Article
Plant Sciences
Antoni Buira, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Carlos Aedo, Rafael Molina-Venegas
Summary: This study reveals the environmental factors driving recent plant diversification in the Mediterranean Basin, with eudicots primarily influenced by high soil pH and dry-seasonal climate conditions, while monocots are associated with high elevation and less seasonal climate. The contrasting environmental drivers of diversification in eudicots and monocots emphasize the importance of analyzing spatial phylogenetic patterns at multiple scales to better understand biodiversity processes.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Irene Villa-Machio, Juan Carlos Zamora, Jose Vladimir Sandoval-Sierra, Jose Luis Blanco-Pastor, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Pedro Jimenez-Mejias
Summary: Despite being a temperate sedge, Rhynchospora alba may rely partly on insects for pollination. Honeybees and hoverflies appear to be the primary pollinators of R. alba, and they significantly contribute to its pollination despite moderate morphological adaptation.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ana Ortega-Olivencia, Tomas Rodriguez-Riano, Josefa Lopez, Francisco J. Valtuena
Summary: The study estimated that there are at least 572 species and subspecies with elaiosome-bearing diaspores in the Ibero-Balearic territory, with almost one-third of them being endemic. The myrmecochorous species richness in this area is positively correlated with ruggedness, latitude, and longitude. Most of the species are perennial herbs that prefer basic substrates and are found in forests, scrubs, and anthropized sites.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gabriel Blanca, Miguel Cueto, Julian Fuentes, Ana Ortega-Olivencia
Summary: The identity of Asperula asperrima Boiss., a often misidentified species, is discussed and proposed a new name when transferred to the genus Galium; the species is described, illustrated, and compared with its closest relatives in the genus Galium; the synonymy is revised for the concerned names, and an updated identification key is reported for the Iberian taxa of G. sect. Galium.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana Otero, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Pablo Vargas
Summary: Researchers typically select convenient samples for sequencing in phylogenetic studies, but using original or type material is crucial, especially in complex taxonomy like that of Antirrhinum. This paper utilized topotypic materials of Antirrhinum at the species level to test taxonomic hypotheses, estimate phylogenetic relationships, and investigate the evolution of key morphological characters and biogeographic differentiation centers. The results revealed congruence with certain taxonomic accounts, disagreement with previous classification schemes, monophyly of certain species, geographic patterns of speciation, and multiple acquisitions of key taxonomic characters in Antirrhinum diversification.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
M. Luisa Navarro-Perez, M. Coronada Fernandez-Calderon, Virginia Vadillo-Rodriguez
Summary: This paper presents a simple numerical procedure for monitoring the growth of Streptococcus sanguinis. Through the decomposition of growth curves, it provides precise data on key parameters and allows a comprehensive description of growth over time. The procedure has important implications for evaluating antimicrobial agents and predictive microbiology.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Francisco Javier Valtuena, Tomas Rodriguez-Riano, Jose Luis Perez-Bote, Josefa Lopez, Ana Ortega-Olivencia
Summary: Anagyris foetida L. is a Mediterranean shrub with a mixed mating system, and inbreeding depression (ID) affects both reproductive and vegetative traits throughout the life cycle, with male reproductive function being the most affected. Vegetative parameters have a greater influence on overall ID than reproductive ones, and the populations have a mating system intermediate between outcrossing and a mixed system. The lower male reproductive capacity of selfed individuals has been maintained over time, highlighting the importance of studying ID value throughout the life cycle of plants.
PLANT SPECIES BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alberto J. Coello, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Ruben H. Heleno, Pablo Vargas
Summary: The study introduces a new software package, PAICE, for estimating the number of inter-island colonization events in island systems. PAICE provides estimates that are an order of magnitude higher than previous methods and can be applied in various biogeographic contexts, taking into account sampling size. It offers a standardized estimate of colonization success across different study species.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Otero, Pablo Vargas, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Pedro Jimenez-Mejias, Virginia Valcarcel, Irene Villa-Machio, Andrew L. Hipp
Summary: This study reveals a history of recurrent progenitor-derivative speciation within the genus Iberodes. The coastal lineage is suggested to have derived from the inland widespread Iberodes linifolia through ecological differentiation during the Late Pliocene, while the more recent differentiation in the coastland is proposed to have occurred due to geographical isolation and niche shifts. This research provides a model for distinguishing speciation via ecological differentiation between peripheral narrow endemics and a widespread ancestor.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jose Cerca, Bent Petersen, Jose Miguel Lazaro-Guevara, Angel Rivera-Colon, Siri Birkeland, Joel Vizueta, Siyu Li, Qionghou Li, Joao Loureiro, Chatchai Kosawang, Patricia Jaramillo Diaz, Gonzalo Rivas-Torres, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Pablo Vargas, Ross A. McCauley, Gitte Petersen, Luisa Santos-Bay, Nathan Wales, Julian M. Catchen, Daniel Machado, Michael D. Nowak, Alexander Suh, Neelima R. Sinha, Lene R. Nielsen, Ole Seberg, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, James H. Leebens-Mack, Loren H. Rieseberg, Michael D. Martin
Summary: Many island plant species exhibit a syndrome known as the 'plant island syndrome', which involves distinct phenotypic and life history traits. In this study, the researchers sequenced and analyzed the genome of the critically endangered Galapagos-endemic species Scalesia atractyloides Arnot. They identified the genomic basis of the island syndrome and determined the ancestral genomes and their divergence in this species.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Alejandro Alonso, Angelica Gallego-Narbon, Marina Coca-de-la-Iglesia, David Monjas, Nagore G. Medina, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Virginia Valcarcel
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the role of geographical and ecological forces in the origin and evolution of Madeiran ivy. The results showed that climatic differences played a major role in differentiating Madeiran ivy from other ivy species, and that the successful colonization of Madeira was mainly due to its adaptation to the Macaronesian climate.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tomas Rodriguez-Riano, Francisco J. Valtuena, Josefa Lopez, Jose Luis Perez-Bote, Ana Ortega-Olivencia
Summary: The study focuses on the largest and most important population of Scrophularia arguta, a rare amphicarpic annual plant species. The main threats to the population are predation by wild herbivores and the presence of nearby beehives, which alter the presence and density of wild pollinators. Cleistogamous seeds may help maintain the population, but at the cost of reducing genetic variability. The study recommends measures to ensure the conservation and survival of the population.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Fernando Pomeda-Gutierrez, Maria Begona Garcia, Maria Leo, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos, Mostafa Lamrani Alaoui, Anass Terrab, Pablo Vargas
Summary: In this study, we investigated the colonization history of Saxifraga longifolia, a plant species abundant in the Pyrenees and rare in other Iberian mountains and the African Atlas. Our findings suggest that the current distribution is the result of the shrinkage of a more extensive distribution in previous cold periods. We also discovered seven plastid haplotypes, predominantly found in the Pyrenees, and inferred migration routes mainly from the Pyrenees to other areas.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Angelica Gallego-Narbon, Alejandro Alonso, Virginia Valcarcel, Mario Fernandez-Mazuecos
Summary: The evolutionary stages leading to the emergence of single-species island endemics in the Macaronesian ivies were studied. It was found that climatic niche conservatism played an important role in their evolution, facilitating island colonization and limiting in situ diversification.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Markus Osaland Fjelde, Einar Timdal, Reidar Haugan, Mika Bendiksby
Summary: This study investigated the taxonomy of the crustose lichen genus Calvitimela using molecular phylogenetics and morphological observations. The results revealed evolutionarily old and deeply divergent lineages within Calvitimela, with overlapping morphological characters between different subgenera. Chemical characters were informative at the level of subgenera but often homoplastic at the species level. A practical taxonomy of Calvitimela was proposed based on these findings.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bo-Yang Shi, Da Pan, Kang-Qin Zhang, Tian-Yu Gu, Darren C. J. Yeo, Peter K. L. Ng, Neil Cumberlidge, Hong-Ying Sun
Summary: This study investigates the evolutionary history and speciation mechanisms of montane potamids in the Hengduan Mountains Region. The results suggest that the vicariance events of these crabs are correlated with the emergence of sky islands due to the uplift of the mountains. The mountain ridges provided corridors for their dispersal and past climatic conditions played a crucial role in their evolutionary history. The mechanisms isolating sky islands are reinforced by the climatic features of dry-hot valleys and continue to affect local diversification.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Attila Nemeth, Edvard Mizsei, Levente Laczko, David Czaban, Zsolt Hegyeli, Szabolcs Lengyel, Gabor Csorba, Gabor Sramko
Summary: Species delimitation of European blind mole rats is challenging due to their small morphological differences and complex chromosomal evolution. This study provides a comprehensive framework to improve understanding of their evolutionary history and revise their taxonomy. The results reveal the presence of multiple superspecies and species, with distinct geographic patterns and rapid chromosomal evolution.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ying Qi, Zhaoyan Zhong, Xu Liu, Xing He, Yadong Zhou, Lili Zhang, Chong Chen, Katrin Linse, Jian-Wen Qiu, Jin Sun
Summary: This study investigates the phylogenetic relationships among patellogastropod families using mitochondrial and phylogenomic data. The results show that the mitochondrial phylogeny recovers monophyly of most families, but the relationships among families are still contentious. However, a more robust family-level topology consistent with morphology is achieved by phylogenomics. Additionally, the mainly deep-water families are found to be monophyletic, suggesting a single colonization of the deep water during the Jurassic.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu-Jie Shi, Jin -Liang Huang, Jia-Xuan Mi, Jing Li, Fan-Yu Meng, Yu Zhong, Fang He, Fei -Fei Tian, Fan Zhang, Liang-Hua Chen, Han-Bo Yang, Hong-Lin Hu, Xue-Qin Wan
Summary: Despite numerous studies on hybrid speciation, our understanding of this process remains limited. In this study, we conducted an 18-year systematic investigation on Populus taxa on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and discovered three new taxa that originated from distant hybridization between two different sections. These hybrid taxa demonstrate greater ecological adaptability than their ancestral species due to heterosis. We propose a hybrid speciation process model that can explain important evolutionary concerns.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Cho, Denis Tikhonenkov, Gordon Lax, Kristina I. Prokina, Patrick J. Keeling
Summary: Unlike conspicuous ochrophytes, many small and overlooked flagellates belonging to basally branching stramenopiles remain poorly characterized at the cellular or genomic level. This study describes four new species, including two new genera, of sediment-dwelling MAST-6 and provides updated phylogenomic tree of stramenopiles. The characterization of these flagellates is important due to their phylogenetic diversity and abundance in various environments.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tian-Tian Xue, Steven B. Janssens, Bin-Bin Liu, Sheng-Xiang Yu
Summary: Phylogenomic conflicts are widespread among genomic data, with most previous studies primarily focusing on nuclear datasets instead of organellar genomes. In this study, we investigated the phylogenetic conflicts within and between plastid and mitochondrial genomes using Potentilla as a case study. We found that both plastid and mitochondrial genomes divided Potentilla into eight highly supported clades, with two newly identified clades. Our results demonstrate that mitochondrial genes can fully resolve phylogenetic relationships among major clades of Potentilla and are not always linked with plastomes in evolutionary history.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandra A. Grossi, Chunpo Tian, Mengjiao Ren, Fasheng Zou, Daniel R. Gustafsson
Summary: This study suggests that the coevolutionary relationships between chewing lice, endosymbiotic bacteria, and birds are not independent, but the patterns vary depending on the analysis method used. Additionally, louse host-switching does not seem to affect bacterial strains.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ingrid Olivares, Sergio Tusso, Maria Jose Sanin, Marylaure de La Harpe, Oriane Loiseau, Jonathan Rolland, Nicolas Salamin, Michael Kessler, Kentaro K. Shimizu, Margot Paris
Summary: Traditionally, differences between species have been associated with morphological variation. However, the discovery of cryptic diversity suggests that the evolution of distinct lineages can occur without morphological differences. Through genetic analysis, we found that a tropical montane plant lineage is composed of numerous unrecognized genetic groups that are not morphologically distinct. Geographic distance and topography play a crucial role in determining the genetic divergence of these groups.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
