Glacial history affected phenotypic differentiation in the alpine plant, Campanula thyrsoides.

ABSTRACT: Numerous widespread Alpine plant species show molecular differentiation among populations from distinct regions. This has been explained as the result of genetic drift during glacial survival in isolated refugia along the border of the European Alps. Since genetic drift may affect molecular markers and phenotypic traits alike, we asked whether phenotypic differentiation mirrors molecular patterns among Alpine plant populations from different regions. Phenotypic traits can be under selection, so we additionally investigated whether part of the phenotypic differentiation can be explained by past selection and/or current adaptation. Using the monocarpic Campanula thyrsoides as our study species, a common garden experiment with plants from 21 populations from four phylogeographic groups locate

SUBMITTER: Scheepens JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3797877 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature