4.6 Article

When ecological marginality is not geographically peripheral: exploring genetic predictions of the centre-periphery hypothesis in the endemic plant Lilium pomponium

Journal

PEERJ
Volume 9, Issue -, Pages -

Publisher

PEERJ INC
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11039

Keywords

Genetic diversity; Genetic differentiation; Environmental gradient; Geographic range

Funding

  1. European Union [793226]
  2. Marie Curie Actions (MSCA) [793226] Funding Source: Marie Curie Actions (MSCA)

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This study examined the relationship between genetic variation and geographical/environmental gradients in endemic Lilium pomponium in the southern Alps. The results showed that genetic diversity does not decrease towards the geographical periphery, potentially due to a decrease in habitat availability among peripheral populations. Environmental factors may play a significant role in shaping genetic variation and differentiation in populations across different geographic ranges.
Background: Quantifying variation of genetic traits over the geographical range of species is crucial for understanding the factors driving their range dynamics. The center-periphery hypothesis postulates, and many studies support, the idea that genetic diversity decreases and genetic differentiation increases toward the geographical periphery due to population isolation. The effects of environmental marginality on genetic variation has however received much less attention. Methods: We tested the concordance between geographical and environmental gradients and the genetic predictions of center-periphery hypothesis for endemic Lilium pomponium in the southern Alps. Results: We found little evidence for concordance between genetic variation and both geographical and environmental gradients. Although the prediction of increased differentiation at range limits is met, genetic diversity does not decrease towards the geographical periphery. Increased differentiation among peripheral populations, that are not ecologically marginal, may be explained by a decrease in habitat availability that reduces population connectivity. In contrast, a decrease of genetic diversity along environmental but not geographical gradients may be due to the presence of low quality habitats in the different parts of the range of a species that reduce effective population size or increase environmental constraints. As a result, environmental factors may affect population dynamics irrespective of distance from the geographical center of the range. In such situations of discordance between geographical and environmental gradients, the predictions of decreasing genetic diversity and increasing differentiation toward the geographical periphery may not be respected.

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