonian Hydropsychinae group adapted to ultrabasic substrate early in its evolutionary history. The clade living mostly on ultrabasic substrate was far more species-rich than the clade living mostly on non-ultrabasic substrate. Elevation and rainfall were significantly correlated with each other. The lineage-through-time plot revealed that the main environmental diversification preceded species diversification. A constant speciation through time was rejected, and the negative gamma indicates that most of the diversification occurred early in the history of the clade. According to the inferred phylogeny, the genus Orthopsyche McFarlane is a synonym under Caledopsyche Kimmins, and Abacaria caledona Oláh & Barnard should also be included in Caledopsyche. Main conclusions The age of the radiation does not support a vicariance origin of New Caledonian Hydropsychinae caddisflies. Environmental diversification pre-dates lineage diversification, and thus environmental heterogeneity potentially played a role in the diversification of the group, by providing a variety of fragmented habitats to disperse into, promoting speciation. The negative gamma indicates that the speciation rate slowed as niches started to fill.
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