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1. Extrinsically reinforced hybrid speciation within Holarctic ermine ( Mustela spp.) produces an insular endemic

   https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13234  

   Colella, Jocelyn P. ; Frederick, Lindsey M. ; Talbot, Sandra L. ; Cook, Joseph A. ; Brito, ed., José ( February 2021 , Diversity and Distributions)

   Refugial isolation during glaciation is an established driver of speciation; however, the opposing role of interglacial population expansion, secondary contact, and gene flow on the diversification process remains less understood. The consequences of glacial cycling on diversity are complex and especially so for archipelago species, which experience dramatic fluctuations in connectivity in response to both lower sea levels during glacial events and increased fragmentation during glacial recession. We test whether extended refugial isolation has led to the divergence of genetically and morphologically distinct species within Holarctic ermine (Mustela erminea), a small cosmopolitan carnivore species that harbours 34 extant subspecies, 14 of which are insular endemics.

   Holarctic.

   We use genetic sequences (complete mitochondrial genomes, four nuclear genes) from >100 ermine (stoats) and geometric morphometric data for >200 individuals (27 of the 34 extant subspecies) from across their Holarctic range to provide an integrative perspective on diversification and endemism across this complex landscape. Multiple species delimitation methods (iBPP,bPTP) assessed congruence between morphometric and genetic data.

   Our results support the recognition of at least three species within theM. ermineacomplex, coincident with three of four genetic clades, tied to diversification in separate glacial refugia. We found substantial geographic variation within each species, with geometric morphometric results largely consistent with historical infraspecific taxonomy.

   Phylogeographic structure mirrors patterns of diversification in other Holarctic species, with a major Nearctic‐Palearctic split, but with greater intraspecific morphological diversity. Recognition of insular endemic speciesM. haidarumis consistent with a deep history of refugial persistence and highlights the urgency of mindful management of island populations along North America's North Pacific Coast. Significant environmental modification (e.g. industrial‐scale logging, mining) has been proposed for a number of these islands, which may elevate the risk of extinction of insular palaeoendemics.

    

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2. A topoclimate model for Quaternary insular speciation

   https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13689  

   García‐Olivares, Víctor ; Patiño, Jairo ; Overcast, Isaac ; Salces‐Castellano, Antonia ; López de Heredia, Unai ; Mora‐Márquez, Fernando ; Machado, Antonio ; Hickerson, Michael J. ; Emerson, Brent C. ( October 2019 , Journal of Biogeography)

   Understanding the drivers of speciation within islands is key to explain the high levels of invertebrate diversification and endemism often observed within islands. Here, we propose an insular topoclimate model for Quaternary diversification (ITQD), and test the general prediction that, within a radially eroded conical island, glacial climate conditions facilitate the divergence of populations within species across valleys.

   Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.

   TheLaparocerus tessellatusbeetle species complex (Coleoptera, Curculionidae).

   We characterize individual‐level genomic relationships using single nucleotide polymorphisms produced by double‐digest restriction site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD‐seq). A range of parameter values were explored in order to filter our data. We assess individual relatedness, species boundaries, demographic history and spatial patterns of connectivity.

   The total number of ddRAD‐seq loci per sample ranges from 4,576 to 512, with 11.12% and 4.84% of missing data respectively, depending on the filtering parameter combination. We consistently infer four genetically distinct ancestral populations and two presumed cases of admixture, one of which is largely restricted to high altitudes. Bayes factor delimitation support the hypothesis of four species, which is consistent with the four inferred ancestral gene pools. Landscape resistance analyses identified genomic relatedness among individuals in two out of the four inferred species to be best explained by annual precipitation during the last glacial maximum rather than geographic distance.

   Our data reveal a complex speciation history involving population isolation and admixture, with broad support for the ITQD model here proposed. We suggest that further studies are needed to test the generality of our model, and enrich our understanding of the evolutionary process in island invertebrates. Our results demonstrate the power of ddRAD‐seq data to provide a detailed understanding of the temporal and spatial dynamics of insular biodiversity.

    

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3. Reconstructing mountain glacier equilibrium line altitudes for the Last Glacial Maximum in the western United States

   https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2021CD-363195  

   Halvorson, Victoria E. ; Laabs, Benjamin J.C. ( April 2021 , Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs)

   null (Ed.)

   Important information about past climates can be determined from reconstructed equilibrium line altitudes (ELA) of mountain paleoglaciers, specifically the temperature and precipitation accompanying a glacier in equilibrium. Previous reconstructions of Late Pleistocene ELAs of mountain glaciers across the western United States have been used to infer the pattern of temperature and precipitation change across the region, although most of the work was based on presumed ages and limited mapping of glacial deposits and landforms. Cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating of moraines combined with updated mapping and aerial imagery afford an opportunity to revisit the pattern of regional ELAs during multiple episodes of the last Pleistocene glaciation. The goal of this research is to reconstruct ELAs in the same region of previous reconstructions based on glacial sediments that have been dated using cosmogenic nuclide exposure ages. We focus on the large number of glacial valleys with moraines corresponding to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 26.5-19.0 ka). Paleo-ELAs are estimated using the toe to headwall altitude ratio and the accumulation area ratio determined from published glacier reconstructions and existing glacial mapping. Cosmogenic-exposure ages of moraines are compiled from the informal cosmogenic nuclide exposure age database for alpine glacial features (ICE-D Alpine) and represented in a geographic information system along with ELAs for each glacial valley. A reconstructed ELA surface spanning the conterminous western United States is produced using existing algorithms in ArcGIS. Results show reconstructed ELAs generally lower than initially estimated and a larger range of ELAs across the region. In the Sierra Nevada, ELAs increase southeastward, which is consistent with previous estimates, spanning a range from 1800 to 2800 m asl. ELAs rise eastward across the Basin and Range toward the western shore of the area covered by Lake Bonneville, and then decrease eastward toward the Wasatch Mountains. This pattern is inconsistent with previous estimates and may reflect a west-to-east precipitation gradient that differs from modern climate. We discuss this pattern and broader features of the ELA surface of the LGM and later episodes of the last Pleistocene glaciation. 

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4. Has past climate change affected cold‐specialized species differentially through space and time?

   https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12341  

   Schoville, Sean D. ; Bougie, Tierney C. ; Dudko, Roman Y. ; Medeiros, Matthew J. ( December 2018 , Systematic Entomology)

   Quaternary climate change has been strongly linked to distributional shifts and recent species diversification. Montane species, in particular, have experienced enhanced isolation and rapid genetic divergence during glacial fluctuations, and these processes have resulted in a disproportionate number of neo‐endemic species forming in high‐elevation habitats. In temperate montane environments, a general model of alpine population history is well supported, where cold‐specialized species track favourable climate conditions downslope during glacial episodes and upslope during warmer interglacial periods, which leads to a climate‐driven population or species diversification pump. However, it remains unclear how geography mediates distributional changes and whether certain episodes of glacial history have differentially impacted rates of diversification. We address these questions by examining phylogenomic data in a North American clade of flightless, cold‐specialized insects, the ice crawlers (Insecta: Grylloblattodea: Grylloblattidae:Grylloblatta). These low‐vagility organisms have the potential to reveal highly localized refugia and patterns of spatial recolonization, as well as a longer history of in situ diversification. Using continuous phylogeographic analysis of species groups, we show that all species tend to retreat to nearby low‐elevation habitats across western North America during episodes of glaciation, but species at high latitude exhibit larger distributional shifts. Lineage diversification was examined over the course of the Neogene and Quaternary periods, with statistical analysis supporting a direct association between climate variation and diversification rate. Major increases in lineage diversification appear to be correlated with warm and dry periods, rather than with extreme glacial events. Finally, we identify substantial cryptic diversity among ice crawlers, leading to high endemism across their range. This diversity provides new insights into highly localized glacial refugia for cold‐specialized species across western North America.

    

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5. Integrating environmental, molecular, and morphological data to unravel an ice‐age radiation of arctic‐alpine Campanula in western N orth A merica

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1168  

   DeChaine, Eric G. ; Wendling, Barry M. ; Forester, Brenna R. ( September 2014 , Ecology and Evolution)

   Many arctic‐alpine plant genera have undergone speciation during the Quaternary. The bases for these radiations have been ascribed to geographic isolation, abiotic and biotic differences between populations, and/or hybridization and polyploidization. The CordilleranCampanulaL. (Campanulaceae Juss.), a monophyletic clade of mostly endemic arctic‐alpine taxa from western North America, experienced a recent and rapid radiation. We set out to unravel the factors that likely influenced speciation in this group. To do so, we integrated environmental, genetic, and morphological datasets, tested biogeographic hypotheses, and analyzed the potential consequences of the various factors on the evolutionary history of the clade. We created paleodistribution models to identify potential Pleistocene refugia for the clade and estimated niche space for individual taxa using geographic and climatic data. Using 11 nuclear loci, we reconstructed a species tree and tested biogeographic hypotheses derived from the paleodistribution models. Finally, we tested 28 morphological characters, including floral, vegetative, and seed characteristics, for their capacity to differentiate taxa. Our results show that the combined effect of Quaternary climatic variation, isolation among differing environments in the mountains in western North America, and biotic factors influencing floral morphology contributed to speciation in this group during the mid‐Pleistocene. Furthermore, our biogeographic analyses uncovered asynchronous consequences of interglacial and glacial periods for the timing of refugial isolation within the southern and northwestern mountains, respectively. These findings have broad implications for understanding the processes promoting speciation in arctic‐alpine plants and the rise of numerous endemic taxa across the region.

    

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