Mitochondrial and chloroplast phylogeography of Picea crassifolia Kom. (Pinaceae) in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent highlands.

The disjunct distribution of forests in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and adjacent Helan Shan and Daqing Shan highlands provides an excellent model to examine vegetation shifts, glacial refugia and gene flow of key species in this complex landscape region in response to past climatic oscillations and human disturbance. In this study, we examined maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (nad1 intron b/c and nad5 intron 1) and paternally inherited chloroplast DNA (trnC-trnD) sequence variation within a dominant forest species, Picea crassifolia Kom. We recovered nine mitotypes and two chlorotypes in a survey of 442 individuals from 32 populations sampled throughout the species' range. Significant mitochondrial DNA population subdivision was detected (G(ST) = 0.512; N(ST) = 0.679), suggesting low levels of recurrent gene flow through seeds among populations and significant phylogeographical structure (N(ST) > GST, P < 0.05). Plateau haplotypes differed in sequence from those in the adjacent highlands, suggesting a long period of allopatric fragmentation between the species in the two regions and the presence of independent refugia in each region during Quaternary glaciations. On the QTP platform, all but one of the disjunct populations surveyed were fixed for the same mitotype, while most populations at the plateau edge contained more than one haplotype with the mitotype that was fixed in plateau platform populations always present at high frequency. This distribution pattern suggests that present-day disjunct populations on the QTP platform experienced a common recolonization history. The same phylogeographical pattern, however, was not detected for paternally inherited chloroplast DNA haplotypes. Two chlorotypes were distributed throughout the range of the species with little geographical population differentiation (G(ST) = N(ST) = 0.093). This provides evidence for highly efficient pollen-mediated gene flow among isolated forest patches, both within and between the QTP and adjacent highland populations. A lack of isolation to pollen-mediated gene flow between forests on the QTP and adjacent highlands is surprising given that the Tengger Desert has been a geographical barrier between these two regions for approximately the last 1.8 million years.

Meng L ，Yang R ，Abbott RJ ，Miehe G ，Hu T ，Liu J ... -  《MOLECULAR ECOLOGY》

Phylogeography of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau endemic Juniperus przewalskii (Cupressaceae) inferred from chloroplast DNA sequence variation.

The vegetation of the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is dominated by alpine meadow and desert-steppe with sparse forests scattered within it. To obtain a better understanding of the phylogeography of one constituent species of the forests in this region, we examined chloroplast trnT-trnF and trnS-trnG sequence variation within Juniperus przewalskii, a key endemic tree species. Sequence data were obtained from 392 trees in 20 populations covering the entire distribution range of the species. Six cpDNA haplotypes were identified. Significant population subdivision was detected (G(ST) = 0.772, N(ST) = 0.834), suggesting low levels of recurrent gene flow among populations and significant phylogeographic structure (N(ST) > G(ST), P < 0.05). Eight of the nine disjunct populations surveyed on the high-elevation northeast plateau were fixed for a single haplotype (A), while the remaining, more westerly population, contained the same haplotype at high frequency together with two low frequency haplotypes (C and F). In contrast, most populations that occurred at lower altitudes at the plateau edge were fixed or nearly fixed for one of two haplotypes, A or E. However, two plateau edge populations had haplotype compositions different from the rest. In one, four haplotypes (A, B, D and E) were present at approximately equivalent frequencies, which might reflect a larger refugium in the area of this population during the last glacial period. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the most widely distributed haplotype A is not ancestral to other haplotypes. The contrasting phylogeographic structures of the haplotype-rich plateau edge area and the almost haplotype-uniform plateau platform region indicate that the plateau platform was recolonized by J. przewalskii during the most recent postglacial period. This is supported by the findings of a nested clade analysis, which inferred that postglacial range expansion from the plateau edge followed by recent fragmentation is largely responsible for the present-day spatial distribution of cpDNA haplotypes within the species.

Zhang Q ，Chiang TY ，George M ，Liu JQ ，Abbott RJ ... -  《MOLECULAR ECOLOGY》

History and evolution of alpine plants endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: Aconitum gymnandrum (Ranunculaceae).

Wang L ，Abbott RJ ，Zheng W ，Chen P ，Wang Y ，Liu J ... -  《-》

Chloroplast phylogeny and phylogeography of Stellera chamaejasme on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in adjacent regions.

Historic events such as the uplift of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Q-T Plateau) and climatic oscillations in the Quaternary period greatly affected the evolution and modern distribution of Sino-Tibetan flora. Stellera chamaejasme, a perennial herb with flower color polymorphism that is distributed from the mountainous southeastern Q-T Plateau (Hengduan Mountains, H-D Mountains) to the vast platform of the Q-T Plateau and the adjacent plain of northern China, provides an excellent model to explore the effects of historic events on the origination and variation of species. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic and phylogeographical study using three chloroplast sequences (trnT-L, trnL-F and rpL16) in 26 populations of S. chamaejasme and 12 outgroups from the Thymeleaceae. Phylogenetic analysis and molecular clock estimation revealed that the monophyletic origin of S. chamaejasme occurred ca. 6.5892 Ma, which is consistent with the radical environment changes caused by the rapid uplift of the Q-T Plateau ca. 7 Ma. Intra-specific differentiation of S. chamaejasme is estimated to have occurred after ca. 2.1 Ma. Twelve haplotypes were revealed from combined trnL-F and rpL16 sequences. High genetic diversity (h(T)=0.834) and population differentiation (N(ST)=0.997 and G(ST)=0.982) imply restricted gene flow among populations and significant geographical or environmental isolation. All populations from the vast plain of northern China were dominated by one haplotype (H1), and the same haplotype was fixed in most populations from the high elevation platform of the western and northern Q-T Plateau. In contrast, the majority of the haplotypes were found in the relatively narrow area of the H-D Mountains, in the southeastern distribution of S. chamaejasme. The contrasting haplotype distribution patterns suggested that the H-D Mountains were either a refugium for S. chamaejasme during the Quaternary climatic oscillations or a diversification center of this species. The present wide distribution of this species on the Q-T Plateau platform and in northern China is likely to have resulted from a rapid post-glacial population expansion from the southeastern refugium involving founder effects, facilitated by the adjacent geographic range with a similar grassland habitat.

Zhang YH ，Volis S ，Sun H 《-》

Extensive population expansion of Pedicularis longiflora (Orobanchaceae) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its correlation with the Quaternary climate change.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is thought to be more strongly affected by the Quaternary glaciations than most other regions of the same latitude. It would be of great interest to investigate the population genetic structure of organisms distributed on the platform and its correlation with the Quaternary climatic oscillations. Here we used the chloroplast (cp)DNA trnT-trnF sequence to study genetic variation and phylogeography of Pedicularis longiflora, an alpine herb with extensive distribution on the QTP. Based on a range-wide sampling comprising 41 populations and 910 individuals, we detected 30 cpDNA haplotypes that were divided into five clades by phylogenetic and network analyses and a strong phylogeographical structure. All haplotypes but one in the three basal clades occur exclusively in the southeast QTP, whereas haplotypes in the young clade V occupy almost the whole species range. In particular, the young haplotype H18 occurs in 420 individuals, even at a frequency of 100% in some QTP platform populations and the Altai population. The haplotype distribution pattern, together with molecular clock estimation and mismatch distribution analysis, suggests that the southeast QTP was either a refuge for P. longiflora during the Quaternary climatic change or is the place of origin of the species. The present wide distribution of the species on the QTP platform has resulted from recent population expansions which could be dated back to 120,000-17,000 years ago, a period mostly before the last glacial maximum. The possible relationships among geographic genetic structure, climatic change and species diversification in Pedicularis are also discussed.

Yang FS ，Li YF ，Ding X ，Wang XQ ... -  《-》