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Recently lost connectivity in the Western Palaearctic steppes : the case of a scarce specialist butterfly

Sucháčková Bartoňová, Alena ; Konvička, Martin ; Marešová, Jana ; Kolev, Zdravko ; Wahlberg, Niklas LU and Faltýnek Fric, Zdeněk (2020) In Conservation Genetics 21. p.561-575
Abstract

Palaearctic steppes evolved under the Cenozoic cold arid climate and megaherbivore pressure. A large portion of the biome persisted into the Holocene but has recently been subjected to human land use alternation. Pseudophilotes bavius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) is a steppe specialist sporadically distributed in Eastern Europe and Pontic-Caspian region (from Transylvania to Southern Urals), the Balkans, the South-Eastern Mediterranean and Irano-Anatolian regions. We used samples covering the distribution area to assess the phylogeography and population genetics of the species based on one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. The basal lineages are situated in the Irano-Anatolian region, forming two Evolutionary Units. The species... (More)

Palaearctic steppes evolved under the Cenozoic cold arid climate and megaherbivore pressure. A large portion of the biome persisted into the Holocene but has recently been subjected to human land use alternation. Pseudophilotes bavius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) is a steppe specialist sporadically distributed in Eastern Europe and Pontic-Caspian region (from Transylvania to Southern Urals), the Balkans, the South-Eastern Mediterranean and Irano-Anatolian regions. We used samples covering the distribution area to assess the phylogeography and population genetics of the species based on one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. The basal lineages are situated in the Irano-Anatolian region, forming two Evolutionary Units. The species radiated to the Balkans and Pontic-Caspian steppes probably when the climatic conditions became suitable after the mid-Pleistocene transition and formation of vast steppe biome. In these parts of the range, the species survived both glacial and interglacial periods in situ, forming a third Evolutionary Unit. In the Balkans, the individual populations are distinct and have probably been isolated for a long time, owing to the diversity of Balkan habitats. In the Pontic-Caspian region, population connectivity probably existed until recently, since the life history of the species is unlikely to include long-distance dispersal. The distribution could have become fragmented with the conversion of steppes into cropland during the past centuries. Future conservation will require proper knowledge of the distribution and habitat needs of the species. Management of inhabited sites should respect historical disturbance-succession dynamics.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Evolutionary unit, Habitat fragmentation, Insect, Phylogeography, Pseudophilotes bavius, Rubrapterus
in
Conservation Genetics
volume
21
pages
15 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85083088875
ISSN
1566-0621
DOI
10.1007/s10592-020-01271-9
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a1bf9dff-d77b-4fdd-a85d-d85cf125f309
date added to LUP
2020-05-08 15:09:08
date last changed
2022-04-18 22:06:53
@article{a1bf9dff-d77b-4fdd-a85d-d85cf125f309,
  abstract     = {{<p>Palaearctic steppes evolved under the Cenozoic cold arid climate and megaherbivore pressure. A large portion of the biome persisted into the Holocene but has recently been subjected to human land use alternation. Pseudophilotes bavius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) is a steppe specialist sporadically distributed in Eastern Europe and Pontic-Caspian region (from Transylvania to Southern Urals), the Balkans, the South-Eastern Mediterranean and Irano-Anatolian regions. We used samples covering the distribution area to assess the phylogeography and population genetics of the species based on one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. The basal lineages are situated in the Irano-Anatolian region, forming two Evolutionary Units. The species radiated to the Balkans and Pontic-Caspian steppes probably when the climatic conditions became suitable after the mid-Pleistocene transition and formation of vast steppe biome. In these parts of the range, the species survived both glacial and interglacial periods in situ, forming a third Evolutionary Unit. In the Balkans, the individual populations are distinct and have probably been isolated for a long time, owing to the diversity of Balkan habitats. In the Pontic-Caspian region, population connectivity probably existed until recently, since the life history of the species is unlikely to include long-distance dispersal. The distribution could have become fragmented with the conversion of steppes into cropland during the past centuries. Future conservation will require proper knowledge of the distribution and habitat needs of the species. Management of inhabited sites should respect historical disturbance-succession dynamics.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sucháčková Bartoňová, Alena and Konvička, Martin and Marešová, Jana and Kolev, Zdravko and Wahlberg, Niklas and Faltýnek Fric, Zdeněk}},
  issn         = {{1566-0621}},
  keywords     = {{Evolutionary unit; Habitat fragmentation; Insect; Phylogeography; Pseudophilotes bavius; Rubrapterus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  pages        = {{561--575}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Conservation Genetics}},
  title        = {{Recently lost connectivity in the Western Palaearctic steppes : the case of a scarce specialist butterfly}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10592-020-01271-9}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10592-020-01271-9}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}