Niche differentiation among genetic lineages in the Mediterranean Pond turtle, Mauremys leprosa, across its geographical range

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Soumia Loulida ◽  
Pedro Segurado ◽  
Mohamed Naimi ◽  
Mohammed Znari
Keyword(s):  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Geographical Range ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
Genetic Lineages ◽  
Pond Turtle ◽  
Climate Niche ◽  
Mauremys Leprosa ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract Ecological niche modelling provides a useful tool to measure niche properties such as niche breadth, niche overlap and niche conservatism among genetic lineages, with relevant implications for conservation. The Mediterranean pond turtle Mauremys leprosa occurs on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar over most Iberia and the Maghreb Region of north-western Africa, where it shows a complex genetic structure as the result of Pleistocene climatic oscillations and the particular geographical features of this region. We analyzed the overlap of the climate niche of genetic lineages and sublineages of Mauremys leprosa, based on confirmed records across the known geographical range of the species. We also compared the accuracy of environmental niche models obtained by splitting the two lineages into subunits and lumping across lineages. Results revealed an overall niche overlap between the two main lineages and among most sublineages, indicating no relationship between genetic variation and niche divergence. Likewise, the environmental niche modelling revealed an extensive geographical overlap of climatic suitability between the two lineages. However, some ecological differentiation occurs for some sublineage pairs, in particular involving a sublineage whose occurrence corresponds to a particular morphotype – the Sahara blue-eyed pond turtle – which occupies very isolated habitats along the Draa basin in Morocco. These populations are currently threatened by fragmentation of habitats, drought and water salinization. This study will help assessing more effectively the impacts of ongoing climate change on Mauremys leprosa that along with local human activities are likely to increase in the southernmost limit of its distribution.

Niche conservatism predominates in adaptive radiation: comparing the diversification of Hawaiian arthropods using ecological niche modelling

2019 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 479-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E Hiller ◽  
Michelle S Koo ◽  
Kari R Goodman ◽  
Kerry L Shaw ◽  
Patrick M O’Grady ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Radiation ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Niche Conservatism ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Species Comparisons

Abstract The role of the environmental niche in fostering ecological divergence during adaptive radiation remains enigmatic. In this study, we examine the interplay between environmental niche divergence and conservatism in the context of adaptive radiation on oceanic islands, by characterizing the niche breadth of four Hawaiian arthropod radiations: Tetragnatha spiders (Tetragnathidae Latreille, 1804), Laupala crickets (Gryllidae Otte, 1994), a clade of Drosophila flies (Drosophilidae Fallén, 1823) and Nesosydne planthoppers (Delphacidae Kirkaldy, 1907). We assembled occurrence datasets for the four lineages, modelled their distributions and quantified niche overlap. All four groups occupy the islands in distinct ways, highlighting the contrasting axes of diversification for different lineages. Laupala and Nesosydne have opposite environmental niche extents (broad and narrow, respectively), whereas Tetragnatha and Drosophila share relatively intermediate tolerances. Temperature constrains the distributions of all four radiations. Tests of phylogenetic signal suggest that, for Tetragnatha and Drosophila, closely related species exhibit similar environmental niches; thus, diversification is associated with niche conservatism. Sister species comparisons also show that populations often retain similar environmental tolerances, although exceptions do occur. Results imply that diversification does not occur through ecological speciation; instead, adaptive radiation occurs largely within a single environment.

Evidence of introgression in endemic frogs from the campo rupestre contradicts the reduced hybridization hypothesis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael F Magalhães ◽  
Priscila Lemes ◽  
Marcus Thadeu T Santos ◽  
Rafael M Mol ◽  
Elisa K S Ramos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Flow ◽  
Introgressive Hybridization ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Middle Pleistocene ◽  
Campo Rupestre ◽  
Haplotype Sharing ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Climatic Fluctuation ◽  
Niche Modelling

Abstract The campo rupestre ecosystem is considered an old, climatically buffered, infertile landscape. As a consequence, long-term isolation is thought to have played an important role in the diversification of its biota. Here, we tested for hybridization between two endemic leaf frogs from the campo rupestre. We used sequence markers and coalescent models to verify haplotype sharing between the species, to test the existence and direction of gene flow, and to reconstruct the spatiotemporal dynamics of gene flow. Additionally, ecological niche modelling (ENM) was used to assess for potential co-occurrence by overlapping the climatic niche of these species since the middle Pleistocene. We found haplotype sharing and/or lack of differentiation in four nuclear fragments, one of them associated with introgression. The coalescent models support introgressive hybridization unidirectionally from Pithecopus megacephalus to P. ayeaye, occurring ~300 kya. ENM corroborates this scenario, revealing areas of potential environmental niche overlap for the species at about 787 kya. These results contradict the expectation of reduced hybridization, while ENM suggests climatic fluctuation rather than stability for the two species. The reduced hybridization hypothesis needs to be further investigated because our results suggest that it may have unrealistic premises at least for animals.

scholarly journals Environmental niche divergence of species from Merodon ruficornis group (Diptera: Syrphidae)

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Acanski ◽  
Marija Milicic ◽  
Laura Likov ◽  
Dubravka Milic ◽  
Snezana Radenkovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endemic Species ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Niche Divergence ◽  
Environmental Space

In this paper we analyzed environmental differentiation of closely related species from the Merodon ruficornis group. By applying principal component analysis (PCA) and environmental niche modelling (ENM)-based techniques, we estimated the level of niche divergence of closely related species. Our results indicate that ecology has an important role in the diversification process in related species from the M. ruficornis group. Distribution patterns of all analyzed species are mainly affected by the limiting effects of the temperature of the coldest quarter and month, as well as by the precipitation of the wettest and driest quarters. Our results demonstrated that among all related species, with the exception of M. ovaloides, overall or partial divergence in environmental space is present. Importantly, the results indicate that the environmental niches of all endemic species are restricted to smaller parts of the environmental space. In the case of niche overlap, the niches of endemic species are placed along the border of the realized niche of the widespread related species. For species in which distribution is not limited by geographical barriers, environmental preferences could be considered as limiting factors for further expansion, as in the case of M. alexandri, a lowland species with very strict climatic adaptations. Knowledge about the environmental factors that might influence the diversification process can provide an explanation for the high diversity in other Merodon species groups.

scholarly journals Phylogeographical and cytogeographical history of Artemisia herba-alba (Asteraceae) in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa: mirrored intricate patterns on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youcef Bougoutaia ◽  
Teresa Garnatje ◽  
Joan Vallès ◽  
Meriem Kaid-Harche ◽  
Ahmed Ouhammou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Haplotype Diversity ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
Diversity Patterns ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract Artemisia herba-alba is an important component of Mediterranean dry steppe floras, being widely distributed in arid areas of the Iberian Peninsula and North-West Africa. In this study, we use genetic, cytogenetic and niche modelling tools to investigate the natural history of the species, focusing particularly on the role played by polyploidization to explain current diversity patterns throughout the main distribution range of the plant. Our sequencing data indicate a complex phylogeographical structure showing similar haplotype diversity patterns on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar and no clear signals of genetic refugia. According to our cytogeographical results, we inferred multiple polyploidization events, which probably took place on the Iberian Peninsula and in North Africa independently. Environmental niche modelling suggested stable potential distributions of A. herba-alba on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea under present and past Last Glacial Maximum conditions, which could be related to the intricate spatial genetic and cytogenetic patterns shown by the species. Finally, environmental modelling comparison among cytotypes revealed that the niche of tetraploids is narrower and nested in that of diploids, a result that could indicate environmental specialization and could potentially explain recurrent establishment success of tetraploids.

scholarly journals Climate variability impacts on diversification processes in a biodiversity hotspot: a phylogeography of ancient pseudoscorpions in south-western Australia

2019 ◽  
Vol 186 (4) ◽  
pp. 934-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo Harms ◽  
J Dale Roberts ◽  
Mark S Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Molecular Dating ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Ecological Niche Models ◽  
The South ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
South West ◽  
Western Division

Abstract The south-western division of Australia is the only biodiversity hotspot in Australia and is well-known for extreme levels of local endemism. Climate change has been identified as a key threat for flora and fauna, but very few data are presently available to evaluate its impact on invertebrate fauna. Here, we derive a molecular phylogeography for pseudoscorpions of the genus Pseudotyrannochthonius that in the south-west are restricted to regions with the highest rainfall. A dated molecular phylogeny derived from six gene fragments is used for biogeographic reconstruction analyses, spatial mapping, environmental niche-modelling, and to infer putative species. Phylogenetic analyses uncover nine clades with mostly allopatric distributions and often small linear ranges between 0.5 and 130 km. Molecular dating suggests that the origins of contemporary diversity fall into a period of warm/humid Palaeogene climates, but splits in the phylogeny coincide with major environmental shifts, such as significant global cooling during the Middle Miocene. By testing several models of historical biogeography available for the south-west, we determine that Pseudotyrannochthonius is an ancient relict lineage that principally follows a model of allopatric speciation in mesic zone refugia, although there are derivations from this model in that some species are older and distribution patterns more complex than expected. Ecological niche models indicate that drier and warmer future climates will lead to range contraction towards refugia of highest rainfall, probably mimicking past variations that have generated high diversity in these areas. Their conservation management will be crucial for preserving the unique biodiversity heritage of the south-west.

scholarly journals Understanding biogeographical patterns in the western Balkan Peninsula using environmental niche modelling and geostatistics in polymorphic Edraianthus tenuifolius

AoB Plants ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Glasnović ◽  
Martina Temunović ◽  
Dmitar Lakušić ◽  
Tamara Rakić ◽  
Valentina Brečko Grubar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Balkan Peninsula ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Niche Modelling

scholarly journals Monitoring the influx of new species through citizen science: the first introduced ant in Denmark

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8850
Author(s):  
Julie K. Sheard ◽  
Nathan J. Sanders ◽  
Carsten Gundlach ◽  
Sämi Schär ◽  
Rasmus Stenbak Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
Climatic Niche ◽  
History Museum ◽  
Geographic Space ◽  
Citizen Science Project

Climate change and invasive species threaten biodiversity, yet rigorous monitoring of their impact can be costly. Citizen science is increasingly used as a tool for monitoring exotic species, because citizens are geographically and temporally dispersed, whereas scientists tend to cluster in museums and at universities. Here we report on the establishment of the first exotic ant taxon (Tetramorium immigrans) in Denmark, which was discovered by children participating in The Ant Hunt. The Ant Hunt is a citizen science project for children that we ran in 2017 and 2018, with a pilot study in 2015. T. immigrans was discovered in the Botanical Garden of the Natural History Museum of Denmark in 2015 and confirmed as established in 2018. This finding extends the northern range boundary of T. immigrans by almost 460 km. Using climatic niche modelling, we compared the climatic niche of T. immigrans in Europe with that of T. caespitum based on confirmed observations from 2006 to 2019. T. immigrans and T. caespitum had a 13% niche overlap, with T. immigrans showing stronger occurrence in warmer and drier areas compared to T. caespitum. Mapping the environmental niches onto geographic space identified several, currently uninhabited, areas as climatically suitable for the establishment of T. immigrans. Tetramorium immigrans was sampled almost three times as often in areas with artificial surfaces compared to T. caespitum, suggesting that T. immigrans may not be native to all of Europe and is being accidentally introduced by humans. Overall, citizen scientists collected data on ants closer to cities and harbours than scientists did and had a stronger bias towards areas of human disturbance. This increased sampling effort in areas of likely introduction of exotic species naturally increases the likelihood of discovering species sooner, making citizen science an excellent tool for exotic species monitoring, as long as trained scientists are involved in the identification process.

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