The role of the Ord Arid Intrusion in the historical and contemporary genetic division of long‐tailed finch subspecies in northern Australia

• Published in: Ecology and evolution Vol. 2; no. 6; pp. 1208 - 1219
• Main Authors: Rollins, Lee Ann, Svedin, Nina, Pryke, Sarah R., Griffith, Simon C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2012; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Aridity; Biogeography; Bird migration; Case studies; Clustering; Gene flow; Genes; Genetic diversity; Genetic structure; Genetics; Haplotypes; Integrated software; Intrusion; Long‐tailed finch; microsatellite; mitochondrial control region; Mitochondrial DNA; Network analysis; northern Australian biogeography; Nucleotide sequence; Ord Arid Intrusion; Original Research; Phylogeography; Poephila acuticauda; Population genetics; Population structure; Statistical analysis; Variance analysis; Australia; Ord Arid Intrusion; microsatellite; northern Australian biogeography; Long-tailed finch; Poephila acuticauda; mitochondrial control region
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.259

The effect of separation by biogeographic features followed by secondary contact can blur taxonomic boundaries and produce complex genetic signatures. We analyzed population structure and gene flow across the range of the long‐tailed finch (Poephila acuticauda) in northern Australia (1) to test the hypothesis that Ord Arid Intrusion acted as the causative barrier that led to divergence of P. acuticauda subspecies, (2) to determine whether genetic data support the presence of a gradual cline across the range or a sudden shift, both of which have been suggested based on morphological data, and (3) to estimate levels of contemporary gene flow within this species complex. We collected samples from 302 individuals from 10 localities. Analyses of 12 microsatellite loci and sequence data from 333 base pairs of the mitochondrial control region were used to estimate population structure and gene flow, using analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), haplotype network analysis, frequency statistics, and clustering methods. Mitochondrial sequence data indicated the presence of three genetic groups (regions) across the range of P. acuticauda. Genetic diversity was highest in the east and lowest in the west. The Ord Arid Intrusion appears to have functioned as a biogeographic barrier in the past, according to mtDNA evidence presented here and evidence from previous studies. The absence of isolation by distance between adjacent regions and the lack of population genetic structure of mtDNA within regions indicates that genetic changes across the range of P. acuticauda subspecies are characterized by discrete breaks between regions. While microsatellite data indicate a complete absence of genetic structure across this species’ range, it appears unlikely that this results from high levels of gene flow. Mitochondrial data do not support the presence of contemporary gene flow across the range of this species. Evidence from many taxa distributed across northern Australia indicates that the Ord Arid Intrusion has acted as an agent of vicariance. It has been suggested that subspecies of the long‐tailed finch (Poephila acuticauda) arose as a result of this historical biogeographic barrier. Using mitochondrial sequence data and samples taken across the range of this species, we test this hypothesis. Further, changes to climate since the last glacial maximum have resulted in a reconnection of habitat on either side of this historical biogeographic barrier. We also estimate levels of contemporary gene flow within this species complex using microsatellite data to determine if genetic mixing between subspecies has occurred following secondary contact.