Climatic oscillations of the Quaternary rapidly compelled plant species to shift their geographical range. How alpine plant species responded to climate change, however, remains elusive and remnants of the cold-adapted flora that currently strive in restricted ranges as small, isolated populations have been particularly overlooked. To address the evolutionary history of such a ‘glacial relict’, we here sampled and genotyped all known native populations of a narrow endemic species from the northwestern Alps, Papaver occidentale, as well as closely related taxa with double digest restriction-site Associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing. Spatial patterns of genetic variation across populations coupled with insights from climatic niche modelling through time address underpinings of the long-term persistence of the species in face of climate changes. Evidence from population genetics and ecological modelling indicates that P. occidentale likely persisted through the last glacial maximum outside of the Western Prealps and that a major lineage recolonized the area from lower elevation, external regions. Differentiated lineages at the Northern margins of the species distribution range highlight highly divergent and geographically restricted populations that include considerable share of private markers and may indicate local glacial survival in isolated conditions. Our data thus imply that processes having shaped intraspecific spatial genetic structure within the Alps can be complex and lead to mosaic of populations with a mixed-history of local survival and immigration. A better understanding of spatio-temporal aspects of range contraction–expansion is crucial to shed light on processes underlying the evolution of remnant populations of such endemic species and set conservation priorities considering current climate changes.

Humans are now recognized as the main drivers of environmental change, leaving the future of our planet dependent on human action or inaction. Although the outlook of our planet is often depicted in a “doom and gloom” manner due to recent troubling environmental trends, we suggest that a “good Anthropocene” (in which human quality of life may be maintained or improved without cost to the environment) is attainable if we engage in adaptive, multi-disciplinary actions capable of addressing the socio-ecological issues of today and tomorrow. Early-career conservation scientists and practitioners have an unmatched understanding of novel technologies and social connectivity and, as those left with the ever-growing responsibility to be the problem solvers of the attributed increasing environmental consequences of living in the Anthropocene, their perspectives on steps towards a good Anthropocene are valuable. Here we present a list of 20 actions derived by early-career conservation scientists and practitioners for conservationists to help achieve a good Anthropocene that utilize the social connectivity and technology of today. Central to these actions are the notions that multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary collaboratives that embrace diverse world views need to be integrated into decision-making processes; training and outreach platforms need to communicate both environmental challenges and solutions broadly; and conservation successes need to be acknowledged and disseminated in a forward-looking, adaptive capacity. Together the 20 actions identified here reinforce the underlying paradigm shift that must accompany living in the Anthropocene, given that biodiversity and healthy ecosystems are requisite for sustained human life. By sharing this list of actions, we look to promote positive socio-environmental changes towards the collective goal of achieving a good Anthropocene.

Glacial relicts, especially those with very narrow habitat requirements, are particularly affected by global warming. We considered Papaver occidentale, a glacial relict endemic to the Western Prealps, belonging to the alpine poppy complex (P. alpinum aggr.), as a model taxon to study the actual status and potential future distribution of species restricted to particular microrefugia. For this study, all known localities were visited, each population was georeferenced and the number of individuals was estimated. Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) was used to evaluate the present and future potential distribution range and habitat suitability, taking into account the specificity of its habitat (calcareous screes). According to our study, there are globally 19 natural populations of P. occidentale, and a total of about 30,000 individuals. The taxon is a highly specialized alpine plant growing in the majority of natural sites between 1900 and 2100 m a.s.l. on north-facing screes. Predictions for the end of the 21st century indicate that a suitable area will significantly decrease (0–30% remaining). Under the most severe climatic scenarios (RCP 8.5), the species risks complete extinction. The long-term in situ conservation of P. occidentale, and all other taxa of the P. alpinum complex, is unlikely to be achieved without slowing global climate change. More generally, our fine-scale study shows that local environmental buffering of large-scale climate change in high-mountain flora may be very limited in specialised taxa of patchy environments such as screes.

Natural hybridization of plants can result in many outcomes with several evolutionary consequences, such as hybrid speciation and introgression. Natural hybrid zones can arise in mountain systems as a result of fluctuating climate during the exchange of glacial and interglacial periods, where species retract and expand their territories, resulting in secondary contacts. Willows are a large genus of woody plants with an immense capability of interspecific crossing. In this study, the sympatric area of two diploid sister species, S. foetida and S. waldsteiniana in the eastern European Alps, was investigated to study the genomic structure of populations within and outside their contact zone and to analyze congruence of morphological phenotypes with genetic data. Eleven populations of the two species were sampled across the Alps and examined using phylogenetic network and population genetic structure analyses of RAD Seq data and morphometric analyses of leaves. The results showed that a homoploid hybrid zone between the two species was established within their sympatric area. Patterns of genetic admixture in homoploid hybrids indicated introgression with asymmetric backcrossing to not only one of the parental species but also one hybrid population forming a separate lineage. The lack of F1 hybrids indicated a long‐term persistence of the hybrid populations. Insignificant isolation by distance suggests that gene flow can act over large geographical scales. Morphometric characteristics of hybrids supported the molecular data and clearly separated populations of the parental species, but showed intermediacy in the hybrid zone populations with a bias toward S. waldsteiniana . The homoploid hybrid zone might have been established via secondary contact hybridization, and its establishment was fostered by the low genetic divergence of parental species and a lack of strong intrinsic crossing barriers. Incomplete ecological separation and the ability of long‐distance dispersal of willows could have contributed to the spatial expansion of the hybrid zone.

The complex genomic composition of allopolyploid plants leads to morphologically diverse species. The traditional taxonomical treatment of the medium-sized, hexaploid shrub willows distributed in the Alps is difficult based on their variable morphological characters. In this study, RAD sequencing data, infrared-spectroscopy, and morphometric data are used to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of the hexaploid species of the sections Nigricantes and Phylicifoliae in a phylogenetic framework of 45 Eurasian Salix species. Both sections comprise local endemics as well as widespread species. Based on the molecular data, the described morphological species appeared as monophyletic lineages (except for S. phylicifolia s.str. and S. bicolor, which are intermingled). Both sections Phylicifoliae and Nigricantes are polyphyletic. Infrared-spectroscopy mostly confirmed the differentiation of hexaploid alpine species. The morphometric data confirmed the molecular results and supported the inclusion of S. bicolor into S. phylicifolia s.l., whereas the alpine endemic S. hegetschweileri is distinct and closely related to species of the section Nigricantes. The genomic structure and co-ancestry analyses of the hexaploid species revealed a geographical pattern for widespread S. myrsinifolia, separating the Scandinavian from the alpine populations. The newly described S. kaptarae is tetraploid and is grouped within S. cinerea. Our data reveal that both sections Phylicifoliae and Nigricantes need to be redefined.