Open AccessComplex fine‐scale phylogeographical patterns in a putative refugial region for F agus sylvatica ( F agaceae)
Author(s) -
Papageorgiou Aristotelis C.,
Tsiripidis Ioannis,
Mouratidis Theodoros,
Hatziskakis Seraphim,
Gailing Oliver,
Eliades NicolasGeorge H.,
Vidalis Amaryllis,
Drouzas Andreas D.,
Finkeldey Reiner
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
botanical journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.872
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1095-8339
pISSN - 0024-4074
DOI - 10.1111/boj.12148
Subject(s) - beech , refugium (fishkeeping) , fagus sylvatica , biology , ecology , fagaceae , phylogeography , genetic structure , genetic variation , phylogenetics , habitat , biochemistry , gene
Broad‐scale plastid (chloroplast) DNA studies of beech ( F agus sylvatica ) populations suggest the existence of glacial refugia and introgression zones in south‐eastern E urope. We choose a possible refugium of beech in northern G reece, M t. P aggeo, which hosts a private plastid haplotype for beech, to conduct a fine‐scale genetic study. We attempt to confirm or reject the hypothesis of the existence of a small‐scale refugium and to gain an understanding of the ecological and topographical factors affecting the spatial distribution of plastid haplotypes in the area. Our results reveal a high haplotype diversity on M t. P aggeo, but the overall distribution of haplotypes shows no significant correlation with the ecological characteristics of the beech forests. However, the private haplotype is found at high frequencies in beech forests located in or near ravines, having a high spatial overlap with a relict vegetation type occurring in ecological conditions found mainly in ravines. This result emphasizes the importance of topography in the existence of glacial refugia in the wider area. Furthermore, haplotypes originating from two more widespread beech lineages in G reece are found on M t. P aggeo, indicating a possible mixing of populations originating from a local refugium with populations from remote refugia that possibly migrated into the area after the last glaciation. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2014, 174 , 516–528.