Surviving in southern refugia: the case of Veronica aragonensis, a rare endemic from the Iberian Peninsula

Machon, Nathalie; Segarra‐Moragues, José Gabriel; Martínez‐Ortega, M. Montserrat

doi:10.1007/s00035-021-00258-7

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…1A). There are other examples of even more disjunct distributions like Veronica aragonensis , which could have used this corridor to reach the Baetic System from the Pyrenees (Padilla‐García et al, 2021). In the opposite direction, Arenaria tetraquetra could have also used this limestone corridor to reach the Pyrenees from Southeastern Iberia (Vargas, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Pyrenees as a cradle of plant diversity: phylogeny, phylogeography and niche modeling of Saxifraga longifolia

Pomeda‐Gutiérrez

Garcia

Leo

et al. 2022

J of Sytematics Evolution

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The current distribution of most species results from ecological niche, past distribution, and migrations during glacial-interglacial periods and in situ evolution. Here, we disentangle the colonization history of Saxifraga longifolia Lapeyr., a limestone plant abundant in the Pyrenees and rare in other Iberian mountains and the African Atlas. Our working hypothesis is that the current distribution results from the shrinkage of a more extensive distribution in previous cold periods. We sampled 160 individuals of 32 populations across the whole distribution range and sequenced four DNA regions (rpl32-trnL, rps16-trnQ, trnS-trnG, and ITS). Ecological conditions were modeled to identify factors promoting high genetic diversity and long-term persistence areas for S. longifolia. In addition, we inferred phylogenetic relationships, phylogeographic divergence, genetic diversity, and migration routes. Seven plastid haplotypes were found, of which six occur in the Pyrenees and one in the High Atlas (Morocco). Discrete phylogeographic analysis (DPA) estimated migration routes predominantly from the Pyrenees to the other areas. Colonization events to those areas appear to have taken place recently given that the rest of the Iberian mountains do not harbor exclusive haplotypes. Iberian-Northern African distribution was inferred to be the result of long-distance dispersal because the split between Iberian and High Atlas haplotypes is estimated to have taken place in the last 4 million years ago when the Strait of Gibraltar was already open. Migrations from the Pyrenees to the south may have been favored by a corridor of predominant limestone rocks along Eastern Iberia, followed by successful overcoming the Strait of Gibraltar to reach northern Africa.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Pyrenees as a cradle of plant diversity: phylogeny, phylogeography and niche modeling of Saxifraga longifolia

Pomeda‐Gutiérrez

Garcia

Leo

et al. 2022

J of Sytematics Evolution

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“…Although the European members of V. subgenus Pentasepalae have been the subject of several phylogenetic studies [29,31,33,73], for many Iranian and Turkish species (except for some members of V. orientalis complex [35,36]), no sequence has been available, and no extensive DNA-based study has been published for Southwest Asian species until now. The present study is the first comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of V. subgenus Pentasepalae across SW Asia, supplemented with previous results on European species, representing the most complete overview of species relationships in the whole subgenus.…”

Section: Phylogeny and Systematicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2.5 Mya) and likely happened during the early glacial cold climates, when North Africa had more favorable climatic conditions and the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea (Europe) was glaciated. Afterward, in the interglacial period, the cold-adapted species of V. subgenus Pentasepalae migrated to higher elevations and settled in disjunct sub-populations in the Atlas Mountains of Northwestern Africa and the highlands of the Iberian Peninsula [73], while populations of Northeastern Africa vanished in response to warm climate. The role of Northwestern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula as a Pleistocene refugia for both warm-adapted and cold-adapted species (including Veronica) has been highlighted in several studies [73,102,103], and the close floristic affinity of Northwestern Africa to the Irano-Turanian region has previously been mentioned in some classic floristic publications [104].…”

Section: Dispersal and Vicariancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Afterward, in the interglacial period, the cold-adapted species of V. subgenus Pentasepalae migrated to higher elevations and settled in disjunct sub-populations in the Atlas Mountains of Northwestern Africa and the highlands of the Iberian Peninsula [73], while populations of Northeastern Africa vanished in response to warm climate. The role of Northwestern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula as a Pleistocene refugia for both warm-adapted and cold-adapted species (including Veronica) has been highlighted in several studies [73,102,103], and the close floristic affinity of Northwestern Africa to the Irano-Turanian region has previously been mentioned in some classic floristic publications [104]. Zohary [105] in his review on the geobotanical foundations of the Middle East included the southern foothills of the Atlas Mountains in Northwestern Africa to the Irano-Turanian region as a distinct province, the Mauritanian steppes, characterized by several typical Irano-Turanian species such as: Noaea mucronata (Forssk.)…”

Section: Dispersal and Vicariancementioning

confidence: 99%

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Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of Veronica Subgenus Pentasepalae (Plantaginaceae): Evidence for Its Origin and Subsequent Dispersal

Doostmohammadi

Bordbar

Albach

et al. 2022

Biology

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Veronica subgenus Pentasepalae is the largest subgenus of Veronica in the Northern Hemisphere with approximately 80 species mainly from Southwest Asia. In order to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among the members of V. subgenus Pentasepalae and to test the “out of the Iranian plateau” hypothesis, we applied thorough taxonomic sampling, employing nuclear DNA (ITS) sequence data complimented with morphological studies and chromosome number counts. Several high or moderately supported clades are reconstructed, but the backbone of the phylogenetic tree is generally unresolved, and many Southwest Asian species are scattered along a large polytomy. It is proposed that rapid diversification of the Irano-Turanian species in allopatric glacial refugia and a relatively high rate of extinction during interglacial periods resulted in such phylogenetic topology. The highly variable Asian V. orientalis–V. multifida complex formed a highly polyphyletic assemblage, emphasizing the idea of cryptic speciation within this group. The phylogenetic results allow the re-assignment of two species into this subgenus. In addition, V. bombycina subsp. bolkardaghensis, V. macrostachya subsp. schizostegia and V. fuhsii var. linearis are raised to species rank and the new name V. parsana is proposed for the latter. Molecular dating and ancestral area reconstructions indicate a divergence age of about 9 million years ago and a place of origin on the Iranian Plateau. Migration to the Western Mediterranean region has likely taken place through a North African route during early quaternary glacial times. This study supports the assumption of the Irano-Turanian region as a source of taxa for neighboring regions, particularly in the alpine flora.

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Molecular evidence and environmental niche evolution at the origin of the disjunct distribution in three mountain endemic Tephroseris (Asteraceae) of the Mediterranean basin

Adamo,

Skokanová,

Bobo-Pinilla

et al. 2023

Alp Botany

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Studies on the origin and evolutionary history of closely related plants help to understand patterns of diversity of the mountain flora in addition to providing the basis for their identification. The genus Tephroseris includes three endemic taxa with small and disjoint distributions in the high mountains of the Iberian Peninsula and on the Maritime Alps. Tephroseris balbisiana is native to the Southwestern Alps, Tephroseris elodes to Sierra Nevada, and Tephroseris coincyi to Sierra de Gredos. These taxa have been treated under different combinations of species or subspecies due to limited morphological differentiation, but comprehensive studies have not been published so far. By combining information from phylogeny, molecular dating and genome size, we demonstrated the taxonomic distinctiveness between T. balbisiana and the two Iberian taxa. Although the lack of variability in plastid DNA hampered the precise estimation of the diversification events, some of the recovered patterns suggested a recent divergence of T. balbisiana, T. elodes and T. coincyi dating back to the Pleistocene (0.5–2.8 Mya). However, niche modeling supported a geographical overlap between the three taxa during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Moreover, the fragmentation of their ancient larger distribution range, particularly in the lower elevations of the Iberian Peninsula, and migration to glacial refuges in the south-western Alps, provide the most plausible explanations for the current disjoint distribution within the Mediterranean mountains. Furthermore, based on the evidence we gathered, we inferred that the alpine T. balbisiana, as well as the Iberian taxa, should be considered as three distinct subspecies.

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Surviving in southern refugia: the case of Veronica aragonensis, a rare endemic from the Iberian Peninsula

Cited by 4 publications

References 56 publications

The Pyrenees as a cradle of plant diversity: phylogeny, phylogeography and niche modeling of Saxifraga longifolia

The Pyrenees as a cradle of plant diversity: phylogeny, phylogeography and niche modeling of Saxifraga longifolia

Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of Veronica Subgenus Pentasepalae (Plantaginaceae): Evidence for Its Origin and Subsequent Dispersal

Molecular evidence and environmental niche evolution at the origin of the disjunct distribution in three mountain endemic Tephroseris (Asteraceae) of the Mediterranean basin

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