The phylogeographical history of the Iberian steppe plant Ferula loscosii (Apiaceae): a test of the abundant‐centre hypothesis

Abstract

The geology and climate of the western Mediterranean area were strongly modified during the Late Tertiary and the Quaternary. These geological and climatic events are thought to have induced changes in the population histories of plants in the Iberian Peninsula. However, fine-scale genetic spatial architecture across western Mediterranean steppe plant refugia has rarely been investigated. A population genetic analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism variation was conducted on present-day, relict populations of Ferula loscosii (Apiaceae). This species exhibits high individual/population numbers in the middle Ebro river valley and, according to the hypothesis of an abundant-centre distribution, these northern populations might represent a long-standing/ancestral distribution centre. However, our results suggest that the decimated southern and central Iberian populations are more variable and structured than the northeastern ones, representing the likely vestiges of an ancestral distribution centre of the species. Phylogeographical analysis suggests that F. loscosii likely originated in southern Spain and then migrated towards the central and northeastern ranges, further supporting a Late Miocene southern-bound Mediterranean migratory way for its oriental steppe ancestors. In addition, different glacial-induced conditions affected the southern and northern steppe Iberian refugia during the Quaternary. The contrasting genetic homogeneity of the Ebro valley range populations compared to the southern Iberian ones possibly reflects more severe bottlenecks and subsequent genetic drift experienced by populations of the northern Iberia refugium during the Pleistocene, followed by successful postglacial expansion from only a few founder plants.

Environmental isolation explains Iberian genetic diversity in the highly homozygous model grass Brachypodium distachyon

“…and Silene rupestris L.: [60]; Ferula loscosii Willk . : [61]; Cheirolophus intybaceus (Lam.) Dostál: [62]; Gentiana lutea L.: [63]).…”

Areas of endemism as a conservation criterion for Iberian gypsophilous flora: a multi-scale test using the NDM/VNDM program

“…Although this type of analysis is relevant for the conservation of this flora, none have so far aimed at determining the centres of endemism and their possible relationships (Mota et al 2002;Moreno Saiz et al 2013). Molecular markers have also been used to analyse phylogeographical and conservational aspects in connection with different gypsophilous species (Pérez-Collazos et al 2009;Martínez-Nieto 2012;Salmerón-Sánchez et al 2014). The objectives of this research are:…”

Genetic evidence for central‐marginal hypothesis in a Cenozoic relict tree species across its distribution in China

“…Furthermore, the disparity in geographical distribution (current and past) of climatically suitable habitats could also influence the pattern of genetic variation (Ortego et al ., ). The interactive effects of post‐glacial recolonization and C‐M process lead to the hump‐shaped pattern often observed in the field with genetic diversity peaks at lower portion of the species' latitudinal extent (Petit et al ., ; Pérez‐Collazos et al ., ; Guo, ). This pattern obtained from many empirical studies in Europe is consistent with theoretical prediction (e.g.…”