Search

The digitization of natural history specimens and the popularization of citizen science are creating an unprecedented availability of large amounts of biodiversity data. These biodiversity inventories can be severely affected by species misidentification, a source of taxonomic uncertainty that is rarely acknowledged in biodiversity data management. For these reasons, taxonomists debate the use of online repositories to address biological questions at the species level. Hedera L. (ivies) provides an excellent case study as it is well represented in both herbaria and online repositories with thousands of records likely to be affected by high taxonomic uncertainty. We analyze the sources and extent of taxonomic errors in the identification of the European ivy species by reviewing herbarium specimens and find a high misidentification rate (18% on average), which varies between species (maximized in H. hibernica: 55%; H. azorica: 48%; H. iberica: 36%) and regions (maximized in the UK: 38% and Spain: 27%). We find a systematic misidentification of all European ivies with H. helix behind the high misidentification rates in herbaria and warn of even higher rates in online records. We compile a spatial database to overcome the large discrepancies we observed in species distributions between online and morphologically reviewed records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Evolutionary studies of oceanic island endemics are usually focused on lineages that have experienced in situ radiation, while those that speciated once on the island or archipelago but have not further diversified (single‐species endemics) remain understudied. The Macaronesian archipelagos, in the Atlantic Ocean, are home to significant numbers of single‐species endemics. The genus Hedera L. (12 species) includes three single‐species endemics from three Macaronesian archipelagos with putatively independent origins. Here, we tested the role of phylogenetic niche conservatism in their evolution. To that end, we (1) reconstructed the spatio‐temporal origin of Macaronesian ivies using phylogenomics, and (2) assessed the role of climatic niche during their colonization and speciation. Location: Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira, western Mediterranean. Taxon: Hedera spp. Methods: We used 166 samples representing all Hedera species to generate genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) libraries and performed time‐calibrated phylogenomic and biogeographic analyses. Climatic preferences and climatic niche evolution were assessed using a geo‐referenced database of the western ivy species (2,297 records). Results: Independent and asynchronous colonization and speciation were estimated for the three Macaronesian ivies, resulting in different degrees of phylogenetic and climatic niche differentiation: H. canariensis displayed an early divergence (7.5–12 Ma) and high phylogenetic and niche isolation; H. azorica had intermediate phylogenetic isolation and niche divergence from its closest relative H. helix (4.4–6.8 Ma) and H. maderensis was embedded within the climatically similar H. iberica (2.8–4.6 Ma). A strong phylogenetic signal was suggested for climatic niche in the western clade of Hedera, where the three Macaronesian ivies are placed. Main Conclusions: The three Macaronesian ivies represent the evolutionary stages leading to the emergence of single‐species island endemics. Climatic niche conservatism appears to be involved in the evolution of single‐species endemics, first by facilitating island colonization, and then by limiting in situ diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenal advances in sequencing techniques and analytical development during the last decade have provided a unique opportunity to unravel the evolutionary history of lineages under complex patterns of evolution. This is the case of the largest clade of the ginseng family (Araliaceae), the Asian Palmate group (AsPG), where the large internal polytomies and genome incongruences detected in previous studies pointed to a scenario of radiation with hybridization events between genera for the early evolution of the group. In this study, we aim to obtain well‐resolved nuclear and plastid phylogenies of the AsPG using Hyb‐Seq to evaluate the radiation hypothesis and assess the role of hybridization in the early evolution of the group. We performed concatenated‐ and coalescent‐based phylogenetic analyses from the 936 targeted nuclear loci and 261 plastid loci obtained for 72 species representing 20 genera of the AsPG and the main clades of Araliaceae. The impact of hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) was assessed with SNaQ, and genome duplications were evaluated with ChromEvol. Our nuclear and plastid phylogenies are compatible with a scenario of early radiation in the AsPG. Also, the identification of extensive signals of hybridization and ILS behind the genome incongruences supports hybridization as a major driving force during the early radiation. We hypothesize a whole‐genome duplication event at the origin of the AsPG, followed by a radiation that led to extensive ILS, which, alongside the early inter‐genera hybridization, is obscuring the phylogenetic signal in the early evolution of this major clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Vegetarian diets are booming and, although these diets have been linked to some health benefits, the low bioavailability of some micronutrients in plant foods may result in risk of nutritional deficiencies, which makes necessary adequate planning of these diets. In this regard, vitamin B12 deficiency in vegetarians has been evidenced and there is a consensus on the need of supplementation of this vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency may be more frequent than in omnivores, particularly during the winter, when skin synthesis is minimal. The low bioavailability of iron, zinc and selenium in vegetables can also affect nutritional status of vegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarian diets are usually deficient in polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 family, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. On the other hand, these diets appear to provide adequate quantities of other vitamins, such as ascorbic acid, folic acid and the fat-soluble vitamins A and E. In this review, the characteristics of the intake of macro- and micronutrients of vegetarian diets and the diet and health relationships are presented. In addition, data on nutritional status of this population are also shown and suggestions on nutritional recommendations to prevent deficiencies are given. Finally, the possible clinical application of controlled interventions with vegetarian diets is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the nutritional status of vegetarians in Spain are lacking. Prevention of vitamin B12 deficiency is the main concern, as dietary sources are of animal origin. The present study aimed to evaluate vitamin B12 and folate status of Spanish vegetarians using classical markers and functional markers. Participants were adult and healthy lacto-ovo vegetarians (forty-nine subjects) and vegans (fifty-four subjects) who underwent blood analyses and completed a FFQ. Serum vitamin B12, homocysteine (Hcy), methylmalonic acid (MMA), erythrocyte folate and haematological parameters were determined. The effects of the type of plant-based diet, and the intake of supplements and foods were studied by a FFQ. Mean erythrocyte folate was 1704 (sd 609) nmol/l. Clinical or subclinical vitamin B12 deficiency was detected in 11 % of the subjects (MMA>271 nmol/l) and 33 % of the participants showed hyperhomocysteinaemia (Hcy>15 µ mol/l). Regarding plant-based diet type, significantly higher Hcy was observed in lacto-ovo vegetarians compared with vegans (P = 0·019). Moreover, use of vitamin B12 supplements involved an improvement of vitamin B12 status but further increase in erythrocyte folate (P = 0·024). Consumption of yoghurts was weakly associated with serum vitamin B12 adequacy (P = 0·049) and that of eggs with lower Hcy (P = 0·030). In conclusion, Spanish vegetarians present high folate status but vitamin B12 subclinical deficiency was demonstrated using functional markers. The lack of influence of dietary sources on functional markers and the strong effect of vitamin B12 supplement intake emphasise the need of cobalamin supplementation in both lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]