Genetic Structure of Chorthippus parallelus (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) Populations in Anatolia: A Stable Rear Edge Population

Abstract

Anatolian populations inhabit the southern latitudinal margin of species distribution ranges and therefore may be considered as “rear edge” populations. The genetic structures of such populations have critical importance in species responses to climatic change and are essential for long-term conservation genetics. Here, the genetic structure of Chorthippus parallelus (Zetterstedt) (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) populations in one of the main southern glacial refugium is investigated. Ten populations of C. parallelus from Anatolia have been studied by investigating single-copy nuclear DNA (Cpnl-1) fragment using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism methods. The level of allelic number was high (total of 20 alleles in the locus, of which 11 were unique), but the level of gene flow among populations seemed to be low (FIS = 0.090). However, most populations were genetically diverse (HE > 0.5, A = 6.211, and ne = 5.774). The level of genetic differentiation among populations was high (FST = 0.330). No statistically significant correlation between genetic diversity and spatial distribution was observed. The analysis of molecular variation analysis indicated that a large proportion of genetic variation was due to differentiation among individuals within populations. Genetic drift was a more likely cause of differentiation among populations rather than geographical distance. These results suggest that a presence of a “stable rear edge” population in contrary to the center-periphery model.

Estimating effects of global warming from past range changes for cold demanding refugial taxa: A case study on South-west Anatolian species Poecilimon birandi

“…Although, there seems to be no stable single mid altitudinal ancestral population for this phylogroup, our results are consistent with the notion that an altitudinal gradient plays a buffering role in the survival of the refugial coldpreferring species experiencing climatic shifts. Rapid altitudinal range changes may allow populations to cope with increasing temperatures during global warming, as has been suggested for other taxa (Carstens & Knowles 2007;Knowles & Richard 2005;Ç ıplak et al 2010;Korkmaz et al 2010). …”

“…Third, combination of the species' features (such as preferring particular ecological conditions, limited dispersal ability and phenological flexibility as observed in P. birandi), the heterogeneous topography and the history of the area may produce a significant genetic structuring. Fourth, the rear edge concept assumes erosion from one margin of species range during climatic shifts (Jansson & Dynesius 2002;Hampe & Petit 2005;Korkmaz et al 2010;Ç ıplak et al 2010). However, the rear edge concept may not be applicable to the populations distributed in an altitudinal gradient in refugium as inferred from historical biogeography of P. birandi.…”

“…Studies investigating Pleistocene phylogeography of the West Palaearctic define four main glacial refugia; Iberia, Italy, Greece/ Balkans and Anatolia (Hewitt 1996(Hewitt , 1999Taberlet et al 1998;Ç ıplak 2003;Schmitt 2007). Although the first three of these glacial refugia have been intensively examined, there are few studies dealing with terrestrial species/phylogroups of Anatolia (Cooper et al 1995;Rokas et al 2003;Challis et al 2007;Gündüz et al 2007;Ç ıplak et al 2010;Korkmaz et al 2010). Moreover, in these studies, mostly species/phylogroups with comparatively high dispersal ability or a wide range have been considered.…”

Molecular diversity and phylogeography of Andricus curtisii (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) in Turkey

“…The placement of all Sivas alleles and other eastern alleles in the phylogenetic trees and networks suggest that Sivas lies in the dispersal path of eastern alleles to western Turkey. The location of Sivas was also considered important due to the high allelic richness and number of unique alleles of Sivas and the grouping of Sivas with the eastern alleles in Orthoptera (Korkmaz et al, 2010).…”

The contribution of Anatolia to European phylogeography: the centre of origin of the meadow grasshopper, Chorthippus parallelus

“…Some Anatolian specimens were included by Cooper et al . (), but this sampling was insufficient to properly represent either the genetic diversity or the geographical fragmentation of the species within Anatolia (Korkmaz et al ., ). The idea that the species may have originated in Anatolia has therefore remained largely untested.…”