Evolutionary stability, landscape heterogeneity, and human land-usage shape population genetic connectivity in the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot.

ABSTRACT: As human-induced change eliminates natural habitats, it impacts genetic diversity and population connectivity for local biodiversity. The South African Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is the most diverse extratropical area for plant biodiversity, and much of its habitat is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. There has long been great interest in explaining the underlying factors driving this unique diversity, especially as much of the CFR is endangered by urbanization and other anthropogenic activity. Here, we use a population and landscape genetic analysis of SNP data from the CFR endemic plant Leucadendron salignum or "common sunshine conebush" as a model to address the evolutionary and environmental factors shaping the vast CFR diversity. We found that high population structur

SUBMITTER: Tassone EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8061270 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature