Abstract Detail

Bryological and Lichenological Section/ABLS

Shaw, A.J. [1].

Biodiversity value and patterns of diversification in Sphagnum section Acutifolia.

It is axiomatic that taxa ranked at the level of species are not all equivalent, and therefore differ in "biodiversity value." Morphologically defined species of Sphagnum section Acutifoliawere compared with regard to levels of genetic (nucleotide) diversity they contain, and the degree to which they are isolated from related species. The latter was quantified in terms of stem branch length leading to each species, estimated from phylogenetic analyses based o­n sequences from eight nuclear and chloroplast loci using Bayesian inference. Species differ substantially in molecular diversity, and in their degree of isolation from congeners. These two parameters of "biodiversity value" were not correlated. Analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicate that morphospecies account for 60-70% of the total molecular diversity in section Acutifolia, with a surprising level of consistency among the eight loci. Lineage-through-time plots suggest that the rate of effective cladogenesis has been constant over time in the Acutifolia.

1 - Duke University, Department of Biology, 139 Biological Sciences Building, PO Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708-0338, USA

Keywords:
none specified

Presentation Type: Paper
Session: 35-7
Location: Ballroom 3 (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004
Time: 3:45 PM
Abstract ID:322