Abstract Detail

Resistance, emigration, or adaptation? Phylogeography and ecology of European alpine plant species

Albach, Dirk [1].

Evolution and genetic diversity among species of the Veronica alpina complex (Plantaginaceae/Scrophulariaceae).

The Veronica alpina complex comprises about seven alpine to subalpine species of moist mountain meadows over a wide range of mountains in the Northern hemisphere. Morphological differences are subtle, mostly relating to leaf margins, capsule pubescence, and size. Further complicating features are hybridization and morphological transitions. Therefore, specific distinctness of some species has been questioned. The distribution of the species complex has been highly influenced by glaciation history. As such, the complex has been chosen to compare the effect of the ice age on distribution and genetic diversity in Europe and North America. Especially, these species should be an excellent model to investigate the different effect on alpine plants of North America with its mountain ranges in North-South direction and in Europe with its mountain ranges primarily in East-west direction. For this purpose, the plastid trnL-F region has been sequenced and AFLP-fingerprint markers were generated for all taxa in this complex. Phylogenetic results are concordant with taxa being divided in an amphi-Atlantic and an amphi-Pacific group. Thus the North American Veronica wormskjoldii comprises two distinct lineages, an Eastern V. wormskjoldii and a Western V. nutans. Preliminary results comparing the genetic diversity among species and the effects of polyploidy and geographical origin on the genetic diversity will be presented.

1 - University of Vienna, Institute for Botany, Department of Plant Biogeography, Rennweg 14, Vienna, A 1030, Austria

Keywords:
Veronica
trnL-trnF
AFLP
genetic diversity
phylogeography
alpine habitats.

Presentation Type: Paper
Session: 48-2
Location: Ballroom 2 (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Wednesday, August 4th, 2004
Time: 10:00 AM
Abstract ID:60