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Role of colonization history and species‐specific traits on contemporary genetic variation of two salamander species in a Holocene island‐mainland system
Author(s) -
Lourenço André,
Sequeira Fernando,
Buckley David,
VeloAntón Guillermo
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of biogeography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1365-2699
pISSN - 0305-0270
DOI - 10.1111/jbi.13192
Subject(s) - vicariance , ecology , mainland , biology , biological dispersal , colonization , gene flow , genetic variation , genetic structure , population , genetic diversity , geography , phylogeography , evolutionary biology , phylogenetic tree , demography , biochemistry , sociology , gene
Aim Investigate the role of colonization history and life history traits on contemporary patterns of genetic variation in two salamander species in a Holocene island‐mainland system. Location Rías Baixas, north‐western Spain. Methods We analysed mitochondrial and species‐specific nuclear markers (eight microsatellite markers) in 16 populations of Salamandra salamandra and Lissotriton boscai . Contemporary gene flow patterns between mainland and island populations were evaluated by migration analyses, whereas approximate Bayesian computation ( ABC ) was used to assess colonization history of insular populations of both species. Results Land bridge populations of both species exhibited reduced genetic diversity and increased genetic structure compared to mainland populations. ABC analysis showed that insular populations of both species were established by vicariance rather than by colonization via dispersal. We did not find evidence for contemporary gene flow, though the L. boscai insular population of Sálvora showed genetic admixture with mainland populations. Main conclusions This study supports the role of genetic drift in driving contemporary genetic variation of small and isolated populations. Other interplaying factors (e.g. island size, bathymetry) seemed to influence genetic variation, highlighting the importance of integrative studies to better understand the evolutionary dynamics of land bridge populations of amphibians.