Divergence and reticulation in the Mexican white oaks: ecological and phylogenomic evidence on species limits and phylogenetic networks in the Quercus laeta complex (Fagaceae).

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Introgressive hybridization poses a challenge to taxonomic and phylogenetic understanding of taxa, particularly when there are high numbers of co-occurring, intercrossable species. The genus Quercus exemplifies this situation. Oaks are highly diverse in sympatry and cross freely, creating syngameons of interfertile species. Although a well-resolved, dated phylogeny is available for the American oak clade, evolutionary relationships within many of the more recently derived clades remain to be defined, particularly for the young and exceptionally diverse Mexican white oak clade. Here, we adopted an approach bridging micro- and macroevolutionary scales to resolve evolutionary relationships in a rapidly diversifying clade endemic to Mexico.

Methods

Ecological

SUBMITTER: Morales-Saldana S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11089265 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature