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Simple Summary: Trachycarpus nanus is a national, second-class, rare and endangered plant in China, and a plant species endemic to Yunnan. This species has a high medicinal, ecological, and scientific value, but it is currently on the verge of extinction. Therefore, it is urgent to learn its extinction risk under global warming. We predict its multi-temporal distribution pattern based on the optimized MaxEnt model. The results show that precipitation is the most important factor. In the future, drastic climatic changes and human disturbances may lead to the extinction of this species, so it is necessary to strengthen the protection of this species using specific strategies. Climate change affects the geographical distribution of plant species. Rare Trachycarpus nanus with a narrow distribution range, high medicinal value and extremely small population is facing increasing extinction risks under global climate change. In this study, 96 recorded occurrences and 23 environmental factors are used to predict the potential suitable area of T. nanus based on the optimized MaxEnt (3.4.4) model and ArcGIS (10.7) software. The results show that when the parameters are FC = LQ and RM = 1, the MaxEnt model is optimal and AUC = 0.946. The distribution patterns were predicted in the past, present, and four future phases, i.e., 2021–2040 (2030), 2041–2060 (2050), 2061–2080 (2070), and 2081–2100 (2090). The main factors are the annual precipitation (bio12), mean temperature of the coldest quarter (bio11), temperature seasonality (bio4), precipitation of the wettest quarter (bio16), and isothermality (bio3). The potential distribution of T. nanus is primarily concentrated in central Chuxiong, encompassing a total potential suitable area of 5.65 × 104 km2. In historical periods, the total habitat area is smaller than that in the present. In the future, the potential suitable area is generally increased. The centroid analysis shows that T. nanus will move to a high-altitude area and to the southeast. But its dispersal capacity may not keep up with the climate change rate. Therefore, additional protection sites for this species should be appropriately established and the habitat connectivity should be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groups with morphological stasis are an interesting framework to address putative cryptic species that may be hidden behind traditional taxonomic treatments, particularly when distribution ranges suggest disjunct and environmentally heterogeneous biogeographic patterns. New hypotheses of delimitation of evolutionary independent units can lead to the identification of different biogeographic processes, laying the foundation to investigate their historical and ecological significance. Jasione is a plant genus with a distribution centered in the Mediterranean basin, characterized by significant morphological stasis. Within the western Mediterranean J. gr. crispa species complex, J. sessiliflora s.l. and allied taxa form a distinct group, occupying environmentally diverse regions. At least two ploidy levels, diploid and tetraploid, are known to occur in the group. The internal variability is assessed with phylogenetic tools, viz. GMYC and ASAP, for species delimitation. The results are compared with other lines of evidence, including morphology and cytology. The fitting of distribution patterns of the inferred entities to chorological subprovinces is also used as a biogeographical and environmental framework to test the species hypothesis. Despite the scarcity of diagnostic morphological characters in the group, phylogenetic delimitation supports the description of at least one cryptic species, a narrow endemic in the NE Iberian Peninsula. Moreover, the results support the segregation of a thermophilic group of populations in eastern Iberia from J. sessiliflora. Ploidy variation from a wide geographical survey supports the systematic rearrangement suggested by species delimitation. Taxonomic reorganization in J. sessiliflora s.l. would allow ecological interpretations of distribution patterns in great accordance with biogeographical regionalization at the subprovince level, supporting geobotanical boundaries as a framework to interpret species ecological coherence of cryptic lineages. These results suggest that species differentiation, together with geographic isolation and polyploidization, is associated with adaptation to different environments, shifting from more to less thermophilic conditions. Thus, the recognition of concealed evolutionary entities is essential to correctly interpret biogeographical patterns in regions with a complex geologic and evolutionary history, such as the Mediterranean basin, and biogeographical units emerge as biologically sound frameworks to test the species hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, comprises c. 2000 species whose evolutionary relationships at the tribal level have proven difficult to resolve, hindering our ability to understand their origin and diversification.We designed a specific probe kit for Scrophulariaceae, targeting 849 nuclear loci and obtaining plastid regions as by‐products. We sampled c. 87% of the genera described in the family and use the nuclear dataset to estimate evolutionary relationships, timing of diversification, and biogeographic patterns.Ten tribes, including two new tribes, Androyeae and Camptolomeae, are supported, and the phylogenetic positions of Androya, Camptoloma, and Phygelius are unveiled. Our study reveals a major diversification at c. 60 million yr ago in some Gondwanan landmasses, where two different lineages diversified, one of which gave rise to nearly 81% of extant species. A Southern African origin is estimated for most modern‐day tribes, with two exceptions, the American Leucophylleae, and the mainly Australian Myoporeae. The rapid mid‐Eocene diversification is aligned with geographic expansion within southern Africa in most tribes, followed by range expansion to tropical Africa and multiple dispersals out of Africa.Our robust phylogeny provides a framework for future studies aimed at understanding the role of macroevolutionary patterns and processes that generated Scrophulariaceae diversity. This article is part of the Special Collection 'Global plant diversity and distribution'. See https://www.newphytologist.org/global-plant-diversity for more details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been widely documented that the complex structure of forest ecosystems supports considerable bryophyte species and functional diversity. In this study, we assessed the diversity, distribution and ecological and phytogeographical features of bryophytes across a gradient of temperate forest types on Mt. Papuk. This is the largest and highest mountain in the lowland, Pannonian part of Croatia, with high geological diversity and various temperate forests covering 95% of the mountain. According to the predominant tree species (oak vs. beech), geological bedrock (calcareous vs. siliceous) and soil reaction (alkaline vs. acidic), 21 study plots were classified into four distinct forest types. In all, 184 bryophyte species (35 liverworts and 149 mosses) were recorded. Although the forest types investigated did not differ significantly with respect to species richness, each was characterized by a considerable number of diagnostic bryophyte species. According to our results, one of the main ecological factors determining the variability of the forest bryophyte composition was geological bedrock and the associated soil reaction. Basiphilous forests developed on carbonate bedrock harbored more thermophilous and nitrophilous bryophytes and were characterized by southern-temperate and Mediterranean–Atlantic biogeographic elements. In contrast, acidophilous forests growing on silicate bedrock were characterized by wide-boreal and boreo-arctic–montane elements, i.e., bryophytes indicating cooler habitats and nitrogen-deficient soils. Based on the results, we hypothesized that the main latitudinal biogeographic distinction between southern and northern biogeographic elements is driven more by geological substrate than by the main tree species in forest communities. The present study confirmed previous findings that bryophytes are good and specific habitat indicators and show associations with different forest types, which can help to understand the complexity, ecological microconditions and biogeographic characteristics of forest communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented work is the first comprehensive study on the desmids of mountainous areas of the Gorce region in Poland. The Gorce Mts flora of the order Desmidiales comprises 20 genera and 247 species. The most diverse genera in the Gorce Mts are Cosmarium with 99 taxa, Closterium with 39 taxa, Staurastrum with 38 taxa and Euastrum with 17 taxa. All reported taxa are described and documented by original hand drawings and microphotographs. Environmental data with geographical coordinates are included for all studied sites. Among the recorded taxa, eight (Actinotaenium borgeanum, Actinotaenium gelidum, Actinotaenium perminutum, Cosmarium alpestre, Cosmarium dispersum, Cosmarium paragranatoides, Closterium sublaterale, Staurastrum pyramidatum) are new for the Polish flora. An important factor affecting the biodiversity of desmids in the Gorce area is human activity. In typically anthropogenic habitats, which in the study area include roads and paths, 157 species were found (63.7% of the Gorce desmid flora). Many montane species, such as Closterium pusillum and Cosmarium decedens, associated with wet moss on rocks, had secondary habitats there. A group of 21 species found only in anthropogenic habitats can be considered anthropophytes of the studied area. There are also semi-natural habitats in the form of meadows that persist only due to human activity. The situation is similar to that of vascular plants. Clearings used until the 1980s showed significantly higher species richness than clearings where grazing has been abandoned for a long time. Overall, human activity has contributed to an increase of desmid species diversity in the Gorce region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We analyzed plants and their traits in dolines, which are characteristic enclosed terrain depressions on carbonate (karst) plateaus. These landforms range from a few meters to over 100 m in diameter, their depth generally varying from a few meters to a few tens of meters. A pronounced ecological gradient can be found from the bottom to the top, starting from humid, cool and shaded bottoms to sunny, dry and warm slopes and tops. We sampled dolines of various depths and analyzed the distribution of plant species on the gradient and how this distribution is reflected in plant traits: chorotypes, life forms, plant architecture and strategies. We used the transect method and sampled the floristic composition from the doline bottom to the top. We collected information about plant traits from various literature sources. The results show life forms and plant architecture explain this gradient well and, to a lesser extent, also chorotypes, but functional strategies have a low explanatory power. Life forms and plant architecture are the result of adaptation of species to the environment, and chorotypes are defined as species with an overlapping geographical distribution pattern due to their distribution and environmental histories. Functional strategies, which have evolved to enable plants to succeed in various environments, unexpectedly have a low explanatory power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological strategy is the tactics employed by species in adapting to abiotic and biotic conditions. The ecological strategy spectrum is defined as the relative proportion of species in different ecological strategy types within a community. Determinants of ecological strategy spectrum of plant community explored by most previous studies are about abiotic factors. Yet, the roles of biotic factors in driving variations of ecological strategy spectra of forest communities across different geographic regions remains unknown. In this study, we established 200 0.04-ha forest dynamics plots (FDPs) and measured three-leaf functional traits of tree and shrub species in four forest vegetation types across four climatic zones. Based on Grime's competitor, stress-tolerator, ruderal (CSR) triangular framework, and the StrateFy method, we categorized species into four ecological strategy groups (i.e., C-, S-, Int-, and R-groups) and related the ecological spectra of the forests to three species diversity indices [i.e., species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, and stem density (stem abundance)]. Linear regression, redundancy analysis, and variance partition analysis were utilized for assessing the roles of species diversity in regulating ecological strategy spectra of forest communities across different climatic zones. We found that the proportion of species in the C- and Int-groups increased, while the proportion of species in the S-group decreased, with the increase of three indices of species diversity. Among the three species diversity indices, stem abundance played the most important role in driving variations in ecological strategy spectra of forests across different climatic zones. Our finding highlights the necessity of accounting for biotic factors, especially stem abundance, in modeling or predicting the geographical distributions of plant species with varied ecological adaptation strategies to future environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering methods based on environmental variables are useful in the planning of conservation strategies for species and ecosystems. However, there is a lack of work on the regionalization of the vast space of North Africa and the distribution of plant species. The current lists of endemic plants are focused mostly on an occurrence at the country level and not on regions with different conditions. The aim of this work was to lay out an environmental scheme for northwest Africa and to collect data about the occurrence of endemic plants in this area. Clustering with 12 of 33 tested environmental rasters was performed to divide the Maghreb into environmental clusters. Then, a list of 1618 endemic plant taxa (1243 species and 375 subspecies) was prepared and their distribution in estimated environmental clusters was examined. Eleven clusters with different conditions were estimated. The main drivers of regionalization were temperature amplitude, precipitation seasonality, and precipitation of the warmest quarter. According to the occurrence of endemic plants, northwest Africa may be divided into three zones: Atlas, Mediterranean (two environmental clusters), and southern zone (eight environmental clusters). The presented results provide a good basis for understanding the spatial patterns of the Maghreb, including its environment and species diversity. A designed list of endemic plant species together with environmental data may facilitate the planning of future research in north Africa and arranging methods of biodiversity protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understand the role of the drivers in vegetation pattern is essential in ecology since diversity plays a major role in the stability and maintenance of plant communities. The murundus are small and scattered earthmounds with a differentiated flora of its surrounding. In our study site (Campo Maior, Piauí, Northeastern Brazil), we classified them in three categories: presence of carnaúba (PC), presence of tucum (PT), and with the absence of palm trees (AP). Here, our goals were (1) to explore alpha diversity using the richness estimator and abundance distribution rank, expecting that palm trees could influence the richness of plant species on murundus; (2) analyzing the species richness-area relationship in the murundus, following the assumptions that the largest one holds more species; (3) find the changes in the species composition (beta diversity) between the three categories of murundus, assuming which the presence of palm trees influence the species composition; and (4) investigate if the distance between murundus is a decisive factor in the species composition, where the closest murundus are the most similar in species composition. Ours results showed that palms trees do not influence the richness of the murundus, the largest murundus are the richest ones, and the turnover predominantly determines beta diversity in the different murundus categories. Furthermore, the distance between the murundus did not determine its floristic similarity. Overall, we demonstrated which the species of palm trees are not the main drive of the plant assemblage in the murundus, however its size comprises a major factor in the richness, with great species substitution, which explains the high plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback between plants and their associated soil biota is an important driver of plant distribution, abundance and community composition with consequences for ecosystem functioning. The field of plant‐soil feedback (PSF) research has become an integral subdiscipline of terrestrial ecosystem ecology, and in recent decades has rapidly evolved by deepening and broadening its scope.We review the major developments in the field, discuss methodological considerations and present a way forward for new approaches to PSF research that will lead to a more generalized and predictive understanding of PSFs. We illustrate that the field of PSF research has pursued multiple dimensions, including temporal scales, biogeographic perspectives, environmental context and the level of biological resolution.Plant‐soil feedbacks have been related to successional species turnover, but our inferences are often constrained by experimental time‐scales, and anthropogenic impacts can alter or disrupt the temporal interactions between plants and soil biota. Plant‐soil feedbacks also have been used to explain spatial patterns of plant recruitment, coexistence and diversity, and have increasingly been linked to the patterns of spread and abundance of non‐native and invasive plants.In recent years, more consideration also has been given to the sensitivity of PSF to environmental context, in particularly to gradients of resource availability and changing climatic conditions (including extreme events). Here, of particular interest are the differential responses of mutualistic and antagonistic soil biota. How plants interact with different groups of soil biota has further been predicted from species' phylogenetic relatedness and increasingly also from plant chemical and morphological shoot, root and litter traits.Synthesis. In moving the field forward, future PSF research should take a multidimensional approach by explicitly considering cross‐connections between dimensions, including, for example, spatio‐temporal variation in resource availability, and trait–environment relationships across taxonomic and functional groups of plants and soil organisms. This forward movement will be accelerated by further methodological advances utilizing new types of experiments in the laboratory and in the field, as well as establishing global collaborative networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morro Três Irmãos, in Terra Rica-PR, is located in the northwest of Paraná, under the Atlantic Forest in the interior, with the main physiognomy being the Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, with the presence of floristic elements typical of a vegetation enclave. The application of the phytosociological study in this area aims to analyze the most relevant characteristics of the area and its present conditions, using the technique of graphical representation of vegetation pyramids. The field survey was carried out according to the relevant methodology, generating a comparative analysis of the evolution of the vegetation in the area. The study resulted in qualitative and quantitative information located spatially and temporally, such as the abundance, frequency, dominance and diversity indices, in addition to the so-called species importance value, representing the vegetation of the vertically collected points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Saxifragales is a morphologically and ecologically diverse clade of flowering plants with a cosmopolitan distribution. Although families and genera within the order exhibit classic biogeographical disjunctions, no studies to date have rigorously examined and described its historical biogeography. Here, we analyze the historical biogeography of Saxifragales by first generating a new chronogram for the order using a supermatrix approach, based on 61 loci from 251 representative members of Saxifragales. Our results suggest that Saxifragales originated in the early Albian approximately 107 Ma and diversified rapidly in the next 15 Ma, with all stem lineages of extant families present by the Campanian at approximately 75 Ma. The ancestral geographic range of the order is unclear, but ancestral range reconstructions point to an East Asian origin as the most tenable hypothesis. Ancestral ranges of the Haloragaceae/Crassulaceae clade suggest a strong signal for an Australasia origin for all families, and Saxifragaceae shows strong signal for bidirectional movement across the Asian-Alaskan land bridge during the Upper Cretaceous. Disjunct distributions are best explained by long-distance dispersal rather than vicariance, but we demonstrate that timing and directionality within particular disjunctions are similar within Saxifragales and consistent with results from distantly related angiosperm clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Patterns of species diversity are essential to understand community structure. We aimed to determine species diversity and patterns of beta diversity in different spatial scales. We sampled three thousand individuals between the coordinates 22°10'S to 22°16'S and 47°47'W to 48°00'W to assess species diversity in three spatial scales (maximum distances of 80 m, 1,400 m, and 12,000 m), using the point-centered-quarter method. We partitioned gamma diversity into alpha and beta components. Beta diversity was partitioned into dissimilarities produced by spatial species turnover and nestedness. The contribution of beta diversity to gamma diversity was greater than that of alpha diversity in all scales, although the patterns of species diversity were similar for the evaluated scales, and was similar to that described for larger spatial scales. The sampled fragments presented means of 15 exclusive species and 47.5 species per fragment, and dissimilarities [β(SØR)=0.7] almost completely explained (94 %) by spatial species turnover. The results indicate that the remnant fragments are residual patches of an originally heterogeneous vegetation. The fragmentation processes could have progressed differently in each portion of the original vegetation, producing the current heterogeneous vegetation. Thus, there is a potential of high local species extinctions if the remnant fragments are deforested.

Aim: Climate is usually regarded as the main determinant of plant species distributions. However, past human use of species for food might also have influenced distributions. We hypothesized that human‐mediated dispersal has resulted in food plants occupying more of their potential geographical range. We also hypothesized that key ecological traits could predispose a species to occupy more of its potential climatic geographical range and be selected by humans for food. Location: The Sonoran Desert of south‐western North America. Time period: Present day. Major taxa studied: Food plants. Methods: We used ethnobotanical data and data from large botanical ecoinformatics databases to estimate realized (dispersal‐ and climate‐constrained) and potential (climate‐constrained) ranges for food plants and their used and unused congeners. Results: We found that food plants fill more of their potential geographical ranges than their unused congeners. We also found that succulence and annual growth interacted with food usage to increase range filling. Main conclusions: Human food use has expanded the distribution of many plant species in the Sonoran Desert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between productivity, fire frequency and fire severity shape the distribution of plant communities globally. Dry forests are expected to burn frequently and wet forests to burn infrequently. However, the effect of productivity on intensity and severity of wildfire is less consistent and poorly understood. One productive ecosystem where this is especially true is the Australian tall wet Eucalyptus‐dominated forest (TWEF), which spans wet areas across the continent. This study aims to characterise how climate shapes the likelihood of low‐ and high‐severity wildfire across Australian TWEF.We performed a continental‐scale analysis of fuels in 48 permanent plots in early‐mature stage TWEF across four climate regions in Australia. We estimated fuel loads and measured understorey microclimate. We then obtained historical fire‐weather observations from nearby meteorological stations and used fuel moisture and fire behaviour equations to predict the historical frequency with which TWEF could burn and what fire severities were expected. We investigated how this varies across the different TWEF climate regions. Lastly, we validated our approach by remeasuring eight plots that burned unexpectedly post‐measurement.We found that surface fuels in cooler, moister regions were available to burn 1–16 days per year historically, with only low‐severity, surface fire possible most of these days: high‐severity fire was only possible under rare, extreme fire‐weather conditions. However, in warmer, drier regions, fuels were available to burn 23–35 days annually, and high‐severity fire was more likely than low‐severity fire. Validation showed that we slightly overestimated flame heights, inflating high‐severity risk estimates. If we used elevated fuel loads to predict flame heights, however, high‐severity fire was more likely than low‐severity fire everywhere. Lastly, the likelihood of high‐severity fire increased with increasing temperature and worsening fire weather.Synthesis. Fire activity in early‐mature TWEF is limited by climatic constraints on fire weather and availability to burn, with high‐severity fire more likely in warmer, drier regions than in cooler, wetter ones. This indicates a particularly worrisome vulnerability to climate change, given TWEF's diminished ability to recover from disturbance in a warmer world. The occurrence of both low‐ and high‐severity fire means the fire regimes of TWEF are best described as mixed severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liverwort and hornwort flora of the Korean Peninsula possesses some unique traits arising from the geographic position of the Peninsula, where the mainland flora meets insular flora. This flora is still not exhaustively studied, due not only to political reasons, but also because much less attention has been paid than to adjacent lands by hepaticologists. A checklist presented is based on a study of ca. 15,500 specimens collected by the authors and a review of relevant literature. This study provides the checklist of liverworts and hornworts known from Korea and the geographical distribution of each species within the peninsula. The liverworts and hornworts in Korean flora include 346 taxa (326 species, 16 subspecies and four varieties) in 112 genera and 50 families. Since 2007, 75 taxa of liverworts and four taxa of hornworts are reported as new to the Korean Peninsula, with a number of the new records arising following application of new taxonomic concepts that have become apparent over the last few decades. While compiling the checklist, 42 species, previously reported to Korea, are excluded from the Korean liverwort flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The geographical distribution of plant species is linked fundamentally not only to environmental variables, but also to key traits that affect the dispersal, establishment and evolutionary potential of a species. One of the key plant traits that can be expected to affect standing genetic variation, speed of adaptation and the capacity to colonize and establish in new habitats, and therefore niche breadth and range size, is the plant mating system. However, the precise role of the mating system in shaping range size and niche breadth of plant species remains unclear, and different studies have provided contrasting results. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that range size and niche breadth differed with mating system in the orchid genus Epipactis. Methods We modelled the ecological niches of 14 Epipactis species in Europe using occurrence records and environmental satellite data in Maxent. Niche breadth and niche overlap in both geographic and environmental space were calculated from the resulting habitat suitability maps using ENMTools, and geographic range was estimated using α-hull range definition. Habitat suitability, environmental variable contributions and niche metrics were compared among species with different mating systems. Key Results We did not detect significant differences in niche breadth, occurrence probability or geographical range between autogamous and allogamous Epipactis species, although autogamous species demonstrated notably low variation in niche parameters. We also found no significant differences in niche overlap between species with the same mating system or different mating systems. For all Epipactis species, occurrence was strongly associated with land cover, particularly broad-leafed and coniferous forests, and with limestone bedrock. Conclusions These results suggest that the mating system does not necessarily contribute to niche breadth and differentiation, and that other factors (e.g. mycorrhizal specificity) may be more important drivers of range size and niche breadth in Epipactis and orchids in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Physiological limits to thermal extremes are often thought to determine the abundance and geographical distribution of species, but more recent evidence suggests that species interactions might be equally important. Moreover, the relative importance of these constraints might shift with changing abiotic conditions, such as climate change. Here, we explore the relative importance of physiological tolerances to heat and species interactions in determining the distribution of insects along two elevational gradients. The gradients contrast in precipitation but not temperature, allowing us to separate these two climatic factors. Location: Montane rainforest in Costa Rica. Time period: 2015–2016. Major taxa studied: Bromeliad‐dwelling aquatic insect larvae. Methods: We estimated the elevational preferences of five insect taxa by surveying 170 bromeliads along the moist Atlantic and the dry Pacific slopes of Monteverde and determined their critical thermal maxima (CTmax) experimentally. We determined whether taxon‐specific heat tolerances predicted their elevational preferences, using Deming regressions, and tested whether potential predators mediated effects on the elevation of insect distributions, using structural equation models. Results: On the moist Atlantic slope, heat tolerances of insects explained their elevational distributions: taxa with high heat tolerances preferred low elevations where conditions were warmest, whereas taxa with low heat tolerances preferred high elevations where conditions were coldest. In contrast, on the drier Pacific slope, the elevational abundance pattern of many insects reflected negative interactions from crane fly larvae. These larvae are known to become predatory in drought conditions and were disproportionally abundant at low elevations on the Pacific slope. Main conclusions: We show that under drought, indirect effects mediated by species interactions can override any direct physiological effects of environmental conditions on insect distributions. The relative importance of limits to physiological tolerance and species interactions thus depends on the environmental context, an important insight given that environmental conditions are expected to shift with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Eocene floras of Patagonia document biotic response to the final separation of Gondwana. The conifer genus Araucaria, distributed worldwide during the Mesozoic, has a disjunct extant distribution between South America and Australasia. Fossils assigned to Australasian Araucaria Sect. Eutacta usually are represented by isolated organs, making diagnosis difficult. Araucaria pichileufensis E.W. Berry, from the middle Eocene Río Pichileufú (RP) site in Argentine Patagonia, was originally placed in Sect. Eutacta and later reported from the early Eocene Laguna del Hunco (LH) locality. However, the relationship of A. pichileufensis to Sect. Eutacta and the conspecificity of the Araucaria material among these Patagonian floras have not been tested using modern methods. Methods: We review the type material of A. pichileufensis alongside large (n = 192) new fossil collections of Araucaria from LH and RP, including multi‐organ preservation of leafy branches, ovuliferous complexes, and pollen cones. We use a total evidence phylogenetic analysis to analyze relationships of the fossils to Sect. Eutacta. Results: We describe Araucaria huncoensis sp. nov. from LH and improve the whole‐plant concept for Araucaria pichileufensis from RP. The two species respectively resolve in the crown and stem of Sect. Eutacta. Conclusions: Our results confirm the presence and indicate the survival of Sect. Eutacta in South America during early Antarctic separation. The exceptionally complete fossils significantly predate several molecular age estimates for crown Eutacta. The differentiation of two Araucaria species demonstrates conifer turnover during climate change and initial South American isolation from the early to middle Eocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant communities on tropical high islands, such as the Hawaiian Islands, are predicted to experience rapid climate change, resulting in novel climates. If increased temperature and/or drought exceed plant species' current tolerances, species that are unable to adapt or shift ranges risk extinction. By definition, habitat generalists have a wide niche breadth and thrive in a variety of habitats, whereas habitat specialists have a narrow niche breadth, and typically thrive under more specific climatic characteristics (e.g., cold). The objectives of this study were to: (1) classify plant species in the Hawaiian Islands along a habitat generalist-specialist continuum; (2) independently test the validity of species rankings, using environmental and biogeographic ranges; and (3) identify species' life-history traits that predict species location along the continuum. We quantified specialization for 170 plant species using species co-occurrence data from over one thousand plots to rank species' realized habitat niche breadth using the Jaccard index. The distribution of species along this continuum differed by species biogeographic origin, with endemic plant species ranked on the specialist end and non-native plant species ranked on the generalist end. Habitat specialization rankings also differed for four of nine tested variables (while controlling for biogeographic origin): number of habitat moisture types, minimum elevation, number of Hawaiian Islands, and life form. Life form was the only trait tested that differed across the continuum, with woody species ranked as stronger generalists than herbaceous species; this pattern was particularly evident for non-native species. This indirect method of estimating species' potential climatic flexibility uses increasingly available large plant community data sets with output rankings which represent species' realized habitat niches. Identifying species and plant communities that are on the habitat specialist end of the continuum allows for their prioritization in conservation planning, as globally the loss of specialists is an indication of degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To provide distribution information and preliminary conservation assessments for all species of the pineapple family (Bromeliaceae), one of the most diverse and ecologically important plant groups of the American tropics—a global biodiversity hotspot. Furthermore, we aim to analyse patterns of diversity, endemism and the conservation status of the Bromeliaceae on the continental level in the light of their evolutionary history. Location: The Americas. Methods: We compiled a dataset of occurrence records for 3,272 bromeliad species (93.4% of the family) and modelled their geographic distribution using either climate‐based species distribution models, convex hulls or geographic buffers dependent on the number of occurrences available. We then combined this data with information on taxonomy and used the ConR software for a preliminary assessment of the conservation status of all species following Criterion B of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Results: Our results stress the Atlantic Forest in eastern Brazil, the Andean slopes, Central America and the Guiana Highlands as centres of bromeliad diversity and endemism. Phylogenetically ancient subfamilies of bromeliads are centred in the Guiana highlands whereas the large radiations of the group spread across different habitats and large geographic area. A total of 81% of the evaluated bromeliad species are Possibly Threatened with extinction. We provide range polygons for 3,272 species, as well as newly georeferenced point localities for 911 species in the novel "bromeliad" r package, together with functions to generate diversity maps for individual taxonomic or functional groups. Main conclusions: Diversity centres of the Bromeliaceae agreed with macroecological patterns of other plant and animal groups, but show some particular patterns related to the evolutionary origin of the family, especially ancient dispersal corridors. A staggering 2/3rds of Bromeliaceae species might be threatened with extinction, especially so in tropical rain forests, raising concerns about the conservation of the family and bromeliad‐dependent animal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Are different fruit colours related to large‐scale patterns of dispersal, distribution and diversification? Here, we investigate this question for the first time, using phylogenetic approaches in the tribe Gaultherieae (Ericaceae). We test relationships between fruit colour and (a) biogeographic dispersal, (b) elevational and latitudinal species distributions and (c) rates of diversification. Location: Global. Time period: Recent to 30 million years ago. Major taxa studied: The plant tribe Gaultherieae in the family Ericaceae (blueberries and relatives). Methods: We estimated a new time‐calibrated phylogeny for Gaultherieae. Data on fruit colours and geographic distributions for each species were compiled from published sources and field observations. Using phylogenetic methods, we estimated major dispersal events across the tree and the most likely fruit colour associated with each dispersal event, and tested whether dispersal between major biogeographic regions was equally likely for different fruit colours, and whether dispersal distances were larger for certain colours. We then tested the relationships between fruit colours and geographic variables (latitude, elevation) and diversification rates. Results: Large‐scale dispersal events were significantly associated with red‐fruited lineages, even though red‐fruited species were relatively uncommon. Further, different fruit colours were associated with different elevations and latitudes (e.g. red at lower elevations, violet at lower latitudes, white at higher elevations). Violet colour was related to increased diversification rates, leading to more violet‐fruited species globally. Main conclusions: Overall, we show that different fruit colours can significantly impact the large‐scale dispersal, distribution and diversification of plant clades. Furthermore, the interplay between biogeography and fruit‐colour evolution seems to generate "taxon cycles" in fruit colour that may drive variation in fruit colour over macroevolutionary time‐scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alexander von Humboldt's Tableau Physique (1807) has been one of the most influential diagrams in the history of environmental sciences. In particular, detailed observations of the altitudinal distribution of plant species in the equatorial Andes, depicted on a cross-section of Mt. Chimborazo, allowed Humboldt to establish the concept of vegetation belt, thereby laying the foundations of biogeography. Surprisingly, Humboldt's original data have never been critically revisited, probably due to the difficulty of gathering and interpreting dispersed archives. By unearthing and analyzing overlooked historical documents, we show that the top section of the Tableau Physique, above the tree line, is an intuitive construct based on unverified and therefore partly false field data that Humboldt constantly tried to revise in subsequent publications. This finding has implications for the documentation of climate change effects in the tropical Andes. We found that Humboldt's primary plant data above tree line were mostly collected onMt. Antisana, not Chimborazo, which allows a comparison with current records. Our resurvey at Mt. Antisana revealed a 215- to 266-m altitudinal shift over 215 y. This estimate is about twice lower than previous estimates for the region but is consistent with the 10- to 12-m/decade upslope range shift observed worldwide. Our results show the cautious approach needed to interpret historical data and to use them as a resource for documenting environmental changes. They also profoundly renew our understanding of Humboldt's scientific thinking, methods, and modern relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Knowledge of species richness patterns and their relation with climate is required to develop various forest management actions including habitat management, biodiversity and risk assessment, restoration and ecosystem modelling. In practice, the pattern of the data might not be spatially constant and cannot be well addressed by ordinary least square (OLS) regression. This study uses GWR to deal with spatial non-stationarity and to identify the spatial correlation between the plant richness distribution and the climate variables (i.e., the temperature and precipitation) in a 1° grid in different biogeographic zones of India. Methodology: We utilized the species richness data collected using 0.04 ha nested quadrats in an Indian study. The data from this national study, titled ‘Biodiversity Characterization at Landscape Level’, were aggregated at the 1° grid level and adjudged for sampling sufficiency. The performances of OLS and GWR models were compared in terms of the coefficient of determination (R2) and the corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc). Results and discussion: A comparative study of the R2 and AICc values of the models showed that all the GWR models performed better compared with the analogous OLS models. The climate variables were found to significantly influence the distribution of plant richness in India. The minimum precipitation (Pmin) consistently dominated individually (R2 = 0.69; AICc = 2608) and in combinations. Among the shared models, the one with a combination of Pmin and Tmin had the best model fits (R2 = 0.72 and AICc = 2619), and variation partitioning revealed that the influence of these parameters on the species richness distribution was dominant in the arid and the semi-arid zones and in the Deccan peninsula zone. Conclusion: The shift in climate variables and their power to explain the species richness of biogeographic zones suggests that the climate–diversity relationships of plants species vary spatially. In particular, the dominant influence of Tmin and Pmin could be closely linked to the climate tolerance hypothesis (CTH). We found that the climate variables had a significant influence in defining species richness patterns in India; however, various other environmental and non-environmental (edaphic, topographic and anthropogenic) variables need to be integrated in the models to understand climate–species richness relationships better at a finer scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glomeromycotinan fungi associate with plant roots in a ubiquitous mutualism, the arbuscular mycorrhiza. Vegetation type, spatial distance, and environmental variability represent the three main factors shaping the structure of Glomeromycotinan communities.We present here one of the most comprehensive reports on Glomeromycotinan community structure in forest ecosystems, covering five ecosystem types. We explored the extent to which the latitudinal gradient in Glomeromycotinan diversity is confounded by the respective latitudinal gradient of host plants and how Glomeromycotinan communities diverge with spatial distance and environmental variability.We show that latitudinal differences in Glomeromycotinan α‐ and β‐diversity are largely shaped by the zonation patterns of ecosystem types and that differences among Glomeromycotinan communities occurring in different ecosystems are considerably larger than those occurring within the same ecosystem type. In contrast, we could observe little to no differences in phylogenetic community structure across samples, irrespective of their origin. In conclusion, several community assembly rules for Glomeromycotina in the woody systems, such as phylogenetic relationships, differed from those in grassland systems.Synthesis. We provide strong evidence that the latitudinal gradient in Glomeromycotinan diversity in woody systems is mainly driven by latitudinal differences in forest habitat types. Further exploring the causes of these differences across habitat types would probably reveal underexplored facets of the ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We provide strong evidence that the latitudinal gradient in Glomeromycotinan diversity in woody systems is mainly driven by latitudinal differences in forest habitat types. Further exploring the causes of these differences across habitat types would probably reveal underexplored facets of the ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Understanding the mechanisms driving species biogeography and biodiversity remains a major challenge in phytoplankton ecology. Using a model of two phytoplankton species with a gleaner-opportunist trade-off and competing for light and a limiting nutrient, we show that the diel light cycle may be an essential factor to explain large-scale ecological patterns. When only the seasonal light cycle is considered (control scenario) the model predicts that, independently of the nutrient supply, gleaners should dominate across all latitudes and opportunists can obtain a temporal niche only at high latitudes. However, the diel light cycle makes the competition outcome also a function of nutrient supply by affecting the amplitude of diel nutrient oscillations, with gleaners dominating when nutrient supply is low, opportunists when nutrient supply is high, and both species coexisting at intermediate levels of nutrient supply. The combined effects of seasonal and diel light cycles (diel scenario) shape a latitudinal diversity gradient with decreasing diversity towards higher latitudes and a unimodal dependence of diversity on nutrient supply and, therefore, on ecosystem productivity. The proposed mechanism can help interpret the biogeography of major phytoplankton functional groups in the global ocean and link them with large-scale biodiversity patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades several studies have identified that the directional changes in climate induced by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are affecting the ecology of desert ecosystems. In the Southwest United States, the impacts of climate change to plant abundance and distribution have already been reported, including in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, home of the iconic Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). Hence, there is an urgent need to assess the potential impacts of climate change on the saguaro. The goals of this study are to provide a map of actual habitat suitability (1), describe the relationships between abiotic predictors and the saguaro distribution at regional extents (2), and describe the potential effect of climate change on the spatial distribution of the saguaro (3). Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) was used to investigate the relationships between abiotic variables and the Saguaro distribution. SDMs were calibrated using presence records, 2,000 randomly-generated pseudo absences, and ten abiotic variables. Of these, annual precipitation and max temperature of the warmest month was found to have the greatest relative influence on saguaro distribution. SDMs indicated that 6.9% and 8.1% of the current suitable habitat is predicted to be lost by 2050 and 2070, respectively. Therefore, predicted changes in climate may result in a substantial contraction of the suitable habitat for saguaro over the next century. By identifying the drivers of saguaro distribution and assessing potential changes in habitat suitability due to climate change, this study will help practitioners to design more comprehensive strategies to conserve the saguaro in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secale L. is a small but important genus that includes cultivated rye. Although genetic diversity of cultivated rye is high, patterns of genetic diversity in the whole genus, and potential factors affecting the distribution of genetic diversity remain elusive. The population structure and distribution of genetic variation within Secale, and its correlation with taxonomic delimitation, cultivation status or spatial distribution in relation to geography and climate zones were analyzed in this study. A collection of 726 individual plants derived from 139 different accessions representing Secale cereale, S. vavilovii, S. strictum, and S. sylvestre were investigated using SSR analysis and sequence diversity analysis of a nuclear EST region. Our results indicated that perennial S. strictum subspecies are genetically divergent from annual forms of the genus. Existence of two distinct clusters within the annual taxa was observed, one corresponding to samples from Asia, and a second to those outside of Asia. No clear genetic structure was observed between different annual species/subspecies, indicating introgression between these taxa. The analysis of cultivated rye revealed that landrace populations from the Middle East have the highest genetic diversity, supporting the idea of the area being the center of origin for cultivated rye. Considering high adaptive potential of those populations, Middle Eastern landraces should be regarded as genetic resources reservoirs for new niches and future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euphorbia hainanensis is an endangered species endemic to the tropical Hainan Island in southern China and of historical importance for Chinese medicine. It is currently the only unplaced species of the genus Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) due to its isolated island distribution and debated placement by a previous molecular phylogenetic study. We sequenced nuclear ITS and chloroplast rbcL and ndhF for newly collected accessions of E. hainanensis and additional Euphorbia species found in Hainan, and analyzed the sequences in the context of the entire genus together with published data. All gene regions highly supported that E. hainanensis occupied an isolated phylogenetic position, showing no close affinity with any known Euphorbia sections suggesting it was a new section. ITS placed E. hainanensis sister to sect. Crossadenia (subgenus Chamaesyce) from Brazil with an estimated divergence time of 9.3-30.6 Mya while the chloroplast markers placed E. hainanensis at a position sister to the entire New World clade of Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce. In addition, our karyological results suggested a close affinity between E. hainanensis and the New World species of Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce, with which shared the same chromosome number 2n = 28 and basic chromosome number x = 7. Phenotypically, E. hainanensis is unique with no close resemblance to other species in Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce. Based on its isolated biogeographical, karyological, and phenotypical position, we propose a new section E. subgenus Chamaesyce section Hainanensis that might origin from long distance dispersal events because collective evidences showed a close affinity between the species from the Old World with those from the New World. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Long‐distance dispersal (LDD) events occur rarely but play a fundamental role in shaping species biogeography. Lying at the heart of island biogeography theory, LDD relies on unusual events to facilitate colonization of new habitats and range expansion. Despite the importance of LDD, it is inherently difficult to quantify due to the rarity of such events. We estimate the probability of LDD of the seagrass Heterozostera nigricaulis, a common Australian species, across the Pacific Ocean to colonize South America. Location: Coastal Chile, Australia and the Pacific Ocean. Methods: Genetic analyses of H. nigricaulis collected from Chile and Australia were used to assess the relationship between the populations and levels of clonality. Ocean surface current models were used to predict the probability of propagules dispersing from south‐east Australia to central Chile and shipping data used to determine the likelihood of anthropogenic dispersal. Results: Our study infers that the seagrass H. nigricaulis dispersed from Australia across the entire width of the Pacific (c. 14,000 km) to colonize South America on two occasions. Genetic analyses reveal that these events led to two large isolated clones, one of which covers a combined area of 3.47 km2. Oceanographic models estimate the arrival probability of a dispersal propagule within 3 years to be at most 0.00264%. Early shipping provides a potential alternative dispersal vector, yet few ships sailed from SE Australia to Chile prior to the first recording of H. nigricaulis and the lack of more recent and ongoing introductions demonstrate the rarity of such dispersal. Main conclusions: These findings demonstrate LDD does occur over extreme distances despite very low probabilities. The large number of propagules (100s of millions) produced over 100s of years suggests that the arrival of propagules in Chile was inevitable and confirms the importance of LDD for species distributions and community ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like many other high elevation alpine tree species, Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata Engelm.) may be particularly vulnerable to climate change. To evaluate its potential vulnerability to shifts in climate, we defined the suitable climate space for each of four genetic lineages of bristlecone pine and for other subalpine tree species in close proximity to bristlecone pine forests. Measuring changes in the suitable climate space for lineage groups is an important step beyond models that assume species are genetically homogenous. The suitable climate space for bristlecone pine in the year 2090 is projected to decline by 74% and the proportional distribution of suitable climate space for genetic lineages shifts toward those associated with warmer and wetter conditions. The 2090 climate space for bristlecone pine exhibits a bimodal distribution along an elevation gradient, presumably due to the persistence of the climate space in the Southern Rocky Mountains and exclusion at mid-elevations by conditions that favor the climate space of other species. These shifts have implications for changes in fire regimes, vulnerability to pest and pathogens, and altered carbon dynamics across the southern Rockies, which may reduce the likelihood of bristlecone pine trees achieving exceptional longevity in the future. The persistence and expansion of climate space for southern bristlecone pine genetic lineage groups in 2090 suggests that these sources may be the least vulnerable in the future. While these lineages may be more likely to persist and therefore present opportunities for proactive management (e.g., assisted migration) to maintain subalpine forest ecosystem services in a warmer world, our findings also imply heighted conservation concern for vulnerable northern lineages facing range contractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avena ventricosa Balansa ex Coss. is considered the C-genome donor of the cultivated hexaploid oat and is a ‘priority’ species for conservation, since it has limited geographic distribution and the only recorded populations in Europe are present in Cyprus. The current study attempts to characterize the genetic structure and fragmentation of the species via the application of genotypic markers. It was revealed that the genetic variety was mainly allocated among the populations collected, since clustering obtained was according to the geographic origin of the samples and the habitat. Species distribution modeling showed that the most important climatic variable defining A. ventricosa distribution is the mean diurnal temperature. Furthermore, significant association of the genetic structure to environmental variables was detected; overall, a negative association to precipitation was confirmed, while significant correlations of genetic structure and the temperature at the time of anthesis and germination were established. The safeguarding of this valuable genetic resource is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental heterogeneity of Belize and southern Mexico savannahs as well as their geographical location suggest that these plant communities share floristic elements, making them conducive to a phytogeographical analysis. The aim of this study was to analyse the floristic affinities of nine savannahs of Belize and southern Mexico and to explain the similarities and differences amongst them. A binary data matrix containing 915 species was built based on the authors' own collections and on nine floristic lists already published. A second data matrix, consisting of 113 species representing trees, was also used since most literature on neotropical savannahs has focused on this life form. In addition, the ten most species-rich families as well as the characteristic species present in more than five savannahs were analysed. Floristic similarities were calculated using the Jaccard index. Dendrograms obtained in both types of analysis showed clusters with low similarity values, corresponding to geographic locations formed by the savannahs of Belize-Tabasco and the Yucatan Peninsula. The floristic affinities of the savannahs may be explained in terms of heterogeneity in climate and physiography. The Yucatan Peninsula and Belize-Tabasco groups have differences in climate type and the amount of rainfall. In addition, the Yucatan Peninsula savannahs are established at the bottom of karstic valleys, while the Belize and Tabasco savannahs develop on extensive flatlands. The savannahs of Oaxaca have the same climate type and amount of rainfall as those of the Yucatan Peninsula but they are distributed along peaks and the slopes of shale hills. Fabaceae and Poaceae mainly dominated the local floras with 121 and 116 species each; remarkably, Melastomataceae was absent in the Yucatan Peninsula and Oaxaca. Nine species occurred in five to seven savannahs, confirming that they are widespread in both Belize and southern Mexico, and the Neotropics. Geographic location and floristic affinities of the nine savannahs support, to some extent, three different biogeographic provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To optimize ecosystem services provided by agricultural drainage networks (ditches) in headwater catchments, we need to manage the spatial distribution of plant species living in these networks. Geomorphological variables have been shown to be important predictors of plant distribution in other ecosystems because they control the water regime, the sediment deposition rates and the sun exposure in the ditches. Whether such variables may be used to predict plant distribution in agricultural drainage networks is unknown. We collected presence and absence data for 10 herbaceous plant species in a subset of a network of drainage ditches (35 km long) within a Mediterranean agricultural catchment. We simulated their spatial distribution with GLM and Maxent model using geomorphological variables and distance to natural lands and roads. Models were validated using k-fold cross-validation. We then compared the mean Area Under the Curve (AUC) values obtained for each model and other metrics issued from the confusion matrices between observed and predicted variables. Based on the results of all metrics, the models were efficient at predicting the distribution of seven species out of ten, confirming the relevance of geomorphological variables and distance to natural lands and roads to explain the occurrence of plant species in this Mediterranean catchment. In particular, the importance of the landscape geomorphological variables, ie the importance of the geomorphological features encompassing a broad environment around the ditch, has been highlighted. This suggests that agro-ecological measures for managing ecosystem services provided by ditch plants should focus on the control of the hydrological and sedimentological connectivity at the catchment scale. For example, the density of the ditch network could be modified or the spatial distribution of vegetative filter strips used for sediment trapping could be optimized. In addition, the vegetative filter strips could constitute new seed bank sources for species that are affected by the distance to natural lands and roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxalis pes-caprae L. is a South African geophyte that behaves as an invasive in the eurimediterranean area. According to a long-established hypothesis, O. pes-caprae may have invaded Europe and the Mediterranean area starting from a single plant introduced in the Botanical Garden of Malta at the beginning of the 19th century. The aim of this work was to test this hypothesis, to track the arrival of O. pes-caprae in different countries of the Euro-Mediterranean area and to understand the pathways of spreading and particularly its starting point(s). Historical data attesting the presence of the plant in the whole Euro-Mediterranean region were collected from different sources: herbarium specimens, Floras and other botanical papers, plant lists of gardens, catalogs of plant nurseries and plant dealers. First records of the plant (both cultivated and wild) for each Territorial Unit (3rd level of NUTS) were selected and used to draw up a diachronic map and an animated graphic. Both documents clearly show that oldest records are scattered throughout the whole area, proving that the plant arrived in Europe and in the Mediterranean region more times independently and that its spreading started in different times from several different centers of invasion. Botanical gardens and other public or private gardens, nurseries and plant dealers, and above all seaside towns and harbors seemingly played a strategic role as a source of either intentional and unintentional introduction or spread. A geographic profiling analysis was performed to analyse the data. We used also techniques (Silhouette, Kmeans and Voronoi tessellation) capable of verifying the presence of more than one independent clusters of data on the basis of their geographical distribution. Microsatellites were employed for a preliminary analysis of genetic variation in the Mediterranean. Even if the sampling was insufficient, particularly among the populations of the original area, our data supported three main groups of populations, one of them corresponding to the central group of populations identified by GP analysis, and the other two corresponding, respectively, to the western and the eastern cluster of data. The most probable areas of origin of the invasion in the three clusters of observations are characterized by the presence of localities where the invasive plant was cultivated, with the exception of the Iberian cluster of observation where the observations in the field predate the data about known cultivation localities. Alternative possible reasons are also suggested, to explain the current prevalence of pentaploid short-styled plants in the Euro-Mediterranean area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machilus pauhoi Kanehira is an important timber species in China. A provenance trial was recently set up to evaluate the growth performance of trees from different localities, with the aim of designing seed transfer guidelines. Here, we tested twelve nuclear microsatellite markers derived from other species of the Lauraceae family and investigated population genetic structure in M. pauhoi. Both the number of observed alleles per locus (Na) and the polymorphic information content (PIC) significantly decreased against the latitude, but showed an insignificant decrease against the longitude. Heterozygosity (Ho) and gene diversity (h) exhibited a weak correlation with geographic location. Private alleles were present in multiple populations, and a moderate level of population genetic differentiation was detected (Gst = 0.1691). The joint pattern of genetic diversity (Na, PIC, Ho, and h) suggests that general northeastward dispersal led to the current distribution of M. pauhoi. Significant but weak effects of isolation-by-distance (IBD) occurred, implicating the mountain ranges as the major barrier to gene flow. Both STRUCTURE and hierarchical clustering analyses showed three distinct groups of populations related to the physical connectivity among mountain ranges. A priority in designing genetic conservation should be given to the populations at the southwest side of the species’ distribution. This conservation strategy can also be combined with the pattern of adaptive genetic variation from the provenance trial for comprehensive genetic resource management of native M. pauhoi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flora of Laos is composed of 5,005 species in 1,373 genera and 188 families of seed plants. Floristic and geographical attributes of the flora were analyzed. Tropical floristic elements at the family and generic levels contributed a majority (62.23% of the families and 82.30% of the genera) of the flora, of which the dominant geographical elements were pantropical distribution (42.02% of families) and tropical Asian distribution (30.08% of genera). This revealed that the flora of Lao PDR is tropical in nature and has a conspicuously tropical Asian affinity. Compared with the neighbouring countries of the Indochina peninsula, the flora of Laos has similar floristic composition and geographical elements. The floras of these Indochinese countries have similarities of more than 77.84% at the generic level, which suggests that they compose an affiliated biogeographical region. However, the flora of Laos showed the highest similarity to the flora of Vietnam (92.13%), followed by Myanmar (86.01%) at the generic level, but has less East Asian and North Temperate elements than Vietnam, and less North Temperate elements than Myanmar. These differences among the compared countries could be explained by the extrusion of the Indochinese block with the uplift of the Himalayas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition and herbivory are ubiquitous processes known to interactively shape plant performance, distribution and community assembly. Likewise, plant genetic variation and associated trait differences can impact both plant-plant and plant-herbivore interactions individually, yet few studies have explored these interactions simultaneously., Saltmarsh communities are an ideal system to study these questions, as they are dominated along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States by a foundation plant species, Spartina alterniflora, with high levels of genetically based trait variation. Furthermore, consumer pressure and plant competitors are known to influence both the distribution and production of Spartina. We manipulated Spartina genetic identity, neighbour identity (needlerush, Juncus roemerianus) and consumer presence (snail, Littoraria irrorata) in a 1-year field experiment in St. Joseph Bay, FL, to test how the strength and direction of neighbour and consumer interactions vary by plant genotype., Consumer effects on Spartina were generally stronger and more variable than those of the plant neighbourhood, and these effects were generally consistent across Spartina genotypes. However, genotype-specific variation in morphology, phenology and palatability significantly influenced both consumer and neighbour responses to Spartina: the consumer Littoraria was more likely to climb palatable Spartina genotypes, and neighbouring Juncus had shorter stems in the presence of highly productive Spartina genotypes., Synthesis. Our results add to the growing list of examples high-lighting the role of intraspecific variation in species interactions and suggest that variation in these interactions may promote the maintenance of plant genetic variation and community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To test whether novel and previously hypothesized biogeogaphic barriers in the Australian Tropics represent significant disjunction points or hard barriers, or both, to the distribution of plants. Location: Australian tropics: Australian Monsoon Tropics and Australian Wet Tropics. Methods: The presence or absence of 6,861 plant species was scored across 13 putative biogeographic barriers in the Australian Tropics, including two that have not previously been recognised. Randomizations of these data were used to test whether more species showed disjunctions (gaps in distribution) or likely barriers (range limits) at these points than expected by chance. Results: Two novel disjunctions in the Australian Tropics flora are identified in addition to eleven putative barriers previously recognized for animals. Of these, eleven disjunction points (all within the Australian Monsoon Tropics) were found to correspond to range-ending barriers to a significant number of species, while neither of the two disjunctions found within the Australian Wet Tropics limited a significant number of species’ ranges. Main conclusions: Biogeographic barriers present significant distributional limits to native plant species in the Australian Monsoon Tropics but not in the Australian Wet Tropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate patterns of historical assembly of tree communities across Amazonia using a newly developed phylogeny for the speciesrich neotropical tree genus Inga. We compare our results with those for three other ecologically important, diverse, and abundant Amazonian tree lineages, Swartzia, Protieae, and Guatteria. Our analyses using phylogenetic diversity metrics demonstrate a clear lack of geographic phylogenetic structure, and show that local communities of Inga and regional communities of all four lineages are assembled by dispersal across Amazonia. The importance of dispersal in the biogeography of Inga and other tree genera in Amazonian and Guianan rain forests suggests that speciation is not driven by vicariance, and that allopatric isolation following dispersal may be involved in the speciation process. A clear implication of these results is that over evolutionary timescales, the metacommunity for any local or regional tree community in the Amazon is the entire Amazon basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until now, little attention has been paid to the geographic distribution and evaluation of genetic diversity of durum wheat from the Central Fertile Crescent (modern-day Turkey and Syria). Turkey and Syria are considered as primary centers of wheat diversity, and thousands of locally adapted wheat landraces are still present in the farmers’ small fields. We planned this study to evaluate the genetic diversity of durum wheat landraces from the Central Fertile Crescent by genotyping based on DArTseq and SNP analysis. A total of 39,568 DArTseq and 20,661 SNP markers were used to characterize the genetic characteristic of 91 durum wheat land races. Clustering based on Neighbor joining analysis, principal coordinate as well as Bayesian model implemented in structure, clearly showed that the grouping pattern is not associated with the geographical distribution of the durum wheat due to the mixing of the Turkish and Syrian landraces. Significant correlation between DArTseq and SNP markers was observed in the Mantel test. However, we detected a non-significant relationship between geographical coordinates and DArTseq (r = -0.085) and SNP (r = -0.039) loci. These results showed that unconscious farmer selection and lack of the commercial varieties might have resulted in the exchange of genetic material and this was apparent in the genetic structure of durum wheat in Turkey and Syria. The genomic characterization presented here is an essential step towards a future exploitation of the available durum wheat genetic resources in genomic and breeding programs. The results of this study have also depicted a clear insight about the genetic diversity of wheat accessions from the Central Fertile Crescent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of geographic range on species persistence has long been of interest and there is a need for a better understanding of the genetic consequences for species with restricted distributions, particularly with the increasing rate of global species extinctions. However, the genetic effects of restricted range are often confounded by the impacts of population distribution. We compared chloroplast and nuclear genetic diversity and differentiation in two acacias, the restricted, patchily distributed Acacia atkinsiana and the widespread, semi-continuously distributed A. ancistrocarpa. Lower intra-population diversity and higher differentiation between populations were seen in A. atkinsiana compared to its widespread congener, A. ancistrocarpa. There was little evidence of geographical influences on population genetic structure in A. ancistrocarpa whereas A. atkinsiana exhibited nuclear genetic structure with isolation by distance, differentiation of near-coastal populations from those in the ranges, and differentiation of peripheral populations from those in the centre of the distribution. These results are consistent with expectations of the effect of geographic range and population distribution on genetic diversity, but indicate that distribution of populations rather than geographic range has influenced the observed genetic structure. The contrasting patterns observed here demonstrate that conservation approaches for species management and ecological restoration need to consider the distribution of populations in geographically restricted species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Habitat fragmentation, water resources and biological characteristics are important factors that shape the genetic structure and geographical distribution of desert plants. Analysis of the relationships between these factors and population genetic variation should help to determine the evolutionary potential and conservation strategies for genetic resources for desert plant populations. As a traditional Chinese herb, Glycyrrhiza inflata B. (Fabaceae) is restricted to the fragmented desert habitat in China and has undergone a dramatic decline due to long-term over-excavation. Determining the genetic structure of the G. inflata population and identifying a core collection could help with the development of strategies to conserve this species. Results: We investigated the genetic variation of 25 G. inflata populations based on microsatellite markers. A high level of population genetic divergence (FST = 0.257), population bottlenecks, reduced gene flow and moderate genetic variation (HE = 0.383) were detected. The genetic distances between the populations significantly correlated with the geographical distances, and this suggests that habitat fragmentation has driven a special genetic structure of G. inflata in China through isolation by distance. STRUCTURE analysis showed that G. inflata populations were structured into three clusters and that the populations belonged to multiple water systems, which suggests that water resources were related to the genetic structure of G. inflata. In addition, the biological characteristics of the perennial species G. inflata, such as its long-lived seeds, asexual reproduction, and oasis ecology, may be related to its resistance to habitat fragmentation. A core collection of G. inflata, that included 57 accessions was further identified, which captured the main allelic diversity of G. inflata. Conclusions: Recent habitat fragmentation has accelerated genetic divergence. The population genetic structure of G. inflata has been shaped by habitat fragmentation, water resources and biological characteristics. This genetic information and core collection will facilitate the conservation of wild germplasm and breeding of this Chinese medicinal plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flowering plant family Elatinaceae is a widespread aquatic lineage inhabiting temperate and tropical latitudes, including ∼35(-50) species. Its phylogeny remains largely unknown, compromising our understanding of its systematics. Moreover, this group is particularly in need of attention because the biogeography of most aquatic plant clades has yet to be investigated, resulting in uncertainty about whether aquatic plants show histories that deviate from terrestrial plants. We inferred the phylogeny of Elatinaceae from four DNA regions spanning 59 accessions across the family. An expanded sampling was used for molecular divergence time estimation and ancestral area reconstruction to infer the biogeography of Elatinaceae and their closest terrestrial relatives, Malpighiaceae and Centroplacaceae. The two genera of Elatinaceae, Bergia and Elatine, are monophyletic, but several traditionally recognized groups within the family are non-monophyletic. Our results suggest two ancient biogeographic events in the Centroplacaceae(Malpighiaceae, Elatinaceae) clade involving western Gondwana, while Elatinaceae shows a more complicated biogeographic history with a high degree of continental endemicity. Our results indicate the need for further taxonomic investigation of Elatinaceae. Further, our study is one of few to implicate ancient Gondwanan biogeography in extant angiosperms, especially significant given the Centroplacaceae(Malpighiaceae, Elatinaceae) clade's largely tropical distribution. Finally, Elatinaceae demonstrates long-term continental in situ diversification, which argues against recent dispersal as a universal explanation commonly invoked for aquatic plant distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genera Bischofia and Hymenocardia both have a single species in Malesia. The two genera were always difficult to classify, both once formed their own family, but are now firmly embedded in the Phyllanthaceae. Of both genera a more complete nomenclature and biogeography is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tintinnids are planktonic ciliates that play an important role in marine ecosystem. According to their distribution in the world oceans, tintinnid genera were divided into several biogeographical types such as boreal, warm water, austral and neritic. Therefore, the oceanic tintinnid assemblage could be correspondingly divided into boreal assemblage, warm water assemblage and austral assemblage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of boreal tintinnid assemblage in the Northwest Pacific and the Arctic, and to identify the connection between boreal tintinnid assemblage and neighboring assemblages. Surface water samples were collected along a transect from the East China Sea to the Chukchi Sea in summer 2014. According to the presence of boreal genera and warm water genera, three tintinnid assemblages (the East China Sea neritic assemblage, the Japan Sea warm water assemblage, and the boreal assemblage) were identified along the transect. The boreal assemblage extended from the Chukchi Sea to the waters north of the Sōya Strait. Densities peaks occurred at stations in the two branches of the Alaska Current and decreased both northward and southward. The densities were <10 ind./dm3 at most stations in Arctic region. The dominant genera (Acanthostomella, Codonellopsis, Parafavella, and Ptychocylis) accounted for 79.07±29.67% (n = 49) of the abundance in the boreal assemblage. The densities of the dominant genera covaried with strongly significant positive correlations. Tintinnids with lorica oral diameter of 22–26 μm and 38–42 μm were dominant and contributed 67.35% and 15.13%, respectively, to the total abundance in the boreal assemblage. The distribution and densities of tintinnids in the study area suggest that the Sōya Strait might be a geographical barrier for tintinnids expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both the continental or island origin of Hainan, and the Indo-Malaysian or East Asian affinity of its flora, are debatable. In this study, 196 families, 1283 genera and 3894 species of Hainan plants were recognized. Patterns of seed plant distribution were quantified at the generic and the family levels. The floras of Vietnam, and the adjacent Guangxi and Guangdong provinces of mainland China, were compared with Hainan. The results showed that the flora of Hainan Island is dominated by families and genera with tropical distributions. Among its floristic elements, tropical Asian distributions make up 23.85% of the total flora, while East Asian distributions contribute only 3.74%. There are only 7 genera and c. 10% of species endemic to Hainan Island. The Hainan flora has strong similarities to the flora of Vietnam at the family and the generic levels, and also to the flora of Guangxi, but less with the adjacent Guangdong province. The main conclusions are: Hainan’s flora is tropical in nature with a strongly tropical Asian affinity, and it has very low endemism at the generic and species levels, which implies a continental origin. We conjecture that Hainan Island could have been adjacent to northern Vietnam and the Guangxi at least in Eocene. This suggestion is supported by palaeobotanical, palaeomagnetic and volcanism studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]