Historical divergence vs. contemporary gene flow: evolutionary history of the calcicole Ranunculus alpestris group (Ranunculaceae) in the European Alps and the Carpathians.

ABSTRACT: Although many species have similar total distributional ranges, they might be restricted to very different habitats and might have different phylogeographical histories. In the European Alps, our excellent knowledge of the evolutionary history of silicate-dwelling (silicicole) plants is contrasted by a virtual lack of data from limestone-dwelling (calcicole) plants. These two categories exhibit fundamentally different distribution patterns within the Alps and are expected to differ strongly with respect to their glacial history. The calcicole Ranunculus alpestris group comprises three diploid species of alpine habitats. Ranunculus alpestris s. str. is distributed over the southern European mountain system, while R. bilobus and R. traunfellneri are southern Alpine narrow endemics. To explor

SUBMITTER: Paun O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2988486 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature