Distinct late Pleistocene subtropical-tropical divergence revealed by fifteen low-copy nuclear genes in a dominant species in South-East China

In East Asia, genetic divergence is usually considered to be correlated to different floristic regions, however, subtropical-tropical divergence is largely ignored, compared to widely explored temperate-subtropical divergence. Lindera aggregata (Lauraceae), a dominant species in South-East China was selected to address this issue. Fifteen low-copy nuclear genes (LCGs) and four chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments were used to detect its evolutionary history. In LCGs, STRUCTURE and dated Bayesian phylogeny analyses detect distinct subtropical-tropical divergence since late Pleistocene. Approximate Bayesian calculation (ABC) further supports the distinct subtropical-tropical divergence, and close related Taiwan and South China populations are diverged at the last interglacial. Isolation by distance, isolation by environment and isolation by resistance analyses suggest the current climatic difference rather than geographical distance contributes to the genetic differentiation. Principle component analysis shows populations of tropical cluster occur in warmer area with higher precipitation. Ancestral area reconstruction based on Bayesian phylogeny indicates that ancestral L. aggregata populations are distributed in tropical region. In cpDNA, although unique haplotypes are found in tropical region, distinct subtropical-tropical divergence is absent. In conclusion, distinct late Pleistocene subtropical-tropical divergence of L. aggregata is triggered by climate. It is likely that L. aggregata is originated in Southwest-South China and experienced hierarchical dispersal from south to north. The South China Sea land bridge has dual role in connecting or isolating Taiwan and mainland populations since the last glaciation.

Automated summary

Genetic divergence in East Asia, particularly between subtropical and tropical regions, has been largely ignored compared to temperate-subtropical divergence. By studying the evolutionary history of the dominant species Lindera aggregata, researchers found distinct subtropical-tropical divergence since the late Pleistocene, influenced more by current climate differences than by geographical distance. This suggests that climate plays a key role in shaping genetic differentiation in plant populations.