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Contemporary genetic diversity is the product of both historical and contemporary forces, such as climatic and geological processes affecting range distribution and continuously moulded by evolutionary forces selection, gene flow and genetic drift. Predatory freshwater fishes, such as Northern Pike Esox lucius, commonly exhibit small population sizes, and several local populations are considered endangered. Pike inhabit diverse habitat types, including lakes, rivers and brackish marine waters, thus spanning from small isolated patches to large open marine systems. However, pike population structure from local to regional scales is relatively poorly described, in spite of its significance to developing conservation measures. We analysed microsatellite variation in a total of 1185 North European pike from 46 samples collected across both local and regional scales, as well as over time, to address two overarching questions: Is pike population structure associated with local and/or regional connectivity patterns, and which factors likely have the main influence on the contemporary distribution of genetic diversity? To answer this, we combined estimators of population diversity and structure to assess evidence of whether populations within (i) habitats, (ii) drainage systems and (iii) geographical regions are closer related than among these ranges, and whether patterns are temporally stable. Contrasting previous predictions that genetic drift obscures signals of postglacial colonisation history, we identified clear regional differences in population genetic signatures, suggesting a major effect of drainage divides on colonisation history and connectivity. However, several populations deviated from the general pattern, showing that local processes may be complex and need to be examined case-by-case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate changes during the Quaternary reveal much about broader evolutionary effects of environmental change. Detailed regional studies reveal how evolutionary lineages and novel communities and ecosystems, emerge through glacial bottlenecks or from refugia. There have been significant advances in benthic imaging and dating, particularly with respect to the movements of the British (Scottish) and Irish ice sheets and associated changes in sea level during and after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Ireland has been isolated as an island for approximately twice as long as Britain with no evidence of any substantial, enduring land bridge between these islands after ca 15 kya. Recent biogeographical studies show that Britain's mammal community is akin to those of southern parts of Scandinavia, The Netherlands and Belgium, but the much lower mammal species richness of Ireland is unique and needs explanation. Here, we consider physiographic, archaeological, phylogeographical i.e. molecular genetic, and biological evidence comprising ecological, behavioural and morphological data, to review how mammal species recolonized western Europe after the LGM with emphasis on Britain and, in particular, Ireland. We focus on why these close neighbours had such different mammal fauna in the early Holocene, the stability of ecosystems after LGM subject to climate change and later species introductions. There is general concordance of archaeological and molecular genetic evidence where data allow some insight into history after the LGM. Phylogeography reveals the process of recolonization, e.g. with respect to source of colonizers and anthropogenic influence, whilst archaeological data reveal timing more precisely through carbon dating and stratigraphy. More representative samples and improved calibration of the 'molecular clock' will lead to further insights with regards to the influence of successive glaciations. Species showing greatest morphological, behavioural and ecological divergence in Ireland in comparison to Britain and continental Europe, were also those which arrived in Ireland very early in the Holocene either with or without the assistance of people. Cold tolerant mammal species recolonized quickly after LGM but disappeared, potentially as a result of a short period of rapid warming. Other early arrivals were less cold tolerant and succumbed to the colder conditions during the Younger Dryas or shortly after the start of the Holocene (11.5 kya), or the area of suitable habitat was insufficient to sustain a viable population especially in larger species. Late Pleistocene mammals in Ireland were restricted to those able to colonize up to ca 15 kya, probably originating from adjacent areas of unglaciated Britain and land now below sea level, to the south and west (of Ireland). These few, early colonizers retain genetic diversity which dates from before the LGM. Late Pleistocene Ireland, therefore, had a much depleted complement of mammal species in comparison to Britain. Mammal species, colonising predominantly from southeast and east Europe occupied west Europe only as far as Britain between ca 15 and 8 kya, were excluded from Ireland by the Irish and Celtic Seas. Smaller species in particular failed to colonise Ireland. Britain being isolated as an island from ca. 8 kya has similar species richness and composition to adjacent lowland areas of northwest continental Europe and its mammals almost all show strongest genetic affinity to populations in neighbouring continental Europe with a few retaining genotypes associated with earlier, western lineages. The role of people in the deliberate introduction of mammal species and distinct genotypes is much more significant with regards to Ireland than Britain reflecting the larger species richness of the latter and its more enduring land link with continental Europe. The prime motivation of early people in moving mammals was likely to be resource driven but also potentially cultural; as elsewhere, people exploring uninhabited places introduced species for food and the materials they required to survive. It is possible that the process of introduction of mammals to Ireland commenced during the Mesolithic and accelerated with Neolithic people. Irish populations of these long established, introduced species show some unique genetic variation whilst retaining traces of their origins principally from Britain but in some cases, Scandinavia and Iberia. It is of particular interest that they may retain genetic forms now absent from their source populations. Further species introductions, during the Bronze and late Iron Ages, and Viking and Norman invasions, follow the same pattern but lack the time for genetic divergence from their source populations. Accidental introductions of commensal species show considerable genetic diversity based on numerous translocations along the eastern Atlantic coastline. More recent accidental and deliberate introductions are characterised by a lack of genetic diversity other than that explicable by more than one introduction. The substantial advances in understanding the postglacial origins and genetic diversity of British and Irish mammals, the role of early people in species translocations, and determination of species that are more recently introduced, should inform policy decisions with regards to species and genetic conservation. Conservation should prioritise early, naturally recolonizing species and those brought in by early people reflecting their long association with these islands. These early arrivals in Britain and Ireland and associated islands show genetic diversity that may be of value in mitigating anthropogenic climate change across Europe. In contrast, more recent introductions are likely to disturb ecosystems greatly, lead to loss of diversity and should be controlled. This challenge is more severe in Ireland where the number and proportion of invasive species from the 19th century to the present has been greater than in Britain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we have used PCR-RFLP markers to investigate the chloroplast DNA variation in 24 European populations of Salix caprea L. A subset of these populations has also been analysed with chloroplast microsatellites. The main feature of both markers is the absence of a clear geographic structure (GST(PCR-RFLP)=0.090, GST(microsatellites)=-0.017) and high levels of variation within populations. This lack of phylogeographic structure in S. caprea is suggested to be the consequence of the joint action of several factors: (i) presence of intermediate latitude refugia with large population sizes during the last glacial maximum, (ii) a high speed of recolonisation and dispersal ability, (iii) a high mutation rate and (iv) extensive hybridisation with other willow species. In addition to the S. caprea samples, a limited number of individuals from several other Salix species were also analysed with PCR-RFLP: S. cinerea, S. aurita, S. purpurea, S. atrocinerea, S. appendiculata, S. elaeagnos, S. fragilis and S. alba. Many of the haplotypes found in Salix caprea were also detected in S. cinerea, S. aurita, S. purpurea, S. atrocinerea and/ or S. appendiculata but not in S. alba, S. elaeagnos or S. fragilis. Our data suggest that hybridisation and gene flow have occurred within these two groups but not between them.Heredity (2003) 91, 465-474. doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6800307 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We studied the phylogeography of ivy (Hedera sp.), a liana widespread in Europe, throughout its natural range. The populations sampled belong to four closely related species differing by ploidy levels and morphological characters. Chloroplast (cp) markers were used and 13 haplotypes were detected, usually shared across species, contrary to ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) variants. We demonstrated the existence of a strong overall cpDNA phylogeographical structure. Several methods of data analysis were conducted to describe how this structure and the genetic diversity change through space and time. Southern populations, especially those from Spain, are the most divergent. Pairwise estimates of differentiation point to isolation by distance, and the existence of a latitudinal gradient of divergence was demonstrated using a regression procedure. Similarly, latitudinal differences in haplotype richness and diversity exist, as shown by population permutations (‘differentiation through space’). Finally, we measured differentiation by taking into account successive levels of divergence between haplotypes (‘differentiation through time’). Genetic differentiation turns out to be much greater when differences between closely related haplotypes are not considered. Further, these results indicate that the phylogeographical structure is essentially due to the relative distribution of the most similar haplotypes. Diversity decreases from south to north, whereas haplotype frequencies change longitudinally. It appears that Hedera survived in Spanish and Balkan refugia during the last ice age. A third refugium must have been present in the Alps or in Italy. During the northward expansion, the decrease in overall diversity was attenuated by some mixing of lineages at intermediate latitudes, resulting in comparatively higher levels of differentiation in the south. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 1113 oak trees from 222 populations originating from eight countries (Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Yugoslavia) were sampled in natural populations or in provenance tests. The sampled trees belong to four different species (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens, Quercus frainetto) and to several putative subspecies. Variation at four chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments was studied using restriction enzymes, resulting in the detection of 12 haplotypes. One haplotype was present in 36% of the trees, and six were found in 6–17% of the trees. The haplotypes are shared extensively between species and subspecies. They belong to three different lineages (A, C and E) and are phylogeographically structured in the region investigated. Haplotypes of lineage E dominate to the east of the Carpathian mountains in Romania, whereas the Carpathian Basin seems to have been colonised along several different colonisation routes, from the Balkan peninsula but also from Italy. The data support the possible role of climatic instability during the late glacial period in shaping this complex geographic structure. The presence of several secondary refugia could be inferred in the region, which have played a major role in the second step of recolonisation, at the onset of the Holocene period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Variation in the non-coding region of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) was studied to determine the route and pattern of postglacial recolonisation of native oak throughout mainland Britain. In total, 1076 mature oak trees of either Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. or Quercus robur L. from 224 British ancient woodland sites were analysed, and represent the largest and most saturating molecular analysis of British oak undertaken to date. The majority of oaks (98%) possessed one of the three cpDNA haplotypes from lineage B that are commonly found in Spain and western regions of France. Thus, our findings strongly support the hypothesis that most native British Q. robur and Q. petraea originate from a Pleistocene refugium in the Iberian Peninsula. A haplotype previously thought to be the result of a de novo postglacial mutation in East Anglia, Native and Non-native in British Forestry. Proceedings of a Discussion Meeting, March 31–April 2, 1995. University of Warwick, pp. 38–55] was found at several sites in eastern Britain, including major population clusters in East Anglia, Tyneside and northeast Scotland. We propose that this haplotype was introduced to Britain via normal postglacial colonisation processes. Less than 2% of oak trees sampled possessed haplotypes from lineages which originate from more eastern refugia (Italy and Balkans). Whilst human-mediated translocation may be responsible for the occurrence of these haplotypes in Britain, single long distance dispersal events (of between 300 and 500 km from France) cannot be excluded for at least one case. The majority of populations sampled (including those where both species are present) were fixed for a single haplotype (69%). However, significant areas of mixed haplotype woods occurred in the Welsh Marches and Scotland and the proportion of population fixation was lower and intra-population diversity higher for Q. robur (GST=0.661; hS=0.224) than for Q. petraea (GST=0.884; hS=0.089). The distribution of cpDNA variation in British oak populations is discussed and interpreted in the light of hypothesised recolonisation routes and dynamics, inter-specific hybridisation and chloroplast capture, and human impacts due to the management of ancient woodland. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

After the last glacial maximum the Alps have represented a major obstacle to the recolonisation of central and northern Europe by flora and fauna surviving in southern refugia. It is also believed that the Alps may have acted as a temporary refugia for some species, harbouring significant genetic variation or allowing the evolution of new genotypes and subspecies. To examine this possibility for white oak species, a total of 1375 samples from 292 locations were sampled in alpine and flanking regions of Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland and were assessed for cpDNA variation. Of the oak samples taken, throughout the entire alpine area Quercus robur was found most frequently. Quercus pubescens, widespread in Switzerland, Italy and up to the northern part of the French Alps was found south of 47°N and thus absent from Germany and sparse in Austria. Quercus petraea was mainly found in the parts of the Alps west of 12°E. Absent in the high elevations of the Austrian Alps Q. petraea and subspecies can be found at the eastern flank of the Alps. A total of 11 different haplotypes were found within the alpine area. Most frequent are different members of lineage A (common in the Balkan refugial area) with haplotype 7 found in 64% of the sample set. Haplotype 5, a more eastern member of the lineage, was found at the eastern flank of the Alps. Approximately 22% of the samples belonged to lineage C (from the Italian refuge), almost all of them were haplotype 1 with the majority crossing the Alps in Switzerland at the Simplon pass. Haplotype 2, the more eastern member of lineage C originating in Italy, is found at low frequency to the east of the Alps and in the Danube valley. Oak from refugial areas in Spain (lineage B) had only a limited impact on the alpine region. In spite of the historical anthropogenic influence in the alpine region, clear tracks of recolonisation were uncovered. In particular, the path of northward migration of oaks from Italy and the major route north of the Alps were clearly elucidated, confirming earlier assessment of pollen core data. However, the direction of migration (east to west or west to east) of oaks from the Balkan (haplotype 7) around the Alps still needs to be resolved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]