Metabolic rate and climatic fluctuations shape continental wide pattern of genetic divergence and biodiversity in fishes.

ABSTRACT: Taxonomically exhaustive and continent wide patterns of genetic divergence within and between species have rarely been described and the underlying evolutionary causes shaping biodiversity distribution remain contentious. Here, we show that geographic patterns of intraspecific and interspecific genetic divergence among nearly all of the North American freshwater fish species (>750 species) support a dual role involving both the late Pliocene-Pleistocene climatic fluctuations and metabolic rate in determining latitudinal gradients of genetic divergence and very likely influencing speciation rates. Results indicate that the recurrent glacial cycles caused global reduction in intraspecific diversity, interspecific genetic divergence, and species richness at higher latitudes. At the opposite,

SUBMITTER: April J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3726496 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature