Genetic diversity and gene flow decline with elevation in montane mayflies.

ABSTRACT: Montane environments around the globe are biodiversity 'hotspots' and important reservoirs of genetic diversity. Montane species are also typically more vulnerable to environmental change than their low-elevation counterparts due to restricted ranges and dispersal limitations. Here we focus on two abundant congeneric mayflies (Baetis bicaudatus and B. tricaudatus) from montane streams over an elevation gradient spanning 1400 m. Using single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes, we measured population diversity and vulnerability in these two species by: (i) describing genetic diversity and population structure across elevation gradients to identify mechanisms underlying diversification; (ii) performing spatially explicit landscape analyses to identify environmental drivers of differentiation;

SUBMITTER: Polato NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5520546 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature