Cryptic diversity and rampant hybridization in annual gentians on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau revealed by population genomic analysis.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes involved in population differentiation and speciation provides critical insights into biodiversity formation. In this study, we employed 29,865 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and complete plastomes to examine genomic divergence and hybridization in Gentiana aristata, which is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) region. Genetic clustering revealed that G. aristata is characterized by geographic genetic structures with five clusters (West, East, Central, South and North). The West cluster has a specific morphological character (i.e., blue corolla) and higher values of F_ST compared to the remaining clusters, likely the result of the geological barrier formed by the Yangtze River. The West cl

SUBMITTER: Fu PC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11128845 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature