Glacial Refugia: Hotspots but Not Melting Pots of Genetic Diversity

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 300; no. 5625; pp. 1563 - 1565
• Main Authors: Petit, Rémy J., Aguinagalde, Itziar, de Beaulieu, Jacques-Louis, Bittkau, Christiane, Brewer, Simon, Cheddadi, Rachid, Ennos, Richard, Fineschi, Silvia, Grivet, Delphine, Lascoux, Martin, Mohanty, Aparajita, Müller-Starck, Gerhard, Demesure-Musch, Brigitte, Palmé, Anna, Martín, Juan Pedro, Rendell, Sarah, Vendramin, Giovanni G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 06.06.2003; The American Association for the Advancement of Science; American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biological taxonomies; Divergent evolution; DNA, Chloroplast - genetics; Ecological genetics; Ecosystem; Europe; Evolutionary genetics; Forest genetics; Forests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic diversity; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Genetics, Population; Geography; Glaciers; Haplotypes; Isolating mechanisms; Land Settlement; Life Sciences; Magnoliopsida - genetics; Observations; Origin of species; Population genetics; Refuge habitats; Reproductive isolating mechanisms; Seeds; Speciation; Species; Species diversity; Synecology; Temperature; Terrestrial ecosystems; Trees; Trees - genetics; France; Europe; Deciduous forest; Glaciation; Divergence; Genetic variability; Geographic distribution; Vegetation; Refuge; GENETIQUE
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1083264

Glacial refuge areas are expected to harbor a large fraction of the intraspecific biodiversity of the temperate biota. To test this hypothesis, we studied chloroplast DNA variation in 22 widespread European trees and shrubs sampled in the same forests. Most species had genetically divergent populations in Mediterranean regions, especially those with low seed dispersal abilities. However, the genetically most diverse populations were not located in the south but at intermediate latitudes, a likely consequence of the admixture of divergent lineages colonizing the continent from separate refugia.