Rapid diversification of gray mangroves (Avicennia  marina) driven by geographic isolation and extreme environmental conditions  in the Arabian Peninsula

Abstract

Biological systems occurring in ecologically heterogeneous and spatially discontinuous habitats provide an ideal opportunity to investigate the relative roles of neutral and selective factors in driving lineage diversification. The gray mangroves (Avicennia marina) of Arabia occur at the northern edge of the species' range and are subject to variable, often extreme, environmental conditions, as well as historic large fluctuations in habitat availability and connectivity resulting from Quaternary glacial cycles. Here, we analyze fully sequenced genomes sampled from 19 locations across the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian/Arabian Gulf (PAG) to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the species in the region, and to identify adaptive mechanisms of lineage diversification. Population structure and phylogenetic analyses revealed marked genetic structure correlating with geographic distance and highly supported clades among and within the seas surrounding the Arabian Peninsula. Demographic modelling showed times of divergence consistent with recent periods of geographic isolation and low marine connectivity during glaciations, suggesting the presence of (cryptic)

Mangrove sediments-associated bacterium (Bacillus sp. SW7) with multiple plant growth-promoting traits promotes the growth of tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum)

“…The mangroves are true extremophiles, which evolved to grow in extreme ecological conditions such as arid and hot intertidal environments (Friis et al, 2023). The mangrove tree is known to tolerate high salinity and plays an important role in the carbon sequestration, nutrient cycle, conservation and production of coastal ecosystems (Osland et al, 2018;Costa et al, 2022).…”