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Abstract
Background: The disjunct distribution patterns of a taxon may arise when previously continuous distribution ranges are fragmented. The phenomena of vicariance and dispersal, together with hybridisation as an important source of genetic variation in natural populations, can play an important role for structuring the distribution of taxa.
Aims: We investigated the biogeographical relationships of the Iberian endemic plant Ranunculus angustifolius s.l. by reconstructing ancestral geographical distributions, using a combination of phylogenetic and distributional information.
Methods: Phylogenetic and network analyses of nuclear internal transcribed spacers and plastid sequence data (rpl32-trnL, rps16-trnQ, trnK-matK and ycf6-psbM) were used to infer vicariance and dispersal events.
Results: Phylogenetic and biogeographical analyses suggested that both dispersal and vicariance were important in creating the current disjunct distribution pattern. Some other factors, such as hybridisation, introgression and vicariance (or pseudovicariance), were important in the evolutionary history of the taxa R. angustifolius s.l.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the importance for analysing biogeographical patterns with the use of both nuclear and chloroplast DNA to infer the evolutionary history of plant species with a disjunct distribution. Our results show that phenomena such as dispersal, vicariance and pseudovicariance are not mutually exclusive.
Acknowledgements
We thank María Fernández Ceballos, María Ceballos, Mercedes Herrera, Manuel Ruiz Girela and Guillermo Benitez Cruz for providing plant material and help during collecting. We also thank Josep María Ninot Sugrañes for his support. The authors also want to thank Thomas E. Holloway (Royal Holloway University of London, UK) for the English revision of the manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Supplemental data
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Additional information
Notes on contributors
José Antonio Fernández Prieto
José Antonio Fernández Prieto is interested in taxonomy, phytogeography, phylogeny and conservation of vascular plants.
Mauro Sanna
Mauro Sanna is interested in genetic studies of vascular plants, with a special focus on the phylogeography, phylogeny, and population genetics of European plants.
Marta Pérez
Marta Pérez is focused on the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate plant and seed development of crop and model species as well as the phylogenetics and phylogeography of keystone species.
Aaron Pérez-Haase
Aaron Pérez-Haase is interested in the study of distribution patterns of vascular plants and bryophytes at both local and regional scales. He is also working on high mountain wetlands focusing on restoration ecology and vegetation dynamics. In addition, he is engaged in several projects about biodiversity and floristics in the Pyrenees.
Joaquín Molero-Mesa
Joaquín Molero-Mesa is interested in the plant communities, particularly in the high mountains, biogeography, bioclimatology, and ethnobotany in the Mediterranean region.
Eduardo Cires
Eduardo Cires is interested in biogeography, conservation and molecular systematics of vascular plants using many different molecular techniques (NGS, sequencing DNA, AFLP or microsatellites) depending on the evolutionary scale of the study.