Abstract

Aim Phylogeographical studies of Eastern Mediterranean species are rare. Weaim to fill a gap in the current understanding of the role of Eastern Mediterraneanglacial refugia, and their connections with other refugia across Europe.To this end, we studied the genetic diversity distribution and genetic structureof the modern population of Quercus cerris in relation to its Quaternary demographichistory and to more ancient events.Location Mediterranean Basin; Italian, Balkan, Anatolian peninsulas.Methods A total of 192 populations were genotyped with six polymorphicchloroplast microsatellites, and the genetic diversity and differentiation of thepopulations were evaluated. The geographical structure of genetic variation wasanalysed with a Bayesian clustering method using baps 5.2. The demographichistory of Q. cerris was explored by an approximate Bayesian computation procedureusing diyabc 2.0. To reconstruct the past distribution of Q. cerris, wealso considered the chronology and geographical distribution of fossil records.Results Thirty-five haplotypes were found, three of which (together) werefound in 71.82% of individuals. Bayesian analysis resulted in three geneticallyand geographically distinct clusters: a Western group, a Central group, and anEastern group. The approximate Bayesian computation analysis, together withfossil data, showed a possible bottleneck leading to the divergence of the Easternand Central populations in the Early Pleistocene (Gelasian). The split intotwo groups of populations in the Italian and Balkan Peninsulas, respectively,was probably caused by a marked population contraction during a glacial phaseof the Middle Pleistocene.Main conclusions This study provides information on the potential role ofEastern Europe and the Near East as refugia and as a source for ancient westwardrange expansions in the Mediterranean region. Our study covers a remarkablegap in European oak phylogeography, showing a putative eastern origin of Q.cerris and the presence of large amounts of genetic diversity in this region.

Autore Pugliese

• Vendramin Giovanni Giuseppe

Tutti gli autori

• F. Bagnoli; Y. Tsuda; S. Fineschi; P. Bruschi; D. Magri; P. Zhelev; L. Paule; M. C. Simeone; S. C. Gonzalez-Martinez; G. G. Vendramin

Titolo volume/Rivista

Journal of biogeography

Anno di pubblicazione

2015

ISSN

1365-2699

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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