Abstract Detail

Phylogenomics

Ortiz, Edgardo M. [1], Juenger, Thomas [2], Simspon, Beryl [1].

RADseq phylogeography of Demosthenesia mandonii (Ericaceae:Vaccinieae), a blueberry from the Andean cloud forest.

Demosthenesia mandonii is a neotropical blueberry species restricted to the cloud forest belt, between 2200 and 3700 m on the eastern Andean slopes from the center of Peru to the center of Bolivia. To investigate the historical demography and genetic structure of its populations we built a Species Distribution Model (SDM) based on the geographic records of the species and current climatic conditions and then applied such model to the climatic conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), ca. 21000 years ago. In general, the SDMs projected a much more fragmented distribution during the LGM than for present conditions. The areas where D. mandonii persisted represent potential Pleistocene glacial refugia and we hypothesize that populations living in such areas would show a higher genetic diversity than populations living in areas recolonized since that time. To test this hypothesis, we sequenced Restriction Site Associated DNA (RADseq) markers using the ddRAD protocol from 158 individuals representing most of the geographic range of D. mandonii. An individual-based phylogeny and population structure analysis using these data show an evident North to South pattern of dispersion and very low genetic structure in the populations indicating relatively little effect of the Pleistocene glacial conditions on cloud forest species.

1 - The University of Texas at Austin, Integrative Biology and Plant Resources Center, 205 W 24th St, Biology Labs, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
2 - The University of Texas at Austin, Integrative Biology, 2415 Speedway, Patterson Labs, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

Keywords:
Demosthenesia
Demosthenesia mandonii
Vaccinieae
Ericaceae
Phylogeography
RADseq
ddRAD
Pleistocene
cloud forest
Andes
Species Distribution Model.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 32
Location: Salon 11/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Time: 9:30 AM
Number: 32007
Abstract ID:509
Candidate for Awards:Margaret Menzel Award