Article
Plant Sciences
Jin Li, Changbing Zhang, Tserang Donko Mipam, Qingping Zhou, Shiyong Chen
Summary: Past climatic and topographic variations have shaped the distribution of genetic variation and population dynamics of alpine species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In this study, we investigated the phylogeography of the ecologically important grass species Elymus breviaristatus and found high genetic diversity and the influence of environmental isolation on its genetic structure.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhen Yang, Wen-Xu Ma, Xin He, Tian-Tian Zhao, Xiao-Hong Yang, Lu-Jun Wang, Qing-Hua Ma, Li-Song Liang, Gui-Xi Wang
Summary: This study investigated the nucleotide diversity and interspecific divergence within the Corylus heterophylla complex and found significant differences between different taxa. The results also revealed the relationship between geographical distributions and adaptive evolution in these taxa.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kyle E. Jaynes, Edward A. Myers, Vaclav Gvozdik, David C. Blackburn, Daniel M. Portik, Eli Greenbaum, Gregory F. M. Jongsma, Mark-Oliver Rodel, Gabriel Badjedjea, Abraham Bamba-Kaya, Ninda L. Baptista, Jeannot B. Akuboy, Raffael Ernst, Marcel T. Kouete, Chifundera Kusamba, Franck M. Masudi, Patrick J. McLaughlin, Lotanna M. Nneji, Abiodun B. Onadeko, Johannes Penner, Pedro Vaz Pinto, Bryan L. Stuart, Elie Tobi, Ange-Ghislain Zassi-Boulou, Adam D. Leache, Matthew K. Fujita, Rayna C. Bell
Summary: Secondary sympatry amongst sister lineages is closely associated with genetic and ecological divergence, suggesting that closely related species require differences in ecological and/or reproductive isolation traits to coexist in secondary sympatry. In this study, three giant tree frog species showed species-level divergence coinciding with a period of large-scale forest fragmentation during the late Pliocene. Environmental niche models revealed that the three species occupy distinct environmental niches and display modest morphological differentiation, particularly in tympanum diameter and male advertisement call. Additionally, climatic refugia, precipitation gradients, marine incursions, and potentially riverine barriers have generated phylogeographic structure at the intraspecific level throughout the Pleistocene and Holocene.
Article
Plant Sciences
A. Lopez-Caamal, E. Tovar-Sanchez
Summary: This study explores the impact of historical climate changes and hybridization on the contemporary geographic structure of two Neotropical weedy species, revealing significant altitudinal shifts and distribution changes. Despite predicted shared refugial areas, there is a low number of shared haplotypes between species, suggesting a minor role of hybridization in shaping their geographic structure. Our results provide additional insights into the population history of the northern Neotropics during the Quaternary and highlight the suitability of weedy widespread species for studying the effects of historic climatic changes in the region.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jesus Antonio Rocamontes-Morales, Carla Gutierrez-Rodriguez, Oscar Rios-Cardenas, Pablo C. Hernandez-Romero
Summary: Genetic and morphological variation within Xiphophorus hellerii populations are influenced by geographic and environmental factors, with body shape variations possibly linked to temperature. The study suggests that X. hellerii from different basins and hydrological regions have followed independent evolutionary routes.
Article
Ecology
Jakub Z. Kosicki
Summary: This study examines niche divergence and interspecific competition in the spatial distribution of sister species within a sympatric zone in Poland, showing how different habitat preferences can lead to co-existence of related congeners due to ecological mechanisms.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Junchu Peng, Xiangguang Ma, Hang Sun
Summary: This study focuses on two genera of plant species in the Sino-Himalayan region and explores how environmental changes have accelerated lineage diversification through ancient allopatry and ecological divergence. The research findings reveal the patterns of speciation and divergence processes, as well as the influence of geographical and climatic factors on genetic distance and population structure.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yinjiao Yu, Qixiang Lu, Alexander G. Lapirov, Joanna Freeland, Xinwei Xu
Summary: This study investigates the evolution and genetic structure of Hippuris vulgaris, an aquatic plant in the arctic flora. The research reveals three genetic lineages with distinct distribution ranges and provides insights into genetic exchange between different regions. The study also suggests that closely-related species H. lanceolata and H. tetraphylla should be considered as conspecific ecotypes of H. vulgaris. Additionally, the analysis indicates that H. vulgaris originated in China and subsequently spread to Europe, North America, and the Russian Far East.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Xiaming ZHU, Lei HUA, Mengchao FANG, Yu DU, Chixian LIN, Longhui LIN, Xiang JI
Summary: Genetic diversity, population structure, evolutionary history, and migration patterns were studied in Reeves' butterfly lizard using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite loci. Two lineages were identified, with evidence of niche shifts and conservatisms, indicating a complex niche pattern between the two lineages.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yessica Rico, M. Angel Leon-Tapia, Marisol Zurita-Solis, Flor Rodriguez-Gomez, Suria Gisela Vasquez-Morales
Summary: The study revealed complex genetic structure and historical evolution of Magnolia tree species in the Tropical Montane Cloud Forests of Mexico, influenced by Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. Environmental factors played a crucial role in genetic differentiation, with demographic expansions predating the Last Interglacial period. Conservation management of genetically diverse populations in remnant forest fragments in the three TMCF regions is essential for the protection of these Magnolia populations.
Article
Geography
Peter Demjan, Dagmar Dreslerova, Jan Kolar, Tomas Chuman, Dusan Romportl, Miroslav Trnka, Tibor Lieskovsky
Summary: This study applies ecological niche modelling to analyze a long time-series of archaeological data, revealing the development of settlement behavior and its dependence on environmental conditions. The results show that settlement strategies were remarkably stable and previous settlement was beneficial for subsequent land-use. Comparison with contemporary landscape typology highlights the long-term legacy of prehistoric settlement, making it an important heritage monument.
Article
Ecology
Julian Resasco, Natacha P. Chacoff, Diego P. Vazquez
Summary: Generalist species interactions tend to persist more in time and space, with species' tolerance of environmental variation playing a key role in generalization. The results suggest a role of spatiotemporal environmental variation in organizing species interactions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Javier Lopez-Jurado, Enrique Mateos-Naranjo, Francisco Balao
Summary: The study found that polyploids of Dianthus broteri (especially the 6x and 12x) showed higher divergence in leaf economics spectrum (LES) and soil niche traits compared to diploids, but these traits were not coevolving. The 6x and 12x exhibited contrasting ecological strategies in resource use, with a higher uncoupling of the LES network. Early trait divergence prevailed in both LES and soil niche, with post-polyploidization processes playing a significant role in photochemical behavior.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Min-Xin Luo, Hsin-Pei Lu, Bing-Hong Huang, Chia-Lung Huang, Yu-Feng Hsu, Pei-Chun Liao
Summary: The study revealed that the divergence between the two subspecies of the butterfly Parantica sita occurred around 23.1 kya, influenced primarily by winter precipitation and annual temperature range. While there was evidence of gene flow between the insular and continental subspecies, long-term precipitation patterns caused divergence between them.
Article
Zoology
Juan Cruz Gonzalez, Regina Gabriela Medina, Carolina Nieto
Summary: This study examines the genetic structure and bioclimatic preferences of the aquatic insect B. huaico in Northwest Argentina using genetic analysis and ecological niche modeling. The results show that this species is genetically structured into two distinct geographic groups and has undergone a distributional shift from south to north over time. The study also identifies a stable region with high genetic diversity, which may have served as a Pleistocene refuge. These findings contribute to our understanding of the genetic diversity of Ephemeroptera in subtropical Argentina and highlight the possible influence of climate on genetic population differentiation.
ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Gil Nelson, Patrick Sweeney, Lisa E. Wallace, Richard K. Rabeler, Dorothy Allarrd, Herrick Brown, J. Richard Carter, Michael W. Denslow, Elizabeth R. Ellwood, Charlotte C. Germain-Aubrey, Ed Gilbert, Emily Gillespie, Leslie R. Goertzen, Ben Legler, D. Blaine Marchant, Travis D. Marsico, Ashley B. Morris, Zack Murrell, Mare Nazaire, Chris Neefus, Shana Oberreiter, Deborah Paul, Brad R. Ruhfel, Thomas Sasek, Joey Shaw, Pamela S. Soltis, Kimberly Watson, Andrea Weeks, Austin R. Mast
APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2015)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jonathan P. Evans, Ashley B. Morris
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2016)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ashley B. Morris, Cassandra Scalf, Austin Burleyson, La Tonya Johnson, Kevin Trostel
APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2016)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jennifer M. Yost, Patrick W. Sweeney, Ed Gilbert, Gil Nelson, Robert Guralnick, Amanda S. Gallinat, Elizabeth R. Ellwood, Natalie Rossington, Charles G. Willis, Stanley D. Blum, Ramona L. Walls, Elspeth M. Haston, Michael W. Denslow, Constantin M. Zohner, Ashley B. Morris, Brian J. Stucky, J. Richard Carter, David G. Baxter, Kjell Bolmgren, Ellen G. Denny, Ellen Dean, Katelin D. Pearson, Charles C. Davis, Brent D. Mishler, Pamela S. Soltis, Susan J. Mazer
APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2018)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ashley B. Morris, Nicole K. Millsaps, Kelsi Q. Mason, Jacquelyn S. Howell, James H. Speer
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2014)
Article
Plant Sciences
Joey Shaw, Hayden L. Shafer, O. Rayne Leonard, Margaret J. Kovach, Mark Schorr, Ashley B. Morris
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2014)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas G. Jackson, David H. Nelson, Ashley B. Morris
SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST
(2012)
Article
Forestry
Lee Rumble, Glenn Taylor, Joshua B. Grinath, Ashley B. Morris
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ashley B. Morris, Kevin Trostel, Cassandra Scalf, Austin Burleyson, Geoff Call, Matthew A. Albrecht
Summary: Assessment of genetic diversity in natural and reintroduced populations of Pyne's ground plum revealed moderate diversity within populations and limited diversity among populations, with no evidence of inbreeding or recent bottlenecks. Reintroduced populations showed similar genetic diversity to natural populations, indicating successful capture of observed variation. One geographically disjunct natural population exhibited the greatest genetic divergence and should be a primary focus for future conservation efforts.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Caleb Powell, Alaina Krakowiak, Rachel Fuller, Erica Rylander, Emily Gillespie, Shawn Krosnick, Brad Ruhfel, Ashley B. Morris, Joey Shaw
Summary: An analysis of digitization productivity reports from herbaria workers showed that productivity improves with experience, suggesting that longer retention of technicians could reduce labor requirements by 20%. Using student labor is a common tactic in digitization efforts and helps expose future professionals to natural history collections. However, overcoming the learning curve should be taken into account when estimating the labor necessary to digitize a collection.
APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Emily Oppmann, Ashley B. Morris
Summary: Limestone cedar glades are home to rare species like the running glade clover. Efforts to reintroduce and protect the endangered running glade clover have been made, with an assessment of clonality among transplanted individuals. This study provides baseline data for future research on this understudied species.
Article
Biology
Anna K. Monfils, Erica R. Krimmel, Debra L. Linton, Travis D. Marsico, Ashley B. Morris, Brad R. Ruhfel
Summary: Biodiversity scientists need to have interdisciplinary skills, including quantitative, computational, and data skills, as well as foundational knowledge in ecology, evolution, taxonomy, and systematics. To effectively train the emerging workforce, teaching should integrate science and data skills. An open education resource that updates traditional plant collection exercises can enhance students' skills in plant taxonomy and systematics, and deepen their understanding of collections-based data resources. Extended specimens play a crucial role in scientific discovery and reinforcing foundational concepts in biodiversity science, taxonomy, and systematics.
Article
Sociology
Kimberly A. Hays, J. Christopher Havran, Matthew J. Heard, Ashley B. Morris, Loretta Ovueraye
Summary: The Association of Southeastern Biologists, founded in 1937, aims to increase collaboration among scientists in the southeastern US. Recently, the Association has placed a greater focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, striving to promote access and inclusion for students and scientists from underrepresented groups. By reviewing its history and emphasizing current efforts, the Association seeks to create a more open and inclusive scientific community for the future.
FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Travis D. Marsico, Erica R. Krimmel, J. Richard Carter, Emily L. Gillespie, Phillip D. Lowe, Ross McCauley, Ashley B. Morris, Gil Nelson, Michelle Smith, Diana L. Soteropoulos, Anna K. Monfils
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2020)