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BACKGROUND: Human-commensal species often display deep ancestral genetic structure within their native range and founder-effects and/or evidence of multiple introductions and admixture in newly established areas. We investigated the phylogeography of Eutropis multifasciata, an abundant human-commensal scincid lizard that occurs across Southeast Asia, to determine the extent of its native range and to assess the sources and signatures of human introduction outside of the native range. We sequenced over 350 samples of E. multifasciata for the mitochondrial ND2 gene and reanalyzed a previous RADseq population genetic dataset in a phylogenetic framework. RESULTS: Nuclear and mitochondrial trees are concordant and show that E. multifasciata has retained high levels of genetic structure across Southeast Asia despite being frequently moved by humans. Lineage boundaries in the native range roughly correspond to several major biogeographic barriers, including Wallaces Line and the Isthmus of Kra. Islands at the outer fringe of the range show evidence of founder-effects and multiple introductions. CONCLUSIONS: Most of enormous range of E. multifasciata across Southeast Asia is native and it only displays signs of human-introduction or recent expansion along the eastern and northern fringe of its range. There were at least three events of human-introductions to Taiwan and offshore islands, and several oceanic islands in eastern Indonesia show a similar pattern. In Myanmar and Hainan, there is a founder-effect consistent with post-warming expansion after the last glacial maxima or human introduction.

Cyanobacteria form diverse communities and are important primary producers in Antarctic freshwater environments, but their geographic distribution patterns in Antarctica and globally are still unresolved. There are however few genomes of cultured cyanobacteria from Antarctica available and therefore metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from Antarctic cyanobacteria microbial mats provide an opportunity to explore distribution of uncultured taxa. These MAGs also allow comparison with metagenomes of cyanobacteria enriched communities from a range of habitats, geographic locations, and climates. However, most MAGs do not contain 16S rRNA gene sequences, making a 16S rRNA gene-based biogeography comparison difficult. An alternative technique is to use large-scale k-mer searching to find genomes of interest in public metagenomes. This paper presents the results of k-mer based searches for 5 Antarctic cyanobacteria MAGs from Lake Fryxell and Lake Vanda, assigned the names Phormidium pseudopriestleyi FRX01, Microcoleus sp. MP8IB2.171, Leptolyngbya sp. BulkMat.35, Pseudanabaenaceae cyanobacterium MP8IB2.15, and Leptolyngbyaceae cyanobacterium MP9P1.79 in 498,942 unassembled metagenomes from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Sequence Read Archive (SRA). The Microcoleus sp. MP8IB2.171 MAG was found in a wide variety of environments, the P. pseudopriestleyi MAG was found in environments with challenging conditions, the Leptolyngbyaceae cyanobacterium MP9P1.79 MAG was only found in Antarctica, and the Leptolyngbya sp. BulkMat.35 and Pseudanabaenaceae cyanobacterium MP8IB2.15 MAGs were found in Antarctic and other cold environments. The findings based on metagenome matches and global comparisons suggest that these Antarctic cyanobacteria have distinct distribution patterns ranging from locally restricted to global distribution across the cold biosphere and other climatic zones.

The longstanding view of Neotropical mountain uplift as a promoter of species diversification has become commonplace in the last decades and could benefit from more specific Earth-Life evolution associations. We now know that mountain formation has contributed to the outstanding levels of richness and endemism of Neotropical mountains. Nonetheless, we are lacking conceptual and empirical frameworks where geological and biological processes are causally linked through testable hypotheses. In this perspective, we present volcanic activity in the Neotropics, not as phenomena occurring “on top of” mountain uplift, the latter being the phenomena of biogeographical interest, but rather as geological processes that directly impact biodiversity and are themselves the phenomenon of biogeographical interest. Volcanoes deserve biogeographical attention because their effects on landscape evolution generate predictable biodiversity process counterparts that can be integrated into biogeographical models enabling hypothesis testing. We review examples in the literature emphasizing the spatio-temporal scale of volcanism’s predicted and recorded effects on biodiversity. We illustrate our perspective by two recent study cases, focusing on wax palms and passerine birds. In the first one, wax palm genomic sampling was used to test 2 hypotheses: that the northern Andes have been disconnected in the past and connected by rapid but repeated eruptions of caldera-forming eruptions in the Colombian Massif fostering episodic dispersal, or alternatively, that they have always been continuous and have gradually uplifted hosting continuous diversification and dispersal through time. In broadly this same area, genetic and phenotypic data revealed the existence of a hybrid zone between species in the warbler genus Myioborus. Because hybridization is likely younger than volcanic activity, topographic connection spurred by volcanism could have also enabled secondary contact between previously isolated species, a hypothesis that merits formal testing. Altogether, we emphasize the pertinence of the volcanic record in offering opportunities for the evaluation of biogeographical hypotheses in the context of Neotropical mountains and their singularly outsized biodiversity.

Biodiversity changes and habitat shifts are two phenomena substantially reshaping marine life on our present and future planet. Although those phenomena are well recognized on the macrobial level, they currently do not receive similar attention on the microbial level. Generally, microbiome diversity and function, associated with and governing the health and fitness of their host organisms, are neglected in conservation efforts. This is especially problematic as previous research has highlighted that host‐associated microbes (microbiomes) may display distribution patterns that are not only correlated with host animal biogeographies but also with other factors such as prevailing environmental conditions. Here, marine spatial planning for socio‐ecological management of animal‐associated microbiomes is discussed, using deep‐sea sponge and coral‐associated microbiomes as an example of how to incorporate microbial diversity into conservation planning. We advocate for a holistic and integrative approach to marine spatial planning that incorporates the larger habitat, the host, the microbiome, as well as the socio‐economic and cultural perspective, throughout the whole decision‐making process. A general workflow containing the needed steps to establish microbiome‐integrated marine protected areas is presented, as well as the analytical steps and results underlying the implementation of the world's first microbiome‐considered marine conservation network on the Scotian Shelf off eastern Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Time Period Major Taxa Studied Methods Results Main Conclusions Termites are a crucial group of macroinvertebrates regulating rates of deadwood decomposition across tropical and subtropical regions. When examining global patterns of deadwood decay, termites are treated as a homogenous group. There exist key biogeographical differences in termite distribution. One such clear distinction is the distribution of fungus‐growing termites (FGT, subfamily Macrotermitinae). Considering that climate will have shaped termite distribution and ecosystem processes, we evaluate the roles of termite distribution (presence of FGT) and climate (aridity) on global patterns in deadwood decay.Between 46° N‐43° S and 175° E‐85° W.Present (between 2016 and 2021).Termites (Blattodea: Termitoidae).We add salient data to an existing global dataset on deadwood decomposition, including new data from five existing sites and seven additional African sites. We analyse a dataset spanning six continents, 16 countries and 102 experimental sites. Firstly, we evaluate climatic differences (mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation and mean annual aridity) between sites with and without FGT. Secondly, using aridity as a single comparative climate metric between sites that accounts for temperature and precipitation differences, we examine the interaction between FGT and aridity on global patterns of termite deadwood discovery and decay through multivariate logistic and linear regressions.Termite‐driven decay and wood discovery increased with aridity; however, responses differed between FGT and NFGT sites. Wood discovery increased with aridity in FGT sites only, suggesting a greater role of FGT to deadwood decay in arid environments. On average, both termite discovery and decay of deadwood were approximately four times greater in regions with FGT compared with regions without FGT.Termite discovery and decay of deadwood is climate dependent, and higher decay may be through greater discovery of deadwood in FGT sites. Inclusion of biogeographical differences in termite distribution could potentially alter current and future global estimates of deadwood turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Time Period Major Taxa Studied Methods Results Main Conclusions Habitat loss is the dominant cause of biodiversity decline around the world, yet the complexity and stability of terrestrial assemblages related to suitable habitats have been almost unknown on a global scale.Global.Contemporary.Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Amphibia.We constructed gridded maps of species–habitat networks of terrestrial vertebrates based on global species distributions and a recently developed habitat type dataset. Then, we investigated the biogeographic patterns of emergent network structures and analysed network robustness to habitat loss by simulating habitat removals on a global scale.We found that, compared with reptiles and amphibians, the species–habitat networks of mammals and birds were characterised by higher habitat diversity, connectance and modularity. All four taxonomical groups have high robustness globally, but after adjusting for species and habitat diversity, we found a variation of surplus and deficiency of network structures and robustness. Temperature and precipitation contributed most to relative network robustness globally, whereas geographical and human population factors played important roles in scattered regions on all continents.Overall, we provide novel insights into the biogeographic patterns of species–habitat connections through a network approach, which can help to identify gaps for reestablishing species–habitat links to improve conservation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding spatial variation in species distribution and community structure is at the core of community ecology. Nevertheless, the effect of distance on metacommunity structure remains little studied. We examine how plant‐pollinator community structure changes across geographical distances at a regional scale and disentangle its underlying local and regional processes. We use a multilayer network to represent linked plant‐pollinator communities as a metacommunity in the Canary Islands. We used modularity (i.e. the extent to which the community is partitioned into groups of densely interacting species) to quantify distance decay in structure across space. In multilayer modularity, the same species can belong to different modules in different communities, and modules can span communities. This enabled quantifying how similarity in module composition varied with distance between islands. We developed three null models, each controlling for a separate component of the multilayer network, to disentangle the role of species turnover, interaction rewiring and local factors in driving distance decay in structure. We found a pattern of distance decay in structure, indicating that islands tended to share fewer modules with increasing distance. Species turnover (but not interaction rewiring) was the primary regional process triggering distance decay in structure. Local interaction structure also played an essential role in determining the structure similarity of communities at a regional scale. Therefore, local factors that determine species interactions occurring at a local scale drive distance decay in structure at a regional scale. Our work highlights the interplay between local and regional processes underlying community structure. The methodology, and specifically the null models, we developed provides a general framework for linking communities in space and testing different hypotheses regarding the factors generating spatial structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about how ecological networks vary across global scales is currently limited given the complexity of acquiring repeated spatial data for species interactions. Yet, recent developments in metawebs highlight efficient ways to first document possible interactions within regional species pools. Downscaling metawebs towards local network predictions is a promising approach to using the current data to investigate the variation of networks across space. However, issues remain in how to represent the spatial variability and uncertainty of species interactions, especially for large-scale food webs. Here, we present a probabilistic framework to downscale a metaweb based on the Canadian mammal metaweb and species occurrences from global databases. We investigated how our approach can be used to represent the variability of networks and communities between ecoregions in Canada. Species richness and interactions followed a similar latitudinal gradient across ecoregions but simultaneously identified contrasting diversity hotspots. Network motifs revealed additional areas of variation in network structure compared with species richness and number of links. Our method offers the potential to bring global predictions down to a more actionable local scale, and increases the diversity of ecological networks that can be projected in space. This article is part of the theme issue 'Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of their important roles in many ecosystems, data regarding population structure and biogeographic patterns of leeches are scarce. To begin to address this knowledge gap, we herein perform a phylogeographic analysis of the North American medicinal leech, Macrobdella decora (Say, 1824). A total of 224 M. decora specimens were collected from 35 localities across large swaths of USA and Canada and covering most of the known range of the species. Using four loci (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [COI] and NADH dehydrogenase I [ND1], as well as nuclear 18S rRNA [18S] and 28S rRNA [28S]), we construct phylogenetic trees using several optimality criteria and superimpose geographic patterns onto the trees in order to tease out any potential structure among the populations. Rather surprisingly, given the large geographic range of the species and abundance of potential geographic barriers to gene flow, the analyses showed a conspicuous lack of structure among the different populations of M. decora. However, an AMOVA did show statistically significant differences between the genetic variation within populations and between populations (COI: FST = 0.65412, p < .00001; ND1: FST = 0.69245, p < .00001), which was largely driven by only 6 out of the 35 populations, and indicated a potential barrier for dispersal across the Appalachian Mountains. Finally, a Mantel test showed a weak, but significant, correlation between geographic distance and genetic distance (COI: r = 0.209, p = .027; ND1: r = 0.1289, p = .030); however, this correlation was primarily driven by a single locality. The overall weak structure suggests that M. decora is panmictic throughout its range, and we discuss this in light of previous population level studies in both bloodfeeding and non‐bloodfeeding species, concluding that the lack of structure in M. decora might be due to its high capacity for dispersal via hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusion Species with disjunct geographic distributions provide natural opportunities to investigate incipient or recent allopatric divergence. The combination of both genetic and ecological data may be fruitful to decipher the causes of such patterns: (i) actual vicariance, (ii) successful colonisation from one source to a new range (dispersal, biological introduction) or (iii) parallel convergent evolution.Southern France and Northern Spain.The bee orchid Ophrys aveyronensis (and its two recognised subspecies O. a. subsp. aveyronensis and O. a. subsp. vitorica) displays a disjunct geographic distribution with two subranges separated by 600 km on both sides of the Pyrenees mountain range.As allopatric divergence is often complex to document in the wild, we used a combination of population genomics and ecological niche modelling (ENM) to investigate the causes of this intriguing biogeographic pattern.The population genomic data demonstrate that all the studied populations exhibit similar patterns of genetic diversity and dramatic decrease in effective size compared with the ancestral population. Significant genetic differentiation and reciprocal monophyly exist between populations of the two subranges of O. aveyronensis, despite a very recent divergence time as young as ca. 1500 generations ago. Moreover, paleo‐ENM analyses support that the disjunct geographic distribution of O. aveyronensis is consistent with a range split of a broad ancestral range, contraction and distinct longitudinal and latitudinal shifts in response to climate warming during the Holocene.The congruence of the results obtained from both population genomics and ENM approaches documents how very recent continental allopatric divergence initiated speciation in this system. O. aveyronensis provides a promising opportunity to study the onset of reproductive isolation and parallel evolution following an initial stage of geographic separation in a group with high diversification rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poleward and uphill range shifts are a common—but variable—response to climate change. We lack understanding regarding this interspecific variation; for example, functional traits show weak or mixed ability to predict range shifts. Characteristics of species' ranges may enhance prediction of range shifts. However, the explanatory power of many range characteristics—especially within‐range abundance patterns—remains untested. Here, we introduce a hypothesis framework for predicting range‐limit population trends and range shifts from the internal structure of the geographic range, specifically range edge hardness, defined as abundance within range edges relative to the whole range. The inertia hypothesis predicts that high edge abundance facilitates expansions along the leading range edge but creates inertia (either more individuals must disperse or perish) at the trailing range edge such that the trailing edge recedes slowly. In contrast, the limitation hypothesis suggests that hard range edges are the signature of strong limits (e.g. biotic interactions) that force faster contraction of the trailing edge but block expansions at the leading edge of the range. Using a long‐term avian monitoring dataset from northern Minnesota, USA, we estimated population trends for 35 trailing‐edge species and 18 leading‐edge species and modelled their population trends as a function of range edge hardness derived from eBird data. We found limited evidence of associations between range edge hardness and range‐limit population trends. Trailing‐edge species with harder range edges were slightly more likely to be declining, demonstrating weak support for the limitation hypothesis. In contrast, leading‐edge species with harder range edges were slightly more likely to be increasing, demonstrating weak support for the inertia hypothesis. These opposing results for the leading and trailing range edges might suggest that different mechanisms underpin range expansions and contractions, respectively. As data and state‐of‐the‐art modelling efforts continue to proliferate, we will be ever better equipped to map abundance patterns within species' ranges, offering opportunities to anticipate range shifts through the lens of the geographic range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new fossil species of walnuts, Juglans eoarctica sp. nov., J. nathorstii sp. nov., and J. cordata sp. nov., are described on the basis of nuts recovered from the middle Eocene fossil forests of Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. These represent the most northerly occurrence of Juglans and are among the oldest records of Juglans to date. The Axel Heiberg Island walnuts conform to the sections Rhysocaryon and Cardiocaryon and, together with the contemporaneous midlatitude fossil species J. clarnensis Scott, imply the establishment of two distinct Juglans lineages prior to the middle Eocene. Climatic cooling, leading ultimately to Pleistocene glaciation, has transformed high-latitude vegetation and resulted in the American/Eurasian disjunct distribution found in many north temperate families, of which Juglans is typical. With three coexisting species in the Axel Heiberg Island fossil forests, it is clear that Juglans was an important component of this ancient polar landscape and played a significant role in the evolution of northern temperate forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of research. The Neogene collision of the Australian tectonic plate (Sahul) with Southeast Asia (Sunda) restructured the vegetation of both regions. The rarity of plant macrofossils from Sunda has limited the understanding of precollision vegetation and plants that migrated from Sunda to Sahul. Despite the importance of legumes in the living flora, no Malesian reproductive or pre-Neogene fossils of the Fabaceae are known. Methodology. We collected 47 plant macrofossils from the Tambak Member of the Tanjung Formation (middle-late Eocene) while surveying the Wahana Baratama coal mine near Satui, South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. These fossils represent Southeast Asian forests before the Sahul-Sunda collision. We studied three isolated large (up to 72 mm in length) seeds from the upper Tambak Member, along with 43 fossil leaves and two palynological samples from the lower Tambak Member. Pivotal results. We describe the extinct legume Jantungspermum gunnellii gen. et sp. nov. The J. gunnellii seeds are flattened on one side, bilobed, and heart shaped with a long hilum (~60 mm) overlain on the suture, closely resembling Castanospermum , the Australian black bean tree. The leaves represent seven morphotypes, which include Fabaceae but are otherwise unidentifiable. One specimen preserves in situ cuticle. The palynoflora includes diverse ferns and palms, Typhaceae, Onagraceae, and forest taxa, including Podocarpaceae, Sapindaceae, and Fabaceae, indicating a largely freshwater coastal swamp environment in the lower Tambak Member. Conclusions. The Jantungspermum seeds are double the length of Castanospermum seeds, representing a closely related but extinct papilionoid taxon. The discovery suggests a Sundan precollision history, a much later Sunda-Sahul migration, and an eventual Asian extinction for the Castanospermum lineage, which today inhabits coastal rainforests of northern Australasia. The seeds represent the only known fossil relative of Castanospermum , the oldest legume fossils from Malesia, and one of the largest fossil angiosperm seeds. The new seeds, leaves, and palynomorphs provide a window into Eocene Malesian vegetation and rare macrofossil evidence of Sundan history for a living Australasian lineage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coprinellus disseminatus and other morphologically similar species are widely dispersed worldwide and are commonly referred to as "fairy inkcap". Based on the molecular phylogenetic study and morphological observation, a thorough investigation was carried out utilising 74 collections of related species that were gathered from seventeen provinces and five Chinese fungaria between 1998 and 2023 and revealed 11 lineages of "fairy inkcap", nine of which were found in China, and which belonged to the two genera Coprinellus and Tulosesus. In sect. Disseminati, genetic diversities (π), and fixation index (Fst) amongst lineages were computed, and a haplotype-based network was established to ascertain the relationships amongst each clade. A new section of Coprinellus, sect. Aureodisseminati, were discovered. In addition, four new species (C. aureodisseminatus, C. austrodisseminatus, C. parcus, and C. velutipes), a new subspecies of C. disseminatus, a new combination (Tulosesus pseudodisseminatus), the first discovery of epigamous type of C. magnoliae and a new record to China (T. subdisseminatus) were also identified and thoroughly described with accompanying illustrations. Their differences in macro- and micro-features, as well as their character sequence, were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A species is expected to be most resilient to environmental change when it occurs across a broad diversity of habitats. However, there is often no visual representation of the past (i.e. prehistoric and historical) context for a species in the range maps published by national and global authorities. Therefore, it is easy to overlook the fact that many species once occupied a broader geographic range, or greater diversity of habitats. Such oversights hinder the effective conservation of species that have become restricted to a subset of their formerly occupied habitats. Here, we quantified the shifted baseline that may underpin some of the ecological misconceptions about species, and developed a rapid assessment method to aid the identification and prioritisation of 'potential refugee species' (i.e. species that have become restricted to a subset of their formerly occupied niche). The assessment of potential refugee status is different from, but complementary to, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and Green Status frameworks. Our framework defines a continuum of potential refugee status, which was demonstratable in continent‐scale maps drawn from biogeographic regionalisation. Applying this framework to all native rodent species across the continent of Australia (a group that has suffered several extinctions and notable declines), we found that the risk of ecological misconceptions caused by shifted baselines (i.e. resulting from 'shifting baseline syndrome') was prevalent. This suggests that in many cases, translocation opportunities that might be avoided because they are perceived as conservation introductions (as defined by the IUCN translocation guidelines), may in fact fall within the indigenous range, and should therefore be considered reasonable reintroductions. Ultimately, our potential refugee assessment framework will help to facilitate the undertaking of ambitious translocations that will build species' resilience to environmental change by resuming their adaptation to habitats across all formerly occupied bioregions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how population structure and demography are determined is a central theme in marine biogeography. While historical events, such as past climate change, are important determinants, the mechanisms by which they act are not well understood in many marine species. In this study, the population structure of the Japanese, marine intertidal gastropod Lunella correensis was investigated to determine whether it has been affected by past environmental changes. A genome-wide SNP analysis, L. correensis showed a genetic gradient along the coast and a weak genetic differentiation between sites in the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. Demographic inference suggests that the effective population size expanded and shrunk in response to periods of rapid warming and cooling due to past climate change. Further, ecological niche modelling suggests that the population size of L. correensis increased by advancing into the Sea of Japan during rapid warming after the Last Glacial Maximum. Notably, our analyses suggest that recent human activities may have influenced the effective population size of this species. Specifically, the period of reduction in the population size coincides with environmental changes and habitat loss associated with development along the Japanese coastal area. Thus, these results emphasize that the genetic structure and demography of marine species have been influenced by past environmental change around the Japanese Archipelago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Given the rapid pace of climate change and its significant impact on species distribution and survival, understanding the dynamics of ecological niches over time becomes imperative. By employing ecological niche models and species distribution models, alongside analyses of historical occurrence records and palaeoclimatic data, we aimed to assess the extent of changes in the niche of Porites astreoides from the Holocene to the present. Specifically, we quantified the amount of: (1) niche stability, (2) niche expansion, (3) niche decline and (4) niche overlap in both the environmental and geographical space. Location: Atlantic Ocean. Taxon: Cnidarian, Scleractinia. Materials and Methods: Through fossil and current records and environmental variables from the same periods, we use two ecological niche modelling approaches (overlap and maximum entropy) to analyse niche dynamics in environmental and geographical space, specifically the degree of expansion, stability and loss of niches over the last ~8000 years. We used a principal component analysis to build the models within two different calibration areas (minimum convex polygon and buffer). Results: Our results were similar, except for the loss of habitat, across the calibration areas used to build the models. The PCA used to build the models accounts for more than 65% of the variation in the data. Most of the environmental niche remained stable with an increase of almost a third and a negligible loss. Models in geographical space showed that most of the suitable area remained stable, but the species expanded its range from the Caribbean to the coast of Brazil. The analysis also showed a high value of niche overlap in environmental and geographical spaces. Main Conclusions: The species studied is one of the corals with the greatest capacity to adapt to new environments and locations, but it also has a high tendency to preserve niche traits. These characteristics helped the species to expand its environmental and geographical niche in a period of relative climatic stability. On the other hand, these same characteristics of niche conservatism can lead the species to population decline and habitat loss, if the speed of adaptation is lower than the rapid climate changes predicted for the middle and end of the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate species‐level taxonomy is paramount for biogeographical research, and conversely, biogeographical data are of importance for species delimitation. We here review recent developments and future perspectives of taxonomy of direct relevance for biogeographers. The understanding that species are independently evolving segments of population‐level lineages, the rise of integrative approaches to delimit such lineages, and the advent of high‐throughput sequencing have considerably renewed the discipline of taxonomy. Using genome‐scale molecular datasets, the extent of admixture across hybrid zones can now be effectively assessed and the evolutionary independence of lineages inferred, leading to more reliable and comparable species delimitation criteria. Substantially divergent but admixing phylogeographical lineages can conveniently be named as subspecies, thus avoiding taxonomic oversplitting and taxonomic inflation. At the same time, comprehensive DNA barcoding and DNA metabarcoding efforts are uncovering an enormous proportion of undiscovered biotic diversity, and we encourage the development of bioinformatic pipelines that combine high‐throughput species discovery and delimitation with diagnosis and scientific naming, to approach a biotic inventory of the globe without abandoning the established Linnaean system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The influence of species phylogenetic relatedness on the formation of insular assemblages remains understudied in functional island biogeography, especially for terrestrial habitat islands (i.e. distinct habitat patches embedded in a matrix that differ in the prevailing environmental conditions). Here, we tested three eco‐evolutionary hypotheses: (1) functional specialization of species (i.e. specialism) is associated with phylogenetic clustering at the habitat archipelago scale, (2) such clustering increases with insularity at the habitat island scale and (3) traits indicative of effective local persistence strategies shape island specialism. Location: Terrestrial habitat islands, Europe (Fens in the Western Carpathians, Outcrops in Moravia and Mountaintops in the Cantabrian Range). Taxon: Angiosperms. Methods: We assessed the phylogenetic relatedness of habitat specialists in three different archipelagos composed of terrestrial habitat islands based on phylogenetic signals and phylogenetic diversity (PD) measures. We estimated the effect of insularity on PD using linear models and the effect of persistence traits on specialism using phylogenetic logistic regressions. Results: Our hypotheses were largely not supported. Outcrop and mountaintop specialist assemblages did not exhibit any phylogenetic structuring, whereas fen specialists were clustered at the archipelago scale. Therefore, insularity seems not to act as a selective force for phylogenetic structure, and ecologically important persistence traits do not operate as precursors of specialism. Main Conclusions: Our results show that species phylogenetic relatedness plays a minor role in shaping habitat island specialist assemblages. Furthermore, the effects of phylogenetic relatedness on assemblages of island specialists are system and scale dependent. Finally, accounting for species' phylogenetic relatedness on persistence traits yielded results similar to previous studies, which corroborates the positive relationship between insularity and functional traits (indicative of enhanced plant persistence abilities with increasing within‐archipelago insularity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the climatic and biogeographic drivers of plant trait variation across Caribbean tropical dry forests, a system characterised by high rates of plant endemism despite low moisture availability, high rainfall variability and persistent exposure to hurricanes. Location: Caribbean tropical dry forests. Taxon: Woody plants. Methods: We used a database of 572 woody vegetation plots spanning across the Caribbean, including Florida. We then extracted seed mass, specific leaf area and wood density from global trait databases. We supplemented additional trait data from herbaria collections and calculated phylogenetic imputation of traits. Furthermore, we calculated presence–absence community means and functional diversity and correlated these metrics with bioclimatic variables in addition to island and dry forest area using generalised additive models. Results: Despite occurring in climatically distinct regions, Caribbean tropical dry forests are functionally similar, and the trait space of many dry forests are nested within the functional space of others. In line with island biogeographic theory, island area, dry forest area and island isolation were correlated with functional diversity. Although temperature and precipitation were important determinants of trait variation and functional diversity, environmental variables differently impacted trait variation and the variance explained was generally low. Main Conclusions: The high functional overlap among Caribbean dry forests is remarkable given the broad climatic gradient across these islands. High functional overlap suggests that environmental and biogeographic filters constrain plant form and function in these intrinsically fascinating systems. The trait space of these insular dry forest systems points to dispersal‐limitation, in addition to high temperature and water limitations, and favouring persistence strategies to withstand high frequency hurricane disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional island biogeography can provide eco–evolutionary insights into which main drivers contribute to shaping the distribution of organisms' forms and functions on islands. It does so by examining trait patterns. As a result, traits are increasingly studied on islands, either along insularity gradients or by comparing patterns of island versus mainland biota. So far, functional island biogeography has investigated trends of trait values (i.e., average, functional diversity), whereas coordination between pairs of traits remains unexplored along insularity gradients. Yet, trait coordination analyses constitute the foundational tool to detect main functional spectra and strategies of organisms. In this perspective, we set out to offer a conceptual and analytical framework that should facilitate the inclusion of trait coordination (i.e., the co–variation of traits both at the intra– and interspecific level) in functional island biogeography. We illustrate, with a case study focused on persistence traits of edaphic island plant specialists, what type of insights can be gained by examining the response of trait coordination to variation in insularity. We asked two questions, namely whether, with increasing insularity, the strength of the relationship (R2) increases (Q1), and the direction of the relationship (slope) decreases (Q2). We positively answered our research questions, with lines of evidence suggesting a selective "forcing" towards tighter and more strongly coordinated strategies (Q1), and functional trade‐offs (Q2). We infer which ecological and biogeographic drivers could be behind the observed patterns, while acknowledging possible drawbacks. We conclude by identifying three main take–home messages and related future directions for integrating trait coordination in functional island biogeography to further advance the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C4 NAD‐malic enzyme (NAD‐ME) species occurs in drier regions and exhibit different drought responses compared to C4 NADP‐malic enzyme (NADP‐ME) species. However, a physiological mechanism explaining the geographical discrepancies remains uncertain. This study examined gas exchange patterns that might explain different distributions observed between two subtypes of C4 photosynthesis. We measured the response of leaf gas exchange to vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and CO2 in plants from six distinct C4 clades having closely related NAD‐ME and NADP‐ME species using a Li‐Cor 6400 gas exchange system. We found that NAD‐ME species exhibited greater relative reductions in stomatal conductance with increases in VPD than NADP‐ME species but observed no consistent subtype differences in C4 cycle activity as indicated by the initial slope of the A response to intercellular CO2 concentration. Based on these results, we hypothesise the greater response of gs to increasing VPD may enable NAD‐ME plants to outperform NADP‐ME plants in hot, dry environments where VPD is normally high. Summary statement: NAD‐malic enzyme (NAD‐ME) C4 species have more sensitive stomatal closures in response to increasing vapour pressure deficit than NADP‐malic enzyme C4 species which may explain why NAD‐ME grass species are found in drier areas than NADP‐ME species. This provides insight into the role of plant eco‐physiology in shaping biogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caatinga is the largest patch of Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest in the Neotropics, located in northeastern Brazil and characterized mainly by deciduous vegetation and extreme rainfall seasonality. It has historically been treated as a biologically impoverished domain, but recent studies uncovered new diversification patterns and several new taxa of frogs, mammals, insects, and fishes. Here we employed a dense sampling regime to evaluate whether the São Francisco River (SFR) would have promoted genetic diversification and fixed phenotypic differences and how Quaternary climatic oscillations shaped distribution and population sizes in a Caatinga endemic species, the Silvery‐cheeked Antshrike (Sakesphoroides cristatus). We adopted an integrative approach using multilocus genetic, plumage, vocal data, and ecological niche modelling (ENM) to characterize evolutionary units and niche suitability in past scenarios. We recovered strong genetic structure across the SFR that was congruent with plumage and vocal variation, revealing a yet undescribed species named herein as Sakesphoroides niedeguidonae, sp. nov. (urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2B9FC637‐008A‐4E9A‐B92B‐69ED7FE23823s). The splitting time estimated between the newly described species and S. cristatus is consistent with the establishment of the modern course of SFR, with a more recent course shift apparently promoting the secondary contact between the two species in the Raso da Catarina region. After their split, both species experienced increases in population sizes and range sizes at similar times during the Last Glacial Maximum. We expect other Caatinga avian endemic lineages to show similar patterns of genetic differentiation across the SFR that were enhanced by Quaternary climatic oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hausdorf, B., Xu, J., BAMBERGER, S. (2024) Repeated colonization of the Northern Limestone Alps from the Southern Limestone Alps by the rock‐dwelling snail species Cochlostoma henricae—Zoologica Scripta, 00, 000–000. The evolution of biogeographic disjunctions in the Southern and Northern Limestone Alps has been studied only in a few taxa. Cochlostoma henricae (Strobel, 1851) is a land snail species restricted to limestone rocks showing such disjunctions. We studied the phylogeny and population structure of this species using genomic ddRAD data to better understand the differentiation of the species in the Southern Alps and the origin of the isolated occurrences in the Northern Limestone Alps. Phylogenetic and population‐genetic analyses of the ddRAD data revealed a subdivision of the C. henricae populations into a western cluster and an eastern cluster. These clusters were probably separated by glaciers that extended from the Piave Valley to the margin of the Alps. Such a longitudinal subdivision is a common pattern of several species in the Southern Limestone Alps. However, the boundaries between western and eastern population groups differ between taxa. Cochlostoma henricae colonized the Northern Limestone Alps at least twice. The population from Breitenwang in Tyrol originated from the western group, whereas the occurrences in the Salzkammergut are from the eastern group. These and similar disjunctions of several other land snails show that even species with limited dispersal abilities could cross the Alps repeatedly by passive long‐distance dispersal events. A subdivision of C. henricae into three subspecies, proposed based on shell characters, does not correspond to its population‐genetic structure. Instead, the eastern and western population groups represent distinct evolutionary units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study investigates the biogeographic patterns of Pacific white‐sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) in the Eastern North Pacific based on long‐term passive acoustic records. We aim to elucidate the ecological and behavioural significance of distinct echolocation click types and their implications for population delineation, geographic distribution, environmental adaptation and management. Location: Eastern North Pacific Ocean. Time Period: 2005–2021. Major Taxa Studied: Pacific white‐sided dolphin. Methods: Over 50 cumulative years of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) data from 14 locations were analyzed using a deep neural network to classify two distinct Pacific white‐sided dolphin echolocation click types. The study assessed spatial, diel, seasonal and interannual patterns of the two click types, correlating them with major environmental drivers such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation and the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation, and modeling long‐term spatial‐seasonal patterns. Results: Distinct spatial, diel and seasonal patterns were observed for each click type. Significant biogeographical shifts in presence were observed following the 2014–2016 marine heatwave event. Main Conclusions: Distinct spatial distributions of the two click types support the hypothesis that Pacific white‐sided dolphins produce population‐specific echolocation clicks. Seasonal and diel patterns suggest spatiotemporal niche partitioning between the populations in Southern California. Interannual changes, notably initiated during the 2014–2016 marine heatwave, indicate climate‐driven range expansions and contractions related to gradual tropicalization of the Southern California Bight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: A nested pattern (nestedness) in species composition is a frequent signature of insular communities. However, it remains unclear whether the drivers of nestedness are consistent across multiple island systems. Here, we investigated the pattern and drivers of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic nestedness in terrestrial mammal assemblages from 10 distinct island systems (archipelagos). Location: Global. Time period: Contemporary. Major taxa studied: Terrestrial mammals. Methods: We compiled occurrence data and species traits of terrestrial mammals from 228 islands in 10 distinct island assemblages. We assembled a dataset of island biogeographic characteristics for each of these islands, including island area, isolation index and maximum elevation. For all 10 assemblages, we first tested for significant patterns of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic nestedness. We then examined the associations between nestedness, island biogeographic characteristics and species traits. Results: We detected significant patterns of taxonomic, functional or phylogenetic nestedness in mammal assemblages from all 10 archipelagos. Biogeographic characteristics of islands affecting the rate of extinction in island species, namely, island area and elevation, were significantly associated with the degree of nestedness in these assemblages. Traits associated with the extinction probability of a species, such as litter size, further drove the nested pattern in some assemblages. Main conclusions: All analyses pointed to selective extinction as a main mechanism shaping the observed nested patterns in island mammal assemblages. From a conservation point of view, different management strategies should be implemented for mammal assemblages in these island systems by identifying the drivers of species extinction rates specific to each island system and species occurring on these islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collection specimens provide valuable and often overlooked biological material that enables addressing relevant, long‐unanswered questions in conservation biology, historical biogeography, and other research fields. Here, we use preserved specimens to analyze the historical distribution of the black francolin (Francolinus francolinus, Phasianidae), a case that has recently aroused the interest of archeozoologists and evolutionary biologists. The black francolin currently ranges from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent, but, at least since the Middle Ages, it also had a circum‐Mediterranean distribution. The species could have persisted in Greece and the Maghreb until the 19th century, even though this possibility had been questioned due to the absence of museum specimens and scant literary evidence. Nevertheless, we identified four 200‐year‐old stuffed black francolins—presumably the only ones still existing—from these areas and sequenced their mitochondrial DNA control region. Based on the comparison with conspecifics (n = 396) spanning the entirety of the historic and current species range, we found that the new samples pertain to previously identified genetic groups from either the Near East or the Indian subcontinent. While disproving the former occurrence of an allegedly native westernmost subspecies, these results point toward the role of the Crown of Aragon in the circum‐Mediterranean expansion of the black francolin, including the Maghreb and Greece. Genetic evidence hints at the long‐distance transport of these birds along the Silk Road, probably to be traded in the commerce centers of the Eastern Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Diahot Tooth" is an isolated postcanine tooth of a large herbivorous mammal, discovered in the Diahot region of northern New Caledonia in 1875. Most authors have identified it as an upper premolar of a rhinocerotid, but an alternative proposal is that it belongs to a diprotodontoid marsupial that has been named Zygomaturus diahotensis. Either possibility raises biogeographical difficulties, because New Caledonia has been isolated from other major landmasses for 80 million years, and neither rhinocerotids nor diprodotontoids appear to be good candidates for such a long-distance overwater dispersal event. Here, we present a novel interpretation of the affinities and origin of the Diahot Tooth, based on qualitative study of its preserved morphology and quantitative phylogenetic analyses that include both rhinocerotids and diprotodontoids. We show that the Diahot Tooth most closely resembles the first deciduous premolar of Western Eurasian Miocene teleoceratine rhinocerotid Brachypotherium brachypus, with the few discrepancies relating to traits that are known to be variable in B. brachypus. Our phylogenetic analyses also support this relationship. The preservation of the Diahot Tooth closely resembles that of B. brachypus teeth from the "Faluns Sea" of the Loire basin, and we propose that the New Caledonian specimen originated there and was taken to New Caledonia by a European colonist during the mid-19th century, where it was lost, rediscovered, and incorrectly assumed to be autochthonous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of Megalops cyprinoides (Megalopidae) in the Red Sea has been confirmed through the collection of two specimens by recreational fishers at freshwater inputs in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Meristic and morphometric characters are provided, complemented by molecular COI sequences, which confirm their identification as M. cyprinoides. These molecular findings also indicate a widespread monophyletic lineage. The limited availability of freshwater inputs to the Red Sea likely restricts suitable habitats for M. cyprinoides, contributing to its low population size in the region and its previous absence from regional ichthyological records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountains exhibit a high degree of endemism and diversity, however, quantifying their biodiversity can be challenging. Similar to islands, species isolation in mountainous regions results in comparable patterns of evolution and extinction, rendering their biodiversity unique and highly susceptible to anthropogenic threats. The topographic relief in mountains plays a crucial role in creating habitat complexity, which in turn contribute to high plant diversity. Here, we investigated plant diversity in the volcano mountaintop vegetation on the Poços de Caldas Plateau, a region situated in the ecotone between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, characterized by natural radiation and significant anthropogenic intervention. We employed an automated approach through the filtering of georeferenced and non-georeferenced data to obtain a list of plant species in the region. Additionally, we statistically investigated the similarity among different high-altitude vegetations belonging to the campos de altitude from the Atlantic Forest and campos rupestres from the Cerrado. The plateau exhibits high plant diversity, including 1,659 specific and infraspecific taxa, especially belonging to Asteraceae and Poaceae. Our analyses suggest that geographical distance is a strong predictor of dissimilarity and that the Poços de Caldas Plateau is more floristically related to the campos rupestres, despite being associated with campos de altitude. The region possesses a unique set of biodiversity, indicating that it may be a distinct formation. Additionally, we hypothesize that Pleistocene events likely influenced the conformation of the current floristic composition in the region through species interchange between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. Our study also highlights the few taxa assessed for conservation status and anthropogenic threats that this habitat is facing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) feeds thousands of springs in Australia's arid centre, supporting relictual species not found elsewhere on Earth. Springs are considerably threatened by ongoing water abstraction by industry. Robust management plans are needed to prevent further extirpations of GAB taxa, but fundamental biodiversity knowledge is lacking. Aims: We aimed to characterise major organismal groups in South Australian GAB springs and surrounding wetlands, their conservation and taxonomic status, and potential biodiversity hotspots and connectivity of spring ecosystems. Methods: Focusing on South Australia as a case study, we conducted a comprehensive review of GAB spring biota based on the published scientific and grey literature. Key results: Almost 500 taxa have been recorded from GAB springs, the majority being invertebrates. Community composition is highly heterogeneous among spring clusters and the true extent of spring biodiversity is far greater than currently known. Conclusions: GAB springs have intrinsic value as refugia for both endemics and cosmopolitan taxa. GAB invertebrates are poorly conserved and largely lacking in taxonomic knowledge. We highlight several potential biodiversity hotspots that have been overlooked in the literature. Implications: Fundamental biodiversity information on the GAB is crucial for decision making in conservation management, for industry, and for Traditional Custodians. The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is Australia's largest freshwater resource. Springs fed by the GAB support many species not found elsewhere on Earth, but conservation is hindered by a lack of fundamental knowledge about the plants, animals and fungi reliant on these habitats. Using South Australia as a case study, we provide a comprehensive review of GAB biodiversity in that state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The microbiota in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and incoming wastewater is critical for the treatment process, the preservation of natural ecosystems and human health, and for the recovery of resources and achievement of sustainability goals. Both core species and conditionally rare and abundant taxa (CRAT) are considered process-critical but little is known about identity as well as true functional and ecological importance. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of the microbiota of 84 municipal activated sludge (AS) plants with nutrient removal treating ~ 70% of all wastewater within a confined geographical area, Denmark (43,000 km2). With the use of an ecosystem-specific database (MiDAS 5.2), species-level classification allowed us to investigate the core and CRAT species, whether they were active, and important factors determining their presence. Results: We established a comprehensive catalog of species with names or placeholder names showing each plant contained approx. 2,500 different species. Core and CRAT represented in total 258 species, constituting around 50% of all reads in every plant. However, not all core and CRAT could be regarded as process-critical as growth rate calculations revealed that 43% did not grow in the AS plants and were present only because of continuous immigration from the influent. Analyses of regional microbiota differences and distance decay patterns revealed a stronger effect for species than genera, demonstrating that geography had a clear effect on the AS microbiota, even across a limited geographical area such as Denmark (43,000 km2). Conclusions: The study is the first comprehensive investigation of WWTPs in a confined geographical area providing new insights in our understanding of activated sludge microbiology by introducing a concept of combining immigration and growth calculation with identifying core and CRAT to reveal the true ecosystem-critical organisms. Additionally, the clear biogeographical pattern on this scale highlights the need for more region-level studies to find regional process-critical taxa (core and CRAT), especially at species and amplicon sequence variant (ASV) level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of myxomycete biogeography has a long-standing history and has consistently drawn scholarly interest. Nevertheless, studies focusing specifically on the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of myxomycete diversity are relatively limited, with even fewer investigating the mechanisms driving the generation and maintenance of myxomycete diversity. Therefore, this study selected two geographically distant sampling sites within northern Chinese forests to investigate myxomycete species composition, community structure, environmental drivers, and assembly patterns under geographic barriers. We established plots in the Altai Mountains (ALE) and the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM), gathered bark and litter, and conducted 80-day moist chamber cultures of myxomycetes. Additionally, myxomycete specimens were collected in the field simultaneously to supplement the data set. This study collected 541 myxomycete specimens belonging to 73 species from 28 genera, spanning 12 families and eight orders. The ALE and the GKM had 20 identical species, accounting for 27% of the total species. Myxomycetes from both regions exhibited abundant occurrence 18 days after cultivation, with the quantity on bark substrates notably higher than on litter. Arcyria pomiformis and Comatricha elegans were the most common species in moist chamber cultures. Mantel test outcomes revealed that environmental factors had no significant impact on myxomycete community similarity between the two areas, aligning with findings from the neutral community model analysis, indicating a predominant influence of stochastic processes on myxomycete community structure in moist chamber cultures. This study represents the first application of a quantitative framework to analyze myxomycete community assembly cultivated in moist chambers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise Methods Results Conclusions Cleomaceae is an important model clade for studies of evolutionary processes including genome evolution, floral form diversification, and photosynthetic pathway evolution. Diversification and divergence patterns in Cleomaceae remain tangled as research has been restricted by its worldwide distribution, limited genetic sampling and species coverage, and a lack of definitive fossil calibration points.We used target sequence capture and the Angiosperms353 probe set to perform a phylogenetic study of Cleomaceae. We estimated divergence times and biogeographic analyses to explore the origin and diversification of the family. Seed morphology across extant taxa was documented with multifocal image‐stacking techniques and morphological characters were extracted, analyzed, and compared to fossil records.We recovered a well‐supported and resolved phylogenetic tree of Cleomaceae generic relationships that includes 236 (~86%) species. We identified 11 principal clades and confidently placed Cleomella as sister to the rest of the family. Our analyses suggested that Cleomaceae and Brassicaceae diverged ~56 mya, and Cleomaceae began to diversify ~53 mya in the Palearctic and Africa. Multiple transatlantic disjunct distributions were identified. Seeds were imaged from 218 (~80%) species in the family and compared to all known fossil species.Our results represent the most comprehensive phylogenetic study of Cleomaceae to date. We identified transatlantic disjunctions and proposed explanations for these patterns, most likely either long‐distance dispersals or contractions in latitudinal distributions caused by climate change over geological timescales. We found that seed morphology varied considerably but mostly mirrored generic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both regional species pool and local community assembly mechanism drive the microbial diversity patterns across geographical gradients. However, little has been done to separate their effects on the β diversity patterns of microbial communities involved in nitrogen (N) cycling in river ecosystems. Here, we use high‐throughput sequencing of the archaeal amoA, bacterial amoA, nirK, and nirS genes, null model, and neutral community model to distinguish the relative importance of species pool and local assembly processes for ammonia‐oxidizing and denitrifying communities in river wetlands along a latitudinal gradient in eastern China. Results indicated that the β diversity of the nirS‐type denitrifying community co‐varied with γ diversity and environmental heterogeneity, implying that regional species pool and heterogeneous selection explained variation in β diversity. However, the β diversity of ammonia‐oxidizing and nirK‐type denitrifying communities did not correlate with γ diversity and environmental heterogeneity. The continuous hump distribution of β deviation along the latitudinal gradient and the lower species dispersal rate indicated that the dispersal limitation shaped the variation in β diversity of ammonia‐oxidizing and nirK‐type denitrifying communities. Additionally, biotic interactions drove ammonia‐oxidizing and nirS‐type denitrifying communities by influencing species co‐occurrence patterns. Our study highlights the importance of regional species pool and local community assembly processes in shaping geographical patterns of N‐cycling microorganisms and extends knowledge of their adaptability to a continuously changing environment on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of fragmentation per se on biodiversity is hotly debated, with evidence of negative, neutral, or even positive effects after controlling for habitat amount. Principles from this debate are often used to inform biodiversity conservation in remnant habitat fragments but are rarely considered in a restoration context. Habitat restoration is essential to work alongside conservation and reverse biodiversity declines. Although restored habitats vary along a similar fragmentation gradient to remnant patches, the importance of different processes likely varies. Communities in remnant patches are largely determined by existing populations, while communities in restored patches are shaped by colonization from nearby populations. We illustrate how fragmentation per se can have variable outcomes for biodiversity depending on whether habitat is conserved or restored. The fragmentation debate, in its current form, has limited application for restoration ecology, and we emphasize the need for ecologists and conservationists to consider the directionality of the fragmentation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Motivation Main Types of Variables Contained Spatial Location and Grain Time Period and Grain Major Taxa and Level of Measurement Software Format Accurate estimates of species distributions are crucial for biogeography, spatial conservation, and for assessing the impacts of human activities on species. However, existing approaches to estimate species distributions have typically neglected the influence of land use intensity, potentially overlooking the negative impacts of high‐intensity land uses on biodiversity. Here, we build a dataset documenting the habitat suitability of European land systems for terrestrial vertebrate species, based on a novel land system map of Europe that factors in land use intensity. Our database offers refined and up‐to‐date information on terrestrial vertebrate distributions in Europe by explicitly considering land use intensity.We created a table defining the suitability of land use classes as habitats for each species. We then built Area of Habitat (AOH) maps for each species by filtering out unsuitable habitat from the latest available estimates of species ranges. AOH maps were then compared with occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Processed datasets and R scripts are publicly available online, facilitating the use of our approach to refine expert‐based distributions for other taxa, land system classifications and regions worldwide.The AOH maps cover the spatial extent of the European Union (EU) with the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, and the Western Balkans. The AOH maps are at a 1 km2 resolution.The dataset uses information published during the last 10 years.Habitat suitability was documented for 1155 terrestrial vertebrate species known to occur in Europe: 279 mammals, 520 birds, 251 reptiles and 104 amphibians.We provide the habitat suitability table in a comma‐separated values (csv) format. The AOH maps are available as raster files. R scripts are publicly accessible on GitHub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusion We reconstructed the genetic patterns and identified the main genetic breaks of several taxa across California and Baja California coast. Additionally, we evaluated the contribution of different variables to the level of structure.California and Baja California coast.Fish, invertebrates, algae, seagrass and mammals.We generated a map to reconstruct the genetic patterns using genetic information (Fst index and phylogenetic clades distribution) from a literature review of population genetics publications from 2000 to 2023. For the analysis of genetic connectivity drivers, we explored the effect of different variables representing life history traits, reproductive strategies and biogeographic variables and generated five working hypotheses which were evaluated with generalized linear models (GLMs).We identified 42 genetic breaks from 63 species across our study area. The largest number of breaks occurs from 27° N to 29° N and from 31° N to 35° N. This range includes transition zones between ecoregions such as Punta Eugenia, Baja California, Mexico and Point Conception, California, USA. We also identified Ensenada, Baja California region as a barrier to gene flow. From a transboundary perspective, we found 40 species with connectivity between California and Baja California, including 14 commercial and or recreational species. We found none of the variables explored had a clear effect on the level of genetic differentiation of the species assessed in the region.Genetic breaks among different taxa do not distribute randomly across the latitudinal range from California and Baja California coastal area, rather they are mainly located in transition zones between marine ecoregions. The challenge to identify specific variables that explain general genetic patterns highlights the complexity that drives population connectivity processes in marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several members of the genus Peziza sensu stricto occur at the edge of melting snow. These nivicolous species have been widely reported in the Northern Hemisphere and are also known from Australia and New Zealand. We have used 16 specimens from North America and Australia to study morphology and to perform DNA sequencing. In sequence analyses, we have used ITS1 and ITS2 (internal transcribed spacers), 28S, RPB2 (RNA polymerase II gene), and two genes new to these studies, GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) and HSP90 (heat shock protein 90). Although not all regions are available for all samples, we have recognized the following species: Peziza heimii, P. nivalis, and P. nivis. Phylogenetic analyses were done using ITS alone; combined ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, 28S, and RPB2; ITS, and 28S, RPB2, GAPDH, and HSP90. Even with this augmented set of genes and despite their widespread occurrence in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, we have not definitively distinguished species within this group. To assess these results, pairwise homoplasy index (PHI) analysis was employed. This showed evidence of recombination among the samples of P. nivalis and further supports the view of P. nivalis as a monophyletic cosmopolitan species. As part of this study, we also examined the variation in ITS copies in P. echinospora, for which a genome is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorosplenium is a small genus comprising five species of inoperculate discomycetes in the order Helotiales (Leotiomycetes) often recognizable by their bright yellowish-green colors and gregarious growth on wood. In this study, we describe five new species—C. aotearoa, C. australiense, C. cusucoense, C. epimorsicum, and C. hawaiiense—based on a combination of recent fieldwork and examination of previously collected fungarium specimens. We use an integrative taxonomic approach to support the distinction of new species, incorporating morphology and DNA sequence data with biogeography. Macro- and micromorphological features of apothecia for all species and culture characteristics for four of the five new species are documented. A multilocus phylogeny based on nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, partial large subunit nuc ribosomal DNA (28S nuc rDNA), and A–B regions of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1) gene is presented. Additionally, we report Chlorosplenium chlora from Europe for the first time and expand our knowledge of the diversity and distributions of species in this genus in America, Australia, and New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 6 million years, the arid Australian Eremaean Zone (EZ) has remained as dry as it is today. A widely accepted hypothesis suggests that the flora and fauna of arid regions were more broadly distributed before aridification began. In Australia, this process started around 20 million years ago (Ma), leading to gradual speciation as the climate became increasingly arid. Here, we use genomic data to investigate the biogeography and timing of divergence of native allotetraploid tobaccos, Nicotiana section Suaveolentes (Solanaceae). The original allotetraploid migrants from South America were adapted to mesic areas of Australia and recently radiated in the EZ, including in sandy dune fields (only 1.2 Ma old), after developing drought adaptations. Coalescent and maximum likelihood analyses suggest that Nicotiana section Suaveolentes arrived on the continent around 6 Ma, with the ancestors of the Pilbara (Western Australian) lineages radiating there at the onset of extreme aridity 5 Ma by locally adapting to these various ancient, highly stable habitats. The Pilbara thus served as both a mesic refugium and cradle for adaptations to harsher conditions, due to its high topographical diversity, providing microhabitats with varying moisture levels and its proximity to the ocean, which buffers against extreme aridity. This enabled species like Nicotiana to survive in mesic refugia and subsequently adapt to more arid conditions. These results demonstrate that initially poorly adapted plant groups can develop novel adaptations in situ, permitting extensive and rapid dispersal despite the highly variable and unpredictable extreme conditions of the EZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT There is an apparent contradiction between the sedentary lifestyle and direct development of meiofaunal organisms and their widely observed distribution. This study is situated within the theoretical framework of ecological connectivity, metacommunities, and the impact of substrate type, particularly in the unique context of oceanic islands, offering a crucial perspective to unravel the complexities of meiofaunal dispersal and connectivity. We here studied the spatial distribution of meiofauna on natural and artificial beaches of an oceanic island, that is, Gran Canaria (Canary Is., NE Atlantic Ocean). The results revealed higher abundance and richness of meiofauna on artificial substrates compared to natural ones, with nematodes, copepods, and annelids being the dominant groups. The meiofaunal community composition differed significantly between natural and artificial beaches, suggesting colonisation of artificial beaches by natural beach communities. Notably, certain species were exclusively found on artificial beaches. The study highlighted the importance of substrate type in influencing meiofaunal composition, with artificial beaches providing new ecological niches and resources for meiofauna. The dissimilarity between beaches was attributed to morphospecies exclusive to either artificial or natural substrates, emphasising the role of dispersal mechanisms. These findings contribute to understanding the metacommunity dynamics of meiofauna in oceanic islands and call for further research on dispersal potential and biogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing what the highest-level mammalian carnivores and intermediate levels eat throughout the geography and how human activities may affect their community dynamics is relevant information to focusing and deciding on conservation efforts within a territory. In this review, we characterize geographically the accumulated knowledge about the trophic niche of terrestrial mammalian carnivore species and evaluate the spatial relationship between the species richness distribution and the geographical distribution of their trophic knowledge in Chile. We found 88 peer-reviewed papers that include trophic studies per se, theses, and short notes carried out in Chile, where at least one trophic element was reported for terrestrial mammalian carnivore species. We found a positive relationship between the species richness distribution pattern and the spatial distribution of accumulated trophic knowledge, i.e., most of the papers have been conducted in Central-southern Chile (Central Chile and Temperate Forest ecoregions) responding to the highest co-occurrence of carnivore species within the limits of the biodiversity hotspot, the most threatened area in the country. Despite this general relationship, we recognize gaps in knowledge regarding regions of the country that require more research effort, such as O'Higgins, Maule, and Ñuble regions, as well as focus efforts on certain species with no or almost no knowledge of their trophic ecology, such as Leopardus colocola, Lyncodon patagonicus and Conepatus chinga. Except for the northern Chilean ecosystems, there is a generalized report of high consumption of exotic mammals in the diet of carnivores in the center and south of the country. However, of the 98 localities recognized in the 88 papers, 20.4% correspond to an anthropized environment, while most (79.6%) correspond to a "non-anthropized" environment or protected area. We hope this review allows researchers and decision-makers to consider the knowledge and lack thereof of carnivore trophic interactions as an opportunity to conserve entire natural communities throughout the Chilean territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of closely related terrestrial or freshwater species by vast marine barriers represents a biogeographical riddle. Such cases can provide evidence for vicariance, a process whereby ancient geological events like continental rifting divided ancestral geographical ranges. With an evolutionary history extending tens of millions of years, freshwater ecology, and distribution encompassing widely separated southern landmasses, osteoglossid bonytongue fishes are a textbook case of vicariance attributed to Mesozoic fragmentation of the Gondwanan supercontinent. Largely overlooked fossils complicate the clean narrative invoked for extant species by recording occurrences on additional continents and in marine settings. Here, we present a new total-evidence phylogenetic hypothesis for bonytongue fishes combined with quantitative models of range evolution and show that the last common ancestor of extant osteoglossids was likely marine, and that the group colonized freshwater settings at least four times when both extant and extinct lineages are considered. The correspondence between extant osteoglossid relationships and patterns of continental fragmentation therefore represents a striking example of biogeographical pseudocongruence. Contrary to arguments against vicariance hypotheses that rely only on temporal or phylogenetic evidence, these results provide direct palaeontological support for enhanced dispersal ability early in the history of a group with widely separated distributions in the modern day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central objective of historical biogeography is to understand where clades originated and how they moved across space and over time. However, given the dynamic history of ecosystem changes in response to climate change and geological events, the manifold long-distance dispersals over evolutionary timescales, and regional and global extinctions, it remains uncertain how reliable inferences based solely on extant taxa can be achieved. Using a novel species-level phylogeny of all known extant and extinct species of the mammalian order Carnivora and related extinct groups, we show that far more precise and accurate ancestral areas can be estimated by fully integrating extinct species into the analyses, rather than solely relying on extant species or identifying ancestral areas only based on the geography of the oldest fossils. Through a series of simulations, we further show that this conclusion is robust under realistic scenarios in which the unknown extinct taxa represent a biased subset of all extinct species. Our results highlight the importance of integrating fossil taxa into a phylogenetic framework to further improve our understanding of historical biogeography and reveal the dynamic dispersal and diversification history of carnivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse climatic and geological history of Southeast Asia has been a driving force behind significant Pleistocene and Holocene range dynamics and the consequent biological diversification in the region. Among the species exhibiting wide distributions, extending across several well-known zoogeographic barriers, the Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) is noted for its extensive variability in size, shape, and colouration. To examine phylogeographic differentiation within I. elongata, we analysed three mitochondrial gene fragments (ND4, cyt b, and COI) for 52 individuals including fourteen historic specimens and 25 sequences obtained from Gen- Bank. Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated alignment revealed genetic homogeneity across the range, supported by a shallow mean uncorrected p distance of 1.2% in cyt b. This corresponds to a surprising lack of biogeographic structuring. Concordantly, multivariate statistical analyses of morphometric and colouration-related characters of 166 adult tortoises (79 males and 87 females) from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam showed no statistically significant differences between biogeographic units. The lack of any phylogeographic signal and morphological differentiation despite the presence of significant biogeographic barriers is unusual for a terrestrial vertebrate from this region. Archaeological evidence suggests that Elongated Tortoises have been used as a food item for millennia. It could be that their current wide distribution and the absence of genetic differentiation are the result of a significant range expansion caused by extensive human-mediated dispersal over the prehistoric and historic tortoise trade. The observed lack of phylogeographic structure considerably simplifies conservation measures such as conservation breeding, reintroduction, and population reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial and trophic processes profoundly influence biodiversity, yet ecological theories often treat them independently. The theory of island biogeography and related theories on metacommunities predict higher species richness with increasing area across islands or habitat patches. In contrast, food-web theory explores the effects of traits and network structure on coexistence within local communities. Exploring the mechanisms by which landscape configurations interact with food-web dynamics in shaping metacommunities is important for our understanding of biodiversity. Here, we use a meta-food-web model to explore the role of landscape configuration in determining species richness and show that when habitat patches are interconnected by dispersal, more species can persist on smaller islands than predicted by classical theory. When patch sizes are spatially aggregated, this effect flattens the slope of the species–area relationship. Surprisingly, when landscapes have random patch-size distributions, the slope of the species–area relationships can even flip and become negative. This could be explained by higher biomass densities of lower trophic levels that then support species occupying higher trophic levels, which only persist on small and well-connected patches. This highlights the importance of simultaneously considering landscape configuration and local food-web dynamics to understand drivers of species–area relationships in metacommunities. This article is part of the theme issue 'Diversity-dependence of dispersal: interspecific interactions determine spatial dynamics'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aotearoa (New Zealand) is a biodiversity hotspot for temperate invertebrate taxa and home to high levels of endemicity. However, our knowledge of species‐level diversity and phylogeny of endemic New Zealand Onychophora (velvet worms) is at present limited. Here, we use mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding to assess the extent of species diversity for the two velvet worm genera found in New Zealand, the ovoviviparous and endemic Peripatoides and the oviparous Ooperipatellus, found in Australia and New Zealand. Our results reveal that the estimated number of species of both genera in New Zealand is greater than currently described. We estimate there are between 13 and 67 species of Peripatoides and between 16 and 21 species of Ooperipatellus endemic to New Zealand. This is a stark increase from the two currently described New Zealand species of Ooperipatellus and previous work that has identified 10 species within Peripatoides. Our exploration of climatic variables shows that individuals of Ooperipatellus are predominantly found in wet, cool environments and Peripatoides are found across relatively drier, warmer habitats. We also generate ecological niche models to provide initial predictions of the distribution of climatically suitable habitats for each genus across New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]